Adventures in snowmaggedon

Photo: Contributed - Jennifer Nevile/Facebook

Residents throughout the Okanagan woke up to this Monday

First days on the job aren't supposed to be like this.

After two hours of shovelling late Sunday night and two more doing the driveway again this morning, the family  cars were free, but the road was still impassable. Vehicles that did attempt an escape littered the culdesac, unable to advance. Another 50 feet of knee-deep snow lay between home and the narrow path cleared by the snow plow in our suburban neighbourhood.

Another hour spent trying to cut a path by hand to freedom resulted in nothing more than aching knees and arms, and a burning sensation in my lower back. I gave up in frustration – and exhaustion.

Thankfully, the online news business means some work could be done from home. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a better day. After 30 years in journalism, this is not how I wanted to start the next chapter of my career.

But, getting back to what was to be the focus of my first official editorial column here at Castanet, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jon, and I'm your new news director. Some readers may be familiar with my writing from newspapers in Vernon, Penticton and Kelowna. Free of the chore of having to lay out printed pages, I should be able to do a lot more of it.

In this space, I'll be offering commentary on the news of the day and, from the desk where I'm supposed to be sitting as I write this, I'll be directing news coverage and content of the entire website.

I'm excited to have an eye on the future after working in an industry that all too often considered the Internet a passing fad.

Feel free to email me at [email protected] or our entire news team at [email protected] with your news tips, story ideas and content suggestions.

I look forward to hearing from you.

— News Director Jon Manchester