Community

Rona Tepper and Kristen Gribble are among six women who are active RCMSAR5 Crescent Beach crew members, out of a total 28. Tenures of the women range from eight months to 7.5 years. (Contributed photo)

PHOTOS: Number of women on South Surrey marine-rescue team ‘a bit of anomaly’

More than one-fifth of active RCMSAR5 Crescent Beach crew members are women

Shamrocks are associated with Ireland, but a four-leaf clover is much more rare. Do you know the odds of finding a four-leaf clover? (Pixabay.com)

QUIZ: How Irish are you?

St. Patrick’s Day, on March 17, is a celebration of Ireland and Irish culture

For her father’s birthday, Christine Fritz made a donation at the Canada Blood Services Clinic in Walnut Grove on Saturday, March 11. It was her eighth contribution. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)

Daughter donates blood for dad’s birthday

‘If I’m out there donating, someone else is donating for him’ B.C. woman says

ʔaxw̌ mn ̓ — Brush the Water: The Renaissance of Plateau Canoe Culture on the Upper Columbia River (2012-2023) will open at the Kootenay Gallery of Art on March 10. Photo: Submitted

Two new exhibits kick off Kootenay Gallery of Art’s 2023 season

New exhibits open in Castlegar March 10

ʔaxw̌ mn ̓ — Brush the Water: The Renaissance of Plateau Canoe Culture on the Upper Columbia River (2012-2023) will open at the Kootenay Gallery of Art on March 10. Photo: Submitted
Kaito Takeda will perform on violin with La Cafamore. Photo: Submitted

La Cafamore playing in Castlegar March 26

String quartet will perform works by Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn

Kaito Takeda will perform on violin with La Cafamore. Photo: Submitted
Tammy Young beams with excitement when she returns from her first call with the Salmon Arm Fire Department. (Photo contributed)

‘I fell in love with it’: Salmon Arm woman always wanted to be a firefighter

Fire department celebrates its female firefighters on International Women’s Day

Tammy Young beams with excitement when she returns from her first call with the Salmon Arm Fire Department. (Photo contributed)
Hula hoop artist Fox Spirals spun a routine at the Kootenay Children's Festival in 2022 (Barry Coulter photo)

Kootenay Children’s Festival promises fun and games for the whole family

Event will feature performances from Will’s Jams, Bonnie Harvey and The Amuse Troupe.

Hula hoop artist Fox Spirals spun a routine at the Kootenay Children's Festival in 2022 (Barry Coulter photo)
Anouschka Riverin and Team Just Beat says the 2022 Tour de Cure “was so much fun we immediately signed up for the 2023 edition.” (Contributed)

Team ‘Just Beat It’ cycling for a cure

Anoushka Riverin and Team Just Beat It will ride in 2023 Tour de Cure to raise funds to fight cancer

  • Mar 8, 2023
Anouschka Riverin and Team Just Beat says the 2022 Tour de Cure “was so much fun we immediately signed up for the 2023 edition.” (Contributed)
Name the puppy contest press conference at BC RCMP headquarters in Surrey on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. The two dogs are Tuesday’s announcement- Rip and Rev- were some of the last German Shepherd puppies born at the Centre last year. (Photo: Anna Burns)

BC RCMP asks youth to help ‘Name the Puppies’

The RCMP is asking for help in naming 13 German Shepherd puppies that will be born this year

Name the puppy contest press conference at BC RCMP headquarters in Surrey on Tuesday, March 7, 2023. The two dogs are Tuesday’s announcement- Rip and Rev- were some of the last German Shepherd puppies born at the Centre last year. (Photo: Anna Burns)
Ethan, 12, suffered damage to his leg after falling under a Kelowna transit bus on Feb. 28, 2023. (GoFundMe)

Fundraiser tops $10,000 for Okanagan boy injured after falling under bus

The GoFundMe says donations will help with cost of physiotherapy

Ethan, 12, suffered damage to his leg after falling under a Kelowna transit bus on Feb. 28, 2023. (GoFundMe)
Drummers sing as they walk into the Sts’ailes Lhawathet Lalem (Healing House) on Friday, March 3. (Adam Louis/Observer)

PHOTOS: ‘This beautiful work’: Sts’ailes First Nation welcomes 29 baskets home

Ancestral baskets repatriated to First Nation from Kilby Historic Site

Drummers sing as they walk into the Sts’ailes Lhawathet Lalem (Healing House) on Friday, March 3. (Adam Louis/Observer)
South Surrey Grade 3 student Zhiji Dong has been honoured by Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth as “one of the brightest students in the world.” (Contributed photo)

B.C. Grade 3 student ‘one of world’s brightest’

Zhiji Dong was among highest scorers in Center for Talented Youth assessment

South Surrey Grade 3 student Zhiji Dong has been honoured by Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth as “one of the brightest students in the world.” (Contributed photo)
Canadians are making their final Registered Retirement Savings Plan contributions, in advance of the deadline. (Black Press Media file)

QUIZ: How much do you know about money and savings?

