Kamloops

Sport facility naming program off to very slow start

KAMLOOPS — When a new city sports facility naming program rolled out just over a year ago the city had high hopes it would be a great way to help reduce the amount of fundraising local sports groups would need to do, but so far not one sponsorship has been sold. “The uptake is a...

Property tax time

KAMLOOPS — If you haven’t got it yet, you will soon. City property tax bills have been mailed out and it is up to you to make sure you have paid by July 2. City council agreed to a two per cent tax hike this year, about $35 to the average homeowner. Council was originally...

Recycled art gets trashed

KAMLOOPS – An art exhibition at the Arnica Artist Run Centre in Kamloops can draw more attention to a specific art piece or an artist. If an attendee likes a piece enough, he or she can purchase it to hang in their home. It’s not every day an artist trashes an entire installation — but...

Cirque du Soleil returning to Kamloops

KAMLOOPS - It may only be June but it is time to start planning for Christmas, Cirque du Soleil is returning to the city for seven performances during the week of Christmas. Kamloops will be one of the final stops for Dralion, which has been performed in more than 150 cities around the world over...

No plans to move exam locations if teachers launch full strike

KAMLOOPS - School District 73 Superintendent Terry Sullivan calls a social media rumour of student exams moving to TRU “rubbish.” The head administrator says it’s “too early to tell” what will happen to exams if and when B.C. teachers stage a full strike. The district is currently considering various types of scenarios, but Sullivan says...

Locals help SPCA achieve $40,000 goal

KAMLOOPS - The branch manager of the local SPCA is grateful for the outpouring of support from the community for the City Challenge, especially on the heals of a break-in that threatened any hope of reaching the $40,000 goal. After a year of multiple major surgeries, vandalism and ringworm the local shelter was itching to...

Bozon back on ice

KAMLOOPS - Former Blazer and Montreal Canadiens prospect Tim Bozon hit the ice this week as he continues to bounce back from a serious case of bacterial meningitis, treated in part through a medically induced coma. “Wow great feeling to be back on the ice !!! #firsttime #boyzba,” Bozon posted to Twitter Thursday. “First time...

Sunscreen and shades kind of weekend

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN — Mother Nature has a treat for us this weekend—soaring temperatures and lots of sun. Highs of 24-25 C will be highlighted by sun for much of the day today and by Sunday the entire region will be seeing highs of 28 C with more sun. We can expect to see some cloud cover...

Teachers set for third week of rotating strikes

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN — Teachers in B.C. are preparing for a third week of rotating strikes and they will also decide early next week whether they launch a full strike before the end of the school year. The B.C. Teachers’ Federation announced Thursday afternoon rotating strikes will take place Tuesday through Friday next week. In school districts...

IN PHOTOS: Teacher rally draws hundreds

KAMLOOPS - By the time noon hour was over more than 300 people had gathered at the foot of the Overlanders Bridge to show support for teachers and hundreds more showed support by honking and waving as they drove by. Kamloops Thompson Teacher's Association President Jason Karpuk says while not surprised, he was happy with...

Less than 1% of Kamloops secondary students walkout

KAMLOOPS - Only about 50 secondary students were absent from Kamloops schools today during a province-wide student walkout—a pretty average number on any given day in the school district—but today most were protesting. Superintendent Terry Sullivan says between 47-50 secondary students, across three schools, and seven or eight elementary age students were absent today and...

Voters Society reveals more details from Ajax survey

KAMLOOPS — More detailed results from an online survey last fall on the proposed Ajax mine project have been released. The additional details about neighbourhoods, gender and age come just a week after KGHM announced changes to the footprint and operation of the proposed mine. More than 2,800 people took part in the survey conducted by the...

UPDATE: Killing spouse nets less than five years in jail

"I HAVE TO LIVE WITH WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT AND NOT REMEMBERING HURTS EVEN MORE" KAMLOOPS - A local man was sentenced to less than five years in jail—two years before he is out prison—after admitting he must have killed his common-law wife. Gerald Peters, 50, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the 2012 stabbing of...

Let’s talk urban agriculture

KAMLOOPS — An important step in the development of urban agriculture and food security policy, such as those that would allow animals such as goats and chickens within the city limits, will take place later this month. A stakeholder workshop will be held June 25 and will include presentations from city of Kamloops staff. There...

Donkey refuge raising the barn

KAMLOOPS - A new property, a new barn and some new animals add up to one busy year for the Turtle Valley Donkey Refuge. Shirley Mainprize says they originally looked at moving out of the valley south of Chase but soon realized the valley offers the best environment for the donkeys. After visiting another property...

WIND WARNING ENDED: Squall was expected to bring strong winds

UPDATE: The wind warning has been rescinded. THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Much of the Southern Interior will be under a wind warning later today with expected wind gusts of up to 90 km/h for Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton and 80 km/h for Kamloops as a squall line crosses into the region. Environment Canada issued a special weather...

Law society to vote on Trinity Western University

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - B.C. Law Society members will vote on June 10 to decide if Trinity Western University’s recent accreditation should be overturned.  The purpose of the meeting and vote is to determine a resolution in declaring Trinity Western University as an unapproved faculty of law for the purposes of the Law Society’s admission program. The...

Coroner yet to ID remains

KAMLOOPS - Skeletal remains found southeast of Kamloops this weekend will need to be identified before the RCMP can look into the discovery any further. Cpl. Cheryl Bush says an initial investigation did not turn up anything suspicious at the scene and now the Kamloops Serious Crime Unit and rural RCMP are waiting for the...

Westsyde students among those walking out Wednesday

KAMLOOPS - Students are sick of being played as pawns and at least a handful of students at Westsyde Secondary will protest Wednesday morning in an effort to get both sides of the labour dispute to think about the students stuck in the middle. “This walkout is to tell both the government and the teachers...

South Thompson up, North Thompson down

KAMLOOPS - River levels north of and within Kamloops are down while the South Thompson River at Chase continues to rise. At Chase the river sits at a one in two year flow level of almost 1,000 cubic metres per second, which is up more than 100 cubic metres per second just a last week...

Wildfire season expected to heat up

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - With just 13 wildfires reported in May it was a ‘pretty average’ spring month for B.C. Wildfire but the amount of rain that falls over the next month will play a big part in whether predictions of a heavy fire year are correct. Melissa Klassen with the Kamloops Fire Centre says of the...

UPDATE: Neil Snelson granted bail

"I’M WORRIED THAT HE MIGHT REOFFEND AGAIN” KAMLOOPS — A Kelowna man awaiting a manslaughter re-trial in the death of a Kelowna teen in 1993 has been granted bail provided he comes up with $75,000 surety. Neil George Snelson, 47, was once tried and convicted of the manslaughter of 19-year-old college student Jennifer Cusworth. He...

Snelson seeks bail before manslaughter re-trial

KAMLOOPS – A Kelowna man is seeking bail in a hearing tomorrow in advance of his second trial for the 1993 rape and murder of a college student. Neil George Snelson, 47, is awaiting a new trial ordered by the B.C. Court of Appeal. His trial was delayed again today. Snelson requested more time for...