Kamloops

Temperature records fall over weekend, heat to continue

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - There is no doubt summer is officially here as record high temperatures fell like sweat droplets in 40 Celsius heat on the weekend. Environment Canada says several communities broke weather records on Saturday, including Lillooet which had a high temperature of 39.7 C passing the 39.4 C recorded in 1926. Sunday also saw...

Oddities, stories and treasures of the scrapyard

KAMLOOPS – A brief stroll past the pavement and the dusty metal gates of the Kamloops Scrap Iron yard reveals stories, treasures and odd metal knick-knacks across an expansive lot all roasting in 35-degree temperatures under the sun. “It’s a hot one,” one friendly worker says. A line of people wait to speak with Gordon...

Heat pushing wildfire risk to the extreme in Thompson-Okanagan

THOMPSON OKANAGAN - With temperatures in the Thompson-Okanagan boiling over into the mid-30s in the next week, fire officials are warning the public to be especially vigilant. The weather in the Kamloops Fire Centre, which covers Kamloops, Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton, is expected to remain hot and dry for the next 7-10 days, conditions which...

Overdoses likely from drug being sold as heroin

KAMLOOPS - Ken Salter from Ask Wellness is warning drug users about a powerful painkiller being marketed as heroin on the streets of the city. Salter says a dealer is selling fentanyl – a strong prescription painkiller – as heroin. Both drugs are obviously dangerous, but fentanyl is 100 times stronger than heroin and is...

Meteors, supermoons and northern lights

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Skywatchers and photographers can rejoice as they have their pick of fascinating subjects this weekend with the start of a meteor shower, the supermoon making an appearance and a chance of a northern lights show. Saturday night the full moon will be one of three supermoons in a row this summer. The bigger...

New physicians won’t help much with Kamloops doctor shortage

KAMLOOPS - Six doctors are on their way to Kamloops to set up shop but it won't be any easier to find a family doctor, at least not yet. Dr. Shirley Sze of the Thompson Region Division of Family Practice says the new doctors will help relieve some pressure but for the most part they...

Record heat on the way

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Records could fall this weekend as the hot, dry weather trend continues. The expected heat wave will last for at least the next 7 days. In Kamloops temperatures are expected to reach 37 Celsius on Saturday and then around 38 C for the next three days. Record high temperatures are currently 38.6 C...

Police arrest prolific offender, seize items from home invasion

KAMLOOPS – A call to break up an argument became a foot chase leading to a prolific offender’s arrest on Thursday afternoon. On Thursday around noon, the detachment received a report of the pair arguing at the Acadian Inn on Columbia Street. Officers attended the scene and noticed a truck which had been reported stolen...

STAHN: Penalties govern highway speed, not traffic signs

Last week the provincial government announced it was increasing the speed limit on more than 1,300 kilometres of highway. I’m sure the cry around the province was ‘Yay! I get to drive faster… legally.’ But how much does the posted speed limit really affect driver habits? Transportation Minister Todd Stone said more than 85 per...

UPDATE: Cat rescued after being stuck on Kamloops hydro pole for days

KAMLOOPS - The Honourable Lord Pumpernickel had been stuck near the top of a hydro pole, likely since Tuesday morning and his owner was getting frustrated no one was willing to help. That is until B.C. Hydro showed up to save the day late Thursday afternoon.  Owner Ashley Diehl believes the nearly two-year-old cat got...

Discarded cigarette starts Kamloops grass fire

KAMLOOPS - You could see the thick black smoke for kilometres from a grass fire across Highway 5 from the Sun Rivers Golf Course in Kamloops Thursday afternoon. Fire captain Chris Burnham says the five person crew had the blaze near a home on Shuswap Road out in about 5 mintues. The fire started after...

Smoke in sky from fires in northern B.C.

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Several large fires in the northeastern part of the province are causing a haze across much of the Southern Interior today. B.C. Wildfire Provincial Fire Information Officer Erin Catherall says most of what we can see is likely from the Prince George Fire Zone where two large fires and several smaller ones are...

