There will be no hesitation to become involved in controversy if the outcome holds promise of constructive achievement for Cape Breton. — Prospectus, The Highlander Press Company Ltd., October 1962

I tried to dig the truth out of hearings, official transcripts and government documents, and to be as accurate as possible. I also sought to give the Weekly a personal flavor to add humor, wit and good writing to the Weekly report…I tried in every issue to provide fact and opinion not available elsewhere in the press.—I.F. Stone, Washington, D.C., July 1963

If you smell something, say something —Jon Stewart

If you’re going to set goals, set ambitious goals.

If you’re launching a weekly online newspaper, cite the founders of the Cape Breton Highlander (full disclosure: the latter included my parents and most of my paternal aunts and uncles), I.F. Stone (publisher of I.F. Stone’s Weekly) and Jon Stewart as your models. You may not always live up to them, but at least readers will understand what it was you were trying to do before you fell flat on your face.

I'm very pleased to announce the launch of The Cape Breton Spectator here on goCapeBreton where the engagement of readers and the informed level of discourse has encouraged me to believe there's a market on this island for an independent news site.

All content in this, the debut issue, is free, so check out:

Sean Howard on the new nuclear age.

Dr. StrangeJob on his decision to run for office.

And yours truly, chief cook and bottle washer Mary Campbell, on election promises, past and present, my latest attempts to understand Business Cape Breton, and my reasons for launching a newspaper in 2016.

Next Wednesday, and each Wednesday thereafter, new content will be behind a paywall for a week before being set free to roam at will. If you'd like to see it hot off the presses, you can subscribe.

There will be glitches and growing pains, no doubt, and I must ask you to both bear with me and help me sort them out (please contact me if you notice anything that needs fixing).

I'm very excited about this new enterprise.

I hope you will be too.