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Marshall Jones
News is best when it's local, relevant, timely and interesting. That's our focus every day.
We are on the ground in Penticton, Vernon, Kelowna and Kamloops to bring you the stories that matter most.
Marshall may call West Kelowna home, but after 16 years in local news and 14 in the Okanagan, he knows better than to tell readers in other communities what is "news' to them. He relies on resident reporters to reflect their own community priorities and needs. As the newsroom leader, his job is making those reporters better, ensuring accuracy, fairness and meeting the highest standards of journalism.
Rockets one win away from history, second round
The Kelowna Rockets defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-3 in overtime on Tuesday night in Kent, WA to extend the team's Western Hockey League playoff series to a seventh and deciding game to be played Wednesday night at Prospera Place in Kelowna. Tickets for game seven go on sale at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning at...
Marijuana growers from outlaw to (mostly) legit
MARIJUANA LAWS CHANGING THE RULES OF THE GAME FOR GROWERS By Charlotte Helston The Lumby and Cherryville area is home to a mostly legal form of agriculture—growing marijuana. It's legal, it's controversial, and it's about to see some drastic changes. Lumby Cpl. Henry Proce says the area's numerous illegal growers have, over the past few...
Police, fire crews investigate fire at rooming house
A fire that extensively damaged a rooming house complex at 331 Seymour St around 11:15 p.m. Saturday is being treated as suspicious until police and fire investigators can safely return to the structure to conduct a more thorough scene examination of the site. Investigators traditionally treat fire scenes of this nature as suspicious until a complete...
Police need your help solving bizarre break and enter
Kamloops RCMP needs help from the public in solving a residential break and enter in the 600 block of Norbury Rd. between 8:30 and 9 a.m. Thursday morning. The home owner called police after arriving home to discover a back door open, music playing and the master bedroom 'ransacked.' The house had only been unattended...
Woman homeless after trailer goes up in flames
Kamloops RCMP was called to assist with traffic and pedestrian control after a fire broke out and destroyed a mobile home park at 2400 Oak Hills Blvd. just before 10:30 a.m. today. A 59-year-old woman living in the trailer escaped without injuries after first noticing flames coming from the deck side of her trailer as...
Vees extend winning streak, series lead over Warriors
The Penticton Vees ran their winning streak to six and kept their perfect home record intact, as they skated past the West Kelowna Warriors 5-1 Saturday night. The Vees now have a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Interior Conference Final, with the series shifting to West Kelowna starting Monday. The Vees are now 4-0 at...
Rockets making it a series
The Kelowna Rockets defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-3 on Saturday night at Prospera Place in Kelowna, forcing a game six in the series Tuesday night in Seattle and now trailing the T-Birds 3-2 in the WHL Western Conference quarterfinal. Tyson Baillie, Colton Heffley, Dylen McKinlay and Myles Bell scored for the Rockets, who appeared to...
Rockets succumbing to injuries at worst time
Kelowna Rockets president and general manager Bruce Hamilton announced on Friday that two more Kelowna Rockets players have been lost to the club indefinitely with long term injuries. The news couldn't come at a worse time with the Rockets down 3-1 to the Seattle Thunderbirds in the first round of the Western Hockey League playoffs....
UPDATE: Alzheimer’s sufferer found
Update: 6:41 p.m. Sunday, March 29 Henry Funk has been found and returned home safe. Update: 4:50 p.m. Friday, March 29 Kelowna RCMP are currently looking for a 76-year-old male with Alzheimers disease who went missing around 2 p.m. today. Sgt. Ann Morrison says Henry Funk's wife went into the grocery store in the Plaza...
Rockets still can’t get off the ground
DOWN 0-3 TO SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS The Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Kelowna Rockets 3-2 in overtime in Kent, WA on Tuesday night, taking a 3-0 lead in the team's best-of-seven WHL Western Conference quarterfinal series. Evan Wardley scored the overtime winner at 4:55 of extra time as Seattle took a stranglehold on the series with its...
14-year-old girl missing since Saturday
Update: 9:05 a.m. March 26 Police say the missing girl is back home. Update: 6:37 p.m. March 25 Kamloops RCMP are looking for a missing 14-year-old girl who left home Saturday and hasn't returned. Montana Poel-Robarts is about 5' tall, 85 lbs with auburn hair. Her mother and RCMP are concerned for her safety. Information...