In January and February, Canadians make their final savings contributions for the tax year.

Canadians are making their final Registered Retirement Savings Plan contributions, in advance of the deadline. (Black Press Media file)
April Huggett stands in front of a destroyed apartment building in the Saltovka area of Kharkiv. Photo: Submitted

‘I couldn’t get over it’: Castlegar mother heads to the front lines of Ukraine

April Huggett is delivering supplies to soldiers and civilians

April Huggett stands in front of a destroyed apartment building in the Saltovka area of Kharkiv. Photo: Submitted
The week of Feb. 19 to 24 is Freedom to Read Week in Canada. (Black Press file photo)

QUIZ: How much do you know about your freedom to read?

Feb. 19 to 24 is Freedom to Read Week in Canada

The week of Feb. 19 to 24 is Freedom to Read Week in Canada. (Black Press file photo)
Suhaandeep Gill spent last week delivering special treat bags to shelters in Abbotsford, Maple Ridge and Mission. (Jessica Peters/Abbotsford News)

Kid Cupid: Young Abbotsford boy delivers love to the streets with Valentine’s Day bags

Suhaandeep Gill, 7, created thoughtful bags of much-needed items to give to three city shelters

Suhaandeep Gill spent last week delivering special treat bags to shelters in Abbotsford, Maple Ridge and Mission. (Jessica Peters/Abbotsford News)
The volunteers who maintain Penticton’s outdoor rink on 107 Martin Street. Front row from left to right: Frank Gair, Mark Hammerquist, Cathy Terris, Chris Terris, John Buckley, Lance Zablotney, Patrick Meyer, Chris Araki. Back row from left to right: Gord Barnes, Dave Burgoyne. Missing from picture: Ralph Consolo, Kent Fiske, Lloyd Lindsay, and crew chief Cam Gunning. (Contributed)

Meet the volunteers who make the Okanagan’s newest outdoor rink a reality 7 days a week

‘All of them just want to do something that makes our community better to live in,’ said Gord Barnes

The volunteers who maintain Penticton’s outdoor rink on 107 Martin Street. Front row from left to right: Frank Gair, Mark Hammerquist, Cathy Terris, Chris Terris, John Buckley, Lance Zablotney, Patrick Meyer, Chris Araki. Back row from left to right: Gord Barnes, Dave Burgoyne. Missing from picture: Ralph Consolo, Kent Fiske, Lloyd Lindsay, and crew chief Cam Gunning. (Contributed)
Project Mama Duck is a new pedestrian safety program run by the Ridge Meadows RCMP Road Safety Target Team, which is seen here crouching next to a goose. (Ridge Meadows RCMP/Special to The News)

RCMP launches new Project Mama Duck pedestrian safety program in B.C. city

The RSTT educational program focuses on the Maple Ridge area of Lougheed Highway

Project Mama Duck is a new pedestrian safety program run by the Ridge Meadows RCMP Road Safety Target Team, which is seen here crouching next to a goose. (Ridge Meadows RCMP/Special to The News)
A benefit concert for Meadow Moonflower Mullaney will be held Feb 18. Photo: GoFundMe/screenshot

12-hour benefit concert for child crash survivor to be held in Castlegar

Kootenay musicians are supporting Meadow Moonflower Mullaney

A benefit concert for Meadow Moonflower Mullaney will be held Feb 18. Photo: GoFundMe/screenshot
Ben Baker died of an accidental overdose on Jan. 23, 2023. The family is fundraising for two memorial benches to make a monetary donation in Ben’s name to The Last Door in New Westminster. (Ben Baker’s Legacy/GoFundMe)

Benches in West Kelowna, Lower Mainland help keep man’s legacy alive

All additional donations will be donated to the treatment facility Ben stayed at

Ben Baker died of an accidental overdose on Jan. 23, 2023. The family is fundraising for two memorial benches to make a monetary donation in Ben’s name to The Last Door in New Westminster. (Ben Baker’s Legacy/GoFundMe)