Now a days there are a lot of neighbourhood watch members. They don’t belong to any actual legitimate group or governing body — but they keep an eye on my life better than I do most days.
In most places they lurk on the community Facebook page. Poised and ready to post. They see all the stray animals (and sometimes capture a blurry picture of it as it runs past their house), they heard the latest loud noise and know the nearest community fundraiser going on. Sometimes it’s just someone looking for moving boxes.
It’s not necessarily a bad thing to have your ear that close to the beat and I want to utilize my fellow news-hawks.
Even though I am the editor at the Rimbey Review I actually live near Penhold. So I am not always in town when I need to be and I’m not always in tune with what’s going on. I’m only a few weeks into and I’m still meeting everyone, figuring out who knows what and where the best place to get coffee is.
In the day and age of social media and camera phones, sources and copy are all around if people are willing to share. I want to use your talents to help shine a light on the things going on around in town shall we?
Or has some thought been rolling around in your cranium? Something bugging you? Something you noticed? Letters to the editor are always welcome as well.
I know, you’re probably thinking, ‘well sounds like you are just trying to get me to do your job here, Albers.’
Yes and no. Yes, because unfortunately there is no magic press pass, key to the city or oracle that speaks to us at night and tells us the happenings of the community. Our sources are you guys. The community members and businesses.
I’m just asking for a quick email christi.albersmanicke@lacombeexpress.com about your event that is coming up or send me a shot or video of the things going on in your life and in town.
It doesn’t have to be hard, investigative news, we can step away from the negative for a bit.
Maybe it’s a picture of the deer you saw in the field on the way to work (I feel I should add, take pictures when safe to do so and when you have permission). Maybe it’s a story idea about someone you know with a cool hobby such as ice carving with an axe while they ride an unicycle. Maybe your sports team finally updated that mascot costume and it’s left eye isn’t so wonky.
Anything you think I should write about. I can’t realistically publish everything, but I will do my best.
This is your town and your newspaper. Let’s make the local news, local again (while still getting a few of those regional and national stories of course).