Weekly News Recap: January 30, 2026

Weekly News Recap: January 30, 2026

Al Osten smiles as he poses for a photo. (Courtesy National Music Centre)

We keep giving things away, and it keeps coming back at us. Someone asked how long we’ll do this, and I said, ‘Until we’re broke.' - Al Osten

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • Trinity Rodman signs 3-year deal with Washington Spirit, becomes highest-paid women's soccer player in the world (Yahoo Sports) Still low but it's a start. Also, yes, Trinity is the daughter of Dennis Rodman. "Trinity Rodman has signed a three-year deal with the Washington Spirit, the team announced on Thursday. The deal carries a $1 million annual salary, per ESPN, making her the highest-paid women’s soccer player in the world."

  • VIDEO: #TheMoment cats found new homes before a B.C. mill closed (CBC) BRITISH COLUMBIA STORY #HomelessNoMore "Crofton Mill employee Tawni Marcil tells The National about the moment she helped save a colony of cats at the site before its closure in Crofton, B.C."

  • VIDEO: The Snowy Owls of Logan Airport (YouTube) These birds are gorgeous and Norman is a saint. "Norman Smith has dedicated his life to protecting and relocating the snowy owls from Boston’s busiest airport runways. Called “the Owl Man of Logan Airport,” Smith has single-handedly relocated more than 900 snowy owls, creating the blueprint for how airports across the US and Canada can manage wildlife conflict."

  • VIDEO: Owl's sneeze (YouTube) Yes, this appears to be the Owl edition of the Weekly Recap. #SoCute "The owl will sneeze on cold days."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. Majority of Chinese population give as online platforms encourages donors (Alliance Magazine) People in China make micro-gifts through online apps almost every day! "The majority of people in China donated towards a charitable cause in 2025. According to Peking University’s National School of Development China Public Giving 2025 survey, over half (52.1 percent) of respondents said they gave money, with 37.7 percent donating goods, and 28.2 percent giving their time to a voluntary case."

  2. Hellebuycket, Winnie the Plow and Greg among winners of Winnipeg's 1st snowplow naming contest (CBC) WINNIPEG STORY These names are AWESOME. "Winnipeg's snowplows have been given new names chosen by thousands of voters in the city's first-ever naming contest for the equipment. Winnipeggers of all ages were invited to submit ideas for names for 12 heavy machines — six graders and six loaders. The city also asked classrooms to submit ideas for a team name for a group of walk-behind push-plows. It's a tradition that appears to have started in 2006 in Scotland, where schoolchildren were invited to submit ideas for names for plows, or gritters, as they're known in the U.K., the BBC reported in 2018."

  3. VIDEO: Alberta’s population could surpass British Columbia’s as early as 2038: StatsCan (CBC) ALBERTA STORY #Wow "Alberta could overtake British Columbia as Canada's third most populated province in just over a decade, according to new projections released by Statistics Canada on Tuesday. The agency conducted 10 projection scenarios for Canada’s population. In nine of them, Alberta’s population surpasses British Columbia’s by 2050. Statistics Canada demographer Jonathan Chagnon said it could happen as early as 2038."

  4. 1 in 4 Americans Plan to Cut Donations in 2026, Survey Finds (Nonprofit Pro) Not a great trend :-( "One in four Americans said they plan to reduce their charitable giving in 2026, even as broader economic indicators show signs of improvement, according to a new national survey from Church Mutual. The '2026 Charitable Giving in America' survey, conducted in December 2025 among 1,010 U.S. adults who donate to nonprofits, schools, or houses of worship, found that 25% of respondents expect to cut back on charitable donations in the year ahead. Another 48% said they expect their giving to remain unchanged."

  5. Vanier launches “Uniquely Différent” campaign (Vanier College) QUEBEC STORY I love the clothing line! "This winter, Vanier College is launching a promotional campaign which seeks to celebrate the strengths and positive values of the Vanier community. The campaign’s signature bilingual slogan—'Uniquely différent'—highlights how Vanier is a place where difference is not only accepted but valued and celebrated. The richly diverse, tight-knit community where everyone can be themselves is what makes the college unique."

