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6' W" " sawsuge'iéaiu'raagmwg'zbw Musselman’s Lake residents should fight for convenience store We, at Musselman’s lake, may lose our corner store. , On Tuesday, Whitchurch-Stouffville council will host a public meeting with a developer wanting to change the zoning for the store on the Ninth Line, on the south side of the lake, from commercial to mul- tiple residential. I’m sony if the landlord cannot keep the one store rented out, but closing the other for more apartments is irresponsible to a community. ’ This store is a vital link to the sustain- ability of the community of Musselman’s For most of the year, it is the only place within our community where residents can go for those last minutes supplies. Other shops are only open during the summer. A bag of movies: lottery tickets, bread, whatever, this store seems to have it all. It is a quick walk for half the community or a healthy walk or bike ride for the rest of us. Communities need these mom and pop stores. Without them, residents will have to climb in to their cars and leave their com- munities for the big box stores or grocery stores where you have to walk almost as far to the back of the store for a bag of milk and he jig is up. After 30 years of trying to get it first, fast and right, my days of chasing ambulances, run- away politicians and the truth have drawn to a close. I’m retiring. I graduated to washing dishes, waiting tables, life guarding. worm picking. hay tossing and, when I walked up the aisle in 1962, I was thrown into a family business. My first job, at a fruit market in 1956, paid 25 cents an hour. I thoughtlwasrichlwaAsrll. _r _ A marriage breakup in 1974 sent me back to waiting tables and school. When I graduated from Durham College’s journalism proâ€" gram two years later, I had $9 in the bank, five kids and no job. A day later, I scored a commis- sionâ€"only job selling aluminum siding. I took a late night flight to Kapuskasing. only to return the next day when my boss was arrested. With the business owner in my mother died. Seldom did my handcuffs and a bankruptcy seal reporter’s cap come off. across the door, my days selling Covering Durham Region for 19 siding were over. Facing a $73 over- years and York Region for the past draft, it took me three days to sign 11, l have produced thousands of It’s been a great 30 years, but I’m hanging it up lETTERS POLICY The Sun-Tribune welcomes your letters. All submissions must be less than 400 words and must Include a daytime telephone number. name and address. The Sun-Nbune reserves the right to publish or not publish and to edit for clarity and space. WMWEGRM. WWW mama We,“ MAB? )muon.yrmg.com lETTERS TO THE EDITOR [mm MEDIA Marketing 8: Advertising Dawna Andrews dandrwsflyrmg. com jmamnOyrmg.mm Ennonm Editor Iim Mason a one-year contract as a counsellor with the Minisz of Social Services, followed by a second contract with the Durham Region Separate School Board, co-ordinating a regionwide volunteer recruitment program. Since I was poor, a product of Protestant work ethic, a single mom and wore my heart on my sleeve, 1 was a good counsellor and, while never a Christian, Catholic or othâ€" erwise, I stood proud when placing 1,000 volunteers into 25 schools. In midâ€"February 19.78, I walked into what is now a Metroland news- room. On ]an. 30, I’ll walk out. I’m taking a little side trip. Late last week, I had a date with a sur- geon. After he mends a broken heart, I’ll be fit as a fiddle. Myfamily and mycareerinjour- nalism will always define me. In the past 30 years, my five hardâ€" to-raise children became adults, nine grandchildren arrived and my mother died. Seldom did my reporter’s cap come off. a loaf of bread. This will add travel time for all of us, traf- fic to the streets and increasing pollution from cars. Think of the last time you were able to ask your kids to run up to the store and get some supplies, whatever those may be. ThinlE bf having to get in your car and leave your community just because you run out of bread How many of us stop on the way home from a long day of work for something? We could lose this by spring. On Jan. 22 at 7 p.m., we can show our suppbrt