Following Vermont’s ban on hydraulic fracturing last month, the Council of Canadians has written to the premiers of the provinces and territories across Canada asking that they follow suit. “Last month, the state of Vermont took action to protect water sources and to curb demands on fossil fuels. Provincial governments should...

RDCK Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) staff and emergency responders continue to monitor various rivers and creeks across the district as ongoing and forecasted precipitation warrants increased awareness and vigilance by everyone. Record precipitation amounts in June have initiated numerous flood events since the early part of the month. Intense rainfall (upwards of 60-80 millimetres over […]

Gusting winds and driving rains knocked down trees, branches and electricity to homes all over the east Boundary region over the weekend. The storm hit suddenly and violently on the evening of Friday, June 22 leaving more than 600 Fortis BC customers without power for between four and 24 hours, depending on the severity of ...

In early April of this year one of the most brilliant marketing campaigns ever designed was launched. With a splash of media exposure, a small group of eight people started a conversation that has not stopped nearly three months later. As the chatter moves contagiously through more and more people, the volume has been amplified...

Sunshine Monday allowed emergency officials to assess flooding hotspots in the Regional District of Central Kootenay. The only major concern is the Slocan Valley West Road where some families have been evacuated from homes.  “We’re taking a wait and see approach pending another rainfall warning for (Tuesday),” RDCK Emergency Operations Centre Public Relations officer Bill […]

Just when flood victims thought it just couldn’t get any worse, Environment Canada has issued a Rainfall Warning for Tuesday, June 26. The Environment Canada  website said a northeast-moving low pressure system over the Pacific northwest will spread rain at times heavy to West Kootenay, the southern sections of Kootenay Lake, Eastern Kootenay and Elk […]

My brother Kenneth--aged 22--drowned in the Thompson River in 1988. I cannot begin to tell you how that changed me. Nothing like it did my parents, or my sister, or our youngest brother, 21 years old at the time. They were close. Kenneth and I were just beginning to know each other as adults. As the oldest by 8 years, I had...

Of all the appalling abuses of democracy and ruthless dismantling of the country represented by Bill C-38 one stands out of as representative of the right wing dystopia that Stephen Harper has in store for the 99 per cent. And that is the mentality and ideology behind the draconian changes to EI. This is particularly true of...

To the Editor: The BC Special Committee on Cosmetic Pesticides released its report in May which contained 17 recommendations to the government.  Although these recommendations did not include an outright ban on lawn and garden pesticides, it’s important to note that the BC Government has not made a decision (and the Special...

Columbia Basin Trust (CBT) is partnering with BC Ideas to provide five $10,000 cash awards to reward innovative solutions addressing issues which will improve the lives of residents in the Columbia Basin region. BC Ideas: Solutions for Stronger Communities is an online competition seeking to identify solutions to deal with challenges facing BC communities now […]