“Castlegar has taken the cake this year,” – that from BC Assessment’s deputy assessor, Dennis Hickson, in regard to residential property values in the region for 2010. He said the average increase in assessed value for single family dwellings in Castlegar is 4.66 per cent, compared with Nelson’s 1.92 per cent, Creston at 2.61 per […]

Ahh, the perfect January day in Rossland. The new-fallen snow is sparkling in the brilliant winter sun; the air is just crisp enough to greet cheeks and noses with a kiss of cold; and the peacefulness of snow dampened sound set a scene that could be straight out of a holiday snow globe. What’s the first thought that comes to...

We’ve got a plan to make Rossland more sustainable in place, but how is it working? That question will now begin to be answered as the Sustainability Commission works toward completing Phase Three of its State of Rossland project in the coming weeks. “We have to monitor how well the Strategic Sustainability Plan implementation...

A further measure of relief from residential property taxes for rural West Kootenay homeowners takes effect in 2011, with the start of the Northern and Rural Area Homeowner Benefit. This benefit provides up to $200 for homeowners living outside of the Capital, Greater Vancouver and Fraser Valley regional districts, such as those residing in the […]

I never would have thought that an innocent, one-person Olympic protest would result in a pretty sweet writing gig, but that’s exactly what happened in January 2010. My only aim with my little protest was to have my voice heard, and I think I accomplished that. But I also was, as a result, given the opportunity by the Telegraph...

Marley Bassett of Nelson was joined by a few friends to officially open the Glory Ridge triple chair at the Whitewater Ski Resort. Bassett won the raffle draw hosted by Whitewater Ski Team, the Avalanche Awareness Beyond the Boundaris, and the Nelson Food Cupboard. Rising 2,042 vertical-feet in 11 minutes, the new Glory Ridge Chair, […]

Choosing the best music of the year is always difficult when there are so many interesting bands to choose from and narrowing the field to say that one is the best of all is impossible. Here’s my take on the top albums of the year, in no specific order because, well, there just isn’t one […]

The Year in Review story for 2009 was so easy to write – I could be glib and tongue-in-cheek while lampooning a maniacal pot lobby (not the sane, reasonable proponents, just the nutbars who penned missives offering to find out where I live and “knock some sense into that fat, empty head of yours.” Yikes!). […]

PART II: This past year, my staff and I had the privilege of assisting constituents faced with federal bureaucratic problems – unfair treatment, misinterpretations or just plain despair at not seeing any hope in their particular plight.  For the most part, I find the federal public service is exceptionally professional, knowledgeable and helpful, and should not be […]

In perhaps one of the most bizarre stories of the year, that of bears being used as guard dogs at a Christina Lake marijuana grow op grew stranger by the day. From D-List Canadian Celebrities coming out in support of the bears followed by viral petitions and the emergence of “The Bear Dude,” as a new character in the Kootenay...