Tonight (Monday) will see city council once again wrangling with the 2019 Castlegar budget as staff return to them with information describing the impact of an aggressive infrastructure plan spread out over either five years or seven. This, after public meetings last Monday and Thursday discussing the operational and capital...

A handful of Kootenay communities will participate in BC’s brand new Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) Entrepreneur Immigration Regional Pilot. Castlegar, Trail, Nelson, Rossland and RDCK Area J are among more than 30 BC communities to join the pilot, which aims to attract foreign entrepreneurs to establish businesses in rural...

Students in Selkirk College’s Peace & Justice Program are inviting the community to take part in an open dialogue to discuss the growth of international learners in the region with a goal of increased understanding. Selkirk College is part of the province-wide upward trend in post-secondary international student enrolment....

The BC SPCA is encouraging members of the public to show their support for Bill C-84, which broadens the definition of bestiality and expands provisions against animals used for fighting. Bill C-84 was introduced by former Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould and includes amendments to section 445.1(1)(b) and 447 of the...

A photograph posted on social media of a high-centred police vehicle, taken Sunday in the Pend d'Oreille, sparked rumours that a police officer had died, which is not the case, according to RCMP Sgt. Mike Wicentowich. Wicentowich said the rumour had even reached the detachment. “We’ve been hearing that, too,” he said. “(What...

The first annual Ignite Kootenay Women’s Conference was a resounding success.  Over 160 women from across the Kootenays attended the two-day event. Among other things, we learned about money personalities, the Grief Ring Theory, how to better deal with anxiety and guilt, the importance of mindset, and how gratitude can literally...

Oceanside Community Safety is a group of volunteers that want to make a difference. Their Traffic Watch program is an expansion of Speedwatch that now includes Cell Watch and Intersection Watch. Intersection Watch volunteers observe drivers at an intersection to check compliance with traffic laws and remind drivers of their...

Castlegar’s own Deborah Chmara has been named 2019’s Public Safety Lifeline Volunteer of the Year by Emergency Management B.C. Many locals will recognize Chmara’s name from her 35 years of teaching English and Social Studies, first in Blueberry, then at Twin Rivers, then Kinnaird Middle School and finally Stanley Humphries ...

Castlegar Primary School and Winlaw Elementary School are set to receive $105,000 grants for a new accessible playground each, according to Kootenay West MLA Katrine Conroy  “Access to play is a crucial step in a child’s development,” said Conroy. “It builds social connections, creativity and healthy lifestyles. I am proud ...

This is one of my favourite dishes, as it looks and tastes restaurant-worthy, but is simple enough for even kids to make, and it’s literally 10 minutes from start to service. It also imparts a distinctly Asian flavour without the need for soy sauce. It’s rich and hearty enough for dinner, but also light enough to be a healthy...