Fines for burning spike; new fine for off-leash dogs in city parks
The city is cracking down on illegal burning and off-leash dogs, with significant spikes in fines for the former and a brand-new fine created for the latter. Councillor Kevin Chernoff said the burning fines are an attempt to get people’s attention, as per Fire Chief Gerry Rempel’s suggestion, so they’ll stop creating situations...
Temperatures increase for July — again!
July was once again a hot month for the region said Ron Lakeman Weather Forecaster for the Southeast Fire Centre in Castlegar. Lakeman said the recent month was 2.5 degrees warmer than a typical July month in the West Kootenays. "July had a maximum monthly high temperature of 38.8 degrees and a monthly low of 7.3 degrees," ...
Wildfire south of 49th parallel to blame for smoke-filled holiday weekend
Smoke filtering out the sun during the BC Day Holiday weekend is blowing into the region from a fire south of the 49th parallel said Karlie Shaughnessy of the Southeast Fire Centre Monday. “Most of the smoke in the area is from a fire burning in Central Washington (State) and its blowing directly up into areas along the...
Rural Family Practice Program aims to draw physicians
In an attempt to combat a projected doctor shortage local health authorities have banded together to create a new hands on program and it is ready to kick off. Trail doctor, Cheryl Hume, is the director of the new Kootenay Boundary Rural Family Practice Residency Program that aims to engage future physicians in the lifestyle...
Local CUPW president says Canada Post changes coming to Nelson in 2016
Nelson Posties have received word they are the latest local to get their walking papers as part of changes of operations announced by Canada Post. Local Canadian Union of Postal Workers president, Brenda Musoby-Yanke said in a media release Canada post made an announcement Wednesday to workers of the Nelson Post Office postal...
Phone scammers escalating to abusive language and threats
The local RCMP detachment is getting flooded with calls from people who have had threating and abusive calls from people claiming to work for the Canada Revenue Agency, according to Castlegar's Sgt. Laurel Mathew. The callers start out by telling their targets that there was a problem with their tax return, so they need to ...
Community goes 'whole hog' to support local farmer
Residents rallied after reading a heartfelt – and heartbroken – Facebook post written by a local pig farmer who was nearing the end of his rope after hundreds of dollars of meat were stolen right out of the freezer at his farm. Jim Ross, 51, is the owner of Havesome Hogs in Slocan and creator of the Facebook page Farm the...
Huge concern for sockeye run in BC's South Okanagan region
Kootenay Lake is not the only place in BC having to deal with a decline in fish stocks. CBC News is reporting there could be a potentially catastrophic collapse of the sockeye salmon run on the Columbia River system this year. Okanagan Nation Alliance fish biologist Richard Bussanich said latest predictions are now thought ...
Woman stages one-person protest in support of wolves
A concerned woman staged a one-person protest against the BC Government's wolf kill Monday afternoon at the Park and Ride outside Nelson. The woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, held up signs to passing motorists saying, "Stop the War on Wolves" and "Wolves are Tortured to Death". Earlier this year, the province announced...
Sitkum Creek Wildfire 90 percent contained, Area Restriction Order rescinded
Mother Nature is making life a lot easier for BC Wildfire firefighters battling the Sitkum Creek Interface Wildfire north of Nelson. Thanks to recent rains and an effective burnoff — July 18 — the wildfire is now 90 percent contained, allowing the Southeast Fire Centre to relax an area restriction order. "An Area Restriction...
