Video shows Christina Lake's grow-op bears being fed As animal lovers rejoice that the Christina Lake bears have been saved “for now” from extermination, there’s conflicting reports about the animals that have been roaming around the rural property for years.
“I’ve certainly had no problems [and] as far as I know the neighbours have had no problems in the 10 years that I’ve been doing this,” said Allen Piche. 9/2/2010 8:42:26 AM
B.C. government adopted HST despite warnings of negative impact on the economy The B.C. Liberal government pushed ahead with the harmonized sales tax despite warnings from high-level officials that it could lead to at least five years of increased unemployment, lower wages and depressed productivity. (Ed: And holding talks 2 months BEFORE the election.) 9/2/2010 7:48:58 AM
Geese, deer running wild in B.C. municipalities; province asked to help B.C. municipalities say they are being overrun by wild animals that are threatening public safety and they are asking the provincial government for help. The biggest problems are increasingly urban deer herds in the Kootenays and Canada geese in the Okanagan and on Vancouver Island. 9/2/2010 7:18:29 AM
Vernon: Critic questions highway upgrades An NDP MLA wonders if enough planning has gone into upgrades on a dangerous stretch of highway. The Ministry of Transportation recently initiated some upgrades at Highway 97 and Bailey Road, south of Vernon, and more work is expected in the spring. Residents and civic leaders have been demanding improvements for years. 9/2/2010 6:14:29 AM
Kelowna: DeHart fundraiser back by popular demand She’s baaack! Maxine DeHart announced Tuesday she will host the 13th annual Drive-Thru Breakfast at the Ramada Hotel in support of the United Way on Sept. 30. The announcement marked a reversal from what DeHart said she believed was the final drive-thru fundraiser last year. 9/2/2010 6:08:30 AM
Mounties who (allegedly) watched jail-cell sex suspended with pay Three police officers and three civilian jail staff have been suspended from their jobs over allegations the men watched two female inmates have sex while in the “drunk tank” of the Kamloops, B.C., jail. The women were later released without charges related to their initial arrests. 9/1/2010 5:55:52 PM
Missing backpacker sparks family search in Interior B.C. An Australian family is travelling across B.C.'s southern Interior searching for their son, who disappeared mysteriously two weeks ago. When Owen Rooney, 24, showed up at the hospital in Grand Forks he had two black eyes. But he either couldn't, or didn't want to, say how he got them. 9/1/2010 12:28:22 PM
B.C. native leader says 'no' to hearings on pipeline A B.C. First Nations leader took a defiant stand against a plan to build an oil pipeline across B.C. as he appeared Tuesday before a federal panel holding hearings on the massive project. Enbridge's proposes to build a $5.5 billion pipeline from Alberta's oil sands to a tanker port on the northern B.C. coast at Kitimat. 9/1/2010 12:23:50 PM
Grizzlies spotted in Cranbrook neighbourhood Amidst the discussion about the urban deer in Cranbrook, some people saw visitors of a different kind on Monday morning. A grizzly sow and her two cubs were spotted by residents of the Southview neighbourhood. Barking dogs scared the animals back into the forest. "They're still in the vicinity." says conservation officer Ray Gilewicz. 9/1/2010 12:19:07 PM
Vernon teen learns hitchhiker lesson the hard way He offered money for a ride. When he was taken to his location, rather than paying the good Samaritan teenager, the man pulled a weapon and stole the car. “He yelled, ‘Give me everything you have,’ and the victim jumped from the car and ran,” said Gord Molendyk. 9/1/2010 8:23:10 AM
Kamloops RCMP cellblock-sex video probe: Corporal placed on administrative duties A Kamloops RCMP corporal with two decades of service has been placed on administrative duties in the wake of an alleged incident at the local detachment's city cells two weeks ago. RCMP Insp. Tim Shields confirmed the RCMP is investigating seven individuals. 9/1/2010 7:53:13 AM
Why BC premier dumped HST road show and laid low Whatever happened to Gordon Campbell's HST summer road show? "There's no question we have to go out and show British Columbians why it [the HST] is important to them," Campbell said on June 3. "I'll be going all over the province, for sure. I intend to talk to people about all the benefits." 9/1/2010 7:35:28 AM
Smokin‘ in the washroom brings scolding A five-hour WestJet flight from Toronto to Kelowna proved too long for a hard-core tobacco addict on Monday. Twice during domestic flight 631 and while the plane was in the air, the 51-year-old Ontario man snuck into the washroom and clandestinely puffed on a cigarette. 9/1/2010 7:23:39 AM
Kelowna: Tragedy hits burned out family again A little boy who was burned out of his home last week is dead after being hit by a driver that police say was impaired. The six-year-old and his mother, 36, were crossing Harvey Avenue at around 10:20 p.m. on Monday when they were hit by a westbound Honda sedan. 9/1/2010 7:20:19 AM
IPE in Armstrong, Gates open on five days of fun It takes the work of many hands to transform the grounds of the Interior Provincial Exhibition from a barren lot into a midway full of flashing lights and whirling, twirling rides and games. The 111th annual IPE — which includes a rodeo and agricultural exhibits — runs until Sunday. 9/1/2010 7:09:29 AM
Castlegar: Attempted murder, Daughter to remain in custody A Castlegar woman charged with attempted murder will remain in custody.... 50 year old Robyn Mackay appeared in Nelson court this afternoon via video where her case was adjourned until September 21st. Two weeks ago Mackay was arrested for stabbing her father. 9/1/2010 6:56:53 AM
Peachland: Preliminary murder hearing could last two weeks A preliminary hearing for the girl accused of murdering Ashlee Hyatt at a house party in Peachland in June will likely last two weeks. But before that, the 16-year-old accused must formally elect whether she wants to be tried by a jury or a judge alone. 9/1/2010 6:52:29 AM
B.C. pot bears can keep feeding until hibernation The B.C. man who admitted feeding up to two dozen black bears on his property near Christina Lake says he's struck a deal with conservation officers to keep giving the animals dog food until they leave to hibernate in early October. "We've certainly had no problems in the 10 years I've been doing this," he says. 8/31/2010 6:57:12 PM
Child killed in Kelowna traffic accident A six-year-old boy is dead after he and his mother were hit by a car as they crossed Harvey Avenue Monday night. The boy and his 36-year-old mother were crossing between Dilworth Drive and Cooper Road around 10:20 p.m. when they were hit by a westbound grey Honda sedan. 8/31/2010 5:01:18 PM
Kamloops RCMP cellblock probe: Police remain mum Kamloops Mounties are remaining tight-lipped about a bizarre incident at their detachment two weeks ago. Four officers and three municipally employed jail guards are under investigation after they allegedly watched as two female prisoners — one of whom they knew to be HIV positive — engaged in a sexual act. 8/31/2010 8:01:15 AM
Record breaking enrolment at UBC-O (Video) Students will be returning to the classroom next week, and officals at UBC-Okanagan are preparing for a record number of new students this year. Enrolment at UBC-O is up for the sixth year in a row. Enrolment has more than doubled since UBC-O opened in 2005, this year expecting over 7,000 students. 8/31/2010 7:52:38 AM
Kelowna: Update, Boy killed, mother injured crossing Highway 97 Update at 6am Tuesday: - A young boy has been killed, in a tragic late-night pedestrian incident on Harvey Avenue. RCMP confirm the youngster was hit by a vehicle as he and his mother tried to cross the six-lane highway in front of the Orchard Park Mall, died overnight in the Kelowna Hospital. 8/31/2010 7:46:05 AM
Crash leads to slow start for some commuters Traffic heading south on Glenmore Road slowed to a trickle Monday morning, when a one-person crash prompted police to close down one lane. An elderly lady was heading toward the city down the road’s previous pathway near Cross Road, and didn’t heed the traffic change. 8/31/2010 7:14:22 AM
Names released in fatal Okanagan plane crash The B.C. Coroner's office has released the names of the four men who died after their plane crashed into Apex Mountain. Pilot Rama Jesus Tello, 36 of Kelowna, and passengers Salem Dedovic, 30 of Kelowna, Jasson Kevin Christopher Patrick Minor, 35 of Winfield, and Maya Paulo Nicholas Tello-Wrigley, 21 of Kelowna, were aboard 8/31/2010 6:48:02 AM
Pooches put through their paces at dog agility demo Geoffrey the Yorkshire terrier usually loves racing across teeter-totters, through tunnels, up and down ramps, and over hurdles. But on Saturday, he wasn‘t quite in peak form at a dog agility demonstration in Kelowna, having problems in particular with the slalom-like portion of the course. 8/30/2010 9:52:22 AM
Peachland: Kayaker struck by speedboat on Okanagan Lake A kayaker was seriously injured when his craft was hit by a powerboat Saturday afternoon on Okanagan Lake near Peachland. The collision ripped a hole in the side of the long wooden kayak. People on board the powerboat immediately stopped and brought the injured man to shore. "It wasn‘t a very pretty sight when they brought the guy in." 8/30/2010 7:28:45 AM
Lumby: Searchers locate man’s body in river The waters of the North Okanagan have claimed another life. The body of a man was found in the Shuswap River, near the Bawtree bridge on Cliff Avenue in Enderby, Friday at 11:30 a.m. He had gone missing after he jumped off the bridge Thursday before 5 p.m. 8/30/2010 7:06:55 AM
Penticton: Chief Stewart Phillip has backing of Okanagan band The Okanagan Indian Band will support Stewart Phillip’s bid for re-election as president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. The organization will select a president. Phillip is just completing his fourth term as president, and he is a former chief of the Penticton Indian Band. 8/30/2010 7:05:18 AM
Kamloops: Cirque is coming — and it’s an economic giant When Cirque du Soleil rolls into Kamloops on the morning of Monday, Aug. 30, it will bring with it a large economic impact. How large is hard to say, said Mike Newnum, assistant production manager for Alegria, the show the world-renowned troupe is bringing to Kamloops for a five-day stand. 8/30/2010 7:00:03 AM
Kamloops: Baseball-bat beating lands man in hospital One man is in custody and another is in hospital after a violent incident in North Kamloops over the weekend. Kamloops RCMP Staff Sgt. Quintin Smith said cops were called out to the 200-block of Beach Avenue on the North Shore at about 10:30 p.m. on Saturday. 8/29/2010 11:21:06 PM
Armstrong: Interior Provincial Exhibition survives test of time Shirley Fowler has fond memories of attending the Interior Provincial Exhibition in her youth, and is now visiting the event with her grandchildren. But after 111 years of being held in the community north of Vernon, it‘s not that uncommon to have several generations of fairgoers. 8/29/2010 10:14:29 AM
Kelowna: Australian Parents arrive to look for missing son The parents of an Australian who vanished earlier this month have come to Canada in the hope that their efforts will help find the missing man. Kelowna resident Owen Kiernan Rooney, 24, was last seen two weeks ago at the Grand Forks Hospital. 8/29/2010 7:20:41 AM
Is sexual act behind RCMP probe in Kamloops? Global TV in Vancouver — citing a source, believed to be in Vancouver — is reporting the incident involves two female prisoners who were in Kamloops RCMP cells and began engaging in intimate activity. It is alleged one woman is HIV-positive. It is also alleged that RCMP officers and civilian staff watched. 8/28/2010 3:08:27 PM
Kelowna: Internet predator’s sentence delayed The sentencing for a man who admitted luring teenaged girls over the Internet has been delayed because he faces new, “more serious” charges. Raymond Morneau faces new charges of making and possessing child pornography back in the summer of 2008. 8/28/2010 8:19:11 AM
Canada Geese: Water board bucks A $10,000 grant from the Okanagan Basin Water Board will help ensure progress managing the Valley’s Canada Goose population continues into 2011. The Okanagan Valley Goose Management Program received the funding to heighten awareness about health issues related to limiting the goose population. 8/28/2010 7:51:28 AM
Kelowna: The naked truth about nude art The painting was pretty innocuous in Jane Everett’s mind. Hanging on the wall of the Bohemian Café, dressed in a Japanese silk robe, her eight-year-old daughter’s portrait was nevertheless labeled child pornography by a patron and summarily removed. 8/28/2010 6:50:18 AM
Enderby: Another drowning in Shuswap River A tragic end to a search effort in the Shuswap river this (Friday) afternoon. Vernon Search and Rescue was called to the bridge in Enderby at around 5:00 pm Thursday after reports that a young man had jumped into the water. The man apparently wanted to go swimming. 8/28/2010 6:42:18 AM
