Here’s another story of a music festival gone horribly, horribly wrong.
I take you back to June 1970, for the Celebration of Life Festival, which was held on a farm in Louisiana. Promoters called it the South’s answer to Woodstock, which had happened a year earlier. The lineup included Pink Floyd, Ike & Tina Turner, the Beach Boys, and BB King. Local authorities wanted none of this, and two days before the show was supposed to start, cops moved in and shut everything down.
This left thousands of people with nothing to do and nowhere to go. Some sat in the field in the blistering heat and humidity. Others found abandoned farmhouses. There was no food, water, sanitary facilities, or medical care. Two people drowned while escaping the heat in the South Louisiana River, while others were injured in fights with police.
The Celebration of Life Festival of 1970 was a total disaster but has been largely forgotten. Good.
Whenever you get a bunch of music fans into a field and introduce alcohol, drugs, and dodgy weather, things can and will go wrong. The Powder Ridge Rock Festival, held at a ski resort in Middlefield, Connecticut, was one such event.
Local authorities tried to stop it, but 30,000 people showed up anyway. There was no music because everything had been cancelled. The promoter, the owner of the ski resort, was arrested for allowing people onto the property. Meanwhile, everyone had to deal with no music, no food, no water, no sanitary facilities, and some very bad drugs, especially the cheap dollar-a-tab acid.
The only artist to show up was Melanie, the folksinger, who performed an impromptu set powered by a couple of ice cream trucks that had been commandeered.
We’ve evolved when it comes to being able to stage music festivals. In the 70s, though, people were still learning, often with disastrous results.
Let’s go back to Labour Day 1972 for the Erie Canal Soda Pop Festival in Illinois. There was a solid line-up: Black Sabbath, Allman Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, Joe Cocker, and more. About 50,000 people were expected, but the actual number of people who tried to get in might have been close to 300,000.
The result was a 30-kilometre traffic jam. Vendors ran out of food and water and you don’t want to know about the porta-potties. And then it started to rain. Hard. The crowd went crazy, burning a food truck. And get this: A cow from a nearby farm was stolen and butchered for its meat. By the end of the weekend, the main stage was set on fire and hundreds were injured.
Only a few weeks after recalling its iceberg lettuce products over a possible link to a cyclospora outbreak, Taylor Farms is recalling several products which contain jalapenos, including taco dip and guacamole — this time over potential salmonella contamination.
Food producer Taylor Fresh Foods, the parent company of Taylor Farms, said it has voluntarily recalled several of its prepared foods with jalapenos due to possible salmonella contamination, including salsa, taco dip, pico de gallo and guacamole.
The announcement comes a few weeks after Taylor Farms voluntarily recalled its iceberg lettuce products sourced from central Mexico because of a potential link to a multistate cyclospora outbreak that has sickened people across the U.S.
In a press release shared on Sunday, the company said that said, “Upon notification that Coast Citrus Distributors is voluntarily recalling fresh jalapeños due to potential Salmonella contamination, Taylor Fresh Foods is recalling finished products containing jalapeños subject to this recall.”
“The FDA and CDC, in collaboration with state and local partners, are investigating illnesses in a multistate outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to fresh jalapeños supplied by Coast Citrus Distributors. A grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, that supplies to Coast Citrus Distributors was identified as the potential source in this outbreak,” the press release added.
Taylor Farms said that it is “no longer sourcing products from this farmer and will be filling orders from alternative suppliers.”
“To date, Taylor Fresh Foods is not aware of any reported illnesses linked to its products containing jalapeños,” the company added.
The recalled products were distributed to retail distribution centres across 26 states including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
They include a “best if used by” date up to and including Aug. 16, 2026.
The list of 20 recalled foods includes diced jalapenos, rice and bean burrito, spicy roast beef sandwich, spicy pimento cheese dip and fiesta-style shrimp salad. The items were sold at grocery stores including Walmart, Target, Trader Joe’s, Kroger and Whole Foods.
Consumers who have any recalled products should discard them immediately and not consume them, Taylor Farms added, noting that refunds are available at the location of purchase.
The jalapenos were supplied by California-based Coast Citrus Distributors and sourced from Mexico, the CDC said. They were served at Chipotle Mexican Grill, Qdoba and other restaurants.
Last Tuesday, the Minnesota Department of Health confirmed it was investigating a salmonella outbreak tied to several Mexican-style, quick-service restaurants, with jalapenos being the suspected source. Officials identified 110 cases in the state.
