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Kony video incites anger among some Ugandans

Anyone following online citizen media closely this month, would inevitably have come across the heated global debate over the Invisible Children viral campaign to stop Ugandan war criminal and rebel army leader Joseph Kony. While the Kony 2012 campaign certainly received the attention it sought, many Ugandans and Africans...

Mediator fails to achieve regional cooperation on sewer service, recommends binding arbitration for Rossland, Trail, and Warfield

Following an attempt last year to achieve a mediated solution to the ongoing sewer dispute between Rossland, Trail, and Warfield, the chair of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB), Larry Gray, wrote Minister Ida Chong on Feb. 8 to ask that  the issue be declared a "prescribed matter suitable for binding arbitration."...

Council scraps DCCs and plans for new connection charges

Council will soon debate a series of bylaws to revoke both the Development Cost Charge (DCC) and the regional Sewer Cost Recovery Charge (SCRC), and to replace these with a single Service Capacity Connection Charge (CCC) for water, sewer, and drainage. Council's decision to support CCCs over DCCs and SCRCs was unanimous. They...

Mayor attempts to remove parallel parking in tender documents for Columbia project design, but council postpones design changes for now

Council voted to release the tender documents for the Columbia Ave. project after an in camera discussion and a "special" meeting on Monday night, but when the public were admitted for the following committee-of-the-whole meeting, Mayor Greg Granstrom moved to modify the tendered design "to have angle parking be the design ...

Builder and energy assessor Ray Smith passionate about “passive” homes

My reassessment by green builder Ray Smith was not only an opportunity to secure a fat cheque in the mail from BC and the feds—albeit three months from now—but Smith took the time to give me more insight into the future of construction.   Every stage of this energy-upgrade project has been a valuable education, from my original...

LETTER: Is council's decision to scrap DCCs potentially disasterous? Look at the numbers and decide for yourself

Dear editor, At a council meeting on Monday night, Rossland City Council recommended eliminating Development Cost Charges and the Regional sewer service cost recovery charge and replace them with a connection charge. Instead of paying the current $3,362 and $2,500, respectively, for a single family dwelling, the charge will...

CARTOON: Harper rolling out the welcome mat for China

Check out this new cartoon from Gerry Hummel highlighting the push to open up BC and Alberta's fossil fuel resources to emerging Asian markets like China. In recent months both Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Resources Minister Joe Oliver have told Canadians and leaders on the world's stage that the Enbridge Northern ...

Teachers' strike may cost picketers local support

A three-day strike to begin next Monday may cost BC teachers the support of some local parents, as residents scramble to find childcare with less than 48-hours notice (not counting the weekend). Jeanette Cook is a Castlegar mom with three kids, ages four, 12 and 13, who was supposed to start post-secondary school on Monday. […]

Council "smells the coffee" and "jumps out of the pool," removing the four-season aquatic centre from the 2012 five year financial plan

As council continued to trudge through the draft 2012 five year financial plan (FP) on Monday evening, four of seven on council decided they did not want the $5 million four-season pool project in the FP, even though a contentious grant application for this project was submitted in December. The debate boiled down to two...

Debate to expand the Aquatic Centre subsidy program stalled until summer

Council voted to delay debate on a policy amendment to expand the Trail Aquatic and Leisure Centre (TALC) subsidy program until after a plebiscite is held this summer. The decision split council 4-3, with Moore, Coun. Jody Blomme, and Coun. Jill Spearn against. Coun. Cary Fisher was also against the delay at the beginning of...

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