RDCK asks FortisBC to consult on smart meters

Posted on 30. Jan, 2012 by Chris Shepherd in West Kootenay

The Regional District of Central Kootenay has asked FortisBC to consult with the public about the issue of smart meters and give people the choice to opt out after hearing concerns about health effects, reports Greg Nesteroff in the Castlegar News.

The utility is considering using smart meters to measure power usage in West Kootenay homes.

Dramatic house fire captured on video

Posted on 27. Jan, 2012 by Chris Shepherd in Nelson

A Nelson-area family is recovering after losing all their belongings in an early morning fire yesterday, reports Bob Hall for the Nelson Star.

Harold and Jeanine Koeltgen and their daughter Ava, 11, escaped the fire without any injuries.

Invermere moves ahead with deer cull

Posted on 26. Jan, 2012 by Chris Shepherd in East Kootenay

The third and final East Kootenay community planning a deer cull is getting ready to kill 100 deer in Invermere, reports Andrea Klassen for the Invermere Valley Echo.

Invermere will get traps and bolt guns once Kimberley is finished with the tools.

Four calls in one week for Revelstoke SAR

Posted on 26. Jan, 2012 by Chris Shepherd in Revelstoke

It was a busy week for Revelstoke’s search and rescue crew last week when the team rescued seven people, reports Alex Cooper for the Revelstoke Times Review.

All the incidents ended well for those lost. One incident involved a skier and two others involved snowmobilers

‘Regional transit changes needed to stay viable’

Posted on 24. Jan, 2012 by Chris Shepherd in West Kootenay

The Regional District of Central Kootenay needs to overhaul transit service in the West Kootenay if it’s to remain viable, reports the Nelson Star.

In a memo to the board, administrator Jim Gustafson wrote the $3 million transit system needs to change.

Hopley pleads guilty to violating parole

Posted on 24. Jan, 2012 by Chris Shepherd in East Kootenay

Randall Hopley, the man accused of abducting a Sparwood boy, has plead guilty to the first of a series of charges he’s facing, reports the CBC.

Hopley plead guilty to a relatively minor charge of violating his parole by not reporting to his probation officer.

Taxi shut down worries Trail’s council

Posted on 23. Jan, 2012 by Chris Shepherd in Trail

In the wake of news that the company offering taxi service to Trail and Castlegar is shutting down at the end of the month, Trail has gone to the province asking for a rural transportation plan to solve the problem of moving people around the area, reports Val Rossi for the Trail Daily Times.

Opposition to Kootenay deer cull goes international

Posted on 20. Jan, 2012 by Chris Shepherd in Kimberley

There’s growing opposition to plans to cull the deer population in several East Kootenay communities, reports the CBC.

Cranbrook’s cull is already done, Kimberley’s is underway and Inveremere is still planning one and that city’s mayor is feeling pressure to cancel the plan to thin a herd of problematic wildlife.

Accident causes pedestrian to forget how he got hit by a car

Posted on 20. Jan, 2012 by Chris Shepherd in Fernie

The Elk Valley RCMP are asking for the public for help finding out what happened to a man in Fernie after he was found downtown with serious injuries, reports Angela Treharne in the Fernie Free Press.

School district facing major deficit

Posted on 19. Jan, 2012 by Chris Shepherd in West Kootenay

The board for School District 20 says they’ve cut services to students for years and it looks like they’ll have to start closing schools to balance their budget, reports Val Rossi for the Rossland News.