Elks on Brink, Oilers Backlash & E-dirt Bike Injuries — Edmonton Friday

🎨 Community & Culture

1. Edmonton firefighting family recalls 9/11’s career impact 25 years on. Retired Edmonton Fire Rescue Services district chief Don Cherniawski and current firefighter son Tyler Cherniawski describe how the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks shaped their approach to duty and leadership; Don says seeing crews enter the towers changed how he led teams thereafter.

2. Two youths seriously injured in southwest Edmonton after alleged collision with e-dirt bike. Edmonton police allege the pair caused a Thursday intersection crash; Dr. Louis Hugo Francescutti of the Royal Alexandra Hospital warned electric dirt bikes and private e-vehicles are faster than rental e-scooters and will likely produce more severe injuries as their popularity rises.

3. Prime Minister Mark Carney meets ‘Forever Canadian’ volunteers in Banff ahead of Oct. 19 Alberta referendum. Carney visited about 50 supporters at the Banff Centre during a federal cabinet retreat and wrote “Canada is everyone and for everyone” on the campaign’s RV; Alberta is set to hold an Oct. 19 referendum on whether to hold a second vote on leaving Canada.

🏈 Sports

1. Edmonton Elks can clinch a playoff berth with two wins, potentially improving to 10-3. The Elks host the Calgary Stampeders Saturday and would clinch a post-season spot by sweeping the two-game Labour Day series to reach 10-3; quarterback Cody Fajardo and linebacker Nick Anderson described clinching as a major milestone after five losing seasons.

2. Mathieu Betts signs one-year deal with B.C. Lions after stints with Edmonton and NFL camp. The 31-year-old defensive lineman, drafted third overall by the Edmonton Elks in 2019, owns two CFL most outstanding defensive player awards and led the league with 15 sacks last season before rejoining Vancouver.

3. Canucks’ Brock Boeser says Elias Pettersson is ‘in a great headspace’ after recent struggles. Boeser praised 27-year-old Pettersson during the NHL/NHLPA player media tour; Pettersson signed an eight-year, US$92.8-million extension that carries an $11.6-million average annual value.

4. More than 19,000 sign online petition urging Oilers to reverse Alex Formenton signing. The petition, started by longtime fan Mary Loewen, had 19,000+ signatures Friday after the Oilers signed Formenton to a one-year, US$850,000 contract; the team cited Formenton’s 2025 acquittal and NHL/Hockey Canada reinstatement in its defense.

📰 Also Today

• Study finds wildfires and permafrost melt amplify climate change impacts in Canada.
• ASIRT says no charges for Alberta officer over alleged intimate-image distribution.
• Alberta government announces new funding to access high-demand post-secondary programs.
• Service Alberta expands accepted documents for ID renewals, minister explains reasons.
• Canadian Army’s first restructuring phase creates division focused on defending Canada.
• Intense backlash in Edmonton greets Oilers’ Alex Formenton signing.