Featured Stories

Online Living

Canadian indie artists turning to Twitter to attain tweet success
Emerging Canadian indie music artists are tapping into Twitter, the popular social networking site, to promote their work and keep in touch with fans.

Gamer girls: They're out there, discreetly giving the boys a whuppin'
Nearly half of the “gamers” playing online are female, but most girls and women playing on Xbox Live hide their gender to avoid being ridiculed, sexually harassed or picked on in games.

Growing numbers blog off the pounds
When weblogs, now known as blogs, first hit the Internet they were seen as not much more than personal diaries. But now bloggers are using them in all kinds of unique ways, including as a tool to help lose weight.

The noob's guide to World of Warcraft
World of Warcraft is taking the (real) world by storm. Suddenly, WoW is everywhere, riddled throughout popular culture in the most unlikely places. If you'd like to know what all the fuss is about, this is a good place to start.

Satellites guide modern treasure hunters in search of fun, not fortune
Maren Ebeling is searching for hidden treasure. She's a hobbyist but with her GPS unit she's better equipped than Indiana Jones. Ebeling and thousands more like her are part of the rapidly growing world of geocaching.

BC Living

Iraqi family finds a new home in Kamloops
Fleeing Iraq to protect their children from war and religious persecution was a life-altering decision for Shahad, Anhur and Anwer’s parents. But the children’s father, Hisham Abdul-Satar, and mother, Ibtisam, say the weeks they've spent in Canada have been the best of their lives.

Illegal chickens flying under bylaw radar
People keeping backyard fowl in Kamloops are running afoul of the law, but that's not stopping them. They believe their cause - and their eggs - are pure. 

Calming Kamloops traffic, in a roundabout way
The European-style modern roundabout is gaining momentum in North America and has made its second appearance in a Kamloops residential area.  The city says roundabouts are safer and more practical than traditional intersections, but not everyone is a fan.

Deterring pet abuse challenges society and the law
People who abuse, neglect, or torture animals often receive nothing more than a slap on the wrist and a fine from the Canadian justice system. Is that enough?

What to do if you can't keep your pet
There are more pets in Kamloops than there are affordable and available pet-friendly homes.  So what happens when a pet owner can’t find an apartment that will accept a furry friend?  The SPCA is doing what it can to make sure these animals don't end up on the street.

Healthy Living

From Kamloops to Africa: A breast cancer survivor’s journey
At age 37, Jacki Andersen thought she was too young to be diagnosed with breast cancer. She was wrong.

A life of healthy eating starts at school, regulators hope
Regulations to eliminate the sale of junk food in British Columbia schools are supported by school officials and nutritionists. Students have noticed a difference, but their reviews are mixed.

Finding their way to recovery one more challenge facing addicts
On Aug. 28, 2008, government officials took Kim Beesley’s son away and placed him in foster care. Beesley was drunk that day. Today, many months and a brutal journey later, a sober Beesley is looking forward to a better future.

Community gardens growing as urbanites seek to raise their own food
As healthy living becomes more important in people’s lives, community gardens are rising in popularity. They promote active living, self-sufficiency and pesticide-free vegetables.

Police officers confront invisible enemy in PTSD
Crimes and accidents hurt the family and friends that are closest to the victim. But what about those who investigate the crimes and accidents, witnessing all the pain and despair as part of their job? Two veteran RCMP officers speak about the cases that haunt them.

Arts and Entertaiment

Funding cuts cost B.C. more than money
After 30 years, a Kamloops summer music program that serves more than 180 students annually is facing possible closure because of provincial funding cuts.

The best music of the century's first decade
With the decade wrapping up, we look at some contenders for stand-out album of the 2000s.

Kamloops author born to write
In August 2007, Chandra Rooney received an email that changed her life. Within it was an unusual offer: To write a novel based on an established graphic comic.

Youth fiction at the forefront of battle over the right to read
In the past, conservative and religious groups burned books to protect children and impressionable teenagers from mature subject matter. The torches may be extinguished, but modern books with certain themes still come under fire.

Business Life

Hotel helping travellers stay green while on the road
Next time you’re on the road and find yourself in a hotel, be prepared to take your reduce, reuse and recycle habits with you. Hotels around the world are trying to lessen lessen their ecological footprint through eco-rating programs.

Cyberspace yarn shop finds a home in 'real' space
Erynn Carney opened up Twist of Fate—a yarn supply store—last August. But this isn't how she got her start: Her business thrived without a physical location for years.

Life at TRU

TRUSU’s Safewalk service lags behind its peers
Safewalk is a service provided by the Thompson Rivers University Students Union (TRUSU) to provide escorts for students who feel unsafe or uncomfortable walking alone on campus at night. The service, which is currently under review, lags behind similar services at other universities.

Many students wary of study abroad programs
With the Internet bringing the planet together, the world seems to be getting smaller. However, Canadian students aren't exactly leaping to get involved with study abroad programs.

The Sporting Life

Russian hockey league competes for players with NHL
The stream of Russian players crossing the Atlantic seems endless. However, the latest NHL entry draft seemed to suggest North American teams may be losing interest in Alex Ovechkin’s compatriots. Lack of talent? Not even close. Russians players themselves are increasingly deciding what they want to go for—the money or their dream.

Vancouver’s Olympic dream may come true, but it won't come easy
Vancouver is not the first city to wade through the challenges of preparing to host the Olympics. But when the final gold medal has been awarded and the world has departed, Vancouverites will likely still be asking: Was it worth it?