On Friday, Glacier Media announced it is shutting down both the Dawson Creek Mirror and Fort St. John’s Alaska Highway News, making Prince George the last stop on Highway 97 to be served by a newspaper in the entire province. There are some TV/radio station websites still serving the region but this is a pretty big loss, not just to those cities but to the whole region/province, when you consider how much economic/environmental activity happens in the Peace region — Site C, oil and gas, fracking — not to mention the daily news stuff surrounding things like council, sports, schools. The Citizen, meanwhile, is down to a handful of reporters … you’ve heard all of this before, but it’s still concerning. And on that note, let’s get into Monday!

Quick news:

• City council is tonight. One item on the agenda is a possible upgrade to the CN Centre soundsystem at close to $1 million. If you were at the Billy Talent show, you might have thoughts?

• “I’ve been maybe fortunate or maybe it’s just not as unsafe as people say”: A person living near the homeless encampment says his only complaint is the smell of burning which, based on my own experience, can be found pretty much all over the city. People love burning stuff.

• More on the possible development at 15th and Foothills.

• Prince George area still at level 5 drought as weather continues to cool.

• Kodiaks lose final game of the season. Final record: 1 win, 9 losses. They still have enthusiastic fans, though.

• Motorsports community mourns loss of photographer.

• Middle Raged set for Knox Performance Centre stage.

• Omineca Arts Centre gets new arts coordinator.

• CNC strike negotations still ongoing.

• New art exhibit at Studio 2880: “Stripped of his Indigenous culture at birth, Drew Watmough, a professional photographer, will share his thought-provoking perspectives through images taken during his personal journey to reclaim culture and redefine the meaning of home.”

• Ready for Christmas? Nutcracker rehearsals are starting and the craft fair schedules are coming out.

• Don’t do this.

• Here’s a cool photo of a sundog and biplane.

Also, I went on the larch hike this weekend. Here’s a photo of the larches, and another of a moose.

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