I am basically a houseplant
New reporters at the Citizen confirmed and a drive down to Taylor Swift
Good morning. On Saturday, and for most of the week leading up to it, I have been extremely low-energy, barely doing anything. Then yesterday the sun came out and my mood elevated, my productivity soared. I am no better than a flower. I am basically a houseplant.
I did make it out to the Teddy Bear Toss Saturday night for a sold-out victory for the Cougars. There were lots of other good events that night, too, so hopefully you got to enjoy something. I also very much enjoyed the Winterfest Market at the Civic Centre which had a dangerous amount of free wine and cider samples and helped me check off a lot of Christmas shopping. 100 per cent put it on your list for next year, if you didn’t make it. And I saw my niece perform in her high school play at Shas Ti Kelly Road, which was also my first time in the new school. They have an actual theatre! And so many windows. It’s quite nice and it’s tough for me to reconcile it with the fact it’s a high school (I grew up in the no-window era of educational architecture).
Here’s some pictures I took. The middle one is a llama dressed as a Grinch.
News roundup
Prince George Taylor Swift fans rent car after flight to Vancouver cancelled.
So much fog. Pro-tip: it’s especially foggy by the river.
A return to normal weather expected in Prince George following rainy week, thank goodness.
Prince George school being recognized for innovative approach to education.
Breaking down Prince George's proposed 2025 operating budget. Oh, man, is it nice to have a dedicated municipal affairs reporter again.
On that note: The Citizen has officially announced the hiring of new reporters, a few days after I reported it here, which is … odd it took so long? Still, glad to see it.
Another one from that municipal beat: the public can weigh in on some new projects including a gravel pit by the jail, a garden centre on 1st and signage for a Chief Lake Rd. subdivision.
And: City to consider hiring more police, firefighters in 2025 budget — and the RCMP budget is increasing by $1.25 milllion (proposed). Plus, body cameras are now being worn by local officers.
In the courts: if you’ve been wondering what’s been going at Tabor Mountain, turns out the province has filed a lawsuit against the owner.
Prince George WestJet passenger awarded a third of her delayed luggage claim. You can buy essentials if your luggage doesn’t arrive, but don’t stock up on a whole new high-end wardrope.
End of an era: Nechako Medical Clinic has its last day on Saturday. An interesting thing about this story is that a lot of it focuses on the idea that the old healthcare model, which this clinic represents, provides a better level of care than the new one which is replacing it, and then one of the top comments is someone talking about how they tried to become a patient at the old clinic but there was no room.
(Another) new indoor playground.
The new MLA for Prince George-Valemount has signed a letter demanding another one of her Conservative colleagues apologize for comments made to the CBC. More on those comments here and here.
Moccasin Flats warming centre closing permanently on Monday.
This feeding the ducks thing remains weird to me. I get the desire, but one day I would like to find out where this fits into the whole don’t feed the wildlife directive.
Barkerville welcomes Coralee Oakes to its Board of Directors.
Charges being recommended in connection with animal cruelty case in Quesnel.
Canadian Cancer Society looking to better support patients with Wheels of Hope.
Expansion of banned weapons list will do more harm than good: PG Rod and Gun Club.
Prince George Council of Seniors host 300 for Golden Age Social.
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Send feedback by emailing northerncapitalnews@gmail.com. Find me online at akurjata.ca.
The framing of the new walk-in clinic system in the Citizen is ridiculous. Reduced hours - except for the fact that there will also be scheduled appointments during the day. You won’t see a doctor immediately - but you also won’t have to get there an hour before opening and stand in the cold. Instead you will actually receive care, perhaps later in the week, without having to stand in a line again.
Like maybe it will all go heck and be terrible, but we are not seriously gonna sit here and pretend that the current model is working, right? Absolutely nothing against the doctors, but let’s be real.