As we mark the new year this week, The Citizen is taking the opportunity to look back at 2019. Earlier today, we posted a top ten list of our biggest news articles of the year. However, some of the best writing we publish has very little to do with news or current events. Here are our very best feature stories of 2019, sorted in chronological order from the beginning of the year to the end. 

Come back over the next few days to see our other top ten lists, each of which will peg the biggest stories in Sports & Recreation, Commentary, and Arts & Entertainment, among others. 

1. “The Windrow Controversy: Who Should Take Responsibility? by Brenda Sawatzky. Now that we’re entering the dead of winter and snow is beginning to pile up, it’s inevitable that talk on social media will turn to the ever-green (ever-white?) controversy of who should be responsible to clear windrows from in front of our driveways. This article is as relevant now as it was last January. (https://nivervillecitizen.com/news/local/the-windrow-controversy-who-should-take-responsibility)
2. “Surviving Cancer: Life After the Dreaded Diagnosis,” by Brenda Sawatzky. Cancer rates have been rising over the years, and so too have cancer survival rates. With more people being affected by this most feared illness, it’s heartening to talk to survivors and learn from their stories. Amidst all the dread and worry, there is also hope. (https://nivervillecitizen.com/news/local/surviving-cancer-life-after-the-dreaded-diagnosis)
3. “Paying It Forward in Kindness,” by Brenda Sawatzky. There’s a lot of bad news in the world today, and one of the things I most love about working with The Citizen is that we have the privilege of sharing mostly good news. In this article, Brenda Sawatzky searched out a series of small-town stories of everyday people demonstrating neighbourly care for one another. (https://nivervillecitizen.com/news/local/paying-it-forward-in-kindness)
4. “Questions Arise Over Ritchot Landfill,” by Brenda Sawatzky. For many people, what happens to their garbage is of little concern to them after it leaves their driveway on pickup days. However, landfills can be hard to ignore when they’re piling up right behind your property. After fielding questions about the Ritchot landfill from some nearby residents, The Citizen did some investigating. (https://nivervillecitizen.com/news/local/questions-arise-about-ritchot-landfill)
5. “Raising Children in a Digital World,” by Brenda Sawatzky. Technology is becoming more and more pervasive in our lives—and in the lives of our children. Parents are right to be concerned about the long-term effects. Following a local presentation by a world-renowned psychologist, we dug into some of the questions and issues on the minds of parents today. (https://nivervillecitizen.com/news/local/raising-children-in-a-digital-world)
6. “Chimney Swift Migration Soon to Arrive in St. Adolphe,” by Brenda Sawatzky. Many don’t know it, but St. Adolphe is a hotspot for bird-watchers, specifically people on the hunt for a sighting of the increasingly rare chimney swift. This article explores St. Adolphe’s history as a stopping point on the annual chimney swift migration and looks at the causes of the species’ declining numbers—and what some people are doing about it. (https://nivervillecitizen.com/news/local/chimney-swift-migration-soon-to-arrive-in-st-adolphe)
7. “Watercraft #313869: A St. Adolphe Story,” by Lesley Gaudry. Those with long memories know that the bridge so many of us depend upon to cross the Red River at St. Adolphe has only been in place for a few decades. For many years, commuters relied instead on a ferry. This article reveals the storied history of that ferry, a.k.a. Watercraft #313869. (https://nivervillecitizen.com/news/local/watercraft-313869-a-st-adolphe-story)
8. “All People Are Welcome Here,” by Lesley Gaudry. To mark Canada Day, a local citizenship judge reflected on her career and the meaning of Canadian citizenship. This article from Lesley Gaudry is filled with impactful and heart-warming stories of the many newcomers who have worked so hard to earn their citizenship in this great country we call home. (https://nivervillecitizen.com/news/local/all-people-are-welcome-here)
9. “Chamber of Commerce Hosts Climate Action Forum,” by Brenda Sawatzky. One thing became clear this fall, as young people across the country rallied in the streets and candidates seeking federal office seemingly could speak of little else: climate change is the most pressing issue of our times. This article explores what local businesses are doing to make a difference in our communities. (https://nivervillecitizen.com/news/local/chamber-of-commerce-hosts-climate-action-forum)
10. “Getting an Up-Close Look at What Happens to Your Recycling,” by Brenda Sawatzky. Unless you’ve seen the process of sorting recyclables firsthand, you can’t fully appreciate what goes on behind the scenes. On September 10, members of Niverville’s council and town staff took a personal tour of the SMILE of St. Malo Inc. recycling depot. The Citizen tagged along to bring the report. (https://nivervillecitizen.com/news/local/getting-an-up-close-look-at-what-happens-to-your-recycling)