Davies: What just happened?

For the past several years, whenever someone asked me what my New Year’s resolution was, I’d give the same answer.

I don’t want to have to commit to anything – especially if it involves improving myself. It was a resolution I stole from the great Gypsy Lane poet tin roofer Jimmie Moore. I heard him say it once, and it was perfect. When someone would ask me what my New Year’s resolutions was, I would answer ‘no more Mr. Nice Guy.’

But things have changed on this planet. Especially our humans. Now we need more nice guys, more nice people, more than ever. Our leaders no longer set the example. They call those with a differing opinion the enemy. They’re rude, they’re belligerent, they’re obnoxious. They put the filthy lucre above decency.

Our political leaders blast others for being hypocrites, bloodthirsty, shortsighted and dangerous. Then the very next day they do the same thing.

It’s gotten so ironic, there’s a world leader out there who indiscriminately kills people every single day and seriously thinks he deserves a peace prize. And the richest, most corrupt governing sports body invented one and gave it to him.

Our sports stars are lauded for their ability to trash talk or chirp their opponents, like it’s a skill or talent that takes practice and hard work like stickhandling or shooting. Fans praise their favourite athletes for being jerks.

So-called music fans ask their pals if they heard so-and-so’s latest dis track – which is basically a song insulting another human being with lyrics made up of words that may or may not be true.

So-called influencers post videos of mean-spirited pranks on unsuspecting people that are far more cruel than they are funny.

There are too many people out there that, beyond my understanding, think being an asshole is cool. As long as that asshole is doing it to someone those people don’t know.

Having a differing opinion is reason enough to hate someone and threaten them with murder.

Hopefully my opinion doesn’t garner that kind or reaction, despite its radical nature.

The good news is, as always seems to be the case, that’s not the environment at the grassroots level. There are still all kinds of good people out there, doing all kinds of good things, for no other reason than it’s the right thing to do.

When people find out I’m a reporter, they are mostly interested in talking about the controversy, the crime, the conspiracies and the shenanigans. But in reality, I’m much more exposed to the people doing good.  I don’t have hard data, but I would say easily 70 to 80 per cent of the stories I’m exposed to are good news stories. And I’m glad for it.

People helping people. I meet hundreds of volunteers each and every year. People who donated hundreds of hours a year for one cause or another. Whether they are leading community associations, sporting organizations, emergency and disaster response, doing advocacy work or even hard labour free of charge.

I interview these sorts of people multiple times a week, and the question that seems to trip them up the most is why? Why do it? They don’t know. It’s just in them. It’s not only In them to be nice, it’s also in them to do something nice.

These are the people we need to celebrate and to make a big deal about. These are the ones that will (and are) creating the society we all want to be a part of.

I’ve given up on influencing our leaders (not that I have any influence) that this is the path forward. But I feel as though the path forward is influencing the millions that consume the aforementioned media. If every third video, or story, or whatever, is of someone doing good and the positive effect that has on those around that person, perhaps that will help. Will it move the needle? Who knows? But what I do know, is here at West Carleton Online, we will continue to feature the good far more than the bad. We will of course continue to cover the news, rather than attempt to shape it. But in our community, finding those good news stories is not hard work at all. They’re everywhere in West Carleton. And after seven years it seems to be a philosophy that is working for us. I mean, we won’t do it for free, we’re not saints here.

But we do want to thank you, our subscribers and advertisers, for your support. Obviously, without that we would be long gone.

As is tradition, we will now take a look back at our Top 20 stories of 2025 as chosen by our readers. Also as is tradition, we did not take a look at the data before writing the above treacle. Is the list filled with good news stories, or tragedy? You’ll learn about the Top 10 list only moments after we did.

In 2025, we had a record number of pageviews totalling 536,968. Those are divided up between every story, obituary and event published between Jan. 1, 2025 and Dec. 31, 2025. So, while there are other pages that may have finished ahead of the below list we’re sharing (I’m looking at you Carp Fair Drive-In Bingo event listing), we are only publishing the Top 20 most read stories.

