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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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ELECTION 2015: Getting to know Jacqui Gingras, North Okanagan-Shuswap NDP candidate
VERNON - For North Okanagan-Shuswap NDP candidate Jacqui Gingras, running in the 2015 federal election has been four years in the making. The longtime Okanagan resident committed herself to the task shortly after NDP leader Jack Layton died in 2011. Inspired by his call for all Canadians to consider serving their communities, Gingras stepped up....
Small North Okanagan town bands together for Rock Creek fire victims
GRINDROD - A small community in the North Okanagan area is rallying together for victims of the Rock Creek wildfire. The Riverfront Pub & Grill is organizing a Ride for Rock Creek to assist people affected by an aggressive wildfire east of Osoyoos in the Rock Creek area. The human-caused fire destroyed 30 homes and...
ELECTION 2015: Why North Okanagan-Shuswap candidate Cindy Derkaz wants to earn your vote
VERNON - You might know her from her days working at Derkaz Shoes, her parent’s shop, or from her involvement in organizations like the Shuswap Community Foundation or Shuswap Trail Alliance. And now, Cindy Derkaz is introducing herself in a new capacity, as the Liberal party candidate for the North-Okanagan Shuswap riding. Derkaz grew up...
Illegal burn doused by Vernon firefighters
VERNON - Vernon firefighters are reminding the public there is still a fire ban, something a local man apparently didn’t know. About 10 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 20, the Vernon Fire Department was called out to the 7300-block of Old Stamp Mill Road for a burning complaint. “It was a homeowner there claiming he didn’t know...
HELSTON: If a tree falls in Vernon, does it matter if herons used it?
I’ve been asking a lot of questions about herons lately, and whether or not they were in a grove of trees that got chopped down in advance of a housing development. I don’t know if the birds were ever there, but the City of Vernon, which issued the removal permit, seems pretty confident they weren’t....
Police investigate deadly crash in Spallumcheen
SPALLUMCHEEN - A man is dead after crashing his car on the highway just south of Armstrong early this morning. RCMP say an off-duty police officer discovered the man’s flipped car around 4:20 a.m., Aug. 21, on Highway 97A at Eagle Rock Road. “The investigators have determined the vehicle was north bound (and) jumped the...
For this Vernon family, nearly 200 years of sweet tradition is baked right in
VERNON - Not many people can say they’re carrying on family traditions stretching back to 1825, but Vernon baker Roy Bouman continues to do so with pride. Every perfect cream puff, every birthday cake, and each smiling customer pays homage to the long line of family bakers who passed down recipes, strong work ethic and...
Armstrong lifts stage two watering restrictions
ARMSTRONG - While the province remains under a level four drought rating, the City of Armstrong has decided to relax watering restrictions. The city implemented stage two restrictions earlier this month in response to the level four drought declaration, but believes they are no longer necessary. After monitoring the impact of stage two restrictions, the...
Maintenance work to shut down Vernon pool
VERNON - Only a few more days are left to visit the Vernon pool before it shuts down for a month of maintenance work. The annual aquatic centre shutdown will start Monday, Aug. 24 and last until Sept. 21. This year’s closure will be an extra week long so recreation services can replace the flooring...
Police investigating apartment fire that left two Vernon men with severe burns
VERNON - A pair of Vernon men were airlifted to Vancouver last week after suffering serious burns in an apartment fire. The two men, ages 20 and 21, were inside an apartment building in the 3400 block of Okanagan Avenue when a fire started in the bathroom. Deputy Vernon Fire Chief Jack Blair says they...
One important issue behind Vernon’s insistence downed trees weren’t used by herons
"WE ALL HAVE PHONES, I'M SURE IF THERE WERE ANY NESTS COMING DOWN PEOPLE WOULD BE TAKING PICTURES OF IT AND RAISING MORE COMPLAINTS": MAYOR VERNON - The City of Vernon insists an at-risk bird won’t be impacted by recent tree removal work in Vernon because they have no record of them being observed there....
Vernon cadets show bravery in moments after head-on collision
VERNON - A group of staff cadets and instructors celebrating at a recent graduation parade in Vernon didn’t hesitate to drop what they were doing and run to help those involved in a serious car crash. “The flags were just being marched on and we heard a loud bang,” Major Keri Winkelaar says. “We turned...
