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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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Lumby high school students ‘shocked’ after finding forestry equipment vandalized
LUMBY - There are many perks to an outdoor classroom, but there are some downsides too, as a group of Lumby high school students have learned. A group of Charles Bloom Secondary students enrolled in the school’s unique forestry program headed up to their woodlot Dec. 8 to find their equipment vandalized and their picnic...
Medical cannabis customers to peacefully protest Vernon RCMP warning
VERNON - A public event is set for Friday to raise awareness about access to medical marijuana. The event comes on the heels of an RCMP warning to all Vernon dispensaries telling them to shut down. The warning created uncertainty for thousands of patients who buy medical marijuana from the dispensaries. A newly formed coalition...
Socks, pyjamas, and perfume among items on Christmas wish list for Vernon’s homeless
VERNON - Vernon is once again helping to make Christmas wishes come true for the city’s less fortunate. The Christmas Wish List is a collection of personal stories and wish lists from Vernon’s homeless and shelter clients. Participants are interviewed about themselves, and the gifts that would make their Christmases brighter. The responses are then...
Theft allegation behind Vernon dog rescue closure
VERNON - A controversial dog rescue in Vernon shut down its operations last week largely because of a specific allegation of theft involving the rescue's president caught on video, sources tell infoNEWS.ca. According to a volunteer, who has not yet agreed to be quoted for this story, she found her wallet missing following a Nov....
Park users asked to report suspicious activity after illegal tree cutting in Shuswap nature reserve
SHUSWAP - Illegal tree cutting in a Shuswap nature reserve has community members outraged. Two mature trees were felled in the Eagle River Nature reserve and chopped up, presumably for firewood, the Shuswap Trail Alliance says in a press release. The value of the downed hemlock and fir trees is estimated to be around $1,000...
Medical marijuana patients shocked by Vernon dispensary closures
VERNON - Medical marijuana patients coming to The Herbal Health Centre this week are shocked and upset to see the shelves empty and devoid of their medicine. The health centre, along with a coalition of other local dispensaries, has suspended retail sales in response to an RCMP warning to shut down. The dispensaries are closing...
Local handmade holiday gift ideas
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you’re hoping to go a less commercial route this holiday season, look no further than the Thompson-Okanagan, a region that boasts numerous handcrafted gifts. From ceramics to sweet treats, there’s surely a gift to be found for every boy and girl — one that keeps you out of box-store lineups to boot....
Vernon woman arrested after collision in stolen vehicle
VERNON - A Vernon woman is facing several charges after a dangerous driving episode in a stolen vehicle last week. Police officers noticed the Nissan Juke car, which was reported stolen two days earlier, while conducting patrols in the area of 32 Avenue and 32 Street in Vernon around 3 p.m. on Dec. 1. The...
Vernon marijuana dispensaries suspend retail sales in response to RCMP warning
VERNON - A coalition of Vernon marijuana dispensaries is calling for a moratorium on RCMP raids. The dispensaries are asking the RCMP to cease intervention until the new Liberal government formalizes its plans for legalization of the product, according to a statement from Imre Kovacs, a spokesperson for the coalition. Vernon’s five marijuana dispensaries were...
Expect to see more police presence in downtown Vernon
VERNON - There will be more police officers patroling the streets of downtown Vernon next year. Vernon city council recently voted to approve $330,000 for two additional officer positions effective Jan. 1, 2016. The detachment says it will use that funding to restore staffing levels in the downtown enforcement unit. “These officers will assist us...
The free-for-all of ‘dog rescuing’ and why so much falls through the cracks
“IT’S LIKE THE WILD WEST” VERNON - The words ‘dog rescue’ may have a ring of nobility to them, but according to animal welfare advocates, many home-based operations aren’t what you think. Kim Faulkes, an Ottawa-based animal advocate, says there are no standards in place to ensure so-called ‘dog rescues’ operate ethically. “It’s a free-for-all....
Vernon parking meter thief caught in the act
VERNON - A man suspected of breaking into over 100 parking meters has been caught. Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy says in a statement a 34-year-old man was arrested breaking into a parking meter on Centennial Drive on Friday, Dec. 4 at around 1 a.m. “To date, approximately 113 parking meters have been broken into in the...
