Support staff strike may disrupt back-to-school season
West Kootenay public school students may be gearing up for a new year of classes, but the support staff who work within those schools are bracing themselves for a potential strike, according to Castlegar's Cherryl MacLeod. MacLeod works as an education assistant as well as serving as president of CUPE Local 1285, representing...
Feds commit more than $.75 million for Castlegar infrastructure
The West Kootenay Regional Airport is set to get more than $600,000 for runway maintenance equipment and systems, the Complex gets $100,000 for a new boiler and the Doukhobor Discovery Centre will receive more than $60,000 for renovations. The federal grant funding was announced at two separate events today, one at the airport...
COMMENT: What government work should be done behind closed doors and what should be done openly?
What are we to do with, to, or about our Senate? Was it meant to be a chamber of sober second thought or a retirement home for political hamsters? Recent revelations about senators cashing in on the strength of what may, at best, be considered sloppy financial administration, have renewed calls to reform the Senate or to...
Castlegar mayor and councillors register for energy diet - there's still time for Kootenay residents to sign on and save
Two city councillors and the Castlegar mayor signed on to Fortis’ Kootenay Energy Diet back in May, becoming personal role models for a program the city is already officially supporting. FortisBC has subsidized the initial home energy assessment, which is valued at $400, offering it for just $60 for Diet participants, but the city further […]
City council admits it's all about waste
If you are one of the growing number of people who has a smartphone or tablet, you can download a City of Castlegar App that puts garbage, recycling, special waste collection details and much more at your fingertips, anytime you want them. “The City of Castlegar is pleased to announce that we’ve just launched a mobile App...
Support available to hire a student: CBT’s popular School Works Program continues this fall
Businesses and organizations around the Basin can once again get support to hire students through the School Works Program of Columbia Basin Trust (CBT). Applications are available at www.cbt.org/schoolworks starting Aug. 14, and are assessed on a first-come, first-served basis. The program provides a wage subsidy of up to ...
As transient population spikes, be aware of available resources
City councillor and food bank/drop-in centre manager Deb McIntosh is saying a recent increase in the city's transient population is our cue to ensure residents have adequate information about the resources available in terms of social safety nets here in town. "We seem to have an influx of 'transients' in the Castlegar...
Residents being unsafe around downtown construction
The following is a press release issued by the City of Trail: This is a follow-up notice to the original Aug. 1 notice distributed to local residents and media. The notice informed the public that the City of Trail has temporarily closed lower Glover Road from Green Avenue to Victoria Street. Entry and exit for all pedestrians...
Russian government homosexuality position leads to NYC Russian vodka boycott
As of Monday, over 200 New York City area bars and restaurants had committed to boycotting Russian vodka in response to anti-homosexuality related laws passed by the country’s government. The boycott follows another event that took place on Monday, where bottles of vodka were poured onto the streets of the city, as part of a […]
COMMENT: Cluster Munitions and Bill S-10
The federal government has tabled legislation, Bill S-10, An Act to Implement the Convention on Cluster Munitions. My party opposes this Bill because it does not signify an attempt to ratify the Convention on Cluster Munitions but in fact, proposes to make an exception to it. Cluster munitions can release hundreds of explosives...
