In the wake of raging wildfires, BC Liquor Stores’ customers and employees came together to help support Red Cross relief efforts for victims of the recent Rock Creek and Oliver wildfires to the tune of almost $102,000. To help support South Okanagan community members forced from their homes and starting from nothing following...

The Southeast Fire Centre said sustained and persistent work by firefighters, cooler temperatures and significant precipitation have reduced wildfire activity in many areas of the district. "The fire danger rating in most of the northern part of the Southeast Fire Centre’s jurisdiction is now “very low”, while most of the...

The slate of contenders for South Okanagan-West Kootenay MP seems to be increasing rapidly as the filing deadline (Sept. 28) approaches. Although the Elections Canada website only shows three hopefuls so far, at least three more have expressed their desire to run in our riding (current MP Alex Atamanenko will be retiring at...

WildSafeBC is giving Castlegar the opportunity to be designated a ‘Bear Smart’ community during one of our worst bear seasons in years – and encouraging the city penalize residents who won’t get on board. “The bear situation in Castlegar right now is crazy, I've never received so many phone calls and emails,” WildSafe coordinator...

The Road Kings car club is hosting the annual Queen’s City Cruise this weekend, with up to 400 cars expected to participate in the show. Vehicles from all over Western Canada and the United States will be parked on Baker Street, and hot rod aficionados from areas as far as California will be making the trip to show off their...

Federal election candidates will have an opportunity to focus on issues of peace, security and climate change in a pair of all-candidates forums slated for September 16 and 17. The three important and often intertwined topics are of increasing importance to Canadians in the 21st Century. Co-hosted by Selkirk College’s Mir...

Overall, an estimated 3,900 Canadians and 800, 000 people worldwide die by suicide each year, yet it remains a taboo subject that is often not openly discussed.   Here in B.C. we lose an average of 500 people a year to suicide. The effects can be devastating to our families and our communities. Suicide prevention is a shared...

One of the biggest, and proudest, events of the year is set to kick off this Friday, as Kootenay Pride takes over downtown Nelson for four days of parties, parades, and more. The annual event, now in its 19th year, begins on Friday at Finley’s Grill, which is hosting a meet and greet and offering a burger and beer combo $15,...

On the August 29-30 weekend, the BC Wildfire Service responded to four new human-caused wildfires in the Cariboo Fire Centre. One of those wildfires was sparked by an abandoned campfire. This wildfire, located at Suey Bay on Horsefly Lake, was discovered on Sunday, August 30. Thanks to reports from the public, crews were able...

Castlegar fire chief Gerry Rempel has fabulous bragging rights after a request for assistance last weekend from the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary. “When it (the US Stickpin wildfire looming perilously close to the Canadian border and threatening Grand Forks and Christina Lake) was declared an emergency, it became a...