Why this Vernon dog rescue wasn’t the saving grace it claimed to be
"I THINK SHE IS A DOG FLIPPER AND NOT SOMEBODY WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT DOGS" VERNON - After 16 years working in animal welfare, Patricia Zerr was never asked to steal a dog — until the winter of 2014 after she got involved with a Vernon-based dog rescue. She remembers driving to a home on...
Vernon dog rescue closes doors amid infoNews.ca investigation
VERNON - A controversial dog rescue in Vernon that has been the focus of numerous allegations in recent months appears to be shutting down. Sources say the Saving Grace Dog Rescue is closing and its dogs are being taken in by other agencies. The closure coincides with an infoNEWS.ca investigation into numerous issues at the...
Man struck by car in Vernon
VERNON - Police are reminding the public to stay alert after an accident involving a pedestrian and a vehicle. Mounties and the B.C. Ambulance Service were called to 43 Avenue near 34 Street in Vernon Dec. 1 around 4:40 p.m. “A 58-year-old male pedestrian had been crossing the road when he was struck by a car,” Const....
HELSTON: The outlaws in ‘Weed Country’ aren’t going quietly
It might have been novel five years ago in Vernon to see a medical marijuana dispensary, but these days you can find them next-door to downtown cafes, across from the mall, and around the corner from your neighbourhood gym.
Driver ticketed after fleeing the scene of Vernon crash
VERNON - The mystery behind a car crash last week in which the driver fled the scene has been solved. RCMP Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy says a witness reported seeing the vehicle leave the road and go into the ditch around 10:50 p.m., Nov. 27. The driver was then seen fleeing the scene. Emergency responders found...
Taking the cash out of Christmas: Vernon event brings back the joy of bartering
VERNON - There are two rules at an unconventional Christmas fair in Vernon this holiday season, the first of which is: No cash allowed. That’s because participants will be trading for the goods and services on hand. Hosted by Jaye Coward and her partner Mireille Gourlay of Farm Bound the Holiday Barter Fest is perhaps...
Police activity outside Vernon apartment building explained
VERNON - Police activity outside a Vernon apartment building last week was related to a stolen property investigation, RCMP confirmed today, Dec. 3 RCMP recovered three stolen Ford pickup trucks from the residence, located in the 4700 block of 20 Street, around 8:30 a.m., Nov. 27, Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy says in a media release. Police...
UPDATE: Missing Vernon man found
UPDATE: 1:04 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 3, 2015 VERNON - Vernon RCMP have confirmed Fraser Gerrard, 25, who last seen on Nov. 19 has been located and is safe and sound. 12:15 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015 VERNON - Police are appealing to the public for help finding a man not seen since last week. Fraser...
Vernon chamber evaluates city budget with report card
VERNON - The City of Vernon hasn’t received top marks from a local business association, but it’s not failing either. The Greater Vernon Chamber of Commerce, which represents over 500 business members, gave the city an overall ‘B’ grade for its financial plan, general manager Dan Rogers said in a statement. The grade was part...
Damaged Vernon parking meters turn up in ‘weird’ places
VERNON - The number of vandalized parking meters in Vernon continues to climb, and the pieces are turning up in some unusual places. A further 19 meters were damaged Tuesday night, following a reported 74 over the weekend of Nov. 28 and Nov. 29, the City of Vernon’s protective services manager Clint Kanester says. In most...
UPDATE: Missing Vernon teen located
UPDATE: 9:35 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015 VERNON - RCMP say the 17-year-old girl who was reported missing on Nov. 28, 2015, and was the subject of a media release on Dec. 2, 2015, has been located. No other information about the case has been released. 3:32 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015 VERNON - Police...
RCMP say ‘possible actions’ may be taken against Vernon marijuana dispensaries
VERNON - Police are confirming they visited five marijuana dispensaries in Vernon and say further action could be taken in the future. Officers visited the dispensaries to ‘outline our concerns and the potential ramifications related to business practices which do not comply with the current Controlled Drugs and Substances Act’, Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy says in...