Calgary Citizen Newsletter Thursday Aug 24

Good morning, there!

Inglewood’s Crossroads Market is supporting the Calgary Food Bank. In partnership with Broxburn Vegetables, the market has raised over $14,000 and ensures that any unsold produce from the market is distributed to those in need through hampers. If you’d like to support, be sure to check out the farmers market on Sunday, buy some produce, and donate!

- Julie Patton, Intern

👀 In today's edition:

  • Wildfire evacuees settling into Calgary

  • Several scams making the rounds

  • Check out these smoothie spots

Today’s read time: Approx. 4 minutes

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WORTH KNOWING

⛅ Today: High 21C, Low 8C. See the 7-day forecast.

🚗 Driving today? Check the current traffic situation, and find the city’s traffic report and road closures.

Several thousand wildfire evacuees flee to Calgary

Emergency crews have counted nearly 200 homes and structures that have been lost or damaged by the wildfires burning in the Kelowna, BC, area. // Shutterstock

Thousands of wildfire evacuees have fled to Calgary from the Northwest Territories and British Columbia. As the city asks for assistance while hosting the evacuees, one by one families are learning whether their homes survived or not.

The Matiowskys: Kevin and Julie Matiowsky were forced to leave their lakefront home on Shuswap Lake last Friday. Kevin told Global News that he and his wife learned their home was engulfed by the flames after being sent a video from a neighbour. The couple is currently staying in Calgary with family and is looking for a new home in the city.

Another home gone: Like the Matiowskys, Spi7uwe Sqalemc and his family lost their home, located near Little Shuswap Lake. Sqalemc told CBC that he and his wife had spent years building the home themselves, only to find it in flames after returning home from a wedding. The couple had hoped they would make it back in time to grab belongings but did not have the chance.

Community support: Jessica Pacunayen evacuated her home in Yellowknife and drove 18 hours to Calgary. Pacunayen told CBC, “Yellowknife and the North in general are very community-oriented.” However, with her community split and dealing with the stress of evacuation, its taken a toll on her mental health. An expert says that evacuees with absolute support from family, friends, and community are less likely to experience mental health effects.

Donations needed: Numerous Calgary charities are calling for donations to help support evacuees in the city. CTV reports the Calgary’s Women in Need Society is looking for donations as well as volunteers. Items needed include clothing, hygiene products, and items for children.

Related Story

Need to know

🏠 A landlord says a common insurance guideline restricting her from renting to three unrelated tenants is making it difficult to provide affordable housing. (CBC)

👮 A man was charged with voyeurism after a woman reported that she was recorded with a cell phone while in the fitting room at Plato’s Closet.

⚡ Alberta has stated it will aim to meet a 2050 timeframe for Canada’s clean electricity goal as opposed to the federal government’s 2035 deadline. (Global)

💸 An online back-to-school shopping deal that seems too good to be true? It probably is, says the Better Business Bureau, which warns about phony deals designed by scammers. (CTV)

🚓 Investigators say the disappearance of a man seems suspicious as his credit cards have been used by another person in and around Calgary.

🚓 Here are the five biggest storylines as the Calgary Flames training camp approaches. (Sun)

🚓 A total of $2.5 million is being given to SAIT by the federal government to establish an Alternative Construction Technologies Centre on campus. (CityNews)

⛰️ With climbing seeing a dramatic rise in popularity, a climbing boulder feature is opening at Millennium Park that is free to use.

THE CALGARY GUIDE

Check out these delicious Calgary smoothie spots

Seed N Salt is dedicated to promoting healthy eating and well-being. // Facebook

Whether you're looking for a quick and convenient breakfast or a post-workout snack, smoothies are a delicious alternative to traditional meals. With the ability to pack a variety of fruits, vegetables, and superfoods into one drink, you can easily customize your smoothie to meet your specific dietary needs and preferences. Here are four smoothie shops to check out.

Seed N Salt is run on the belief that real food is medicine and that nutrition should be a top priority in everyone's life. They carefully source all the ingredients and, wherever possible, support local farmers and producers. They offer delicious smoothies and smoothie bowls that will charge you throughout the day, such as the Jolt with espresso, banana, maca, cacao, vanilla, dates, and almond milk.

Happy Cup is a smoothie and bubble tea shop that offers delicious and healthy real fruit smoothies made with fresh ingredients. The smoothies are the perfect blend of taste and nutrition, making them a go-to choice for health enthusiasts and smoothie lovers alike. Each smoothie is carefully crafted to provide the perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess, using a variety of fruits and superfoods to create a unique and refreshing taste.

Vitality Kitchen takes pride in using the best ingredients available, including a variety of superfoods, in its delicious and healthy smoothies. Superfoods are foods that are packed with nutrients and have been shown to provide numerous health benefits. Vitality Kitchen's smoothies feature a range of superfoods, such as kale, blueberries, goji berries, and flaxseeds, which can help you achieve better health and prevent chronic diseases.

Looking for an Instagramable smoothie bowl? Look no further than The Juice Shop as it serves up delicious, nutritious, and beautiful smoothies and smoothie bowls. This locally owned and operated juice bar offers a variety of fresh and healthy drinks to help you stay nourished and energized throughout the day. The menu is designed to cater to a range of dietary needs, including vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and paleo options.

Where to eat and drink

🍴 Ora Bread and Wine: Try out this new brunch spot that combines the best, classic breakfast foods with the elegance and celebration of wine.

🍴 The Mad Hatter serves coffee and tea alongside snacks such as vegetarian sausage rolls and crustless quiche. Take advantage of the cafe’s complimentary art supplies while visiting.

🍴 Juree’s Thai Place: Bringing Calgarians a taste of Thailand, Juree’s Thai Place serves over 70 authentic dishes and its fun decor creates a joyful experience for all!

Local specials

💸 The Rooftop: Enjoy a drink on Calgary’s best rooftop! During the 3 to 6pm happy hour, indulge in $12 signature cocktails and $6.50 wine, draught, Corona, and shafts.

💸 Landmark Cinemas: Who said you can’t enjoy a movie in the morning? At Landmark Cinemas, you can save up to 40% on showtime admissions before noon.

💸 Lonely Mouth: Don’t miss happy hour at Lonely Mouth as all draught is $5 and kake udon and cold udon are half-off. Happy hour is every day from 2 to 5pm.

Things to do

🎟️ ART SPOT Expresstival: Explore Calgary art downtown at this massive freeform art event with performances, exhibitions, installations, demos, workshops, and so much more on Aug. 26.

🎟️ Sunalta Party in the Park: Enjoy free food, entertainment, music, a roaring fire, and great energy at this Party in the Park at the Sunalta Wildflower Garden on Aug. 25.

🎟️ Movie on the Rise: Experience outdoor cinema at its finest for a screening of The Super Mario Bros. Movie at St. Patrick’s Island on Aug. 24.

That’s it! Thanks for reading. If you have a hot story tip you want to share, feel free to reply back anytime.

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We’ll see you back here on Tuesday, same time, same place!

Krista

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