Poll

While teachers celebrate court decision, government contemplates appeal

While teachers across BC are celebrating Monday's ruling by the BC Supreme Court — reaffirming that provincial legislation limiting teachers’ bargaining rights is unconstitutional, restoring collective agreement provisions stripped in 2002, and ordering the province to pay $2 million in damages plus court costs — Premier...

COMMENT: Flavoured tobacco products aimed at kids, should be banned in BC

We are third year nursing students at UBC-Okanagan and are writing in regard to the growing amount of flavoured tobacco products available today. With National Non-Smoking Week upon us, we feel it is important to address this concern specifically because of the way these products are being marketed towards youth. When you...

Rumours of Aviation Program's death have been greatly exaggerated - and could hurt the whole region

It's perhaps dangerously premature to start sounding the death knell for Selkirk College's renowned aviation program, despite the college's decision not to take new students for the 2014 year. The program, designed to accommodate 18 students, will only see three move forward into second year, with no new applicants being...

Selkirk's Fit for Snow program makes winter healthier and safer for ski industry

Those who embrace the thrills of the outdoors in winter rely upon snowsport resort workers to keep the terrain in top shape, teach proper techniques, get them safely to the top of the runs and swoop in when things go awry. With that type of responsibility, it’s essential snowcat operators, ski school instructors, liftees and...

A Long Way from Home, A Few Steps Closer to Peace

While preparing to leave the Kootenays after four months of study at Selkirk College, Issa Sadi Ebombolo had a moment that helped illustrate the difference between Canada and the work he does as a peace advocate in Zambia. It happened while he was standing in a bank line in downtown Nelson. “In the most conflicted countries...

High School Students Opt for ACE-IT to Fill Skills Gap

Don’t be surprised if the next apprentice electrician who reports to your home or business on a service call is a little “wet behind the ears.” More and more young people are answering the call to fill the skilled trades job openings projected to hit BC over the next few years. To address the need for more and younger people...

'State of the Basin' report released

Leaving no stone unturned in its 8.6 million hectare territory, the Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute (RDI) has released the 2013 State of the Basin report. In the works for several years, the 2013 report updates and builds on the work produced in the 2008 State of the Basin report. The 75-page long report and 16-page...

Selkirk College takes action on doctor shortage

Selkirk College announced today that it is helping provide a proactive solution to the rural doctor shortage in Canada. After nearly two years of study and preparation, the college has launched its Rural Pre-Medicine Advanced Diploma and Associate Degree Program. Based out of its Castlegar Campus, the program will offer...

Make your vote count, and support local kids contributing to their own education

Blueberry Creek Community School  (BCCS) Hub needs community support to win a Christmas Decoration Contest on the Home Depot Facebook Page. With one facebook vote from you, the City of Castlegar can come together and put a $5,000 gift card under the tree for BCCS Hub and their new Community Kitchen initiative. Blueberry Creek...

Kootenay Contraption Contest 2013 enlists Kootenay Kids to Solve Global Energy Crisis

Imagine the year is 2050. Wind and Solar have proliferated as clean, green, sources of electricity. As society has yet to teach Mother Nature to blow wind all day long, and that pesky issue of the sun only shining sometimes is fundamentally unchangeable, we need better ways of saving up the clean energy we make - so we can ...