When a large group of municipal employees show up at a council meeting together, the public should pay attention.

In more than 26 years of covering council for the Pass Herald, I have never seen anything like what unfolded at the most recent Crowsnest Pass council meeting.

On Monday evening I had the opportunity to participate in a panel discussion with fourth year journalism students at SAIT, many of whom are about to graduate and step into the workforce. The event, titled Next Steps: Moving from School to the Workplace, brought together students who are preparing to begin their final practicum placements and thinking seriously about where their careers might lead.

Alberta’s latest budget signalled a clear shift toward deficit backed investment in schools and health care as population growth strains public systems. Lisa argues the bigger challenge now is clarity, especially as the provincial education property tax requisition rises and municipalities collect it without setting the rate.

Aiden’s car broke down in Red Deer and the familiar helplessness hit fast, even from five hours away. What followed was a quiet lesson in family, as his brother drove to pick him up without a second thought.

Crowsnest Pass council deferred a proposed media policy after councillors said they lacked time to review it. The Pass Herald argues council can set internal rules but cannot regulate independent media.

Lisa Sygutek left a Mount Royal University career fair energized by students who see community newspapers as essential and who are studying the publishers’ lawsuit against Google and Facebook. She also reflects on a gender-neutral washroom experience and why design must match intent.

Lisa Sygutek graduated with 55 girls in 1990. Now, eight of those women have been diagnosed with cancer and three have died. After losing two classmates in quick succession, she reflects on the fear, grief and unnerving intimacy of illness in a small community, where every number carries a familiar name.

When public officials try to limit who can attend press conferences or public meetings, it is more than a procedural decision. It is a test of democratic accountability rooted in Canada’s constitutional protection of press freedom and the legal presumption that public business is conducted in the open. 

Corb Lund’s coal petition is back at square one after Bill 14 changed Alberta’s citizen initiative process, forcing a restart before signature collection can begin. If Elections Alberta issues the petition, supporters will have four months to gather roughly 177,732 verified signatures, a bar that will test whether the campaign is broad public support or political theatre.

The Crowsnest Pass Herald is rolling out new subscription options and launching Local Ink, a Canadian made digital platform that mirrors the weekly print edition online and through an app, giving readers flexible ways to support local journalism.

In the final editorial of 2025, the Pass Herald looked back on years of weekly storytelling, local business support, and the Shop Local momentum that helped make 2025 one of its strongest advertising years in a long time. The column also highlighted a major step ahead: a Documenters program launching in 2026, developed with Mount Royal University to strengthen transparency and expand coverage of public meetings.

Crowsnest Pass’s new council campaigned on change but passed the 2026 budget exactly as written by its predecessors, keeping recreation funding, Gazebo Park upgrades and a fire practice building, along with a 0.26 per cent municipal tax increase.

When hackers took over my Pass Herald email and targeted local seniors with a cruel gift card scam, Rogers left me on hold for 77 minutes. The experience exposed how vulnerable rural small businesses are when giant telecoms stop caring about customer service.

On Nov. 11, I attended all three Remembrance Day ceremonies in the Crowsnest Pass to lay a wreath on behalf of Member of Parliament John Barlow. Each service was distinct and deeply moving, and together they showed how strongly this community still honours those who served and those who continue to serve today.

Tickets for Northback’s 10th Australia Day fundraiser sold out in under a week. Matching donations return as the event supports Crow Snow Riders and SARSAR, with about 264 seats at MDM Community Hall and strong backing from local donors.

A column condemns the Supreme Court of Canada’s Oct. 31 ruling that struck down a one year mandatory minimum for child sexual abuse material possession. It calls for tougher laws and use of the Notwithstanding Clause, arguing courts are failing victims.

Reflecting on a national symposium by the Rideau Hall Foundation and Michener Awards, urging sustained support to strengthen local journalism and democracy.

After 26 years, the Pass Herald is modernizing: a new website built locally with Colour Infusion, web ads, and a Dec. 1 e-edition via Local Ink. A “Pass the Popcorn” podcast is coming. The publisher continues AWNA advocacy, co-ops, and the Google ad lawsuit.

Change should not be seen only in terms of what might be lost, but also in the opportunities and benefits our community stands to gain.