Chipotle made up the majority of those cases where health officials were able to reach impacted consumers for an interview — who ate at the chain between mid-June and mid-July — but not all.
Chipotle Mexican Grill confirmed that it had removed jalapenos from its restaurants after determining the peppers could potentially be tied to the salmonella outbreak public health officials are investigating.
In a brief statement, Chipotle maintained that the “health and safety of our guests and employees is our highest priority” — and that it had pulled the jalapenos out of an abundance of caution and “replaced them with product from different growers” in all locations where a previous common lot had been distributed.
Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, fever, severe vomiting, dehydration and stomach cramps. Most people who get sick recover within a week. Infections can be more severe in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, who may require hospitalization.
The latest salmonella outbreak arrives as a handful of fast-casual chains are still wrestling with the fallout of a separate, wider cyclospora — a diarrhea-causing parasitic illness — outbreak linked to shredded lettuce that has sickened thousands of Americans.
Taylor Farms was also linked to the cyclosporiasis outbreak after supplying lettuce to Taco Bell restaurants, which investigators initially suspected to be the source of the outbreak.
The company recalled iceberg lettuce grown in central Mexico. Reports of a false positive from a test conducted on Taylor Farms lettuce from Mexico circulated in late July.
Authorities are still looking for other potential sources.
—with files from Global News’ Rachel Goodman and The Associated Press
The Nova Scotia provincial flag flies on a flag pole in Ottawa, Friday, July 24, 2026 in Ottawa.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
The Nova Scotia government is changing how residents on income assistance receive employment support, in a shift that will impact as many as 85 provincial positions and result in some layoffs.
Officials with the Department of Opportunities and Social Development and the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration say beginning next month, income assistance recipients who are ready to look for work will be referred to Nova Scotia Works — the province’s free employment support network.
This is instead of seeking help through an income assistance-specific employment service offered by the Department of Opportunities and Social Development, which will wind down as part of the change.
The associate deputy minister with the Department of Opportunities and Social Development says the move will streamline access to support and reduce duplication of services. Shelley James says it will also contribute to removing some stigma, because all Nova Scotians can soon access the same employment services.
As a result of the change, about 300 staff were issued a voluntary call for resignation Tuesday, and three non-union workers were laid off.
James said between 75 and 85 full-time positions will be impacted by the change, but that does not represent the number of individuals who will be laid off.
“We do have a number of vacancies in the department that we will be looking to fill. So this, the voluntary (resignation) call, is the first step that we are taking in the process to try and minimize the number of layoffs,” she said.
WATCH: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, pressed about comments by U.S. President Donald Trump that "Canada is nasty," on Thursday said Ottawa was standing up for domestic workers and businesses. Carney, speaking to reporters in Saguenay, Que., said Canadian negotiators in Washington were having detailed talks with their U.S. counterparts about a review of CUSMA.
Seventy-nine per cent of Americans view Canadians favourably while 48 per cent of Canadians hold an “unfavourable” view of Americans, outweighing the 45 per cent of Canadians who see Americans “positively” despite “widespread detestation” of U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Political friction from the past year and a half has driven Canadian views of President Trump and his administration sharply negative, while boycotts and reduced cross-border travel have prompted questions about whether hostility extends beyond the White House to Americans themselves,” the poll states.
Seventy-nine per cent of Canadians hold an unfavourable view of Trump, the poll noted.
While 78 per cent of Americans say the U.S. should be approaching Canada either as a valued partner or on friendly terms, 65 per cent of Canadians say Canada should approach the U.S. either cautiously, or as a potential threat.
On top of that, six per cent of Canadians say the country should approach the U.S. as an “enemy.”
Tension between the two nations’ leaders has picked back up recently, with Trump taking aim at Canada on Aug. 5, calling the country — and its leadership — “nasty” five times during a speech in Las Vegas.
“Canada’s nasty. They are. They’re nasty,” he said. “I love the people, but they’re nasty. Nasty leadership.”
Earlier that day, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney poked at Trump when his teleprompter malfunctioned in the middle of a news conference on housing policy, saying, “I do not view this as a conspiracy.” Carney was referencing Trump’s demands for an investigation after he encountered a halted escalator and a non-functioning teleprompter last year at the UN General Assembly, where he delivered a speech.
Trump has also reignited tariff worries amongst Canada when the White House imposed an additional 50 per cent tariff on Canadian imports due to retaliatory and “discriminatory” measures on July 20.
Trump has also threatened to tariff Canada in regard to the country’s wildfire smoke.
Amid Trump’s threats, travel from Canadians to the U.S. plummeted starting shortly after his inauguration in January 2025.
