Kokanee Creek count far below past two years as drought pressures fish elsewhere in southern Interior
Only 107 kokanee were counted in the spawning channel at Kokanee Creek on Aug. 30, far below the numbers recorded on the same date in each of the past two years.
Wildfires squeeze West Kootenay SPCA as surrender wait list persists
The BC SPCA’s West Kootenay Community Animal Centre was temporarily holding community surrenders as of Aug. 28, keeping space available as the organization continued responding to animals displaced by wildfires.
Castlegar closes Millennium Park swimming ponds after E. coli readings climb
Two of Castlegar’s natural swimming ponds at Millennium Park have been temporarily closed after routine testing found elevated E. coli levels in part of the pond system.
Who gets to name a river that crosses the border? Southern B.C. already has answers
Nearly half a century before U.S. President Donald Trump ordered his government to call Lake Ontario “Lake America,” American officials tried to resolve another cross-border naming difference much closer to the Boundary, but Canada declined to make the change.
Evacuation orders ease across Southern Interior as wildfire recovery expands
Wildfire conditions across the southern Interior have eased enough for more communities to move into recovery, but active fires, access restrictions and evacuation measures remain in parts of the Okanagan and West Kootenay.
Syilx Okanagan Nation calls for greater understanding of reconciliation and land rights
The Syilx Okanagan Nation is calling for greater public understanding of reconciliation and agreements between First Nations and the provincial government, saying misconceptions about private land ownership are shaping some of the discussion taking place in British Columbia.
B.C. judge narrows WestJet passenger-rights lawsuit over flight-delay reimbursements
A B.C. Supreme Court judge has narrowed a consumer lawsuit challenging WestJet’s handling of passenger expenses during flight disruptions, striking portions that sought to recover money for affected travellers while allowing the broader case against the airline to continue.
B.C. Supreme Court rejects retroactive trust amendment tied to Witmar liquidation
A B.C. Supreme Court judge has rejected an attempt to apply a rewritten family trust provision retroactively in litigation connected to the ongoing liquidation of Kelowna real-estate company Witmar Holdings Ltd.
Vernon strata ordered to pay owners $44,800 after court finds they were unfairly singled out
A Vernon strata has been ordered to pay two owners $44,800 after a B.C. Supreme Court judge found they were unfairly singled out during a years-long dispute over rooftop planters and irrigation.
Third bear from Nelson grizzly family killed after relocation to Christina Lake
The controversy surrounding Nelson’s grizzly family, already the subject of widespread public discussion across British Columbia, took another turn on Aug. 27 when the B.C. Conservation Officer Service killed one of the two yearlings relocated earlier in the month.
Three fires on Hardy Mountain considered suspicious, investigation underway
The circumstances surrounding three separate wildfires on Hardy Mountain are considered suspicious after Grand Forks Fire Rescue responded to the fires within a period of several hours Friday night and early Saturday morning.
Castlegar man sentenced to house arrest in Kamloops after conviction for possessing cocaine for trafficking
A Castlegar man convicted of possessing 444.6 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking has been sentenced to two years less a day under a conditional sentence order requiring him to live under 24-hour house arrest at the Mustard Seed in Kamloops.
Longtime Kaslo councillor Rob Lang dies after nearly 15 years in office
Longtime Kaslo councillor Rob Lang has died after nearly 15 years of service on village council.
Sixth B.C. Conservative MLA shifts to Independent status in less than two weeks
A sixth B.C. Conservative MLA has left the party’s caucus in less than two weeks, with Abbotsford South MLA Bruce Banman announcing Thursday that he will sit as an Independent.
Ezra Creek wildfire remains out of control at 116 hectares north of Castlegar
The Ezra Creek wildfire northeast of Castlegar remained out of control at 116 hectares Thursday afternoon following rapid growth a day earlier. Three smaller lightning-caused fires in the Greater Trail area were listed as being held or under control.
Wind-driven wildfire near Gilpin contained after threatening power lines
A fast-moving wildfire near Gilpin Forest Service Road and Highway 3 prompted the shutdown of three FortisBC transmission lines Wednesday evening as crews from Grand Forks, Christina Lake and the BC Wildfire Service worked to contain the fire. Grand Forks Fire Rescue was dispatched at 6:44 p.m. Aug. 26 after smoke was reported in the area.
The smartest man Dolly Parton knew could not read
Lee Parton could not read or write, but his daughter called him the smartest man she had ever known. Before he died in 2000, he told Dolly Parton that the Imagination Library was probably the most important thing she had ever done, and she treasured the compliment because she believed his illiteracy had prevented him from fulfilling some of his dreams.
Sarah Vanderzon to join John Muirhead for two Okanagan shows
Quebec-born folk and Americana singer-songwriter Sarah Vanderzon will make back-to-back Okanagan appearances this fall as a special guest on John Muirhead’s The Never Ending Road Tour. The performances are scheduled for Penticton on Nov. 18 and Lake Country on Nov. 19.
UBCO Heat open Canada West soccer season Thursday against Trinity Western
The UBC Okanagan Heat will begin their 2026 Canada West men’s soccer season Thursday in Kelowna, hosting the Trinity Western Spartans at Nonis Sports Field.
B.C. reports 138 suspected unregulated-drug toxicity deaths in June
British Columbia reported 138 deaths due to suspected unregulated-drug toxicity in June, an average of about 4.6 deaths each day, according to preliminary data released Tuesday by the BC Coroners Service. The service’s previous bulletins reported 109 deaths in May 2026 and 147 deaths in June 2025, although all three monthly figures remain subject to revision.