It's one of those stories that keeps on giving, so even though the radio towers saga dominated headlines in 2014 to claim Newsmaker of the Year, I have no doubt we'll see more of the same next year.
Like Southlands development, power lines, port expansion and a host of other seemingly never-ending issues, the battle over radio towers in Point Roberts took hold of the community and didn't let go.
This didn't happen by accident as it required a committed group of people on both sides of the border, but what made this struggle different than others in these parts over the years is the fact it was waged on so many fronts.
Most community uprisings have a number of similarities, including one identifiable target, usually a decision maker that's lobbied intensely in an effort to thwart the intrusion du jour. In this case, it wasn't that simple, which allowed the story to go in a multitude of directions and kept it in the headlines throughout the year.
The Federal Communications Commission in the U.S. was targeted for issuing a construction permit for the towers even though Tsawwassen's existence had been omitted from the broadcaster's application. Logic would dictate that once the FCC realized a community of more than 20,000 was just across the border in Canada, it would pull its approval, but that kind of common sense was often in short supply when it came to this issue.
Our own federal government was also put in the cross hairs as opponents to the towers called on Canadian politicians to pressure their American counterparts to inject some reason into the proceedings. Ottawa's help on the matter was underwhelming at best.
That left Whatcom County, which still had to issue a zoning permit before the five towers could grace the landscape and, quite possibly, begin wreaking havoc with all manner of electronic devices in the vicinity. The county's scope on the matter was limited, but in the end an issue - the towers exceeded height limits established for Point Roberts - that had been raised by opponents but wasn't thought to be a deal breaker, did indeed derail the project.
But like its never-ending issue predecessors, this one is far from over. An appeal is to be heard by Whatcom County council in a couple of weeks, and even if the hearing examiner's decision is upheld, this one could end up in the courts.
So as much as the radio towers were the issue of 2014, this story could still have legs for some time to come.
