Like most folks and businesses, the Quesnel Cariboo Observer has not been immune to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The most obvious change for us was in March when we went from a bi-weekly to a weekly newsprint while focusing more on our digital product.
We have also been, however, undergoing more subtle changes and adjustments within our office, too.
At the start of the pandemic, Cariboo Observer editor Lindsay Chung — also a Canadian Ranger — was summoned for active duty. Chung answered that call for assistance from the Canadian Rangers but is expected to be back at her editor’s chair in September.
The COVID-19 pandemic also had an impact on our reporter, Sasha Sefter, who made the selfless decision to leave his position with us to care for his family, who has been struggling during the pandemic. Sasha has been an asset to our newsroom and we will miss him, but wish him well in his future and the challenging days ahead as he points his car east through B.C. and the Prairie provinces, Ontario license plate and all, destined for Montreal, a pandemic hot spot in Canada.
As the newsroom has undergone these changes, two long-time journalists from our Black Press Media family in Williams Lake have been stepping in to assist the Quesnel newsroom, along with BPD’s provincial team of journalists.
Angie Mindus is the editor of the Williams Lake Tribune, and current acting editor of the Quesnel Cariboo Observer. She has more than 20 years in the business and has won numerous journalism awards in news writing, feature writing, community service and photography. Assisting her is another long-time reporter, Greg Sabatino. Sabatino brings with him a dozen years experience in the business, and numerous writing and photography awards.
Mindus and Sabatino will be working for the community until our latest addition, Cassidy Dankochik, arrives, and beyond.
Dankochik has dedicated himself to journalism and is in the midst of moving to Quesnel from Flin Flon, Man., but we will let him introduce himself when he arrives.
Like all things COVID, not all the challenges with the pandemic have been negative. By bringing on our central Cariboo team to assist our Quesnel newsroom, we believe we have brought more depth and support to our coverage, something we plan to continue once all our staff are back in the newsroom in Quesnel.
In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We are community reporters dedicated to all our Cariboo Chilcotin residents and look forward to hearing for you.
As always, we can be reached at editor@quesnelobserver.com and by calling at 250-992-2121.
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