REGINA – From the Junos to the Waste Water Referendum to the Grey Cup it has been a hectic news year in Regina for 2013.
The staff at Global Regina has thought about what some of their favourite stories of 2013 were and here is what everyone has chosen.
Whitney Stinson is Global Regina’s Evening News Anchor and a story that stood out for Whitney in 2013 was when Regina held the city’s first referendum in nearly 20 years.
Whitney: My favorite story this year is not a popular choice among our reporters. There’s a story like this every year, you know the story that just won’t quit? This year, it was the 2013 Referendum.
When it seemed Regina Water Watch would collect the proper amount of signatures, our reporters took on a big task trying to explain the debate at hand. This involved a lot of research of what Public-Private-Partnerships are all about, and what was at stake with using one to fund our new waste water treatment plant. While our local newspaper reporters seemed to have endless pages at their disposal to explain both sides, we only had two minutes before it became quite boring television.
I really felt the Global Regina team came together and successfully explained the issues in a visual way.
I’ve covered local, provincial, and federal elections, but never a referendum. This gave me a chance to dive into a new type of campaign, and host an informal debate on the issue, one where there were no seats at stake, just 2 passionate sides debating policy.
I also got the chance to host a referendum coverage night, where things were coming in live as we were on the air, and I had a great analyst by my side, Tina Beaudry-Mellor. An awesome first in my career I’ll always remember fondly.
But what I’ll remember most about the 2013 referendum was the gusto with which one group fought over waste water. It’s so great to see that there are still people as engaged as the anti-P3 crowd. And even though the vote didn’t come out in their favour, I think a lot of people learned about a very important shift in public policy. This is not the last we’ll hear of P3s in our province. The Wall government has already announced they’ll be building new schools using the funding model.
Our evening Weather Specialist Tiffany Lizee is in her element when extreme weather hits the province of Saskatchewan. But there was one storm from the summer of 2013 that really stands out for her.
Tiff: Looking back on 2013 and the beginning of my career as a Weather Specialist, one day stands out the most. On the afternoon of July 15th, some of the first tornadoes of the season were reported. I had known the potential was there for severe weather and I had kept an eye on the sky all day. Shortly after beginning my shift at 2 P.M., storms started intensifying and reports of wall and funnel clouds were rolling in.
Since I was a kid, I have loved weather and all aspects of it but there are no words to describe the adrenaline, anxiety and excitement that runs through you when such reports come in. I knew I needed to alert the public as soon as possible and the moment I learned any new information I posted it on social media. Heading into our 6 P.M. newscast we decided to open the show with weather. It was extremely overwhelming and my hands were shaking for the whole half hour. My biggest worry was being so nervous that I would stumble over words and lose the viewers’ focus at such an important time.
When I sat at that desk and began the show I found a way to channel my nerves. Watching it over I know it was nowhere near perfect, but the warnings were broadcast efficiently and effectively and that’s what really mattered.
Raquel Fletcher is one of Global’s Senior Reporters and host of Focus Saskatchewan. One of her more memorable moments in 2013 was a question she asked during a media scrum at the Legislative building that got the Saskatchewanderer program extended to be a full-time/year round job.
Raquel: On Monday, October 28, Minister of Parks, Culture and Sport, Kevin Doherty announced the popular Saskatchewanderer program would be expanded to a year-round, full-time position. He gave me full credit for the idea. Who says journalism can’t influence public policy?
Derek Putz, editor and photographer for the program Focus Saskatchewan, chose the unlucky number 13 and its eerie ties to Saskatchewan as one of his favouite stories in 2013
A story that stood out for reporter and weekend anchor Shanelle Kaul came together after Global News found out a local bakery was being harassed online.
Shanelle: The owners, Kim and Ashlee, said they were in deep financial trouble – in fact, on the brink of closing up shop – because of the amount of damage that had been done on social media and food review websites. We ran the story on more of a larger scale to discover what options businesses really have when they are being harassed online.
Weeks later, we got an email from the owners, saying sales had drastically improved and that they had received an outpouring of support from the community. It was gratifying to know that a story we told, made a direct impact on someone’s life. It reminded me that real stories have the power to bring about change.