Search continues for man presumed drowned in Kalamalka Lake
VERNON - Family members believe they could be close to finding Curtis Wilson, a 24-year-old Lethbridge man who went missing over a month ago and is presumed drowned in Kalamalka Lake. Wilson’s family refused to give up the search after police divers exhausted their resources in July and appealed to a number of volunteer organizations to...
Log Barn signage gets the boot
SPALLUMCHEEN - A roadside attraction known for its wild and wacky signs has been told to tone it down. The Log Barn, located off Highway 97A just north of Armstrong, was ordered by the Township of Spallumcheen to remove close to 20 property signs in May 2015, and recently lost a bid to reinstall a...
New Splatsin Community Centre is ‘awesome’ chief says
ENDERBY - As far as community centres go, this one looks a little different. The brand new, state of the art Splatsin Community Centre in Enderby is well on its way to completion and is worth stopping by to take a look at, if only from the outside. Splatsin chief Kukpi7 Wayne Christian describes it...
Meet Dennis, the Roots and Blues Festival’s most mischievous volunteer
SALMON ARM - As you step through the gates of the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, volunteer Dennis Roberts will be the guy telling you there’s gum stuck to your pants, or that you fit the description of a police suspect, just for the heck of it. And while his motive is mischievous, the...
Vernon grass fire gets quick response from fire department
VERNON - Emergency crews rushed to the scene of a grass fire burning close to homes in Vernon Friday morning. The fire burned in a field on Melfort Road in Vernon’s BX area, prompting a full response from the BX-Swan Lake Fire Department today, Aug. 14. Local resident Cathy Huber says the fire was burning...
HELSTON: What you can learn from a near tragedy on Okanagan Lake
Warnings to stay safe on the water have become to summer what drunk driving campaigns are to Christmas and telephone scam alerts are to grandparents. They’re good and important messages, but ones that tend to lose their kick over time like an old wind-up toy. Organizations work hard to find new ways of connecting these...
Despite a spike in water-related deaths, drownings down overall
VERNON - A number of water-related deaths in the Thompson-Okanagan over the past month have brought the topic to the forefront of many people’s minds, but the province’s Lifesaving Society says the number of drowning deaths is actually down considerably so far this year. Just this past weekend, a 27-year-old man was critically injured while...
Vernon tree removal ‘another straw in the demise of the herons’
VERNON - A North Okanagan city is standing by its decision to allow a stand of trees to be chopped down despite concerns within the community it could impact an at-risk species of bird. With a tree removal permit in hand from the City of Vernon, a housing developer removed the tall Cottonwood and poplar...
Vernon woman remembered for taking her job seriously, and her life lightly
VERNON - If you’re from Vernon, there’s a good chance Brenda Hala took your picture at one time or another. The longtime Vernon resident and professional photographer captured special moments for many different people over the years, a legacy that will live on despite her passing Monday, Aug. 10, after a battle with ovarian cancer....
Vernon council decides town hall meetings aren’t needed
VERNON - Elected representatives believe Vernon residents have all the opportunities they need to raise issues with the city. That’s why council has opted against hosting periodic town hall meetings in which citizens can bring up any topic they wish to discuss. Councillors voted 5-2 at a meeting Monday, Aug. 10, to keep things status...
VIDEO: A bird’s eye view of the Shuswap
SHUSWAP - If you thought the Shuswap was beautiful from the ground, you won’t believe how it looks from the air. A video by Deep Rooted Media called called Soarin’ Over the Shuswap offers sweeping views of the region’s lakes, mountains and farms, all in gloriously vivid colours. Captured with a drone, the video gives viewers...
Driver tells Vernon RCMP he didn’t hear alarms, didn’t see flashing lights before hitting train
VERNON - Alarms and flashing lights apparently didn’t stop a man from driving into a moving train Monday evening in Vernon. RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says police were notified of the collision just after 6 p.m., Aug. 10. When officers arrived, the train was blocking the roadway at 43 Avenue and 31 Street. All lights...