Regional News

Greening Up — Is It Gonna Be Alright?

by Michael Jessen on Sunday July 11 2021

Michael Jessen was born at 310.1 parts per million carbon dioxide and wrote this column at 417.21 ppm CO2.

“Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” – John Lennon

The Beatles were a huge part of my musical life as a teenager; my paper route earnings were immediately destined to the purchase of the group’s latest LP – records which I still have and play occasionally.

My favourite Beatle was always John Lennon, primarily because he was a witty, avant-garde rebel and an iconoclast who wasn’t afraid to put his political and religious views out in public. He also espoused peace over violence.  

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Kootenay Lake, East & West Kootenay — Now Ended

by Lone Sheep Publishing on Wednesday July 07 2021

Environment Canada said conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon and into the evening.

It’s the worst possible news for a region of the province plagued by a lack of precipitation for most of the year.

Environment Canada has issued a Severe Thunderstorm warning for Kootenay Lake and the West and East Kootenay regions.

“Conditions are favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms that may be capable of producing strong wind gusts, large hail and heavy rain,” the Environment Canada website said.

“(The) Main threats (include) pea to nickel size hail, wind gusts of 70 km/h, localized heavy downpours of 10-20 mm.

Grand Forks Grad Jason Boisvenue finds his calling with Canadian Armed Forces

by Contributor on Tuesday July 06 2021

Members of HMCS CALGARY’s organic boarding team, callsign ‘Alpha Wave’ conduct counter-smuggling operations on 06 June, 2021 in the Arabian Sea during OPERATION ARTEMIS and as part of Combined Task Force 150. — Photo credit, Corporal Lynette Ai Dang, Her Majesty's Canadian Ship CALGARY, Imagery Technician ©2021 DND/MDN CANADA

Petty Officer Second Class (PO2) Jason Boisvenue, 37, has come a long way since going to Grand Forks Secondary School.

He is currently deployed in the Canadian warship Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Calgary and played a key role as one of the ship’s boarding team leaders on the recently finished Operation (Op) ARTEMIS, a successful counterterrorism and maritime security mission in the Middle East.

On Op ARTEMIS, PO2 Boisvenue was with the ship’s organic boarding party, callsign ‘Alpha Wave’*.

No respite from hot weather but electrical storms added to mix for coming week

by Timothy Schafer Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on Sunday July 04 2021

Environment Canada has not rescinded its weather alert for the West Kootenay — along with the Okanagan Valley, Fraser Canyon, South Thompson and Boundary region — predicting extreme daytime highs and overnight lows for the next few days.

The heat wave continues.

Temperatures are expected to remain high this week as a summer heat wave continues to bake the West Kootenay and the southern part of the province.

Daytime highs will be climbing to the low 30’s Celsius this week and well into the following week — with highs of 35 C expected for this weekend — but with overnight lows providing some respite near 14 C.

UPDATE: Merry Creek fire now 90% contained, evacuation orders and notices have been lifted

by Castlegar Source on Saturday July 03 2021

Castlegar Fire Department Rescue 1 on scene July 1. — Photo courtesy City of Castlegar

Based on the recommendation from BC Wildfire Service (BCWS) regarding the 20-hectare Merry Creek wildfire (N51165), the Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK) Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is rescinding the Evacuation Order for 31 properties and the Evacuation Alert for one property in Electoral Area J as of 12:30 pm today. The rescind order means residents can now return to their properties. The State of Local Emergency has also been cancelled.

IHA says 114 long-term care patients in Castlegar evacuated

by Interior Health Authority on Friday July 02 2021

Interior Health has evacuated residents from two Castlegar long-term care homes as a precautionary measure due to the Merry Creek Wildfire. 

Sixty residents from Talarico Place and 54 residents from Castleview Care Centre have been relocated temporarily to alternate care homes within the Kootenay Boundary. Interior Health’s priority is to ensure residents are safe and receiving appropriate care and supports during this challenging time.

Talarico Place is owned and operated by Interior Health, while Castleview Care Centre is owned and operated by Chantelle Management Ltd.

Cathedral of Mary Immaculate in Nelson vandalized

by The Nelson Daily Staff on Thursday July 01 2021

On the eve of Canada Day, vandals tossed orange paint on the steps, doors and windows of the church located at the corner of Ward and Mill Streets. — The Nelson Daily photos

Nelson joined the list of communities in Canada, on a smaller scale, having local churches vandalized following the discovery of unmarked burial sites of children’s remains at former residential schools in Canada.

On the eve of Canada Day, the Cathedral of Mary Immaculate at the corner of Mill and Ward Streets in Nelson was vandalized when perpetrators tossed orange paint on the steps, doors and windows.

Human remains of 182 discovered at Kootenay Indian Residential School near Cranbrook

by Lone Sheep Publishing on Wednesday June 30 2021

The Kootenay Indian Residential School, was operated by the Catholic Church for almost 100 years from 1873-1970.

There has been another discovery of remains linked to the former residential school system, this time in the Kootenays.

In a media release Wednesday, the Lower Kootenay Band says a search using ground-penetrating radar located 182 human remains in unmarked graves of a site near the former St. Eugene’s Mission School outside Cranbrook.

The St. Eugene’s Mission School, known as the Kootenay Indian Residential School, was operated by the Catholic Church for almost 100 years from 1873-1970.

From The Hill — Richard Cannings

by Dick Cannings MP on Tuesday June 29 2021

MP Dick Cannings said this Canada Day 2021 is a time to reflect on what the path for the country going forward looks like.

On Saturday I took part in the send-off ceremonies in Penticton for the Syilx Caravan for the Children that went to Kamloops to grieve for the 215 children who were found in unmarked graves on the grounds of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation.

A good crowd had gathered, most wearing the orange shirts that have come to symbolize the terrible realities of residential schools in Canada.

Minister Farnworth recognizes ten-year anniversary of search-and-rescue volunteer Sheilah Sweatman's passing

by Province of British Columbia on Tuesday June 29 2021

The picture of Nelson Search and Rescue's Sheilah Sweatman was displayed during the memorial on the Lakeside Soccer Fields saluting the Nelson Search and Rescue member. — The Nelson Daily photo

In a government media release Tuesday, Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, released a statement on the 10-year anniversary of the line-of-duty passing of Sheilah Sweatman, ground search-and-rescue volunteer:

"Exactly 10 years ago today, on June 29, 2011, British Columbia's search-and-rescue community lost one of their own when Nelson Search and Rescue's Sheilah Sweatman tragically lost her life during a search-and-recovery call on the Goat River near Creston.

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