CBT hire a student program continues in fall
Businesses and organizations around the Basin can once again get support to hire students through Columbia Basin Trust’s School Works program. Applications are available at and are assessed on a first-come, first-served basis. The program provides a wage subsidy of up to $8/hour to encourage employers to provide part-time...
OOPS! You spelled that wrong. So what?
Spell lots of words wrong! Use apostrophes when you have no earthly reason to do so! Confuse ‘C’, ‘see’, and ‘sea’! Me saying this may seem dissonant to many who know me. I am a well-recognized grammar Nazi. I once got a death threat beginning with, “To the heretic hoar and her bastard son … ”. I was less offended by the death...
No movement in impasse between city and union workers
The impasse between the City of Castlegar and its union workers seems as relentless as ever today, after the second day of labour action. While not fully on strike per se, CUPE 2262 has issued a ban on overtime work as a first step after issuing 72-hour strike action notice on Friday, Aug. 15. Chris Barlow, city director of...
Hundreds of soldiers muster in region for exciting exercises
No, be not afraid, the Kootenays haven’t gone to war. If you’re noticing an influx of military vehicles and personnel, it’s because roughly 450 reserve soldiers and 80 military vehicles from across the province are now in the area to begin a fascinating training exercise called Exercise Kootenay Cougar 2014. According to Major...
The trouble with truffles - Castlegar style
The environment ministry is turning eyes toward Castlegar – not because of any sort of spill or calamity, but rather because of a truffle. Yes, that’s right, a truffle. It all started when life-long area resident Vera Chernoff was digging around in her flower bed and found what she thought was a rotten potato – which would ...
Visits to Violin Lake are actually trespassing
The City of Trail would like to remind the community that the Violin Lake area is private property and is closed to the public for any use at all times. Scheduled logging activity, with the use of heavy machinery, is currently underway in this area. Therefore the city would like to emphasize the importance for all people to...
Robin Williams made you uncomfortable? You have no idea.
Ed note: I sent this column to many of my people and asked if I was doing wrong in publishing it. They essentially said that, if I value telling the truth, I need to publish it. But it will likely hurt my business. I decided I want to be a better person than a better reporter. So here it is. I was so touched and moved by the...
City responds to CUPE's 72-hours strike notice
In the same week that Local 2262 requested the City to return to the bargaining table, Union Employees have issued 72 hour strike notice. “The city is concerned that the Union continues to represent that it is the city that needs to come back the bargaining table when it was the union that booked out the mediator, will not ...
Campfire ban rescinded for Southeast Fire Centre
Effective at 4 p.m. Pacific Time on Friday, Aug. 15, campfires once again will be permitted throughout the Southeast Fire Centre’s jurisdiction. The current campfire ban is being rescinded due to cooler weather in the forecast and recent precipitation that has resulted in a decreased wildfire risk in the region. Anyone lighting...
This year's Shambhala a mixed bag, from a policing perspective
Shambhala Festival ended well in terms of crashes and accidents, but there were many arrests, according to West Kootenay TRaffic Services Sgt. John Ferguson. "The West Kootenay Traffic Services and Nelson IRSU are pleased to announce that during the week long Shambhala Festival no reported fatal or serious crashes occurred...
