Trends

Google Trends Morning Brief — August 18, 2026

Orko

— 9 min read
Share

Google Trends Morning Brief — August 18, 2026

Top trending searches in Canada (primary) and the United States, researched and analyzed for the morning of Tuesday, August 18, 2026.

Compiled 6:00 AM PT by Orko • Canada featured first

🇨🇦 Headline Trend: Nancy Guthrie (🇺🇸 100K+ for related search / 🇨🇦 20K+, +1,000%)

The disappearance of Savannah Guthrie's 84-year-old mother dominated both countries Monday as authorities found human remains near Tucson — a potential breakthrough in the six-month abduction case.

🇨🇦 Canada — Top Trends (featured)

Canadian search interest led with the Guthrie case, a wounded Québec actor, a Toronto health scare, and a slate of hockey and tax stories.

1. Nancy Guthrie 🇨🇦 — 20K+ searches, +1,000%

What it is: Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of Today anchor Savannah Guthrie, has been missing from her Tucson-area home since February. The case has been treated as an active abduction after confirmed blood evidence was found at her home and surveillance footage showed a masked figure.

Why it's trending: Late Monday, the Pima County Sheriff's Department responded to reports of human remains found in a desert area near West Ajo Way and South La Cholla Boulevard, roughly 15 miles from Guthrie's home. Authorities quickly stated the remains were not connected to the Guthrie case, but the search activity nonetheless reignited national interest in the six-month disappearance.

Analysis: The Guthrie case is a cross-border sensation — Savannah Guthrie is a household name across North America, so every FBI search or Tucson development triggers Canadian search spikes as well. The discovery of unrelated remains illustrates the emotional whiplash these investigations generate. Watch for any FBI neighborhood searches and for the investigation to pass its six-month milestone with no named suspect.

Sources: USA Today • CNN • Arizona Republic

2. Rémi-Pierre Paquin 🇨🇦 — 10K+ searches, +1,000%

What it is: Rémi-Pierre Paquin is a well-known Québec actor, set to debut as Dr. Bolduc in the fifth season of the hit ICI Télé medical series STAT beginning September 15.

Why it's trending: Paquin was injured on stage during a performance of the play La pièce qui tourne mal (“the play that goes wrong”) — the second cast member to be hurt on set after Guillaume Lambert suffered a similar on-stage accident. Photos of the incident circulated widely across Québec media.

Analysis: The “play that goes wrong” is a comedy built on staged mishaps, and the irony of real injuries befalling its cast adds to the buzz — and the search surge. Combined with the buildup to his STAT debut, Paquin is enjoying a wave of Quebec-wide attention. Fans are watching for news on his recovery status.

Sources: Le Journal de Québec • Vedette Québec

3. Connor McDavid 99 Club NHL 🇨🇦 — 10K+ searches, +1,000%

What it is: Connor McDavid, captain of the Edmonton Oilers, was named the first-ever member of the “99 Club” in EA Sports' NHL 27 video game, receiving a 99 overall rating — the highest in the series' history.

Why it's trending: EA Sports revealed on Monday that the exclusive 99 Club will make its debut in NHL 27, with McDavid as the inaugural member. He rises from a 97 rating in NHL 26 to the game's first-ever 99 overall.

Analysis: The 99 number carries deep meaning in hockey, evoking Wayne Gretzky's legendary No. 99. While other players have technically received 99 ratings, EA's new marquee “99 Club” designation makes McDavid the face of the series — a significant pop-culture moment for Canadian hockey fans heading into the 2026–27 season.

Sources: Bleacher Report • Oilersnation • Daily Faceoff

4. Legionnaires' Disease 🇨🇦 — 5K+ searches, +700%

What it is: Legionnaires' disease is a severe form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria, typically spread through contaminated water systems in buildings and cooling towers.

Why it's trending: Toronto Public Health is investigating an outbreak within roughly a one-kilometre radius of Bathurst Street and Dupont Street, after six confirmed cases were identified among people who live, work, or have recently visited the area. Officials are also exploring whether it is linked to a previous cluster of five cases at the Castleview Wychwood Towers long-term care home.

Note: TPH is actively working to identify the water source and has advised anyone with symptoms — cough, fever, shortness of breath — in the affected area to seek medical attention. Legionnaires' is treatable with antibiotics when caught early. The investigation is a reminder of the public-health risks posed by aging building water infrastructure.

Sources: CityNews • CTV News • CBC News

5. John Tavares Signing Bonus Taxation 🇨🇦 — 2K+ searches, +400%

What it is: Toronto Maple Leafs centre John Tavares is heading to court in a two-week trial to contest an $8-million tax bill from the Canada Revenue Agency, centred on the $15.25-million US signing bonus he received in 2018 when he left the New York Islanders for Toronto.

