Case study: Wendy Elliott — Ace reporter, Woman of Wolfville

Ask a veteran journalist about their craft, and they might try to convince you they're writing poetry about ordinary life.

Wendy Elliott isn't exaggerating. Her popular From the Cruiser column in the Kings County Register/Advertiser is legendary in the Annapolis Valley, N.S., and was turned into "found poetry" in a literary magazine. 

Reached on a snowy Friday afternoon, she was working on her latest column. She's profiling Phil Vogler, a photographer with a passion for history. He transcribed "endless amounts" of the old Berwick Register and shares tidbits as they coincide with present-day events.

"We were communicating this week about slurpie tides, or slush tides, which are not uncommon this time of year. I decided I wanted to give a nod to Phil," she says.

All stories are local stories

Earlier in the week she wrote a story on a Wolfville-area woman who was defrauded out of hundreds of dollars as she fought cancer. How did she get the story? Because she's known Karin Roberson for years and regularly chats with her when the two meet at the Wolfville Farmers Market.

In December, she told the story of Wolfville resident Machelle Hubley, who had recently been reunited with her birth family after 50 years of unknowingly living near them.

You may have seen the same story right here when CBC News picked up on it a few days later.

"As long as we get it first, great!" Elliott says.

But it points to the bigger problem if a community loses its newspaper. Elliott knew about Hubley's reunion because she knew Hubley and reads the newsletter of the L'Arche community where Hubley lives. And because she talks to everyone. 

"My husband doesn't want to go downtown with me anymore because I talk to too many people," Elliott laughs.

• Part 1: 'Who cares' when newspapers die? You should
• Part 3: Hometown newshound says 'community news is where I want to be'
• Part 4: A solution? Why this newspaper editor is 'giddy' for the future of local news

Elliott's Twitter bio describes her as "Ace reporter, Woman of Wolfville," and she regularly produces all aspects of her stories, from words to photos. She draws inspiration from the man who founded her newspaper.

"The Advertiser started in 1879 and it was one editor. They didn't have reporters — they depended on people bringing in the news. Oftentimes they'd give people a free subscription if they contributed," she says.

As circulation grew and ad money flowed in, the newspaper hired reporters. Elliott says the community still wants stories about itself — but that only makes up 60 per cent of a newspaper. The other 40 per cent must be dedicated to advertisements if a paper is to pay for the news.

"Maybe we have to go back to one-man papers. I don't know," she says.

Poets and paupers

But for her, it's all about the people. 

Take Fred Phillips, a poet and man-about-town who lost his father when he was just two. Phillips, who has developmental delays, knew his father was buried in a pauper's grave, so he raised money to buy him a headstone. Elliott told his story.

"It humbles you," she says. "I feel a sense of privilege when I look back on some of the characters I've met.

"People like that are pretty unique. You realize you're recording something that is a moment in time. When they're gone, those stories disappear. People have nowhere else to go for that kind of record of the community."

But Elliott is not too worried about her newspaper disappearing any time soon. One of her colleagues recently graduated and now works with Elliott. She loves the job and the community.

"It's a great place to start out, that much I can say for sure. You have the freedom to dig up stories," Elliott says.