A Missed Opportunity?

Or is it a case of the media not doing its job?

Today's Morning Star story on the two "mud slingers ripping up a local watershed" who pled guilty and were ordered to pay fines for mud bogging in the Duteau Creek watershed last spring is, frankly, infuriating.

"Don't do anything foolish that gets your name

 into the newspaper!" 

Anonymous parent, 50+ years ago

Why?

Consider for a moment (even if you do not believe it) that getting one's name into the newspaper for a selfish and dangerous act that can--and does--impact the quality of a community's drinking water might...just MIGHT...be a deterrent to others who disrespect both authority and the environment.

Those of us (mostly over the age of 50) can remember our parents' warnings:  "Don't do anything foolish that gets your name into the newspaper!"

That, in itself, years ago was indeed a deterrent to some teenagers who otherwise had no qualms about disrespecting authority.  They didn't want to let down their parents, who were hardworking "good citizens".

Kids may not be that caring today.
Same with some parents.
There must be some, though, who do care what their civic reputation is!

But what if their names were printed in the newspaper--after pleading guilty in court--was all that it took to prevent one person from doing the same thing?

"Or many others," Kia would've said.

What a missed opportunity, Morning Star!

By the way, isn't "reporting" the job of a community newspaper?

The Morning Star versus The Lottery

Three times a week the same feeling...
Anticipating what both the lottery ticket and the newspaper may contain and, scant minutes later, disappointment.

Both regularly end up in the firestarter box in the basement near the woodstove.

Disappointment in The Morning Star's perennial aversion to providing balance -- indeed coverage -- of Master Water Plan issues.  And this time, today's issue, printing only snippets of the Press Release from Citizens for Changes to the Master Water Plan.

No matter; the snippet dog can bite the hand that feeds, as it did today.

"They (CCMWP) become as guilty as staff in only wanting one direction," said Jim Garlick, stakeholders(sic) advisory committee chair."

Ahem.


...as guilty as staff.
...in only wanting one direction.

"It appears that Chair Garlick can step outside the circled wagons long enough to admit the truth," offers Kia. 

Yup.

...don't really have to repeat his second blurp, but will anyway:  "I don't know who they think this independent body is...we already have engineers involved."

Engineering consultants on a contract Garlick et al issued.
Engineering consultants who were encouraged to issue 55 edits to 9 technical memoranda, presumably until text/tables suited politicians and in-house engineers.

The Morning Star's Version of What Occurred

...at the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee meeting of October 8th, 2015:

"Water fight breaks out over plan", by reporter Rolke

Frustration levels over the future of water is boiling over among politicians.

Director Jim Garlick criticized some of his colleagues during back and forth on the master water plan at Thursday's Greater Vernon Advisory Committee meeting.

"Everyone has to act like adults and not be silly -- all of us," he said.

That comment garnered support from chairperson Juliette Cunningham.
"I couldn't have said it better," she said.

Director Guyla Kiss, who has been critical of the master water plan, was not impressed with Garlick.

"He's a teacher and I guess he thinks he's talking to kids," said Kiss after the meeting.

"I'm bringing up issues as a person who reads the master water plan and wants to bring forward reasonable options.  When I make comments, I see the sneers."

Garlick's comments were made just after director Bob Spiers had proposed a motion to budget funds for an independent review of the MWP.

"If he was suggesting I was being silly, I will take it with a grain of salt.  I have no idea of what he was talking about," said Spiers.

The Citizens for Changes to the Master Water Plan asked for an independent engineering consultant to be hired but GVAC voted Thursday to defer a decision until the MWP has been reviewed by the stakeholder advisory committee.

When asked to clarify his statement, Garlick says there is a need for everyone at the table to look at how to handle the review process.

"If you have concerns, bring them forward.  Don't just keep dragging them out," he said.

"If we operate that way, we will keep spinning our wheels.  I don't like to see the bickering back and forth."

Recognizing Kiss' concerns about the MWP, Garlick urged him to bring questions forward but to let the process proceed.

"What we need to do is get information and not have debates on this plan and that plan," said Garlick."


"The reporter sure left out important stuff like GVW revenue being $1.2 million higher than projected since Stage 1 water restrictions were implemented," says Kia, adding, "but maybe the reporter feels that's not important for the area's water users to know."

For a substantive report on what occurred during the meeting--minus the sensational comments--see this blog story "GVAC Chair Cunningham 'nails' it" dated October 9th.

Fogbound?

Inbound, Outbound, Fogbound.

The local Morning Star newspaper's Letters section has, in the last month, received four known submissions from residents concerning the area's outrageous water rates, the failed water referendum and the need to review the Master Water Plan.

Is the Morning Star showing a duplicitous hand?
Are they so enamored with the shared bed of Greater Vernon Water officials and a handful of "yes man" politicians that Editors have--on their own--decided the water issue is simply a minor fury among the public, and that it will pass?

Are they so deluged with Letters--on topics so varied and pertinent--that Editors throw up their hands and settle for printing Dave Smith's diatribe on the performance successes of Elizabeth May and Andrew Weaver of the Green Party today?

Tough decision, that one.
Yawn.  Double Yawn.

instructions from GVW officials?

"The only in-depth the newspaper concerns itself with is the swimming pool," puffs Kia.

Lucky indeed they hold a monopoly in the North Okanagan.
Where it's never foggy by the way.

