Edmonton Notes for 5/1/2010

Here are my weekly Edmonton notes:

• City Council approved a tax increase this week that will add $149 to the tax bill for the typical $330,000 house (a 6.5% increase).
• The first year in Edmonton’s 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness is being called a major success: more than 500 people who were formerly homeless are now living in a home of their own.
• Southgate Mall presented fashion shows at LRT stations yesterday. The Journal has a great photo gallery here.
• Timeraiser is looking for artists to participate in the second Edmonton Timeraiser. The deadline for applications is May 31.
• As you’ve probably already noticed, it’s construction season.
• City of Edmonton Transportation boss Bob Boutilier talked with the media this week about plans to fast track the construction of the NAIT, Southeast, and West LRT lines. The report goes to council on Tuesday.
• Something I’ve already written about is now official: the Future Shop store in South Edmonton Common has received its LEED certification.
• An update on the legal battle over the City Centre Airport.
• Planet Organic was granted creditor protection this week. Apparently the retailer has debt in excess of $31 million.
• Edmonton Sun columnist Graham Hicks has publicly announced that he’s retiring at the end of the year.
• This is pretty crazy: 80% of the Edmonton Oilers’ Foundation’s revenues in 2008 went to administrative costs.
• Have you voted for Vue Weekly’s Golden Fork Awards yet? Voting closes tomorrow at 5pm!
• There’s also SEE Magazine’s Best of Edmonton Awards. Voting for that one closes on Monday.
• Tomorrow is the River Valley Clean Up at Louise McKinney Park (on ShareEdmonton).
• Wednesday is the start of Technocon, a training conference hosted jointly by the University of Alberta and the City of Edmonton (on ShareEdmonton).
• Coming up on Thursday at the Art Gallery of Alberta is the Katz Group’s Open House on the proposed downtown arena (on ShareEdmonton).
• Next Saturday is MediaCamp Edmonton (on ShareEdmonton)! I’m very excited.
• For more headlines from the past week, check out theedmontonian.com.