Dr. Anna Reid, the former chief of staff and the emergency and intensive care unit physician at the Kootenay Lake Hospital, was recently appointed as president of the Canadian Medical Association (CMA). The well-travelled and impassioned physician plans to bring a unique rural perspective to the new role as the CMA spokesperson and advocate for […]

In September 1962 – 50 years ago this month – a book was published which changed the way we looked at the post-World War Two chemical revolution. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring – a clarion call about the perils of pesticides – is largely credited with launching the modern day environmental movement. Soon after its publication,...

As Columbia Ave. gets a fresh coat of concrete—complete with impromptu doggie prints—Coun. Jody Blomme raised the twin issues of public smoking and downtown dogs at Tuesday's regular council meeting."We are nearing the end of downtown construction, we have to think about how we're going to use the downtown now," she said,...

The numbers are disturbing. In Canada suicide claims the lives of more than 3,500 people each year. In 2010, over 450 deaths in B.C. were attributed to suicide. Hospitalization due to self harming and suicidal behavioursis even more common. Between 2010-2011, there were over 2,800 self-inflicted injuries that required...

Residents in the Woodbury Water System are advised to boil water starting Friday, August 31 said Jason McDiarmid Manager of Utility Services for the Regional District of Central Kootenay. McDiarmid said in an RDCK press release the system has been compromised due to the presence of coliform bacteria in water samples. “The RDCK and Interior […]

BC Ombudsperson Kim Carter is visiting Nelson and Castlegar September 12-13 to present her findings re improving seniors’ care in BC,  with special reference to the West Kootenay area. Those organizing the visit to the area have scheduled events both Nelson & Castlegar at different times of the day in the hope that as many […]

Numerous cities throughout Texas, United States have begun broadening their efforts to fight mosquito populations, in an effort to reduce transmission of the sometimes-lethal West Nile virus. Officials in Dallas county have declared a public health emergency. Officials there have requested use of five planes, intended to spray...

The Grand Forks valley has been waking up to intense levels of smoke over the past week. The good news is there are no local fires, but the bad news is the poor air quality is from ongoing fires in Russia. The West Kootenays has three active fires, all believed to be caused by lightening strikes, said Fionna Tollovsen fire ...

Full-size, mounted canvas prints of this Stéphanie Gauvin original are available for only $100 to help support Geneviève Fortin's efforts to attend a unique and intensive course in New York to help her daughter Mika progress with her autism."Mika is amazing," Fortin said. "She loves music, loves people, loves being outside,...

With the B.C. Day weekend right around the corner the BC Coroners Service is urging the public to be extra careful around lakes, rivers and streams as the provincial body investigates eight recent deaths. These deaths involved individuals from ages 12 to 75 and occurred in a variety of circumstances. The BC Coroners Service hiigh […]