Medicine Hat Media has launched its new RSS feed powered by the popular FeedBurner system. This will allow us options we never had before using our old system including support for older browsers as well as some mobile browsers. This will allow us to see how many people are subscribed to us as well as open up new options for subscribers, including: Having updates sent to your email, adding our feed to tons of RSS readers with a click of a button, as well as full articles in RSS (don’t even need to visit the site if you don’t want to). I’m sure there’s other benefits too that I am missing.

So if you are not a subscriber yet, or are subscribed to our old feed, update or add our new feed: Medicine Hat Media RSS Feed to whatever browser or reader you want – it should now work with everything.

The Medicine Hat Mall is hosting “Rock Your Way Back to School” which is a Guitar Hero tournament for ages 10 to 18. You only have a couple more days to register for the event which ends on August 17th, so make sure you stop by the customer service desk. If you’re interested, you can stop by there when you go to see District 9 that everybody is raving about.

Anyways, there’s only 100 spots available and the tournament will be held on Sunday, August 23rd from 12PM-4PM. The tournament is presented by, you guessed it, EBGames in the mall.

Medicine Hat Mall Website

The Vital Signs survey, as presented by the Community Foundation has been officially launched today, and can be taken here. From the survey website:

Medicine Hat’s Vital Signs is a community “check-up” being conducted by the Community Foundation of Medicine Hat & South Eastern Alberta. The process measures and assigns ratings in core areas of community life. These areas are measured through critical indicators and give a quantitative view of the quality of life in our city.

This voluntary survey will provide you with the statistical findings of this research for each of the critical indicators. The purpose of the survey is to collect your feedback on how you feel Medicine Hat is doing in these areas.

The website explains that it will take around 30 minutes to complete, which is pretty accurate, but only because some of the ways they explain the points is strange and confusing. The rating system is really strange too… it was hard to make sense of anything for the first while. For example, the best option/rating that you can give something is entitled “We’re the tops! Awesome!”, like what does that even mean – It doesn’t even apply to most things? I made sure to comment on this at the end.

That aside, I think it’s a great service for locals to voice their opinions through numbers and comments (there is a place to make comments on each page) to help better the city of Medicine Hat.

Medicine Hat Vital Signs 2009 Survey Website

The Staples Business Depot is an office supply superstore in The Hat located next to Sobeys. The business is branded with the slogan “that was easy.” and that in itself sums it up.

Staples, also known as “The Business Depot”, has anything a business could want, including computers, printers, desks, chairs, and any other office supplies you can think of. Also included is some other more youth-friendly items, such as video games and colouring books for children to be occupied with while their parents shop around.

Staples - that was easy.

A Copy Center is incorporated into the store as well, which accommodates an array of print jobs along with laminating, folding, and a kiosk for anyone to work from. More recently, you can now upload your own files from home to Staples to be printed via the Staples Copy and Print website.

More than just a business store, Staples has school-related functions, including their “Back To School” sale, in which a large selection of school supplies are brought in and usually marked down in price. If you are shopping for your kids, you will no doubt think “That was easy.” when you are finished.

Recycling of printer cartridges and toners is offered in the store as well, simply bring them in and head to the printer cartridge section to find the recycling bin.

http://www.staples.ca/

The Helicopter Airlift Operation (HALO), which services more than 50 communities in southeast Alberta in a 40,000 square kilometer range of Medicine Hat, may soon be out of commission.

The operation costs roughly $70,000 a month to operate, and unfortunately the Alberta government does not provide any funding, leaving the helicopter operable solely by the donations of local businesses.

HALO is seeking at least $70,000 per month to stay in operation, otherwise the service may be grounded as early as September, costing lives of patients who would live too far from a hospital to receive care in the event of an emergency.

More information be found on their website at http://medicairsociety.com

Rescue helicopter could be grounded by Tenille Tellman – Medicine Hat News

Hit n' Run Reunion Poster

The Hit N Run Reunion Benefit Dance is being held in honor of Ralph & Shirley Seefried who lost their home to a fire on April 31st, 2009. Unfortunately due to lack of insurance on their home of 40 years and no money to start over, this benefit dance and BBQ is designed to help raise money to assist them in rebuilding their lives.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, August 29th, 2009 at the Redcliff Rectangle Arena. It will start for the public at 6PM kicking off the BBQ (with open bar). Live music will begin at 6:30PM with performances by Psycho CirKiss (A local Kiss tribute band, amazing name by the way), Whiskey Ridge (country/rock band) and Hit n’ Run, a rock band that played locally in the 1980’s and 1990’s who will be reuniting for this event.

Hit N Run Reunion Benefit Dance Facebook Group

Tickets can be purchased in advance at Tower Junction (TJ’s) Pub when they go on sale Friday, August 14th. Alternatively, although not recommended as this show will sell out, any remaining tickets may be purchased at the door. Tower Junction is also sponsoring this event exclusively.

