February
2 —The West Kootenay-Boundary Regional Hospital District board announced it is offering to pay a major portion of the costs to get improvements started at the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital estimated at $16 million. The offer comes with the caveat that the ministry agrees to fund the remainder of the project and provide the district with a timeline.
6 —First responders working together helped save the life of a distraught woman following a vehicle accident near Genelle. The female driver crossed the centre line and side swiped a larger commercial van. The female occupant exited her vehicle and made her way down the back and continued into the river. First responders alerted Kootenay Boundary Fire and Rescue, which dispatched its boat while an ambulance attendant talked the woman into coming closer to shore. She was eventually picked up by the boat, transported to a waiting ambulance at the boat launch and taken to the hospital.
6 —A study of poverty in the Lower Columbia pegged the region’s hourly living wage at $18.21.
10 —The heavy snowfall hitting the region has tested resources of the City of Trail’s snow removal. While there is a mixture of disappointment and praise for the workers, city staff has been working 24/7 to remove the mounds of white stuff clogging many streets. The regional weather office, based in Castlegar, said 63 cm of snow fell in the month, up to 90 cm in other areas, which is almost 250 per cent above the normal 25 cm.
14 — A large crowd was on hand for the Warfield byelection forum at the community hall. With a total of six candidates vying for the mayor’s chair and two councillor positions, a total of 150 people came out for the forum.
15 —School District 20 was recognized by the Industry Training Authority for its high registration for the Youth Works in Trades program that helps students combine education and apprenticeships towards a career in trades.
16 —According to a recent report by the Trail Area Health and Environment Committee, the air quality in the Trail is at its best ever. While a spokesman for the committee cautioned it’s too early to identify the credit for the low reading, he did note Teck’s Fugitive Dust Reduction Program, which included a new recycle building, as a contributing factor.
17 —Red Mountain Resort announced it has reached its $10 million crowdfunding campaign goal. Although the current amount is a non-binding reservation, once the final tally is accumulated, the resort came move ahead on any expansion plans.
22 —Ambiguity led to a misleading report from a Washington State newspaper that a large raw sewage spill had flowed into the Columbia River from the City of Trail. The word “effluent” was mis-characterized as raw sewage when in fact the overflow into the river came from melting snow and water run-off but contained no raw sewage.
23 —Teck confirmed it has cancelled the $210-million e-waste project at Trail Operations. Citing a review of market conditions, the company opted to shelve the project, which was announced in 2011.
25 —Warfield elects Diane Langman as mayor after 40 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot. Bradley Jansen and Raymond Masleck were elected as councillors.
25 —Tom Cochrane rocks a sold-out crowd at the Bailey Theatre as he brings his Mad Mad World Tour to Trail in front of over 700 enthusiastic fans.