  6. The Pneumatic Tube Mail System in New York City (Untapped Cities) How cool this must have been. "The first pneumatic tube mail system was installed in Philadelphia (sorry New York) in 1893. New York City’s came in 1897. Each tube could carry between 400 and 600 letters and traveled at 30-35 miles per hour. In its full glory, the pneumatic tubes covered a 27-mile route, connecting 23 post offices. This network stretched up Manhattan’s east and west sides, from Bowling Green and Wall Street, all the way north to Manhattanville and East Harlem."

  7. Al Osten, Alberta philanthropist and lover of the arts, dies at 95 (City News) CALGARY STORY RIP Mr. Osten. We will not see your like again. "Long-time philanthropist Al Osten, who made life better for countless Albertans, has died [...] He was 95. Osten was born in Saskatchewan on Jan. 9, 1931 and was raised in Edmonton before moving to Calgary — but not before meeting his life-long partner, Buddy Victor. They met in the United States as part of a doo-wop group, The Rover Boys, while Osten pursued his musical dreams and ambitions."

  8. Engineering students question impact of $100 million Smith donation (Queen's Journal) KINGSTON STORY #Eeek "Two years after a $100 million donation renamed Queen’s Faculty of Engineering, some Engineering students say they’re still unsure how the funding has affected their education. In November 2023, entrepreneur Stephen Smith announced the donation to the Faculty of Engineering, which was subsequently renamed the Stephen J.R. Smith School of Engineering. At the time, the University said the funding would support a transformation in engineering education at Queen’s. But several students told The Journal they haven’t noticed changes in their education caused by the donation."

  9. Werklund Centre revamp project facing nearly $200M shortfall (CBC) CALGARY STORY "The transformation of the Werklund Centre as part of an expanded cultural hub in downtown Calgary is nearly $200 million short of its funding goal [...] The project includes the construction of a new performing arts centre, an updated Olympic Plaza, and the modernization of the existing Werklund Centre, formally the Arts Commons Centre."

  10. VIDEO: Video shows 'very fortunate' skier escaping injury in avalanche near Lake Louise ski area (CBC) LAKE LOUISE STORY "A backcountry skier was caught in an avalanche, buried to their waist in snow and swept down the slope they were on near Lake Louise on Tuesday. They were not injured in the incident. In an online post, Parks Canada said staff responded to an avalanche on the backcountry run known as the “Vortex,” located outside the Lake Louise Ski Area boundary in Banff National Park."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. Passion Projected (World of Interiors) As we are going through a significant renovation, I am especially intrigued with the world of interior design.

  2. How Long Should You Cold Plunge? (Wired) Brrr...10 minutes for me.

  3. How to Actually Make Friends as an Adult (Ask Men) Some good reminders.

  4. The Arc of Physical Performance Across the Lifespan (A Microbiome Scientist At Large) Guess what? I am slower now than when I was 30. But I have better endurance.

  5. What to Do When Your Vagus Nerve Is Out of Balance (Change Your Mind) I am fascinated with hacking my Vagus nerve.

  6. Purple Isn’t Real, Science Says. Your Brain Is Just Making It Up. (Popular Mechanics) Ha! 'Pigment of your imagination'.

  7. The Psychology Behind Why We Get Secondhand Embarrassment (Mental Floss) I suffer from this greatly. I can't watch The Office or Borat because of it.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. Largest-ever legacy gift at USask establishes Pringle Scholarship Program at Edwards School of Business (USask) "A new scholarship program at the University of Saskatchewan’s (USask) Edwards School of Business will ensure that a commerce degree remains a realistic dream for students across Saskatchewan, thanks to an extraordinary bequest from William (Bill) and May Ellen Pringle."

  2. Anonymous $7.5 million donation to support Catholic schools in Fort Smith (Talk Business) FORT SMITH STORY "Three Catholic schools in Fort Smith have received a $7.5 million gift to establish a permanent endowment for tuition assistance, science and technology classes, and to support the “general needs of the schools.” The donor wishes to remain anonymous, according to a news release from the schools."

  3. The Lise and Giuseppe Racanelli Foundation Commits $2 Million to Strengthen Women’s Financial Independence in Québec (Fondation Lise Watier) QUEBEC STORY #Brilliant "By offering this $2 million donation, we are taking concrete action to help change life trajectories. Mental health lies at the heart of the Foundation’s mission, and it was essential for us to support the Lise Watier Foundation’s programs that foster confidence, resilience, and well-being among women."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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