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On Tuesday, we asked what you thought about Meta's $13 billion data centre investment in Alberta, and the response was clear: over half of you are worried about the energy and environmental costs. Several readers pointed to water use and strain on the power grid as top concerns, with a few questioning whether the province properly consulted the community before signing off.

A smaller group saw it differently, framing it as welcome economic investment — though even they had reservations about who ultimately benefits.

👀 In today's edition:

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Eight people have pleaded guilty to 13 offences under Alberta's Wildlife Act after a province-wide investigation into illegal cougar and Canada lynx hunts. Between them, they're on the hook for $135,500 in fines and a combined 18.5 years of hunting bans and other court orders.

The case started in January 2024, when fish and wildlife officers began looking into a closed-season cougar hunt tied to Byron Stewart, who owns Tracks N Trails Outfitting in Drayton Valley. Investigators found that a resident hunter guided by the outfitting company had killed a male cougar after the season had already ended. Officers eventually traced 11 illegal guided hunts across the province, eight involving non-resident hunters and three involving Albertans. Search warrants in Alberta and B.C. turned up 11 cougar skins and skulls and five lynx skins.

The offences ranged from hunting cougars out of season to possessing illegally harvested wildlife, using banned electronic calling devices, and hunting without a valid licence. Byron Stewart, Cindy Stewart, and Devin Hyde of Drayton Valley, Jody Janzer of Kitscoty, Luke Viravec of DeBolt, and Garrett Patton of Worsley all pleaded guilty, along with two non-residents: Joshua Owens of New Braunfels, Texas, and Arnold Compton of Excello, Missouri.

Illegal hunting like this can undermine wildlife conservation efforts in Alberta, contributing to overharvesting and leading to tighter quotas and shorter seasons for law-abiding hunters. Anyone with a tip on suspicious hunting or fishing activity can call the 24-hour Report A Poacher line at 1-800-642-3800, or report online at alberta.ca/report-poacher.aspx — tips can be made anonymously and may be eligible for a reward.

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⚖️ A Calgary lawyer and prominent Alberta separatist had his personal and business accounts temporarily frozen after Tallcree First Nation alleged he misappropriated millions from a trust he controlled.

☀️ Melanoma cases in Alberta have nearly doubled over the past decade, and experts are urging people to wear sunscreen and be wary of skin cancer misinformation online.

🏫 The City of Calgary is proposing to cut red tape around modular classrooms and reuse of vacant school sites, a move school boards say could speed up much-needed space for students.

🌊 A CityNews reporter helped save a man's life after pulling him from the Bow River at Harvie Passage on Sunday, performing mouth-to-mouth alongside bystanders for 15 minutes until EMS arrived.

🌉 Alberta's police watchdog is investigating after a man died following an encounter with police on Lethbridge's High Level Bridge on Sunday.

🐾 Toxic Ohio Buckeye trees planted by the city in a northwest Calgary dog park are worrying residents, though the city says the risk to pets is low.

The goats are returning to Nose Hill Park. Roughly 600 of them will graze a section of the park from July 14 to 30, part of the City of Calgary's ongoing effort to manage vegetation and keep the park's grasslands healthy.

The city's Natural Areas Management team uses targeted grazing as one of several tools to care for natural areas, alongside other vegetation management methods. "Targeted grazing is one of the tools we use to support long-term ecosystem health," said Andrew Phelps of Natural Areas Management. The goats help cut back invasive plants and overgrown vegetation, which in turn gives native grasses more room and sunlight to grow. It also helps lower the amount of dry, woody growth that can fuel wildfires.

The practice is meant to echo a natural process that shaped prairie landscapes for generations, when large grazing animals like bison and elk kept vegetation in check. Managed goat grazing recreates that effect in a way that works within a modern city park.

Visitors to Nose Hill during this period can expect to see temporary fencing, a shepherd, and herding dogs on site, and some pathways or park sections may be temporarily closed for public and animal safety.

While the goats' impact on vegetation is visible almost immediately, the city says the bigger benefits — like improved soil health, stronger native plant communities, and increased biodiversity — build up gradually and are tracked over multiple years.

🍴 Tava Wok: This Calgary bistro fuses Indian and Indo-Chinese cooking, serving up Hakka noodles, chilli chicken, and rich curries alongside modern spins on Indian classics — a solid pick for bold, spiced flavours with a cross-cultural twist.

🍴 Avenue's Best Things to Eat and Drink Market: More than 15 local vendors gather in Rangeview on July 18 to sell some of the city's most talked-about treats, from ice cream sandwiches to hot sauce to macarons. It runs from noon to 4 p.m., admission is free, and there's a door prize draw for anyone who stops by.

Have a food or drink suggestion? Message us and we might share it!

🎟️ Milky Way Nights: The Rothney Astrophysical Observatory hosts late-night stargazing from July 16 to 18, with telescopes and astronomers on hand to help spot deep-sky objects under dark, moonless skies. Advance tickets are required.

🎟️ Summer Sunset Social: Capitol Hill's Dino Park hosts an evening of live music, magic, and food trucks on July 17 from 6 to 9 p.m. Registration is free.

Have an event suggestion? Message us and we might share it!

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