Nelson novelist Mark Nykanen has two new books coming out under two different names with two different publishers – all within a three-week period this spring. The first is Burn Down the Sky, a post-apocalyptic thriller published by HarperCollins. Using his pen name, James Jaros, Nykanen tells a tale set in North America in the […]

A chance to be live at one of the best outdoor music festivals on the continent is up for grabs as the calendar heads into the Canada Day weekend. Kaslo Jazz Etc. Summer Music Festival — now in its 20th year (July 29-31) — has ignited the delight of a worldwide audience, with USA Today […]

Take a trip through the past, do something good for the environment and add a classic touch to your wardrobe. A one-day vintage sale this Saturday (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) will get you to the promised land of hip, collecting together some of the most classic and sought after vintage and retro styles of […]

It’s that time of year again: the Gold Fever Follies starts up it’s 25th season on Canada Day and this year promises to bring a smile to your face get your toes tapping as usual. Directed by Iron Mountain Theatre’s RJ Peters and written by local RSS aluma and Follies veteran Brian Turner, this year’s cast are all new to...

Get your game face on, it’s the summer solstice, officially the first day of summer. And judging by the attempts of the sun to break through the cloud and gloom in most parts of the West Kootenay, the powers that be are aware of the significance of the day as well. Summer solstice occurs exactly […]

By Hephzibah Anderson, The Observer By now, most casually informed shoppers know that cheap  fashion is something none of us can afford. We’re aware that the nimble needlework of children has been found in high street shops, that seas have died satisfy our cotton addiction and that sweatshops are far from being a thing of […]

Photos courtesy Linda Swanson Castlegar city council met the eight contenders for Miss Castlegar 2011 during its regular meeting Monday night, as each young lady introduced herself and offered a short speech. Pageant coordinator Carol Summerville says the ladies have been working since January to prepare for pageant day June 3.   “They’ve been learning […]

The countdown to the BC Seniors Games has officially begun after a torchlighting ceremony in Castlegar last night. More than 100 people turned out to watch the torch being lit at 8 p.m. at the Castlegar Complex, after words from games organizers, Castlegar mayor Lawrence Chernoff, Nelson city councillor Deb Kozak, Trail mayor Dieter Bogs, […]

By Nicole Brewer Shambhala Music Festival may be hidden and nestled in the mountains, held on a farm near Salmo, but it still ranks in the upper half of a top 100 most visible music festivals on Google, according to a study recently conducted by Marianne Lorthiois, an MBA student in Quebec City. Massive festivals […]

By the Kootenay Library Federation It’s a book club anyone can join – and you don’t even have to provide hors d’oeuvres. One Book, One Kootenay (OBOK) is a region-wide book club that celebrates the work of the talented writers living in the Kootenay Boundary. This year, readers from across the Kootenay region will read […]