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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
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Two-year-old in serious condition after Armstrong car crash
ARMSTRONG – A toddler was taken to hospital with serious injuries following a car crash…
Province to put fish-killing chemical into two Okanagan lakes to control invasive perch
OKANAGAN – Two lakes in the Central Okanagan are being closed for fishing so the…
Police bust home in West Kelowna, seize guns and drugs
KELOWNA – Mounties have seized a significant haul of guns and drugs from a West…
Family questions coroner’s report labelling Vernon deaths as suicide pact
VERNON – The deaths of two people last summer, one of whom was found in…
Charge dropped against 15-year-old Vernon boy accused of murder
VERNON – Only one of three people originally accused in a Vernon murder case is…
Public to have a say on what should be done about skateboards on Vernon sidewalks, bike lanes
VERNON – Community members will play a large role in whether skateboards are allowed on…
Splatsin band members formally ask chief and council to cancel referendum, protect ancestral grave site
ENDERBY – First Nations elders in a North Okanagan community have served their band’s chief…
Dispute over Lavington pellet plant settled in private meeting
LAVINGTON – After being delayed multiple times, an environmental appeal hearing over the Pinnacle Renewable…
Elementary school students from Vernon convince city to stop mowing down pollinator plants
VERNON – They may be little, but a group of passionate Grade 4 students from…
Silver Star unveils new summer tubing ride
VERNON – Tubing at Silver Star Mountain isn’t just a winter activity anymore. While many…
Fewer than 300 spawning salmon counted on Shuswap River
NORTH OKANAGAN – Only 286 chinook salmon were counted spawning on the mid-Shuswap River in…
Strong support for skateboards on Vernon sidewalks and bike lanes
VERNON – Many people appear to like the idea of allowing skateboards and other small…
HELSTON: We’re killing wildlife with kindness
Remember that adorable video from a few years ago of a deer nuzzling a boy…
Definitely not a fragrance spray: Man mistakenly discharges can of bear repellant in Salmon Arm store
SALMON ARM – Up to 10 people inside a Salmon Arm store were affected when…
Splash mob on Kal Lake to raise awareness about invasive mussels
VERNON – A group of people trying to keep invasive mussels out of local lakes…
Okanagan College pulls the plug on new Salmon Arm campus
SALMON ARM – Plans for a new Okanagan College campus located in downtown Salmon Arm…
Family credits helmet with saving Vernon ATV rider’s life
VERNON – A Vernon man airlifted to hospital after a gruesome accident in the North…
Urban deer attacks on the rise with burgeoning population
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Deer attacks are becoming more common in the region, and people are mostly…
Still think it’s cute to feed deer? These photos might change your mind
GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – You might think it's cute to feed deer, or that…
Feeding geese could earn you a fine, or an angry hiss
VERNON – A gang of Canada Geese spot their next target, a family picnicking on…
Vernon installs special meters to help with aggressive panhandling concerns
VERNON – The City of Vernon has taken a unique approach to tackling aggressive panhandling…
Mounties catch up with erratic driver in Vernon
VERNON – A man driving erratically in a stolen vehicle over the weekend in Vernon…
Vernon RCMP looking to speak with people who fled Silver Star Road crash scene
VERNON – Mounties want to speak with the occupants of a vehicle that careened off…
Okanagan ‘Maple Man’ taps into beloved Canadian tradition
OKANAGAN – Few things are more Canadian than drowning pancakes in maple syrup, or simply…