Hey BakerWriter, you are absolutely “right on” about attending the School Board meetings, it is of the utmost importance as that inevitably affects the lives of our children but people in town are becoming cynical and skeptical regarding any meetings whether they be regarding the school board, social issues etc. We aren’t, as a community, made aware of any progress, if any, that is made. We only hear of the date for the next meeting and as a member on here always says and it is true, it has become a tea social for all concerned. We only need to look around the streets and see the progress that has been made 
But, I think you fellas are doing a good job keeping us informed as best as you can and I thank you for that…I have no ideas though regarding any new format for the paper, I buy it when I feel like it so I will leave the tinkering to the pros…Good Luck !!
Can you expand on the “winner” reporters and going “hardcore” a bit please
Frankly the offerings of the Daily News today pale in comparison by the offerings of the past, suggest you look up some of the old archives, reporters such as Pemberton, Kim, Lawrence, Iain, Farrell, John, Lackhoff, Paul, Kelly, Rudy, there are many more by the way, or even Ritchie, Leanne (so you don’t have to go back too far), they provided details and stories of high importance to the community.
They didn’t appear to be too terribly concerned with ruffling a few feathers and felt the need to highlight what needed to be highlighted… apparently at cost to a job in some instances eh…
So before you folks go dusting the shelves for the Pullitzers, take a look at your own history too please.
If folks do the “textual analysis” I suspect that their concerns of late would be validated…
I believe when he said “school notice board,” he meant all the “What’s going on at (fill in the school)” stuff, not reporting on school board meetings.
School board meetings do, of course, occasionally produce legitimate news stories and, at the least, merit a summary of what was discussed. I don’t think, though, that even if scores of citizens showed up and filled the peanut gallery, it would make it unneccessary for the Daily News to report on, as you suggest.
I cannot say that I have ever found the ‘all too brief question and minimalist answer if that’s what it’s called’ period at board or council meetings to be very productive or anywhere near a substitute for journalistic reporting. It is not a townhall meeting format. In any event many issues are discussed in closed meetings, and the public does not know what to ask about because it does not know what it does not know, and elected officials are not about to tell them what they might ask about.
I notice for instance that the author of e-princerupert.com/ routinely asks questions at council meetings but seems to come up with more interesting information by combing through whatever documents are made public and by making FOI requests. I mention in passing his recent report on a $50,000 loan guarantee to the golf club, approved at a closed City council meeting in 2006 and extended for three years at another closed meeting last year. Council’s decisions were never disclosed other than by inference in a cryptic note in the audit that provided no details, and that all but a sharp-eyed reader would miss.
Amidst all of the secrecy how is attending meetings and asking questions supposed to be an effective alternative to journalistic reporting? I think that what we look to journalists for but will seldom get and should never expect from public spokespersons is more than one side of the story and some digging for information that, so it appears, elected officials would sometimes rather see covered up.
Sadly, you are so right about the way meetings of public officials are conducted now, with little of substance discussed before the public and little in the way of answers given when pointed questions are asked. Everyone runs on transparency but then practices opacity.
It would be nice to see good ol’ investigative journalism again - and I’m not talking about what some recent past reporters used to do: get one side of the story and sensationalize the crap out of it. I’m guessing that’s what Baker was referring to when he talked about past “harcore, winner” reporters.
One name: Mettrick.
[/quote]
Now I wouldn’t polish mine before you do yours. Quite easy to google search stories nowadays and knock your own two cents into and call it a story. If only it were that easy.
As for the bloody claim that I (and let’s be real honest here, you are talking about me) steal your copy and make it mine, well buddy come to my office, follow me for a day. I invite you to do so. Seems to me that you claim this without proof outside of circumstantial evidence – I visit your site, hence I must steal from it.
I say, keep the ideas coming in. They will soon pick up on this topic and realize what they have to do with stories and such things to put back in the paper. Look on how the Northern view picked up on the “Dog Crap” story and did an article on it. 
Quote from: Max Power on Today at 01:56:50 pm
Sadly, you are so right about the way meetings of public officials are conducted now, with little of substance discussed before the public and little in the way of answers given when pointed questions are asked. Everyone runs on transparency but then practices opacity.
Quote from Bakerwriter: all things I’ve written about in columns in the past, but didn’t seem to matter until it was cherry points on HTMF.
