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Hey Edmonton! Happy Friday and welcome to May.
I am not going to pretend the night did not hurt, the Oilers are out and this city is feeling it this morning. But we have a full issue today that runs the whole range, from the courtroom to the countryside, and yes, there is a peacock named Pete involved. Let us get into it. 💛
🏒 The Long Walk Home. Oilers Season Ends in Anaheim
That one is going to sting for a while, Edmonton.
The Anaheim Ducks eliminated the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 6 Thursday night at Honda Center, closing out the first round series 4-2
The Oilers had fought back from 3-1 down just days earlier, Leon Draisaitl was magnificent in Game 5, but could not find the same magic on the road in Game 6
McDavid, Draisaitl and the rest of the group head into a long summer knowing they came close, and knowing this core has unfinished business
This is how it ends this year. Not the way anyone wanted. Drop a 💙🧡 if you felt it last night.
⚖️ A Scapegoat or a Criminal? The Trial That Keeps Edmonton Thinking About Two Lost Officers
Three years after Const. Travis Jordan and Const. Brett Ryan were killed responding to a domestic violence call, the man who sold the rifle to the teenager who shot them is now on trial.
Dennis Okeymow, 21, sold a semi-automatic rifle to 16-year-old Roman Shewchuk for $2,500 about six weeks before Shewchuk shot and killed both officers in March 2023
Defence lawyer Jamil Sawani argued April 30 that his client is being made "an effigy to be burned in this public square" because the actual shooter is dead and there is no one else left to charge
Crown prosecutor Adam Garrett countered that selling a firearm to a minor who cannot legally purchase one carries criminal responsibility regardless of what came after
Const. Jordan and Const. Ryan deserved better. So did their families. This trial matters.
🦚 Pete, Hilda and Badonkadonk Are Home Safe. The Truck Is Still Missing
Stony Plain, this is your moment.
A white 2005 Ford F-350 was stolen early Sunday morning from a hotel parking lot in Stony Plain, but the thief got far more than they bargained for, because the truck came with a livestock trailer carrying a horse named Spirit, a donkey named Badonkadonk, and two peacocks named Pete and Hilda in a crate in the back seat
The horse and donkey were found within hours, dumped along a rural range road nearby, Pete and Hilda turned up in their crate along Highway 16 near the hamlet of Duffield, found by a passing motorist who called RCMP and reunited them with their owners
The truck, with BC licence plate SY7996, has still not been found, if you see it, call RCMP
Somewhere out there is a very confused thief who did not expect a donkey named Badonkadonk to be part of their day. Share this one, it deserves a wide audience.
📊 Your Census Letter Is Coming, You Have Until May 12
Mark your calendar, Canada.
Starting May 4 — that is four days from now — every household in the country will receive a census invitation in the mail with a secure access code to complete their questionnaire online
About 75 percent of households will get the short form covering the basics: age, language, household composition and marital status; 25 percent will receive the long form, which also asks about education, work, housing and commuting
New questions this round ask about health status, sexual orientation and experiences with homelessness in the past 12 months — and yes, the fine for not completing by May 12 is up to $500
This one affects every household in Edmonton and surrounding communities. If your neighbours need a heads up, pass it along.
🤝 Carney Draws a Line on Trade: "There Is One Negotiator for Canada"
Ottawa sent a firm message Thursday after a Conservative MP went to Washington without the government's blessing.
Conservative MP Jamil Jivani met with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington on his own initiative ,without federal authorization
Prime Minister Carney responded plainly: "We're both free countries, so people can go where they wish. In the end, there's one negotiator for Canada, and that is the government of Canada"
For Alberta, where energy trade with the US is the backbone of the economy, the clarity of who speaks for Canada on trade carries real weight
One voice. One table. Make of that what you will.
🚢 🛢️ Oil Briefly Hits $126 as Trump Prepares to Hear New Military Strike Options - Day 62
The Iran conflict just got more expensive at the pump, and potentially more dangerous on the ground.
