Charlotte Helston

VERNON - A man accused of sexually assaulting his daughter's babysitter was found not guilty by a jury in Vernon Supreme Court. Corey W. Krause was charged with sexual assault, invitation to sexual touching and sexual interference of a person under 14. The complainant testified Krause first assaulted her when she was 11 or 12,...

VERNON - A city councillor is concerned Vernon's new parking meters are too high for the "vertically challenged." Coun. Juliette Cunningham, who runs a downtown business, says she's had trouble seeing the meters, especially when the sun hits them. "They've just been a huge source of frustration already," Cunningham said at Monday's council meeting. Theresa...

VERNON - North Okanagan politicians are being urged to take action before an invasive species takes up residency in the region's lakes. Heather Larratt, a marine biologist working with the Okanagan Basin Water Board, told Regional DIstrict of North Okanagan directors Wednesday that zebra and quagga mussels could cost them $43 million per year, and...

UPDATE: 3:42 p.m. July 18, 2013 The woman killed in a collision on Highway 97C near Enderby yesterday afternoon has been identified. She was Peggy (Margaret) Irene Ann Armstrong, 49, of Enderby. Next of kin have been notified. 8:32 a.m. July 18, 2013 TWO-YEAR-OLD PULLED FROM BURNING VAN, BUT RESCUERS UNABLE TO FREE FEMALE DRIVER...

VERNON - A new program is putting the road to recovery right here in Vernon for those battling alcohol addiction. Annette Sharkey, executive director of the Social Planning Council, says there have never been adequate services in Vernon, and with the phasing out of detox and addiction counseling programs at Kelowna's Crossroads Treatment Centre, nearby...

FIRE DANGER RATINGS EXPECTED TO INCREASE THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - As the mercury rises this week, so will the risk of fire in the Thompson-Okanagan. Everywhere south of Summerland down to the U.S. border is already sitting at a high fire danger rating while Kamloops, Vernon and Kelowna are listed as moderate. Salmon Arm, in the Shuswap...

VERNON - A formal process is underway to protect a popular Vernon beach from development down the road. Zoned as is, Kal Beach could become the site of Vernon's next lakeside resort, the prospect of which was enough for a city councillor to get the ball rolling on securing it as a public park. "I'm...

VERNON - The Lac-Mégantic rail disaster last week in Quebec reminded a local politician that even the unlikeliest accidents can and do happen, and he has an idea for how Vernon can be better protected. Coun. Bob Spiers would like to see trucks hauling hazardous materials stick to one direct route, away from schools and...

VERNON - City officials are worried a popular high speed activity is going to have a tragic outcome. Longboarding has been the source of many complaints from neighbourhoods featuring the slopes that make the activity such a rush, including the Rise, Middleton Mountain and the Foothills. "I'm not a longboarder, but essentially, I think the...

VERNON - City council is making it a bit easier for financially disadvantaged people to partake in volunteer activities by lowering the fee for criminal record checks. The reduction comes after an earlier council decision to up the cost of the checks from zero to $25 to address administrational costs. But backlash from schools and...

VERNON - A Kalamalka Lake cliff jumper was taken to hospital Sunday afternoon with significant back injuries. Leigh Pearson, Vernon Search and Rescue  manager, says the team was called around 4:30 p.m. to assist in transporting a young woman from Cosens Bay to the Kalavista boat launch, where B.C. Ambulance was waiting. Pearson can't confirm...

VERNON - Local government is a bit hazy on how things are going to work once new medicinal marijuana regulations light up next year. The federal government is shifting the production of medical marijuana from small scale residential grow-ops to industrial, factory style settings, with the changes taking effect April 1, 2014. Health Canada says...

VERNON - His tireless efforts saved many lives, but sadly, his wasn't one of them. After spending over 25 years pushing for better firefighter safety, Bob Brett died on July 6 at the age of 65. Medical records support that he died of a lung disease related to his career. "He fought so hard for...

CHERRYVILLE - A property owner and his dogs were able to fend off a Grizzly bear the second night it came around, but were too late to save an alpaca the day before. "There has been a higher number of bear complaints so far this summer," Lumby Cpl. Henry Proce says. On July 2, a...

LUMBY - A group of young people had a nerve-racking experience in a remote North Okanagan area recently when a senior confronted them with a shotgun. They were returning to their car after spending the day on their quads in the Kate Creek Forest Service area May 20. "It's a vast and remote area," Lumby...

LUMBY - Over a thousand hectares of forest near Mabel Lake are being opened up for logging, Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster announced today. The woodlot includes 1,138 hectares about 20 kilometres north of Lumby, with an allowable annual cut of 3,600 cubic metres. "Expanding the woodlot licence program is good for smaller communities like Lumby...

LUMBY - Following the seizure of two sawed-off firearms, RCMP are reminding the public why they're illegal. Lumby Cpl. Henry Proce says  sawing off the barrel of a firearm causes it to lose its accuracy. With a regular gun, the projectile goes where the barrel is aimed. "When you saw it off, you lose the...

OVER 100 BEAR ENCOUNTERS RELATED TO GARBAGE THIS YEAR, AND THE  NUMBER KEEPS CLIMBING VERNON - Conservation officers have destroyed eight nuisance bears this year, but complaints about the animals haven't gone down. Sgt. Josh Lockwood says the wet weather we've been having has kept vegetation in the valley lush and appetizing for bears, where...

ARMSTRONG - A four car accident ensued after a woman crossed the centre line on Highway 97A and sent a chain of reactions into play Tuesday night. The 42-year-old Salmon Arm woman was heading northbound in a green Pontiac car around 9 p.m. with a 23-year-old female passenger when, for reasons unknown, she drifted across...

NORTH OKANAGAN - The Conservation Service is seeing lagging compliance in the areas where drownings are most likely to occur. Sgt. Josh Lockwood, North Okanagan zone supervisor, says bigger boats on bigger lakes, like Okanagan and Kalamalka, are following the rules closer than little fishing boats on smaller lakes around the region. "Statistically, small boats...