If you have any questions, please call Len Seefried at (250) 961-9204. Thanks for the submission, Len.

Submitted by Wendy Bosch:

Medicine Hat, AB, October 4, 2009 – The 4th Annual Bustin’ Loose Race To End Breast Cancer will be held at the Heritage Pavilion in Strathcona Park, beginning at 11:00 a.m.  This is a 3 km, 5 km, 10 km fun run/walk event in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (prairies/nwt region).  To date this event has raised over $110,000 with generous support of our sponsors and overwhelming community response.

To register for this event visit www.bustinloose.ca or phone 403-527-5899 for more information.

The event is open to walkers and runners of any age or gender.  For logistical reasons and to ensure the best possible event, the event will be capped. There will be a 500 participant limit. This makes it essential for those who wish to participate to ENTER EARLY!  This event fills up each year.

Those who wish to raise pledges are advised to register early even if they plan to continue raising pledges up to race day in order to guarantee their spot in the event.  Raising $60.00 in pledges will waive the individual registration fee.  Family registration fee will be waived if each participant collects $60.00 in pledges.

THE JUMP – Read the rest of this entry »

*Update* This event has been canceled due to weather conditions.

The Monarch Theatre is premiering the sixth film of their summer series ‘Films Al Fresco’ on Saturday, August 15, 2009 at 9:00PM at the Kin Coulee Park Band Shell.

Monarch - Viva Las Vegas

The movie this evening will be the 1964 Elvis extravaganza Viva Las Vegas starring Elvis Presley and Ann Margaret.

“It’s all color and glamour and sexy fun.” – Sean Axmaker, msn.com

In this high-voltage musical, the King plays Lucky Jackson, an aspiring auto racer with a dream of winning the Grand Prix. While desperately trying to raise the money for a new engine he meets sexy, spunky Rusty Martin (Ann Margaret), a swimming instructor who falls for him against her will. The King croons, shakes, and shimmies while Ann-Margret shows her mastery of 60’s dance moves in the glitzy, electric production numbers. It’s a jewel of a film that ranks among Elvis’s best. The movie is rated PG for mild thematic elements.

People are reminded to bring a blanket or lawn chairs, as there is no fixed seating available in the park. Come early to get the best spot and to enjoy some pre-show Elvis entertainment.

As with all of the films in the “Films Al Fresco” series, this event is being held as a fundraiser for the Monarch Theatre Revitalization Project, and admission is by donation. The suggested donation is $5.00. Concessions (pop, Monarch popcorn, chips, candy, chocolate bars) will be available for sale on site, and all proceeds will benefit the Monarch Theatre.

The ‘Films Al Fresco’ series is sponsored by CHAT 94.5 FM and MY96 FM. Viva Las Vegas is additionally sponsored by Hebert Wellness and the Zucchini Blossom Cafe.

For more information visit www.themonarch.ca.

Brandon Paris Band is a Canadian band from Vancouver that was started in 2002 by Brandon Paris. They play a fusion of pop, rock, and reggae with a touch of punk and name they name their unique style, “Aggressive Pop Reggae”. They are currently on their Canadian summer tour to promote their new album, Pocket Full of Holes and will be stopping in at The Ottoman Lounge on Friday, August 14th. More information and a video below:

Date/Time: Friday, August 14th, 2009 at 9:30pm
Location: The Ottoman Lounge, 502 South Railway St. SE

Brandon Paris Band @ MySpace
Brand Paris Band Official Website

Newest single, “Can’t Hate You”

StoresOnline was back in Medicine Hat tonight at the Callaghan Inn. I met pretty much everyone that attended the seminar while I stood outside the Inn passing out informational write-ups on their seminar from last year.

The purpose I was handing out the write-ups, if I did not explain it concisely to everyone, was to encourage potential buyers to research business they may never have heard of before to see if they are legit and something they really want to get involved with. As I explained to a few people: This is recession time, and businesses will always want to do business with you, so there is no need to rush into signing up for something that costs a lot of money.

The age range of this years attendance was different than last years. There were a few more younger people this year, around the ages of 25-35, as opposed to last years general 40+ year old attendance. Most people; however, seemed mostly interested in the free meal and MP3 player. Most people seemed thankful that I was outside and taking an active participation in the on-goings of the city. I even had a few people come back outside before I left to thank me, which felt pretty rewarding.

This year might have been different from last, though with the consensus around the country and throughout the USA, as depicted on the website StoresOnline-Reviews.com, it was probably the same.

To check out my previous posts on Stores Online in Medicine Hat last year, check out my First Article from 2008, and my 2008 Summary to prepare Hatters for the 2009 seminar.

Any comments from any of the people who went about their seminar this year?