Frankly Speaking

On Friday, Langley will become the latest Lower Mainland community to see two of its community newspapers become one. The Langley Advance Times will begin publication that day, with the amalgamation of The Advance  (which began in 1931) and The Times (which started 50 years later, in 1981). Both have been owned by Black Press Media since 2015. There is still another community newspaper in Langley - the Aldergrove Star , also published by Black Press Media. It is based in Aldergrove, and serves the eastern portion of Langley and western portion of Abbotsford. The move to amalgamate makes sense, and will actually provide better news coverage. The news staff at the two newspapers have laboured heroically since each went to once-a-week publication, but there is no doubt they have been stretched on many occasions. I have the highest regard for Roxanne Hooper, editor of the new publication. We worked together many years ago at the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows News , and she is not only ...

I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Bays Blackhall, a tireless volunteer in Langley and one of the most knowledgeable people on Fort Langley's rich history. She died unexpectedly at Ridge Meadows Hospital on Tuesday, April 18 In particular, she was a tireless promoter of the unique place that Sir James Douglas holds in B.C. and Fort Langley history, as the first governor of the Crown Colony of British Columbia. She also often volunteered at the Fort Langley CN station, one of my favourite buildings. It was saved from the wrecking ball by heritage advocates more than 30 years ago. Langley Times reporter Dan Ferguson has written a story on her passing, as has Matthew Claxton of The Langley Advance. Her family and many friends will gather to remember her on Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. at Fort Langley Community Hall, another building that was very dear to her heart. She was a regular writer of letters to the editor over my 17 years as editor of The Times, and I always enj...

One of these three people will serve as B.C.'s next premier. We will likely know which one has won the voters' approval for the job sometime late in the evening on Tuesday, May 9. At top is BC Liberal leader Christy Clark, who has been premier since 2011. In the middle is NDP leader John Horgan. At the bottom is Green Party leader Andrew Weaver. I was privileged to be asked to moderate an all-candidates' meeting for candidates in the two main Langley ridings, sponsored by Langley Seniors Community Action Table. It was organized by Marilyn Fischer and other memers of the round table. They did a superb job. It took place today (April 19) at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Langley City. About 90 seniors, plus two members each of Langley City and Langley Township councils, were on hand. Eight of the nine candidates in the Langley and Langley East ridings were on hand. Inder Johal, the NDP candidate in Langley East, was sick and unable to attend. Unlike m...

Roy Clancy, who was the original editor of The Langley Times when it began publication in 1981, passed away on Sunday in Calgary. The cause was "a swift battle with cancer." He was 63. An obituary in today's National Post noted that he was a "consummate journalist with a keen eye for the written word." He had worked for the Calgary Sun for more than 25 years, as editorial page editor and columnist. He came to Langley to help launch a competitor to the long-established Langley Advance , which has been in operation since 1931. Publisher Gerry Maginn and his business partner and brother-in-law Stan Fenton decided to take on The Advance , even though it was a tough time to start a newspaper. Interest rates were at record highs and unemployment numbers were also high. Some people were actually losing their homes in Langley because of an inability to pay their mortgages. The Times was a free-distribution tabloid, with a visual and written style very different f...

The byelection to select a new councillor in the City of Langley takes place this Saturday. Polls are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Douglas Recreation Centre. The byelection is to fill the seat of the late councillor Dave Hall, who resigned in November due to a battle with cancer. Sadly, he passed away in January. Normally, byelections attract little interest from voters. When a byelection takes place in the City of Langley (a rarity), a municipality where there is rarely more than 20 per cent turnout in general elections, chances are it will be doubly ignored by most people. Such may not be the case this time. What has made the difference? Simply the fact that there are nine candidates seeking office, far more than any observer had expected. Each brings supporters with them, and the number of candidates (and signs) has many people in the City talking. I served as moderator at the lone all-candidates meeting, held Monday at Langley Seniors Resource Centre. After hearing all of them...