City notebook: Lose your phone for a bit. You probably won’t regret it.

By Collin Gallant on November 17, 2018.

We live in an information age, highly connected, live-wired online existence.

But, I gotta tell you, losing your cellphone for a couple weeks isn’t the worst thing that can happen.

Especially, if there is say, a really contentious election in the United States going on, or you want a break from watching your stock portfolio.

Let’s call it a mental health holiday.

At the risk of pulling the curtain back too far for readers, I was unplugged since mid-October. Like primitive man, my only means of communication were a desktop computer and a telephone you plug into a wall.

This column aside, I think I got away with it.

And the phone showed up on Friday in the first place I looked three weeks ago. My theory is that is was placed back in the side console of my car, perhaps by the iPhone fairies or more likely by Ford Escape gremlins.

Did I miss the constant barrage of social media? No.

The occasional text from my wife? Yes, but we were strong enough to pull through.

One handy feature for reporters on a cellphone is a voice recorder, and you don’t realize how bad your handwriting or notetaking can get over half a decade of underuse. (A quick check finds more than 1,000 interviews stored on the device, the first subject being … drum roll, please, Gordon Lightfoot. Not bad.)

Coming up

It’s shaping up to be a busy Christmas season at city council.

After a couple perfunctory meetings early this fall, the business plans for utility departments are due to be passed before the end of the calendar year.

As well, likely on Dec. 17 is a public hearing on a controversial rezoning proposal that would allow townhouse development near the community of Connaught, as well as a similar hearing for the Riverside Redevelopment Plan.

Breakfast Chat

A change is as good as a rest, they say, and that’s the general opinion about a new format for this year’s Chamber of Commerce political engagement event.

Rebranded as the Leaders Breakfast, the event Thursday featured a run through of issues of six of the area’s elected officials at the various levels.

Previously known as The Mayor’s Breakfast, it typically involved only city endeavours.

“It wasn’t the “Ted Clugston Show’ as it usually is,” said Medicine Hat Mayor Ted Clugston. “A five-minute (presentation) makes it hard to get anything across, but you’ve got six politicians so that’s 30 minutes right there.”

Last year’s came on the heals of a civic election, which involved lots of discussion on city projects, and then led to the annual State of the City Address in January, which was another rehashing.

“There was a lot of duplication,” said Chamber president Sarah MacKenzie. “It was a lot more interesting.”

Also, Clugston on his habit of teasing economic news at such speeches: “If I would have finished, I was going to tease a little bit.”

He said later, “There are a couple things in the hopper. Not nearly on the scale of an Aurora, but maybe some large capital investment and jobs.”

A look ahead

City council meets Monday to discuss light agenda, but the development fee subsidies and a potential labour market study will be discussed at committee meeting on Wednesday.

100 years ago

“After more than four years of unremitting struggle, the last great war and the world’s greatest tragedy has come to an end,” Mayor M.A. Brown declared in a speech at the city plaza on Nov. 11, 1919.

The rally marking the end of conflict in Europe featured bands, addresses by clergy, anthems and hymns.

“With mingled feelings of joy and sorrow do we as citizens celebrate this great event (of an armistice),” continued Brown. “But let us thank God, as we commemorate this day… and give thanks and after, with unstinted energy devote ourselves to the task (of reconstruction) which is before us.”

In Europe, Holland announced it would receive the abdicated Kaiser on the same terms as other German officials it hoped to prosecute. A British General election call was post-poned as a peace conference was convened.

A cure for Spanish flu, according to a letter from Schular, a poultice of onions, rye meal and vinegar, heated as much as the patient can stand, placed on the chest would rectify the ailment in five to seven hours.