Police are indicating  there may be some connection between a series of armed robberies in the area, most recently, one this afternoon at the downtown Kootenay Savings branch.   "On March 11 at approximately 1:18 pm, the Castlegar RCMP Detachment received a complaint of a bank robbery alarm at the Kootenay Savings Credit Union...

Crimea Knock knock. Who’s there? Crimea. Crimea who? Crimea a river. Click. (phone is hung up.) Putin is knocking on Obama’s door… This was a Facebaook cartoon posted March 4. Clever joke. For me it says enough. Who told the USA it is the champion of global rights and the law of international politics? It seems to think that...

Horses are not raised according to the food safety protocols required of food animals. The wide array of highly toxic medications they are commonly administered convinces me that horsemeat poses an unacceptable risk to the health of those who consume it.  In the hopes of legislating severe restrictions on Canada’s horse...

Footloose the musical graced the stage of Grand Forks Secondary School on March 7th, 8th, and 9th. The main character of the play is a boy named Ren McCormack (played by Aaron Baker), whom I have known for a long time and had no idea he could sing so well. The nice thing about the play was the set. The set was simple and...

For those of you who follow the proceedings in the legislature you will very likely see the best and the worst of the process of government. It is a process steeped in tradition and is somewhat archaic and slow to respond to change. However, I believe that those who put their names on a ballot to represent the people in their...

Police are asking for public assistance after an armed robbery Friday evening, according to RCMP Sgt. Laurel Mathew.   "On March 7 at approximately 6:45 p.m., the Castlegar RCMP received a complaint of an armed robbery at Johnny's grocery, located on Broadwater Road in Robson. The suspect male entered the store and brandished...

Registrations are being accepted for artists/venues in the Columbia Basin to participate in the Columbia Basin Culture Tour (CBCT). The CBCT is a two day celebration of culture taking place August 9-10, 2014 from 10 am to 5 pm. The CBCT is a self-guided tour showcasing local arts, culture and heritage offered at no charge to...

Alex Atamanenko, MP (BC Southern Interior) couldn’t be more pleased that Humane Society International/Canada has launched a new campaign to support his private members bill C-571 that will severely restrict the slaughter of horses for human consumption. Parliament will be debating Bill C-571 at the end of this month. “There...

I was surprised at the reaction the public has had towards water metres. Not floored, change is uncomfortable and there is almost always a backlash. What surprised me is how vehement and ongoing the reaction has been. I’ve been fortunate enough to have travelled quite a bit and lived in many parts of the world. In most places...

For years many people have wondered about the effects of electric and magnetic fields (EMF) on human health. More recently, these concerns have extended to radiofrequency (RF) exposure from wireless technologies like cordless phones, cell phones, cell phone towers, GPS devices, “smart” meters, and WiFi.  In 2011, the WHO...