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An elephant and her calf are rescued from a deep pit in Thailand. (Associated Press/screenshot)
VIDEO: Thai elephant calf, mother rescued from deep pit
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Classroom chairs. (Photo: Pixabay)

Chilliwack teacher suspended after ‘crossing personal boundaries‘ with students

Sheldon Lyle Nickel admitted to inappropriate conduct, including sending personal text messages

Classroom chairs. (Photo: Pixabay)
Emmery Martin (left) and Hailey Walsh, students of local artist Monica Beranek, were featured at Sparwood Museum’s July 22, 2022, rendition of ‘Culture on the Lawn.’ (Courtesy of Kim Pryhitko)

Sparwood enjoys Culture on the Lawn

Friday’s event featured local artists Monica Beranek, Hailey Walsh, Emmery Martin and Roger Fairhurst

Emmery Martin (left) and Hailey Walsh, students of local artist Monica Beranek, were featured at Sparwood Museum’s July 22, 2022, rendition of ‘Culture on the Lawn.’ (Courtesy of Kim Pryhitko)
Mandy McGregor will be running for mayor of Elkford in the 2022 October election. (Courtesy of the District of Elkford)

Mandy McGregor running for Mayor of Elkford

McGregor has served almost 14 years on district council

Mandy McGregor will be running for mayor of Elkford in the 2022 October election. (Courtesy of the District of Elkford)
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Activists with Save Old Growth block traffic on the Trans-Canada Highway in Metro Vancouver in May 2022, calling for an end to old-growth logging in British Columbia. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Save Old Growth)
‘They alienate British Columbians’: Environment minister blasts latest protests, demonstrations
An Ottawa Police Service (OPS) office, Ministry of Transportation (MTO) officer and employees from Lady Dive Tour look at the aftermath of a single-vehicle accident involving an amphibious Lady Dive Tour vehicle which crashed into the 24 Sussex Dr. in Ottawa, Ont. on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
VIDEO: Tour bus crashes into gates of 24 Sussex, PM’s vacant official residence
Kim Phuc Phan Thi poses with Ukrainians leaving Warsaw, Poland, for Canada in this recent handout photo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - KIM Foundation International
VIDEO: Ontario woman who was known as ‘napalm girl’ helping Ukrainians settle in Canada
The dual sunroofs were completely destroyed in the hailstorm. Photo supplied
VIDEO: B.C. mayor, family shaken after hail the size of grapefruits falls in Alberta
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The City of Fernie council elected in October 2018, with Phil Iddon third from left. (Phil McLachlan / The Free Press)

Fernie councillor Phil Iddon not re-contesting in 2022

Iddon has served on city council since 2008

The City of Fernie council elected in October 2018, with Phil Iddon third from left. (Phil McLachlan / The Free Press)
Elkford local Jason Meldrum with a copy of The Free Press from August 2020, when he first set out raising support for a bike park in town. Pictured at the site of the future park in July 2022. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Elkford Bike Park funding secured

All the required funding is lined up, with construction set to start soon

Elkford local Jason Meldrum with a copy of The Free Press from August 2020, when he first set out raising support for a bike park in town. Pictured at the site of the future park in July 2022. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
The site of the former, and soon-to-be future Centennial Square in downtown Sparwood. Pictured in July 2022. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Sparwood’s Centennial Square moving along

The new public space in the centre of town should be completed before winter

The site of the former, and soon-to-be future Centennial Square in downtown Sparwood. Pictured in July 2022. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
The Elk Valley Thrift Shop donated $20,000 for the Sparwood Museum’s planned Jurassic Exhibit on June 15, 2022. (Courtesy of Kim Pryhitko)

Sparwood Museum’s planned Jurassic Exhibit receives $20,000 donation

The donation was made in June by the Elk Valley Thrift Shop

The Elk Valley Thrift Shop donated $20,000 for the Sparwood Museum’s planned Jurassic Exhibit on June 15, 2022. (Courtesy of Kim Pryhitko)
The Coal Creek Heritage Society, along with Tourism Fernie, Parastone Developments, and Columbia Basin Trust, worked on major parking lot and signage improvements at the Montane trailhead in Fernie in July, 2022. (Courtesy of Rick Wiess)

Montane trailhead gets a glow-up

The CCHS and their sponsors recently completed major work at the Montane trailhead parking lot

The Coal Creek Heritage Society, along with Tourism Fernie, Parastone Developments, and Columbia Basin Trust, worked on major parking lot and signage improvements at the Montane trailhead in Fernie in July, 2022. (Courtesy of Rick Wiess)
Harshan Ramadass is running for City of Fernie council in 2022. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Harshan Ramadass to run for Fernie council

Ramadass and his family have lived in Fernie for 12 years

Harshan Ramadass is running for City of Fernie council in 2022. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
The Elk Valley Hospital is adapting to meet the needs of patients in the Elk Valley.

