Talk about putting the cart before the horse. Fall 2013 the RDKB (Regional District of Kootenay Boundary) launches the Kettle Blah-Blah Plan. A few months later Grand Forks city council slams through a unanimous motion to install residential smart water metres. The citizenry clamours, an open-house is held and already by April...

Connie Denesiuk has announced her intention to seek the Federal Liberal nomination for the new South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding. The new South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding brings together towns, cities and communities in an especially beautiful region of the province.  There are significant demographic, economic, historical...

The issue of medical marijuana production and research has raised its head in the Kootenays, as city council offered its support, in its usual meeting Monday night (tonight), for the regional district's creation of a bylaw and zoning to allow for governance of same. City councillor Kevin Chernoff said the Regional District ...

It seems that no one likes to pay taxes, yet taxes buy the goods and services we use together in our communities. For example, it would be difficult to pay for the fire or police department individually, or schools, hospitals or roads. Historically, income taxes have been used to reduce inequality, with top earners paying a...

City council voted unanimously tonight to support a Chamber-of-Commerce-led request for a two-per-cent accomodation tax bylaw request (which requires final approval by the province). City councillor and Finances and Corporate Services Committee chair Kevin Chernoff said this means, in layman's terms, that if you stay in a...

The refrigeration system chiller at the Pioneer Arena in Castlegar has failed which means the community has lost one ice surface temporarily. The recreation commission will recommend to the RDCK Board at its May 15th meeting to replace the chiller at the Pioneer Arena in 2014 at an approximate cost of $120,000. The new chiller...

Ed. Note: The following is a press release issued by the City of Trail: Trail Council would like to clarify the misinformation being presented by petition canvassers to Trail’s citizens in regards to the future pipeline/pedestrian bridge which will accommodate a secondary water pipeline, a gas pipeline and a sewer interceptor....

A Grand Forks’ man has become the first person in Canada to be fired for refusing to get a flu shot. Arnold Hoekstra, 49, worked as a nurse’s aide at the Boundary Hospital for five years in an adult day program. When pressure was put on him to get the flu shot, he refused. As an alternative, he was asked to wear a mask while...

B.C. health care workers have delivered an overwhelming strike mandate to back their negotiating team’s bid to secure a fair and respectful collective agreement with health employers. Members of the 11 unions that form the Facilities Bargaining Association voted 96 per cent in favour of strike action after a month of balloting...

Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) Castlegar Local is outraged by the announcement made by Canada Post (CPC) manager Norm Ouellet that, effective May 12, 2014, customers will no longer be able to pick up carded items such as parcels or mail requiring a signature at the corporate Post Office. On that date, items will be...