Bill Metcalfe

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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
Tanya Finley, left, with Oleksandra and Serhii and their twin boys, from left, Oleksii (Lesha) and Oleksandr (Sasha). 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

Tanya Finley, left, with Oleksandra and Serhii and their twin boys, from left, Oleksii (Lesha) and Oleksandr (Sasha). Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Diana Cole spoke at 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

Diana Cole spoke at 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
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
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
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
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. 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. 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
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 Kaslo Jazz Etc. Festival has become a wildly popular cultural event in the West Kootenay. Photo: Louis Bockner

Kaslo Jazz Etc. Festival is back, with changes

First batch of tickets has sold out, a second will be offered later in the spring

The Kaslo Jazz Etc. Festival has become a wildly popular cultural event in the West Kootenay. Photo: Louis Bockner
David Restivo’s album Arancina has been nominated for a Juno Award as best jazz group album of the year. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Nelson pianist nominated for Juno Award

David Restivo’s Arancina nominated as the best jazz group album of the year

David Restivo’s album Arancina has been nominated for a Juno Award as best jazz group album of the year. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Alecia Maslechko at the Feb. 24 Vancouver gathering in support of Ukraine. Photo: Submitted

Amid acts of war, Nelson woman reflects on Ukraine in the eyes of her grandparents

Alecia Maslechko’s grandfather says he’s proud of her knowledge of his culture

Alecia Maslechko at the Feb. 24 Vancouver gathering in support of Ukraine. Photo: Submitted
L-R, back: Kat Zaworonok, Tina Coletti, Bob Hall, and Brent Holowaychuk, all Nelsonites of Ukrainian descent, got together on Feb. 27 for a dinner in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Also present was Janice Hall (not pictured). Front: Michael Holowaychuk and Ben Holowaychuk. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Nelsonites of Ukrainian descent meet for dinner, bonded by the war

The group ate Ukrainian food and shared family stories

L-R, back: Kat Zaworonok, Tina Coletti, Bob Hall, and Brent Holowaychuk, all Nelsonites of Ukrainian descent, got together on Feb. 27 for a dinner in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. Also present was Janice Hall (not pictured). Front: Michael Holowaychuk and Ben Holowaychuk. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Const. Allan Young died five days after being attacked on Baker Street in Nelson in the summer of 2020. Photo: Abbotsford Police Department

Trial date set for accused killer of off-duty police officer in Nelson

Alex Willness will be tried for manslaughter on Feb. 28, 2023

Const. Allan Young died five days after being attacked on Baker Street in Nelson in the summer of 2020. Photo: Abbotsford Police Department
Sgt. Paul Bayes of the Nelson Police Department with Restorative Justice Program manager Kathy Centrone. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

New life for Nelson’s restorative justice program

Program aims to reconcile offender and victim in property offences

Sgt. Paul Bayes of the Nelson Police Department with Restorative Justice Program manager Kathy Centrone. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
Dr. Rachel Holt at a Dec. 1 video press conference on old growth forests held by the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. Photo: Video screenshot, Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs

Nelson ecologist questions B.C.’s roll-out of old growth strategy

Rachel Holt was part of a technical panel that mapped old growth

Dr. Rachel Holt at a Dec. 1 video press conference on old growth forests held by the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. Photo: Video screenshot, Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs
The jury in the inquest into the death of Peter de Groot delivered its verdict at the Nelson courthouse on Oct. 13. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

RCMP crisis intervention improvements among West Kootenay inquest recommendations

Jury suggestions follow the inquest into the death of Peter de Groot in 2014

The jury in the inquest into the death of Peter de Groot delivered its verdict at the Nelson courthouse on Oct. 13. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
A heron nest in a white pine on golf course land, barely visible from the ground, taken with a telephoto lens on Oct. 12. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Nelson golf club developing land at protected heron nesting site

Buffer at Granite Pointe Golf Club should have been left around two nest trees, says biologist

A heron nest in a white pine on golf course land, barely visible from the ground, taken with a telephoto lens on Oct. 12. Photo: Bill Metcalfe