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Kamloops extends pesticide ban to municipal property

KAMLOOPS - A ban on pesticide use on residential ornamental shrubs, flower beds and grass now extends to city parks and properties in Kamloops. In a split 5-4 vote yesterday, Dec. 15, council voted to extend the ban to include all civic properties and city parks. Council had already agreed to implement a residential ban, which will begin...

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...

Kamloops parks and civic property could become smoke free

KAMLOOPS – Kamloops residents could soon be breathing easier as the city is exploring the option of going smoke free. City staff will present a report to council tomorrow, Nov. 24, recommending the city amend its current bylaw to prohibit smoking and vaping with e-cigarettes in all parks and civic properties. The same day, Jennifer...

Lots of official eyes on downtown Kelowna streets

KELOWNA - Having eyes on the street is one of the keys to safe city streets, according to the downtown plan, and Kelowna’s urban core now has quite a few with more coming. The primary eyes are Kelowna RCMP, followed by the City of Kelowna bylaw officers, transit security, the downtown ambassadors and private security...

Concerns growing over peace officer assaults in Kamloops

KAMLOOPS - Police and bylaw staff are concerned given the recent spike in assaults against peace officers in Kamloops. The city's community safety and enforcement manager Jon Wilson says in the last month there’s been two serious incidents. A bylaw officer was attacked while another was seriously threatened. One of the incidents involved a weapon,...

Homeless camps still a reality in Vernon parks

VERNON - With nowhere else to turn, members of the homeless community continue to sleep in public parks in Vernon.  A census done in October found six active homeless camps in the city, executive director for the Social Planning Council of the North Okanagan Annette Sharkey says. “That is up from previous counts, but not...

Splatsin First Nation launches lawsuit against B.C. government

ENDERBY - A local First Nation has filed a lawsuit against the B.C. government accusing it of ignoring the band's jurisdiction over the welfare of its children.  The Splatsin First Nation in Enderby served the province a notice of claim during a rally outside Premier Christy Clark’s constituency office in Kelowna Tuesday, Oct. 13. The...

Wineries director suspects ‘gross misuse of process’ in council’s about-face

KAMLOOPS – Local wineries thought they’d won a victory only to have it taken away yesterday, August 18, by city council and Coun. Pat Wallace in particular: They will effectively be blocked from selling B.C. wines in grocery stores thanks to a new city bylaw. Wallace originally voted during against a plan to create a one-kilometre...

Councillor changes mind: One kilometre between liquor stores now a bylaw

KAMLOOPS – If you thought Kamloops City Council's attempt to regulate where liquor vendors may locate was a done deal three weeks ago, think again. Liquor stores in the city won't be able to do business within one kilometer of each other after all. Three weeks ago, the concept was defeated at public hearing. Now...

Pet pig flies in Vernon; councillor asks what’s next?

VERNON - It was an unusual case that some city councillors fear might not be so uncommon any more. A Vernon family desperate to keep their pet pig Felix pleaded with city council for an exception to a bylaw prohibiting swine on city property — unless on designated farm land — and got their wish...

No busting the Kelowna buskers: Play on, city says

SECURITY MADE ERROR TELLING YOUNG MAN TO MOVE ON FROM PIANO IN THE PARK KELOWNA - Maybe he just doesn’t like the piano. A young man playing the piano in Stuart Park was asked to move along on Canada Day after a security guard hired by the city to patrol the area came along and...

Regional District ambassadors to reward good dog owners

KELOWNA – Employees of the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, armed not with tickets but with treats, are in Kelowna again this summer to reward residents who are responsible dog owners. Communications officer Bruce Smith says the ambassador program was so successful last summer they’ve decided to bring the program back. The two ambassadors,...