After a turbulent year filled with health restrictions and political unrest, my new life in Jasper is a major positive change that stands out amid all the negative ones. Starting this month, I am becoming the new editor and publisher for the Jasper Fitzhugh as Fuchsia Dragon leaves this role to go on maternity leave. I am moving from Grande Prairie, where I served as an editor for the Grande Prairie Daily H ...

Happy New Year! With this, our first edition of 2021, we are entering a new chapter for the Jasper Fitzhugh. Before the holidays, you may have noticed our advertisements for a publisher/editor. I will soon be stepping away from the Fitzhugh on maternity leave, and with this issue I am passing the reins to my replacement, Peter Shokeir. Peter has moved to Jasper and the Fitzhugh from Grande Prairie, where he ...

Here we are, finally, on the last day of 2020. It has been a year that none of us expected - one that has thrown countless curveballs and changed us in many different ways.  We have all faced unforeseen challenges this year, but found ways to support each other, to be creative and kind, to overcome adversity.   Our focus has been shifted, our adaptability proven, and we have learned more abou ...

This year, ‘home for the holidays’ has a slightly different meaning. Due to public health restrictions, we will be holding festivities with only our households, missing family gatherings and reunions with friends. Our holidays will be quieter and more intimate, but we have lived nearly 10 months in this new normal - we know our responsibilities and have learned how to stay connected, apart. This is a tough ...

It’s happened. We are heading back into a provincial lockdown. Some called for the move, some dreaded it. For me, it’s a little of both. While we may need these stricter measures to help flatten the COVID curve, they are not the easy option, and bring their own set of challenges. A public health emergency like the COVID-19 pandemic can increase anxiety, stress and fear, leaving many people feeling a loss of ...

Here we are again.  But this time, things feel different. I have started working on our Year in Review edition, collecting snippets of articles from 2020 for the Dec. 31 Fitzhugh. Going back over news stories from March, when we first plunged into a lockdown, I have relived that wash of feelings: the uneasiness, uncertainty, stress and confusion.  We were frightened. But in a way, that fear of COVID-19 ...

I’ll admit it, our Christmas tree is up already. If there was ever a winter to start the most wonderful time of the year a little early, 2020 is the one to do it. I think we all need a boost of festive cheer this year. Jasper is always a special place to be, but there’s some extra magic during the festive season. Having lived in Jasper for three years, I have experienced some of the town’s charming Christma ...

A couple snowshoes on the shore of Maligne Lake. | Parks Canada photo Ah, winter. Snow is falling, the ski hill is open, and fresh ice is starting to form around the national park. I’m calling it, winter is in full swing! But this beautiful season brings with it new dangers, and now is a great time to remind ourselves how to keep safe in Jasper’s wintry conditions. Before heading out into the backcountry, c ...

November is Family Violence Prevention Month, a time for us to raise awareness and recognize what we can do to help those experiencing it. Family violence is devastating and happens every day, and in many different ways. It is an abuse of power in a family or other trusting relationship where someone’s well-being, security and survival are threatened. It can be experienced by anyone, young or old, regardles ...

Halloween: What was once a single night of chilling celebration now seems to last all month. Spooky season has grown, and I must admit, I love it. October in Jasper is also the Dark Sky Festival - a time to appreciate and explore the wonders and mysteries of our dark sky preserve, and beyond. And what better way for the two to end the month together than the Hunter’s Blue Moon coming our way on Oct. 31. Thi ...