Penticton: Missing plane likely stalled The doomed plane that crashed near Apex Mountain last week made a steep dive before colliding with the ground, investigators believe. The angle of the Piper Commanche entering the trees is consistent with the pilot losing control, said Bill Yearwood. 8/28/2010 6:33:07 AM
Flames force family to flee An extension cord touched off a large fire that forced 12 people from their homes Wednesday night. Seven members of an extended family living in a double-wide mobile home in the 900 block of Franklyn Road must find another place to live. 8/28/2010 6:29:30 AM
Four Kamloops Mounties under investigation for jailhouse incident Mounties are investigating an incident that occurred in Kamloops RCMP detachment cells this month to determine whether the actions or inactions of four RCMP officers and three city employees had an impact on what appears to be an assault of some kind that took place between two people in custody. 8/27/2010 5:54:53 PM
Vernon: Deadly highway focus of upgrades Improvements are being made to a deadly stretch of North Okanagan highway. The Ministry of Transportation is moving ahead with some immediate changes to Highway 97 and Bailey Road, south of Vernon, and more extensive work is expected in the spring. 8/27/2010 7:21:25 AM
No evidence of drugs, crime in Apex Mtn. plane wreckage (Video) Despite reports that those onboard a plane that crashed near Penticton last week were linked to the drug trade, RCMP say they have found nothing in the wreckage linking it to criminal activity. Some media outlets had reported that a Piper PA24 that crashed en route to Victoria was involved in trafficking. 8/27/2010 7:07:24 AM
Fernie: Cougar stalks child Greg Mclean, 12, was in the backyard with his dog Baxter picking raspberries, his mother Tamara said. She added: “Suddenly the dog started barking. He turned around and saw Baxter getting chased up the hill by this cougar.” Greg yelled the dog’s name, and then watched as the cougar ran towards him instead. 8/27/2010 6:52:31 AM
Wind storm hits the Okanagan, boaters caught in waves High winds created havoc through-out the Okanagan Thursday afternoon. But no where more so than on the water. The wind came up with very little warning shortly past 1:00 pm. Gusts to 55 km an hour were measured at the Kelowna airport, but they are estimated to be much higher on Okanagan Lake. 8/27/2010 6:36:36 AM
Update: All canoers accounted for in Okanagan Lake Rescue crews sped to Lake Okanagan Resort Thursday afternoon after several small craft were reported in trouble in mounting swells on the lake. At 2:49 p.m. one young boy was reported unaccounted for. That was upgraded to three people unaccounted for, at 3:02 p.m. A marine rescue was requested at 3:13 p.m. 8/26/2010 5:47:11 PM
Wreckage site near Penticton suggests plane nosedived: Investigators Government officials planned to visit the wreckage of a single-engine plane Thursday that had previously been missing and was found west of Penticton. “Two of our investigators are going to try get in to the site to have a look at the wreckage and document it,” said Bill Yearwood of the TSB. 8/26/2010 1:50:34 PM
Fast-acting fire crews knock down Vernon grass fire Quick action by firefighters in the North Okanagan helped knock down a fast growing grass fire on Tuesday evening. The fire broke out during the supper hour at the corner of Tronson and Lakeshore Roads, near Kin Beach in Vernon. 8/26/2010 8:17:54 AM
VALLEY IN BRIEF: Kelowna police round up 4 mobile crack dealers Cocaine addicts have fewer dealers on wheels to buy from. Police have arrested four men suspected of selling crack cocaine from their vehicles in the last week. Two of the dealers are 17. Police stopped the Kelowna pair Thursday. 8/26/2010 8:07:42 AM
Bear Alert: 8 parks enough for bears "Since we initially posted bear warning signs last week on phase one and phase two of the Mission Creek Greenway and at Woodhaven Nature Conservancy, we‘ve had bear sightings and/or bear scat (droppings) at the four additional parks," Central Okanagan Regional District spokesman Bruce Smith said. 8/26/2010 7:52:12 AM
Auditor general weighs in on B.C. school budget war Cash-strapped school districts are laced into an accounting straight jacket that is preventing them from using $1 billion in marooned cash, B.C.'s auditor general has found. John Doyle's report found that most of them are holding more cash and short-term investments than they need. 8/26/2010 7:03:51 AM
Arson charges laid after two attempts in one night to set the same house on fire The arson charges stem from an incident earlier this month. A flaming gas-filled bottle had been thrown at a house on Stockwell avenue, lighting an outbuilding on fire. The flames were quickly extinguished by firefighters. Police decided to remain at the scene in an unmarked vehicle..... 8/26/2010 6:55:36 AM
Show must go on for Okanagan Symphony orchestra The B.C. government has slashed another grant that helps support the symphony society‘s $800,000 budget. The $200,000 that government sources used to give the orchestra each year in gaming grants has shrunk to $46,000 for the coming season. 8/26/2010 6:42:31 AM
Missing plane found on slope of Apex Mtn., all 4 are dead All four passengers on the missing plane headed for Victoria on Aug. 17 have been found dead in the B.C. Interior. The wreckage of the Piper PA-24 Comanche was found near the top of a slope of Apex Mountain. The aircraft disappeared en route from Penticton to Victoria. (Ed: Pilot Rama Tello pictured.)
8/25/2010 7:10:12 PM
Attention being paid to Water conservation in the Okanagan Domenic Rampone can appreciate just how important water is to the Okanagan. The South Kelowna orchardist has 13 acres of fruit and vegetables and is one of the leaders in water conservation in the industry. "I don’t think everybody recognizes how valuable water is," he said. 8/25/2010 7:16:26 AM
Kamloops: B.C.'s HST anger understandable, says Ignatieff Federal Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff says the B.C. government is paying a heavy political price for the HST partly because of the way it introduced the harmonized sales tax. He said B.C. residents have a right to protest the way it was implemented. 8/25/2010 6:32:35 AM
Three Kelowna restaurants robbed Police are investigating a one man robbery spree in Kelowna Monday night. The Tim Hortons on Highway 33 and the Subway on Leckie Road were robbed, and the thief was spooked in his attempt to rob the downtown Subway restaurant. In all cases, the suspect said he had a gun, but one was never shown. 8/25/2010 6:29:14 AM
Summary of Kelowna and area stories The organizer of last weekend‘s Pushor Mitchell Apple Triathlon is this week‘s Spirit of Kelowna winner. Mayor Sharon Shepherd honored Richard Montgomery at Monday‘s meeting, praising his role in overseeing the increasingly-popular triathlon that draws international competitors. 8/25/2010 6:26:19 AM
Marijuana seized at bear-guarded grow-op stolen from cops In a strange twist, police say that evidence taken from a B.C. marijuana grow-op famous for its tame bears was stolen from an RCMP detachment and later discovered at a home filled with weapons and explosives. Justin Douglas, 35, of Greenwod, was arrested at the home, and police are looking for two suspects. 8/24/2010 10:53:27 PM
Penticton: Search continues for missing plane The search continues for pilot Rama Tello and the three passengers aboard the small plane that went missing last week after taking off from the Penticton airport. While those who know the Kelowna man have stepped forward to refute unflattering media reports. “I’ve seen the media do this before — this is very common,” said Marc Whittemore. 8/24/2010 9:10:12 PM
Kamloops RCMP ask for patience in shooting investigation RCMP in Kamloops are asking the public to wait for the results of a independent (?) investigation into the killing of a man after he rammed his SUV into an unmarked RCMP vehicle. Wilbert Bartley, 50, was at the wheel of his SUV when he was shot by an RCMP officer in the parking lot of a car wash. 8/24/2010 6:25:57 PM
Ignatieff invites Kelowna residents to 'the big red tent, at the centre of Canadian life' Clad in a checkered shirt, Levis and some cowboy boots he picked up in Kamloops, Michael Ignatieff did his best to shed the aristocratic image that’s continually come between him and voters. “People keep saying you’re not as ugly, stiff and humourless as I was led to believe,” joked the Liberal Leader. 8/24/2010 4:11:28 PM
Kelowna: Boy, 5, dials 911 after spat with sister Police raced to the home of a five-year-old Kelowna boy on Monday after he called 911, declaring that he needed help, and hung up. RCMP converged on the Glenmore home, only to find the boy called police after getting into an argument with his six-year-old sister, who wasn't letting him use the family computer. 8/24/2010 1:41:31 PM
Jason Priestley backs campaign to save B.C. grow-op bears A global campaign has emerged to save the black bears found at the site of a million-dollar (Ed: Not true.) marijuana grow-op in the Kootenays.
Doreen McCrindle, a Calgary woman who said she is just an animal lover, is behind an online push to stop the B.C. government from euthanizing the bears. 8/24/2010 7:07:12 AM
Vernon Michael Ignatieff on Wildfires-Warming The federal Liberal leader raised the spectre of global warming Monday. Speaking in Vernon, Michael Ignatieff suggested BC's wildfires are one sign of that problem. ``We've got to stop thinking this is some abstract problem that's down the road and might be a problem for our grandchildren,'' said Ignatieff. 8/24/2010 7:03:52 AM
HST fuels under-the-table renovations, builders say B.C. homebuilders say they're already seeing evidence that the new harmonized sales tax is driving the renovation business underground. Before the HST, it was estimated that more than a third of renovations were done under the table. Now, they believe that number has spiked dramatically. 8/24/2010 6:41:58 AM
Triathlon: Spirit of the races Near the Apple Triathlon finish line, Kim Wedgerfield stood out. The Calgary woman uses a walker to get around. A survivor of three serious car crashes and Huntington‘s Disease, she used one arm to swim 750 metres and one leg to cycle 20 kilometres Sunday. The walker kept her balanced for the five-km run. 8/24/2010 6:29:41 AM
Kelowna: Grieving mom makes plea A Kelowna mother is pleading for tougher punishment in Australia after two men were sentenced for a senseless beating that killed her son last year. Cain Aguiar, 25, died days after he was punched unconscious and a man stomped on his head outside a pub near Melbourne in July 2009. Fostar Akoteu, 23, was sentenced to 10 years in prison with a minimum seven years. 8/24/2010 6:22:54 AM
Penticton: Still no sign of missing Kelowna plane With blue skies and no forest fire smoke, conditions were excellent Monday as the search continues for a small plane missing from the Okanagan for six days now. In the air Monday were 2 Buffalo aircraft and 2 Cormorant helicopters from the Canadian military. 8/24/2010 6:12:53 AM
B.C.'s forest fire season worst in 12 years The 2010 wildfire season won't be over for weeks, but it has already charred more than 300,000 hectares of B.C. forest, an area larger than Metro Vancouver. That's more forest burned than any year since 1998, including the 2003 season that saw 33,000 people evacuated in the Okanagan and Thompson regions. 8/23/2010 6:33:52 PM
Greenwood/Grand Forks: Stolen items from RCMP break and enter recovered A number of RCMP officers from various detachments executed a search warrant on a property in Greenwood and located weapons, explosives and stolen property, including items from a break and enter that took place at the Grand Forks RCMP office on Aug. 12. 8/23/2010 5:23:38 PM
Two seriously injured in Revelstoke highway crash Two people were seriously injured following a two-vehicle collision on the Trans-Canada Highway just west of Revelstoke Sunday evening. A GMC Sierra was attempting an unsafe pass on another vehilce when it collided with a Ford and went rolling down a steep embankment, RCMP said. 8/23/2010 3:51:57 PM
House fire in Kelowna A young Kelowna family is homeless after a fire swept through their home. Flames broke out at the Hiawatha Mobile Home Park just after 5:00 P.M. Sunday. A young couple with their baby managed to escape unharmed. 8/23/2010 3:46:52 PM
Triathlon: Findlay, Whitfield collect Canadian titles Double Olympic medalist Simon Whitfield jokingly suggested Sunday that he may have to stop singing the praises of training partner Kyle Jones after capturing his ninth Canadian triathlon title. Paula Findlay of Edmonton and Kirsten Sweetland of Victoria, went 1-2 in the women’s race in Kelowna. 8/23/2010 8:44:01 AM
Town hall focuses on Falkland RCMP policing RCMP officials are preparing to defend their actions in one North Okanagan community. A town hall meeting will be held Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Falkland Community Hall, and the focus will be public concerns that the level of policing has decreased. 8/23/2010 8:30:33 AM
Vernon: Student recovers from near-drowning A foreign exchange student that almost drowned in Kalamalka Lake has made a remarkable recovery. The 23-year-old male student had been in hospital in critical condition after experiencing challenges while swimming at Kal Beach July 23. 8/23/2010 8:28:17 AM
