SD20 puts RSS back on the chopping block for this coming fall
School District No. 20 (SD20) released three packages of "background information" on Monday to prepare the public for a series of upcoming forums in SD20's 2012-2013 facilities review. Of particular interest to Rossland is the backgrounder for the Greater Trail area (available here) in which SD20 staff make the case for...
Coun. Moore and Mayor Granstrom hash out the grey zone of council confidentiality
A special report on "Open Meetings" issued by the BC ombudsperson in September spurred Coun. Kathy Moore to raise a number of problems at Monday's regular meeting with the way she feels council has historically handled in camera (closed) meetings. "It's really good, it's worth reading," Moore said about the report, Open...
You decide: Does social media make us lonely?
According to a recent IPSOS poll “nearly one-half of online Canadians (45%) are now visiting a social networking site at least once a week, and 30% visit daily”; source: http://www.ipsos-na.com/news-polls/pressrelease.aspx?id=5286. But what is regular use of social media doing for us? Are we more connected and thus happier? ...
The eye of the needle
In Mark's gospel we hear the story of a rich man catching up with Jesus. “I’ve lived faithfully and followed the commandments,” he says. “What more must I do to inherit eternal life?” On hearing Jesus' prescription (give away everything to the poor and follow me) he leaves in despair. He cannot untangle himself from the...
The Blue Eyes Brook ponds: A wildlife bonus or a water source hazard?
A four year old water license application has resurfaced as BC’s Water Stewardship Division sought to clean out its files, but as Rossland maintains its objection to the application in the absence of an engineer's report, the landowners question the city's motivation. A small tributary called the Blue Eyes Brook runs south ...
Binding arbitration on sewer service begins between Trail, Rossland, and Warfield
An arbitrator has been selected by BC's Intergovernmental Relations and Planning Division (IRP) to resolve the sanitary sewage dispute that has been dragging on for years between Rossland, Trail, and Warfield over the fair sharing of costs for the existing service—the bulk of the disagreement, however, is between Rossland and...
Old Cooke school site could become 24 units of affordable housing, but developer stymied by city restrictions
The old Cooke Ave. school site may soon see construction as council advanced a zoning amendment that will allow local developer Cezary Ksiazek to build a group of six fourplexes. A public hearing is scheduled for Dec. 10 after which council will vote on third reading and adoption of the bylaw. The plan council advanced,...
Canadian Bar Assn says Bill S-7 duplicates existing laws to combat terrorism
While committed to a safe and secure Canada, the Canadian Bar Association (CBA) says that Bill S-7, Criminal Code, Canada Evidence Act and Security of Information Act amendments (Combating Terrorism Act) would not provide any new tools to combat terrorist offences. “Instead,” says Paul Calarco, member of the CBA’s National ...
Dangerous and disrespectful: speeding on Thompson Ave. threatens area residents
Gerald Savard knows there's a big problem with speeding on Thompson Avenue—he lives on the street below the hill at the intersection with Esling Drive—but he's dismayed that "nobody seems to want to do anything about it.""The traffic is unbelievable," he said. "People go 70, 80 kilometres per hour, it's just crazy. People...
Public hearing for Black Bear Drive rezoning draws vehement opposition from neighbours
Two neighbours spoke strongly against Curtis Nichols' application to rezone his property, 926 Black Bear, from R1 Residential to C2 Commercial Service at the public hearing on Monday. The city has also received similar correspondence since details about the proposal were reported two weeks ago. The image above is a zoning map...