1. Op-ed: Evolugen moving BESS to South March (Published Jan. 20, 4,287 pageviews): While this story wasn’t the start of battery energy storage in West Carleton it was the start of a new phase. It launched a new special interest group in West Carleton and elicited opinion from across the community and the greater city as well. While this piece wasn’t written by West Carleton Online team members, we would write dozens and dozens of stories on the topic over the year, and I would bet the entire business, no media outlet covered the issue of BESS more than West Carleton Online has.
2. Carp Fair president Rivington seriously injured in crash (Published July 3, 2,633 pageviews): 2025 Carp Fair President Kyle Rivington (and the whole Rivington family) is a well-known and long serving community volunteer having sat on the fair board for 12 years before finally being named president along with Faye Potter. And you only get one shot at being president (ask the COVID Carp Fair presidents). The freak Highway 417 accident left him with several serious injuries including brain injuries. Kyle and his family, with the community’s support, dedicated himself to rehabilitation and was able to share inspiring words at the Carp Fair’s official opening.
3. Dunrobin plaza to reopen this summer (Published April 21, 1,750 pageviews): While that headline ended up being a red herring in an ongoing story with several red herrings over the years. But new owners and a new plan was definitely good news for the Dunrobin community that has now been waiting nearly eight years for the plaza to re-open after the devastating tornado. And while the mall didn’t hit that summer deadline, there are confirmed tenants and we believe it is inevitable the mall will one day again be a place of commerce.
4. Dry wells costly challenge for Ward 5 (Published Oct. 15, 1,695 pageviews): Last summer and fall’s drought was a problem for everyone in the Ottawa area, but none more so than those who live off of a well, which is literally everyone in West Carleton.
5. Police briefs: Impaired Hwy. 416 rollover, Renfrew porch pirate caught, More crashes (Published July 28, 1,496 pageviews): We’re not sure what made this police briefs more well-read than all others published in 2025, and we usually publish one at least twice a week. This one didn’t even have a West Carleton reference in the headline, or a West Carleton-based story in it. Maybe it was the word pirate. Arrrr, matey.
6. Dunrobin plaza sold, expected to be busy soon (Published March 18, 1,455 pageviews): This was not boots on the ground reporting, just a story that came across the West Carleton Online news desk. But it was indicative of a community fed up with the previous ‘new owner’ and their inability to rebuild and reopen the Dunrobin plaza after years of trying.
7. Letter: South March landowner excited for BESS project (Published Jan. 20, 1,419 pageviews): We received a lot of letters on the South March BESS in 2025 and this was the first, from the man who was leasing his land to the project. It did not appease those opposed to the project, mostly his neighbours.
8. Letter: Reader’s thoughts on Evolugen’s open house (Published Feb. 24, 1,397 pageviews) Even Evolugen’s public consultation choices created hot debate in West Carleton, from format to content. When I recommend a reader submit a Letter to the Editor, and tell them our letters are very well read, I am often met with skepticism. Well take that skeptics, two in the Top 10 (so far), backed by numerical proof.
9. Family, friends fundraise for Kinburn senior who lost everything in fire (Published Feb. 25, 1,180 pageviews): This story is indicative of many we write throughout a typical year. And while it is rooted in tragedy, it is followed up by exactly the people we were talking about above. A community that cares for the people within it, even if they don’t know them personally. We do know Karen Runtz personally and she was quite the volunteer in her day as well.
10. Carleton debate tonight in Manotick (Published April 15, 1,065 pageviews): I can’t imagine all those clicks came between its publishing and the event it was promoting just several hours later, but the Carleton Riding was the story of the year in last year’s federal election where unknown Bruce Fanjoy knocked off multi-time incumbent and Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievere in the shock of the political century so far. We, of course, were the very first media outlet to provide Fanjoy with any coverage at all (as we do). Meanwhile, following several attempts, Poilievre or even his staff did not reply to any requests for an interview. You’ve heard this before, but we call that the West Carleton Online bump.

Following are 10 through 20 without any editorial comment.

11. Woodlawn’s Braun on an Amazing Race (Published July 7, 909 pageviews).
12. Fanjoy shocks in Carleton Riding (Published April 29, 893 pageviews).
13. Carp Custom Creamery has new owners (Published April 4, 885 pageviews).
14. WC’s last mayor Eastman passes at 80 (Published May 16, 849 pageviews).
15. A mid-week Canada Day in WC (Published June 25, 840 pageviews).
16. 2024 Carp Fair presidents pass torch (Published Jan. 28, 815 pageviews).
17. Westbridge Renewable bring 250 MW solar project to Dunrobin (Published Aug. 5, 759 pageviews).
18. Emergency briefs: Kinburn home destroyed by fire, Tow truck blitz, Renfrew woman faces 13 mischief charges (Published Feb. 20, 737 pageviews).
19. Davies: Misinformed (Published March 23, 709 pageviews).
20. WOCRC powered by WC Volunteers (Published Feb. 19, 692 pageviews).