Bill Metcalfe

RCMP are seen here making arrests May 17 near Argenta, B.C., north of Nelson. A group had been camped out protesting a logging company’s plans for the area. Photo: Louis Bockner

Complaint filed against RCMP for alleged ‘unlawful’ arrest tactics at Argenta protest

A coalition of eight groups wants police actions reviewed

RCMP are seen here making arrests May 17 near Argenta, B.C., north of Nelson. A group had been camped out protesting a logging company’s plans for the area. Photo: Louis Bockner
Several dozen people came to Nelson court on July 19 for the hearing of 19 logging protesters arrested on May 17 near Argenta. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Court date for Argenta logging protesters delayed

The date of the next appearance is not yet decided

Several dozen people came to Nelson court on July 19 for the hearing of 19 logging protesters arrested on May 17 near Argenta. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Jay Chalke is B.C.’s Ombudsperson. His office invites West Kootenay people who believe they have been treated unfairly by a provincial or local government to make an appointment during the week of July 18-22. Photo: Amy Romer

Treated unfairly by provincial government? B.C. Ombudsperson visiting West Kootenay

Ombudsperson office will be booking appointments July 18-22.

Jay Chalke is B.C.’s Ombudsperson. His office invites West Kootenay people who believe they have been treated unfairly by a provincial or local government to make an appointment during the week of July 18-22. Photo: Amy Romer
Bob Keating (left) writes and edits The Headwaters podcast, and Mitchell Scott is its producer and host. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

‘Tell them something unique in a unique way’: The Headwaters podcast tells surprising Kootenay stories

With 4,000 downloads since May, producers say success is about sound, pacing, and unexpected stories

Bob Keating (left) writes and edits The Headwaters podcast, and Mitchell Scott is its producer and host. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
FortisBC’s power plant at Upper Bonnington Falls. Photo: Tyler Harper.

FortisBC fined $11,000 for unsafe practices on Kootenay River dam

The incidents took place at one of FortisBC’s hydro generating facilities

FortisBC’s power plant at Upper Bonnington Falls. Photo: Tyler Harper.
The pithouse at the Vallican heritage site. Photo: Louis Bockner

Sinixt woman occupies Vallican heritage site after province revokes her caretaker role

Colville Confederated Tribes say Marilyn James has no authority over the site

The pithouse at the Vallican heritage site. Photo: Louis Bockner
One of the oldest trees among the ancient cedars in the proposed park at the north end of Duncan Lake. Photo: Joe Karthein

Petition asks for protection of ancient cedars at Duncan Lake

Some of the trees are over 1,000 years old and one is 2,100 years old

One of the oldest trees among the ancient cedars in the proposed park at the north end of Duncan Lake. Photo: Joe Karthein
Some of the residents of the Grohman Creek community on their dock with Nelson in the background across Kootenay Lake. L-R: Yvette Jolivet, Jesse Bertrand, Sierra Peddie, Megan McTague, Stella Muldoon, Jodie Muldoon, and Jeff Muldoon. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Grohman Creek residents press for better emergency access

Road access is risky and boat access is threatened

Some of the residents of the Grohman Creek community on their dock with Nelson in the background across Kootenay Lake. L-R: Yvette Jolivet, Jesse Bertrand, Sierra Peddie, Megan McTague, Stella Muldoon, Jodie Muldoon, and Jeff Muldoon. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Cory Westcott disappeared in the Nelson area in the summer of 2020. Photo: Submitted

Charismatic, troubled and still missing: What happened to Nelson’s Cory Westcott?