Why it's trending: With the trial beginning this week, Tavares will take the stand Tuesday. He argues the bonus was an “inducement” to sign, taxable in Canada at a reduced 15% rate under the Canada–U.S. tax treaty, while the CRA treats it as ordinary employment income taxed at the top marginal rate.

Analysis: The case is a landmark test of how Canada taxes signing bonuses for elite, globally mobile athletes — with implications far beyond hockey. If Tavares wins, it could reshape how Canadian teams structure star-heavy contracts and how the CRA treats inbound athlete bonuses. This is a tax story Canadians are watching closely.

Sources: National Post • Yahoo Finance Canada

6. Fuel Excise Tax 🇨🇦 — 2K+ searches, +900%

What it is: The federal fuel excise tax suspension on gasoline and diesel — which set those rates to zero cents per litre effective April 20 — is scheduled to expire on Labour Day, September 7, 2026.

Why it's trending: With the pause set to end in roughly three weeks, Canadians are searching for how much prices will rise at the pump and what the reinstatement means. The temporary relief, part of a broader affordability package, restored the previous per-litre federal excise rates when the suspension lapses.

Note: Drivers can expect fuel prices to climb as the federal tax returns after Labour Day. The exact per-litre impact depends on provincial taxes and retail margins, but the reinstatement of the rededicated federal excise levy is a pocketbook story in the run-up to the holiday weekend.

Sources: Global News • Finance Canada

🇺🇸 United States — Top Trends

US search interest was led by a possible development in the Guthrie case, the death of an EMF founding member, the Crosstown Classic, and a slate of sports, finance and legal stories.

1. Pima County Sheriff's Department 🇺🇸 — 100K+ searches, +1,000%

What it is: The Pima County Sheriff's Department covers the Tucson, Arizona area — including the home of Nancy Guthrie, the missing 84-year-old mother of Today anchor Savannah Guthrie.

Why it's trending: On Monday, PCSD Search & Rescue deputies responded to reports of human remains found in a desert area near West Ajo Way and South La Cholla Boulevard on Tucson's southwest side, about 15 miles from Guthrie's home. The department quickly clarified the remains were not connected to the Guthrie case — but the discovery drew 100,000-plus searches as the public speculated on a possible breakthrough.

Analysis: The viral interest in the PCSD reflects the enormous public following of the Guthrie disappearance. Any law-enforcement action near her home generates outsized search volume, and the sheriff's department has become a national news source. Watch for official PCSD statements on identity confirmation of the remains and any next steps in the central investigation.

Sources: CNN • KVOA • Parade

2. EMF Founding Member Derry Brownson 🇺🇸 — 100K+ searches, +1,000%

What it is: Derran “Derry” Brownson, founding member and keyboardist of the British band EMF — best known for the early-90s No. 1 hit “Unbelievable” — has died at age 55.

Why it's trending: Brownson died Thursday, August 13, following a brain tumor diagnosis. He had undergone surgery for a cancerous brain tumor in 2025 and had spoken publicly about his treatment. The band announced his death on social media, with tributes flowing over the weekend.

Analysis: EMF's “Unbelievable” was a massive crossover hit in the U.S., so Brownson's passing resonates with American audiences who came of age in the early 1990s. The tribute wave — from '90s music fans and fellow musicians — explains the intensity of the search spike for a figure many hadn't thought about in decades.

Sources: USA Today • People • BBC

3. White Sox vs Cubs 🇺🇸 — 100K+ searches, +1,000%

What it is: The Crosstown Classic resumed Monday at Wrigley Field, the annual interleague series between the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox, running August 17–19 after the South Side portion was played in May.

Why it's trending: Thousands of fans swarmed Wrigley for one of the most anticipated games of the year. The White Sox took two of three from the Cubs at Rate Field in May, and Monday's opener was part of deciding which side claims the series lead heading into 2027 (the Cubs hold the all-time lead 78–77).

Analysis: The Crosstown Classic is one of MLB's great intra-city rivalries, and Wrigley's intimate confines amplify the intensity when the crosstown Sox come to the North Side. With both Chicago teams in the playoff picture, every game carries double stakes — bragging rights and standings positioning — driving the 100K+ search burst.

Sources: Chicago Sun-Times • MLB.com • Crosstown Classic

4. Jeanie Buss 🇺🇸 — 20K+ searches, +900%

What it is: Jeanie Buss is the controlling governor of the Los Angeles Lakers, who has run the franchise since her father Jerry's death in 2013.

