THUNDER BAY — Having the opportunity to meet people from across the region to tell their stories, to see what's happening in different parts of our community is an honour.
Being able to sift through press releases and report on stories that directly affect people in this city and region is something I have taken seriously during my time at TBnewswatch as a reporter.
This year, I've penned over 250 articles that have impacted close to three million readers across the region and beyond.
In a yearly effort to recap the top five stories that I've covered, here they are in no particular order.
1. ISC has success in composting food: When I moved to Thunder Bay, I was shocked that there was no composting available in the city (even though it is coming eventually). When I found out that the mall was starting to compost items from the food court, I was really excited at this opportunity to see the new equipment. I also appreciated the mall making efforts to divert garbage and to do better in its efforts to recycle and compost what it can.
2. Beadwork hits Canada's capital featuring local artists: It was a meet-cute situation on this story came across my desk. I had initially met Jean Marshall at another event and found out that she's a local (well-established) beader. When I found out that she and Justine Gustafson were having their work featured in the National Gallery in Ottawa, it was obvious that we needed to sit down and chat. Their work is extraordinary, and I can't comprehend the amount of patience, inspiration and dexterity it must take to create their beautiful pieces.
3. Dog rescued from north side house fire: Covering news stories can be tough sometimes, but it's nice when there's a scary one that has a bit of a happy ending. In this case, Thunder Bay firefighters were able to save the family dog.
4. Police seized over $3 million in massive drug bust: I love a good drug bust. Showing up at the police station to see that much jewellery, drugs, and weapons laid out on the table was a bit of a rush. The sheer number of diamonds and gold on display was mesmerizing. A personal favourite was the large Hwy 17 diamond-encrusted emblem necklace that is shown in the first and second photos - the sheer extravagance and ostentatiousness of the piece is what makes it a favourite.
5. Exclusive ride-alongs and behind-the-scenes: This year, I made it a point to do some "exclusive" stories. I'm so impressed by the work that emergency services do across our region and this was a great opportunity to see what they see, even if it's only for a couple of hours of a shift.
I was able to cultivate relationships with members of the Thunder Bay OPP and spent time with them during a night shift. I saw just a small part of the large area that they cover. The same for SNEMS (Superior North EMS), and finding out from them just how much the drug problem has changed in the city over the last number of years.
Spending time with some of the city's firefighters was also a highlight, especially when I was given special permission to go down one of the fire poles (how could I say no to that?).
And as a bit of a history nerd, I truly loved my experience getting to see behind the scenes at the city's archives. While not exciting in content, seeing the old ledgers and scrapbooks, the handwriting and various gifts collected over the years - was eye-opening to see the amount of work that goes into preserving the city's municipal history.
All in all, being able to report the news is a privilege and one that I continue to accept with graciousness. I strive to inform, entertain, and tell the stories of people in our community.
Here's to 2025.
