Interior Health
Two family doctors leaving Kamloops
KAMLOOPS - The city is about to lose two more doctors after a husband and wife team announced they’ll be leaving their North Shore practice. Last week the Aspen Medical Centre notified its patients that family doctor Arshad Mahmood and his wife Dr. Ambreen Bushra would be relocating, leaving solely Dr. Howie at the practice....
Interior Health may review case after senior receiving home care burned to death
KAMLOOPS - Interior Health may conduct a review of a Kamloops senior's file to determine if there should be improvements to senior care after the woman died from injuries relating to a fire in her home. Matilda ‘Tillie’ Olineck, 72, was smoking a cigarette before she caught fire in her chair at the Glenfair senior's...
Ashcroft and Logan Lake could have doctors within six months
THOMPSON-NICOLA - With the loss of community doctors in both Logan Lake and Ashcroft residents have had limited health care options for a significant period of time, but that could change by February as the province continues with a program to bring international doctors to rural communities. Dr. Nancy Humber, the community medical director for...
Westsyde water park set to open for holiday weekend
KAMLOOPS – If all goes to plan, kids in Westsyde could be splashing around in their very own water park within the next two and a half weeks. “I’m sure kids are waiting with baited breath!” Diane Kuchma says, past president of the Westsyde Community Development Society. Currently under construction in Centennial Park, Parks Supervisor...
Smoky skies advisory ends for Southern Interior
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A system that broke a nearly three-week heat wave and dropped rain in the Interior also helped clear the smoke. The smoky skies advisory that had been in place since June 7 was lifted this morning, July 13, by the Ministry of Environment and the Interior Healthy Authority. While many large fires are...
Summerland power outage to last until at least 2 p.m.
SUMMERLAND - A power outage has been affecting the majority of Summerland residents since earlier this morning and Fortis B.C. says it will be at least 2 p.m. before power is restored. Fortis B.C. says crews are busy on site and were inspecting a problem with a transformer on the feed to the city. Interior...
Smoky skies advisory issued for entire Thompson-Okanagan region
THOMPSON OKANAGAN – If the visible smoke in the sky wasn't enough to warn you, a smoky skies advisory has now been issued for a large portion of the Southern Interior. The Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the Interior Health Authority, has issued a smoky skies advisory for the Thompson, Shuswap, Nicola, Fraser Canyon,...
Biosolids protest comes to Kamloops
KAMLOOPS – Protestors shut down Victoria Street in downtown Kamloops today as they rallied against a biosolids operation near Merritt. Members of Friends of the Nicola Valley picked the location for the protest, June 19, because Health Minister Terry Lake and MLA Jackie Tegart were meeting at the Thompson-Nicola Regional District office nearby. The protestors are...
Edible gardens on display this weekend in Kamloops
KAMLOOPS – Grow what you eat, eat what you grow, and still have a beautiful garden. If you've ever wondered about edible gardening this weekend is your chance to find out more and tour local gardens centred around edible plants. The Gleaning Abundance Project will host an Edible Garden Tour on Saturday June 20. The...
Ashcroft doctor shortage impacting other communities
ASHCROFT - A doctor shortage in Ashcroft is diminishing emergency room hours, leaving patients no choice but to either call 9-1-1 or travel over an hour to Kamloops or Merritt in the event of an emergency. Administrators at Interior Health Authority cut hours this week after one of the two doctors in town quit last...
Norovirus complaints traced back to Kamloops restaurant
KAMLOOPS - Fourteen people fell sick with norovirus after eating at a North Shore restaurant earlier this month, but Interior Health Authority says restaurant staff followed corrective measures suggested by investigators to prevent a re-occurence. After eating at Minos Greek Restaurant the weekend of May 1 and 2, three groups of diners came forward to...
Union takes fight for hospital laundry services to the street
KELOWNA - Hospital Employees Union members took to the streets outside Kelowna General Hospital today to push for the Interior Health Authority to reconsider a plan to privatize laundry services. “These are workers that perform a very important health care service, they ensure that operating rooms are stocked with clean linens. Here at KGH 17,000...
New Gold looks to expand; asks to increase air discharge rate
KAMLOOPS – The New Afton Mine just west of Kamloops wants its air quality restrictions to reflect it is now operational, and allow for growth. The mine has moved from construction to operational phase, and now wants to be allowed to increase the maximum air discharge rate from the underground workings of the mine. The...
Vernon Jubilee Hospital unveils new mammography machine
VERNON - North Okanagan residents are benefiting from recent enhancements to Vernon Jubilee Hospital’s imaging department, including a new digital mammography machine. Local individuals and organizations donated to the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation’s Take a Picture campaign, which raised more than $500,000 towards the purchase of the new mammography machine, the foundation said in...
Valoroso Foods faces second verification inspection later this week
KELOWNA - Valoroso Foods was open for business today even as officials from the health protection branch of the Interior Health Authority say they will be conducting a second inspection to ensure the company has taken action on violations it found during an inspection last Friday. “We will be going back at the end of...