Combined pitch email - July 17

Hey folks,

It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through July! Not to bring it up, but that means September’s just around the corner…

There’s some cool pitches this week about stuff happening both on- and off-campus. If you want to take any of these pitches, or have a pitch of your own that you would like to write an article on, message the line editor of that section (through email or The Gateway's Slack), and they'll set you up to write the article.

Happy writing!

Olivia

News Pitches

You can reach Lily at [email protected] or over Slack!

The University of Alberta has launched a new interdisciplinary research centre devoted to tackling a range of global challenges related to water: Based in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the centre will draw on expertise across faculties to examine problems of water supply, demand, treatment, reuse and infrastructure. The centre also plans to work directly with remote, underserved and Indigenous communities to tackle critical issues of water supply and safety.

Damage to gut bacteria linked with chemo-induced weight gain in breast cancer patients: New research seeks to explain why patients who undergo chemotherapy lose muscle and gain fat, with the goal of helping survivors avoid future obesity-related illness.

Study reveals evolution of controversial human gut microbe: Blastocystis is one of the most common microbes found in our guts but its role in human health is poorly understood. Blastocystis infection can lead to diarrhea, nausea, weight loss and fatigue, yet the microbe’s presence is also considered by some as a sign of a healthy gut. “One in six people on the planet have it and we don't know if it can hurt you or not. Probably we should know how this thing works,” says Joel Dacks, professor of infectious diseases in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry and co-lead on new research published in Current Biology that seeks to illuminate the evolutionary biology of Blastocystis.

Low muscle mass could make people more vulnerable to COVID, study suggests: Levels of muscle mass and body fat play a pivotal role in COVID-19 prognosis and recovery, according to new University of Alberta research.In a review of several studies, the researchers found that abnormalities in body composition were prevalent in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and were often associated with more severe disease and poorer outcomes, including higher risk of death.

Opinion Pitches

You can reach Olivia at [email protected] or over Slack!

LRT safety reaches a critical point: 52-year-old Rukinisha Nkundabatware was stabbed to death in an apparent random attack at Belvedere LRT station on July 9th. In response, Edmonton police have urged “caution” on transit, with Edmonton homicide Detective Jared Buhler advising Edmontonians to avoid “any interaction with anyone that gives you any sense of uncertainty, because you can literally end up with a knife in your chest.” The lack of action in response to the attack has caused heavy controversy online, with many Edmontonians no longer feeling safe in the city. Take this pitch and write about the state of safety in the city: what’s next for Edmonton? What needs to change?

Single use bylaw: Edmonton introduced a new bylaw on July 1, requiring all food establishments to give utensils, straws, napkins and condiments only upon request. Plastic bags have been banned, and paper ones come with a 15 cent cost. Now that the bylaw has been in effect for two weeks, write about what effect you see it taking on the city. Do you think it’s effective at minimising the impact of single use plastics? Is the inconvenience worth the sacrifice?

Is going to the movie theatre cool again? 2023 has been an impressive year for movie releases thus far, and things are only going to ramp up from here (here’s looking at you, Barbenheimer). Thanks to the pandemic, we all got comfortable with our streaming services and at-home watch parties: but Cineplex and Landmark are back with a vengeance. With that in mind, take this pitch and write about whether or not going to the movie theatre is back in style. Does going to the theatre improve the viewing experience? Is it the same thing as watching from home? Is it worth going bankrupt just so you can pay for a large popcorn and M&Ms?

Canada is having its worst wildfire season since 1989: The summer isn’t even over yet, but so far Canadian wildfires have burned through 10 million hectares of land. This is more than every wildfire season since 1989. A lot of attention has been put towards combatting the immediate threat, but the reality of climate change is that extreme weather is likely to become even more common. Take this pitch and write about the broader takeaways from this crisis.

More housing options for U of A students: A new private student housing unit opened recently in the Garneau neighbourhood, right next to the U of A’s campus. Maclab Development Group was behind the project. It was then among the largest student housing projects to go forward in Canada, at $220 million. Take this pitch and write about what this project means for students. Does the greater availability of housing seem likely to alleviate rising rent prices? Should more private developers build student housing units, or is publicly-funded affordable housing better?

A&C Pitches

You can reach Katie at [email protected] or over Slack!

Event Coverage: Taste of Edmonton

Sir Winston Churchill Square, July 20 to 29 from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. July 30 from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Review some tasty bites at this classic festival, coming back to the streets of Edmonton with over 50 locally owned restaurants. There will also be daily music performances and plenty of food trucks with a wide variety of dishes and drinks for attendee’s to sample. This year, the festival will also include food tours, bike tours, and a nightly performance of duelling pianos. You can purchase food tickets online, starting at $2.00 for a single ticket.

Event Coverage: Where Dark Things Dwell

Fort Edmonton Park, until September 24, Thursday & Friday Games - 7:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., Saturday Games - 5:30 p.m., 8:00 pm and 10:30 p.m., Sunday Games - 5:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Check out the largest outdoor escape room at Fort Edmonton Park! This interactive experience starts when an ancient curse drives the villagers of Edmonton mad. In teams of four you must stop the curse from spreading to the rest of the world. Tickets for the experience are $30 and it is both indoors and outdoors, so dress accordingly!

Event Coverage: If These Walls Could Talk

Alberta Avenue District, July 29 1:00 to 2:30 p.m.

This unique guided tour provided by Arts on The Ave will take you through historical landmarks and artwork on 118th Avenue. There is more artistic history than meets the eye on this street, one of the oldest in the city, and after the tour you can stop in at The Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse for a complimentary coffee and muffin. Tickets are available on eventbrite for $40.54.

Exhibition Review: ‘Mending Roots’ and ‘Today’s Special’

SNAP Gallery, until July 29

Two exhibitions have opened at SNAP Gallery featuring the print artwork of Edward Fu-Chen Juan in Mending Roots and Yilu Xing in Today’s Special. The first exhibit showcases artwork made using indigenous plants from Taiwan, as the artist expresses his experience as an immigrant to Canada and explores his connections to his homeland. Today’s Special presents images of food that explore how people form connections over meals. Yilu Xing will be hosting a free artist’s talk about Today’s Special on July 15 from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m..

Event Coverage: Midsummer Night Market

Granite Curling Club, July 21 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m.

Presented by Alt After Dark, this event will include live entertainment, food trucks, and over 100 vendors! Come support local brewers, crafters, and artists with the chance of winning a door prize. There is free entry to the market and it is suitable for all ages.

Interview Opportunities: Sparrow Blue or Movements

These two bands are available for interviews with The Gateway! Sparrow Blue is a local rock band that will soon be setting off on their Canada-wide tour to promote their new album. They will be performing at Taste of Edmonton on July 24 at 9:00 p.m.. Movements is a Southern California group that is soon releasing a new album RUCKUS!. Their music combines hardcore punk and pop influences, as showcased in their latest music video “Tightrope.”

A&C Columns

Eating Edmonton: Come Find Me

Courtyard of Take Care Cafe

Let readers at The Gateway know if this trendy new restaurant is worth the hype! Come Find Me serves a variety of fresh dishes with uncooked ingredients and a range of drinks to accompany your meal. 

Double Take: Love spitting fire-hot takes on pop culture? You and a friend (or foe) can team up to write opposing takes on some piece of art/entertainment/media.

Brew Crew/Vino Bitches: As we head into the partying season, write a fun, short review of your favourite (or not-so-favourite) beers, wines, or other alcoholic beverages of choice!0