Despite intense negotiations over the past 72 hours, Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) have not been able to reach an agreement and talks between the two have broken off. The company and union still remain far apart on several issues. Canada Post still has an offer on the table — […]

By: Don McRae, Minister of Agriculture, B.C. The places we live and work are important to all of us, but possibly none more so than communities with a rich agricultural tradition.  These communities produce the food British Columbian families rely on, contribute to jobs we depend on, and are home to countless families, friends and […]

June 1 marked the start of new electricity rates from FortisBC. While the company serves approximately, 160 000 residential and commercial customers in South-Central BC, other rate hikes were implemented province-wide by BC Hydro. The increase comes after the BC Utilities Commission (BCUC), the provincial regulatory board, approved an 8% rate increase for BC Hydro. […]

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed new regulations, set to come into effect next year, to clarify sunscreen labels regarding the product’s effectiveness against ultraviolet (UV) rays. The regulations, which the FDA has been considering since 1978, would prohibit claims that a sunscreen is “waterproof” or “sweatproof”, since the FDA believes these […]

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 […]

It’s a new era for those looking to enter the environmental sector in the West Kootenay. The School of Environment and Geomatics (formerly School of Renewable Resources) at Selkirk College has completed its re-design of its curriculum in four environmental diploma programs — readying the program for fall 2011. “You can begin your hands-on training […]

As summer officially begins Tuesday, backcountry enthusiasts can get into the wilderness faster with a new online system that lets them prepay for their backcountry permit in 26 provincial parks, including three West Kootenay parks. The Discover Camping Backcountry Registration System allows hikers, campers and trail riders to purchase their backcountry permit through the BC […]

A 25-year –old Salmo man is facing a laundry list of charges after apparently trying to run people down with his car after a disagreement, according to RCMP Staff Sgt. Dan Seibel. Seibel said police responded to a call at about 11 p.m. on Saturday, and found a 1991 Chev Blazer that had crashed into […]

Postal workers from Local 790 took to the streets of Nelson Monday, joining union brothers and sisters from across Canada, to walk the picket line in search of a better contract.However, the letter carriers and inside workers may not be on the street long after the Harper government announced legislation in the house Monday...

It is the time of year when people head out onto Crown land to pick edible wild mushrooms, specifically fire morels, in areas previously burned by wildfire. People harvesting mushrooms need to be aware that even though the area may have already been burned once, there is still potential for another wildfire to start. Please […]