Mir Centre exceeds endowment target
Selkirk College’s Mir Centre for Peace Speaker Series Endowment has exceeded its target of $200,000, thanks to the generosity and support of community members, organizations and companies. Selkirk President Marilyn Luscombe made the public announcement at the Irving K. Barber Mir lecture featuring David Suzuki on September ...
Charlie the smoking chimpanzee dies aged 52
Charlie, a Chimpanzee in a South African zoo who became addicted to cigarettes, has died at the age of 52, exceeding the average lifespan of a captive chimpanzee by twelve years. After a video of Charlie puffing on cigarettes discarded by visitors appeared on the Internet, the animal and the zoo gained international attention...
Chase leads police/dogs to capture two robbery suspects
Two people have been arrested on multiple charges after a bizarre chase Wednesday. Castlegar RCMP Sg.t Laurel Mathew said police received a call about "suspicious activity" in the Canadian Tire parking lot. “Police were called when someone at Canadian Tire noticed people in a white cube van throwing items out of the van ...
Blood pool a concern to cops
A resident complaint had Castlegar RCMP fearing the worst Wednesday, when a 9-1-1 call indicated a motor home was surrounded by a huge pool of blood. Police attended the scene, which was in front of a motor home parked in the Complex parking lot, where they did, indeed, find a huge quantity of blood, according […]
Attempted murder suspect to remain in jail
Robyn Mackay, 50, will remain in police custody after a bail hearing in Nelson yesterday. Mackay, a Castlegar resident, was arrested after a 73-year-old Castlegar man, her father, was stabbed repeatedly on Aug. 15. “At (about) 12:15 a.m., Castlegar RCMP received a report of an elderly adult male being the victim of a stabbing...
City to respond to SD 20 school closure plans
City of Castlegar mayor and council have referred a School District 20 (SD 20) report to committee in preparation for drafting a letter expressing dismay at the district's proposals. The letter is in response to SD 20's new plans to reduce costs, which includes the closure of the Blueberry Communtiy School Hub. "I thought it...
Rezoning sees rare split vote at council
More than 20 people showed up for a public hearing Monday night on the rezoning of a property on 21 Street just off Columbia Avenue. The property is the proposed site of a new two-storey building to house J.J.'s Fashions, but residents expressed concerns that the street is too narrow to allow proper traffic flow. “There ...
Bear bylaws to be enforced with fines
City council, at its regular meeting Monday night, decided that public education isn't doing the trick and it's time to start enforcing bylaws meant to reduce the amount of unsecured garbage drawing hungry bears into the city. The issue arose after remarks made by Mayor Lawrence Chernoff drew national media attention, shedding...
Public meeting on $25-mill expansion draws 100+ residents
As many as 100 people were on hand at the Complex Saturday morning to discuss the proposed $25-million expansion plan, which includes a new sheet of ice, a new tot pool and more. The meeting was designed to provide information to residents so they may cast an educated ballet in the upcoming expansion referendum, which is...
Castlegar goes solar
The City of Castlegar is one of 15 communities and one First Nation across BC that is looking to develop and expand innovative solar power programs. The City will receive $5,000 in funding to enable them to develop solar hot-water programs in an effort to promote clean energy, reduce greenhouse gas and create a more sustainable...