Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

Similkameen River

Thousands of carcasses of pigs drowned in B.C. floods pose no threat to environment, composting plant says

Thousands of carcasses of pigs drowned in B.C. floods pose no threat to environment, composting plant says

WARNING: This story contains graphic images of piled-up pig carcasses The Castanet story quoted an Upper Similkameen Indian Band official saying the massive amount of biowaste may contaminate the river and groundwater, something Ocejo says isn't true. The band also sent a letter of complaint to the Town of Princeton on Jan. 11, saying its staff discovered the colossal amount of hog carcasses at the Net Zero Waste facility on Dec.10, and found that leachate and contaminated water were flowing directly from the facility to the Similkameen River's surrounding areas.

No heat or potable water in Princeton, B.C., as locals brace for freezing temperatures after flood

No heat or potable water in Princeton, B.C., as locals brace for freezing temperatures after flood

The town of Princeton, B.C., remains in a state of emergency after days of relentless rain caused extreme flooding, and now the scramble is on to get heat and water working in the community again as the mercury drops and freezing temperatures add to the emergency situation. Half the town is under water after extreme rains pushed the Tulameen and Similkameen rivers to overflow their banks and dikes on Monday, forcing people to evacuate 295 properties and creating a state of emergency in the community of 3,000, located 190 kilometres east of Vancouver.

Town of Princeton swamped after floodwaters breach dike

Town of Princeton swamped after floodwaters breach dike

The mayor of Princeton, B.C., says half the town is under water after extreme rains pushed the Tulameen and Similkameen rivers to overflow their banks and dikes. "The water level came up so fast that we couldn't get ahead of it. It just kept coming and coming," said Spencer Coyne. "There's a number of [dike] breaches. Houses are under water, cars are gone." Coyne said water levels were about 150 centimetres higher than the previous worst flood in memory, which hit the town in 1995.

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