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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Danna de Groot of Vancouver, sister of Peter de Groot, testified on Oct. 8 at the inquest into her brother’s death at the hands of the RCMP near Slocan, B.C. in 2014. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Sister of West Kootenay man killed by RCMP testifies at inquest

Danna de Groot recounts events leading to Peter de Groot’s death

Danna de Groot of Vancouver, sister of Peter de Groot, testified on Oct. 8 at the inquest into her brother’s death at the hands of the RCMP near Slocan, B.C. in 2014. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
A Coroner’s inquest into the death of Peter de Groot heard medical evidence on Oct. 5 and 6 at the Nelson courthouse. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

Path of police bullet that killed West Kootenay man at centre of coroner’s inquest

Four pathologists and two weapons experts testified on Oct. 5 and 6

A Coroner’s inquest into the death of Peter de Groot heard medical evidence on Oct. 5 and 6 at the Nelson courthouse. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
L-R, Peter de Groot’s sisters Danna de Groot, Shannon de Groot, and Michelle de Groot, with father Peter de Groot, brother Miles de Groot and sister Kristen de Groot, at the courthouse in Nelson for the inquest into the death Peter de Groot in 2014 near Slocan. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

RCMP officer who shot Kootenay man testifies at inquest

Retired officers Brian Burke and Robert Courcelles spoke about the death of Peter de Groot

L-R, Peter de Groot’s sisters Danna de Groot, Shannon de Groot, and Michelle de Groot, with father Peter de Groot, brother Miles de Groot and sister Kristen de Groot, at the courthouse in Nelson for the inquest into the death Peter de Groot in 2014 near Slocan. Photo: Bill Metcalfe
The inquest into the death of Peter de Groot is expected to run until Oct. 6 at the Nelson courthouse. File photo

Inquest in death of Kootenay man killed by RCMP begins in Nelson

Peter de Groot was shot near Slocan in 2014

The inquest into the death of Peter de Groot is expected to run until Oct. 6 at the Nelson courthouse. File photo
Old growth in the Lardeau Valley. “There is basically nothing left like this anywhere, but most valley bottoms in the Kootenays were once like this,” says Dr. Rachel Holt of Veridian Ecological Consulting. Photo: Rachel Holt

Scientists release maps of B.C. old growth forests, urge province to stop cutting

Report contains detailed maps of 2.6 per cent of the forested land in B.C.

Old growth in the Lardeau Valley. “There is basically nothing left like this anywhere, but most valley bottoms in the Kootenays were once like this,” says Dr. Rachel Holt of Veridian Ecological Consulting. Photo: Rachel Holt
Dr. Suzanne Simard of Nelson, a professor of forest ecology at UBC, is the author of Finding the Mother Tree. Photo: Brendan Ko

In the forest, a B.C. scientist discovers trees take care of their own

UBC professor Dr. Suzanne Simard’s book describes research into fungal networks’ role in forest health

Dr. Suzanne Simard of Nelson, a professor of forest ecology at UBC, is the author of Finding the Mother Tree. Photo: Brendan Ko
Harry Richardson was found guilty on four counts at the Nelson Courthouse on March 22 and has now been found not criminally responsible due to mental illness. File photo

Man who fired at RCMP officers in West Kootenay found not criminally responsible

Harry Richardson found to be mentally ill during 2019 incident in Argenta

Harry Richardson was found guilty on four counts at the Nelson Courthouse on March 22 and has now been found not criminally responsible due to mental illness. File photo
Members of the Colville Confederated Tribes, including Richard Desautel (front row fourth from right), gathered Friday morning to hear the Supreme Court of Canada decision. Photo: Submitted

Sinixt, First Nation bordering Canada-U.S., can claim Indigenous rights, top court rules

The decision essentially reverses a 1956 declaration the Sinixt were extinct

Members of the Colville Confederated Tribes, including Richard Desautel (front row fourth from right), gathered Friday morning to hear the Supreme Court of Canada decision. Photo: Submitted
Dresses hang outside Nelson city hall as part of the REDress Project by Métis artist Jaime Black. Photo: Bill Metcalfe

B.C. red dresses symbolizing missing, murdered Indigenous women vandalized a 2nd time

Nelson’s REDress Project was vandalized along with an outdoor installation on Vancouver Island

Dresses hang outside Nelson city hall as part of the REDress Project by Métis artist Jaime Black. Photo: Bill Metcalfe