Kamloops

Theft stops Shuswap business in its tracks

SHUSWAP - A local business owner is calling a theft from her business planned and devastating. “They broke into the compound, smashed into the truck… moved the trailer and cut all the locks… it was planned for sure,” Barb Rivest of Shuswap Unique Adventure Tours says. “It was my whole business right there, so that...

Second arrest in gangland murder

KAMLOOPS – A second man has been arrested in connection with the murder of Archie LePretre, 23, over three years ago. LePretre, of Vancouver, was in Kamloops visiting a cousin when they were attacked at the Stuart Wood Elementary School basketball court on March 22, 2011. Taken to hospital with stab wounds, the he was...

Teachers have choice to attend grad, field trips

KAMLOOPS — Superintendent Terry Sullivan has been dealing with calls from irate parents as teachers announce cancelled school events and he wants to make it very clear, the district has not prohibited their participation, the choice to take part is up to each teacher. “We’re not cancelling anything,” Sullivan says. “If teachers are supervising the...

Leaded gloves used to assault her victim

KAMLOOPS – A local woman with a lengthy criminal record will have her sentencing for two separate guilty pleas in June. Mary Lynn Dyson, born in 1984, is facing sentencing from two separate incidents. The first is from a break and enter in 2012. For her involvement, Dyson was charged with assault, use of weapon,...

School trips cancelled because of strike

KAMLOOPS - Grade 5-7 students around the district have been looking forward to year end camping trips but this year many of them have been cancelled because of the teacher strike. Several schools have cancelled year-end camping trips to Eagle Bay Camp because of the strike upsetting students and their parents who helped raise money...

Elementary teacher encourages phones in class

KAMLOOPS - They have them, so why not use them? That is the mentality of one teacher who is trying to show young students how to use smartphones and tablets as more than just an entertainment device. Teacher Jason Sandhu has always loved technology and is constantly looking for ways to bring it into his...

Two green thumbs up for public plant project

KAMLOOPS - Locals are welcome to loan a garden-gloved hand to the MacDonald Park Public Produce Plant Up this Sunday. The Kamloops Public Produce Project is a community organization working with the Kamloops Food Policy Council to grow greenery and healthy food locally. On Sunday, the group plans to plant seedlings and several trees. Anyone...

Heat coming your way this weekend

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN — Get your sunscreen ready: the cool, wet week has a reprieve in store for us with higher temperatures for a water park or beach this weekend. Today highs will reach near normals of 21 C to 23 C across the region with a 30-40 per cent chance of thundershowers or storms this afternoon...

River levels receding

KAMLOOPS — A flood watch for the Clearwater River has been downgraded and the high streamflow warning for the North Thompson River has ended after heavy rainfalls did not materialize in most areas Wednesday. A total of 5-10 mm fell throughout the region over the past couple days, significantly less than the 10-20 mm expected...

B.C. Lions invite public to Fanfest

KAMLOOPS - It's time once more for fans of the B.C. Lions to head out to Hillside Stadium for a special day that's all about them. The City of Kamloops and B.C. Lions are holding Fanfest again, from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 8. The team will host a practice and clinic, encouraging fans...

Not the first time baby suffered brain trauma, doctor suggests

KAMLOOPS – An infant victim in an assault and neglect case suffered head injuries from “violent forces” and it wasn’t the first time, a B.C. Children’s Hospital pediatrician suggested today. Dr. Margaret Colbourne told Kamloops Supreme Court Justice Hope Hyslop today the baby she examined in early 2012 had symptoms “more in keeping with abusive...

Community, not ore bodies, guided Ajax move

KAMLOOPS - The external affairs manager for KGHM Ajax Mining says they listened to community concerns over placement of the proposed Ajax Mine facilities but at least one group says the move announced earlier today does not fully address their concerns. “It alleviates the concerns somewhat, but it doesn’t come anywhere near meeting all our...

