Royal City News CITY BEATS

CITY HALL

This beat could include:
•    launch and progress of City initiatives, ie. Tree planting, renovictions, diversity etc.
•    key motions at City Council Meetings
•    activists working to create change at city level
•    principal complaints at council meetings
•    Interviews with Councillors/Mayor on timely issues
•    Work of Business and Economy group
•    Work on Vulnerable Populations group – homelessness, etc.
•    Covid related issues for City
•    Grants
•    Transportation issues
•    work with other levels of government
•    and more

POLICE, COURTS & FIRE

This beat could include:
•    police interventions, arrests
•    police safety information
•    community concerns re: police
•    police and racism
•    police and well-being calls
•    unsafe areas of the community
•    fires in community
•    fire safety information
•    fire special events, festivals etc.
•    Court cases of public interest
•    Jury duty issues

SOCIAL SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS

timely messages of local organizations, for example, those involved in:
•    addiction recovery
•    seniors
•    homelessness
•    food security
•    international aid
•    mental health
•    autism
•    disabilities
•    learning issues
•    racial/diversity issues
•    refugees
•    finding employment
•    and others
The reporter would look at organizations key missions, timely issues, fundraising events etc.

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

•    Brunette River and pipeline & salmon recovery, fish hatchery
•    environmental cleanup and rehab initiatives
•    habitat destruction, including trees on home properties
•    eco-gardening, community gardening and indoor veg growing
•    Fraser River issues
•    Teaching children ecology, outdoor education
•    Toxic release – from fires, pipelines, drains etc.
•    Climate change planning
•    City initiatives with respect to climate change (also can be covered by City Hall reporter)
•    Availability of car chargers
•    Habitat or plant loss
•    Farmers Market
•    lowering energy use – bicycles, home reno etc.
•    Impact of Covid on fossil fuel use in New Westminster
•    and more

BUSINESS

•    impact of Covid on a range of businesses, including restaurants, store fronts, home businesses, child care, dog training, hair and nail workers, industrial and commercial outfits etc.
•    Government response to business needs, strengths and weaknesses
•    What is the Chamber of Commerce doing to help NW businesses
•    How business have pivoted for the 'new normal'
•    Business 'winners' in Covid Times
•    Business education for Covid Times – where and what and at what cost
•    Business cooperation in Covid Times
•    Customer reluctance in these times
•    and more.

RCH HOSPITAL, RCH Hospital Foundation, Fraser Health communications, Paramedics, Family Doctors

•    impact of second wave on RCH hospital and workers
•    support needed – RCH Foundation
•    facts and figures on opoiod overdoses, deaths, the same for Covid
•    When should you go the Emergency in these times
•    What to do if you don't have a family doctor
•    What slips through the cracks if you don't see a doctor in person.
•    How can we support hospital staff.
•    Paramedic issues
•    Health worker union – concerns
•    Patient issues, complaints
•    the new Mental Health and Addiction bldg
•    the state of mental health help

DIVERSITY

Stories that show the diversity of people who live here –
    Features on people from many places..how and why they came here, including:
•    New immigrants and refugees
•    First generation immigrants who came earlier – eg. Hungarians
•    People who have been here for generations but are sadly still considered to be “from away”

First Nations

current and historical
•    Reconciliation – what is being done or not done – land for Kakeit? nation
•    Move to remove images, names of people who played a negative role in First Nations' history, eg. Move to take down Begbie statue, to change name of Richard McBride school
•    First nations issues in New West today – access, treatment
•    Appropriation issues
•    First Nations and the arts (overlap with arts beat)

Refugees

•    settlement
•    language issues
•    other

Disabilities

(visible and invisible)
•    accessibility issues
•    safety issues
•    living difficulties
•    social assistance

EDUCATION

– Elementary, Secondary, public and private institutions, such as Urban Academy
•    Issues in school: key parental concerns, PAC? Meetings, internal concerns of school
•    Budget Issues
•    Foreign students
•    School Board issues
•    Special Needs students
•    School Accomplishments (Sports, Arts, other)
•    Teacher concerns
•    Teaching and Accrediting in Covid Times
•    Violence in Schools
•    Social Media use concerns
•    Students from low income families – fulfilling needs
•    Racism – faculty and student training
•    Parental and Teacher Issues re: Covid
•    Homeschooling via internet
•    Homeschooling program developed in New West – Hume Park, widely used.
•    Incorporating refugee students
•    Celebrations eg. Old school demolished, new school opens
•    Outdoor programs for children
•    Community initiatives to help children and youth – eg. Grad dresses, Youth Drop-In etc .

THE ARTS

•    individual artists surviving in the time of Covid
•    Art Council initiatives & fund-raising
•    Craft fairs
•    Exhibits
•    Arts Conferences
•    Massey Theatre – what's up?
•    MT Functioning in the time of Covid
•    Galleries – what is happening, where
•    100 Braid Street demolition, where go the artists, loss of historic building
•    Anvil Centre and the arts – Is it serving the community
•    Festivals in the time of Covid
•    Selling art in the time of Covid
•    Performing arts – impact of Covid- music, musicals
•    Children and the arts
•    Seniors and the arts
•    Arts cooperative and clubs – photo club, New West Artists Coop,
•    The Literary arts – local accomplishments, festival?, poetry groups
•    Anvil Theatre
•    Anvil Studios
•    businesses that teach the arts
•    more...

HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

•    flu shot availability in New West, also availability of high dose shots for seniors
•    other inoculations recommended for seniors and vulnerable populations
•    Anti-vaxers in New Westminster
•    Safe walking in New West – connect with Walking Caucus
•    safe biking in New West – what City is doing, problem areas
•    safe biking practises – police
•    electric bikes – how safe? How to buy?
•    Danger areas at night – police, safe practices in walking alone
•    bemefits/concerns re: alternative therapies
•    Boucher Naturopathic School, Massage School  
•    Yoga – what type for who?
•    Individual stories of people creating personal well-being
•    mental heatlh issues in time of Covid – tips to control anxiety and depression
•    Seniors and activities

This area is fraught. I don't want it to deviate too far from scientifically proven treatments.

PARKS & RECREATION AND SPORT

•    What is opening up now (Covid issues)
•    Local sports teams – secondary school and adult (overlap with student reporting)
•    Profiles of well-known sports 'heroes'
•    Keeping fit through casual sport – how and where, eg: curling, badminton, walking clubs....
•    Various sport facilities, businesses etc
•    Progress on new pool
•    Queensborough sports and rec.
•    Lacrosse – what is the history here

LIBRARY

What's happening at the Library?
•    New books
•    New movies & Cds
•    Various groups there, teaching English, book club
•    Impact of Covid
•    Exhibits there
•    Children's programs
•    Other

STUDENT REPORTS

– New West Secondary, Douglas College, other?
The students will provide reports of items of interest at their school providing the student perspective
•    learning issues in Covid Times
•    help for disabilities
•    protests re: tuition, other
•    Student Council work.
•    Finding summer and post-grad jobs
•    Stories of individuals with particular accomplishments, or concerns
•    Racism in schools
•    Student events
•    Entertainment
•    and more