Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · 3h

An absolute BANGER article from Castanet and The Tyee about Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson -- I left Kamloops just before he was elected and watching his term from afar has been... interesting! Highly recommend this read for municipal nerds:
www.castanetkamloops.net/news/Kamloop...

Mayor of chaos: How Kamloops municipal politics became infamous - Kamloops News

www.castanetkamloops.net

1

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · 17d

(The 1,000 units in The Parks have already been reported -- the ~800 were news to me.)

Imagine in a few years if (BIG IF) the developments are completed, the park's open, LRT is open -- that area is going to be REMARKABLY different. I'm soo intrigued and can't wait to see what happens.

2

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · 17d

I noticed that a lot of the abandoned developments on the surface parking lots that surround Warehouse Park (opening soon!!) were starting to awaken, so I investigated.

I found 800 new units across four 6-storey buildings are in the pipeline. #yegcc

edmonton.taproot.news/news/2025/09...

Warehouse Park, other incentives spur up to 1,800 housing units downtown

Several developers say the "black hole" created by the many surface parking lots that surround Warehouse Park downtown is finally set to change, with up to 1,800 housing units proposed.

edmonton.taproot.news

1 2

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · 17d

The Taproot Survey is LIVE NOW! #yegcc

Take some time to answer 30 multiple choice questions and you'll get to see where the candidates stand on each issue. Tell your friends!

Taproot Edmonton @taprootedmonton.ca · 19d

We’re excited to launch our tool that helps you find out how the candidates running for mayor and city council in Edmonton align with you on the issues that matter most. blog.taprootpublishing.ca/2025/09/26/t... #yegvote #yegcc #yeg

Take the Taproot Survey to see how the candidates align with you

We’re excited to launch our tool that helps you find out how the candidates running for mayor and city council in Edmonton align with you on the issues that matter most.

blog.taprootpublishing.ca

4 2

Reposted by Stephanie Swensrude

Jeremy Appel 🍉 @readtheorchard.org · 19d

Voting for @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social

An Edmonton mayoral candidates forum with Michael Walters, Tim Cartmell, Rahim Jaffer, Andrew Knack and moderator Stephanie Swensrude.

1 8

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · 22d

I imagine him getting tickets and throwing his hands up in the air like "If only there was a way for me to avoid these!!"

$300-$400 a month is WILD. That could pay for a really nice vacation over the course of a year.

Matt Elliott @graphicmatt.com · 22d

Driver who racks up between $300 and $400 a month in speeding and parking tickets feels like he’s "being bullied.” www.ctvnews.ca/toronto/arti...

Dasrath, who spends much of his time driving for work, said he regularly racks up $300 to $400 a month in parking and speeding tickets.

“When you get the ticket in the mail about four to six weeks later, the first thing I felt is anger and rage… you feel like you’re being bullied.”

1 1 3

Reposted by Stephanie Swensrude

Alex Boyd @alexboyd.bsky.social · Aug 14

In "often-garbled responses" the elderly man told the AI bot that he'd had a stroke and was confused. "At no point did he express a desire to engage in romantic roleplay or initiate intimate physical contact." But that didn't stop the bot.

www.reuters.com/investigates...

A flirty Meta AI bot invited a retiree to meet. He never made it home.

Impaired by a stroke, a man fell for a Meta chatbot originally created with Kendall Jenner. His death spotlights Metaâs AI rules, which let bots tell falsehoods.

www.reuters.com

3 5

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · Aug 13

As a reporter, I find it very important to tell the truth and represent things honestly and fairly, and I failed to do that when talking about this story. So I'm sorry for giving the impression that the story wasn't sound -- it was a good, fair story.

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · Aug 13

Hey Speaking Municipally listeners, I wanted to clarify something I said last ep. I was too harsh on the CityNews story about parking and infill. Lauren is an excellent reporter and she would never write an unfair, one-sided story, but I spoke as though she did edmonton.citynews.ca/2025/08/05/e...

Edmonton building fewer parking stalls than infill housing units

Edmontonians worried about parking problems with an influx of multifamily infill homes now have some data to back up their concerns. New data in a memo sent to city council in June, released publicly ...

edmonton.citynews.ca

1 1

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · Jun 6

Some Happy Beer Street brewers are working to establish an entertainment district.
This piece includes one of my fav quotes I've been able to put in a story this year: “A year to crack a beer on 104 Street, that’s ridiculous" edmonton.taproot.news/news/2025/06...

Happy Beer Street brewers propose car-free street for patios and pedestrians

If the sun's out on a Saturday, the street in front of Bent Stick Brewing is plastered with people, co-owner Cole Boyd told Taproot.

edmonton.taproot.news

4 9

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · Jun 4

Whoever snags Lauren is incredibly lucky. Best wishes my friend <3

1

Reposted by Stephanie Swensrude

Edmonton Bike Coalition @yegbike.bsky.social · Jun 2

The municipal election is coming up fast. We've partnered up with @taprootedmonton.ca to understand what issues will be most important to you!

