Top Stories of 2023 Part 1

With 2024 a couple of days away, it’s about that time to look back at some of the stories published on Energeticcity.ca over the past year.

Seeing as Energeticcity.ca wouldn’t be anything without its reporters, we decided to ask the newsroom about their most notable stories of the year. Below you will find a recommended story from reporters Jordan Prentice and Shailynn Foster, along with their thoughts and some additional details about their coverage.

We are also sharing the top ten stories of 2023. The year in review will be released in two parts on December 28th and 29th.

Reporter Recommends

Shailynn’s Pick: The Amanda Black Case

As some of you may have noticed, I often write court and RCMP stories, and some of those stories can get a little rough as I read through court registries or attend court in person.

Some examples include the man convicted of manslaughter and interference with human remains, the case of a grandfather sexually assaulting his young granddaughters, and the Amanda Black case.

I was born and raised in Fort St. John, so this case hit pretty close home for me.

While I wasn’t there for many of the pre-trial court dates in the Amanda Black case, I attended the sentencing hearing, where victim impact statements were read. Shane Sutherland pled guilty to the murder of Amanda Black on the first day of the trial.

During the victim impact statements, I heard Amanda’s friends and family cry and stumble through how much they’d missed her and the light she brought to the world. I watched Amanda’s mom have to leave the courtroom, breaking down in tears and having to nearly be carried out.

Shane will be ineligible for parole for ten years while he serves life in prison at the Prince George Regional Correctional Centre. This is one of the cases I will carry with me for some time because of how big of an impact it had on me, the community and especially those who knew Amanda.

Jordan’s Pick: The Doig River Burial Ceremony

I felt honoured to have the opportunity to attend a burial ceremony last month hosted by Doig River First Nation Elders for ancestral remains that had been exhumed from within the Site C inundation zone. 

The ceremony began with a performance by the Doig River Drummers and a prayer from Doig River First Nation Elder Gerry Attachie. The remains were lowered into the ground by a crane afterward. As a whole, the ceremony was a totally new and humbling experience for me, and I am extremely grateful to have been present. 

After the ceremony, Gerry gave me a ride back to town. I conducted an interview to get his take on the ceremony, learn about his connection to the Peace valley, and hear his thoughts on the impact of dams and reservoirs on the Peace region. 

It was a truly amazing experience to listen to Gerry’s stories and memories. I really enjoyed hearing him speak in the Dane-zaa Záágéʔ language throughout the interview. I learned the meanings of different words for each community in the Peace region. For example, did you know the Dane-zaa Záágéʔ words for Hudson’s Hope means “house against a rock” ?

I hope those who take the time to read my article learn a lot as well and are able to gain some perspective on what Doig River First Nation has experienced on their long journey to resolution with BC Hydro.

Most Read Stories Part 1

Every year, we write a wide variety of stories covering northeast BC. Here are our top stories of 2023 based on how many times they were read. The rest of our top stories will be in Part 2, coming out on December 29th, 2023.

10. Fort St John Businessman Fined Over $40,000 for Dumping Human Waste, Two Provincial Ministries Also Blamed

9. Three Men Arrested After Reports of Shots Fired

8. Body Found in Kiskatinaw River

7. Vehicle Incident in Hudson’s Hope Results in Death of 18-Year-Old

6. FSJ RCMP Conduct Successful Directed Enforcement Resulting in Numerous Arrests