Bill Metcalfe

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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
A heron in a nest tree on Granite Pointe Golf Club property on May 3, 2022. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Nelson golf club president denies existence of threatened heron nests at course

But the Nelson Star has confirmed the nests, and herons, exist at Granite Pointe

A heron in a nest tree on Granite Pointe Golf Club property on May 3, 2022. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
The long-vacant building at 561 Josephine St. has been purchased by the BC General Employees’ Union. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

B.C. union buys downtown Nelson heritage building

The former furniture store has been vacant for 11 years

The long-vacant building at 561 Josephine St. has been purchased by the BC General Employees’ Union. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Nelson resident Catherine Williams was one of 40 volunteers who helped clean flammable material from the forest beside the Rail Trail on April 30. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Community volunteers remove wildfire fuel from Nelson’s Rail Trail

About 40 residents came out May 30 to help the the fire department remove debris from the forest

Nelson resident Catherine Williams was one of 40 volunteers who helped clean flammable material from the forest beside the Rail Trail on April 30. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
The camp set up on the Salisbury Creek forest road by the group Last Stand West Kootenay. Photo: Submitted

Blockade set up by protesters ahead of contested logging in Argenta area

Logging in the Argenta-Johnsons Landing Face has been planned and discussed for several years

The camp set up on the Salisbury Creek forest road by the group Last Stand West Kootenay. Photo: Submitted
Frances Myers Lynch won the UBC Okanagan short story contest in the high school category with her story Bird Bones. Photo: Wild ARC

Nelson teen wins UBC Okanagan short story contest

Frances Myers Lynch is a Grade 10 student at L.V. Rogers Secondary

Frances Myers Lynch won the UBC Okanagan short story contest in the high school category with her story Bird Bones. Photo: Wild ARC
Bruce Hunter built his ‘Nelectricar’ with all locally purchased parts and materials. He designed the shell of the vehicle to resemble Nelson’s historic streetcars. A video of Hunter driving his car down Baker Street is included in the online version of this story. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Nelson man builds electric mini-car in his garage

Bruce Hunter says his ‘Nelectricar’ is the car of the future

Bruce Hunter built his ‘Nelectricar’ with all locally purchased parts and materials. He designed the shell of the vehicle to resemble Nelson’s historic streetcars. A video of Hunter driving his car down Baker Street is included in the online version of this story. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
L-R: Yohann Gandevia, Juliana Kopp, Grace Clark and Sapphire Guthrie will each perform half-hour concerts at the Capitol Theatre on April 23. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Emerging Nelson talent to be showcased at Sojourn concerts April 23

Sapphire Guthrie, Grace Clark, Juliana Kopp and Yohaan Gandevia will perform half-hour sets

L-R: Yohann Gandevia, Juliana Kopp, Grace Clark and Sapphire Guthrie will each perform half-hour concerts at the Capitol Theatre on April 23. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
L-R: Indigenous elders Ann-Marie Smith and Donna Wright with participants from Kootenay Kids and the Lalin choir at the drum awakening event in Nelson on April 10. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Awakening the drum: Nelson community groups gather for Indigenous ceremony

Nelson choir and Indigenous family group shared drum-making and ceremony

L-R: Indigenous elders Ann-Marie Smith and Donna Wright with participants from Kootenay Kids and the Lalin choir at the drum awakening event in Nelson on April 10. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Nelson’s sewage treatment plant is located at Grohman Narrows, and treats sewage through primary treatment (filtering and settling of solids) and secondary treatment (biological processes to break down organic matter). The resulting effluent is then released into the Kootenay River. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Sewage from Nelson treatment plant runs into Kootenay River during storms: environment ministry

City is planning a multi-million dollar upgrade

Nelson’s sewage treatment plant is located at Grohman Narrows, and treats sewage through primary treatment (filtering and settling of solids) and secondary treatment (biological processes to break down organic matter). The resulting effluent is then released into the Kootenay River. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
The current boundaries of the Nelson-Creston riding. Map: Elections BC

Nelson-Creston riding boundary could change following provincial review

Independent commission will analyse population distribution

The current boundaries of the Nelson-Creston riding. Map: Elections BC
Josh Young is the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce’s business climate advisor. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

‘I’m not here to preach to them’: Climate change advisor hired to help Nelson small businesses

Josh Young will assist local business owners concerned about climate change

Josh Young is the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce’s business climate advisor. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
All SD8 staff and contractors can now continue to work as they normally would, in keeping with provincial and federal health and safety guidelines. File photo

UPDATE: School District 8 board pauses planned staff vaccine requirement

The requirement could be reinstated or cancelled later, depending on health orders

All SD8 staff and contractors can now continue to work as they normally would, in keeping with provincial and federal health and safety guidelines. File photo
Provincial housing minister David Eby says it is the fault of municipalities that BC does not have enough housing. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Nelson mayor disputes provincial minister’s views on housing supply

Mayor John Dooley says David Eby didn’t do his homework before blaming cities for housing shortage

Provincial housing minister David Eby says it is the fault of municipalities that BC does not have enough housing. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
The West Kootenay Cycling Coalition wants to study the feasibility of a low-carbon mix of walking, cycling, bus and passenger rail modes of transport between Nelson and Castlegar. Photo: Submitted

Cycling group unveils plan for low-carbon West Kootenay travel

West Kootenay Cycling Coalition envisions Nelson-Castlegar bike route

The West Kootenay Cycling Coalition wants to study the feasibility of a low-carbon mix of walking, cycling, bus and passenger rail modes of transport between Nelson and Castlegar. Photo: Submitted