Fate of B.C.'s HST rests with group who never expected to meet On Monday when he is handed the first task of the province’s Select Standing Committee on Legislative Initiatives in 16 years, Terry Lake, a freshman B.C. politician (former Mayor of Kamloops), and his fellow Liberals on the all-party body will find the token appointment has morphed into a politically perilous undertaking. 8/23/2010 8:16:21 AM
Cariboo Fires: Meldrum Complex evacuations orders downgraded to alerts All Evacuation Alerts on the east side of the Fraser River have been rescinded. The Evacuation Alert for the area within the boundaries of the City of Williams Lake has been rescinded. The Cariboo Regional District’s Emergency Operations Centre made these decisions following a series of recommendations from the Cariboo Fire Centre. 8/23/2010 8:11:17 AM
Missing Plane Update: Search teams unfazed by possible gang connection As the search for a small plane reaches its fifth day, questions have emerged about pilot Rama Tello and his circle of friends. An undated photograph found online shows Tello's roommate Matt Schrader posing with United Nations gang member Elliot "Taco" Castaneda, who was shot to death in 2008. 8/23/2010 7:26:06 AM
Yale whistle stop more about family than politics for liberal leader Michael Grant Ignatieff, leader of the opposition, took time out from his cross-country tour to experience a little small town hospitality, Sunday evening. Ignatieff’s namesake, George Monro Grant, had acted as secretary for his life-long friend, Sir Sanford Fleming. (Ed: Ignatieff is in Penticton today.) 8/23/2010 7:24:15 AM
More students than ever feeling the strain Sitting in a capacious lecture theatre at university for a first-year student can be daunting. In the stiff chairs around you are a hundred faces you don’t know. You have to be attentive to the professor because you need a good grade in this class to take the next course. 8/23/2010 6:42:27 AM
Calgary woman aims to save B.C. grow-op bears The plight of a group of bears discovered by police raiding a southern B.C. marijuana grow has people growling across the world. Upward of 15 bears of all ages were found happily roaming the property in the community of Christina Lake with their tummies full of human-provided dog-food. 8/22/2010 7:43:27 PM
$10,000 reward for finding missing plane draws independent searchers A $10,000 reward offered for finding the four men whose plane vanished en route to Victoria on Tuesday seems to have inspired a number of independent search parties — in their own aircraft. Private aircraft have been hovering around the area where the military is searching for the plane, said Capt. Greg Clarke. 8/22/2010 7:10:19 PM
Weather systems to clear smoke, deliver rain in B.C. (Video) The buildings on prairie city skylines were becoming easier to see, but a smoky smell similar to a provincial park on a holiday long weekend lingered across much of Western Canada Saturday. However, drifting smoke from B.C. wildfires was starting to clear, officials said. 8/22/2010 7:19:48 AM
Kelowna's Apple Triathlon: It‘s a race for everyone Triathletes of all ages, sizes and abilities are in town to take a bite out of the Kelowna Apple. The 28th annual Apple Triathlon started Friday evening with two open-water swim races on Okanagan Lake and continues through Sunday. 8/22/2010 7:17:39 AM
Missing plane: Aircraft search hampered by smoke "It is Day 4 and my concerns are the independent air searches being conducted in the area that pose a safety risk to the military and Provincial Emergency Program aircraft," Capt. Scott Cursley warned military and civilian personnel at a briefing in Kelowna on Saturday. 8/22/2010 6:57:50 AM
Kelowna: Subway robber sought Police are searching for a man who robbed a local restaurant after claiming he had a gun. Around 10 p.m. on Thursday, a man walked into the Highway 33 Subway, told the two employees that he had a gun, and demanded cash, police say. 8/22/2010 6:55:14 AM
Kelowna: Houseboats play musical moorings on lake again The moorage game continued this week when three Gellatly Bay houseboats moved several kilometres south to a bay off Kalamoir Regional Park in West Kelowna. Others reportedly moved to Sutherland Bay in Kelowna, where 22 watercraft, many of them houseboats, were counted on Friday. 8/22/2010 6:49:39 AM
Cool weather to calm, not kill, B.C. wildfire woes (Video) A weather system moving across British Columbia is expected to cool, but not kill, the nearly 280 wildfires burning across the tinder dry province. The B.C. Forestry Service estimates 750 square kilometres of forest have been burned in the past day-and-a-half alone. 8/21/2010 10:29:42 AM
The incompetence of the BC Liberals on the HST fight As the man heading the legislative committee charged with dealing with the successful petition to kill the harmonized sales tax, Terry Lake continues to show he needs to bone up on the facts surrounding the issue. He is consistent in stating “facts” regarding the new tax that are simply wrong. (Ed: Written before the anti-HST court success. Facts remain true.) 8/21/2010 10:27:37 AM
Dog in Hot Car: Some people just don't get it! They are known as "hot dog" calls and they are all too common. Despite numerous warnings, some people are still leaving their dogs locked in cars parked in the blistering Okanagan sun. Kelowna SPCA branch manager Sabrina Fedorak saidthey get anywhere from one to as many as 10 per day. 8/21/2010 10:18:50 AM
Vernon: Women’s centre seeks donations Demand has spiked at the Vernon Women’s Centre, forcing a plea for public assistance. More than 217 women have sought out the services at the centre during the past month. “By taking action now, your contribution will make a difference in the life of a woman in your community.” 8/21/2010 7:58:40 AM
Chute Lake fire came within feet of a house, says KFD An “accidental” grass fire in the Chute Lake area came within 15 feet of a home, fire officials say. On Thursday afternoon, firefighters were called to Hedeman Court and Chute Lake Road for a grass fire that was estimated to be 30 by 50 feet. 8/21/2010 7:45:58 AM
'Risky' flying conditions may have contributed to missing B.C. plane: friend Flying conditions were “very risky” when Rama Tello - the pilot of the ill-fated B.C. flight now the subject of a massive search - took off Tuesday from a Penticton airport, one of the man's friends says. “I fly as a hobby; I know this plane, I know Rama Tello and it's very sad,” said Marc Whittemore, a Kelowna lawyer. 8/21/2010 7:25:11 AM
Vernon: Friends celebrating $1 million Trying to keep a million-dollar secret has been extremely challenging for two Vernon residents. Della Mattson and Robert Jewitt matched all seven numbers on an Aug. 6 Lotto Max ticket, but they didn’t claim their $1 million jackpot at the B.C. Lottery Corporation office in Kamloops until Wednesday. 8/21/2010 6:18:36 AM
Woman drowns near Revelstoke A 50-year-old woman from Alberta is B.C.'s latest drowning victim, police say. The woman fell into Upper Arrow Lake, near Revelstoke, while fishing from a boat with her husband on Wednesday night, said RCMP Cpl. Rod Wiebe. "The female stood up and fell over-board," said Wiebe. 8/20/2010 9:20:58 PM
Kamloops ball player Tyson Gillies arrested on drug charges Philadelphia Phillies prospect Tyson Gillies, a Kamloops native who played for the Langley Blaze of the B.C. Premier League, has been arrested in Clearwater, Fla., and charged with possession of cocaine. A Pinellas County Sheriff spokesperson said that the arrest resulted from a June 11 incident. 8/20/2010 9:03:46 PM
Australian men sentenced to jail over death of Kelowna man Two men were sentenced to jail in Australia on Friday over the death of a B.C. man following a fight outside a Melbourne pub last year, according to media reports. Kelowna native Cain Aguiar, 25, died from head injuries five days after a fight outside an Irish pub on July 9, 2009. 8/20/2010 6:44:54 PM
Warning to Beware of Bears, it's fruit ripening time They’re coming back! Over the past week, regional district parks services staff in Mission Creek Regional Park have received several reports of bear sightings in the park, along the Mission Creek Greenway and in Woodhaven Nature Conservancy Regional Park. 8/20/2010 4:35:53 PM
Missing Plane: Some details coming on about pilot and passengers The four-seater aircraft, a blue and white Piper Comanche is owned by a company headed by Rama Jesus Tello, a Kelowna resident who graduated from Victoria High School in 1991. Tello and his brother were on the plane, as were two friends, another set of brothers, say sources. 8/20/2010 4:15:13 PM
Update: One ‘oddball,’ 10 black bears, and $1-million worth of pot It is common knowledge in Christina Lake that a local woman known as the “Bear Lady” had befriended the wild animals at her remote cabin. But no one seemed to realize the bears were protecting what police describe as a million-dollar marijuana grow-op. (Ed: Police numbers are deceiving, only female plants have value. Also, a female gone to seed has little value.) 8/20/2010 12:38:44 PM
Nelson: Kootenay Fat Tire Festival Organizers say spectators will have just as much fun as the participants in this weekend's Kootenay Fat Tire Festival in and around Nelson. Events tomorrow and Sunday include races, a parade, and drop in Bike Polo. 8/20/2010 12:29:42 PM
B.C. Interior: Intense Cariboo wildfires 'snowing' ash Ash from wildfires in B.C.'s Cariboo region is falling like snow in Williams Lake, where the Environment Ministry has rated the air quality the poorest in the province. In Kamloops, stores began closing their doors and residents were asked to stay inside. 8/20/2010 11:41:14 AM
Accused Brittney Lee Irving killer appears in court on video Clad in his prison- issued orange jumpsuit, the man who is accused of killing Brittney Lee Irving appeared in a Kelowna courtroom via videolink, Thursday morning. Joelon David Atish Verma, 29, will appear again Sept. 30 when the timeline of his trial should finally be revealed. 8/20/2010 7:22:33 AM
Four still missing: Vancouver newspaper links plane and reward to drugs A mysterious reward has sparked a chaotic rush to find a missing plane which is believed to be linked to the drug trade. Word on the street Thursday night in Kelowna was that persons connected to the drug trade were offering rewards up to $100,000 to anyone who finds the plane first. 8/20/2010 7:05:41 AM
Knox Mountain wildfire contained Kelowna firefighters responded to a report of a brush fire in Knox Mountain Park off Poplar Point Drive late Wednesday night. Two Engines, three bush trucks, a safety officer and command unit responded. On arrival, crews found a 30 by 50-metre wildfire burning. 8/20/2010 6:57:45 AM
Okanagan Symphony Orchestra: B.C. goverment chops most of funding If there is a local poster child for the devastating cuts to arts organizations, the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra surely fits the bill. “We just received our B.C. Arts Council grant and it’s a 75 per cent reduction from what we received last year,” said Tim Watson, interim OSO general manager. 8/20/2010 6:48:04 AM
Bryan Adams sizzles in the summer heat Four decades after the summer of '69, Bryan Adams had audiences rocking, rolling and singing along with his sunny old tune as he launched into a concert comprised mostly of "the old stuff." Thursday evening, the B.C. native arrived in the Okanagan en route to the PNE this weekend. 8/20/2010 6:19:58 AM
Williams Lake: FIRE Update 5:10 pm, Thursday - Evacuation order expanded As a result of aggressive fire behaviour, the evacuation order and alert areas for the Pelican Lake Complex, have been expanded. In addition to the current evacuation order, the northern-most boundary has been extended eastward to the Cariboo Regional District boundary. 8/19/2010 7:25:57 PM
Police surprised to learn of reward for missing plane Police confirm they are investigating the source behind a poster offering a $10,000 reward to anyone who finds the plane. The poster, circulated via email early Thursday, said the plane bore the tail ID CF-LQS. The poster said the plane “possibly crash-landed between Apex Mountain and Coquihalla Summit.” 8/19/2010 6:53:33 PM
Peachland: Semi on fire near Connector tourist centre The semi caught on fire around 3:15 p.m. Thursday, near the tourist centre on Hwy 97C above Peachland. The east-bound traffic lanes were blocked for a period of time. Reports were that the semi trailer was entirely engulfed by fire at 3:19 p.m. Peachland fire department was first to be called. 8/19/2010 6:24:40 PM
Rough start to search for missing Kelowna plane Fire departments from across the Central Okanagan were on high alert this morning for a search and rescue plane in distress. “We, at the airport, received a notification it was having an emergency onboard, so we had Ellison, Lake Country, Kelowna and the airport’s fire departments on standby.” 8/19/2010 6:17:25 PM
Search continues for missing Kelowna plane's survivors (name included) Search and rescue crews continue to comb the flightpath between Penticton and Chilliwack in hopes of finding the four men onboard the single engine plane that went off the grid Tuesday night. Media have identified the pilot of the Piper Comanche as Rama Tello, and the Kelowna man’s friends and family. 8/19/2010 6:14:05 PM
