“I love firefighting,” says Carlene Pires, who has become the first-ever female captain within the Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue Service (KBRFR).  “I just so happen to be a woman too,” she adds. Carlene is proud of her paid-on-call (POC) job as well as the determination and accomplishments that have engineered her ...

Waste Management, City of Castlegar’s curbside collection provider, will adjust garbage and recycling collection dates during the holiday season. This adjustment is required to align with holiday operations at the Ootischenia landfill where Castlegar garbage is taken as well as the Waste Management recycling facility in...

Government reforms to ICBC are paying off with affordable, steady rates and fiscal stability for people. ICBC is filing an application with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (BCUC) for no increase to basic insurance rates for the next two years, which marks five years of no increases to basic insurance rates. “Our...

Castlegar has once again outdone itself in stepping up for the whole community, if the results of the 40th Annual Castlegar Firefighters Christmas Toy Drive are any indication, with CFD Fire Chief Sam Lattanzio calling the event, "huge success". "We would like to thank everyone (who) came down to A&W to make a donation ...

Earlier this week, the City of Castlegar’s Facebook page was removed without any notice or indication of why. The City uses its Facebook page to share community information with residents and the page is a critically important communication tool during emergencies, like the Merry Creek Wildfire. This City has ruled out security...

Community Gaming grants will benefit local organizations for the arts and sports, among many others in the province.  Compared with sports, the arts get a slightly smaller overall allocation of funds, but those grants will be very welcome to those receiving them — locally, the Rossland Council for Arts & Culture will receive $7,700; the […]

Castlegar Fire Department received a 911 call for a vehicle fire at 525 Columbia Avenue at 8:35 a.m. Command 1 Rescue 1 and Engine 1 responded with six members. Fire was extinguished at 9:01 a.m. "We used Rescue 1 bumper turret with foam to knock down the major fire then mopped it up with a 1 3/4” hand line," said Fire Chief...

It took until 2022, but water finally made it onto the official agenda of a UN Climate Change Conference.  ‘Water Day’ was designated for November 14 at the recent COP27 climate change conference in Egypt where 190 countries had assembled to discuss climate action. Water Day discussions covered water scarcity, drought, early...

Have yourself a heritage holiday with Rossland’s Heritage Commission’s newly released Rossland’s Built Heritage. This is the newest publication to join the Heritage Commission’s growing book collection and features all the historic details about Rossland’s heritage commercial buildings, neighbourhoods and sites. In addition...

Work is underway to enhance forest resilience to protect against the effects of wildfire and climate change in the Kootenay-Boundary region.  The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) is investing in 12 new wildfire risk reduction projects, including three in the Kootenay-Boundary Region. The FESBC has approved a total of...