There's something about local government that brings out the worst in some people. Staff get spat on. Mayors and councillors are often the victims of what can only be described as cyberbullying. In some towns, process servers would be well-advised to offer volume discounts to local governments. It takes place every which way...

Why a retrospective? Believing as I do that history is of profound importance, I seek to discern the purposes and themes I have explored with constancy over the years of publishing this column. I hope by doing this to present a coherent statement of the issues and interests that have stirred current events in culture, […]

To The Editor: I am writing to alert dog loving Nelsonites that the off leash dog park by the lake is no longer safe to visit. A few months ago my friends dog Scout was attacked by a vicious off lead dog and was severely injured. After surgery, thankfully, Scout survived but he and his owner will no longer go to the beach...

Blended families are becoming the national norm.  Finances are challenging for any relationship and they become even more challenging in the case of multiple marriages or common-law relationships, especially when they include children from previous and current relationships. If yours is a blended family, here is some basic ...

Eileen Delehanty Pearkes has been researching and writing about the history and politics of water in the upper Columbia Basin since 2005.  Her book on the Columbia River Treaty, A River Captured, is forthcoming in 2016.  Recently, her travelling exhibit on the Columbia River Treaty, curated for Touchstones Nelson, won a national award from the […]

Land management in Alberta and much of Western Canada can be enhanced if policies ensure that property rights are well-defined and transferable, finds a new book released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank. “Disputes over the proper use of land have multiplied across...

Newsletter... I am sharing a few pictures that represent a typical water/grassland scene on the Gipin Grasslands. The pictures showcase the largest tributary to Morrissey Creek before the creek drops into a canyon and an adjacent meadow that was the site of a recent forest thinning burn. Morrissey Creek watershed is one of ...

I am Mark Wilson – School Trustee for the Trail area and after reading the Article on the Sale of Blueberry School dated October 30/15 in your paper, I would like to clarify a few items. These are my opinions backed by facts. 1.      The vote to sell this school for $1 was passed by […]

With the federal election now behind us, the new Prime Minister can and must promote the economy and the environment in the first few weeks of his mandate. The foundation for both future economic stability and environmental sustainability will be laid for decades to come based on two significant global initiatives — the...

The Alberta government will likely receive $1.7 billion less than expected from its personal income tax rate hikes, finds a new study released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan think-tank. The study, Alberta’s Personal Income Tax Increases Likely to Yield Less Revenue than Expected, calculates the ...