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Glynn Brothen
Son hit by a car after fight with father
KAMLOOPS – RCMP members are looking for answers after a Kamloops father ran over his son after the two had a disagreement at the Royal Inland Hospital. Police believe the father was trying to bring his son to the hospital when the two began fighting. When the father tried to leave, the son was struck...
Oddities, stories and treasures of the scrapyard
KAMLOOPS – A brief stroll past the pavement and the dusty metal gates of the Kamloops Scrap Iron yard reveals stories, treasures and odd metal knick-knacks across an expansive lot all roasting in 35-degree temperatures under the sun. “It’s a hot one,” one friendly worker says. A line of people wait to speak with Gordon...
Ontario crews coming to support B.C. firefighters
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Specialized fire crews from Ontario will come to Kamloops on Sunday to support provincial crews during an elevated wildfire risk. "Because of this extended stretch of hot and dry weather, we're asking for additional assistance from Ontario,” Minister Steve Thomson said in a media release. The support workers will initially station in Kamloops....
Overdoses likely from drug being sold as heroin
KAMLOOPS - Ken Salter from Ask Wellness is warning drug users about a powerful painkiller being marketed as heroin on the streets of the city. Salter says a dealer is selling fentanyl – a strong prescription painkiller – as heroin. Both drugs are obviously dangerous, but fentanyl is 100 times stronger than heroin and is...
Police arrest prolific offender, seize items from home invasion
KAMLOOPS – A call to break up an argument became a foot chase leading to a prolific offender’s arrest on Thursday afternoon. On Thursday around noon, the detachment received a report of the pair arguing at the Acadian Inn on Columbia Street. Officers attended the scene and noticed a truck which had been reported stolen...
Discarded cigarette starts Kamloops grass fire
KAMLOOPS - You could see the thick black smoke for kilometres from a grass fire across Highway 5 from the Sun Rivers Golf Course in Kamloops Thursday afternoon. Fire captain Chris Burnham says the five person crew had the blaze near a home on Shuswap Road out in about 5 mintues. The fire started after...
Guilty pleas can’t be withdrawn because of ‘confusion’
KAMLOOPS – A Kamloops Supreme Court judge dismissed a man who wants to take back the guilty plea he made because he was “confused” and didn’t understand his criminal record could lead to a harsher sentence. Last week, Craig Robert Cecil Ferguson learned he will face sentencing on charges stemming from an assault he committed...
This is the number one factor leading to baby shaking
KAMLOOPS - When dealing with an inconsolable, crying baby, sometimes you have to just walk away before you make a life-changing mistake. Inconsolable crying leading to parental frustration is the number one trigger preceding a baby shaking, says Diane Henry with the Kamloops Infant Development Society. She says it's okay to put a crying baby...
Man walks Brock neighbourhood wielding fake guns
KAMLOOPS – RCMP members arrested a man with two imitation firearms in a Brock neighbourhood Monday evening around 8:30 p.m. A 25-year-old man remains in custody after police seized two BB guns. Officers saw the man walking on Desmond Street when he placed what appeared to be a long-barrelled gun under a parked vehicle. Officers...
Friending a foe? The dangers of sharing too much on social media
KAMLOOPS – The story of a Kamloops catfish, who was sentenced last week for creating a fake Facebook profile just to harass ex-girlfriends, was not a surprise to social media expert Jesse Miller. His business deals with people who suffer the consequences of sharing too much information online. “When you post information online, what you...
Four charged with robbery remain in custody
KAMLOOPS - The four men suspected to be behind last week’s armed robbery where police found the trunk of their vehicle full of guns, all remain in custody. Crown prosecutor Iain Currie confirmed outside of court that Anees Mohammed, born in 1991, Ellwood Bradbury, born in 1990, Gopal Figueredo, born in 1993, and Triston Wight,...
BROTHEN: The consequences of playing fast and loose with social media
If you’re in the hashtag generation like me, you probably take technology for granted. This week I phoned the Vernon RCMP to ask for a media release. “Sure,” the lady said. "I’ll fax it to you.” A fax? Maybe all the carrier pigeons were busy. I wish I was kidding, but clearly not everyone is...