Martial Arts community kicks back at “offensive” remarks by Vernon council

VERNON - The mixed martial arts community is in an uproar over what they feel were offensive and uneducated comments made about their sport earlier this week by Vernon councillors. The City of Vernon wants to ban mixed martial arts (MMA) events because, as Coun. Bob Spiers put it, “the association with the type of...

Water parks open this weekend in Kamloops

KAMLOOPS - It may not feel like summer is around the bend with the wet, cool weather lingering over Kamloops these past few days, but the city isn't about to let kids down. They're opening water parks at the end of the month. Starting Saturday, May 31, all City of Kamloops water parks will be...

Two locals to receive Order of B.C.

KAMLOOPS - Two local men will be among the 25 British Columbians to be appointed to the Order of B.C. this year. Roger Barnsley and Hon. Leonard Marchand are among those who will receive the award, given to people who have contributed to the province in extraordinary ways. Barnsley, as president of the University College...

Ajax moving some facilities south, pit to remain

KAMLOOPS — The tailings facility is being moved away from the Coquihalla Highway and the waste rock facility is being moved farther away from the city but the open pit will remain about two kilometres from the closest existing property. “This new plan is an important adjustment to the Ajax Project that address community concerns...

Teacher strikes to continue next week

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN — If you have kids, be prepared to find alternate plans next week because the teachers’ union has announced a second week of rotating strikes, set to take place next week. Students in the Central and North Okanagan School Districts (SD23 and SD83) will be home Monday, June 2. On Tuesday, the strikes rotate...

The fishy case of the stolen boat

KAMLOOPS – The buyer and seller of a stolen boat were in Kamloops Supreme Court this afternoon explaining how a vehicle priced well below market value—and without proper registration papers—didn’t raise any red flags. Kevin Peel, born in 1964, of Pinantan Lake, B.C. faces one charge of possessing stolen property over $5,000 and another of...

Rehabbed horse finds new home in Kamloops

KAMLOOPS - Autumn, a 14-year-old mare, was rescued in October and after months of rehabilitation has a new home as an ambassador for the therapeutic riding club in Kamloops. When My Little Pony Horse Rescue liberated Autumn from poor conditions last October she had no manners, no guidance, no training and her feet had not...

UPDATE: Mom came home to unresponsive baby, court hears

"I WAS TRYING TO GET ANY REACTION OUT OF HER" KAMLOOPS – A Barnhartvale mother delivered tearful testimony in Kamloops Supreme Court this morning about her husband's alleged assault on their infant daughter. Often pausing to collect herself, Cassandra Gunn, born in 1980, said she and her husband were often challenged by their daughter, who...

Teachers strike in Kamloops

KAMLOOPS - Day three of rotating strikes across the province had teachers in Kamloops hitting the pavement in an effort to move along contract negotiations with the provincial government. The B.C. Teachers Federation announced last week it would stage rotating strikes this week after the province refused to negotiate on classroom size and other key...

All council members set to run for reelection

KAMLOOPS - With Coun. Nelly Dever officially announcing to run for council again, only one seat will be vacant heading into the 2014 civic elections. The announcements began a few months ago but Dever waited until the final moment to announce her intention. “I’ve had a fantastic first term,” Dever said Tuesday afternoon. “I was...

Snow on Coquihalla

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Winter has returned to the Coquihalla Highway and the rest of the region can expect heavy rain today. Drive B.C. is reporting slushy sections from the Great Bear Snowshed to the Coquihalla Lakes exit, water pooling north of that section and fog in the section of the Coquihalla Highway between Merritt and Kamloops....

UPDATE: Evacuation alert for Clearwater area rescinded

THOMPSON-NICOLA - Some areas near Clearwater remain on flood watch but the evacuation alert put out last night has been rescinded. The Clearwater River is at a one in 10-year flow level and there was a high risk roads north of Clearwater could flood. While the river went down slightly at the Clearwater Station overnight,...