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Good morning, Edmonton and surrounding areas! Happy Friday, neighbours!
Rain is moving back in today with a high of 24°C and Edmonton is now just millimetres from shattering a June rainfall record that has stood since 1914. Two senior commanders at CFB Edmonton were quietly removed from their posts this week. Canada is five days from a CUSMA trade deadline that could reshape Alberta industries. And Venezuela is reeling from its worst earthquakes in over a century. Let us get into it 💛
🌧️ Edmonton is days away from breaking a June rainfall record that has stood since 1914
Will Edmonton break its all-time June rainfall record in 2026?
Edmonton has already recorded more than 200mm of rain this June and the all-time record of 216.5mm, set in 1914, is within reach, with another 30 to 70mm forecast to arrive today and carry through the weekend.
A Rex Block weather pattern is stalling a low pressure system directly over Alberta, keeping the rain in place rather than letting it move through like a typical storm
If the weekend total hits the high end of the forecast, Edmonton will shatter a 112-year-old record on ground that is already completely saturated from last week's historic flooding
How is your neighbourhood holding up? Hit reply and tell us what you are seeing right now.
🪖 Two senior leaders of CFB Edmonton's 3 PPCLI battalion have been removed pending an investigation
Why were CFB Edmonton battalion leaders removed from command in June 2026?
The Department of National Defence confirmed this week that Lieutenant-Colonel Jason Hudson and Chief Warrant Officer Kim Doerr have been temporarily removed from the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry at CFB Edmonton while an investigation runs.
The 3rd Canadian Division, which oversees Armed Forces operations across Western Canada, is leading the probe, with sources pointing to an alleged alcohol-related incident as the reason for the removals
Major Caleb Kimball and Master Warrant Officer Timothy Wiebe have been named as interim leaders of the battalion while the matter is being investigated
Hit reply if you have ties to CFB Edmonton and want to share your thoughts on this.
🤝 Carney says Canada will not sign a bad CUSMA deal as the July 1 deadline sits five days away
What is PM Carney's position on the CUSMA review deadline in June 2026?
Prime Minister Mark Carney stood at a podium in Ottawa Thursday and made his position clear: Canada will not rush into a trade deal just to meet a deadline.
"It has to be a real deal," he told reporters, as all three CUSMA partners face a July 1 target to confirm the agreement that governs more than $1.93 trillion in annual North American trade
A failure to renew shifts CUSMA into year-by-year reviews, something economists say could freeze investment in Alberta's beef, energy and agricultural sectors almost immediately
Is Carney drawing the right line? Hit reply and share your take on this.
🌍 Twin earthquakes kill 188 people in Venezuela in the worst disaster the country has seen in over a century
How deadly were the June 2026 Venezuela earthquakes and where did they strike?
Two massive earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude struck Venezuela's Caribbean coast within seconds of each other Wednesday night, killing at least 188 people and injuring more than 1,500 in the strongest quakes to hit the country in over 100 years.
The quakes hit near the town of Morón, about 160 kilometres west of Caracas, and more than 100 buildings collapsed in the coastal city of La Guaira, where rescuers are still searching for 157 missing people
Canada has pledged $5 million in humanitarian aid as Venezuelan authorities work to reach communities cut off by collapsed roads and infrastructure
Hit reply to share your thoughts or if you want to know how to support the relief effort.
💰 The White House is asking Congress for $87.6 billion to cover the costs of the US-Iran war
How much is the US requesting from Congress for Iran war costs in 2026?
Even as oil prices slide below $75 and the Strait of Hormuz prepares to reopen this weekend, the White House submitted an $87.6 billion spending request to Congress to cover what the US military spent in Operation Epic Fury.
The request earmarks $67 billion for the Pentagon to restock weapons and munitions, plus $11.1 billion for US farmers hit by the conflict and $1.4 billion for the Ebola response in Africa
Congressional Democrats already called it the cost of "a disastrous war of choice" and some Republicans are pushing back too, making the bill's path through Congress anything but certain
With the Strait reopening and oil prices falling, do you think the war costs were worth it? Hit reply.
YOUR TURN 💌
One story in today's issue is still sitting with me and I want to know if it landed the same way for you. Hit reply and tell me which one you cannot stop thinking about and why. I read every single one, and your replies genuinely shape what we dig into next.
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Edmonton local Weather
Day ⬇1° lower than historical avg, Night ⬆4° higher than historical avg.
🌧️ Edmonton Weather: Friday June 26th
Friday brings showers and a high of 24°C as the next big system rolls in. This weekend could deliver another 30 to 70mm of rain, which may be enough to push Edmonton past its all-time June rainfall record before Sunday night.
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📅 Events Happening This Week in Edmonton and Surrounding Areas
Friday June 26
🌸 North American Cup Series: Lead & Speed 🎟️ Details
🗓 June 26–28 · ⏰ All day · 📍 Louise McKinney Riverfront Park, Edmonton
Free spectator access to a major sport climbing competition.edmonton
🌸 Death: Life’s Greatest Mystery 🎟️ Details
🗓 June 26–Jul 3 · ⏰ Museum hours · 📍 Royal Alberta Museum, Edmonton
An immersive exhibition exploring how cultures understand death and remembrance.edmonton
🌸 Summer of soccer in ICE District 🎟️ Details
🗓 June 26 · ⏰ All day · 📍 Fan Park @ ICE District & ICE District Plaza, Edmonton
Free World Cup watch parties continue downtown.edmontondowntown
Saturday June 27
🌸 The Works Art & Design Festival 🎟️ Details
🗓 June 20–Jul 1 · ⏰ Festival hours · 📍 Sir Winston Churchill Square, Edmonton
A free, family-friendly art festival that overlaps the weekend.edmonton+1
🌸 Edmonton International Jazz Festival 🎟️ Details
🗓 June 25–27 · ⏰ Various showtimes · 📍 Multiple Edmonton venues
The citywide jazz festival continues through the weekend.edmonton
Surrounding areas
🌸 Edmonton-area regional events 🎟️ Details
🗓 June 25–27 · ⏰ Varies · 📍 East of Edmonton communities
The regional calendar continues to list community and festival programming in nearby towns.goeastofedmonton
🌸 World Cup watch parties 🎟️ Details
🗓 June 25–27 · ⏰ Multiple match times · 📍 ICE District Plaza, Edmonton
If you’re building a nightlife/watch-party list, this is one of the strongest ongoing downtown options.
Coming Up
🌸 Canada vs. Round of 32 at the FIFA World Cup 🎟️ Details
🗓 Sunday June 28 · ⏰ Noon PT · 📍 Los Angeles Stadium
Canada is still in the World Cup and heading to LA for the knockout round. Find a watch party near you and cheer them on.
STORY CORNER 📖
Denis from Sherwood Park has paddled the North Saskatchewan every June for 22 years. Always the third weekend. Always without fail.
He skipped this June because of the flooding.
On the phone with his daughter this week he told her it was the first time in over two decades he had missed the trip. She was quiet for a moment. Then she said: "Dad, the river came to you this year."
He laughed. Then he cried a little.
Has this flooding season stirred up a memory or moment you want to share? Hit reply. The best ones make it into a future issue.