PART ONE: Why spend a quarter million $ on a Crime Reduction Unit? Castlegar can answer
by Kyra Hoggan on Wednesday, December 4, 2013 - 10:43pm

With a municipal election cycle looming less than a year away (November 2014), city council checked in on one of its most publically-visible investments – namely the RCMP Crime Reduction Unit (CRU).

A specialized unit which the city agreed to help fund back in 2008, the CRU costs local taxpayers roughly $218,400 per year, which allows for two members plus some operating costs, minus a 30-per-cent federal buy-in.

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Recent News

Regional swimmers of 'TRAX' program at CHRISTMAS CRACKER meet

by Nelson Daily Sports on 06 Dec 2013
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West Kootenay swimmers are testing the provincial waters at the CHRISTMAS CRACKER meet in Victoria.

Trail Regional Academy of EXcellence (TRAX) aquatic program is currently at the Eleventh Annual Pacific Coast Swimming CHRISTMAS CRACKER Invitational Short Course Swim Meet from Thursday to Sunday in Victoria.

The TWSC competitive swimmers are registered with Swim Canada and have obtained official qualifying time standards to attend this prestigious event held at the Commonwealth Games Pool.

The CHRISTMAS CRACKER swim meet provides the opportunity for swimmers from the West Kootenay area to experience racing against top athletes in the sport of competitive swimming.

COMMENT: IBEW 213 blasts Fortis BC for ongoing lockout

by Contributor on 06 Dec 2013
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COMMENT: IBEW 213 blasts Fortis BC for ongoing lockout

Ed. Note: The following is an opinion piece provided by The IBEW Union.

Unless a Grinch’s heart grows, this story of 225 locked out electrical workers won’t have a very merry ending. The latest round of negotiations between FortisBC and its electrical workers have failed; all but ensuring 225 workers will be locked out for the holiday season.

Kootenay Ice host league leading Rockets in weekend series at Rossland

by Nelson Daily Sports on 05 Dec 2013
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Kootenay Ice host league leading Rockets in weekend series at Rossland

The Kootenay Ice is back in B.C. Hockey Major Midget League action Saturday and Sunday in Rossland.

However, the competition doesn't get any easier for the Major Midget club as first place Okanagan Rockets, featuring many Western Hockey League draft picks, come to the Golden City to face the Ice.

The Rockets are tied for top spot with the Vancouver Northwest Giants, each with 16-3-1 records.

Kootenay squandered a chance to move up in league standings this past weekend by playing to a pair of ties against Kamloops Blazers — 3-3 and 2-2.

Regional News

Rossland ready to host Norams next weekend

by Deanne Steven on 06 Dec 2013
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Jessie Diggins (L) Rebecca Reid of Rossland (L). Photo by Julien Locke

The Black Jack Ski Club is delighted to be hosting a Haywood NorAm/Buff Sprints Race next weekend.   It is estimated that the event will bring in about 120 athletes, with a total of 400 people in town including coaches and families.  This is the top level of Cross Country skiing in North America and attracts skiers from the US and Canadian National teams including several 2014 Olympians as part of the Canadian World U23 Championship Team Trials.  The format for the races, is a free technique sprint and a classic technique distance race.   Also on this weekend w

Kootenay Lake Fishing Report

by Nelson Daily Sports on 05 Dec 2013
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Tony from Kamloops hoists his 20-pound Rainbow Trout landed at end of November. — Photo courtesy Reel Adventures Fishing Charters

By Kerry Reed, Reel Adventures Charters

The sun in shining and the fish are hopping on the hook so let's get ready for a great month of fishing on Kootenay Lake.

Kerry Reed of Reel Adventures Charters is here to give his monthly fishing report. So read and enjoy.

Kootenay Lake

Fortis, Nelson Hydro users take smaller hit, but still destined to get hit in wallet

by Nelson Daily Staff on 05 Dec 2013
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Electrical consumer advocate Don Scarlett says Nelsonites will be paying as much as BC Hydro customers in the future. — The Nelson Daily file photo

By Suzy Hamilton, The Nelson Daily

Fortis and Nelson Hydro customers may think they are getting a break on 2014 rate increases compared to BC Hydro, after the Crown corporation announced a whopping 28 percent rate increase over the next five years to its customers.

But one electrical consumer advocate says Fortis customers are already paying ten percent more than BC Hydro customers.

And Nelson Hydro’s rates are presently two cents per KWh more than BC Hydro’s, if use is limited to 1,350 kWh during the billing period.

Provincial & National

Why Tories Are So Afraid of What Deloitte’s Runia Might Testify

by Murray Dobbin on 06 Dec 2013
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Why Tories Are So Afraid of What Deloitte’s Runia Might Testify

With all the reporting on the Senate scandal you might think there’s not much more to be discovered. But reading the actual documents the RCMP turned up in its Mike Duffy investigation is definitely worth the effort. The documents pull back the curtain on Harperland, a landscape so profoundly unethical Harper’s staff does not hesitate even for a second in plotting to interfere with a supposedly independent official Senate audit.

B.C.'s Lieutenant Governor offers statement on death of Nelson Mandela

by Contributor on 05 Dec 2013
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B.C.'s Lieutenant Governor offers statement on death of Nelson Mandela

The Honourable Judith Guichon, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, issued this statement following the death of Nelson Mandela:

"On behalf of all British Columbians, I offer my condolences to the family of Nelson Mandela and the people of his beloved South Africa.