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Christmas 2014
STAFF PICKS: Our favourite foods
Like any family, our newsroom has varying tastes when it comes to what we like to eat. From cookies and sweets to potatoes and drinks, we like it all. Ginger cookies, cinnamon buns, almond roca, shortbread, Nanaimo bars and apple pie top our list of baked goodies we like to chow down on during the...
IN TWEETS: We’re all waiting for a white Christmas
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Kamloops residents woke up to a skiff of snow on Christmas Eve, but for the last two weeks, people across the Okanagan have been enjoying warmer than normal temperatures. It's been both a blessing and a curse. Not worrying about warming up your car and slipping on the ice is nice, but without...
STAFF PICKS: Our favourite Christmas songs
The sounds of the season; ringing bells, mall Santa’s ho-ho-hoing and Christmas carols blasting over store speakers. It will either put you in the mood for the holidays, or it will make you wish it was all over already. Either way, we all have a favourite Christmas song or two. From traditional to fun and...
Holiday closures around Kamloops
KAMLOOPS - Over the holidays there are many changes to hours and many closures around the city, including recreation facilities, libraries, transit and City Hall. The Tournament Capital Centre, including the Canada Games Pool, Westsyde Pool, and City Hall will all be closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. The recreation facilities will...
STAFF PICKS: Games to bond over
During the holidays, when the family gets together, full out war can ensue around the dinner table. Or you can pull out a board game to keep busy. Some games are better for families with younger children, others are more suitable for an older crowd. Some make you think and others are perfect for drinking...
How Kelowna police saved Christmas for a Salmon Arm family
KELOWNA – A Salmon Arm couple was overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness demonstrated by officers with the Kelowna RCMP detachment. The couple were in Kelowna to spend Christmas with family when their car was broken into Thursday night. Const. Kris Clark says unfortunately the couple had left all their Christmas gifts in their vehicle...
PHOTOS: Santa skis and snowboards for free
BIG WHITE – If you were one of the first 30 people to show up at the Big White Ski Resort Sunday dressed as Santa Claus, you got to ski for free. The annual promotion added a very festive feel to the slopes at the resort and the freshly falling snow didn’t hurt. The resort...
Ways to give back to the Vernon community this holiday season
VERNON - If you’re looking for a way to give back to the community this holiday season, there are plenty of organizations in Vernon welcoming both donations and volunteers. Dave McBain, with the Salvation Army Food Bank, says people can lend a hand by donating cash or food to help feed those in need. Donations...
YLW readies for busiest time of the year
KELOWNA – With a combination of holiday vacation travel and unsafe driving weather, Kelowna International Airport is poised for the busiest time of the year. Airport spokesperson Jenelle Hynes says from now until Jan. 5 they expect more than 100,000 passengers. “To put that in perspective,” she says. “October was a record-breaking passenger month with...
Kamloops food bank raises nearly $40K for holiday season
KAMLOOPS - Hundreds flocked to catch a glimpse of the Canadian Pacific holiday train to watch Jim Cuddy and Tracey Brown perform, drink some hot chocolate and cheer on Santa Claus, but the holiday spirit didn't end there. The Tuesday evening event, set up to collect food and cash donations for the Kamloops food bank,...
Feast on Thompson-Okanagan fare at the Christmas dinner table
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Our region is a food producing mecca, and with Christmas on the way, what better time to take a look at what we can buy locally to put on the table? We took a look at the region and came up with five opportunities to make that big Christmas meal tasty, healthy, and...
Will we have a white Christmas?
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The halls are decked, the trees are trimmed and the presents are wrapped, or at least bought, or at least thought of, but it doesn’t really feel like Christmas until there’s snow on the ground. But will Mother Nature cooperate? Right now, it’s not looking so good. With Environment Canada forecasting above normal...
Free hugs for all on Boxing Day
KELOWNA – If the stress of the holidays are getting you down here's something that might lift your spirits — a group of kind-hearted people will be downtown on Boxing Day giving out free hugs. The tradition started five years ago when friends of Wayne Cobb decided to honour his memory. Cobb died in 2010 when he hit...
Looking for things to do in Penticton over the Christmas break?
PENTICTON — If you are need to beat the winter blahs, melt away some of those extra Christmas pounds or looking for something for the family, you might find what you need right here — Recreation Penticton will be offering a free Aqua Fit class on Dec.18 as a way to get fitness buffs into...
How you can give back to the community at Christmas
KAMLOOPS - The holidays are meant to be a time for celebrating but for many people the holidays are even more of a struggle. There are dozens of charities in the city that aim to help those who are struggling right now and throughout the year but here we offer a look at ones that...
The new way to put up Christmas lights in Vernon? Hire someone
VERNON - At age 10, Nicholas Moffat was helping his mom with the magical and much anticipated Christmas display at Art Knapps, something they began planning three months ahead of time. Now, many years later with kids of his own, the businessman has found a way to keep doing what he loves. The only difference?...
How Vernon is making Christmas wishes come true
VERNON - A phone card, a bus ticket, warm footwear: It’s not your usual Christmas wish list, but for those on the receiving end, the gifts may mean a call home, a family visit or keeping warm on the unforgiving winter streets. It’s part of an initiative called Homeless Partners, which collects stories from the...
Garbage pickup changes over the holidays
KAMLOOPS - The holidays are here and that usually means enough boxes, wrapping paper and packaging to fill your recycling and garbage bins two or three times over. It is also the time of year when our garbage pickup schedules change and cause delays in curbside pickup. Pick up will run on a normal schedule...
Changes to curbside waste collection on Christmas and New Year’s
KELOWNA – Kelowna residents with curbside waste pickup normally scheduled for Thursday and Friday will have to wait an extra day to get rid of their Christmas and New Year’s trash. With no collection on Christmas and New Year’s day, for those weeks Thursday pickup will happen on Friday, and Friday pickups will be made...
It’s not Christmas in Vernon until you’ve seen these 8 things
VERNON - It doesn’t truly feel like Christmas in Vernon until you’ve spotted these classic holiday scenes around town. 1. Downtown Vernon transformed into Whoville. Local merchants decorate storefronts fit for Cindy Lou Who and twinkle lights adorn the sidewalk. %%Image1%% 2. A busy Christmas craft fair or Winter Market. It’s not Christmas without a...
Police crack down on drunk drivers this holiday season
KAMLOOPS - Local RCMP members are out in full force to take drunk drivers off the road during the holiday party season. Last weekend, officers set up nine different road blocks on Friday and Saturday nights. Five drivers were issued driving sanctions for alcohol. The penalties ranged from 24-hour driving suspensions to 90-day immediate roadside...
Five local books for under your tree this Christmas
PENTICTON - If you’re looking for some local books this Christmas - for yourself or as gifts - you might be surprised to find the wealth of talent and subject variety coming from a number of Penticton and area authors. Judy Zubriski of "Hooked on Books" in Penticton pointed out five local authors with recently...
Six signs its Christmas time in Penticton
PENTICTON - There are six signs the Christmas season is upon us in Penticton. 1 - It’s not really Christmas in Penticton until you see the SS Sicamous decked out in Christmas lights, not just the standard lighting we are used to throughout the year. It’s worth a look, down at the waterfront at the...
Gifts for kids who are grown-ups
When it comes to Christmas gifts for grown-ups, some might say it's all about being a kid at heart. With that in mind, take a look at some of the trending and pending toys for adults announced this holiday season. You've joked about Smell-o-vision and heard that someday it may actually happen — well that day is......