RCMP: Smart Watch Not So Smart
A Castlegar woman learned the hard way that distracted driving applies to more than just phones, according to West Kootenay Traffic Services Sgt. Chad Badry. "On March 11, an officer with the West Kootenay Integrated Road Safety Unit nabbed a driver for using an electronic device while driving on Columbia Avenue in Castlegar,"...
Drunk driving and a roadside prohibition on Washington Street
RCMP stopped a Red Subaru Impreza on Washington Street in Rossland, just after midnight on March 10, 2019, after noticing that its windows were obscured with snow and frost; the driver seemed to be under the influence, so a roadside breath test was administered – and showed that the driver had over 80 milligrams of alcohol ...
Castlegar cadet conquers competition
On Feb. 23, 10 Air Cadets from the Kootenays participated in local Air Cadet Regional Effective Speaking competition, sponsored by the Air Cadet League of Canada. Each cadet gave a five minute prepared speech, on a topic of their choosing, and then a two minute impromptu speech on the same pre-selected topic. Community members...
Diligent police work leads to arrest of prolific offender in Castlegar this morning
A local prolific offender was arrested in the wee hours of Thursday morning, according to Castlegar top cop RCMP Sgt. Darren Oelke. “At 1:45 a.m., one of our members on patrol noticed tracks in the fresh snow which led him to believe a vehicle was driving erratically,” Oelke said. “He followed the tracks and found a male...
Two car crashes Tuesday prompt public warning about road conditions
Two separate MVIs Tuesday, within four km of each other, have underlined the hazardous seasonal road conditions. Castlegar RCMP Sgt. Darren Oelke said the first call came in at 12:56 p.m. for a crash on Hwy 3 West, near College Creek Forest Service Road. “The vehicle was driving on a straight stretch with a slight incline, ...
LETTER: Imploring council to reconsider current taxation proposal
Dear Council Members, I am writing to implore you to reconsider your upcoming tax budget. The proposed 34/35 per cent over five years is astronomical, particularly in light of the current three-per-cent cost of living increase. We have all seen groceries and gasoline prices go up much more than that, which impacts us all...
Fuel spills draws CFD Hazmat to Columbia Avenue Wednesday afternoon
Motorists may have been startled to see Castlegar Fire Department Hazmat (Hazardous Materials) working along Columbia Avenue near McDonalds today. Fire Chief Sam Lattanzio said it was due to a situation in which a semi tractor-trailer unit had a ruptured fuel tank, which was leaking diesel fuel onto the roadway. "He was...
$50,000 to save forest above Cottonwood Lake may be too little, too late
Caught off guard by a plan to log more than 600 hectares of treasured local forest, residents near Cottonwood Lake discovered that privately owned lands can be clearcut without public notice, consultation with neighbours or the requirement to replant logged areas By Judith Lavoie, for The Narwhal Against a dramatic backdrop...
Ignite Kootenay Women's Conference introduces speaker line-up
We live in one of those amazing communities where women have an impressively strong presence in the business world. Women-owned or ran businesses and organizations are thriving throughout the Kootenays, and we are stronger for it. The Ignite Kootenay Women’s Conference is bringing several of these powerhouse women together...
BC SPCA lottery for animals in need is back and bigger than ever
Buying a lottery ticket can help B.C.’s most vulnerable animals. With the return of the BC SPCA Lottery for animals in need, you can win big by helping abused, neglected and injured animals and potentially, put thousands of extra dollars in your pocket. This year’s Lottery is the biggest ever with $100,000 to be won PLUS up...