Kalamalka Lake drowning victim identified The individual who drowned in Kalamalka Lake Tuesday has been identified. Kelroy Munroe, 26, of Kelowna, died when he dove into the water from a boat near Kaloya Regional Park and never resurfaced. Searchers found his body in 113 feet of water late Tuesday afternoon. 8/19/2010 6:01:54 PM
Kelowna: Questions surround elderly man‘s death at Beach Authorities are puzzled by how Harry Price drowned in Okanagan Lake on Monday. A Lakeshore resident spotted the 84-year-old man‘s body floating near Gyro Beach just before 4 p.m. RCMP believe he likely fell into the water earlier Monday. There was no sign of blunt-force trauma. 8/19/2010 12:30:20 PM
Kelowna: Dog Catcher gets Gator ATV to pounce on pooches The dog-catcher has new wheels. Dog control officers are now using a Gator vehicle to help enforce dog bylaws in the Central Okanagan. They‘re scooting along the Mission Greenway and other Kelowna corridors and roads linking linear parks, looking for dogs that are unleashed or walking on forbidden trails. 8/19/2010 12:04:39 PM
Tolko halts operations for 300 forest workers More than 300 forest industry workers will be getting more time off, without pay. Vernon-based Tolko Industries has announced operations will be curtailed for at least two weeks at its stud mills in Armstrong and Williams Lake. 8/19/2010 7:17:28 AM
Missing, four-passenger plane originated from Kelowna Search and rescue crews continue to comb the flightpath between Penticton and Victoria, in hopes they'll find the small passenger plane that went off the grid late last Tuesday night. The Piper PA24 aircraft had four people on board, and the plane originated from Kelowna. 8/19/2010 7:08:07 AM
Vernon: Army Cadet Camp comes to an end Standing tall on Dieppe Square, marching to the music of the combined bands, honouring the best among them, more than 600 cadets will bring the 62nd summer of training at Vernon Army Cadet Summer Training Centre to an end Friday. 8/19/2010 6:57:30 AM
Body recovered from Kalamalka Lake The drowning of a man in Oyama continues to be under investigation. The search for the missing 25-year-old Kelowna resident, who jumped into Kalamalka Lake from a boat and did not resurface, ended late Tuesday when his body was located by Vernon Search and Rescue. 8/19/2010 6:32:56 AM
Fires pollute Valley‘s air quality A northwesterly flow has blown smoke from forest fires in the Central Interior into the Okanagan this week. "The air is dirty, stagnant and more likely to get into the moderate-risk category," said Doug Lindquist, a meteorologist with Environment Canada in Kelowna. "It‘s been worse this year already because there‘s more smoke." 8/19/2010 6:27:08 AM
Raid on B.C. marijuana grow-op bears big surprise Grace McGregor, the director who represents Christina Lake on the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary board, said she has known the woman who lives on the property for 35 years and that she doubts the bears were being used as a security detail. “She is a close-to-nature kind of person. She makes friends of all animals." 8/18/2010 9:19:15 PM
Aussie man, 24, missing from Grand Forks, Police in the area of Grand Forks, B.C., are asking for the public's help finding an Australian man who went missing over the weekend. Owen Kiernan Rooney, 24, was last seen sitting at a picnic table outside the Grand Forks Hospital at about 8 p.m. Saturday. 8/18/2010 6:08:42 PM
Wind worries as more Cariboo homes evacuated due to wildfires Hundreds more homes in the Cariboo were put on evacuation order Tuesday night as area wildfires showed no sign of stopping. People from about 460 homes in Heckman Pass and Anahim Lake near Bella Coola, and Bull Canyon and Alexis Creek near Williams Lake, were ordered out. 8/18/2010 12:34:28 PM
Three houseboats sneak into Kalamoir bay Four houseboats disappeared from Gellatly Bay over the weekend. Three of them re-appeared in a bay off Kalamoir Regional Park to the north. District of West Kelowna officials were not amused. 8/18/2010 7:24:00 AM
Bears guarded B.C. grow-op: RCMP Police in southeastern B.C. have raided a marijuana grow operation that was apparently guarded by black bears. Officers conducting the raid two weeks ago at Christina Lake found a property with two residential buildings and a fenced-off grow-op with about 1,000 plants, police said Tuesday. 8/18/2010 6:29:51 AM
Okanagan Landing: Police seek suspect in assault RCMP are seeking a suspect after an assault and robbery Friday. A 36-year-old local man had just put air in his tires at the Esso station at Okanagan Landing at about 11 p.m. when he was attacked. “He was sitting in his vehicle and an individual grabbed him by the throat and robbed him of his wallet and cell phone,” said Gord Molendyk. 8/18/2010 6:26:29 AM
Vernon: Search continues for Kelowna swimmer A 25-year-old Kelowna man is missing and presumed drowned in Kalmalka Lake, about 40 kilometres north of the Central Okanagan city. The man was boating with about a dozen friends in two vessels when he dove into the water just before noon Tuesday to retrieve sunglasses. 8/17/2010 6:22:54 PM
Electrican dies at BC Hydro substation in Cranbrook B.C. Hydro CEO Dave Cobb sent condolences Tuesday to the family of a 33-year-old Lumby man who died at a B.C. Hydro substation in Cranbrook in an accident that is still under investigation. “I wish to express our deepest and most sincere condolences to the family, friends and co-workers of Brandon Beday,” said Cobb. 8/17/2010 6:07:49 PM
Shuttered Mackenzie pulp mill officially reopens, bringing 220 jobs Two years after a northern Interior B.C. pulp mill closed its doors putting hundreds of people out of work, more than 220 people are getting their jobs back. The Mackenzie Pulp Mill officially reopened Tuesday and welcomed employees with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. 8/17/2010 5:16:16 PM
Body found in West Kelowna For much of the afternoon, local Mounties have been in a field behind a West Kelowna McDonald's tending to an unfortunate discovery. The body of a 44-year-old man who was tenting behind the fast food restaurant was discovered, said Sgt. Ann Morrison. 8/17/2010 9:29:28 AM
70% of B.C. under extreme forest fire danger: province Hot, dry conditions continue to fuel forest fires across B.C., said provincial fire information officer Alyson Crouch. Weather conditions have boosted the fire danger rating to extreme for 70 per cent of the province, Crouch said. 276 fires were burning in B.C. as of Monday, but "it's changing by the minute," she said. 8/17/2010 7:38:01 AM
'Sport of Kings' enjoys local revival The ball is thrown and play begins. With the crack of the wooden mallet, the ball is sent flying down the field with horses and riders thundering after it. Called the Sport of Kings, horse polo has been around for thousands of years. 8/17/2010 6:49:54 AM
Castlegar woman accused of stabbing elderly father A woman has been arrested after her elderly father was repeatedly stabbed with a kitchen knife in Castlegar, B.C. RCMP officers arrived early Sunday at the 73-year-old man's home and found him in "very serious condition" with stab wounds all over his body, Staff Sgt. Dan Seibel said. 8/17/2010 6:46:30 AM
Kelowna: Man dies in police custody after bizarre outburst RCMP say a man, wearing only his underwear, was taken into custody after screaming and smashing video games at a Rutland activity centre. Mounties say the 30-year-old was showing obvious signs of distress during the Sunday afternoon incident. They say the man was foaming at the mouth. 8/16/2010 8:36:44 PM
Dangerous boating on Okanagan Lake nets Pitt Meadows man court date Irresponsible boating had near-dire consequences this weekend. At around 6:30 Sunday, Lake Country police responded to a complaint that a black and white Malibu boat had hit a swimmer and continued off at a high rate of speed on Lake Okanagan,” said Sgt. Rick McIsaac. 8/16/2010 8:31:14 PM
Elderly man's body found in Okanagan Lake Dozens of beach-goers were witness as the body of an 80-year-old man was pulled from the lake at a beach access. "We responded to the call of a gentlemen who was on his deck and saw a body floating in the water about 30 meters away from the Watt Road access point," said Sgt. Ann Morrison. 8/16/2010 7:05:53 PM
Vernon: Patient questions conditions at VJH It wasn’t the lengthy wait in Vernon Jubilee Hospital’s emergency department that bothered a woman as much as the abdominal pain she sought treatment for. It was where she was waiting. The Vernon woman checked into the ER at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday after experiencing abdominal discomfort. 8/16/2010 6:09:30 PM
Kamloops: Police need witnesses to Westsyde beating As a man lies in a hospital clinging to life after a brutal beating in Westsyde last weekend, Kamloops Mounties are turning to the public to help in their investigation. RCMP Sgt. Scott Wilson said investigators are still not sure how many people were involved in the attack. 8/16/2010 6:43:22 AM
Migrant workers get cold shoulder Another evening in a Kelowna park, another jam session. A dark-haired young man strums a Quebec pop song on his guitar and a young female fruit picker leads the singing. The pop song gives way to a folk song, which ends with a few renditions of the Montreal Canadiens‘ "Ole, ole ole ole" victory chant. 8/16/2010 6:37:25 AM
Summerland/Peachland: Highway 97 widening complete After two-and-a-half years, the widening of Highway 97 between Peachland and Summerland is complete. This week, the construction-zone speed-limit signs came down and the stretch of newly four-laned highway is fully usable at 90 kilometres per hour. 8/16/2010 6:31:32 AM
Elderly driver fights to keep licence A Kelowna woman who had to defend her driver‘s licence from anonymous complaints is still looking for answers. "It‘s not over, because I still want to know what medical condition they‘re saying I have," said Patricia Crichton, 72. "What prompted them to request these tests, and why did they backpedal and say they‘re sorry?" 8/16/2010 6:26:05 AM
ATV riders killed northeast of Lac La Hache Two young males, about 19 years of age and believed to be Lower Mainland residents, were discovered about 10 feet from the north edge of the road. The a single ATV on which they were both riding, left the road and impacted several trees. 8/15/2010 2:24:14 PM
Man killed in daytime shooting in Prince George Prince George RCMP are asking for the public's help after a fatal shooting in the 2400-block of Oak Street Saturday afternoon. Police responded to a call around 3 p.m. Saturday, arriving to find a man lying dead in the street, the apparent victim of a brazen daylight shooting. 8/15/2010 2:21:20 PM
Kelowna: Keremeos man leaves a trail of carnage on roads A 30-year-old Keremeos man was being held in custody in Kelowna General Hospital Friday after a early morning demolition derby on Highway 97 in West Kelowna. Police were still piecing together a series of crashes involving a man they described as an impaired driver. 8/15/2010 7:58:45 AM
Most who live in West Kelowna work elsewhere Most West Kelowna residents don‘t just leave their house when they go to work - they leave their municipality. More than two-thirds of the West Kelowna workforce has jobs outside the municipal boundaries - either in the City of Kelowna, within the Westbank First Nation reserve, or in other Okanagan communities. 8/15/2010 7:48:17 AM
Hot weather feeds new fires in B.C. Evacuation alerts have been issued in the B.C. Interior as new forest fires add to the concerns of beleaguered fire crews. "All the active fires in the Cariboo are generating large amounts of smoke because of the current weather conditions." 8/15/2010 7:36:13 AM
Kelowna pair jailed in U.S. over pot Two Kelowna men accused of smuggling pot in hockey bags to the United States have been sentenced to prison, and when they leave, they can never return. The men were sentenced to multi-year prison terms in Washington state Wednesday. 8/15/2010 7:27:09 AM
Shuswap cabin fire that killed three children ruled accidental A B.C. coroner’s report has determined that smoke inhalation was the cause of death of three Vancouver children in a cabin fire on Shuswap Lake last summer. B.C. Coroner Allen Hossie’s report indicates that an extinguished campfire may have led to the fire. 8/14/2010 6:27:05 AM
Interior Health crowing over first West Nile bird Kelowna made West Nile history Wednesday when a dead crow tested positive, a first in B.C. It‘s also the first evidence of any West Nile activity in the province this year. To date this year, there have been no human cases or positive mosquito pools reported or identified in 1,200 pools in higher-risk areas. 8/14/2010 6:07:24 AM
Legendary lake monster barges in You might call it the SS Ogopogo. SS - for Silly Ship. But if you did, Ermanno Barone likely wouldn‘t be laughing. Yes, he sees the goofiness in floating a five-ton sculpture of Ogopogo around a barge on Okanagan Lake, as he did Thursday. 8/14/2010 6:04:36 AM