Friends and family continue to search for Westcott, who has been missing since 2020

Cory Westcott disappeared in the Nelson area in the summer of 2020. Photo: Submitted
Forest at the Argenta-Johnsons Landing Face, with Kootenay Lake in the distance. Photo: Wilderness Committee

Lower Kootenay Band demands halt to Argenta-Johnsons Landing logging

Chief Jason Louie has sent a ‘cease and desist’ letter to logging company and the province

Forest at the Argenta-Johnsons Landing Face, with Kootenay Lake in the distance. Photo: Wilderness Committee
Nelson CARES is running a medical transportation service between Nelson and Trail three days weekly. Photo: Submitted

Nelson CARES launches medical bus service to Trail

The bus runs one trip per day, three days per week, and needs more passengers to be viable long term

Nelson CARES is running a medical transportation service between Nelson and Trail three days weekly. Photo: Submitted
The City of Nelson’s climate resilience planner says new research at the city is creating a buzz in other towns. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Nelson publishes unique guide on low-carbon building materials

The pioneering research was funded by FortisBC

The City of Nelson’s climate resilience planner says new research at the city is creating a buzz in other towns. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Nelson residents are invited to come to the E-Bike Expo and to take part in a study of the effectiveness of promoting e-bikes. Photo: Unsplash/ KBO Bike

City of Nelson to host E-bike Expo on June 24

City also plans to research the effectiveness of its e-bike financing program

Nelson residents are invited to come to the E-Bike Expo and to take part in a study of the effectiveness of promoting e-bikes. Photo: Unsplash/ KBO Bike
Oleksandra and Serhii with a piece of artwork made for them at school by their sons. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

‘All we had was our children’: A Ukrainian family’s harrowing escape from the war to Nelson

After being on the run for two months, the family is now resting and healing

Oleksandra and Serhii with a piece of artwork made for them at school by their sons. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Nelson resident Owen Nakamura, whose grandfather was interned in the West Kootenay by the federal government in the Second World War, attended and spoke at the the George Floyd memorial in Nelson on May 25. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

‘It was a teaching moment’: Nelson gathering remembers George Floyd

George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police on May 25, 2020

Nelson resident Owen Nakamura, whose grandfather was interned in the West Kootenay by the federal government in the Second World War, attended and spoke at the the George Floyd memorial in Nelson on May 25. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Keiko Devaux is a contemporary classical music composer raised in Nelson and based in Montreal. Photo: Juno Awards

West Kootenay-born composer wins Juno Award for classical composition

Keiko Devaux attended Mount Sentinel Secondary and Selkirk College

Keiko Devaux is a contemporary classical music composer raised in Nelson and based in Montreal. Photo: Juno Awards
UBC forestry student Liam Jones of Nelson takes an inventory of carbon stocks and biodiversity in a clear-cut near Argenta in 2022. Photo: Arianna Murphy-Steed

Stop clear-cutting, says forestry professor after research in West Kootenay

Dr. Suzanne Simard, author of Finding the Mother Tree, worked with students in forest near Argenta

UBC forestry student Liam Jones of Nelson takes an inventory of carbon stocks and biodiversity in a clear-cut near Argenta in 2022. Photo: Arianna Murphy-Steed
RCMP are seen here making arrests May 17 near Argenta, B.C., north of Nelson. A group had been camped out protesting a logging company’s plans for the area. Photo: Louis Bockner

RCMP make arrests at logging protest north of Nelson

Last Stand West Kootenay was camped out on a road near Argenta

RCMP are seen here making arrests May 17 near Argenta, B.C., north of Nelson. A group had been camped out protesting a logging company’s plans for the area. Photo: Louis Bockner
Some of the participants in a tenants’ rights workshop held in Nelson on May 7 at the Civic Theatre. Spokesperson James Barbeiro is back right, with plaid shirt. City councillor Keith Page, bottom right, was there as the chair of the city’s housing committee. Photo: Submitted

Nelson tenants form union to learn rights, bargain with landlords

Group wants to correct ‘power imbalance’ between landlords and tenants

Some of the participants in a tenants’ rights workshop held in Nelson on May 7 at the Civic Theatre. Spokesperson James Barbeiro is back right, with plaid shirt. City councillor Keith Page, bottom right, was there as the chair of the city’s housing committee. Photo: Submitted
Environmental microbiologist Dr. Natalie Prystajecky with some of her staff members at the BC Centre for Disease Control. Photo: Submitted

Wastewater testing for COVID-19 coming to Interior Health

Testing can tell whether cases are rising or falling in a community

Environmental microbiologist Dr. Natalie Prystajecky with some of her staff members at the BC Centre for Disease Control. Photo: Submitted