Bill Metcalfe

Jean-Philippe Stienne, archivist at the Nelson Museum Archives and Gallery, stands in the Cold War Bunker with one of the air raid sirens installed in Nelson in 1963. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

‘Silent sentinels’: Nelson’s Cold War air raid sirens still stand

One of the five sirens is now housed at the Nelson museum, others are decomissioned

Jean-Philippe Stienne, archivist at the Nelson Museum Archives and Gallery, stands in the Cold War Bunker with one of the air raid sirens installed in Nelson in 1963. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Retired fruit farmer and agricultural economist Don Low, who advises the Regional District of Central Kootenay on water issues in the Creston Valley, says the Arrow Creek water plant expensively treats water to a level far beyond what is needed for irrigation. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

MELTDOWN: As water dries up, Creston Valley’s farmers worry for the future

RDCK is studying the feasibility of additional water sources for the area

Retired fruit farmer and agricultural economist Don Low, who advises the Regional District of Central Kootenay on water issues in the Creston Valley, says the Arrow Creek water plant expensively treats water to a level far beyond what is needed for irrigation. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Sinixt Confederacy staff members Cindy Marchand, Herb Alex, and Joe Peone at the Sinixt educational event in Nelson on April 27 with a map showing the area that the Sinixt (shown on the map as the Lakes people) consider their territory in Canada.The map was made by the anthropologist Verne Ray in 1936, based on his interviews with Sinixt elders. The numbers on the map show the reported location of villages. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Sinixt Confederacy conducts ethnohistory training for West Kootenay businesses, organizations, governments

The event was attended by more than 500 people over three days

Sinixt Confederacy staff members Cindy Marchand, Herb Alex, and Joe Peone at the Sinixt educational event in Nelson on April 27 with a map showing the area that the Sinixt (shown on the map as the Lakes people) consider their territory in Canada.The map was made by the anthropologist Verne Ray in 1936, based on his interviews with Sinixt elders. The numbers on the map show the reported location of villages. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
A view from Red Mountain near Rossland. The depth of the snowpack in the West Kootenay was 72 per cent of normal as of April 1, 2024. Photo: Tim Hart/ Unsplash

MELTDOWN: Low West Kootenay snowpack threatens drinking water drawn from creeks

Watershed vulnerability depends on size, aspect and amount of precipitation

A view from Red Mountain near Rossland. The depth of the snowpack in the West Kootenay was 72 per cent of normal as of April 1, 2024. Photo: Tim Hart/ Unsplash
“The industry really shouldn’t be clearcutting if we’re trying to save carbon and save biodiversity and foster regeneration. We should be doing partial cutting,” Simard told the Nelson Star in a 2021 interview. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
“The industry really shouldn’t be clearcutting if we’re trying to save carbon and save biodiversity and foster regeneration. We should be doing partial cutting,” Simard told the Nelson Star in a 2021 interview. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Nelson scientist is one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people

Suzanne Simard is the author of Finding the Mother Tree

“The industry really shouldn’t be clearcutting if we’re trying to save carbon and save biodiversity and foster regeneration. We should be doing partial cutting,” Simard told the Nelson Star in a 2021 interview. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
“The industry really shouldn’t be clearcutting if we’re trying to save carbon and save biodiversity and foster regeneration. We should be doing partial cutting,” Simard told the Nelson Star in a 2021 interview. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
A sewage leak has been discovered and repaired about 30 metres below the surface of the Kootenay River between Nelson and Grohman Narrows Provincial Park. Map: Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy

UPDATE: Millions of litres of sewage leak into Kootenay River

City management staff call the leak ‘negligible’

A sewage leak has been discovered and repaired about 30 metres below the surface of the Kootenay River between Nelson and Grohman Narrows Provincial Park. Map: Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy
Minister of Energy Mines and Low Carbon Innovation Josie Osborne (left) with Nelson-Creston MLA Brittny Anderson at a public discussion of energy issues in Nelson on March 22. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

B.C. cabinet minister discusses energy issues with Nelson residents

Josie Osborne is also the minister responsible for low carbon innovation

Minister of Energy Mines and Low Carbon Innovation Josie Osborne (left) with Nelson-Creston MLA Brittny Anderson at a public discussion of energy issues in Nelson on March 22. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Nelson actor Hiromoto Ida plays Lord Kiyama in the Disney+ series Shogun. “One hundred people on the set and suddenly totally quiet, on this beautiful Japanese set, just sitting the Japanese way with beautiful kimonos … that makes me very calm and I enjoy it, like I was here and lived this time before.” Photo: Katie Yu/FX

