Scott Tibballs

Lily Bowers with her Ukraine flag-style quilt, made to help raise funds to support those displaced by the conflict in Ukraine. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Sparwood woman raises over $2K for Ukraine with special handmade blanket

Lily Bowers donated $2,210 raised through ticket sales to the Red Cross

Lily Bowers with her Ukraine flag-style quilt, made to help raise funds to support those displaced by the conflict in Ukraine. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Lily Bowers of Sparwood is creating a quilt made with Ukrainian flag colours to help raise funds to support refugees. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Sparwood local creates quilt for Ukraine

Any funds raised from the quilt’s sale will go towards helping refugees escaping the war in Ukraine

Lily Bowers of Sparwood is creating a quilt made with Ukrainian flag colours to help raise funds to support refugees. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Fernie Alpine Resort turnoff on Hwy. 3. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Man dies after skiing accident at B.C.’s Fernie Alpine Resort

A man died from injuries sustained while skiing at Fernie Alpine Resort over the weekend

Fernie Alpine Resort turnoff on Hwy. 3. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Fernie local Dave Richards with his latest carving creation - an ice bear carved from ice from Crowsnest Pass Lake. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

(Ice) bear spotted in Fernie

Local wood carver in training Dave Richards is the artist behind the ice sculpture

Fernie local Dave Richards with his latest carving creation - an ice bear carved from ice from Crowsnest Pass Lake. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Skiers on the Boomerang Chair at Fernie Alpine Resort. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

High elevation, high numbers: B.C. resort towns report COVID spikes

Resort communities are at more risk, according to Dr. Karin Goodison of Interior Health

Skiers on the Boomerang Chair at Fernie Alpine Resort. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Sparwood mayor David Wilks. (File photo)

‘We don’t have the capacity’: East Kootenay Mayor takes aim at COVID health orders

With limited resources, local governments and private businesses are under too much strain from public health orders according to Sparwood Mayor David Wilks

Sparwood mayor David Wilks. (File photo)
A Salmon Arm artist worked with talented local fabricators to create an enormous set of steel bighorn sheep horns to greet visitors to Radium Hot Springs. (Village of Radium Hot Springs image)

Radium collisions causing dwindling bighorn sheep population; overpass urged by expert

The Radium herd has been declining for years, and was reduced by 19 just from traffic last year

A Salmon Arm artist worked with talented local fabricators to create an enormous set of steel bighorn sheep horns to greet visitors to Radium Hot Springs. (Village of Radium Hot Springs image)
Elko Provincial Park contributes minimally to local conservation, with noxious weeds having overrun most of the grasslands. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

The little park that’s causing concern in the Elko Overhead bridge upgrade project

The Elko Provincial Park needs to be intruded on to replace the Elko Overhead

Elko Provincial Park contributes minimally to local conservation, with noxious weeds having overrun most of the grasslands. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Catherine Crewe of Fernie with the card that she and Nancy Nester of Invermere have been sending back and forth to each other since 1964. Pictured here in 2021. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

60 years of good wishes: Two long-time Kootenay penpals keep a Christmas tradition alive

Catherine Crewe of Fernie, and Nancy Nester of Invermere have been sending the same card back and forth to each other since they were both five years old

Catherine Crewe of Fernie with the card that she and Nancy Nester of Invermere have been sending back and forth to each other since 1964. Pictured here in 2021. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
It has been a brutal year for bears in the Elk Valley, with dozens destroyed by Conservation Officers and more killed by traffic and trains. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

31 bears euthanized in the Elk Valley

Conservation Officers have been forced to destroy 31 bears in the Elk Valley so far

It has been a brutal year for bears in the Elk Valley, with dozens destroyed by Conservation Officers and more killed by traffic and trains. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Teck has revised its sales forecast for Q4 2021 due to disruptions to CP and CN Rail networks. File photo

Teck cuts coal sales forecast due to flood disruptions

The company expects to sell 5.2-5.7 million tonnes instead of 6.4-6.8 million tonnes

Teck has revised its sales forecast for Q4 2021 due to disruptions to CP and CN Rail networks. File photo
Coal Creek has undermined structures at the Fernie Rifle Range due to heavy rain on November 14-15. (Image courtesy of Andrés González)

PHOTOS: Aerial perspective captures changes to Coal Creek near Fernie

A local photographer used his drone to take striking images of how much the creek has moved due to high rainfall in mid-November

Coal Creek has undermined structures at the Fernie Rifle Range due to heavy rain on November 14-15. (Image courtesy of Andrés González)
A male grizzly bear in a fall apple tree in Elkford, BC. (Photo credit: Cindy Rideout)

Pilot program in Elk Valley pulling fruit out of hungry bears’ reach

A program which removes and replaces fruit-bearing trees saw a successful first year in operation, with a wait list for 2022

A male grizzly bear in a fall apple tree in Elkford, BC. (Photo credit: Cindy Rideout)
(Contributed by Michelle Malan)

Sparwood seniors pose as firefighters in fundraising calendar

Funds raised will go towards the supported living facility

(Contributed by Michelle Malan)
Hwy. 3 is vulnerable to flooding by Hartley Creek, cutting transportation links through the Elk Valley according to Sparwood Mayor David Wilks, who is chair of the ‘Hwy. 3 Mayors and Chairs Coalition’ which advocates for improvements to the highway. (Image courtesy of Google Streetview)

Stretch of Hwy. 3 in Elk Valley needs an upgrade: Sparwood Mayor

Hartley Creek often backs up at Hwy. 3 due to silt, and flooded the roadway on Sunday

Hwy. 3 is vulnerable to flooding by Hartley Creek, cutting transportation links through the Elk Valley according to Sparwood Mayor David Wilks, who is chair of the ‘Hwy. 3 Mayors and Chairs Coalition’ which advocates for improvements to the highway. (Image courtesy of Google Streetview)
Cokato Creek has overflowed its banks prompting the closure of Cokato Road in the 4500 block. (Image courtesy of Brendan Morgan, City of Fernie)

Flooding cuts Hwy3 in Elk Valley

Roads have been closed and neighbourhoods around Fernie and in the RDEK have seen localised flooding

Cokato Creek has overflowed its banks prompting the closure of Cokato Road in the 4500 block. (Image courtesy of Brendan Morgan, City of Fernie)
(Twitter/BC Conservation Officer Service)

Conservation officer kills black bear previously shot with rifle in Kootenay town

Officers are searching for whoever shot a mother bear within district limits

(Twitter/BC Conservation Officer Service)
Three grizzly bear cubs killed after being hit by a train near Elko, B.C. on October 6 2021. Their deceased mother was found further down the tracks. (Contributed by Dr. Clayton Lamb)

Mother grizzly, 3 cubs killed by train near Elko

A female grizzly and her three cubs died on train tracks on October 6

Three grizzly bear cubs killed after being hit by a train near Elko, B.C. on October 6 2021. Their deceased mother was found further down the tracks. (Contributed by Dr. Clayton Lamb)
A fully-loaded logging truck plunged into the Elk River on Monday, October 18 2021. (Contributed by James Kirk)
A fully-loaded logging truck plunged into the Elk River on Monday, October 18 2021. (Contributed by James Kirk)
The local detachment is short-staffed. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Police powers in travel restriction orders too vague: Sparwood mayor

Sparwood’s mayor said it was not clear how the RCMP would factor into the new orders announced today

The local detachment is short-staffed. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)