Update - Man remains missing despite further searching of the Kootenay River
RCMP and local search and rescue crews returned to the Kootenay River this past weekend to further search for the Edmonton Alberta man who disappeared on July 30, while attempting to rescue the family's dog. On Friday, Aug. 7, and Saturday, Aug. 8, the general public may have noticed an increased presence from both RCMP and...
Columbia River levels at Birchbank expected to rise by half a foot
BC Hydro is writing to advise the public of changes to the discharge rates from Arrow Lakes Reservoir that will take place on Saturday, August 8th: Date Time Change From To Saturday, August 8th 8:00 a.m. h 821 m3/s 68,000 ft3/s 963 m3/s 73,000 ft3/s 9:00 a.m. h 963 m3/s 73,000 ft3/s 1,104 m3/s 78,000 ft3/s When combined...
RCMP seek witnesses to Slocan drowning
The Slocan Lake RCMP is asking anyone who may have witnessed a drowning in the Slocan River on the evening Aug. 5 to contact them. On August 5, 2020 at approximately 5:40 pm, Slocan Lake RCMP responded to a complaint of a person drowning in the Slocan River, roughly 1.5 km North West of Winlaw, BC. A 35-year old man was...
Obesity -- reducing stigma, focusing on health
By Sara F.L. Kirk, Angela Alberga, and Shelly Russell-Mayhew, in The Conversation The 2019 report from Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Theresa Tam focused on addressing different forms of stigma. Included in the report was one form of stigma — obesity or weight stigma — that...
Editorial: A conversation with RCMP Sergeant Mike Wicentowich
Recent ongoing media revelations of abusive, discriminatory and deadly police practices across Canada, coupled with reports of numerous racist killings and hyper-militarized police actions from south of the border, have led some to demand “defund the police!” Others have begun using the acronym “acab” – meaning, “all cops...
Column: From the Hill -- a summer tour
I recently spent a week touring through the South Okanagan-West Kootenay, meeting elected officials and constituents as well as enjoying the lakes, rivers and mountains that make this such a wonderful place to live. Now that COVID restrictions have been lifted somewhat, I was able to chat with people over coffee at picnic ...
Man missing after trying to rescue his dog from the waters of the Kootenay River
RCMP and local search and rescue crews completed another day searching the Kootenay River after a man was swept away Thursday afternoon, while attempting to rescue his dog. On July 30, shortly before 3:30 p.m., Columbia Valley RCMP received information that a man had been suddenly swept down river after he entered the water...
Opinion: Want to farm? Need Land? Check out this resource.
Some people have land that can grow crops, but they don’t want to farm; others want to farm and can’t find land. The solution – a program that matches people who want to farm with those who have land available to lease, and want it to stay in production or start producing crops. It's called the BC Land Matching Program (BCLMP)....
Fresh local food for families goal of new EcoSociety program
July 29, 2020 Everyone deserves access to healthy food. That’s the starting point for Farms to Friends, a new program this summer bringing local organic produce to low income families and seniors in the West Kootenays. Food security is one of the pillars of West Kootenay EcoSociety’s work, and the idea and funding for Farms...
Canada is failing to track the true climate cost of clearcut logging in boreal: report
Organizations call on the Canadian government to properly record and regulate greenhouse gas emissions connected to forestry and align its forest management policies with climate targets Matt Simmons, Local Journalism Initiative reporter, for The Narwhal Greenhouse gas emissions created by logging in Canada’s boreal forest aren’t being properly regulated or accounted for, threatening the country’s […]
