Victoria Stevens

Spending the festive season alone doesn’t need to be lonely The carols play, the snow falls, the streets glow with colourful lights. ‘Tis the season for laughter, love, and merriment. This year, however, all that seasonal bliss will need to be done in a physically-distanced way.   For many, this holiday season will look very different […]

Indigenous group aims to help those struggling in Edmonton On the first Sunday evening in November, the Bear Clan Patrol Beaver Hills House completed its inaugural patrol in the Alberta Avenue area. Seven volunteers walked the sidewalks of 118 Avenue providing food, hygiene supplies, and harm reduction kits to those struggling with homelessness or addiction. […]

The government is discussing changing eligibility criteria Potential changes to who qualifies for AISH (Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped) in order to save money in the 2021 budget is on the table. Currently, AISH recipients receive $1,685 a month. Charles Philips has been on AISH since 2002 or 2003. “The process for me was […]

Residents find creative and safe ways to celebrate the October holiday A chill is in the air, the leaves are turning orange, and the nights are getting longer and darker. Gone are the long warm days and the balmy nights of summer. It’s autumn, and with autumn comes Halloween! This Halloween, people are being extra […]

Many Edmontonians will spend the winter outside in sub-zero temperatures “A passerby discovered the frozen body of a man near Commonwealth Stadium Sunday morning in what police say is the weekend’s first cold weather-related fatality.” The above quote is from the Feb. 3, 2019 edition of the Edmonton Journal. Temperatures that evening dropped to a […]

Urban foraging is a sustainable and accessible way to feed ourselves Dandelions. Chickweed. Burdock. These plants, commonly referred to as weeds, are much maligned and almost always removed when spotted amongst carefully cultivated flowers, venerated vegetable gardens, and manicured lawns. Digging a little deeper, these plants and many others are beneficial, not only to our […]

What it’s like for hair stylists to follow guidelines on a daily basis After months of isolation, uncertainty, and bad hair days, on May 14 hair salons were allowed to open! As we stylists returned to the salon, we discovered our jobs were quite different. Different enough to make things—well—weird. Although regulations for salon openings […]

Language matters in how we interact and emotionally connect with others Language: it’s how we communicate with each other. This can be through verbal sounds strung together, moving our hands in specific ways, positioning our bodies, or creating symbols on paper or electronically. The origins of language in humans is hotly debated in academic circles.  […]

The Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts ensures art is accessible Operations will look a bit different for The Nina Haggerty Centre for the Arts this spring after suspending their studio and community programs earlier this year due to COVID-19. Instead of in-studio events and classes, the centre will be offering art classes for the […]

New clinic and pharmacy to be a part of community renewal Norwood Medical Centre, located in McCauley, had its grand opening on Feb. 28.  The opening was well attended and featured remarks by local politicians, including Coun. Scott McKeen, NDP MLA Janis Irwin, the architects, and the construction company. The infill development is a partnership […]

Hoarding essential food and household items harms low-income people Imagine bare shelves in normally fully-stocked grocery stores, all the basics gone. Panicked people furtively searching for the household essentials, throwing multiple items in their carts as they hurry to the checkout. People fighting over the last package of toilet paper. Amidst all the activity, one […]

A closer look at a tiny but mighty community church There are plenty of churches in the inner city, but Norwood Wesleyan Church stood out to me. I decided to capture pictures of this church that is so important to the Norwood community. Featured Image: The small, unassuming building of the Norwood Wesleyan Church at […]