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Kamloops

Policy change meant to address homophobia concerns

KAMLOOPS - Nearly two years after teacher Don Wilson asked the school district to consider an anti-homophobic harassment policy the district appears ready to act, but not exactly what Wilson was looking for. The district is preparing to replace a section of the policy entitled ‘Race Relations’ with ‘Anti-Discrimination and Human Rights.’ The policy, while...

TRU law school receives generous donation

KAMLOOPS - Two legal professionals with ties to Kamloops have made a generous contibution to aid the continuing growth of the law school at Thompson Rivers University Administrators at the institution recognized Master of the Supreme Court of British Columbia Rob McDiarmid and Sharon Matthews Friday, Jan. 23 for their $50,000 contibution to the law...

Highway 1 widening continues

KAMLOOPS - Though the first phase of the Pritchard to Hoffman’s Bluff highway widening project is set to wind up this June, another 3.1 kilometres of the highway is set to be widened over a 16-month period immediately afterwards. The $23.4 million contract was recently awarded for the second and final phase of the project...

UPDATE: Name released in second Kamloops prison death

KAMLOOPS - Investigators are examining the cause of an inmate death on Jan. 19 at Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre. The B.C. Coroner's Service has confirmed the dead inmate as Daryl Vic Belseck, 52, and said the death is not considered suspicious. Cindy Rose, a spokesperson for B.C. Corrections, provided very little information, saying the inmate...

Name of Chase fire victim released by B.C. Coroners Service

CHASE - The B.C. Coroners Service has released the name of a woman who died in a mobile home fire in Chase. She was Sherry Leah Skjeie, 53, from Chase. Emergency services attended Skjeie's home in the Whispering Pines Mobile Home Park in the early morning hours of Jan. 16. Skjeie was found deceased after...

Team of advisors set to help those facing layoffs

KAMLOOPS – With two major layoff announcements in Kamloops within a week of each other, employment advisors are preparing for more clients. Blair Gray, the site coordinator for the Open Door Group and Work B.C. in Kamloops says the location has seen an increase in the amount of clients, but doesn’t attribute that to recent...

Increased avalanche risk and near-record temperatures on tap

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - As temperatures rise to near-record highs this weekend avalanche forecasters are warning of an increased avalanche risk. With a warm storm likely to drop rain on a weakened snowpack, Avalanche Canada is forecasting a high risk at treeline and alpine elevations on Saturday for both the North and South Columbia ranges and at...

STAHN: Just stop with this effort to recognize First Nations culture

It’s no secret that First Nations bands around the province are struggling to preserve their culture and language. In an effort to recognize our Secwépemc community, Kamloops city council members agreed to have staff look into the possibility of adding the traditional language of our local First Nations to our stop signs.

Environmental dialogue coming to Kamloops

KAMLOOPS – Beyond free bannock, the CommUnity Innovation Lab plans to offer the public several opportunities to hear speakers share a variety of perspectives on the environmental footprint, economics and human impact of climate change. The conference, set to take place at Thompson Rivers University from February 2 to 5 will have topics ranging from...

What does a high PM 2.5 reading really mean for Kamloops?

'DO WE SHUT EVERYTHING DOWN?' KAMLOOPS - A new report from local physicians has one air quality specialist noting that there is always room for improvement and the focus should be on what steps should be taken, rather than just the number itself. The Kamloops Physicians for a Healthy Environment released a review of 2014...

Kamloops one of the planned stops on free ride tour

KAMLOOPS - High-flying free ride mountain bike action will be coming to Kamloops this May long weekend, the second time The FEST series is stopping in town during the worldwide tour. Kamloops was the first stop in the series last year and the course at the Kamloops Bike Ranch was built by local riders Brad...

Merits of adding Secwépemc to stop signs debated

'THERE'S NO ABILITY TO SAY YES TO THIS' KAMLOOPS - Provincial legislation says we can’t add another language to stop signs but that did not stop council from spending nearly 20 minutes debating the merits of adding Secwépemc to the signs Tuesday afternoon. According to the Motor Vehicle Act, the only word permitted on the...

