Shortly after 1 a.m. on Oct. 23, emergency services in Castlegar were alerted to fire situated behind a business located in the 1700 block of Columbia Avenue in Castlegar, according to Castlegar RCMP Sgt. Monty Taylor. “Upon attendance the fire was active, engulfing a male and personal items on the ground.  The fire was extinguished […]

The Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals has approved West High Yield (WHY) Resources’ mining permit for an open-pit magnesium mine on Record Ridge. The government’s new release states, “The project underwent a thorough regulatory review to assess potential effects such as noise and dust. The company must implement comprehensive mitigation measures, including noise controls, […]

Interior Health (IH), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, is engaging with partners to better support overnight emergency care through a mix of virtual and on-site staffing, which is expected to enable more consistent access by reducing unplanned service interruptions. Engagement is underway with physicians, staff, Indigenous and local governments to better understand perspectives […]

Stock up on cozy, delicious meals for the season while supporting KERPA’s lifesaving work across the Kootenays. We have partnered with Mitchell’s Soups, a Canadian company and family business that started out in BC! Their soup recipes may be inspired by the flavours and aromas of international locales, but their team has roots in the Great […]

While 54% of Canadian hiring managers say their company uses AI, up from 52% last fall, 59% admit their company does not have the resources or training to help employees use it effectively, according to an Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey. Employers Embrace AI, but Fear Falling Behind AI’s promise of productivity and collaboration has […]

The suicidal insanity of non-stop growth Growing economies, growing industry, growing cities, growing population, growing pollution… When does it stop? Our current economic system is obsessed with constant growth; everything must keep expanding — except for the natural systems on which our health and survival depend. Those are shrinking, destroyed by our obsession with growth. […]

On Thursday, Oct. 9, at approximately 4:40 p.m., RCMP responded to a report of a physical altercation between two individuals at the intersection of Nevada Street and Dunn Crescent, in Rossland. One of the people involved later succumbed to their injuries in hospital. “The Southeast District Major Crime Unit (SED MCU) is investigating, and is […]

DELEGATIONS Association of West Kootenay Rock Climbers Yann Troutet and Daniel Raber provided Council with an introduction to the Association, a registered non-profit organization with ten volunteer directors and approximately 150 members. They outlined ongoing maintenance and improvement projects at the Kinnaird Bluffs climbing area, described their goal of maintaining the site for recreational use, […]

Following a small fire that occurred on the roof above the pool area in the early morning of Thursday, Oct. 16, we are pleased to confirm that contractors have completed inspections and the necessary repairs have been done to the affected area. The pool will reopen on Friday, Oct. 17, for its regular hours of […]

In my youth, I worked as a carpenter for eight years, helping build houses in London, Ontario, as a framer for my uncles’ company, Suzuki Brothers Construction. A framer constructs the foundation and skeleton of a house. I would build the forms for the footings and foundation, mix and pour the concrete and, after the […]