Dear Rossland City Councilors, I am baffled by the Mayor calling a public meeting and then having nothing specific to say.  He acknowledges  that “mistakes were made” but can’t say what they were. He says there have been changes but can’t identify any specifically. Most outrageously, he continues to say that there is no...

The City of Rossland’s response to a public clamouring to learn who did what, with which, and to whom in a matter concerning arena renovations was a reassurance from the mayor that, notwithstanding a few unfortunate and regrettable miscues, all is well, on time, and on budget. Vague references to a Constitution Bylaw were...

Suddenly everyone seems to be clamoring about the fact that one Jason George Ward of Port Alberni pleaded guilty to having a grow-op on his property. It seems to me that before a lynch mob is formed, several questions ought to be asked, and if possible, answered. The first is whether that Jason George Ward is "our" Jason Ward;...

Many arguments have countered claims made in School District No. 20's (SD20) recent facilities report that recommends closing MacLean and reducing RSS to a K-9 facility, but we feel the most cogent is Aaron Cosbey’s analysis, summarized here and attached below.Another document that succinctly reviews the errors, omissions, ...

The Lil’ Gretzky’s Preschool Hockey program for kids 3-5 years starts this week!   The program will run for the month of January, on Mondays from 3:15-4:15pm starting Monday, January 7.   This is a fun approach to getting comfortable on the ice and in an Arena setting and is geared towards children with limited or no skating...

Dear editor, At the meeting in the Seniors’ Centre last Thursday, the Mayor claimed that a comprehensive audit of the Arena contracts awarded to the former building inspectors company had been done. He said many times that he doesn’t see the need for a more comprehensive investigation. Anyone even with only a minimal knowledge...

Dear editor, I am a consultant with a doctoral degree in leadership and a keen interest in the importance of trust in organizations. More importantly, I am a resident of Rossland and, like many others, implicitly trust my elected officials to do be reliable stewards of our affairs. Acting on behalf of others requires openness...

Dear madames/sirs, Nobody can deny that our government needs to focus on the citizens that count. We cannot continue to spend money on education, health care and social services while the population using those services are barely  paying into the tax base. Less than 3% of children and teens attending school earn an income,...

Readers have suggested at least two important questions since we published the budget analysis and initiated our “Budge the Budget” DemocracySTORM: to what extent are community and recreation organizations paying their own way? And can we compare our budget with that of other communities?In keeping with the budget analysis,...

Historians, archaeologists, and palaeontologists focus on pivotal moments around which separate eras seem to hinge. It is no different in other disciplines as ecologists define community edges and philosophers erect words around meaning. Meanwhile, down on Planet Earth, climbers, bikers, skiers, and boaters flow over their ...