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Shelley Jordan
Volunteers ready to drive New Year’s revelers home
Operation Red Nose is on high alert in Kamloops during New Year's to help party-goers safely home. This is the 17th annual campaign for the organization with the goal of ensuring motorists make it home safe into the late hours of the night. Volunteers are on call to come out to celebrations and drive people...
Wood Lake accident victim identified
A woman who died after her vehicle plunged into Wood Lake has been identified. The B.C. Coroners Service released early results of their investigation and says the woman's name is Elly Collins, age 59, from Salmon Arm. The accident occurred in the afternoon Dec. 19, 2012. Collins was the driver and the only person in...
Failed bank robber to face judge
UPDATE: Dec. 28 - 11:34 a.m. Police have released details of an attempted robbery that took place yesterday at Scotia Bank located at 101-1835 Dilworth Drive. The man forced his way behind the counter, taking money from the till before fleeing. He was confronted by another customer outside the bank but managed to escape. Police...
Treacherous Hwy 97C prompts RCMP warning
UPDATE: Dec. 28 - 1:40 p.m. Police have issued a warning to drivers to be careful of slippery road conditions and thick fog along Hwy 97C. Motorists are reminded that posted speed limits are for ideal summer conditions and that winter driving is in full effect. Please slow down andn drive to current conditions. Dec....
World bonspiel comes to Penticton
Penticton is the home for the 2013 WFC Continental Cup curling championships in January. The event runs from Jan. 10 - 13 at the South Okanagan Events Centre located at 853 Eckhardt Ave. west and will be covered by TSN as well as the World Curling Federation website. Two canadian stars competing in the event...
U.S. team snaps up Vees alumni
The Penticton Vees are once again congratulating their alumni as two more crack the U.S. roster. Mario Lucia of the Notre Dame Wild and Mike Reilly of the Minnesota Blue Jackets were named to U.S.A. Hockey's 23-man roster for the 2013 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship (WJHC) in Ufa, Russia. The two Vees alumni will...
Government grants boost local sporting events
Penticton received government funds for five local sports organizations to help them put on events over the winter season. The province granted $242,000 from the Hosting B.C. program, spreading it across 64 events in 25 communities for a variety of sports. The alpine skiing event Nor Am Cup received $5,000, while a freestyle event titled...
RCMP looking for owner of wedding ring
Police say a good Samaritan brought them a fused wedding band set found in a Kelowna parking lot but finding the owner hasn't been a success. The jewelry was picked up Oct. 24, in the Costco lot located at 2479 and Hwy 97 north. Anyone wishing to claim the ring is asked to make an...
Scam relies on the kindness of others
Police say a hard-luck-hoaxer is manipulating people to open their wallets and depart with their hard earned cash. In the past week, Kelowna RCMP have received dozens of complaints about a man approaching them to ask for money because he's having car trouble or needs a tow. The going rate for the hoax is $40....
Crashes prompt RCMP warning
Kelowna RCMP is warning drivers to slow down and take it easy after two accidents this morning. One of the accidents was a roll-over on Hwy 97C. "Both were single vehicle crashes and when that happens, it's most likely that road conditions and speed are factors," says Const. Kris Clark. "The posted speed limit is...
RCMP tips for a continued safe and happy holiday
Now that the presents are unwrapped, a few tips from the RCMP about safety should help residents continue to have a safe and happy holiday season. To prevent fire, police say it's best to get rid of properly watered, fresh Christmas trees after ten to fourteen days, but the tree should be checked periodically for...
Undercover cops bust traffickers
Undercover Penticton and Oliver RCMP narcotics units arrested seven suspects after joining forces last month to target street level drug crimes. The undercover operation, dubbed EPOACH took place over five days in November and is part of an initiative to keep drugs out of communities. "Further arrests are anitcipated in the future as a result...
Woman risked hypothermia attempting underwater rescue: ‘I’m sorry I couldn’t do more.’
When Cindy Rogers saw the bizarre accident in front of her as she drove on Highway 97 North Wednesday, she had little thought for herself. A Jeep TJ started sliding on the road before veering to the right and plunging into freezing Wood Lake. As Rogers dove into the freezing water to rescue whoever she could,...
Government cash will buy new equipment for Okanagan College
Okanagan College will get a $867,000 boost from the province towards new skills training equipment. The money comes after a review of existing inventory, current and future program and industry requirements and current government priorities to fill skills deficits according to the needs of each region. Colleges receiving the grant are also expected to reach...
Plain clothes cops arrest dealers
Mounties have again nabbed drug dealers in a stealthly plain-clothes operation in downtown Kelowna. The three suspected "dial-a-dope" drug dealers were arrested last night after each was observed conducting business in separate, unrelated incidents. Police seized various quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin as well as drug paraphernalia, cell phones and cash. A 26-year-old...
Fatal accident closes 97 between Oyama and Winfield
UPDATE: Dec. 19 - 4:44 p.m. Police released a statement confirming a 58-year-old woman died after her car went into Wood Lake today at 1:10 p.m. Although several passing motorists and members of Lake Country RCMP made some heroic efforts to try and save her, she couldn't be revived. The Jeep TJ went into the...
Classic truck stolen in Glenmore
A classic truck with a distinct paint job was stolen from an underground parking area Sunday morning. The 1969 Chevy pickup truck was parked beneath an apartment building on the 700 block of Glenmore Road. Video cameras recorded a newer white Ford F350 with a U-Haul trailer used to tow the vintage truck away around...
Man arrested downtown for drug crimes
Discovery of a stolen truck helped plain clothes cops take down a repeat offender Friday night. RCMP noticed the truck traveling along the 1600 block of Water Street while working in the Kelowna downtown core on the evening of Dec. 14. Suspecting it was stolen, they pulled it over and found the vehicle identification number...
Mother pleads for help finding missing son
A mother desperate to find her son is pleading with Kelowna RCMP and the public to help find him. Philip Lee Lyons, 37, was last seen in Kelowna May 26 at the halfway house where he lived. His mother was contacted by police about his disappearance June 12. "I knew there was something wrong before...
Ceremony marks winter solstice in Penticton
Folks in Penticton plan to celebrate Winter Solstice on Munson Mountain. A group of standing stones named Pen Henge was erected three years ago by the Okanagan Astronomical Society and like Stone Henge in Wiltshire, England was designed to cast shadows with the movement of the sun. According to a Royal Astronomical Society of Canada...
City budget takes it easy on residents
Penticton council passed a zero per cent tax increase for the city as they adopted the 2013 budget. For the third year in a row, the city has taken it easy on taxpayers with a 0.5 per cent increase in 2011 and zero per cent for 2012. The coming tax rate is in line with a...
Seinfeld brings the little things to Kelowna
Comedian Jerry Seinfeld has put Kelowna on his 2013 comedy tour. Known for poking fun at the little things in life, Seinfeld's tour will travel internationally in the coming year with two stops currently scheduled in B.C. The local show takes place May 3, 7:30 p.m. at Prospera Place. Tickets are on sale now. From...
Okanagan receives first big snowfall of the season
Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for the Central Okanagan, including West Kelowna and Peachland. A low pressure system moving east along the U.S. - B.C. border will continue to dump snow which is expected to be heavy at times, particularly at higher elevations. An additional 10 cm is possible today. If traveling, the...
Man lit on fire at house party
UPDATE: Dec. 13 - 4:22 p.m. A man in custody for aggravated assault for lighting someone on fire at a house party posted pictures on Facebook under the album title "Stoned Pyro Bro's". Some of the pictures posted by 20-year-old Mathew Sweet-Grant depicting people on fire date back to 2009. According to his Facebook page,...