[Excerpt]

Michael King has made some bad choices, spent time in jail, spent more time living on the streets. He says he’s seen it all, and now he writes about it.

King is one of 19 poets featured in Shadows in the Streets, a collection of 24 poems published by the Learning Centre Literacy Association jointly with Boyle Street Community Services. The book features poetry written by people who have lived on the streets, or still do. King, 53, has been off the street for about a year. With the help of Boyle Street Services, he found his own place and continues to receive support from staff, who treat him “like a person instead of a number.”

He said he has travelled all across North America, and his experiences are what motivated him to begin writing poetry and short stories when he was 25 years old. “Actually, all of my poems have a story behind them,” said King, who has two poems included in the collection. Writing comes easily to him, he said. He can scribble out a poem in less than 10 minutes if he sees something inspiring -even just the smile on another person’s face can be inspiration enough.

He shared two poems on Wednesday afternoon at Boyle Street Services for the book’s release.

[End Excerpt]

Source: Edmonton Journal

Read more at …

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Street+life+inspires+poetry+Boyle+Street+anthology/4494651/story.html

 [Excerpt]

Re: “City murders far from random; Bluecollar city with plenty of drugs a recipe for violence” by Todd Babiak, Feb. 26.

Todd Babiak’s column was notable for its genuine insight into one of Edmonton’s most serious problems.

Gang activity, and its accompanying issues of drug addiction, prostitution and violence, have been a serious problem in Edmonton for years.

I’m not sure if it is due to either apathy or a genuine lack of understanding of the politics of central Edmonton communities, but it has only been in the last few months I have heard our media attempt to discuss this problem in an open and insightful way, and I appreciate that effort.

While I appreciate the candour and insight of The Journal’s attempt to explore this city’s most serious social issues, more needs to be done to focus the public discussion on the possible ways to correct this dysfunction.

The main weakness of this column was that, after identifying the main causes of Edmonton’s large year-by-year per capita murder rates (gang violence and domestic abuse), Babiak does little to present a prescriptive solution to the issue.

[End Excerpt]

For more on this story …

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Lots+cash+sense/4393962/story.html

Source: Edmonton Journal

[Excerpt]

An Edmonton man killed in a “crack house” was battling addiction and a number of emotional problems, says a relative.

Gerry Oar, 24, died in hospital from what appeared to be stab wounds suffered during an alcohol-fuelled fight in a boarding house near 107 Avenue and 96 Street sometime before 1 a.m. Saturday.

“He lost his grandmother a few years ago, and he became more lost since then,” said the man’s step-grandmother Margaret Oar.

Margaret said her step-grandson was close to his paternal grandmother who helped raise him since birth.

“He became lost in his own little world. He had an addiction problem and he tried to numb himself because he was dealing with so much.”

The step-grandma said Oar was also close to his Cree heritage and culture.

He loved to make dream-catchers, said Margeret.

[End Excerpt]

For more of the story …

http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/edmonton/2011/03/06/17516466.html