spack·le    [spak-uhl]  Sh (initial capital letter) Trademark . a brand of quick-drying, plasterlike material used to fill holes, small cracks and other minor surface defects Some of the digital tools available today seem to help us overlook dire problems in order to expedite trivial tasks. The series of Windows Cloud commercials are prime time offenders. The ad with the exasperated mother desperately trying to air brush […]

By Marian Wang in ProPublica   As the Obama administration grapples with whether to arm the Libyan rebels, it has several things to consider—not least of which is the question of if doing so would be legal. The State Department had been pretty clear about the matter earlier this month, with then-spokesman P.J. Crowley telling […]

New government data shows that more than 300 grizzly bears were killed in British Columbia last year, mostly as a result of trophy hunting. Released by the David Suzuki Foundation at the start of B.C.’s spring bear hunt, official government records indicate 317 grizzlies died at the hands of humans in 2010. Almost four out […]

Highway three. It’s the east-west road in and out of the Kootenays and the southern route from the lower mainland to Alberta. It both brings traffic to our area as well as takes traffic away from our area. As the primary transportation link to the southern portion of the province it is in many ways […]

On February 11, the Nelson Chapter of the Council of Canadians held a public forum on CETA, the latest trade agreement that the Canadian Government is negotiating with the European Union at Nelson United Church. Guest speakers were Peter Julian, the NDP International Trade Critic along with Alex Atamanenko, our local MP. A three part […]

 It’s a dark hour for Castlegar as the city is forced to relinquish its Earth Hour Cup, held for two consecutive years, to Keremeos.  The tiny village, population 1,200, managed the highest per-capita pledges for Earth Hour, with over seven per cent of residents signing on, winning them a $5,000 energy upgrade that will go ...

By Timothy Schafer, The Nelson Daily Although avalanche conditions in the West Kootenay backcountry have been moderate for the last few days they will climb to considerable Wednesday as new snow and wind will set up touchy wind slabs near ridge tops, the Canadian Avalanche Centre reports. James Floyer of the CAC said anticipated snowfall […]

 Hundreds of thousands of people joined marches in London on Saturday against public sector cuts by the British government. One union estimated up to half a million people travelled from across the country to demonstrate as the Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition implements wide-ranging spending cuts. According to reports, a small group of protesters dressed in black threw paint and smoke bombs […]

Castlegar’s Darlene Kalawsky and Nettie Stupnikoff were two of the 36 outstanding British Columbians named as recipients of the eighth annual BC Community Achievement Awards by Premier Christy Clark and Keith Mitchell, chair of the British Columbia Achievement Foundation. “Each of these people has a remarkable record of enhancing the quality of life of residents […]

Fire took the one of the oldest hotels in the Boundary region last night in Beaverdell. Witnesses say that the fire was noticed at about 2 a.m. and the intense heat took the building quickly. Although there is speculation flying around the small community, the cause of the fire is unknown at this time. Local […]