The Kootenay-Boundary region is a hotbed of entrepreneurial spirit, talent and creativity that continues to hatch innovative small businesses. While great ideas and enterprise are here in abundance, the legal steps required to translate ideas into a fully operational and functional businesses can be a major hurdle. Launching...

Recent comments by Coun. Cary Fisher and Coun. Jill Spearn—regarding Brenda Trenholme's appeal to subdivide her Happy Valley property—taste like a slice of logical swiss cheese on a slab of imagination tofu. And you'll need a pinch of salt for the cracker too. Sure, sure, everyone's in favour of local agriculture. Just not ...

The Grand Forks airport is rated as one of the best in the Southern Interior of B.C. so volunteers are inviting the community to celebrate with them at the airport appreciation day next Saturday. The Grand Forks Flying Association is hosting this celebration of transportation. The day’s events including: fly-in, car and bike...

Employment numbers in British Columbia dipped in July after slight gains in June, as full-time positions replaced losses of part-time positions. In B.C., 14,500 jobs were lost, reflecting a national trend, as 30,400 jobs were lost across Canada. However, full-time positions in B.C. increased by 9,600 from June 2012, and the...

George Dore's ethical, innovative and insightful woodlot management style has earned him the top provincial Minister's Award of Excellence for Woodlot Management for the second time. "It's humbling to get it a second time," said Dore, who also took home the prestigious award in 2003. The Rock Creek resident, now 65, manages...

Have you developed a  new or innovative product or service?  Implemented an innovative process or system?  Turned your idea into a new venture? Tell us all about it in your nomination for the Spirit of Innovation Awards. Join KAST in celebrating Regional Heroes of Innovation by nominating yourself, your company, or another,...

Proposed environmental and safety precautions are not enough for residents along the Granby River north of Grand Forks to believe that a granite mine, whose products are heading to China, should proceed. “The negative impacts far outweigh the benefits to this community or to Canada,” said Dana Riester who lives near the bluff....

When it comes to jobs and the economy we often get conflicting messages as to how many jobs were actually created.  I thought it would be interesting to share some figures that Statistics Canada released for the month of May. THE BASICS The Canadian economy as a whole added just 7,700 jobs in May – a relatively weak showing. ...

More than 1,300 small businesses in the Okanagan and Kootenays are reaping big savings on their electricity bills thanks to a $6.85 million lighting installation program sponsored by the Province of British Columbia and FortisBC.  “Small businesses in the Okanagan and Kootenays wanted a program that would make saving energy...

United Nations trade and climate change advisor Aaron Cosbey—a Rossland resident—attended the first Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and he was back again last week for the glitz, fanfare, and "complete failure" of the Rio +20 anniversary conference."It was a very predictable thing," Cosbey said, listing many reasons...