HST petition: Bench-clearing brawl that's set to turn uglier The irony of the whole HST-petition snafu is that the province's citizen-initiative law was supposed to give people just a little bit of power to influence their government — without politicians, bureaucrats, lawyers, judges or special-interest groups sticking their noses in. 8/13/2010 8:59:37 PM
Senior armed with a walker robs Prince George bank Speed is usually critical for bank robbers, but not for a Prince George man who held up a branch of the Bank of Nova Scotia Friday morning — while using a black walker. While no weapon was produced, the 75-year-old said he was armed. The suspect was described as a Caucasian male weighing about 230 pounds. 8/13/2010 8:50:23 PM
Vernon Murder victim remembered fondly A family friend will remember Nathan Mayrhofer as a fun-loving guy with a zest for life. Mayrhofer, 32, from Lumby, was identified by Vernon RCMP Wednesday as the person found dead in a third-floor apartment at the Villacare Place Apartmentson the evening of Aug. 5. His body had been dismembered. 8/13/2010 6:38:51 PM
Vernon: Water supply in good shape Greater Vernon should make it through the rest of the summer with adequate water supply. The North Okanagan Regional District reports that while consumption has been steady recently, Duteau Creek upland reservoir levels are holding up. 8/13/2010 6:19:37 PM
What's the real story behind dumping Kelowna Fire Chief? Former Kelowna fire chief Rene Blanleil received a severance package of $200,515. The settlement is equivalent to 18 months salary, and the city will also keep making the payments on a vehicle driven by Blanleil until next May. 8/13/2010 7:34:26 AM
Manslaughter conviction lands Cybak in jail for 14 months With head bowed, a frail and seemingly remorseful Jake Cybak was handcuffed and removed from the courtroom to begin a prison sentence for his part in the death of a Kelowna teen. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am this happened,” he told the court moments before receiving a sentence of 30 months. 8/13/2010 7:25:47 AM
B.C. premier denies anti-HST interference, NDP leader disagrees B.C. Opposition Leader Carole James said she demanded in a letter to Premier Gordon Campbell on Thursday that he recall the legislature and debate scrapping the HST. The fact the issue is before the courts in no way stops the government from debating it, James said in Victoria. 8/13/2010 7:24:59 AM
Kelowna RCMP investigate cat killings Kelowna RCMP continue to investigate several cat killings over the last few weeks. The first case was three weeks ago on Pheasant Street in Glenmore. The second happened a week later in Rutland. And the most recent was reported this week on Coronation Road in Glenmore. 8/13/2010 6:46:05 AM
Kelowna Overpass: Highway 97 closed overnight Highway 97 will be closed to nighttime traffic between Burtch and Spall roads Monday, August 16 and Tuesday, August 17 to accommodate the erection of the Dayton Street Overpass. Closures will begin at 9 p.m. and re-open to traffic at 6 a.m. the following morning. 8/13/2010 6:44:42 AM
West Nile virus confirmed in the Okanagan The Provincial Animal Health Centre has confirmed that a dead crow from the Central Okanagan area has tested positive for West Nile virus. This is the first positive case of WNV in a crow ever in B.C. and the first evidence of any WNV activity in the province this year. 8/12/2010 5:00:21 PM
Cariboo Fires: Pelican Lake again under evacuation order At 9:42PM, August 11, 2010, the Cariboo Regional District and the Nazko First Nation, in consultation with the Cariboo Fire Centre, issued a joint evacuation order to protect people from the dangers of an active and ongoing interface fire within the Pelican Fire Complex. 8/12/2010 3:09:27 PM
Marijuana plants found in Coldstream yard One Coldstream resident had more than regular vegetables growing in his backyard. When a neighbour asked the 48-year-old gentleman if that was marijuana he had growing in the backyard of his home he didn’t deny it. “He told the neighbour, ‘Yep, that’s what I’m growing.’” 8/12/2010 9:42:48 AM
Vernon challenges Regional District decision on dispatch The City of Vernon is accusing the North Okanagan Regional District of pulling the plug on an emergency service. The city was recently removed from regional fire dispatch as it had requested. But by not waiting until Dec. 31, the city claims NORD has also ended Vernon’s contract to actually operate dispatch. 8/12/2010 9:35:54 AM
B.C. desperate for rainfall After a cool, wet spring, the Okanagan got hot and dry in July. Rainfall measured at most B.C. weather stations last month was between one-third and two-thirds of normal, but in some areas was much lower. Particularly dry areas included the Okanagan. 8/12/2010 7:50:22 AM
Kelowna: McCurdy fire under control Fire crews say a log pile fire that was reported around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday is under control. However, the fire near the end of McCurdy Place, is "deep seated in the pile and crews will remain on scene through the night," said assistant fire chief Jason Brolund. 8/12/2010 7:48:51 AM
Kelowna fraudster steers clear of jail The Kelowna man who admitted to 21 counts of fraud walked out of the courthouse this morning, not quite a free man but clear of jail time. "You've been given a considerable break today," said Justice Richard Brooke, to Kurtis Eugene Pomerleau, following his sentencing of two-years-less-a-day of house arrest. 8/12/2010 7:46:49 AM
Body dismembered in Vernon murder An autopsy was necessary to identify the victim in Vernon, B.C.'s first murder of 2010 because the body was dismembered, police say. Lumby resident Nathan John Mayrhofer, 32, was found dead in an apartment on Aug. 5, but his identity was only confirmed this week. 8/11/2010 4:59:53 PM
Forest Fires: New online service tracks smoke severity With more than 400 wildfires burning provincewide, people can now know how the resulting smoke is affecting the air quality in their region. The BlueSky Western Canada Smoke Forecasting System was unveiled in Kamloops on Tuesday by Minister of Healthy Living and Sport Ida Chong. 8/11/2010 10:23:49 AM
Fraudster Pomerleau learns fate Wednesday Kurtis Pomerleau will learn his fate on Wednesday after pleading guilty to 21 charges of fraud. B.C. Supreme Court Justice Richard Brooke will announce his decision after a four-hour-plus sentencing hearing on Monday. The 45-year-old Kelowna man advertised vintage, collector and show vehicles on eBay and other internet sites. 8/11/2010 10:15:53 AM
Future of HST in B.C. could be revealed today Today marks a big day in the battle over the HST. Elections BC is expected to release the results of a provincewide petition that seeks to repeal the tax. If successful, the B.C. Liberal party must either prepare legislation to repeal the HST or send the matter to a provincewide referendum. 8/11/2010 6:48:42 AM
Williams Lake man tied to chair in jail cell A B.C. civil rights advocate is criticizing the RCMP for tying a prisoner to a chair in a jail cell for hours. Lloyd Gilbert was restrained after he was arrested in Williams Lake in January for allegedly causing a disturbance, the B.C. Civil Liberties Association said Tuesday. 8/11/2010 5:47:32 AM
Vernon: Murder suspect appears in court A publication ban at Vernon Supreme Court Tuesday will prevent media from reporting on any evidence in Vernon’s first murder of 2010. The ban came as a request from Crown counsel Howard Pontious during the first appearance of Kenneth Barter, 37, charged with second degree murder. 8/11/2010 5:14:35 AM
Houseboat problem not floating away Six houseboats and a flatbed float were still moored in Gellatly Bay on Monday. However, the District of West Kelowna has been assured - and is trying to confirm - that a contractor will haul away most of the houseboats and their anchors on Saturday. 8/11/2010 5:07:28 AM
Family of missing couple to turn to public for funds The family of an Alberta couple missing for more than a month plans to ask the public for money to augment RCMP search efforts. Lyle and Marie McCann's son Bret says donations could be used to expand and intensify searches in the area where his parents disappeared. 8/10/2010 4:51:11 PM
Edmonton man killed in Kootenay crash An Edmonton man is dead after a collision on Monday near Creston, B.C. RCMP said the man, 77, was a passenger in a southbound vehicle that collided with a northbound pickup truck on Highway 3A a little before 2 p.m., just north of Creston. 8/10/2010 4:27:21 PM
Lillooet town council considers limits on assembly The town council in Lillooet, B.C., has introduced a bylaw intended to maintain public order, but some locals say it goes too far. Bylaw 343 would see parks and beaches closed overnight and also calls for a ban on unauthorized performances, marches, meetings and formal gatherings in public places. 8/10/2010 3:54:16 PM
Fire has former farmer fuming As the recent Stewart Centre fire illustrated, the runoff from storm sewers into Mill Creek can prove deadly for aquatic life. Kelowna resident Tilman Nahm, who now lives in Grindrod, knows that all too well. Nahm, his wife Mae and their family owned two Kelowna-area orchards from the 1950s to the late 1980s. 8/10/2010 10:07:22 AM
You could ‘get lucky‘ at 13th volunteer fair Kelowna Community Resources is taking speed dating to a whole new level. The non-profit agency has used the principles of speeding dating in creating two sessions of ‘volunteer speed matching‘ for the 13th annual Okanagan Volunteer Opportunities Fair on Sept. 18. 8/10/2010 10:04:58 AM
B.C. immigrant workers found in squalid conditions near Golden, B.C. The B.C. government has terminated a contract with a Surrey forestry company after 25 workers were found living in substandard conditions. They were living in a bush camp and complained of a lack of food and told government officials they were not fully paid and on the job seven days a week. 8/10/2010 8:59:53 AM
Merger brings technological advantage to Okanagan Two of the major forces promoting the growth of the tech sector in the Okanagan have merged in order to create greater opportunities for networking and growth. Last week Okanagan Research and Innovation Centre and the Okanagan Science and Technology Council announced a joint decision to merge. 8/10/2010 8:22:10 AM
It’s pride week in the Okanagan (Kelowna) This year‘s Okanagan Pride celebration has new dates, new venues and the focus is on the family. The five-day series of events celebrating alternative lifestyles, which begins Wednesday, includes a movie night, golf tournament, health day, pride festival and dance, all in Kelowna. 8/10/2010 5:29:14 AM
SUV drives into Kelowna storefront A 61-year-old Kelowna woman was stunned but uninjured after driving her SUV into a kitchen supply store Monday morning. Marsha Ivany says she mistakenly stepped on the gas instead of the break while parking in front of the Chef's Edge in the Banks Centre on Highway 97. 8/10/2010 5:21:52 AM
Police crackdown on Prince George gangs Gangsters and drug traffickers got a rough ride in Prince George over the weekend, with a raid on two crack shacks and a crackdown by Metro Vancouver's Uniformed Gang Task Force. Four loaded guns and large quantities of methamphetamine, ecstacy, cocaine, crack and heroin were seized and several people were arrested. 8/9/2010 9:20:04 PM
Fire burns at Encana well after weekend blow out An Encana well in B.C.'s northeastern corner is still burning after a blow out during a drilling operation. A company spokeswoman says crews are trying to cap the well. A small amount of sweet (poison) gas was released but there are no residents near the well. 8/9/2010 9:06:45 AM
Vernon’s first murder of 2010 The RCMP are continuing to investigate Vernon’s first murder of 2010. Police were called to the Villacare Place Apartments in the 2900 block of 33rd Avenue shortly before 5 p.m. Thursday for a report of a possible homicide. “The male suspect is in police custody.” 8/9/2010 6:11:37 AM
Wet weather not enough to check spread of stubborn B.C. blazes Recent wet weather has been too light to do more than put a damper on hundreds of wildfires devouring forest in the B.C. interior. Info officer Mike McCulley said “any rain is certainly helpful,” but there hasn’t been enough to seriously put a dent in the number of active blazes in the province. 8/8/2010 10:21:31 AM
B.C. warned of organized crime’s reach into gambling An RCMP team targeting illegal gambling in British Columbia wrote a report more than a year ago warning that organized crime figures were likely involved in those activities. Three months later, the investigative unit that was funded by the provincial government was shut down. 8/8/2010 6:54:26 AM
MLA defends firefighting budget Provincial New Democrats are accusing the B.C. Liberals of deception in the firefighting budget, but Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick says the government is using the best budgetary method. The NDP says it's the fifth consecutive year of showing "how the B.C. Liberal government is refusing to be honest about the true estimates for the cost of fighting forest fires." 8/8/2010 6:36:26 AM
