A Community Voters Challenge, created to increase voter turn out in the area during last year’s October federal election has given local communities something to crow about, with local turn outs eclipsing both provincial and federal averages. “Two of our communities had a voter turnout of over 80 per cent. Given that the national level […]

The City of Castlegar is taking steps to address an unsightly and potentially dangerous property on Columbia Avenue, after a report offered at council's regular meeting Monday night by Director of Planning and Development Phil Markiin. “The 1067 Columbia Avenue property consists as one business constructed in 1950 and formerly...

In a public open house Tuesday night at the Community Forum, the city unveiled its 2016 budget and five-year financial plan. City Director of Finance Andre Buss offered a presentation describing the city's three strategic priorities: Infrastructure Management and the maintenance of municipal infrastructure; the development ...

Castlegar city council unveiled its proposed 2016 budget and five-year financial plan at a public open house Tuesday evening, in what proved to be one of the best-attended budget consultations in years. Councillor and Finance Committee chair Dan Rye said this year’s budget, reaching almost $27 million (roughly $12.7 million for operations and $14.2 for […]

A Trail fugitive is back in police custody after a collaborative effort between BC and Alberta police resulted in him being arrested in Calgary March 30, acccording to Trail RCMP Cpl. Mike Wicentowich. An extensive manhunt, including massive social media outreach was launched to find Joel Andrew Hutchinson, 30, after he failed...

An additional 73 substance use treatment beds are on their way to communities throughout Interior Health (IH). The new beds are part of IH’s plan to meet the Province’s 500 Substance Use Spaces Initiative and will support and enhance existing substance use treatment services across IH. “These new beds for Interior Health are...

Honourable Minister McCallum, The West Kootenay Friends of Refugees agreed to sponsor a Syrian family of four, through the BVOR program, on Jan.6/16.  As you are probably well aware, this is an exciting commitment for dozens of people in any sponsoring community.  We have spent countless hours fundraising and preparing the community of Rossland BC to welcome this […]

The West Kootenay region experienced record-breaking high temperatures in spring and summer 2015. By early July, wild fires burned at Nelson’s doorstep, and the city was on Stage 4 water restrictions for two months. Outside Nelson, rural residents, dependent on surface water, continued to see lower water levels in the streams they rely on for […]

Camera buffs have a few weeks to collect those award winning photos for entry into the West Kootenay Camera Club Photo contest. Deadline for entries is (Saturday) April 23 at 4 p.m. Entries can be submitted to:  Kel Print in Castlegar, Doell Photography in Trail, or Vogue Photography in Nelson.  Photographer Jim Lawrence of...

A trio of regional science enthusiasts are ready to travel to Quebec to represent the region following a successful showing at the West Kootenay Boundary Science Fair Saturday at L.V. Rogers high school in Nelson. Joining Dylan Peil of LVR, who now has qualified three times to attend the Canada-wide Science Fair, are the...