A look at 2019 through the stories you read and the videos that caught your eye

A new decade has arrived! Tentatively dubbed the roaring twenties, 2020 brings new experiences, new memories to share, and new life. Before 2019 is too far behind in the rear-view mirror, it is prudent to look back at what the year was all about. In terms of the Whitecourt Press, it was a year filled with stories to share with readers from uplifting tales to hard fought battles of persistence, well-deserved awards, and unimaginable loss. Here is a look back at some of the stories we shared with you from the 365 days that made up 2019.

One of the first stories shared last year was about the Whitecourt Food Bank. It had received less than 50 per cent of the monetary donations in 2018 and there were worries as the calendar year turned. With high usage from the community, such a dramatic loss in donations was a necessary story to let residents know that the need was higher than ever for 2019. Food donations are integral but monetary donations keep the building’s lights on and the rent paid.

Another story printed early in 2019 was that of the January Whitecourt Novice Tournament at the Scott Safety Centre. The tournament was extra special because an anonymous group donated a trophy in memory of huge hockey fan Curtis Gregory. Gregory tragically passed away a month prior after he slipped on ice and hit his head. The trophy was presented to the team that demonstrated the most sportsmanlike behaviour which ended up being the Whitecourt Novice Team 1.

In March of last year, the Whitecourt Press spoke to Fire Chief Brian Wynn about how support for mental health is changing. He said more firefighters are dying from suicide than from line of duty, and that supporting first responders is a top priority. The Whitecourt Fire Department also kickstarted home assessments to help keep the community safer in the event of approaching fires. Through the spring, the department shared information with residents on how they can fix up their yards and homes to be more FireSmart.

Jumping forward to July, downtown Whitecourt transformed into a carnival extravaganza for the first ever Summer Fest. The three-day party put on by the Whitecourt & District Chamber of Commerce featured a new amusement company, Wild Rose Shows, which brought in an array of fair rides. The event was very well attended and a huge hit. Also, in July, the World Jet Boat Races took to the Athabasca River and thrilled fans. The rivers were a big topic of conversation leading up to the races as they had spilled their banks multiple times causing flooding. The boat launch was flooded up to the playground just a few days before the race action began.

In August, the RCMP Musical Ride made a stop in Whitecourt and performed for hundreds of awestruck spectators as they worked with their horses to showcase intricate figures and precision moves.

One contentious subject throughout much of the year was the dispute between the Town of Whitecourt and Woodlands County. A threat to turn off the water taps resulted from broken cost-sharing negotiations while both sides tried to do what they felt was necessary to support their residents. As the year continued, meetings finally resulted in temporary contracts to keep emergency services in place ahead of the January 2020 deadline that would have seen county residents go without support for certain essential services. More information on the negotiations will come this year but the community divide was clearly abundant in 2019. Hopefully, that will be left in the past and not continue. We are better together than apart.

The year 2019 was also the year of elections. In April, Martin Long won his seat with the United Conservative Party and became the MLA for the region. A large group gathered at the Legion to watch results trickle in and were whipped up into a cheering frenzy when the word came down that he had won. Not only did Long gain power but so did his party, taking in 55 per cent of the vote in the provincial election. A few months later, in October, it was time for the federal election to take place.

The Liberals held onto power but lost significantly with 27 fewer seats, putting together a minority government. By numbers alone, the Conservatives won the popular vote by one per cent proving wide disdain for the Liberal party in Alberta and Saskatchewan as both provinces shut the party out. In the wake of the federal election, a grassroots movement to separate Alberta and Saskatchewan from Canada grew by thousands overnight. In November, the Wexit Canada group officially applied to Elections Canada to become a federal political party.

One of the most heartwarming moments of the year came on September 28 when Tennille’s Hope lit a fire in the parking lot behind the legion and burned its mortgage papers. After a lot of hard work and determination the soup kitchen had successfully paid off the mortgage and celebrated the achievement in grand style. Thefts, break-ins, and arrests were big stories in 2019 as businesses and residents suffered at the hands of criminals. From ATM machines being ripped out of businesses to stolen vehicles, smashed windows, drug busts, and blue bag nappers, police were kept busy and residents turned to video surveillance to deter would-be troublemakers.

The Whitecourt Press Facebook page is active each week with regular posts and videos from events in the community. Throughout the year, the page had quite a few videos that garnered thousands of views. Here is a breakdown of the top 10 most-watched videos on the Whitecourt Press page. Coming in at number 10 with just under 5,000 views, was Aarohi Pandit’s stopover in Whitecourt on July 24. Twenty-three-year-old Pandit is the first woman to fly an ultralight aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean and she stayed in Whitecourt for a few days as her plane received maintenance.

At number nine, with 5,263 views, was the Bikers Against Bullying poker run on June 1. With 5,724 views, the video of Blue Ridge resident Sam Cardinal being presented by his community members with a quad on May 9 after his was stolen from his yard, comes in at number eight on the countdown. At number seven is the fire rescue truck being held up by the train at the 7/11 crossing on August 28. The truck was held up for over 10 minutes and the short video clip garnered over 6,100 views.

A 22-second long video showing a single vehicle rollover 25 kilometres west of Whitecourt takes the number six spot on the countdown with 11,000 play button clicks. At number five was the One Match stem cell drive for Taryn Wold on January 25 at the AJMC. Over 13,600 people have watched two kind-hearted local men swab their cheeks for a great cause. The grass fire along Highway 43 west of Whitecourt on April 22 is in spot number four with 15,000 views. The large fire shut down the eastbound lane while crews worked to put it out.

The third most watched video of 2019 was uploaded on July 13 during the World Jet Boat Races. A race boat briefly lost control as it crossed under the bridge and bystanders on the river’s edge had to catch their breath as it momentarily headed right for them. The short 12-second video has over 16,000 views. Number two on the list was from July 31 when a freak thunderstorm left downed trees and huge puddles in downtown Whitecourt. The video, which shows vehicles making waves as they drive through a deep puddle, quickly garnered thousands of views and topped out at just under 25,000.

The top video on the list receiving nearly 40,000 views was that of the devastating fire in downtown Whitecourt on December 26 that claimed two longstanding businesses. Sew Right and KW Pets were destroyed by an early morning fire leaving owners, staff, and residents alike in utter disbelief. The year 2019 will be remembered by everyone for different reasons. From all of us at the Whitecourt Press, we wish you all health, love, peace, and success in 2020!