In July 2026, Canadian-resident return trips from the U.S. equalled 2.3 million, up 10.2 per cent from the same month in 2025, according to Statistics Canada.
This marked the fourth consecutive month of year-over-year growth, with the agency stating the June 2026 increase is “largely due to a base-year effect, as Canadian-resident trips to the United States declined sharply in 2025 following geopolitical tensions.”
The long-awaited opening of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge saw more than 41,000 vehicles crossed from the U.S. into Canada in its first five days of operation.
Between July 27-31, the Gordie Howe International Bridge was used for 18,900 Canadian-resident return trips from the U.S. by automobile and 18,100 US-resident trips to Canada by automobile. During the same period, there were 31,500 return trips by Canadian residents and 21,200 arrivals to Canada by U.S. residents via the other Windsor crossings.
The debate over AI date centres continues to be a hot-button topic in the country with local governments temporarily pushing back on them and coast to coast protests being held against the facilities. Global's Jazan Grewal speaks with Mohit Rajhans, AI expert with thinkstart.ca, about the controversy surrounding them.
A man leading a movement against artificial intelligencedata centres in Alberta says provincial officials can expect to get an earful at an upcoming town hall.
Ben Baril says he and other protesters will be at an Aug. 20 hearing in Sturgeon County to tell Premier Danielle Smith’s government that true public consultation would be to halt the projects until concerns are addressed.
Alberta has already said the tech giant Meta is building a massive facility in the county, north of Edmonton, and several other AI data centres are in the works across the province.
Baril says he’s concerned about the impact the centres will have on the climate, as well as the province’s water supply and electricity grid.
The town hall in Sturgeon County is one of four the province will host, with the first one scheduled for Aug. 19 in the central Alberta town of Ponoka.
Technology Minister Nate Glubish is hosting the events, and says Albertans deserve real answers on what these new infrastructure investments mean for them.
An 11-month-long investigation by Calgary police has resulted in the seizure of a large quantity of drugs, guns and other items and close to 60 charges being laid against eight people.
Source: Calgary Police
An 11-month-long investigation by Calgary police involving organized crime and allegations of drug trafficking has resulted in almost 60 charges being laid against eight people.
Police said the investigation began in September 2025 when they became aware of a man accused of being involved in drug trafficking in Calgary.
A subsequent investigation by the CPS Organized Crime Enforcement Team identified a network of people who were believed to be engage in drug trafficking, firearms offences, re-vinning of vehicles, prescription fraud and other organized crime activities.
During the course of the operation, officers obtained 74 judicial authorizations, executed 15 search warrants and seized dozens of exhibits, including digital devices and physical evidence.
On Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025, investigators executed search warrants residences located in Delacour and Chestermere, Alta., along with a Jeep associated with the suspects.
The seized items included:
$7,690 in cash along with a cash counter
Several forged prescription documents
Prescription medication believed to be obtained with forged prescriptions
A radio-frequency jammer
In March 2026, a 28-year-old man from Chestermere and a 40-year-old woman from Delacour were arrested and charged.
The man faces two counts each of possession of the proceeds of crime and possession of forged documents.
The woman is charged with seven counts of uttering a forged document and six counts of possession of the proceeds of crime.
Both have been released from custody until their next court appearance.
Calgary police say the 11-month-long investigation resulted in the seizure of a large quantity of guns, drugs, cash and other items.
Source: Calgary Police
On Monday, March 9, 2026, Calgary police executed search warrants at a residence located in the 100 block of Cityside Grove N.E. and an apartment located in the 200 block of 13 Avenue S.W., along with three vehicles.
During the searches, investigators seized:
A loaded Girsan MC14 BDA handgun
137 rounds of ammunition
$15,410 in cash
160.2 grams of methamphetamine
115.1 grams of cocaine
23 OxyContin pills
Other items consistent with drug trafficking, including packaging materials, buffing agent and cell phones.
While executing the warrants, officers discovered 107 individually wrapped baggies of methamphetamine and cocaine that had been concealed in the door paneling of the vehicles.
A 22-year-old man and a 25-year-old man, both from Calgary, have each been charged with four counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and one count of possession of the proceeds of crime over $5,000.
Both men were released from custody until their next court appearance.
On Monday, March 9, 2026, members of the CPS Gang Suppression Team conducted a traffic stop involving a man believed to be involved in drug trafficking.