An Independent Mind is Fertile Ground for Objectivity

There's nothing "in it" for him.

Yet George Bayliss' letter to the editor, published December 20th in the Morning Star, is an outstanding example of a now-rare human quality -- objectivity.

His piece concerning a proposed gravel pit on Brentwood Road isn't reprinted here, but his examples of fairness and lack of bias are included.  Why?  Because it rang a bell with me as it relates to Highlands Golf...more on that later.  Also what our mainstream media generally lacks.  Later for that too.

"...you too can be in that position if you try changing bylaws to quiet NIMBYs". G.Bayliss 

Mr. Bayliss' standards are worthy of imitation.  He questions why there are 655 names on the anti-pit petition "...nowhere near 655 people anywhere near Brentwood Road."  Countering the alarmist catch-all of the safety of children walking to school, "...for the last 40 years...never heard of any child involved in an accident...my own children walked there when they were young; there were no sidewalks then either and no dust problem."  On historical operations of the applicant, Mr. Bayliss says "...two of the several operations in the area were operated and successfully concluded" by the applicant, giving examples.

He asks "How many petitioners knew that?"

George Bayliss solidifies his lack of bias:  "I do not personally know any of the applicants."

He further attempts to calm petitioners by stating that laws exist:  "Silt in the creek is an absolute breach of provincial law with stiff fines..."

Mr. Bayliss closes with a warning to area politicians who, time and again, evidence a penchant for going whichever way the wind blows.  "...may find themselves out of business...you too can be in that position if you try changing bylaws to quiet NIMBYS". 

So what happened with Highlands Golf?

To make a long story short, Highlands was opened in 2001 with a Food Primary Liquor Licence, the only liquor licence available at the time to a golf course that didn't have "at least one Par Four" hole (yup, liquor laws in BC since the NDP's two reigns of terror in the 1990's were so deeply mired in a dark hole...but I digress).  Paramount to my story is that current Coldstream councillor Doug Dirk was also a councillor at that time, so it's logical to expect he knew full well all the particulars regarding the liquor licence. 

Around 2006 or 2007 the liquor inspector happily advised me that Victoria's rules had changed and that Highlands was now eligible for the same liquor licence that all other golf courses possessed--a Liquor Primary licence.

So, imagine my surprise after I was quizzed on licencing changes (by Councillor Dirk during an open council meeting that would deal with my application for the liquor amendment).  The local media followed up the council meeting with a quote that Councillor Doug Dirk did not express during the open meeting:  "this liquor licence will affect all of Buchanan Road." 

Huh?

He--of all Coldstream councillors (others were new to their duties)--knew that Highlands had a liquor licence since 2001.
So how would an amendment to the liquor licence NOW affect all of Buchanan Road?
Councillor Dirk was playing to the 70+ people who signed the anti-amendment petition.
Notable too was that not one of those 70+ people phoned me to learn my side of the story.
Provincial laws exist here too, with stiff fines.

I recall the liquor inspector shaking his head, adding "this sheeple thing resembles a disease...the majority of the public catch it because they don't think for themselves."

"Over 80% of the stories that appear as news stories, original news stories, not just repeats, come from press releases or some sort of public relations work, or, they're just uncritically printing something that someone in power said, without any actual reporting or journalism going on; just simply stenography. This is a dramatic increase from a generation ago." Dr.R.McChesney

How's that for lack of objectivity by residents and a councillor?
Councillor Dirk continues to be re-elected by his constituents, probably because he was easily swayed on the liquor licence amendment. 

Enough of that.
As to what our mainstream media lacks, several things immediately come to mind.

But it's told best by Dr. Robert McChesney:  "Over 80% of the stories that appear as news stories, original news stories, not just repeats, come from press releases or some sort of public relations work, or, they're just uncritically printing something that someone in power said, without any actual reporting or journalism going on; just simply stenography. This is a dramatic increase from a generation ago."

For the malaise in today's media, click on The Decline of Journalism, by Dr. McChesney, scroll down to the December 18th story on the superlative blog by Norm Farrell entitled Northern Insights.  

So, a sincere thank you to George Bayliss for reminding us what an independent mind can create.

"...and to Dr. McChesney," offers Kia.

The doctor's stethoscope seeks an independent mind.
George Bayliss has one.

Kelowna's 10-year Tax Increase Record

You'd think Kelowna was in another world...
Yet they're only 45 km south of Vernon and Coldstream.

Excellent story and in-depth research by their community newspaper "The Daily Courier" (issue December 9, 2010).

Why "excellent"?
Because reporter, Ron Seymour, actually informed the public that Kelowna's proposed 2% property tax hike equates to a $30.00 increase in municipal taxes only.
He then writes something that Vernon's Morning Star does not report (and never has)...he concludes:

"This figure ($30.00) does not include other charges that appear on tax notices mailed to property owners...those levies, for such things as the school board, hospital board, and regional district, typically almost double the total tax bill."

Good reporting, good story!  Congratulations to The Daily Courier.

Could our area's residents hope for such worthwhile information in "The Morning Star"?

We can only hope...

"And Kelowna's Mayor, Sharon Shepherd, deserves kudos for her desire to keep the hike at, or below, the cost of living increase," offers Kia.

Residents here can only hope for that too...

Kudos to Kelowna, all the way around...