Supt. Bill McKinnon to retire
By Marshall Jones Kelowna RCMP have confirmed that Supt. Bill McKinnon is retiring from service after 38 years with the RCMP. McKinnon told his officers yesterday that he was leaving his post at the end of the month. He took over the top position in May, 2004 from then-Supt. Don Harrison. He was in charge during...
BREAKING NEWS: Province commits to new Penticton Regional Hospital tower
A new tower for Penticton Regional Hospital is one step closer today after Premier Christy Clark announced plans to build a business case for the hospital. "After my visit to Penticton last month, I committed to look at how we can move along plans for the new tower," Clark said. "Penticton residents have been telling us they...
Vees sweep Silverbacks, onto the next round
Ninety-one seconds highlighted the effort and sacrifice of the Penticton Vees in their four-game sweep of the Salmon Arm Silverbacks. Scoreless in the early stages of the first, the Vees killed-off a lengthy Salmon Arm five-on-three, highlighted by great goaltending and blocked shots. The kill seemed to turn the tide in the Vees favour. The...
Rockets to play Seattle in first round
The Kelowna Rockets will meet the Seattle Thunderbirds in the opening round of the Western Hockey League playoffs beginning next Friday and Saturday at Prospera Place in Kelowna. Here are the dates for the series: Game 1 Seattle @ Kelowna Friday, March 22 7:05 Game 2 Seattle @ Kelowna Saturday, March 23 7:05 Game 3 ...
Ashton’s trials will never really end
"IT'S WHO I AM NOW, AND I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN CHANGE IT. I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO:" DEBORAH ASHTON By Charlotte Helston It was an emotional day for Deborah Ashton, her two kids, and numerous loyal supporters as her third—and what she prays is her final—trial approached an end. A judge...
‘SERIOUS CONCERNS:’ MLA Foster back in AG’s crosshairs
"IT JUST DOESN'T LOOK GOOD… THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT:" FOSTER By Marshall Jones…
UPDATE: Salmon Arm man killed crossing Hwy identified
UPDATE: March 1, 2013 - 1:10 p.m. A man who was killed crossing Highway 1, Feb. 26 evening near Salmon Arm has been identified. He was Jason Marcus Greaves, 41, of Salmon Arm. The B.C. Coroners Service confirmed his identity, stating Greaves was making the crossing around 11 p.m. when he collided with a minivan...
UPDATE: Three charged in gangland murder investigation today
UPDATE: Feb. 25, 2013 - 1:12 p.m. Arrests were made in connection to the Aug. 11, 2011 gangland shooting outside the Delta Grand Hotel in Kelowna. The shootings, taking place at 2:41 p.m. in front of witnesses was described by Chief Superintendent Dan Malo as so brazen, "that it could have been mistaken for a...
Strip search leads to dial-a-dope conviction
Update 12:29 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 20 By Jessica Wallace Tammy Van Buskirk was found guilty today for her part in a dial-a-dope operation dating back to 2011. B.C. Supreme Court Justice Ian Meiklem said the primary element of the case not proven was the actual possession of the drugs by Van Buskirk who was arrested...
Judge backs liquor branch against Liquid Zoo
A Kelowna judge sided with the B.C. Liquor Control and Licensing Branch against nightclub owner David Habib who violated his licence at the Liquid Zoo by allowing gang-related clothing in his club last year. The condition was placed on the Liquid Zoo because of a checkered history with organized crime. However, B.C. Supreme Court Justice...
Alert neighbour leads police to arrest thief
If you live in the area of Park and Valleyview Drives, you might want to check your things after police arrested a man for thieving from vehicles there. Kamloops RCMP spokesperson Staff Sgt. Grant Learned says an alert resident noticed a man poking through vehicles and gave police a detailed description. They stopped a man...
Police still seek suspects in January stabbing
Investigators are still seeking information from the public in connection with the stabbing of a man in front of the Mobil 1 Lube Express at 780 Columbia Street West between 1 and 1:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 24. The victim said he was assaulted by three men who appeared to be in their late teens. One of...
Few answers for police searching for men with shotgun, handgun
Police say two men armed with a shotgun and a handgun threatened several people at a rooming house in the 400 block of St. Paul St. Sunday morning. Five or six people were sitting on the deck of the home when the two men confronted them. Most of them scattered but one man who lived...