Elevate your local knowledge
Sign up for the iNFOnews newsletter today!
Charlotte Helston
REPORTER
Charlotte Helston grew up in Armstrong and after four years studying writing at the University of Victoria, she came back to do what she loves most: Connect with the community and bringing its stories to life.
Covering Vernon for iNFOnews.ca has reinforced her belief in community. The people and the stories she encounters every day—at the courthouse, City Hall or on the street—show the big tales in a small town.
If you have an opinion to share or a story you'd like covered, contact Charlotte at Charlotte Helston or call 250-309-5230.
Charlotte Helston's Stories
Twitter
Facebook
Vernon voters welcome cultural diversity to city hall
"THIS IS AN ACCOMPLISHMENT AND A FEAT" VERNON - Vernon’s rich cultural diversity is being reflected and celebrated on the community’s new city council. In the 2014 civic election, voters elected Akbal Mund for mayor and Dalvir Nahal for city councillor, making them the first individuals of South Asian heritage to sit on Vernon city council....
Crews locate missing Vernon hunters
VERNON - Two overdue hunters have been located following a search mission Monday. The men aged 48 and 54, went missing in the Beau Park area off Westside Road over the weekend. Vernon search manager Leigh Pearson says they were supposed to return home by 9 p.m. Sunday. When they didn’t come back on schedule,...
Strange sight prompts call to Vernon RCMP
VERNON - Two men pulling a trailer with a quad on it by hand, late at night, drew some unwanted attention to themselves. A good citizen noticed the unusual scene at 16 Street and 30 Avenue and tipped off police around 11:20 p.m. Friday. RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says police went to the area and...
Massive Vernon house party leads to arrests
VERNON - Police spent several hours breaking up a noisy party in a vacant house Saturday night. RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says bylaw notified police around 10:35 p.m. of a loud party in the 6200 block of Rimer Road in the BX. When officers arrived, they estimated there were roughly 250 youth and adults there....
Vernon firefighters prepare to torch pine beetle deadfall
VERNON - The Vernon Fire Department is planning to fight fire with fire this month. In conjunction with the Ministry of Forests, Vernon Fire and Rescue Services will be burning 500 acres above the Rise Golf Course, extending back toward Canadian Lake Estates. The property has a large build-up of deadfall from mountain pine beetles...
Lumby residents feeling the cold with massive service outage
LUMBY - The Lumby community is coming together after a major natural gas leak cut service to 1,200 residences. The high-pressure gas line was ruptured in Lavington Thursday morning after a vehicle crashed into it. Fortis B.C. immediately began shutting off customer’s natural gas while crews conducted repairs. The affected line serviced customers primarily in the...
Cross country skiing off to a late start in Vernon
VERNON - Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre is all set for this year’s cross country ski season—the only thing missing is snow. Don Wylie, the centre’s interim general manager, says the facility would normally be open by now. “It’s a little unusual,” Wylie says. “We’re just playing it day by day.” The tentative opening date was...
Smoke alarm saves Lumby man’s life
LUMBY - A Lumby senior was fast asleep when smoke and flames started spreading through his house. Luckily, his smoke detector woke him up and he managed to flee the building. Lumby Fire Chief Tony Clayton says the man was taken to Vernon Jubilee Hospital to be checked out for smoke inhalation. “The smoke alarm...
Lavington gas leak forces school closures
LAVINGTON - Some Lavington schools are closed Friday due to a major natural gas leak on Highway 6. Superintendent of School District 22 Joe Rogers says JW Inglis and Charles Bloom Secondary schools will be shut down while Fortis B.C. completes repairs to the gas line. Lavington Elementary School remains open. Teachers and CUPE staff...
Fire crews fight flames at Kal Tire Place
VERNON - A large fire outside Kal Tire Place has been deemed suspicious in nature. Deputy fire chief Lawrie Skolrood says a trailer containing a large pile of tires appears to have been set on fire sometime before 7:30 p.m. Thursday. “With the temperature and time of night, there is no other real means,” Skolrood...
An Armstrong resident invited a homeless man back home for a shower, meal, and shelter
HERE'S WHAT HE SHOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY VERNON - A stabbing incident in Armstrong could have been prevented if the assailant had been connected with appropriate support services, according to Vernon’s homeless shelter. Police say the assault happened when a Spallumcheen resident invited a homeless man to his house for a hot shower, a meal,...