Kelowna: Brad Bennett awarded highest honour Brad Bennett‘s countless years of public service have been recognized with the Order of British Columbia. The list of 15 British Columbians who have contributed to the province "in extraordinary ways" was announced Friday by Lt.-Gov. Steven Point, chancellor of the order. 8/8/2010 6:28:52 AM
Kelowna: Brittney Irving murder suspect hires lawyer The self-proclaimed former gangster charged with murdering Brittney Irving in a drug deal gone bad now has a lawyer. During a two-minute court appearance by video Thursday, Crown counsel Wendy Kavanagh said Joelon David Atish Verma has been talking to Calgary lawyer Kim Ross and Ross was scheduled to meet with Verma in Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre the same day. 8/7/2010 7:39:34 AM
Street-racing charge going to Supreme Court A man charged with criminal negligence by street racing will face the Supreme Court. The lawyer for Michael John Bell, a 51-year old man charged in connection to a fatal 2009 crash in the Westside, announced he has elected to be tried by a Supreme Court judge and jury. 8/7/2010 6:35:00 AM
Kelowna's Beaches closed by toxic fire, now open Effective immediately, two Okanagan Lake beaches are open again and available for swimming. Hot Sands Beach and the beach area from five road ends south of Mill Creek are no longer closed. “We apologize for any inconvenience the isolated beach closures may have had for residents and visitors to the area." 8/7/2010 5:57:28 AM
Police investigate first Vernon homicide of 2010 Vernon RCMP are investigating the city's first murder of 2010. Police were called to a home Thursday in the 2900 block of 33rd Avenue shortly before 5 p.m. for a report of a possible homicide. The preliminary investigation has led investigators to arrest a 31-year-old man who resides at the residence. 8/7/2010 5:53:35 AM
Shuswap: No blood sample taken from driver in fatal boat crash Investigators will never know how much alcohol was in the blood of the driver of a speedboat involved in a fatal crash in B.C.'s Interior last month because no blood sample was taken. Leon Reinbrecht was driving the boat that crashed into a houseboat on Shuswap Lake and driver Ken Brown was killed in the crash. 8/7/2010 5:51:46 AM
Wildfire smoke advisory continued A wildfire smoke advisory has been extended into its third straight day for the Kelowna, Kamloops, Vernon, Osoyoos and surrounding areas. Although much of the smoke has dissipated today, Air Quality meteorologist Graham Veale made the announcement as a precautionary measure today. 8/6/2010 7:09:55 AM
Prince George: Lots of smoke, no fires in city Even though a thick blanket of smoke has engulfed the city, the Prince George Fire Department advises there are no fires in, or near, the city. Prince George Fire Rescue is being inundated with calls of concern from Prince George residents about the blanket of smoke that is covering the city. 8/6/2010 6:13:20 AM
Valley: Cats, kittens cause SPCA conniptions It‘s raining cats and kittens at the Kelowna SPCA and SPCA branches across the province-- so much so that a waiting list has been established for owners who want to surrender their cats. "it‘s basically the height of kitten season right now," said Kelowna SPCA branch manager Sabrina Fedorak. 8/6/2010 6:01:59 AM
Green means go for Kelowna city cyclists Coloured bike lanes are coming to Kelowna as the city follows the lead of other municipalities in trying to create more harmony between cyclists and motorists. The green-painted bike lanes will be tried out for at least a year at intersections along Enterprise Way between Spall and Leckie Roads. Painting began Wednesday night. 8/6/2010 6:00:52 AM
Hundreds of firefighters flood into B.C. Hundreds of firefighters from the U.S., Alberta and Ontario are flooding into B.C. as a huge area of the province continues to burn. The fire danger rating for 80 per cent of the province is high to extreme. Although the weather forecast calls for cooler conditions this weekend, hot and dry weather is expected to return early next week. 8/6/2010 5:48:33 AM
B.C. RCMP seize 23,000 pot plants Police in B.C. say they have seized an estimated 23,000 marijuana plants in a series of raids on Crown land near the community of Lillooet. The seizures were made Saturday and Sunday in four locations along the shoreline of Carpenter Lake. No individuals were found at the growing locations. 8/6/2010 5:32:00 AM
Prince George Boy, 12, charged with setting rural fire A 12-year-old Prince George-area boy told police he was bored and that's why he started a fire Wednesday in an abandoned vehicle in a forest clearing near the city. The blaze could have set off a devastating wildfire and the boy's own family home may have been engulfed if it wasn't for the quick work of volunteer fire crews, the RCMP said. 8/6/2010 5:29:39 AM
Merritt: Alleged dog dragging leads to charges A man alleged to have dragged his dog behind his car has been charged with three counts of animal abuse. The Crown issued a warrant for Bobby Elliott, a resident of the Nicola Valley. Elliott allegedly caused serious injury to the dog by tying her to his car and driving three kilometres along a dirt road. 8/6/2010 5:19:41 AM
Air Canada lands in good books after fixing boy's wheelchair The family of a 10-year-old disabled boy from Kamloops, B.C., whose custom-made wheelchair was damaged on an Air Canada flight Wednesday, is crediting the online world with convincing the airline to fix his chair and to send it back within 24 hours — and for offering him a free flight to Disney World. 8/6/2010 5:02:27 AM
Empty beer cans found in ski boat involved in fatal crash Police found 27 empty beer and cooler cans in a ski boat that crashed into a houseboat on Shuswap Lake last month, killing the houseboat's driver, court documents reveal. RCMP in Chase, B.C., filed the documents in order to get a warrant to seize blood samples taken from Leon Reinbrecht, the ski boat's operator. 8/5/2010 2:03:14 PM
Kelowna Toxic fire: Nearby businesses breathing sigh of relief It‘s business as usual for many people who work near an industrial centre destroyed by fire, but some Interior Health employees have an extra week off with pay. Privately-owned firms in the Kirschener Road district re-opened Tuesday after the Saturday night fire at the Stewart Centre, 8/5/2010 6:23:39 AM
Blood, sweat and tears greet drive kickoff Tears and blood donations flowed freely at Kelowna‘s blood donor clinic on Tuesday. Family and friends of Cody Subotin hugged and cried as they gathered to launch the 13th annual Interior Drive for Life blood donor challenge. 8/5/2010 6:20:59 AM
Kelowna beaches still closed, decision today Results are now not anticipated until Thursday morning, at the earliest. So the closure of Hot Sands beach in City Park, and a 500-metre stretch of beach south of Mill Creek, will continue. An unknown quantity of pesticides, fertilizer and other, mostly agricultural-oriented chemicals, got into Mill Creek, and then the lake. 8/5/2010 6:19:54 AM
Motorcyclist bounces off two vehicles on Hwy 97 A motorcyclist learned the hard way that you should look before you change lanes after he was involved in a crash with two vehicles Tuesday morning. The 22-year-old St. Albert, Alta., man was travelling east on Highway 97 and nearing the intersection at Spall Road when he apparently didn’t shoulder check. 8/4/2010 6:50:54 AM
Losing his family in crash is unbearable: Edmonton boy Aashar Arshad talked fondly Tuesday of the weekly road trips his family would take during the summer to nearby lakes and parks. He recounted how the family would often take long road trips to places such as Lake Louise and Sylvan Lake. It was during a road trip Sunday that Aashar's family was killed in a crash outside Golden, B.C. 8/4/2010 6:24:50 AM
Cops involved in Kamloops shooting death put on desk duty The two police officers involved in the shooting death of Wilbert Bartley last week have been placed on administrative duty, according to Kamloops RCMP. Bartley, 50, was shot and killed on Friday, after he backed his Toyota 4Runner into an unmarked RCMP minivan. 8/4/2010 5:51:57 AM
Oyama: Equipment stolen from behind locked gates Police are asking for the public’s help in finding $40,000 worth of equipment that was stolen from a locked compound in Oyama last week. “The items would have had to have been hooked up to a truck to be moved,” said Const. Michael Taylor. 8/4/2010 5:48:27 AM
Surveillance video used in stabbing case Police will be turning to surveillance video in an attempt to determine who stabbed two Calgary men on Sunday morning after police say they got little cooperation in their investigation from the victims and witnesses. 8/4/2010 5:29:36 AM
Kelowna: Test delay means beaches remain closed The environmental consultant working on the Mill Creek spill has advised detailed test results of water samples will take longer than initially anticipated. The Emergency Operation Centre doesn‘t expect to receive the analysis and recommendation until perhaps Thursday morning at the earliest. 8/4/2010 5:28:08 AM
Death of man who ignored evacuation order sparks debate Despite mandatory evacuation orders, some people have refused to leave their homes during some of this summer's wildfires in B.C., raising the question: should authorities be given special powers to forcibly remove residents who don't comply? 8/3/2010 6:22:54 PM
Cariboo fires grow: Incident Management Team is on site A fire at Marguerite Ferry, two kilometres south of Alexandria, was estimated at 1,000 hectares Tuesday morning. 200 firefighters, 10 helicopters, and 25 pieces of heavy equipment were fighting the fire Tuesday. A specially trained Type 1 Incident Management Team is now on site to manage these fires. 8/3/2010 4:58:30 PM
Secondary suite issue goes to West Kelowna council A last ditch move by several West Kelowna councillors to stall the closure of a public hearing Wednesday failed, so now the fate of secondary suites in West Kelowna is solely in the hands of council. About 80 people turned out for the two-hour hearing at Mount Boucherie Senior Secondary School. 8/3/2010 4:42:57 PM
Kettle river drowning on weekend A tragic swimming accident has claimed the life of a Fruitvale man...Saturday afternoon 19 year old Nicholas Rypien was swimming with friends in the Kettle river by the Cascade falls near Christina Lake, when he got caught up in the rapids and was not seen again. 8/3/2010 4:28:27 PM
Wildfire count in B.C. hits 400 Provincewide, Crews were battling an estimated 400 wildfires in B.C. on Tuesday after dozens of new blazes over the weekend. Worst hit is the Cariboo region in the province's Interior, where as many as a third of the blazes are burning out of control, officials estimate. 8/3/2010 1:14:33 PM
Kelowna: Search on for missing woman Police are asking for the public's help in locating a 62-year-old woman who was reported missing on Friday. Maureen O'Connell had been staying with a friend in Kelowna for the past couple of weeks and, after an argument, left in her vehicle, police say. 8/3/2010 1:04:06 PM
Mother and father of 2 killed, 4 injured in Sicamous crash On the heels of the long weekend tragedy that claimed six lives outside Golden Sunday, another mother and father were killed on a bridge in Sicamous Monday afternoon. The accident happened at 4:16 p.m. on the Sicamous Narrows Bridge. 8/3/2010 9:51:59 AM
Kamloops: Details in fatal RCMP shooting emerge The outside police force investigating a fatal shooting involving two RCMP officers in B.C. has released more details. The Calgary Police Service was brought in to investigate the death of a 50-year-old man who was shot and killed during a confrontation with two Mounties last Friday in Kamloops. 8/3/2010 6:48:50 AM
Houseboat owner gets message And then there were five. One of the six houseboat owners told Friday to remove their vessels from Gellatly Bay in West Kelowna appears to have complied with the order. Only five houseboats were visible Saturday afternoon 8/3/2010 6:13:28 AM
Commuting during Kelowna construction Plan your commute is the message the City is sending out during the busy summer construction season. The summer of 2010 promises great change in Kelowna with the addition of many important transportation infrastructures and upgrades around the city. 8/3/2010 6:12:13 AM
Kelowna: Fire suppression creates environmental emergency Officials continue to monitor water quality in Mill Creek and Okanagan Lake in Kelowna following chemical contamination as a result of an industrial fire Saturday. Hot Sands Beach in Kelowna City Park and the beaches around the mouth of Mill Creek on Okanagan Lake will remain closed. 8/3/2010 6:01:34 AM
Deadly long weekend on B.C. roads leaves eight dead At least eight people — five from one family — died on B.C. roads over the long weekend. The worst crash occurred outside Golden, when an Edmonton family’s minivan collided with a motorhome, killing five family members and a friend. Another person was killed Monday afternoon in a car crash in Sicamous. 8/3/2010 5:52:07 AM
1 dead after ignoring Fire evacuation order One person has died and another is seriously injured after refusing to obey an evacuation order due to a wildfire in B.C.'s Cariboo region. The two people who refused to leave a fire zone near Meldrum Creek, west of Williams Lake, were involved in two separate accidents on Sunday. 8/2/2010 4:39:33 PM