Share your priorities:
edmonton.taproot.vote/2025/questio...

#yegbike #yegcc #yegvote #yeg

What do you care about in this election?

Taproot is gathering information from the community to better understand what issues are most important as voters make their decisions for the municipal election on Oct. 20, 2025.

edmonton.taproot.vote

1 2 4

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · May 26

This is going to my personal "Beatles arriving in America" moment

Ray Delahanty | CityNerd @nerd4cities.bsky.social · May 25

You heard it here first, Edmonton

Paths for People @pathsforpeople.bsky.social · May 25

🥳 We’ll be wrapping up the celebration on July 17th with a special guest, the international content creator and YouTuber, @nerd4cities.bsky.social - stay tuned for more event details!

1

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · May 1

Well this ruins my plans for a rager watch party on Oct. 20.

edmonton.taproot.news/news/2025/05...

Ban on tabulators means election results will arrive much later in 2025, official says

While the unofficial results for Edmonton's 2021 municipal election were ready by 8:30pm on voting day, voters should not expect similar in 2025.

edmonton.taproot.news

1

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · Apr 28

"In a 20-hour stretch spanning parts of March 8 and 9, Smith’s office received 159 emails on the trip, or about one every 7 1/2 minutes on average, which were unanimously opposed to the appearance"

1

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · Mar 24

Coun. Andrew Knack just confirmed to reporters he is in the very early stages of considering a mayoral run, now that Sohi is out of the race #yegcc

3

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · Mar 21

Sohi dropping this post while we're all waiting for him to announce whether he's running again

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · Mar 19

Apparently Edmonton Police Service visited Albuquerque to share tips on addressing homelessness. #yegcc

www.aol.com/albuquerque-...

Albuquerque police host visit from Edmonton police, talk tips on fighting crime

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It’s a unique partnership. A Canadian police department is turning to Albuquerque police for tips on solving crimes faster, while the Albuquerque Police Department is turnin...

www.aol.com

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · Mar 13

EPL denies this --
“Nothing has changed at EPL. There has been no “directive” to remove Pride flags.” EPL says it is disappointed with the union’s “misrepresentation of our organization and its values.”
www.ctvnews.ca/edmonton/art...

Union says Pride flags banned from Edmonton Public Library, library disputes claim

The union representing Edmonton Public Library (EPL) staff says members have recently been ordered to remove Pride flags displayed within public areas in their workspace, but the library says there ha...

www.ctvnews.ca

1

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · Mar 13

EPL has directed staff to remove Pride flags from public areas within its branches, according to CSU52
#yegcc
www.facebook.com/civicservice...

CSU 52 - Civic Service Union 52

An open letter from Civic Service Union 52 to Mayor Sohi and Members of Edmonton City Council, regarding the Edmonton Public Library’s decision around Pride flags in public areas within its branches:....

www.facebook.com

2 2 2

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · Mar 7

I did some digging and found out that it looks like the field in Commonwealth Stadium will soon be called "Play Alberta Field" - yes, after the gambling website. Expect an official announcement from the City of Edmonton later today. #yegcc edmonton.taproot.news/briefs/2025/...

Commonwealth Stadium field could be renamed Play Alberta Field

A field at Commonwealth Stadium may soon be renamed to Play Alberta Field, a member of Edmonton's Naming Committee confirmed to Taproot.

edmonton.taproot.news

5 8 12

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · Mar 3

Same!

1

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · Mar 3

The Prospects, Edmonton's WCBL team has rebranded to the ENERGY CITY CACTUS RATS

I'm speechless

Western Canadian Baseball League @wcblbaseball.bsky.social · Mar 3

We're very excited to welcome the Energy City Cactus Rats (formerly the Edmonton Prospects) to the WCBL ...

wcblbaseball.com/view-news/30...

Energy City Cactus Rats Join League

Prospects Rebrand

wcblbaseball.com

2 2

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · Dec 3

you can tell a lot about my mental state based on how often i google "does my cat know i love her"

1

Stephanie Swensrude @stephanieswensrude.bsky.social · Dec 2

Ooooh I highly recommend applying to this!!

Fatima Syed @fatimabsyed.bsky.social · Dec 2

Paging all Canadian journalists! The best deal on the internet right now — in my biased opinion — is a brand-new edition of the Canadian Association of Journalists' mentorship program!

This holiday season, give yourself the gift of a mentor! (We have 30!!) APPLY BY FRIDAY!

caj.ca/programs/men...

1 2