Fines for 'dooring' going up -- 'way up
Drivers will soon have a stronger incentive to take a good look around before opening their car doors. To better protect cyclists, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is raising the fine for “dooring.” The new fine for anyone who opens a car door when it is not reasonably safe to do so (known as “dooring”) will...
Editorial: A conversation with RCMP Sergeant Mike Wicentowich
Recent ongoing media revelations of abusive, discriminatory and deadly police practices across Canada, coupled with reports of numerous racist killings and hyper-militarized police actions from south of the border, have led some to demand “defund the police!” Others have begun using the acronym “acab” – meaning, “all cops...
Local pro climbers raise awareness of racism and violence
Bouldering, a popular form of rock climbing, is trending in the West Kootenays like never before, partly thanks to the release of the area’s first Bouldering Guidebook. Rossland-born and raised filmmaker Liam Barnes films Nelson rock climbers Tosh and Tula Sherkat as they navigate the area’s biggest and most difficult climbs,...
Minister’s statement on Police Act reform
Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, has released the following statement in response to calls for British Columbia’s Police Act reform: “Everyone deserves to be treated fairly by the police, and our government acknowledges that for many Black, Indigenous and other people of colour, that hasn’t...
Teck creates fund to help with COVID-19
VANCOUVER, BC, April 16, 2020: Teck Resources Limited (“Teck”) today announced the creation of a $20-million fund to support COVID-19 response and future recovery efforts. This funding will go to support critical social initiatives and increased healthcare capacity, including procuring one million masks to be donated for ...
Letter from Dr. Henry explains why specific communities with COVID-19 positive patients won't be named
Open letter to the people of B.C.: When an outbreak hits a community, one of the most urgent things people want is information. This is human nature, as information allows us to protect ourselves, our families and our loved ones. Information is at the heart of public health: knowing what our risks are, where they are coming...
RDKB says: Please don't travel to secondary homes or cabins in the RDKB
Many residents from BC and other provinces own cabins or secondary homes in the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary, including at Christina Lake, Big White and other tourist destinations in our region. The regional district has a simple message for anyone contemplating visiting or staying at a secondary home or cabin in ...
Report: Some COVID-19 patients remain infectious for several days after symptoms are gone
Information from a study of COVID-19 patients with mild cases, treated at the PLA General Hospital in Beijing, indicates that people should stay in isolation for a further two weeks after their last symptoms have disappeared. Dr. Lokesh Sharma of the Yale School of Medicine was a co-lead author of the report. He commented,...
Health Coalitions’ Joint Statement on COVID-19 and Public Health Care
The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the extent to which our individual health is dependent on the health of everyone in our community. Public healthcare is our best defence against this crisis and others like it. However, our ability to endure crises and care for each other has been eroded through decades of austerity budgets,...
BC Declares Public Health Emergency; Bars, Clubs ordered to be closed
From the Rossland Telegraph On March 17, 2020, British Columbia’s Public Health Officer declared a public health emergency in BC to help control the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. Health Minister Adrian Dix and Public Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry held a news conference Monday afternoon to make statement and ...
