From Zimbabwe to the West Kootenays, Julie Leffelaar’s life path has crossed borders, cultures and time zones while always heading in the same direction: helping others. And that path has now led her here, to serve as the Support and Education Coordinator for the West Kootenay region for the non-profit Alzheimer Society of ...

Greenwood residents are being warned not to use their tap water for anything but flushing their toilets until Interior Health Authority (IHA) has ruled out a possible contamination. Today, Monday Sept. 17, a City of Greenwood crew member discovered the lock on the access hatch to the community's reservoir had been removed by...

By: Laranna Androsoff, winner FASD essay contest, 21 - 29 year category Hello. Allow me to introduce myself - I am Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, also known as FASD. You may know me as Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE), Partial FASD (pFAS) or Alcohol Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder (ARND). If a...

In September 1962 – 50 years ago this month – a book was published which changed the way we looked at the post-World War Two chemical revolution. Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring – a clarion call about the perils of pesticides – is largely credited with launching the modern day environmental movement. Soon after its publication,...

The numbers are disturbing. In Canada suicide claims the lives of more than 3,500 people each year. In 2010, over 450 deaths in B.C. were attributed to suicide. Hospitalization due to self harming and suicidal behavioursis even more common. Between 2010-2011, there were over 2,800 self-inflicted injuries that required...

BC Ombudsperson Kim Carter is visiting Nelson and Castlegar Sept. 12 and 13 to present her findings re improving seniors' care in BC, with special reference to the West Kootenay area. Those organizing her visit to the area have scheduled events both Nelson and Castlegar at different times of the day in the hope that as many...

Numerous cities throughout Texas, United States have begun broadening their efforts to fight mosquito populations, in an effort to reduce transmission of the sometimes-lethal West Nile virus. Officials in Dallas county have declared a public health emergency. Officials there have requested use of five planes, intended to spray...

The Grand Forks valley has been waking up to intense levels of smoke over the past week. The good news is there are no local fires, but the bad news is the poor air quality is from ongoing fires in Russia. The West Kootenays has three active fires, all believed to be caused by lightening strikes, said Fionna Tollovsen fire ...

Medicinal marijuana access is becoming increasingly complex in Canada as licenced users are challenged yet again with changes to the rules for growing the drug. Despite a growing acceptance of the medical uses of the plant across the country, changes planned by Health Canada to the current system will see doctors being able...

By: Riley Chapman, winner FASD Essay Contest When you think about brain damage you likely think about tragic accidents that we have no control over. But do you ever think about the most common type of brain damage that is also one hundred percent preventable?  Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder or FASD is a disability that occurs...