Father acquitted of shaking infant daughter
KAMLOOPS – A Kamloops father who was accused of shaking his baby and causing traumatic brain injury was acquitted in Kamloops Supreme Court Thursday morning. Michael Beakley, born in 1978, phoned his mother outside of court to tell her Justice Hope Hyslop found him not guilty because the baby’s injuries could have occurred in a...
Government truck stolen from enclosed parking lot
KAMLOOPS – The B.C. Wildfire Branch believes a truck was stolen from an enclosed government parking lot in Clearwater on Canada Day. “It’s extremely unfortunate; we’re heading into fire season” Spokesperson for the branch, Kayla Pepper, said. The truck is a 2004 F-550 crew cab used for initial fire attacks. Fire suppression equipment, including personal...
UPDATE: Four suspects arrested in armed robbery
KAMLOOPS – RCMP have now arrested all four suspects near the New Gold mine after responding to an armed robbery call in the Cherry Creek area. Const. Jason Epp, one of 22 officers at the scene says the alleged robbery, believed to be targeted home invasion, took place at a residence along the TransCanada Highway...
Repeat thieves have stopped stealing from non-profit
KAMLOOPS – Thieves targeting the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store have temporarily stopped looting the organization’s donation bins for valuable metals. “We’re still at status quo. We haven’t had any more thefts so that’s a good thing... maybe publicizing it helped deter the thieves,” executive director, Jan Lingford said in a phone interview. The warehouse was...
Not too many drunk fights on Canada Day
KAMLOOPS – Kamloops residents were well behaved on Canada Day. Riverside Park was the main locale for patriotic celebrations – with several tents and events throughout the day and a fireworks show at night. RCMP spokesperson, Cheryl Bush said a couple of fights broke out in the evening but officers had no major incidents to...
Take the bus to your Canada Day activities, for free
KAMLOOPS - The City of Kamloops is offering free transit on the bus for Canada Day. Riverside Park is the place to be for festivities; parking may be limited. Those who wish to take the bus are advised transit is operating on a Saturday schedule for the holiday. For spectators hoping to catch the evening...
Kamloops ‘Catfish’ bullies ex-girlfriends through fake Facebook account, lands in court
KAMLOOPS – If you take a look at Chrissy Last’s Facebook page you’ll see she likes Nicholas Spark’s The Notebook, Breaking Bad, Seinfeld and listening to Drake. What you don’t know is she's a bully, harassing people—three women in particular—through her Facebook account. What you also may not know about Last: She is actually 38-year-old...
Keep your Canada Day long weekend safe
KAMLOOPS – We could all use a refresher on staying alive before we rush out to set up a tent or crack a cold one for the Canada Day festivities. Campers are advised to take note of any change in campfire bans during fire season. Small, contained campfires up to 0.5 metres in diameter are...
Lytton man awaits sentencing for killing friend nearly 15 years ago
KAMLOOPS – After killing his friend, burying his body and keeping it a secret for nearly 13 years, a Lytton man is expected to spend another six to nine years in prison. In 1999, when the two friends were drinking, William Robert Smith, born 1967, beat Sandy Charlie to death in 1999 after hearing he...
Civic arena activities could move to Kal Tire Place for $13.9M
VERNON – Rather than updating the aged Civic Arena, the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee has proposed building a smaller ice-sheet on the same property as Kal Tire Place should tax-payers consent to a $13.9 million price tag. Doug Ross a manager at the City, says while several options were considered - building a 400-seat venue...
Water main burst, crews on scene
VERNON – A water line on 27 Avenue and 43 Street broke around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon, however the leak has been isolated and full repairs are expected to be complete by tomorrow. Tanya Laing, a spokesperson for the City of Vernon, says traffic is currently being re-directed. “There are flaggers on site who are...
Province shakes hands with China over blueberry and cherry deal
THOMPSON–OKANAGAN – Expecting to grow provincial agrifood exports by $100 million throughout the next few years, Agriculture Minister Norm Letnick and the provincial delegation have agreed to send B.C. blueberries and cherries to China. The agreement came out of a trade mission to China earlier this month. Letnick led the trade agreements and was joined...