I’ve appreciated your columns citing lack of transparency. I am amazed by the frequency of closed meetings, compared to other places I have lived and the Peter Lester era as I remember it. Hopefully there will be more FOIs. I am not aware of any cherry points on HTMF, though. There are very few accolades here and definitely no Pulitzers.
“As I remember it.” Someone’s age is showing!
Yeah, the Lester days were something else. Council was productive AND entertaining then; lots of lively debate and you knew where every councilor stood - unlike the past several councils, that have been mostly occupied by tight-lipped nodders.
First off before I get to polishing my silverwear, I never suggested that I was worthy of such a hallowed prize of journalism, however, I also have not tried to portray my efforts as somehow better than others. Unlike your recent comparison of the efforts of the current stable of writers employed as somehow being more satsifactory than those of the past, news is like any other business cyclical, some are good at it, some are bad and some should find other work…
Now to he main point of your angst, where exactly did I accuse you or say that you “steal” from the blog, that would be very poor journalism if true.
My point was in response to kittie, who suggested that my blog would be bereft of all material if not for that extra effort you are putting in at the Daily News, all I did was correctly point out that a good number of the items I post on my blog don’t appear in the Daily until two or three days later. Where you get your “research” material is netiher here nor there to me.
But if you’re feeling a little guilty on the topic, confession is always good for the soul, I believe the ritual goes “Bless me father for I have sinned”
Prove me wrong that the somehow my posting date is not two or three days ahead of the actual copies of the story in print … You simply won’t be able to, in fact when you publish those stories that have been seen on my blog previous, I have taken to linking to my original item more for background, but perhaps now for turf holding I guess.
Demeaning my efforts ie your “two cents” commentary is hardly a good defence and certainly showcases a rather thin skin.
As I pointed out if I have found an item on the net, I source it and reference it in the blog, I’m under no illusion that the blog is nothing more than a reflection of what interests “Me” both locally and beyond… nor do I think that I’ll be in line for accolades any time soon. I always provide credit from where I found my research, as it should be.
As for spending a day following you around, sorry, the prospect of strawberry tea socials, visits to Kindergarten classes and the other breaking news of your onerous schedule just isn’t something I could keep up the pace to.
Though I sometimes wonder how with burden of being the sole provider of the word for the area, how it is that you can ever find so much time to troll the local chat boards…
[quote=“ThePodunkian”]
Prove me wrong that the somehow my posting date is not two or three days ahead of the actual copies of the story in print … You simply won’t be able to, in fact when you publish those stories that have been seen on my blog previous, I have taken to linking to my original item more for background, but perhaps now for turf holding I guess.[/quote]
I am trying to be fair to you and have in the past actually thanked you for not only posting us online but also having the wherewithal to keep HTMFers up on things that interest you. I know it seems preposterous that a reporter would look around the community for news tips and issues that concern people (including yourself) but i do scour as much information as I possibly can to provide readers with info.
I stand by my comments.
Which I find nothing wrong with. I do the same thing on another site so that part is fine.
yeah, that’s what I cover. Accurate to the end, eh? Maybe you don’t care at all what the head of the law society has to say. Perhaps you believe that reporting on the school board is useless. perhaps righting about what are young are up to around town means nothing. Perhaps my story on the lack of services around town for homeless men means nothing.
I have covered what I believe to be important stories for the North Coast. I do not touch city hall as its no longer my beat (outside of the odd column).
You do realize that these “strawberry tea socials” have never been covered by me, right? Do you think this might be inflammatory?
Why wonder? Turns out you can just make accusations safely behind your desk, behind a pseudonym, sipping on a slushie from 7-E…
Slushies, sheesh that’s original, how long to think that one up…
You keep telling us how great you are… we’ll determine if it’s fiction or historical I guess…
By the way I could be wrong but I believe the word is writing not righting, our not are, but I’m just a blogger not versed in the golden words…
Perhaps you had a slushie and had a brain freeze eh…
Yeah, and what the hell is the point of the evenly spaced rectangles that were dug up and repaved over in the eastbound lane? Way to take a reasonably well paved road and weaken it.
Slushie: .0000001 seconds and I take it back. I shouldn’t have said slushie. It wasn’t called for and was inappropriate.
And yeah, brother, they were typos. However, the point I was making was conveniently stepped over so that you could bunt a single point on… typos. Then again, I have never said I was great, have I? I have apologized when people have said I messed up (Dr Coburn) and have tried to be as involved in this site as possible, believing I could participate in conversations and debates that involved not only the business I work for but also other aspects of North Coast life.
