Weekly News Recap: September 26, 2025

Weekly News Recap: September 26, 2025

Months after U.S. President Donald Trump started talking about the 51st state and tariffs, data shows many Canadians are still avoiding U.S. travel and goods. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • VIDEO: Dogs can learn and remember how toys work (Popular Science) My dog certainly knows the difference between their toys. #LoveDogs "We’ve long known that dogs are pretty smart. They may 'picture' objects in their heads just like us, communicate with button boards, and can even understand fairly complicated words. They also appear to categorize objects by function, understanding how similar types of toys work, even if they don’t look alike."

  • VIDEO: Fat Bear Week is here early, and the bears are fat and playful (NPR) Love fat bears. "Fat Bear Week, when people get to pick their favorite Alaskan brown bear bulking up for hibernation, is coming early this year. The annual online competition that normally starts in early October will instead start on Sept. 23. Katmai National Park and Preserve officials say the bears are magnificently plump ahead of the tournament."

  • Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone: no barrier too high for the 400m queen (The Guardian) Can't wait to watch her at the Olympics. "McLaughlin-Levrone is at her sharpest over the same distance, but with hurdles to jump over as well. Of the 10 fastest times in the history of the women’s 400m hurdles event, McLaughlin-Levrone owns six, including the top three. Since breaking the world record for the first time, with a 51.90 in 2021, she has shaved another second and a half off her time."

  • VIDEO: ‘They’re heroes’: Construction workers use trampoline to save boy from fire (WSVN) #Heroes "Construction workers are being hailed as heroes. They were driving by a house when they noticed it was on fire. Without thinking, they entered, helped save a family and even used a trampoline to get a teenage boy out of the top floor window."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. VIDEO: Dozens of organizations appeal to remain in historic Beltline YWCA building (CBC) CALGARY STORY ViTreo is proud to have been working with Arusha and CommunityWise on this project. "Community groups have until the end of the month to vacate the old Y building on 12th Ave after the building's main tenant moved out. 65 of them will be displaced. The Arusha Centre wants to take over the lease while the city works out a long term plan for the building."

  2. VIDEO: Wing Kei Highland Park Construction Tour (YouTube) CALGARY STORY ViTreo is proud to have been working with Wing Kei and to see this amazing progress. Great video Alvin! "See the progress for our latest facility, the Wing Kei Highland Park, as well as a first glimpse to what the interior will look like."

  3. VIDEO: Jimmy Kimmel’s Return Draws 6.2 Million Viewers, Ratings Show (New York Times) "Jimmy Kimmel’s broadcast return scored big in the ratings. Tuesday’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” averaged 6.2 million viewers, according to preliminary figures from Nielsen. That is nearly four times bigger than his usual audience, even though more than 20 percent of ABC affiliates boycotted the show."

  4. Fundraising continues to be cornerstone of child advocacy centres in Alberta (CBC) RED DEER STORY Great to see this story out there. ViTreo is proud to have worked with the Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre. "Despite a funding boost from the Alberta government, child advocacy centres say they are still reliant on community involvement to continue to offer services. Late last month, the province increased funding to centres across Alberta to the tune of $3.7 million to help address rising caseloads."

  5. Univ. of Washington expanding donation campaign after early support (Sports Business Journal) We often get asked to advise on how to expand a campaign goal. Here is a masterclass. "The Univ. of Washington is 'expanding its efforts; from the Go B1G! for Washington donation campaign after a 'tidal wave of support produced more contributions than the Huskies expected,' according to Andy Yamashita of the SEATTLE TIMES. The donation campaign was announced last year with a goal to raise $300M during the next five years. Washington athletics announced that it has since raised $123M, including a “program-record” $73M during 2024 alone, and 'is now hoping to reach' $350M across the original five-year time period."

  6. RDP honours $20M donor with road, hall naming (Central Alberta Online) RED DEER STORY Well done RDP. "Red Deer Polytechnic has renamed its main campus road to honour one of its most significant supporters. College Boulevard is now Donald Boulevard, recognizing the Donald family’s decades-long partnership with the institution. A new sign marking the change was recently unveiled."

