UPDATED: Agreement ends FortisBC lockout of 225 electrical workers
Both sides of the FortisBC lockout will be getting an early Christmas present: an end to what has been a long and bitter parting of ways. Mike Flynn, business manager of IBEW local 213, said the 225 locked out electrical workers should be looking at an immediate return to work, with some back on the job as soon as this...
RCMP officer takes creative approach to release bobcat from Nelson basement
Following a long day working with students, the next item on the agenda for Nelson’s Leanne Kalabis was to collect her 1-1/2 year old son and head home. Did we say Kalabis was five months pregnant? However, relaxation was the last thing the Nelson mother got to experience after a wayward bobcat found its way into the basement...
Accident claims life of 61-year-old Rossland resident
A 61-year-old Rossland man has died after a single-vehicle crash yesterday afternoon. West Kootenay Traffic Services Cpl. John Ferguson said Trail RCMP got a 9-1-1 call at 2:23 p.m. on Dec. 15 regarding an accidents on Gelesz Road. “A 2013 GMC pickup driven by a 61-year-old male resident of Rossland failed to negotiate a curve...
3rd annual Christmas Faire this Saturday
Every year our Christmas Faire offers local vendors a place to sell their products and the community a place to purchase local, sustainable, organic, unique and handcrafted items just in time for Christmas. The last two years have been very successful. Fundraising for our local Community Christmas Hampers Program have brought...
Ministry issues air quality warning and open burning restrictions in GF
UPDATE: The Ministry of Environment has ended the fine particulate (PM2.5) advisory and burning restrictions for Grand Forks and surrounding areas (20 km radius from downtown). Air quality has improved because fine particulate concentrations have returned to levels below the provincial objective. UPDATE: The Ministry of...
PART TWO: What does 'crime reduction' look like in Castlegar and Trail?
Last week, we discussed the overarching goals of a specialized RCMP Crime Reduction Unit in Castlegar, as presented to city council by CRU non-commissioned officer in charge Cpl. Darryl Orr and his supervisor, Sgt. Mike Wicentowich (To read Part One, click here). Those goals/priorities include in-depth or long-term investigations,...
IBEW Local 213 agrees to FortisBC 'Binding Interest Arbitration' offer, with conditions
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 213 Business Manager Rod Russell said Wednesday the union is willing to accept the recent offer of "Binding Interest Arbitration" from FortisBC to end the five-plus month labour dispute. However, some conditions are attached to the recent IBEW Local 213 counter proposal ...
Heat gets cranked at GE presentation
Doctors Thierry Vrain and Shivs Copra are making a Western Canada tour this month and stopped in at the Grand Fork’s Senior’s Centre, Dec. 5. The duo work with the Society for a GE Free BC and share their research on genetically engineered products and what the public needs to know about them. Sheila Dobie, a Grand Forks and...
Christmas bird count starts this weekend
Between Dec. 14 and Jan. 4, hawk-eyed volunteers across the continent will brave various weather conditions to count birds during the annual Christmas Bird Count. On Dec 21st, birders and nature enthusiasts in Grand Forks will take part in this tradition, many rising before dawn to participate in the longest running wildlife...
MP speaks out against horse neglect in GF
EDITOR'S NOTE: Ten emaciated horses were siezed by the BC SPCA from Kevin LaFond's farm just outside of Grand Forks last week. Two of the horses were immediately destroyed. This is not the first time the SPCA has been called to this farm. I recently had a chance to see the CTV news clip explaining the SPCA intervention on...