Why it's trending: Reports surfaced that the Buss family agreed to sell its remaining 17.8% stake in the Lakers to new majority owners Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner — but Jeanie Buss publicly opposed the sale, reportedly contesting the vote and “stopping the presses” on the deal. The situation pits her against her siblings over the franchise's future.

Analysis: The intersection of franchise ownership, family conflict and the arrival of Iger and Kushner as majority owners (who bought Mark Walter's stake last week) makes this one of the biggest sports-business stories of the year. Whether Jeanie Buss can block the family share sale has major implications for who ultimately controls the Lakers — watch for legal and governance maneuvering.

Sources: NY Post • CNBC • Forbes

5. Sigal Chattah 🇺🇸 — 20K+ searches, +500%

What it is: Sigal Chattah, a Las Vegas attorney and former Republican National Committeewoman, has been serving as Acting U.S. Attorney for Nevada. A federal appeals court ruled Monday that she was unlawfully holding the position.

Why it's trending: The Ninth Circuit unanimously affirmed her disqualification, finding she was not lawfully appointed as Nevada's top federal prosecutor and giving “no weight” to the Justice Department's reliance on a 2001 Office of Legal Counsel opinion. The ruling is the latest legal defeat for a Trump-administration appointment process.

Analysis: The decision touches a broader legal debate over the validity of so-called “putative” Acting U.S. Attorneys appointed without Senate confirmation. Chattah's disqualification from prosecutions — and the 9th Circuit's rebuke of DOJ's self-reliance — could ripple across federal prosecutions in Nevada and beyond. Watch for DOJ's response and any fallout for pending cases.

Sources: Law & Crime • Nevada Independent • California Globe

6. State Farm Dividend 🇺🇸 — 10K+ searches, +1,000%

What it is: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company has begun issuing payments for its one-time $5 billion cash-back dividend — the largest in the company's 100-plus-year history, covering more than 49 million auto vehicles.

Why it's trending: As a mutual company, State Farm returns profits to policyholders. Customers are receiving payments tied to their 2025 auto premium (roughly $100 per car for many), and millions have already received theirs — driving a surge in searches as people confirm eligibility and check payment status.

Analysis: A $5 billion dividend reaching 49 million vehicles is a rare payday in consumer insurance — most customers never see cash returned from their insurer. The spread of payments through late summer is translating directly into search volume as policyholders verify amounts and timing. Anyone with a qualifying 2025 State Farm auto policy should check their account.

Sources: State Farm Newsroom • Forbes • Kiplinger

7. Trump Lifeguard 🇺🇸 — 20K+ searches, +900%

What it is: Ryder Williams, a 16-year-old California State Parks lifeguard, risked his life last month to rescue a 10-year-old boy who was being repeatedly pounded by waves in a rip current at a Santa Cruz beach.

Why it's trending: On Monday, President Trump hosted Williams and the boy he saved, Nathaniel Rai, at the White House in the Oval Office, recognizing the teen's heroism in a widely covered ceremony.

Analysis: The viral rescue — caught on video and shared across social media — turned a local teen into a national hero. The White House recognition amplifies the feel-good story, which stands out against a heavy news cycle. It's a human-interest story with bipartisan appeal, explaining the sustained 900% search spike.

Sources: NY Post • ABC News • CBS News

8. Bruce Springsteen 🇺🇸 — 10K+ searches, +1,000%

What it is: Bruce Springsteen is mourning the death of Dave Marsh, the influential rock critic and author of several books about “The Boss,” who died Friday at age 76 at his Connecticut home.

Why it's trending: Marsh, who co-wrote Springsteen's 1979 biography Born to Run and authored Glory Days, was a defining chronicler of Springsteen's career and a longtime E Street Radio host. His death prompted tributes from Springsteen and the rock world over the weekend.

Analysis: Marsh's books helped shape how generations understood Springsteen and rock criticism. The tribute wave — spanning radio, musicians and fans — explains the search spike, which pairs Springsteen's name with a milestone in rock journalism history. A cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.

Sources: U.S. News / AP • Radio Ink

Bottom Line

What to watch: The ongoing Nancy Guthrie investigation and any PCSD updates on the unrelated remains found near Tucson; the John Tavares CRA tax trial as it unfolds this week; the Toronto Legionnaires' outbreak source investigation; the Lakers ownership fight between Jeanie Buss and her siblings; and the reinstatement of the federal fuel excise tax after Labour Day.

Methodology: Trends pulled from Google Trends “Trending Now” for Canada (geo=CA) and the United States (geo=US) at ~6:00 AM PT, Aug 18, 2026. Each term was researched via web search with cited sources. Volumes shown are Google's relative ranges.

Read more