I work to try to provide the community with info. If it isn’t enough then you can always call my bosses or write a letter to the editor. Instead you fish for reaction here instead. Well I’m easy bait because I don’t mind one bit defending myself.
All I ask is if you think I’m dropping the ball, then point directly to things that I have missed. But to say “Strawberry Socials” as a coverall for poor work seems out of hand, especially when used with inaccurate evidence, if its evidence at all.
As for being the only voice in town, I have never said that once – here or in my articles. I am not the only voice in this town. Never said that. So again, accuracy seems to have no value. An intelligent person would not suggest the Daily News is the only choice for residents nor am I the only reporter. There is Sahar at CFTK, the CBC crew, the View and the other radio stations. As far as I am concerned, they all do a good job of rounding out the information that the community can use.
And of course they have you.
ThePodunkian and BakerWriter…are we to have pistols at dawn? (Trying to inject some levity here) 
Gentlemen, you are both valued writers in our community.
I don’t want this to get lost in the running battle. If you are not covering city hall, then who is? If any beat is to be covered by a local paper, the city hall should be it.
OK I’m going to do a favour for you and no longer let you dig yourself in deeper.
Keep on doing your job, as best you can, that’s all anyone here ever asks in this town.
Don’t demean those that went before you, or others that may have a commentary that seems to hit a nerve.
I only accented the typos to highlight how large a blow hard you were coming across as.
For the most part, the bulk of your work is half decent, we’ve seen better, we’ve seen a lot more that was worse. Hence why I suggested a quick scan of your paper’s archives, where much in the way of quality journalism in this community can be found.
No one doubts that it’s hard to work your craft, especially in a changing landscape as that offered up by the Daily News, hence my shot at Strawberry socials, etc. Was more a reflection of the news agenda of your employlers, as it’s perceived in the community.
I’m not here to get in a good old fashioned pi$#%%& match with you, though if addressed I will retaliate… you want to trash the work I do on my blog, well put on the flame proof suit.
I have no desire to contact your bosses, as frankly despite your rather bombastic approach to self defence, you at least can find stories of relevance to us from time to time.
I’m not one to offer up career advice, but frankly you’re spending way too much time defending yourself against claims that weren’t there, defending the policy decisions of your employers, they seem to be more than capable of doing that themselves. Rather than spend all that energy on the local chat board, surely there are stories waiting for you to offer up the history of.
My blog is but a hobby, not my career, not my life… It may one day go away, much like many of the folks that used to work at your paper have moved on. It’s merely a snapshot of what may or may not hold the interest of the reader, if they don’t like my stuff, they don’t read it, they don’t leave comments, pretty simple.
If they don’t like what the paper offers up, then it’s a little more serious eh, especially for the paid staff.
Finally, just so you know, we call them slurpees over at the 7-11, not sure who sells the slushies… 
Cool.
I could probably spend less time doing responding. I guess I find that once a week someone starts a thread on here trashing us. I could avoid the thread. But this thread got to me today.
And I don’t hate your blog.
And I am bombastic.
I think that suggesting that posters are “trashing” the PRDN goes a bit too far, allowing for the acerbic wit of some posters. There is no doubt concern, or disappointment perhaps, among some about a policy change that results in some fairly lite entertainment being front page news. I suppose that only time and the owner’s profit/loss statement will tell whether the skeptics and naysayers among us are a large enough demographic to matter in that regard.
I’m disappointed to hear, by the way, that you are no longer covering the City Hall beat. I share DWHite’s concern about whether that is still being covered in any depth. I think, for instance, that City officials got a pretty light ride when they dismissed a $20 million write-down in the value of the City West investment as just an “accounting thing”. Perhaps ‘not as good an investment as we thought when the company borrowed a ton of money in 2005’ would have been a more apt description.
Just my little “two cents worth”…I was quite pissed off with BakerWriter a few months ago with an article he had written regarding a certain area person and her complaints regarding our addiction services and what she felt was a lack of assistance offered from any of the services here. I phoned him and called him on it. We had a lengthy and I choose to believe, a productive conversation regarding this issue. The investigative nature of the article had hurt a few people in town who indeed had gone above and beyond on more than one occasion to help without any effort on her behalf. My point here is that he was very receptive, fair and seemed grateful for the opportunity to hear the facts as they had occurred. I think he does a good job for the paper and ThePodunkian, you are a valued voice in our community. SO, can we all maybe agree to disagree and recognize that you both have talents in your respective areas. Please… 