Mill Creek hazardous waste flows into Okanagan Lake Containment and clean up efforts are underway in connection with the spill of hazardous chemicals earlier Sunday into Mill Creek. Work crews will be removing contained hazardous materials collected at the site of Saturday night’s fire on Kirschner Road, the source of the contaminants. 8/2/2010 9:59:03 AM
Six dead in head-on highway collision east of Golden The long weekend ended fatally for six people headed towards Golden on Hwy. 1 Sunday morning, after the minivan they were traveling in collided with an eastbound motorhome. The six occupants of the minivan were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which happened just after 11:30 a.m. not far from the B.C.-Alberta border. 8/2/2010 6:10:14 AM
Courthouse next stop in battle over houseboats A dispute over the right of houseboat owners to moor their vessels in Gellatly Bay could shift to the courts on Tuesday. Lawyers for the District of West Kelowna hope to get an order from the B.C. Supreme Court permitting the municipality to remove the half-dozen houseboats from Okanagan Lake. 8/1/2010 4:20:36 PM
Vernon: Recall sought for city councils A Vernon councillor insists electors should be able to toss local politicians from office part way through a term. Coun. Bob Spiers has asked his colleagues to discuss the provincial government’s decision to extend municipal terms from three to four terms, and he says the concept of recall should also be considered. 8/1/2010 3:51:09 PM
Kelowna council mails complaint re: census The letter is in the mail to try and stop the Harper Conservatives from ousting the national census. On Monday Kelowna city council decided to write a letter expressing concern about the federal government’s decision to abandon the long form census. Census information is used in a wide variety of ways. 8/1/2010 11:53:20 AM
Kelowna's Stewart Centre inferno leaves toxic trail Toxic chemicals caught in last night's Stewart Centre fire line left a damaging imprint in the area. "We ask that the public stay away at this time, if at all possible," said the Kelowna Fire Department's Jason Brolund. "A volatile mix of explosive materials combined with fertilizers and pesticides have burnt." 8/1/2010 11:51:58 AM
Man shot dead by cops in Kamloops was turning life around: Mother The man shot dead in a police-involved shooting in North Kamloops Friday night was a convicted thief with a lengthy criminal record — but one who, his mother says, has resolved to turn his life around. Wilbert Bartley, 50, was killed after two officers opened fire. 8/1/2010 7:42:04 AM
Lytton: B.C. Water bomber crew confirmed killed The company that owns a water bomber that crashed while battling wildfires in B.C.'s Fraser Canyon confirmed Sunday that the pilot and co-pilot of the plane are dead. Crews can see the crash site, south of Lytton, but conditions are still too dangerous to reach the wreckage. 8/1/2010 7:39:42 AM
Doe-eyed and dangerous: deer attacks spike in B.C. It began with the daylight mauling of a dog and has grown to include the bludgeoning of a newspaper carrier and the last-minute escape of a woman and her terrified canine from a charging red-eyed doe. 8/1/2010 7:26:12 AM
Speeding cigarette boater fined $400 The driver of the 30-foot cigarette boat that outran a RCMP Zodiac was fined $400 at home Wednesday after tips from the public helped identify the craft. The boat was identified as travelling dangerously fast by Const. Rollie Williams, who was operating the Zodiac. 8/1/2010 7:11:17 AM
West Kelowna: Time to weigh anchor Houseboats moored in Gellatly Bay could be towed out of the lake today as West Kelowna follows through on a pledge to clear the area of the unwanted watercraft. A 30-day period for houseboat owners to voluntarily remove the vessels at their own expense ended at midnight Thursday. 7/31/2010 6:55:54 AM
Deadly police shooting in North Kamloops An independent team of investigators is sifting through the evidence on Kamloops' North Shore after a deadly police shooting on Friday, July 30. Kamloops RCMP aren't releasing many details, but Const. Cheryl Bush confirmed one person was killed after cops opened fire on an SUV. 7/31/2010 6:45:14 AM
Kamloops-area Bonaparte Lake wildfire grows A wildfire burning in B.C.'s interior remained uncontrolled Friday, growing about 20 hectares to an estimated 130 since Thursday. The fire, located at the southeast end of Bonaparte Lake, north of Kamloops, started Wednesday afternoon, prompting an evacuation of 60 homes with between 100 to 125 people. 7/31/2010 6:37:42 AM
Man drowns after falling off boat on Shuswap Lake A 26-year-old man has drowned after passing out and falling off a boat on Shuswap Lake Friday morning. Chase RCMP were called to the 6900-block Andres Road at about 8:45 a.m. for a report of a missing man. Police say the man had passed out while doing maintenance work on a Tige pleasure craft. 7/31/2010 6:00:50 AM
Joe Rich fire fight to continue Work to fully extinguish a fire in the Joe Rich area east of Kelowna will likely continue for a few days. The fire, believed to have been started by a lightning strike, was 70 per cent contained by Thursday afternoon. The fire covered about 10 hectares in size. 7/31/2010 5:41:32 AM
Kelowna: Abbott Street reopens to traffic Abbott Street from Royal to Rose avenues will re-open to traffic Saturday at 7 a.m. Construction of the extension of the Abbott Street recreational corridor from Royal to Rose, which began in April is now complete. 7/31/2010 5:40:13 AM
Fire destroys Nelson heritage building A fire destroyed a heritage building in downtown Nelson, B.C., on Thursday night, forcing the temporary evacuation of several downtown blocks while hundreds of town residents turned out to watch the blaze. The fire started in the basement of the Red Fish Grill. Everyone got out safely, but the fire raged for hours. 7/30/2010 5:16:24 PM
Extreme forest fire hazard closes Kelowna park Hot and dry weather have elevated the fire hazard around the Okanagan, causing the City of Kelowna to close down a popular park to vehicle traffic. The main gate to Knox Mountain Park will be shut down at 9 pm Friday, July 30 as a precaution. The park will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists. 7/30/2010 1:29:59 PM
Floating RCMP detachment launched on Shuswap Lake The Sicamous RCMP along with Provincial and Federal enforcement agencies are joining forces on the Shuswap this long weekend aboard a "floating Detachment" starting Friday afternoon. Partners including the RCMP, will conduct a three day patrol of the Shuswap and Mara lakes. 7/30/2010 1:23:26 PM
Valley Entrepreneurs make outdoors easier Taking time to travel deep into the Valley’s great outdoors can go without a hitch—figuratively and, now, literally too. Two businesses sprouted in provincial parks this year, allowing locals and tourists alike to explore the heights and depths of the Okanagan. 7/30/2010 8:12:22 AM
Bicycles bound for Africa (Video) Keith Germaine, with the Kelowna chapter of Bicycles For Humanity, will be busy on Saturday helping to crate some 400 donated bicycles in a shipping container bound for Ghana, a country on the west coast of Africa. This is the third time Bicycles For Humanity has sent a cargo container of bicycles to Ghana, where they are a valued commodity. 7/30/2010 8:08:45 AM
Campfire ban to be strictly enforced An absolute ban on campfires, fireworks and all open flames goes into effect at noon today. Three fires were still burning yesterday afternoon in the Kamloops Fire Centre, which covers Kamloops, Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton and runs to the U.S. border. 7/30/2010 7:19:44 AM
Fugitive gives up the chase The man accused of ramming two police cars last week gave himself up when officers gathered outside his hideout. RCMP got a tip that Alan Greenlees was staying in a house in the 3500 block of Lakeshore Road. Several officers assembled in plain view outside the house after 6 p.m. Tuesday and discussed a surveillance plan. 7/30/2010 6:05:38 AM
Helicopter pilots who crashed en route to fight B.C. wildfire expected to make full recovery Two helicopter pilots contracted by the B.C. Forest Service to battle the massive Jade Mountain Wildfire near Lillooet are expected to make full recoveries after crash landing Thursday. The Bell 214B chopper went down just after noon near the Porcupine Creek area of Lillooet. 7/30/2010 5:59:54 AM
Friends rally in support of Kelowna artist It took UBC Okanagan fine arts graduate Woon-hing Manning 17 years to finally earn her degree last month, receiving the most outstanding fine arts student award in the process. Yet sitting in a wheelchair, having just undergone four days of medical tests, it wasn’t quite the moment she had envisioned. 7/30/2010 5:43:59 AM
Lightning sparks nine forest fires Lightning is likely to blame for a wildfire about 40 km east of Kelowna, one of nine sparked by a storm that blew through the region. The Joe Rich Forest Service Road Fire is a remotely located fire burning slowly through about 10 hectares of forest. Crews have managed to build a guard around 40% of the blaze. 7/30/2010 5:42:11 AM
Kelowna: Search continues for body in lake Thursday: Kelowna RCMP and Search and Rescue teams continued to search for 25 year old Cole Barr this morning on Lake Okanagan, however the waters are too rough to continue any further today. 7/30/2010 5:40:06 AM
B.C. looking at new laws to ensure 'Fair Chase' on hunts Amidst public outrage over a trophy wolf hunt that involved bait and a high-powered snowmobile, Environment Minister Barry Penner said Wednesday he has instructed his staff to consider new regulations that would ensure a fair chase in the B.C. wilderness. 7/29/2010 8:46:42 PM
Lillooet: Helicopter crashes en route to B.C.'s Jade wildfire (Video) A helicopter bucketing water to a wildfire blazing in B.C.'s southern Interior crashed Thursday afternoon, sending its occupants to hospital. Two people were on board when the Bell 214-B chopper, carrying a full load of water, hit the side of a large hill while fighting the Jade Wildfire burning northwest of Lillooet. 7/29/2010 8:40:30 PM
Bonaparte Lake evacuated due to Mason Lake Wildfire A fire burning southeast of Bonaparte Lake, in an area west of Barriere, is now called the Mason Lake wildfire. The fire started on Wednesday. Airtankers, including the Martin Mars, were focused on structure protection on the east side of the wildfire yesterday. 7/29/2010 5:04:31 PM
Public helps police find speeding boater UPDATE: Today, Thursday, with the public's assistance Kelowna RCMP have located the speeding boater on Okanagan Lake. An RCMP officer attended the registered owners residence and issued the owner a violation ticket. The offense carries a fine of $402.50. 7/29/2010 3:30:45 PM
Fire crews busy battling several fires in Kamloops and Kelowna Firefighters in the Kamloops fire zone remained busy Thursday morning fighting several large wildfires scattered throughout the area. The newest of these fires, estimated to be about 10 hectares in size, is on the Joe Rich Forest Service Road between Kelowna and Big White mountain. 7/29/2010 12:51:38 PM
Kelowna prepares for the Center of Gravity sports festival As Kelowna becomes the centre of gravity, it‘s preparing for everything - and every one - that will be drawn in. During the busy August long weekend, Kelowna will play host to Center of Gravity, a sports and entertainment festival, competition in six sports, including wakeriding and beach volleyball. 7/29/2010 12:42:33 PM
Vernon blocks Alberta from using slogan The City of Vernon has successfully won a battle in the high-stakes world of tourism marketing. Alberta recently agreed it would not use the tagline “Make it Yours” in tourism promotions because Vernon has the phrase trademarked. “Alberta was sorry to lose it but they understand that we got there first.” 7/29/2010 12:36:18 PM
Kelowna Yacht club says incident wake-up call The parasail boat that collided with another vessel Friday was an accident waiting to happen, says the Kelowna Yacht Club. Staff complain the operator is towing airborne passengers too close to kids and disabled people in sailboats, kicking up a wake and narrowly missing other pleasure craft near Kelowna‘s downtown lakeshore. 7/29/2010 10:35:53 AM
Kamloops shot putter Armstrong among world's elite Although he competes in an event that attracts little attention, Dylan Armstrong has solidified himself as one of the world's finest shot putters this year. The 29-year-old arrived at the University of Toronto to compete in the 2010 Canadian track and field championship, which begins Wednesday night. 7/29/2010 5:16:11 AM
Scam? Alberta gas shortage spreads to B.C. A gasoline shortage at some Shell stations has spread from Alberta to southeastern B.C. Shell said it doesn't know how many service stations have run dry, nor how long it will take to get fuel to them. The drought has spread to the B.C. communities of Nelson, Creston, Trail and several others. 7/29/2010 5:06:07 AM
Mounties seize 1,500 pot plants in B.C. bust Mounties in Kamloops, B.C., have seized 1,500 plants from a marijuana grow operation in the Red Lake area. On July 27, members of the Kamloops RCMP executed a search warrant on a rural property, about 40 kilometres northwest of Kamloops. 7/29/2010 5:03:45 AM
