Regional News
By Lone Sheep Publishing on Wednesday Sep 22 2021
The weekly Geographic Distribution of COVID-19 by Local Health Area of Case Residence map recently Wednesday shows most the West Kootenay on a decline.
The weekly report released by the BC Centre of Disease Control, between September 12-18, 2021, has Trail at 17 as the area with the highest case count in the West Kootenay.
Nelson is next with 11 new COVID-19 cases while Castlegar has six.
The previous week — September 5-11, 2021 — had Nelson and Trail both with 41 cases.
Arrow Lakes had four new COVID-19 cases while there was zero in the Kootenay Lake area.
By Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Tuesday Sep 21 2021
A nearly zero per cent rental availability rate in Nelson had troubled Jim Reimer for years.
The pastor of Kootenay Christian Fellowship (KCF) watched the door slowly shut on available rental accommodations and affordability in Nelson for working class people as the housing market transitioned traditional rental units to short-term offerings over the last 10 years.
By Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Tuesday Sep 21 2021
Two years later the song remains the same.
In the 2019 federal election the Liberals won a minority government — being declared before polls closed in B.C. — and Conservative candidate Rob Morrison edged NDP candidate Wayne Stetski for the Kootenay-Columbia seat.
Fast forward two years and one pandemic later and the same results transpired in the 2021 federal election Monday night, with a Liberal win and Morrison heading back to Ottawa.
By Bob Hall on Monday Sep 20 2021
A fresh space on Selkirk College’s Castlegar Campus welcomes students from diverse cultural backgrounds to join together in dialogue, knowledge and understanding.
During the first full week of classes at the regional post-secondary, students, faculty and staff joined together with Elders to officially open the college’s first Indigenous classroom. Beginning with a smudging ceremony outside, students taking the Indigenous Studies 287 course entered a beautiful room configured and adorned in a manner that inspires interconnected learning.
By Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Sunday Sep 19 2021
People can light them if they got them as the burning ban has been lifted in most of the rural West Kootenay region.
As of late last week open burning is permitted in several fire zones, including Kootenay Lake — which contains Nelson and the Slocan Valley — Arrow, Columbia, Invermere and Cranbrook.
The lifting of the ban — which had been in place for nearly three months — unofficially signals the end of the wildfire season in the region.
By Lone Sheep Publishing on Wednesday Sep 15 2021
Effective at noon Pacific Time on Thursday, September 16, 2021, the Southeast Fire Centre said all open burning will be permitted in the Cranbrook, Invermere, Columbia, Arrow and Kootenay Lake fire zones.
However, open burning will remain prohibited in the Boundary fire zone.
In the Boundary Zone the following equipment and activities remain prohibited:
By Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Tuesday Sep 14 2021
Game on.
The city has approved a proposal by the Nelson Hoops Association to construct a regulation-sized basketball court at Lakeside Park, over 10 years after a similar proposal by two enterprising young men was denied by the council of the day.
As well, the city approved an in-kind contribution of up to $7,500 to cover city staff time and material for the work associated with the project.
The time and money contribution are well spent, said Coun. Rik Logtenberg.
“It’s a small amount compared to the great asset we are bringing to the community,” he said.
By Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Tuesday Sep 14 2021
A public inquest into the death of a man shot by police near Slocan in 2014 is set to begin in Nelson later this month.
The details surrounding the death of Peter John de Groot will be the subject of the BC Coroners Service public inquest scheduled to begin Sept. 27 at the Nelson Courthouse (9:30 a.m.).
De Groot was living in a cabin outside of Slocan at the time of his death in October, 2014, when he was involved in a confrontation with RCMP.
By Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Monday Sep 13 2021
Arrests will be made if people insist on ‘flaunting the current health directions’ regarding COVID-19 restrictions, the city’s chief constable has declared.
Donovan Fisher said Monday that, although they respect everyone’s right to choose, people who ignore the requirements for businesses to check for vaccinations will be arrested.
By Michael Jessen on Monday Sep 13 2021
“We can envisage a world that is different but in order to bring it into being, we must take action.” – Alastair McIntosh
Activism comes in all sizes, shapes, and at all ages.
Greta Thunberg was only eight when she first learned about the climate crisis.
