Monday's Warmer Than It Has Any Right to Be, E-town

Morning, Edmonton. It's a Monday, it's the first real week of the back half of October, and the thermometer is sitting at 4°C, which after the last few days feels almost generous. Take the win. UV is barely there at 1.0, so sunglasses are more for squinting into the low sun than for any real sunburn worry. Sunset comes at 6:13 PM, which gives you just under ten hours of daylight, so if you're planning anything after work, you've got the light on your side until the drive home.

If you're heading out this morning, pay attention to a few route changes before you're stuck behind them. There are planned detours in place today for Route 054 between 173 Street and 107 Avenue heading eastbound, with traffic directed toward 170 Street and 109 Avenue northbound. Route 654 is detoured from 120 Street and Windsor Road northbound, both toward 116 Street and 91 Avenue southbound and toward 118 Street and 87 Avenue westbound. And the A6 has its own detour from Deer Ridge Drive and Deer Ridge Park eastbound to Giroux Road and Dunbar Street westbound. Give yourself a few extra minutes and you'll be fine. Nobody likes discovering a detour at the light.

On the news side, the courthouses are getting a $6 million security upgrade, with Edmonton and Fort McMurray both on the list. Closer to home for a lot of people, the Oilers are reportedly cutting concession prices on certain items at Rogers Place, which is good news if you're planning to take in the game and don't want to pay Ice District prices for a hot dog. Also worth knowing: the Oilers' checking line has been struggling, and the coaching staff has a decision to make about it. Expect that to be a talking point around the water cooler.

For lunch or dinner, there's some fresh energy on the food scene. Hazeldean Bakery has reopened in south Edmonton under new owners, and the neighbourhood has been turning out in force to welcome them back. Elio's has opened on the south side with Filipino comfort food and a real gathering feel, which sounds like exactly the kind of place to sit down with friends. And Nomiya has become Nom out on Calgary Trail, the old ramen spot reborn as an elevated Japanese dining room. Paperbirch by Chartrand is closing at the Old Strathcona Farmers' Market after two years, so if you've been meaning to stop by, don't wait.

Tonight the big draw is the Oilers. Detroit Red Wings come to Rogers Place for a 7:30 PM puck drop, and if you've got tickets, it's a good night to be downtown with the crowd. If hockey isn't your thing, DILES QUE NO ME MATEN with Timelapse and ARDO is playing at 99TEN at 8:00 PM. It's a work night, so pick your pace, but with this weather the evening is shaping up to be a good one to be out in. The weekend already has its own energy building, with Digable Planets bringing their hip-hop legacy to Midway on Friday and Buena Vista bringing Latin heat on Saturday.

That's the Monday rundown. Get your coffee, watch for the detours, and enjoy the four degrees while it lasts. See you around the city.