Placeline Hamilton

It didn't take much for Michael Sanderson to get his credentials to become a paramedic back in the 1970s. But for the 50-plus years since, the chief of Hamilton's paramedic service has been saving lives and seeing it all.

If it seemed like everyone and their mother were in the queue for Paul McCartney tickets when they went on sale last week, well, they might've been. The lines were long and if you got to the point where you could actually buy a ticket, the prices were steep. Is this what we should expect with most concerts here now or was this a one-off?

In recent months, two innocent bystanders have been killed when they were hit by wayward bullets. There have been other shootings that very nearly led to tragedy for those merely minding their own business. Is Hamilton - particularly the downtown - safe these days? We chat with Hamilton police Deputy Chief Ryan Diodati to get an answer.

When his dream job as president of the United States came with conditions he couldn't meet (like, being American) Graeme MacKay turned to the next best thing. Drawing politicians and skewering them with a brilliant wit as editorial cartoonist for The Hamilton Spectator. A gig that, as he explains, has become more-complicated in recent years.

Longtime journalist Steve Paikin's run as host of The Agenda has just ended as he moves on to pursue other interests. In this episode, he talks about the modern news industry, ways to inspire engagement with politics and which famous Hamiltonians he grew up with as a boy.

What does the sale of Lime Ridge Mall mean for the future of the place? Maybe nothing. Maybe things stay as they were or get even better there. Maybe the plans for a massive development on the property that included condos and other housing press ahead. It matters because this story isn't just about shopping. There's a lot more to it than that.

Talk to people around town and there's a sense that Hamiltonians are getting increasingly frustrated with city hall. Their taxes continue to rise, but many of the problems facing Hamilton aren't being solved — or progress is very slow. Is the resulting criticism of council and city staff fair? Or has it become too much?

A few days from now, Burlington's Phil Pritchard will do what he's done for years and carry the Stanley Cup to centre ice to present to the new National Hockey League champion. But where did this tradition come from? What's the deal with the white gloves? And did he really spend time in a Finnish sauna with a Hall of Famer and the trophy?

It's been five years since the pandemic hit. Most of us have long since moved on and left it in the rearview mirror. But what about those who can't because they're suffering from what's called long COVID; symptoms and effects that last long after the initial virus passes? One of those people explains what life is like while dealing with it.

Twenty-five years ago this month, everyone around here - pretty much everywhere, really - got caught up in a new TV show called Survivor. It became the thing everyone talked about throughout the summer of 2000. It also changed TV. It opened the door to more reality shows and even affected how some scripted shows were filmed. A quarter-century after it became a phenomenon, eventual winner Richard Hatch talks about the game, its effects on our culture and its impact on him.