Local rep says Greater Vernon Water referendum failed for all the wrong reasons
'I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK THIS WAS A POLITICAL POSITION TO TAKE WITH THE ELECTION COMING UP' VERNON - A local politician is speaking out against the results of the failed Greater Vernon Water referendum. Electoral Area C director Mike Macnabb believes it failed for all the wrong reasons. “I think the $70 million was...
Hollywood spotlight shines on Enderby City Hall this Friday
ENDERBY - It’s lights, camera, action for Enderby City Hall this Friday. The municipal office will be closed for the day while film crews shoot interior shots for the movie Go With Me, starring Sir Anthony Hopkins, Julia Stiles and Ray Liotta. The city’s answering service will monitor calls and forward them to the appropriate...
What would happen if the Vernon vote was left up to high school students
VERNON - Vernon’s newly elected council would look a bit different if left up to a group of high school students. According to Student Vote—a province-wide program giving youth under the voting age a chance to learn about democracy and voting—Vernon Secondary School students had some different ideas about who should sit on council. The...
Minivan strikes school bus with 14 teenagers inside
FALKLAND - A school bus driving 14 teenagers home was struck by a minivan Monday afternoon, sending a student to hospital. RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says the bus was just pulling onto Highway 97 near Falkland after dropping off a student when a minivan plowed into the rear of the bus. The minivan went into...
Interior Health employee investigated for alleged sexual assault of ‘vulnerable’ resident
NOT THE FIRST ALLEGATION: POLICE VERNON - Interior Heath Authority is reviewing an employee who was investigated by police for an allegation of sexual assault on a 'vulnerable' care facility resident. Interior Health informed police of the allegations in July 2014 but the incident happened some time before. Vernon RCMP says interior health didn't report...
Miscalculation on election night means a different Armstrong councillor is celebrating
ARMSTRONG - A tallying mistake on election night means an Armstrong woman who thought she’d won a seat on council is getting some bad news. On Saturday night, the City of Armstrong reported Helen Jackson earned 425 votes in the civic election, enough to beat Lance McGregor, with 403 votes, for the sixth councillor seat....
ELECTION 2014: Greater Vernon Water referendum crushed
VERNON - The Greater Vernon Water referendum failed to garner support from voters. Asked if they supported borrowing up to $70 million to bring the water system up to provincial safety standards, 7,918 residents (64 per cent) voted no, and 3,999 (34 per cent) voted yes. Endorsing the referendum would have meant the average domestic...
ELECTION 2014: North Okanagan voters elect new councils, school trustees and regional district reps
WHO WON IN VERNON, ARMSTRONG, SPALLUMCHEEN, COLDSTREAM, ENDERBY AND SALMON ARM NORTH OKANAGAN - Voters have chosen new councils, school trustees and regional district representatives. In Vernon, voters kept four councillors, welcomed in two new ones, and chose a new face to represent them as mayor. Political newcomer Akbal Mund is Vernon's new mayor. There's been...
ELECTIONS 2014: Vernon voters have their say
VERNON - Local residents are having their say on who they want as city mayors, councillors, school trustees and regional district representatives. Many voters have already cast their ballots. Over the three days of advance voting, a total of 1,957 people cast their votes, up several hundred from the 2011 election. Those numbers suggest Vernon...
HELSTON: Welcoming worldwide celebrities the Okanagan way
We’ve all seen photos of mob-like crowds pooling around celebrities, smartphones thrust above the horde, paparazzi elbowing their way to the front, stars diving into vehicles while body guards hold back the gawkers. The famous people at the centre of it all just wanted to enjoy an ice cream cone at the park, or something...
Scenic, convenient trail off limits, according to rail police
VERNON - It’s a scenic shortcut into town and a popular place to walk your dogs, but as many residents are just finding out, trespassing near rail lines carries a $115 fine. The path runs parallel to Canadian National Railway's tracks behind the Vernon Golf Course, and is commonly accessed off Browne Road, where a...
Vernon paralympian Josh Dueck announces retirement
VERNON - Beloved Vernon athlete and three-time Paralympic medallist Josh Dueck is moving on to a new chapter in his life. After winning gold and silver medals at the Sochi Paralympic Winter Games, the sit-skier has decided to retire. “So, the time has come to retire from competition and redirect my energy on family, community...
Sir Anthony Hopkins spotted at Vernon’s Village Green Mall
VERNON - An Oscar-winning actor is out and about in the North Okanagan. Sir Anthony Hopkins, who stars in the movie Go With Me, currently shooting in the region, spent some time at the Village Green Mall in Vernon Monday. Clad in a newsboy cap and sunglasses, Hopkins kept a low profile while shopping with...