Get your booster shot, stay vigilant: Local doctors

Health authority messaging isn’t clear, and it was reflected in the numbers according to local doctors

The Elk Valley Hospital is adapting to meet the needs of patients in the Elk Valley.
Posters being shared to Fernie businesses amid a worker shortage in the area. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Remember your manners: New campaign encourages kindness towards short-staffed businesses in Fernie

The campaign is a new initiative from the Chamber of Commerce

Posters being shared to Fernie businesses amid a worker shortage in the area. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
The District of Elkford announced on July 21, 2022 that the Josephine Falls trail near town was closed due to CanWel logging activity. (Dan Sarkany / Elkford Trails Alliance)

Josephine Falls trail near Elkford temporarily closed due to CanWel logging

The logging work is expected to last two weeks from July 21

The District of Elkford announced on July 21, 2022 that the Josephine Falls trail near town was closed due to CanWel logging activity. (Dan Sarkany / Elkford Trails Alliance)
Ron “Sonny” Saad is running for a third term on Sparwood council in October 2022. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Ron “Sonny” Saad to run for Sparwood council

Saad has served two terms on council so far, and said there was more to do

Ron “Sonny” Saad is running for a third term on Sparwood council in October 2022. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Kyle Hamilton is running for city council in 2022 again. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Kyle Hamilton declares he’s running for Fernie council

Hamilton has served on city council since 2018

Kyle Hamilton is running for city council in 2022 again. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
The city’s line painting program has been delayed by a lack of materials delivered for the 2022 summer season. Pictured: The VIC carpark, done by a contractor. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)

Rising costs and longer waiting times throwing a spanner into municipal works: Fernie

Projects already contracted will take longer, and projects still in the works will cost more

The city’s line painting program has been delayed by a lack of materials delivered for the 2022 summer season. Pictured: The VIC carpark, done by a contractor. (Scott Tibballs / The Free Press)
Marty Williams of Aq’am leading a walk and talk with members of the Fernie Nordic Society at their annual general meeting on July 10, 2022. (Courtesy of Megan Lohmann)

Fernie Nordic Society hosts AGM and volunteer appreciation event

The Fernie Nordic Society gathered for their annual general meeting on July 10

Marty Williams of Aq’am leading a walk and talk with members of the Fernie Nordic Society at their annual general meeting on July 10, 2022. (Courtesy of Megan Lohmann)
The 2022 Fernie Dunbar Summer Series Canada Cup/BC Cup Downhill Mountain Bike Race took place at the Fernie Alpine Resort on July 16 an 17. (Ryan Schultz / Rjschultzphoto)

Dunbar downhill race brings hundreds of pro-bikers to Fernie

The race took place on July 16 and 17 at the Fernie Alpine Resort

The 2022 Fernie Dunbar Summer Series Canada Cup/BC Cup Downhill Mountain Bike Race took place at the Fernie Alpine Resort on July 16 an 17. (Ryan Schultz / Rjschultzphoto)
A wall-ride on the Bin Logdin bike trail at the Fernie Alpine Resort was painted by local artist Joey Kosolofski in mid-July, 2022. (Courtesy of Joey Kosolofski)

Fernie Alpine Resort sports new wall-ride artwork

The work was done by Fernie artist Joey Kosolofski

A wall-ride on the Bin Logdin bike trail at the Fernie Alpine Resort was painted by local artist Joey Kosolofski in mid-July, 2022. (Courtesy of Joey Kosolofski)
About 30 people gathered on the evening of July 18, 2022, in Elkford to celebrate the official opening of the Elkford Trails Alliance’s first trail. (Courtesy of Colin Standish)

Elkford Trails Alliance celebrates official opening of first trail, announces names

The northern section of the ETA’s first trail is named after the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

About 30 people gathered on the evening of July 18, 2022, in Elkford to celebrate the official opening of the Elkford Trails Alliance’s first trail. (Courtesy of Colin Standish)
A cat named Jingo from the Annex in Fernie has been missing since July 10, and the family is offering a $500 reward for anyone who helps locate him. (Courtesy of Claire Hirst)

‘Really missed’: Fernie family searching for lost cat, offering $500 reward

Jingo was last seen in the Annex on July 10

A cat named Jingo from the Annex in Fernie has been missing since July 10, and the family is offering a $500 reward for anyone who helps locate him. (Courtesy of Claire Hirst)