A popular pick in the Global Newsroom was Regina playing host to the 101st Grey Cup with the hometown Riders winning the championship game at Mosaic Stadium. Heather Anderson, Kahla Buchanan and Kent Morrison all from The Morning Show and also Taylor Shire from Sports chose this as their favourite moment in 2013.
Heather: This was the top story for me, for both personal and professional reasons. The Grey Cup has only been hosted a handful of times in my hometown to begin with, so the excitement surrounding the game being played at Mosaic stadium was there from the beginning. To see the Riders secure a spot in the most anticipated game of the year and then go on to win the Grey Cup at home – and watch the crowd react – felt like a dream!
It was amazing to experience the excitement with friends and family and then go on to gather and deliver the reaction on our Morning News program.
But even beyond that, above all– The Grey Cup was my favorite news story of 2013 because it was about more than just football, it brought together Saskatchewanians decked out in green, who united over the team, but ultimately bonded over our shared pride in Saskatchewan.
Kent: The 101st Grey Cup is the best story I’ve ever covered. I have never witnessed anything like the electricity that filled this city and this province during the week leading up to the game.
The volunteers, the visitors and the teams all made the event an unforgettable experience. I’m not ashamed to admit that I woke up early on Sunday morning and did not sleep until after our newscast Monday morning to make I could experience as much as I could.
Taylor: At the start of the 2013 football season, I found myself living in Saskatoon for my first TV job, thinking I would be attending the 2013 Grey Cup as a fan. I had owned season tickets for six years, dating back to my time in university here in Regina, and had already bought my Grey Cup tickets. When I was living in Saskatoon, I still traveled back on weekends and attended games as a fan. Then in July, a new opportunity presented itself, and I accepted the job in the sports department at Global Regina, drastically changing how and where I watched a football game. From wearing my Rider jersey sitting in Section 27, I was now wearing my dress clothes, sitting up in the press box.
I was immersed back in RiderNation, covering the team, and doing something I had only dreamed of. The Grey Cup was fast approaching and we were getting ready for whatever teams would be playing in the game. It was only until the West Final in Calgary that we knew the Riders would be in it. When the Riders beat the Stamps, I knew it was going to be an even more special week.
It turned out to be the most memorable of my career. From covering the teams’ practices in the frigid cold, to attending press conferences every day, I had an inside look as to just how prepared these guys were to play. And with that, I felt we brought some amazing coverage to our viewers. We were live at Riderville throughout the week and had 10 minutes of Grey Cup game coverage each night.
The week culminated with the Riders victory that Sunday. I found myself in a unique situation. Going back to 2007, I was at the Grey Cup in Toronto, as a fan, and celebrating with the rest of RiderNation on that Sunday, when the team won its first Grey Cup since 1989. But this year, in 2013, I found myself in the press box, standing and watching the pandemonium erupt when the final whistle blew and the fireworks started. I was almost in awe.
It was a once in a lifetime experience. And a much different experience I thought it was going to be when the 2013 season began – and one I’ll never forget.
Rustie Dean does weather for Global Morning News and chose the groundbreaking for the new Moose Jaw Hospital.
Mike McKinnon joined Global Regina mid-way thru 2013 and went to the community of Radville to do a story on a local doctor who has been named doctor of the year.
Mike: I’ve only been in Regina for less than a third of 2013, but in a world of ‘doom and gloom’ news stories, this stood out to me as my favourite from the last year. There are many family doctors out there who are an example to their peers and patients alike, but I’ve heard of few who have the kind of relationship with their community that Dr. Werner Oberholzer has with the Town of Radville.
We had a chance to profile a woman in palliative care who jumped at the opportunity to sing Dr. Oberholzer’s praises. Her kind words about him weren’t just for his work with patients – but for the time he takes out of his day to spend with her, even though there is little medical assistance he can offer. It’s the kind of story that, as the woman is describing her time with the doctor, it brings tears to your eyes and a smile to your face.
Reporter Kyla Brossart has lived in the province of Saskatchewan for nearly her whole life but one event she has never experienced but got to cover this year was the Craven Country Jamboree.
Reporter Steve Silva joined the Global News team late in 2013. A story that he really enjoyed covering was about an unwanted shed he discovered in south Regina
From everyone at Global Regina we would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season.
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