Participatory democracy or puppet mastery? Open government in Rossland … or not?
In the lead-up to Rossland's recent municipal elections, all the candidates clamoured to speak in favour of greater transparency in local government machinations and to pledge allegiance to the principles of open communication and public consultation. It is fitting, then, that a controversy over the exclusion of council (and...
More questions than answers as Rossland's mayor apologizes for failing to consult with council
Mayor Greg Granstrom ended council's regular meeting on Monday with a brief apology for bypassing council consultation as he and CAO Victor Kumar ploughed ahead with a grant application for a $5 million dollar indoor swimming pool—but Granstrom made no mention of the $25,000 spent on the application without proper authorization.The...
Who is the CAO, what does he do, and what's his contract with Rossland?
The swimming pool controversy was sparked by a faulty process in which the CAO and the mayor neglected to consult council on important city matters, both strategic and financial, but now many Rosslanders are asking more fundamental questions, like "who is the CAO, what does he do, and what's in his contract?"Here we try and...
Great news for Leafs as Martens returns to Green and White
By Bruce FuhrThe Nelson Daily Sports Frank Maida has been desperately trying to replace sniper Patrick Martens since the sophomore center left the Leafs for the greener pastures of the B.C. Hockey League in November. Maida needs to search no longer for a player to replace Martens. Because just when it appeared a deal could […]
LEGENDS AND TALES OF THE MOUNTAIN KINGDOM: I Fought the Law and the Law Won, Part Two--Jack Ingram
About a year ago, I wrote a column about John Kirkup, Rossland’s first official lawman. I gave accounts of some of his exploits and tried to provide a sense of this big man’s personality around town. Kirkup didn’t have a long tenure as keeper of local law and order; he was apparently not popular with the politicians of the ...
Measuring our progress: An Energy Diet update
Without a doubt, Rosslanders are a hearty bunch as evidenced by the many of you that braved the storm in November to exchange your lights for energy efficient alternatives. In total, 152 strings of holiday lights were collected and 325 CFLS exchanged. If all of these lights are used to replace incandescent bulbs, Rosslanders...
Nelson man to face charges after Castlegar incident
Castlegar RCMP are recommending charges of assault and mischief endangering life against a 26-year-old Nelson man, according to RCMP Sgt Laurel Mathew. She said the charges are stemming from an incident on Jan. 8 at roughly 3 a.m., in which a limousine ride for a driver and 18 passengers ended in a collision on Columbia […]
Robberies provoke police into public warning
Three separate businesses in Castlegar have been robbed of counter-top donation boxes in recent weeks, according to RCMP Const. Jeremy Knight. Knight said police have identified the suspect in one such case, and have leads in the investigation of the other two. “Some businesses chain the donation boxes down, or even glue them to the […]
January is happening at the Royal Inn
Here’s what’s happening at the Royal Grill and Lounge in January: Tuesday, January 17th – Magic Bus w/ Suplex – Showtime 10pm – Magic Bus Tuesdays is a night to hear some talented local musicians or dj’s with no cover! This Tuesday Dj Suplex takes the stage! Wednesday, January 18th – Variety Shows w/ Estevan And […]
Renegade flagpole halts traffic outside Touchstones
High winds took down the flagpole at the Touchstones Museum Tuesday afternoon forcing traffic to a stand still. At approximately 3:15 p.m. the flagpole on the former City Hall building became dislodged at its base due to high winds. The pole was tossed around breaking windows on the historic building. Nelson City Police was called […]