Officer shooting in Alberta ‘hits close to home’ for Kamloops Mounties

KAMLOOPS – The superintendent from the Kamloops RCMP detachment says it’s “business as usual” for his staff, even though it is a “somber day” for police across Canada. St. Albert RCMP Const. David Matthew Wynn died in hospital today, Jan. 21 after succumbing to a bullet wound to his head. Wynn and his auxiliary officer,...

Double-digit temperatures on the way

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - It’s nearly the end of January, a time of year when winter can rear its ugly head. Luckily for us Mother Nature has decided to tame Old Man Winter for at least a little while and we can expect temperatures to reach the double-digits across the region. Temperatures will be close to seasonal...

Mega ‘Slip’N Slide’ coming to Kamloops

KAMLOOPS - Get your bathing suits and water guns ready, a 1,000-foot 'Slip'N Slide' type event is coming to Kamloops this summer. Slide the City plans to bring a large vinyl playground the length of three football fields to the Aberdeen area this summer, though a date has yet to be set. The family friendly...

Tax rate increase currently sitting near 2.6%

KAMLOOPS - With many budget requests from staff and the public yet to be decided on, the average homeowner can already expect to pay an additional $35 in property taxes this year. That $35 is based on the 1.91 per cent mill rate increase set out in the core services budget, but Assistant Finance Director...

Supporters flock to sign petition for Kamloops birder

KAMLOOPS – One Kamloops resident has taken her support online to rally behind a man who faces fines for feeding crows in his Valleyview neighbourhood. “Please support Toby Jackson as he champions our liberty to care for our fellow beings,” writes Emmy Logan on a petition website. “(He) is being persecuted by a single complainant...

Retail vacancy rates set to climb in Kamloops

KAMLOOPS - Once Target shuts down, the retail vacancy rate in the Sahali, Southgate area will jump to 9.66 per cent from 3.38 per cent two years ago. Katie Martin with Colliers Kamloops points out several larger shops have closed up in the past two years also, including the Dollar Store by Walmart, Petcetera and...

UPDATE: Highway 12 reopens following second rock slide

LYTTON - Highway 12 has reopened after being closed for the second time in as many days because of a rock slide. Less than eight hours after Highway 12 reopened following the removal of a large boulder on the highway, it was once again closed in both directions between Lillooet and Lytton because of a...

Young designer hopes Kamloops fashion show takes him to New York school

KAMLOOPS — Quentin Collier proved once again why he is well on his way to becoming a household name as he showcased his latest fashion collection in a packed room of about 300 people. Collier has been working on his collection, Noir by QTC, for several months already and spent the last several weeks pulling...

RCMP: Chase woman’s death in fire not crime-related

KAMLOOPS – RCMP investigators in Chase say they don’t believe the trailer fire which claimed a woman’s life on Jan. 16 was crime-related. “We have absolutely no information that it’s criminal,” Sgt. Gary Heebner said Monday, Jan. 19. Heebner added that the Fire Commissioner out of Victoria and fire investigators from Surrey have conducted a...

Stop signs featuring Secwépemc would not meet standards

KAMLOOPS - The Secwépemc language is featured around the Thompson Rivers University campus but drivers will not likely see the word on city stop signs in the near future. In July, city council enquired about adding ‘estil,’ the Secwépemc word for stop, to appropriate signs within Kamloops. After reviewing the regulations and standards for both...

How one school is trying to tighten up its dress code

"HAIR COLOUR, INCLUDING HIGHLIGHTS, MUST BE WITHIN THE FOLLOWING SPECTRUM..." KAMLOOPS — If you think your school is strict, have a look at this draft dress code for a private school in Kamloops which explicitly says: No tie dye, no ‘bling’ on belts, no multiple pockets, solid colour socks only and no "whacky" hair. This...