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funding

Repairing Vernon’s vandalized parking meters will cost a pretty penny

VERNON - Fixing over 100 damaged parking meters will cost the City of Vernon a big chunk of change. A total of 148 meters were vandalized over the course of several nights, leading to the arrest of Mitchell Szekely, 34. The city’s bylaw department believes some of the vandalism was the work of a different...

Expect to see more police presence in downtown Vernon

VERNON - There will be more police officers patroling the streets of downtown Vernon next year. Vernon city council recently voted to approve $330,000 for two additional officer positions effective Jan. 1, 2016. The detachment says it will use that funding to restore staffing levels in the downtown enforcement unit. “These officers will assist us...

North Okanagan schools get provincial cash handouts

VERNON - Local schools are getting a cash infusion from the provincial government. The money will go toward several capital projects at schools in Vernon, Salmon Arm and Armstrong. Okanagan Landing Elementary is getting $600,000 for a geothermal heating plant projected to save 72 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, and about $15,000 in operating costs....

Search and rescue groups could get more funding

KELOWNA - Search and rescue volunteer organizations are a step closer to receiving more funding from the province. A funding model that has been in development for two years is being sent out to other search and rescue groups in the province for input before it gets forwarded to the government. Director Jim McAllister of...

Loss of school bus route leaves Cherryville mom in a quandary

CHERRYVILLE - A Cherryville mother is considering homeschooling her children after learning they will now have to walk over nine kilometres to get to the nearest bus stop. Kara-Lee Zeolkowski got a letter from School District 22 in June saying the bus stop outside the family’s home on Sugar Lake Road has been eliminated. The...

New North Okanagan child and youth advocacy centre gets federal backing

VERNON - A cutting-edge pilot project in Vernon will help make things a little easier for young victims of crime. The much needed North Okanagan child and youth advocacy centre will streamline the process for young victims who have been sexually abused or assaulted, or who have witnessed crime, and will be made up of...

Next steps for an Okanagan Rail Trail; public consultation, planning, and waiting

OKANAGAN - Money is no longer an issue for a group of Okanagan municipalities preparing to purchase an abandoned rail corridor, but it could still be some time — years even — before residents set foot on a community pathway.  With Saturday’s referendum resulting in a resounding yes vote to borrow $2.6-million for the District of...

Vernon School District will use reserves to bridge budget shortfall

VERNON - The Vernon School District will dip into its reserves to cover next year's budget shortfall, but it's already worried about what to do the year after that. Once again, School District 22 is facing a budget deficit, this time in the amount of $950,000 due to cost pressures and a $400,000 cut in...

Provincial support for Okanagan rail trail may sway voters, but not Okanagan Indian Band

VERNON - While a recent funding announcement from the provincial government may entice some Lake Country voters towards a yes vote in an upcoming borrowing referendum, the Okanagan Indian Band is warning governments not to celebrate just yet. Premier Christy Clark announced a $7.2 million pledge for the acquisition of the Okanagan Rail corridor the...