A Provincial snow measuring station near Nelson measured its lowest total on record as the region and the province struggles with an extremely low snowpack, according to the latest Snow Survey. Published by the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, the Snow Survey and Water Supply Bulletin noted the snowpack at the snow station […]

The largest non-daily newspaper publisher of newspapers in B.C. has entered creditor protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA). Black Press entered the CCAA proceedings — a statute of the Parliament of Canada that allows insolvent corporations owing creditors in excess of $5 million to restructure their business and financial affairs — on Jan. […]

Prepare for a sonic tempest to sweep through Rossland, BC, as Blizzard Music Festival returns to the alpine city. The quintessential Canadian music extravaganza will span four days, from Jan. 25 to 28, 2024, and align with the Rossland Winter Carnival, promising a thrilling lineup of diverse artists. The annual winter music throwdown has carved […]

Dear editor, Pro-oil politicians like Premiers Danielle Smith and Scott Moe are lying to Canadians about renewable energy and I’m sick of it. The risk of losing power during a brutal cold snap like the one Alberta just had is terrifying. The province’s power grid struggled because extreme temperatures took out multiple gas generators, not […]

Castlegar RCMP are singing the praises of Castlegar Search and Rescue (SAR) after a dramatic save on Sunday. “Just before 6 a.m. on Jan. 14, the Castlegar RCMP received a report that SOS emergency beacon had been activated by a device owner,” said Castlegar RCMP NCO/ic Sgt. Monty Taylor. “The emergency beacon company had contacted […]

As the temperature continues to drop in the West Kootenay region the electrical rates are rising from one of the area’s largest energy providers. FortisBC will be tacking a 6.74 per cent general rate increase — as approved by the B.C. Utilities Commission — as of Jan. 1 on to all customer bills, a rate […]

The region is expected to heat up with almost $700,000 in grants from the Province for several volunteer fire departments. Through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF) the volunteer fire departments — as well as Nelson’s composite professional department — will receive the money to enhance their capabilities by funding new training and equipment. “These […]

The real estate market in the Kootenay-Boundary region continued to drop at the end of 2023, according to the Association of Interior Realtors. In the Kootenay and Boundary region, unit sales saw a 13.6 per cent decrease (November 2023) compared to sales activity in November 2022 with 171 sales recorded, down from 203 units sold […]

The Kootenay region’s economy is heading into unenviable territory. Only three other economic regions in the country — outside of the Maritimes and the territories — had a higher unemployment rate than the Kootenay region in December, 2023, which now sports a 7.1 per cent rate (December, 2023, Statistics Canada). One year ago the region […]

Tractor-trailer slips off the highway On Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. frontline Trail and Greater District officers responded to a single vehicle incident on Highway 3B near the intersection of Ross Spur Road, in Fruitvale, BC. When officers arrived, they discovered a tractor-trailer unit had slid into the ditch and flipped onto its […]