I used the search engine on your website before I wrote this, to be sure I have not missed a story you published. You did not publish the story, so far as I can tell, and that is why I write — to ask: why not?
On Friday, June 23, there was a demonstration of homeless folks on the 400 block north side of Baker Street, in front of the CIBC in the amenity area. Police attended. Someone was trying to erect a tent. I was not present, but others who were have described it to me.
It was a major event. Baker Street problems are top and front of mind for many Nelsonites right now.
I do not understand your reason for not reporting it. Did you not know about it? Fail to send a reporter to the site? Missed the event, and did not bother to assign a reporter to write about it later, with a little research activity?
Worst explanation: you made an editorial decision not to cover it, for fear of “adding fuel to a fire” or because you think it is more “responsible” not to report on a social issue, which might be divisive. Homelessness and beggary are divisive. You cannot alter that, but you should not censor news about it.
I prefer my community newspaper to tell me about important news, and not act as a nanny who knows better than I what the public ought to read about.
Your paper is our only hard-copy organ of news, and I know we are “lucky” you publish twice a week in Nelson whereas other towns get only a once-a-week edition.
Please, give us news free of your decision about what we can handle. You over-do the words on soft-news, human-interest stories, in my opinion. Your job is not community boosterism. Maybe other readers disagree.
Charles Jeanes
Nelson
We heard about it at the last minute, we sent a reporter down, and there was no sign of any activity. — Editor