Brent crude briefly surged to $126 a barrel Thursday, a four year wartime high after reports emerged that US Central Command is preparing to brief President Trump on potential new military strike options against Iran, including "short and powerful" strikes on infrastructure
Oil pulled back to around $116 after the initial spike; US gasoline prices now sit at $4.30 a gallon
The 60-day War Powers Act deadline also arrived May 1, creating confusion in Congress over whether Trump needs their approval to continue, the Senate rejected a war powers resolution Thursday, and Defense Secretary Hegseth argued no approval is needed due to the current ceasefire
For Alberta oil producers, $116 oil is still a windfall. For the rest of the world, every day the Strait of Hormuz stays disrupted is another day the pressure builds.
Edmonton local Weather
Day⬆ 10° higher than historical avg, Night⬆10° higher than historical avg.
🌤️ Edmonton Weather - Friday May 1st
Friday is shaping up beautifully, Edmonton. Expect sunshine and a high of 18°C genuinely lovely spring energy to carry you into the weekend. Overnight clouds roll in with a low of 4°C, so keep a layer handy if you are heading out late.
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📅 Events Happening This Week in Edmonton
Friday, May 1
🎪 Cherry Lane Cinco de Mayo Theme Week (2nd Night) 🎟️ Details
🗓 Apr 30–May 2 · ⏰ Special dinner & drinks · 📍 Cherry Lane Bed & Breakfast (East of Edmonton)
Week‑long Mexican‑themed meals, drinks, and desserts at this charming spot just outside the city.🧵 Work of Our Hands Spring Showcase – Friday Preview 🎟️ Details
🗓 May 1 · ⏰ 1:00–4:00 PM (booked slots) · 📍 Pottery by Heather – 4740–50 St, Bon Accord
Hand‑crafted pottery, art, jewelry, and goods from local makers in a cozy, appointment‑only afternoon.
Saturday, May 2
🦋 AJR 🎟️ Details
🗓 May 2 · ⏰ 7:30 PM (doors) · 📍 Rogers Place – 10220 104 Ave NW
New York pop‑rock trio AJR bring their slick, theatrical show to Edmonton as part of their 2026 tour.🍦 Dilly’s Ice Cream Artisan Market 🎟️ Details
🗓 May 2 · ⏰ 10:00 AM–4:00 PM · 📍 123 Street Transit Centre – 11012 123 St NW
Food truck park meets handmade market, featuring local vendors, crafts, and of course, cold treats.🐴 Lamont Bullarama Supreme 🎟️ Details
🗓 May 2 · ⏰ Evening (roughly 6–10 PM) · 📍 Lamont Rodeo Grounds – 195014 Township 552
Professional bull riding action followed by an adult‑only dance and live band just outside the city.🚴 Edmonton Steps for Life Walk 🎟️ Details
🗓 May 2 · ⏰ 6:00 PM (registration/open) · 📍 Rundle Park – 14500 Rundle Park Rd NW
4‑knight‑time walk supporting the Canadian Cancer Society, with live music and community activities.
STORY CORNER 📖
In 1983, a 61-year-old sheep farmer from Victoria, Australia named Cliff Young showed up to the start line of the Westfield Sydney to Melbourne ultramarathon. The race covered 875 kilometres. He was wearing overalls and rubber work boots, what Australians call gumboots.
Everyone at the start line assumed he was a spectator.
He was not.
The other competitors were elite professional endurance athletes. They all knew the strategy: run hard for 18 hours, then sleep for 6. Every serious runner did it that way. It was just how it was done.
Cliff did not know that.
So while the professionals slept each night, Cliff just kept shuffling along in his slow, plodding, barely-lifting-his-feet gait. He did not stop. He did not sleep much. Back on his farm, he had spent stretches of three days straight running down sheep during storms without rest. He figured that was just how you ran a long distance.
By day two, he was leading the race.
By day five, he crossed the finish line first, more than nine hours ahead of the next runner. He set a new race record. When reporters asked how he felt, he said he just imagined he was chasing sheep and the storm was right behind him.
He donated his entire $10,000 prize to his fellow competitors because, he said, he did not know there was prize money.
The slow shuffle Cliff used, rocking forward, feet barely leaving the ground, became a studied technique adopted by elite ultramarathon runners around the world. It is still called the Cliffy Shuffle today.
He was 61. He wore gumboots. And he won.
What race are you still telling yourself you are not qualified to enter?