My top news story for 2011 is the shooting that killed Red Scorpion gangster Jonathan Bacon.

It seems just about everybody in Kelowna has a story about where they were on the afternoon of August 14th.  Simply put, it’s the year’s most talked-about event.

There’s no doubt that there have been numerous compelling stories to come out of City Hall this year, like Walter Gray’s return to the mayor’s chair.  We’ve also seen the Kelowna RCMP struggle with high-profile allegations of police brutality.  While these stories are important, none of them have had the impact of the Bacon killing.

Try asking Joe Public about the nuances of how the FourChange.org movement helped shake up Kelowna City Hall.  Then, ask him where he was when he heard that an infamous gangster had been executed in front of one of the Valley’s most popular hotels.  Odds are the latter question will prompt ...

There’s 2 weeks left until the November 19th civic election.

That’s not much time to familiarise yourself with some 60 candidates who are competing for your vote.

You’ve got your work cut out for you:

You must whittle that list down to carefully choose a team of 4 school trustees, 8 city councillors and a mayor to lead the charge.

You’ll need grinders that will tough it out behind the scenes and skillful financial playmakers who can stickhandle their way around tight budgets.

Don’t forget the names that can throw their weight around with upper levels of government to get Kelowna those all-important provincial and federal funding dollars.

Youthful energy must be balanced with veteran leadership.

Team chemistry.

The right mix of brains and political brawn.

Your selections will take time and careful consideration.

Do your homework.

With dozens of names vying to make your squad, it can be tough to decide what ...

Be careful what you post on Facebook.

Not long ago, rain on my day off kept me indoors.

I spent the early afternoon at my desk with a tea and my laptop.

I edited some pictures while listening to some tunes.

I got a little reflective.

In the last month or so, I have moved into a new apartment.

I have been shown why ‘helmet hair’ isn’t such a big deal.

I found out that a friend and colleague is fighting cancer.  (Get well soon, Sean!)

..and I’ve reached a couple of personal milestones, the details of which will be saved, perhaps for another blog post.

So, I updated my Facebook status:

“a lot can change in 4 weeks.”

For a little perspective:

Usually, ‘a lot of change’ for someone just starting their career in media (like me) means they’re packing up and moving on to the next job, the ...