for our convenience store and per- suade council not to change the zoning and keep this store where it is. For more than 30 years, this spot has been the community store. Let’s get togeth- er and keep it there. Call your local councillor or the plan- ning department and voice yOur concern or show up at the council chambers on Tuesday. Care to comment on this letter or another issue in Whitchurch-Stoufli/ille? Send letters to the editor to jmason@ynng.com or 6290 Main St, Stoufl‘ville, Ont, [AA 167. Classified Manager 'l‘egm Leader Ann Campbell ammpbellOyrmg. mm Retail Manager Stacey Allen Anvmmsmc SfiW-Ti'ibune FRIENDS OF MUSSELMAN'S LAKE PUBLISHER Ian Proudfoot 6290Main$t W,ON.L4A 167 MARK CARROLL CHAIRPERSON stories, covering everything from murders to meetings. Some stories won awards, a few ticked off people. but none turned up in court. A few months ago, Metroland, representing about 140 newspa- pers, chose me as the reporter of the year. When I took to the stage to accept the Presidents’ Award, I real- ized a job well done matters. I have been privileged to meet many outstanding people. Besides prime ministers, premiers and presidents, I interviewed a world chammon rattlesnake bagger, a man sporting a diamond in every tooth and a bank robber. There have been stories about three-legged Assistant Classified Manager Bonnie Rondeau bmndmuli’yrmg. mm Pnonucnon loan Ransberry VISlTING IHE1RO0PS ‘unrldl'f Arrvafi Bum MANAGER Robert Lazurlco m Cum Debora Kelly tum MANAGE: Dumm- lunucmm Mann a 'I‘ncuuowcv John Futhey Dnncron. Amnlsmc You REGION PuNnNu a DISTIIBIH'ION Barry Black GENERAL MANAGER Bob Dean dogs, overpaid call girls, bom-again virgins, atâ€"large boa-constrictors, and politicians of every shape, size and stripe. Most politicians are honest. A few aren't One thing I noticed: Every time a politician is arrested, the others run for cover, but not before accusing the media of stick- ing its nose into places it doesn't belong. While all law-breaking poli- ticians claim to be as pure as the driven snow, the only innocent one I covered was an Oshawa councillor charged with fishing out of season. Classified To bring in the story, I ran with the foxes and hunted with the hounds. It took barbedâ€"wire will- power and tenacity to open some doors. But you got the story. I’ve been a hands-on joumal~ ist. In the name of news, I rode in a submarine, flew in an air show, soared beneath the clouds in a hot air balloon and was plucked from Lake Ontario by a rescue boat after jumping overboard. I have attend- ed a biker's funeral and accepted an invitation to the after party at the clubhouse. led a camel in a parade, DISTRIBUTION 905-640-2612 ADVERTISING 905-640-2612 Bed: 1-800-743-3353 1x: 905-640â€"8778 ' 905-640-2612 [9015-6408778 EDITORIAI A York Region Media Group communiiy newspaper The Sun-Tribune, published every Thursday and Saturday. is a division of the Metroiand Media Group Ltd.. a wholly-owned subsidiary ofTorstar Corporation. Metroiand is comprised of 100 community pubiications across Ontario. The York Region Newspaper Group inciudesThe Uberai, sewing Richmond Hiii and Thomhiii, Voufiian Ciuzenflhe Era~Banner (Newmarket/Aurorai. Markham Economist Sun, Georgina Advocate. York Region Business “mes, North of the City, yorirregioncom and York Region Printing. Lynn Pashko got trapped beneath a raft while shooting rapids on the Ottawa River, fell faceâ€"down in the mud at a train wreck. got struck in the head by a board-wielding scab and was chastised by a judge for covering a crime before reporting it to police. Reporting was a good fit. With an attention span like a hummingbird. I got as much as I gave. I have a great deal of respect for the media. Its editors, photogra- phers and reporters play a critical part in preserving democracy. 'Suhfi-Tn'bune The people who stay in the media for the long haul are hard- working, talented and caring peoâ€" ple who deserve a standing ova- tion. Even though, my loyalty has always been to the reader, I tip my hat to this ever changing, always improving and communitybuild- ing industry. I leave the same as I amvcd: in awe of the media and a nosy person. Joan Ransbeny is a YRMG reporter and Whitchurch Stouflville resident