  7. Retrospective celebrates work of RDP arts leader (Red Deer Advocate) RED DEER STORY "In his artist's statement accompanying the show, Cook says he has always had a strong interest in architecture, engineering and industrial design. Artistically, that has inspired themes of bridges, airfoils, fences, ancient stone tombs, waterfalls, tornadoes, houses and vessels. His works also reference the four classical elements: earth, water, air and fire."

  8. Orphaned grizzly cubs taken in by Calgary Zoo after being found in southern Alberta (CTV) CALGARY STORY Nice work Calgary Zoo! "The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo has taken in two orphaned grizzly cubs from southern Alberta. According to a social media post from the zoo, the cubs’ mother was killed after an “aggressive interaction” with a human. Alberta Fish and Wildlife says the grizzly sow had reportedly charged at a hunter in the Diamond Valley area last week, prompting the hunter to shoot the bear in self defence."

  9. VIDEO: In an unprecedented warning, leading climate think-tank says Canada won't meet 2030 climate target (CBC) CANADIAN STORY :-( "Years of progress on bringing Canada's carbon emissions down have stalled, and future progress looks increasingly fragile, according to an early 2024 emissions estimate from the Canadian Climate Institute (CCI). The leading climate policy think-tank, which publishes its estimates a few months before the government does, is saying for the first time that Canada will not meet its 2030 emissions target."

  10. VIDEO: Canadians are taking a big step back from the U.S. — and here's the data to prove it (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Well done Canada. "In the weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump sparked a trade war with his punishing tariffs, Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada's 'old relationship' with the U.S. would be 'over' soon — and now there's some hard evidence that is indeed happening. CBC News reviewed datasets on travel, trade, shopping and culture, and all of them paint a similar picture: Canadians are taking a big step back from the U.S. Months after Trump launched his trade broadside and prompted a national backlash with his 51st state taunts, the Canadian travel boycott is still in full swing with many shunning cross-border travel, prompting airlines to cancel U.S. flights and curb capacity."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. A Man’s Guide to Blood Pressure: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Keep It in Check (The Art of Manliness) So important. And also, sometimes hard to understand. This helps.

  2. Relive 1975 With These Epic Mick Jagger and Keith Richards Action Figures (Moss & Fog) These are AWESOME.

  3. A Man’s Guide To Wearing Rings (The Art of Manliness) Good guide (and I learned a thing or two).

  4. A Guide to Gruyères: Why You’ll Want to Visit the Picturesque Swiss Town with Edge (Observer) I love Gruyère cheese and I have been to Gruyères with our family replete with an entire afternoon on a patio eating Raclette. #Amazing.

  5. VIDEO: 5 Ways Ginger Is Good For Your Health, According to Science (Science Alert) More ginger please.

  6. 10 Most Beautiful Libraries in the United States (Fodor's Travel) U.S. libraries are truly some of the most beautiful in the world. I have visited many.

  7. VIDEO: TUDOR - Splashdown: The Little-Known Story of Navy Frogmen and the Space Program (YouTube) This is a super cool video for anyone who is a space nerd.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. Huston-Tillotson University receives $150M in single largest donation to an HBCU (Face to Face Africa) "Huston-Tillotson University is receiving $150 million from the Moody Foundation to expand and upgrade campus buildings and offer more student scholarships."

  2. Former Walmart chairman creates new school at ASU with record $115 million donation (KTAR) "A new school aimed at protecting the future of our planet will be created at Arizona State University thanks to a record-setting donation made by former Walmart chairman [Rob Walton.]

  3. John W. Durstine Endowment of $100 million (Nique) "[Tech] announced that alumnus John W. Durstine, ME ‘57, bequeathed $100 million to the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. This is the largest donation received by the Institute in its history and will completely transform the Woodruff School."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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