Castlegar FD marks 2017 landmarks, including first female officer
Ed. Note: It’s literally impossible to overstate the importance of this community’s volunteer fire department. Not only do they attend fires, as their name would suggest . . . they are also first responders at any emergency call, from a gas leak to a heart attack to a car accident. They provide building inspections, public...
Fire crews knock down Fruitvale blaze in minutes
Quick action on the part of Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue may have prevented serious damage to a local home last night in Fruitvale. Captain Jason Milne said a 9-1-1 call reporting a shed fire at 25 Kootenay Ave. North was received at 11:06 p.m., and crews arrived nine minutes later to find a shed fully engulfed in...
Plane problems promote community cooperation
What could have been an embarrassing irony became a regional success story displaying community collaboration during last weeks’ grand opening of the Trail Air Terminal on Nov. 29 (see full story at https://trailchampion.com/news/celebrating-new-trail-airport-terminal-building-46086#.Wil0TXlry1s ). Despite sometimes contentious...
Editorial Rant: What are we celebrating? And how do we behave?
A plea for civility in the law, politics and our everyday lives Mid-winter is approaching, with our various seasonal celebrations: Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, and maybe even Festivus? We celebrate our religious and / or ethnic affiliations; we celebrate the return of the sun for longer periods of time each...
CBT commits $10 million to ecosystem enhancement
Ecosystems around the Columbia Basin will receive a major boost thanks to a new Ecosystem Enhancement Program announced by Columbia Basin Trust. The program will run for five years with a budget of $10 million. The goal is to help maintain and improve ecological health and native biodiversity in a variety of ecosystems, such...
Police seek answers in local fatal collision
The Castlegar RCMP are continuing their investigation into the Nov. 20head-on collision which occurred on Hwy 22 between Blueberry and Fairview. Castlegar Top Cop Sgt. Laurel Mathew said they don't have reason to believe alcohol, drugs or speed were a factor, but they would like witnesses to help them determine exactly what...
Fernie to get outdoor arena thanks to Flames Foundation, NHL
The Calgary Flames Foundation and NHL is coming to the aid for the City of Fernie. In October, a deadly ammonia leak, that killed three workers, closed the Fernie Memorial Arena. Now the National Hockey League team is working with crews to construct on an outdoor ice rink for the City of Fernie. Construction is […]
Celebrating the new Trail Airport terminal building
There were crowds of guests filling the new, 4200-square-foot terminal building on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 29, including a large selection of local dignitaries; people were eating cupcakes with sky-blue icing; there were several heart-felt speeches of thanks; people were encouraged to enter a draw for free flights;...
From The Hill: Fix the Phoenix payroll system
Recently, the Auditor General of Canada released a report that addressed the Phoenix payroll that has seriously affected the lives of thousands of civil servants across this country. More than half of the public service sector is caught up in this -- many are being paid well below their proper salaries, some are not being...
An adopted cat = the best ten pounds to gain this holiday season
No one wants the added pounds that tend to appear on waistlines – and elsewhere – after a festive season of celebrating. But ten pounds (or so) of furry, purring cuddles around the home are another matter entirely! That’s why the BC SPCA is encouraging people who are thinking about adopting a feline family member to do so...