As we wrap up another year here at the Gazette and look back upon the stories of 2017, our team has also taken a minute to reflect on just how we got here, and where weB次元官网网址檙e going in 2018.
A lot of change has taken place behind the scenes in our newsroom. A reporter-turned editor, a new reporter, another one on the way, and a whole lot of technology have enabled us to get out into the communities of the West Shore to bring you the stories that you care about.
A lot of those stories brought us closer to our readers, and our readers closer to each other.
Often, the biggest news can be the most tragic. The death of West Shore RCMP Const. Sarah Beckett in 2016 after her police cruiser was hit in Langford shook the city to its core. But the sentencing of her killer, Kenneth Jacob Fenton, to four years in prison had many residents shaking their heads.
When we told stories of a more positive note, we found diversity, talent and generosity.
For example, your donations to the United Way helped launch bc211.ca, a multi-faceted help line for Island residents. And Langford mother Cathy Shotton donated her kidney to save her daughter, Nicki, in September.
Changes came, too. Construction is booming in the western communities, an NDP government put four local politicians in the provincial realm and the final segment of West Shore Parkway connecting drivers from the Trans-Canada Highway south to Sooke Road was completed.
Not every story that brings a community together will do so in an agreeable fashion. As Arthur Miller once said, B次元官网网址淎 good newspaper is a nation talking to itself.B次元官网网址�
It is our hope that dialogue is what keeps us on our toes, digging to the heart of what matters most to you.
It has always been, and remains our mission to provide you with the news that affects your communities whether you read us in print, watch for our tweets, spot our photos on Instagram, tune in for live Facebook coverage or visit us online.
In an age when not every community can say it has a newspaper, it is our honour and privilege that you continue to choose the Gazette to keep you informed.