His vehicle was seized and a search revealed a number of items that had been concealed behind a panel inside the vehicle, including:
A loaded Smith & Wesson SD9 VE handgun
A baggie of ammunition
128.8 grams of powder and crack cocaine, packaged into 63 individual baggies
Brass knuckles
Investigators issued warrants for the arrest of the suspect who was taken into custody after fleeing from a traffic stop in the community of Thorncliffe on Monday, July 13, 2025.
Following his arrest, officers seized additional items, including:
46.3 grams of powder and crack cocaine, in 39 individually wrapped baggies
11 pills suspected to be fentanyl
A small amount of cash
A 21-year-old Calgary man has been charged with resisting arrest, three counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and one count each of carrying a concealed firearm, unsafe storage of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle, possession of a firearm with ammunition, possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of the proceeds of crime.
He was released from custody until his next court appearance.
Calgary police say the drugs seized include cocaine and crack cocaine, methamphetamine, oxycontin, and suspected fentanyl, along with prescription medicines believed to be obtained with forged prescriptions.
Source: Calgary Police
On Thursday, March 26, 2026, Calgary police, along with members of the RCMP Emergency Response Team, searched a property in Rocky View County, northeast of Calgary, where they arrested one man.
On the same day, investigators in Calgary also searched an apartment in the 1800 block of 26 Avenue S.W., as well as two vehicles.
A large number of guns, along with ammunition, drugs, cash and other items were seized, including:
13 rifles, including four that were hidden in a concealed room
Two loaded handguns, including a 9 mm Taurus and a 9 mm Hellcat
A loaded Churchill shotgun
More than 760 rounds of assorted ammunition
Body armour
81.8 grams of powder and crack cocaine, in individually wrapped baggies
64.8 grams of MDMA
$9,630 in cash
A stolen Dodge Challenger
A stolen Dodge Ram that had been re-vinned
Scales, drug packaging materials and multiple cellphones
A baseball bat, crowbars and a mask, found in a vehicle
On Thursday, July 16, 2026, two men were arrested and charged.
A baseball bat and one of many guns Calgary Police say were seized during the investigation into organized crime and drug trafficking.
Source: Calgary Police
A 30-year-old man from Calgary was charged with one count each of breach of a firearms prohibition, possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number, possession of a firearm with ammunition, unauthorized possession of a firearm, unsafe storage of a firearm and possession of the proceeds of crime.
He was ordered held in custody until his next court appearance.
A 29-year-old man from Calgary is charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and one count each of carrying a concealed firearm, unsafe storage of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle, possession of a firearm with ammunition, possession of the proceeds of crime and possession of a controlled substance.
He was released from custody until his next court appearance.
Warrants were also issued for the arrest of a third man who is wanted on four counts of breaching a firearms prohibition, two counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and one count each of unsafe storage of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, carrying a concealed firearm, impersonation to gain advantage and possession of the proceeds of crime.
Calgary police are also asking any members of the public who has information about suspected drug trafficking or organized crime activity to call the police non-emergency line at 403-266-1234.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.calgarycrimestoppers.org or by downloading the Crime Stoppers app (P3 Tips) from the app store.
The President and CEO of Metrolinx Michael Lindsay speaks while Ontario Premier Doug Ford looks on during a transportation announcement at Confederation GO Station in Hamilton, Ont,. on Monday September 29, 2025.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Carlos Osorio
The head of Ontario’s regional transit agency says the price tag so far for the Ontario Line subway is at about $34 billion, which is triple the government’s original cost projection.
Metrolinx president and CEO Michael Lindsay confirmed the dollar figure in response to a reporter’s question today and says the final total will be higher than that, as the elevated guideway contract process is not yet finalized.
When Premier Doug Ford’s government announced its plan for the subway line to run from Exhibition Place to east Toronto, through downtown, it pegged the cost at $10.9 billion.
Lindsay says when the project was announced in 2019 it was a different time and since then, trade uncertainty and supply chain shocks are adding pressure.
He says Metrolinx uses a competitive process for its contracts and scrutinizes line items in order to make spending efficient.
NDP Leader Marit Stiles says she is concerned that large transit projects consistently grow “out of control” and are not delivered on time.
Regina police said it is investigating after two people were found dead.
Heywood Yu / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Police are investigating after two people were found dead in Regina early Tuesday morning.
The Regina Police Service said officers arrived at the 1100 block of Elphinstone Street at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday.
“Upon arrival, officers located two deceased individuals in the vicinity,” police said in a news release, adding that at this time, it would not be releasing the names of the individuals who died.
It said its major crime unit and forensic identification unit are investigating the deaths alongside the Saskatchewan Coroners Service.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police.
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