Vernon: Fire sends neighbours scrambling Getting out of her car at her Herry Road home in the BX Tuesday afternoon, Fay Hutchinson heard crackling. Her next door neighbour, Greg Bannister, thought somebody was barbecuing with briquettes. Both neighbours quickly realized what they were smelling was smoke coming from shrubs on fire at a home across the way. 7/29/2010 4:59:10 AM
Slow down and move over – a safety reminder to all drivers Emergency workers often risk their lives to protect and save the lives of others. Between 2001 and 2007, 21 emergency workers were killed or injured on B.C. roads. When an emergency vehicle is operating on the side of the road, that area becomes a workspace. Slowing down and moving over improves worker safety. 7/28/2010 5:23:02 PM
RCMP need help finding speeding boater On July 27, between 3:30 and 3:45 p.m., an RCMP member working on the police boat observed a boat speeding as they were searching for a missing boater in the Bertram Creek area. The police officer activated the emergency equipment and proceeded to follow the speeding boat but was unable to catch up. 7/28/2010 4:54:13 PM
Fire Update: Kamloops fire evacuation lifted Residents who fled from an aggressive wildfire in east Kamloops are returning home after the evacuation order was rescinded. As of 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 28, residents living in the Kamloops Riverview Mobile Home Park, 4394 East Trans-Canada Highway, have been allowed to return, but remain on alert. 7/28/2010 3:59:51 PM
Americans used snowmobiles to chase B.C. wolves for hunt When it comes to hunting, Environment Minister Barry Penner says B.C. is home to the “fair chase.” But the use of bait and high-powered snowmobiles to target a wolf pack during a guided trophy hunt on an ice-covered lake in northern B.C. is raising questions about that assertion. 7/28/2010 6:48:20 AM
Lake Country: Collision sends three people to hospital Kelowna RCMP are saying a driver running a red light appears to have set off a chain reaction collision of four vehicles in Lake Country at the intersection of Highway 97 at Commonwealth Road. A Lake Country firefighter said the injuries were largely caused by the air bag being deployed. 7/28/2010 6:05:19 AM
Visiting Girl‘s birthday not very happy Tianna Haist is recovering from facial injuries after a boat collision provoked a man to throw a beer bottle at the girl, her family says. The 11-year-old Calgary girl went para-sailing Friday evening with her aunt on Okanagan Lake as a birthday present. 7/28/2010 5:33:51 AM
Grand Forks: Slain boy's family blasts B.C. Health Ministry The family of a slain autistic boy has condemned B.C.'s mental health system, saying the boy's death was "completely avoidable." Speaking publicly for the first time, the family of 12-year-old John Fulton has written a scathing letter, making it clear they believe the Ministry of Health Services let their son down. 7/28/2010 5:31:54 AM
Salmon Arm: SmartCentres approved in 5-2 vote by council City council has approved the necessary amendments for the SmartCentres proposal to proceed. The final vote was five to two for the official community plan and rezoning amendments. Only for an amendment to the rezoning, to limit the footprint of the anchor tenant to 116,000 square-feet, did council vote unanimously in favour. 7/27/2010 7:12:29 PM
Growing threat sparks campfire ban, beach fire-pits too The upcoming weekend will be the most “critical” for the wildfire season. The arid conditions and relentless hot weather combined with a number of human-started forest fires has led to an outright ban on campfires as we head into the long weekend, this includes the fire pits on Penticton beaches. 7/27/2010 7:00:30 PM
Pine beetle impact overstated, Forests Minister Pat Bell says Forests Minister Pat Bell begs to differ with the report from Central 1 Credit Union that projects more than 11,000 jobs will be lost by the time the pine beetle infestation runs its course. Bell says the credit union economists used the wrong data, which led to the conclusion that B.C. will have lost 68 per cent of its mature pine forests by 2024. 7/27/2010 5:01:03 PM
Nelson: Family dog killed by bear A tragic incident left a family pet dead on the weekend after a roaming bear attacked a dog in a Nelson backyard. It's believed the black bear was startled when it came upon a leashed Golden Retriever and killed the animal. Nelson Bear Aware's Joanne Siderius says incidents of this sort are rare. 7/27/2010 10:11:07 AM
Okanagan Lake: Searchers refuse to halt recovery Searchers resume their hunt today for the body of a man whose memory was celebrated at a Kelowna park on Sunday. Members of local search-and-rescue teams suspended their efforts to find Cole Barr‘s remains in Okanagan Lake on the weekend because boat traffic was too heavy. They‘ve recalculated where he likely fell off a patio boat. 7/27/2010 10:08:05 AM
Dog owners beg for park access Two hundred dog owners marched in a pooch protest Sunday to demand more on-leash parks. The canine convoy of 117 hounds paraded along Abbott Street from Strathcona Park to Kinsmen Park to show their displeasure with the limited supply of green space near downtown. 7/27/2010 10:03:39 AM
Special prosecutor needed for Hells Angel case An infamous Kelowna brawl between two off-duty Mounties and Hells Angels is getting some special attention. The B.C. government’s Criminal Justice Branch will be appointing a special prosecutor to review the case of the two constables who face trial on assault charges. 7/27/2010 6:56:37 AM
Protect B.C.'s Flathead River Valley, UNESCO urges UNESCO is recommending protection for a pristine swath of wilderness in southeastern B.C. A new report by the world heritage committee of the UN suggests a portion of the Flathead River Valley become part of the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park in Alberta and Montana. 7/27/2010 5:49:54 AM
Grandpa steps in to save day, toddler A toddler who nearly drowned in a Westside swimming pool was saved by her fast-acting grandfather on Saturday. The girl, who turns two next week, and her family were visiting from out of town when she wandered into the backyard pool. 7/27/2010 5:41:04 AM
Man smashes police vehicles while fleeing; warrant issued for his arrest A warrant has been issued for a Kelowna man who allegedly rammed two police vehicles in a stolen vehicle last week. On Wednesday afternoon, officers were in the area of a known drug house when they noticed the licence plate of a truck didn't match the registration information. 7/27/2010 5:32:50 AM
Royal Inland Hospital is testing grounds for Airevac program Royal Inland Hospital is the testing grounds for an air-ambulance pilot project. For the next two months, a specially equipped Bell 412 helicopter will be based out of Kamloops and will respond to emergency calls of more than 30 minutes away and execute patient transfers of more than one hour in length. 7/26/2010 7:06:55 PM
Vernon: Issues heat up again at boat launch Summer started slowly this year which kept traffic light at the Kalavista boat launch but recent warm weather has people flocking back and the same problems are cropping up. Kalavista Neighbourhood Committee chairman Norm Hladun who believes council and local officials are doing the best they can but also that more help is needed. 7/26/2010 6:57:04 PM
Campfire bans around B.C. to increase as of Thursday As of noon Thursday, campfire bans will be in effect around most of the province, B.C.’s forests ministry has announced. “We are heading into the peak fire season and the fire danger rating for most of the province is high to extreme,” said Minister Pat Bell. 7/26/2010 6:12:48 PM
Okanagan Lake: Parasailing boat collides with vessel, child hurt A parasailing boat operator has been fined after hitting another boat Sunday evening on Okanagan Lake. The parasailing vessel was towing two people in the air when the accident occurred. One of the boat occupants allegedly threw a beer bottle at the parasailing boat, injuring an 11-year-old girl. 7/26/2010 3:36:25 PM
Fire evacuation alert ends in West Kelowna Residents living on Rose Valley Road and Bear Creek Road were on alert Sunday afternoon because of a fire in Traders Cove, an area bordering Bear Creek Provincial Park. They were assured Monday morning that they would not have to leave their homes. Fire crews battled the blaze overnight. 7/26/2010 9:21:11 AM
Never enough cherries With her cherry-stained face, there was no mistaking that 15-month-old Noa Lewis was at Kelowna‘s 15th annual Cherry Fair Saturday. "She loves cherries. Can‘t you tell?" said mom Cammie with a laugh. "The funny thing is, we have two cherry trees in our yard, so we‘ve had tons of cherries." 7/26/2010 9:16:54 AM
Vernon: Court dispute threatens Canada's oldest horse track (Video) Horse racing enthusiasts crowded into the bleachers at Vernon's Kin Racetrack on Sunday to watch what may, pending the outcome of a brewing legal battle, be the venue's final race. The City of Vernon and the North Okanagan Regional District have been trying to replace the track with sports fields for years. 7/26/2010 9:11:31 AM
Winfield: Arctic trucker glad his job‘s on thin ice When some TV types installed a camera in his truck, Hugh Rowland of Winfield thought: No one‘s going to watch this stuff. Four years later, Rowland is the star of Ice Road Truckers, and people are watching in droves for the Arctic action, tension on ice, and the nice and not-so-nice interaction between truckers. 7/26/2010 9:07:52 AM
Pine beetle to cost B.C. 11,250 jobs The mountain pine beetle epidemic will have cost B.C. 11,250 direct jobs by the time it runs its course, according to a new study by credit union economists. Central 1 Credit Union analyzed forests ministry data that project the impact of the B.C. Interior's worst recorded infestation will continue until 2028. 7/26/2010 9:04:49 AM
Chase: Rancher 'flabbergasted' as his 30 horses saved A B.C. rancher whose 30 horses were saved from the slaughterhouse over the weekend said he is “flabbergasted” by the support he has received. Lee Oakford, of T-Bar Ranch in Chase, lost his farm due to financial difficulty. Unable to sell them, Oakford feared they’d be destined for a trip to the meat factory by Monday’s deadline. 7/26/2010 7:31:21 AM
B.C. man dies after hitting moose with car A man has died after his car collided with a moose on a northern B.C. highway. The 38-year-old Vanderhoof man hit the large animal just before midnight Saturday on Highway 16 West, near Prince George. He was rushed to hospital with severe head and chest wounds, but succumbed to his injuries on Sunday. 7/26/2010 6:27:36 AM
Secondary suites streamlined for West Kelowna A big fight over illegal secondary suites is brewing in West Kelowna. The municipality is considering a bylaw amendment that would permit secondary suites in every residential neighbourhood. Applicants would no longer even have to go to a public hearing. 7/26/2010 6:21:52 AM
West Kelowna wildfire spurs evacuation alert Authorities have ordered an evacuation alert as firefighters battle a blaze just north of West Kelowna. The fire was reported at around 1 p.m. Sunday in Traders Cove, an area bordering Bear Creek Provincial Park. Residents living on nearby Rose Valley Road and Bear Creek Road have be told to prepare to leave at a moment's notice. 7/26/2010 5:44:11 AM
B.C. horses destined for meat market snapped up by saviour-buyers A herd of thoroughbred horses in the B.C. Interior destined for the slaughterhouse because their owner could no longer afford to keep them are being snapped up by buyers in a last-minute campaign to find homes for them. Lee Oakford of T-Bar Ranch in Chase is losing his farm and felt he had no choice. 7/25/2010 10:50:11 AM
Life Jackets: Water safety sense lacking In the wake of several drownings in B.C., including one Monday in Okanagan Lake, the biggest issue in boating safety is life-jackets, according to Kelowna police. "Nobody plans to drown when they get on a boat. They‘re not thinking of that," said Const. Steve Holmes. 7/25/2010 7:27:05 AM
Summerland woman dies in car crash near Revelstoke A Summerland woman is one of three people who died in a motor vehicle accident near Revelstoke on Friday afternoon. The 40-year-old woman from Summerland was a passenger in a Jeep that was involved in a fatal accident. RCMP said a Ford Mustang had been traveling westbound when it crossed the center line. 7/25/2010 5:50:21 AM
Chase: Meat market looms for B.C. horses A herd of thoroughbred horses in the B.C. Interior might be headed to the slaughterhouse Monday because their owner cannot afford to keep them. Lee Oakford of T-Bar Ranch in Chase is losing his farm and has no choice but to sell his 30 horses for meatfor $500 a head, supporters say. 7/24/2010 5:13:41 AM
Finding beach space for dogs Do you build a water park for dogs in the middle of a dessert? It’s a topic Kelowna city council plans to address Monday as they prepare to weigh whether city staff should investigate whether a water park for dogs might resolve to the ongoing fido vs. the people debate on local beaches. 7/24/2010 5:03:10 AM
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