Two women have been charged in an investigation by the Blood Tribe Police Service which netted over $60,000 in street value of Oxy 80s and crack cocaine along with close to $12,000 in cash. Facing a variety of possession of drugs, trafficking, and possession of weapon charges are Brooke Shadow Creighton, 22, of Standoff, and Kayla Marie Kirton, 24, of no fixed address.

Blackstone, produced by the Edmonton-based company Prairie Dog Film + Television, is entering its fifth and final season. “We’ve had an incredible run with Blackstone on APTN, and together we have taken the show to places where we could have only dreamed of when we started,” said Ron E. Scott, executive producer, writer, and director.

Reconciling Edmonton is an archival project that will be unveiled at City Hall on Nov. 25. The project uses three different media of art to tell the story of how Aboriginal peoples and settlers lived together. It is the combined work of Edmonton’s historian laureate Danielle Metcalfe-Chanail, former poet laureate Anna-Marie Soule, artist in residence Jen Yvette and Miranda Jimmy, Aboriginal relations project coordinator for the city of Edmonton.

The annual Vital Signs report, conducted by Edmonton’s Community Foundation and Social Planning council, shows significant changes within the Aboriginal community. The report identifies a number of new strengths. The graduation rate from high school saw an increase of 27 per cent in 2013 from 22 per cent 2009 in Edmonton Public schools and 50 per cent from 26 per cent in Edmonton Catholic schools, and 10.7 per cent more Aboriginal people achieved a bachelor degree or higher in 2011.

The Edmonton Police Service hosted a three-day conference on exploring the challenges and finding the solutions on how to interact with and help families, who have loved ones that are murdered or missing. A number of sessions targeted working with Indigenous communities and the families of murdered and missing Indigenous women. “This is an issue that touches communities across Canada, so it’s important that regardless of what jurisdiction the crime takes place, we provide the best ongoing and consistent support to victims and their families,” said EPS Insp. Dan Jones.

Ashley Callingbull-Burnham was one of a number of guest speakers at the Sisters in Spirit Gathering held in Edmonton Sept. 28-30. The gathering continued the ongoing dialogue for a national inquiry on murdered and missing Indigenous women and girls. †The vision behind the gathering was to bring families of victims, resource and service leaders, experts in various criminology and violence prevention fields, government departments, Indigenous leaders, and individuals together to raise awareness. 

Aaron Paquette’s Lightfinder is one of three books to make the cut for this year’s Burt Award for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Literature. Paquette’s placement in the top three will be announced on Oct. 22 at an awards ceremony hosted in partnership with the University of British Columbia. Prizes are $12,000 for first, $8,000 for second and $5,000 for third. Other contenders are Frank Christopher Busch for Grey Eyes and Rachel and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley for Skraeling.

The Keepers of the Athabasca are calling into question the province’s decision to lift a water ban that had been temporarily put in place on the Athabasca River. Due to low water levels, on July 24, the province restricted all restricted all tar sands operators on the Athabasca River from withdrawing water, except for Shell, Suncor and Syncrude. That ban was lifted Sept. 16.

Four Winds Tobacco Products Inc., a company registered on Kahnawake, a Mohawk reserve in Quebec, appeared before Newell County council last month to discuss setting up a cigarette manufacturing plant in Brooks. Tom O’Connell, a company consultant, said Four Winds wants to produce cigarettes for export and for three wholesalers in Ontario. The company is looking at Alberta because Quebec has put a moratorium on new tobacco manufacturing, Most tobacco is grown in Ontario but the company would encourage Alberta farmers to grow tobacco.

Primco Dene Group of Companies, wholly own by Cold Lake First Nations, is expanding again.