Weekly News Recap: August 22, 2025

Weekly News Recap: August 22, 2025

Brian Druker (right) said in a news release that Phil and Penny Knight’s gift to Oregon Health & Science University’s Knight Cancer Institute will “transform the way we care for patients while continuing to develop innovative treatments.”

Sports is like rock 'n' roll. Both are dominant cultural forces, both speak an international language, and both are all about emotions. -- Phil Knight

SOME GOOD NEWS

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. VIDEO: How Alberta cemeteries are adapting to serve both the living and the dead (CBC) ALBERTA STORY "With rising inflation, limited space and more people opting for cremation, cemeteries around Alberta are adapting to serve the changing needs of their communities."

  2. VIDEO: More than 500 humanoid robots compete in first world games in China (CBC) It had to happen. It is odd to watch but...get used to it. "Androids from 16 countries competed for gold in competitions such as 100-metre hurdles and kung fu at the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games."

  3. VIDEO: Playing for the Planet: How Bow Valley College is Using Games to Build Climate Resilience (Second Nature) CALGARY STORY This is pretty cool. Good work BVC! "What if the future of your city were a board game, and the stakes were real? At Bow Valley College in Calgary, that question sparked action. This summer, the College introduced The Adaptation Game (TAG), a serious, story-driven tabletop game, to campus, inviting players to simulate how their community might adapt over the next decade to climate-related shocks such as floods, wildfires, or heatwaves."

  4. The last brick: Lego lovers bring Rockies railway exhibit to BC town (Burns Lake District News) REVELSTOKE STORY I heart Lego and I heart trains. "Although a little early for the 140th anniversary of the Last Spike at nearby Craigellachie, four friends [...] drove the final plastic brick into their room-size Lego train exhibit on display this weekend at the Revelstoke Railway Museum. Daryl Faulkner, Alex Broccolo, Caleb Short and Ryan Harris, along with his wife Kayleigh, spent [the day] putting the final touches on their impressive Lego display that features CP and CN trains lapping a train cargo yard, canola oil field, rotating wind turbines, vibrant town and Glacier National Park."

  5. VIDEO: Canadians like the idea of public service for young adults. Should it be mandatory? (CBC) CANADIAN STORY I fully support this. "At least seven in 10 people responding to a recent Angus Reid poll supported the idea of one year of mandatory public service for Canadians under 30 — things like tutoring kids or working in national parks. Mandatory military service, however, was more divisive, with 43 per cent in support and 44 per cent opposed. Amid Canada's Elbows Up wave, the idea was to gauge our appetite for this kind of national [initiative.]"

  6. AUArts welcomes new Executive Director of External Relations (Education News Canada) CALGARY STORY Congrats Jessica. Welcome back to Calgary! "Jessica O'Connell is a convener, connector and collaborator who brings extensive experience and a commitment to arts advocacy. Alberta University of the Arts is pleased to announce the appointment of Jessica O'Connell as Executive Director, External [Relations.]"

  7. VIDEO: Calgary's first non-for-profit vet clinic opens, aims to address affordable pet care (YouTube) CALGARY STORY ViTreo is proud to have worked with the Canadian Animal Task Force (CATF) on this project. Congrats! "The Canadian Animal Task Force opens its doors on Saturday, as Calgary's first non-for-profit vet hospital, aiming to make pet care accessible and affordable."

  8. VIDEO: What are Canada’s four major cities? We put the Internet’s heated debate to experts (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Clearing a divisive subject. "Urban planning experts say there’s a lot more to consider than just economic power and population."

  9. VIDEO: U.S. orange juice shipments plummet as Canadians find Florida OJ hard to swallow (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Yay, it's working! "Feeling a little squeezed in the orange juice aisle? Between the climbing cost for a carton of fresh-squeezed juice, steep counter-tariffs on U.S. juices like Tropicana, and now plummeting U.S. shipments, you might worry this breakfast staple is in danger of becoming a luxury good. But industry and business experts say none of this is unexpected and that consumers have options."

  10. VIDEO: How an act of defiance by Air Canada's flight attendants was a win for labour rights (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Well deserved. "The successful defiance of a hotly contested piece of the Canada Labour Code has boosted hope for worker rights in the country, labour advocates say. The union and its thousands of striking Air Canada flight attendants refused to go back to work after the federal government invoked Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code. As a result, Air Canada returned to the bargaining table, and overnight the two parties came to a tentative agreement that the 10,500 flight attendants in the union will soon be able to vote on."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. VIDEO: I Tracked a Wild Salmon From Sea to Plate — What I Learned Surprised Me (Food and Wine) If you like salmon or just fish in general, this a deep dive (and worth it).

  2. 9 Questions About Motor Oil Answered by a Mobil 1 Expert (Hagerty) Good primer for anyone.

  3. VIDEO: GRILLING A WHOLE FISH IS EASY AND SHOULD BE IN YOUR GRILLING LINEUP! | SAM THE COOKING GUY (YouTube) I have done this many times -- it really does make a difference.

  4. Milk Street's Tomato Olive Focaccia (The Ridiculously Easy Way!) (Café Sucre Farine) OMG, I love focaccia. This looks delicious.

  5. Frequent Travelers Can Avoid Overpacking With This Smart Clothing Strategy (Expore) I am always impressed with these tips.

  6. The Best Type Of Bread To Pair With Dipping Oil (The Takeout) And, now for the second bread-focused story :-)

  7. Why Did Sailors Wear Bell-Bottom Pants? (History Facts) As a sea cadet in my youth, I had a full set of bell-bottom pants.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. And $2 Billion More — Phil and Penny Knight Strike Again With Mega-Gift (The Chronicle of Philanthropy) This is amazing! "Their latest donation to Oregon Health & Science University for its Knight Cancer Institute is the biggest donation the Nike co-founder and his wife have ever given."

  2. VIDEO: Tyrese Haliburton gives back to Oshkosh with $3 million donation (Fieldhouse Files) "Pacers return home: Tyrese Haliburton donates $3M to high school, Isaiah Jackson hosts camp, Boucek and Dunn celebrate Sue Bird."

  3. The University of Kansas Receives $300 million Athletics Donation (Swim Swam) "The University of Kansas has received a donation of approximately $300 million, one of the largest contributions in the history of collegiate sports [...] The donation was made by University of Kansas alum and Dimensional Fund Advisors founder David G. Booth."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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