Wednesday's got some heat—metal, hockey, and fresh eats on Whyte

Morning. It's 13°C out there and staying mild—you can actually dress normal today. UV's running high at 6.0, so if you're outside for lunch, grab some sunscreen. Sun doesn't set until 9:23 tonight, so you've got a solid 15 hours of daylight to work with.

If you're flying anywhere, heads up: WestJet's in bargaining talks and it's already hitting travellers. Check your booking if you've got anything booked and give yourself extra time at the airport.

Couple of local stories on the heavier side this morning. The province has charged Alberta's Forestry Ministry over the death of a wildland firefighter from 2024 up in Jasper—that's still rippling through the whole system. Also tough news that James Burns, co-owner of the Edmonton Stingers, passed away at 71. Real loss to the basketball community here.

On the food front, there's some solid new energy. Greg Sweeney's HOM Street Food has taken over the kitchen at Bibo's on Whyte, so if you've been missing that spot or just want to see what he's doing with it, now's the time. Over in Old Strathcona at Station Park, Bazaar's bringing Ukrainian street food to the neighbourhood—if you've been craving proper perogies and something beyond the usual, that's worth the walk. And if you're feeling nostalgic, Coliseum Steak & Pizza down in Parkdale just marked 50 years, so there's a solid institution still standing.

Tonight's got some real options depending on what you're after. If you're into metal, the Starlite Room's got Kataklysm and Six Feet Under rolling in at 6:00 PM, plus a couple of solid openers—that's a full lineup if heavy music's your thing. Or head over to Rogers Place at 1:00 PM for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup: Switzerland taking on Slovakia. It's a good tournament to catch if you want to see some sharp young talent without the full NHL commitment. Either way, the weather's nice enough that you're not locked inside.

Grab your coffee. See you out there.