Nelson actor becomes ruthless warlord in new Disney+ Shōgun series

Hiromoto Ida plays a feudal lord of 17th century Japanese samurai culture

Nelson actor Hiromoto Ida plays Lord Kiyama in the Disney+ series Shogun. “One hundred people on the set and suddenly totally quiet, on this beautiful Japanese set, just sitting the Japanese way with beautiful kimonos … that makes me very calm and I enjoy it, like I was here and lived this time before.” Photo: Katie Yu/FX
Zincton Mountain Resort would be built along the slopes of Whitewater Mountain near New Denver. The road shown south of the tenure is Highway 31A between New Denver and Kaslo. Map: Brent Harley and Associates

U.S. group wants formal assessment of massive B.C. back country ski resort

Colville Confederated Tribes seeks engagement on the Zincton project on 5,000 hectares near Kaslo

Zincton Mountain Resort would be built along the slopes of Whitewater Mountain near New Denver. The road shown south of the tenure is Highway 31A between New Denver and Kaslo. Map: Brent Harley and Associates
Nelson filmmaker Amy Bohigian. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

B.C. filmmaker to celebrate and satirize ‘the last earnest place on Earth’

Amy Bohigian will create six 10-minute episodes of sketch comedy focused on the charms of Nelson

Nelson filmmaker Amy Bohigian. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Abbotsford police officer Const. Allan Young died after a confrontation with Alex Willness in downtown Nelson in 2020. Willness was found guilty of manslaughter. Photo: Abbotsford Police Department

UPDATE: Man who killed Abbotsford officer in Nelson sentenced to 5 years

Alex Willness was previously found guilty of manslaughter in the 2020 death of Allan Young

Abbotsford police officer Const. Allan Young died after a confrontation with Alex Willness in downtown Nelson in 2020. Willness was found guilty of manslaughter. Photo: Abbotsford Police Department
Nelson City Council agreed at its Dec. 5 meeting to send a letter to the federal government urging it to push for an end to hostilities in Gaza. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Nelson City Council signs letter calling for ‘immediate cessation of hostilities’ in Gaza

Letter calls on the federal government to push for peace

Nelson City Council agreed at its Dec. 5 meeting to send a letter to the federal government urging it to push for an end to hostilities in Gaza. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
The camp on Government Road in Nelson on Sept. 29. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Roadside B.C. homeless camp endures rocks, fireworks, from passing cars

Winter shelter options limited, public harassment common for people without homes in Nelson

The camp on Government Road in Nelson on Sept. 29. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Jarred-Michael Erickson is the chair of the Colville Confederated Tribes and of the Sinixt (Arrow Lakes) Confederacy. Photo: Submitted

First Nation cries foul over Columbia River Treaty funding given to other Indigenous groups

Chair of Sinixt (Arrow Lakes) Confederacy says court action is an option

Jarred-Michael Erickson is the chair of the Colville Confederated Tribes and of the Sinixt (Arrow Lakes) Confederacy. Photo: Submitted
Dixie Champ (left) with Dede Shave, both residents at Lake View Village in Nelson. A residential tenancy arbitrator has ruled that Golden Life Management’s rent increase on Champ’s apartment was illegal. The decision has implications for other residents, including Shave. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

B.C. senior wins dispute after landlord raises rent over legal limit

Decision involves seniors housing facilities

Dixie Champ (left) with Dede Shave, both residents at Lake View Village in Nelson. A residential tenancy arbitrator has ruled that Golden Life Management’s rent increase on Champ’s apartment was illegal. The decision has implications for other residents, including Shave. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
An unidentified pilot landed his plane on Highway 6 on Monday. Photo: Ed Baker

Pilot lands plane on Kootenay highway after engine failure

No one injured in incident north of Salmo

An unidentified pilot landed his plane on Highway 6 on Monday. Photo: Ed Baker
Earthquake damage in Marrakesh, Morocco. Photo: Doug Jones

‘It was terrifying’: B.C. resident recalls Morocco earthquake

Fiona Richards says the country needs tourist dollars to survive

Earthquake damage in Marrakesh, Morocco. Photo: Doug Jones
John Vaillant will speak on Sept. 14 and will appear as part of a four-writer panel on Sept. 15. Both events are at Nelson’s Capitol Theatre. Photo: John Sinal

‘They ran for their lives’: John Vaillant on lessons from Fort McMurray wildfire

Vaillant’s new book Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast is a wake-up call

John Vaillant will speak on Sept. 14 and will appear as part of a four-writer panel on Sept. 15. Both events are at Nelson’s Capitol Theatre. Photo: John Sinal
A dead fish on the shore of Kootenay Lake on July 25, 2023. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Government scientists can’t explain dead fish on Kootenay Lake shores

Bacteria, viruses, warm temperature and oxygen deficiency ruled out

A dead fish on the shore of Kootenay Lake on July 25, 2023. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
The health and stability of the lake shore are crucial to the survival of kokanee salmon. Photo: Jim Bailey

B.C. hydro companies, feds accused of ignoring kokanee salmon in Kootenays

Groups say BC Hydro and FortisBC have violated Fisheries Act for decades

The health and stability of the lake shore are crucial to the survival of kokanee salmon. Photo: Jim Bailey