Tentative deal reached in the BCTF dispute
Generally in a contract dispute, both sides generally give a little to get a deal. Not so in the dispute between the B.C. Teachers Federation and the British Columbia Public School Employers’ Association said BCTF president Susan Lambert. “After a long and difficult round of negotiations, we were compelled into this process under threat of […]
Selkirk College joins forces with Taiyuan Normal University to provide unique opportunity
There’s a sign on the side of the building at Taiyuan Normal University (TNU) in Taiyuan, China, that reads — Sino-Canadian Selkirk College of Taiyuan Normal University. The reason for the sign comes from a unique collaboration between TNU and Castlegar’s Selkirk College which offers a three-year English diploma program. TNU develops and delivers the […]
Is YOUR great idea worth $10,000?
Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) is partnering with BC Ideas to provide five $10,000 cash awards to reward innovative solutions addressing issues which will improve the lives of residents in the Columbia Basin region. BC Ideas: Solutions for Stronger Communities is an online competition seeking to identify solutions to deal with challenges facing BC communities now […]
Fight the bite! Take precautions to avoid West Nile virus
Interior Health is reminding residents to take extra precautions against mosquito bites this summer. West Nile virus, a disease that is spread from infected birds to humans through mosquito bites, has been present in B.C. since 2009. West Nile virus (WNv) was first detected in B.C. in the South Okanagan during the summer of...
Labour board rules teachers can withdraw from extracurricular activities, but must attend meetings
The B.C. Labour Relations Board has ruled Friday that public teachers in the province do not need to participate in extracurricular activities as part of labour dispute with the government. However, the B.C. Teachers Federation must instruct its members to participate in parent-teacher meetings and other school meetings. In a release on the Labour Relations […]
US: Grieving father struggles to pay dead son’s student loans
By Marian Wang in ProPublica. A few months after he buried his son, Francisco Reynoso began getting notices in the mail. Then the debt collectors came calling. "They would say, 'We don't care what happened with your son, you have to pay us,'" recalled Reynoso, a gardener from Palmdale, Calif. Reynoso's son, Freddy, had been...
Clean, Drain, Dry will help prevent the spread of zebra mussels into the Kootenays
Clean. Drain. Dry. These simple steps will prevent zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species from spreading into the waterways of the Kootenays. Aquatic invasive species, such as zebra mussels, Eurasian water-milfoil and New Zealand mudsnails have devastating impacts where they are introduced. They can ruin fishing and...
Selkirk College successfully opens the Aboriginal Gathering Place in Castlegar
In June of 2010 Selkirk College marked the beginning of construction on their Castlegar campus Aboriginal Gathering Place with a ceremonial blessing and ground breaking. On May 24, 2012 they celebrated the official opening of the facility with over 100 invited guests in attendance. “The Gathering Place project was initiated...
NDTA outraged over recent School Board layoffs, which could affect as many as 60 teachers
The layoffs of 19 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions in the Kootenay Lake School District and the closures of the two District Resource Centres has local teachers feeling angry and upset, said Nelson District Teachers’ Association union representative Tom Newell. “Teachers are angry, upset and scared that programs are being dismantled,” said Newell. Although the number […]
Inaugural WaterSmart Ambassador offers Castlegarians one-on-one water wisdom
This is one door-to-door campaign you don't want to miss out on - when Suzanne Fordyce is done offering you a free personal consultation, you'll know how to conserve water (read: save money) without sacrificing garden quality ... and you'll get free stuff, to boot! The CIty of Castlegar hired Fordyce as part of its WaterSmart...