Guilty pleas can’t be withdrawn because of ‘confusion’

KAMLOOPS – A Kamloops Supreme Court judge dismissed a man who wants to take back the guilty plea he made because he was “confused” and didn’t understand his criminal record could lead to a harsher sentence. Last week, Craig Robert Cecil Ferguson learned he will face sentencing on charges stemming from an assault he committed...

Record growth leads to new construction at airport

KAMLOOPS - Traveler numbers are up more than nine per cent during the first six months of the year as tourism and workers travelling to northern camps continue to increase. Kamloops Airport Ltd. says the number of travellers were up by about 1,500 bringing the total number of travellers to 157,068 so far this year,...

This is the number one factor leading to baby shaking

KAMLOOPS - When dealing with an inconsolable, crying baby, sometimes you have to just walk away before you make a life-changing mistake.  Inconsolable crying leading to parental frustration is the number one trigger preceding a baby shaking, says Diane Henry with the Kamloops Infant Development Society. She says it's okay to put a crying baby...

Farriers not a dying breed, just a hidden one

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - During the horse and buggy age, farriers were as common as mechanics ensuring travellers had four on the floor to get from point A to point B but today, they're an elusive service provider. Anyone with a horse likely uses the service of someone specializing in horse feet. One local farrier says while...

Lots of new daycare spaces in Westsyde

KAMLOOPS - If you are looking for childcare Westsyde may just be the place to be right now, with several new licensed facilities recently opening and more on the way. While it is unclear as to why exactly Westsyde is the chosen location right now staff at the Child Care Resource and Referral program say...

Trails project near Barriere to cater to geocachers

BARRIERE - New and old trails will be overhauled as plans for trail restoration in the Barriere area move forward this summer. The majority of the trails already exist in the Fishtrap recreation area southwest of Barriere and heading towards Bonaparte Lake and just require some brushing out. Lower North Thompson Community Forest Society Executive...

Tropical Tuesday comes close to records

VERNON TOPS PREVIOUS HIGH THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - With temperatures soaring into the mid-30s yesterday, it was a close call for many communities but Vernon was alone in setting a new record. With temperatures reaching a high of 34.8 Celsius, Vernon beat the previous record of 34.4 C, set in 1920. Vernon will be a bit cooler...

UPDATE: Work camps evacuated due to fast moving fire

PRINCE GEORGE - High winds and hot, dry weather have fuelled a fire southeast of Tumbler Ridge, fanning it to more than 3,000 hectares and forcing evacuations of two oil and gas work camps in the area. The fire, which was started by lightning this weekend, is 61 kilometres southeast of Tumbler Ridge and was...

Man walks Brock neighbourhood wielding fake guns

KAMLOOPS – RCMP members arrested a man with two imitation firearms in a Brock neighbourhood Monday evening around 8:30 p.m. A 25-year-old man remains in custody after police seized two BB guns. Officers saw the man walking on Desmond Street when he placed what appeared to be a long-barrelled gun under a parked vehicle. Officers...

Lack of local support leads to company closure

KAMLOOPS - A total of 20 people will be out of work by Aug. 22 as M3 Steel prepares to shut down after more than 30 years in the fabrication business. Manager Vance Smelland says four people have already left and another four will be gone by the end of July. The remaining 16 will...

Sun and heat brings ‘very high’ UV ratings

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - After a brief stumbling block this weekend Mother Nature is returning with the full force of the sun behind her, bringing us temperatures well into the 30s over the next week. Temperatures dipped a little closer to normals for a few days heading into the weekend and were followed by a bit of...

Blazers set for NHL development camps

KAMLOOPS - Five Kamloops Blazers will be attending various professional summer development camps this year. Cole Ully and Collin Shirley will be at the Dallas Stars camps, Ryan Rehill and Matt Needham will be at the New Jersey Devils camps and Chase Souto is with the Anaheim Ducks. The Stars camp runs from July 9-12...