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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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Society says amphitheatre plans were ‘short-circuited’ by government decision
VERNON – A crushing blow from the provincial government means an amphitheatre will not proceed…
Gang enforcement unit rolls out of Vernon
VERNON – Stepped up police presence appears to have had an effect on criminal activity…
The story behind Vernon’s new street art
VERNON – There’s some eye-catching and thought-provoking new art in downtown Vernon. ‘I am’ alphabet…
Man dead after roof surfing incident in Vernon
VERNON – One person is dead following a car crash in Vernon early this morning.…
First Nations to hold press conference, ground search for missing Enderby woman Caitlin Potts
ENDERBY – First Nations officials are stepping up efforts to find a young woman who…
Amphitheatre plans shot down by Vernon MLA
VERNON – A proposed amphitheatre at Okanagan College’s Vernon campus has been nixed by the…
Check wait times for Vernon walk-in clinics online
VERNON – Three local walk-in clinics are posting their wait times online thanks to a…
Family believes death of missing Salmon Arm senior with dementia was preventable
“THEY TURNED HIM OUT AT 1:30 A.M., THEY GAVE HIM A VOUCHER AND THEY PUT…
Funding announcement provides temporary relief for Vernon School District
VERNON – Funding announcements from the provincial government for local school districts are welcome news,…
Federal government asked to grant auxiliary police a tax break for their service
VERNON – The federal government is being urged to show some gratitude to auxiliary police…
Creative Chaos returns to Vernon with hundreds of vendors
VERNON – Creative Chaos gets underway in Vernon at the end of the week. The…
UPDATE: Police locate missing Vernon man
VERNON – A young man reported missing yesterday has been located. The man had last…
‘He never stopped’: Armstrong city councillor’s legacy will live on
VERNON – A longtime Armstrong city councillor will be remembered for his dedication to the…
Scant details released in alleged Cherryville kidnapping
CHERRYVILLE – Police are keeping mum on the details of an alleged kidnapping incident in…
Alberta driver nabbed for excessive speeding in Lake Country
DRIVER WAS GOING MORE THAN 210 KILOMETRES PER HOUR LAKE COUNTRY – An Alberta man…
Fire outside Vernon business believed to have been deliberately set
VERNON – A small fire outside a downtown Vernon business is being treated as suspicious.…
Kelowna man goes from shooting shorts at film school to acting with Anthony Hopkins
OKANAGAN – It’s any actor’s dream to walk into their first-ever audition and land a…
Vernon soup kitchen sees dramatic upswing in demand
VERNON – A non-profit organization that provides meals, shelter and support to those in need…
The ‘badger hotline’ and why Thompson-Okanagan residents are being asked to use it
AN ‘INCREDIBLY CUTE’ SPECIES WITH A BIG ATTITUDE AND A SHRINKING POPULATION THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – While…
Early Okanagan growing season a set of moving goal posts for local farmers
OKANAGAN – Out of country workers are proving invaluable this year as the Okanagan experiences…
Community invited to help celebrate top young athletes from the North Okanagan
NORTH OKANAGAN – The top young athletes from around the North Okanagan will be celebrated…
Interior Health cancels water advisory on Shuswap Lake due to low contamination levels
SALMON ARM – A water advisory put into effect following a contaminant spill into Shuswap…
As city announces crackdown, one Vernon panhandler shares his story
LEARNED TO SURVIVE ON HIS OWN SINCE AGE 12 VERNON – James Gautreau has panhandled…
‘Goldilocks’ summer predicted for Thompson-Okanagan
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Meteorologists are predicting a break from scorching Okanagan heat this summer. A new…