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Kelowna
Kelowna councillors to pore over budget during all-day review
KELOWNA - Preliminary projections place the 2016 budget increase for the City of Kelowna at 4.11 per cent, more than a $6 million increase on taxation. That number is based on a 2.14 per cent increase for city operations and capital projects, City manager Ron Mattiussi said in a report to council Monday, plus a...
Kelowna RCMP looking for missing local man
KELOWNA -The public’s help is needed in locating a local man last seen more than a week ago. Peter Schouten was last seen on Dec. 4 and his family and RCMP are concerned about him as he lives a high-risk lifestyle. Schouten is described as a 50-year-old Caucasian man, 5’8’’ tall and 170 lbs. He...
Quadriplegic man says city doesn’t care about his parking plight
KELOWNA - The family of a quadriplegic man seeking to turn their front yard into parking for his lift-equipped van will not be satisfied with anything less. Because of that, Ann and Roy Penrose have refused an offer from the city to waive the $700 fee and have them appear before council to argue their...
Christmas wish list: Auroras, full moons and meteor showers
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The next two weeks could be everything you wished for if sky watching is at the top of your Christmas list. The northern lights seem to have been making a lot more appearances this year, and another storm is expected to hit Earth this week, as early as this evening. Unfortunately Environment Canada...
Heritage council a step closer to reality in Kelowna
KELOWNA - Heritage management in Kelowna by an independent committee is a step closer to reality. City council agreed to have staff move on to the final stage of resurrecting the heritage advisory committee, an arms-length group to consist of nine representatives from local heritage groups, Westbank First Nation and Tourism Kelowna that also includes...
Temperatures cooling off in the Okanagan this week
OKANAGAN - The temperatures will drop back below 0 Celsius this week after a long run of weather warmer than seasonal normals in the Okanagan. Environment Canada is calling for the mercury to stay around 2 C to 4 C throughout the region today, Dec. 14, but then the overnight temperature will drop to as...
Thieves strike Kelowna’s Candy Cane Lane
KELOWNA - Christmas spirit has taken a hit after thieves stole several laser light show displays from homes in Kelowna's Springvalley neighbourhood decorated to spreak holiday cheer and collect food for local charities. Every year, home owners create Candy Cane Lane by decorating their homes and yards with blinding Christmas decorations. Last year they collected about...
Hefty Kelowna property tax increase resting on contract obligations, mayor says
KELOWNA - Mayor Colin Basran would love to pare down the 4.11 per cent tax property tax increase council is considering but says they don’t have much room to move. Basran says the combined costs of recent union contracts with city workers and firefighters, plus initial borrowing cots for the new police station, all contractual...
Kelowna rollover backs up Christmas shopping traffic
KELOWNA – RCMP are investigating after a car crash on a busy road near Kelowna’s biggest shopping mall this morning. Emergency crews were called at about 10:54 a.m., Dec. 12, to a rollover on Springfield Road at Durnin Road. A car hit a light standard and flipped, according to a Global Okanagan report. The driver...
Why workers at some City Halls must take holidays in December
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Civic governments in Kamloops, Vernon and Penticton keep their main offices open over the holidays but they do it a little differently in the Central Okanagan. City Halls in both West Kelowna and Kelowna will be closed for the week between Christmas and New Years along with the offices of the Central Okanagan...
OWNERS FOUND: Old family photo from Kamloops thrift store is finally going home
KAMLOOPS - The search for the owners of a family portrait from the 1960s has a happy ending after the daughter in the photo identified herself and got in touch with the Lillooet woman who found it in a Kamloops thrift store. Dallas Kempfle purchased a picture frame at Value Village two years ago and...
Warm weather sticking around just a bit longer in the Okanagan
OKANAGAN - It seems our stretch of well-above seasonal normal temperatures is coming to an end, but we still have a few slightly warmer days ahead of us. Environment Canada is calling for a high of 3 Celsius today, Dec. 11, in the Vernon and Kelowna areas, with a high of 4 C expected in...
Zentangle a soothing remedy for your jangled mind
KELOWNA - So who knew when you were doodling your way through high school, filling the margins with aimless drawings, you were already experiencing the stress-reducing mindfulness of Zentangle. “Research shows doodling students retain a lot more information than those that don’t. Doodling is similar in ways but Zentangle is more structured. You start with...
Alberta’s oil patch woes hit home at Central Okanagan food banks
KELOWNA - Plunging oil prices and substantial layoffs in Alberta’s oil patch are making their mark here in the Central Okanagan through a surge in food bank use. Public relations director Ami Catriona says the Central Okanagan Community Food Bank, which has branches in Kelowna and West Kelowna, noticed an unusual uptick in requests around...
Sensitive Santa brings Christmas closer to children with autism
KELOWNA - A visit to see Santa in the mall, along with the obligatory photo, is a rite of passage in Canada for most kids. But if your child isn’t fascinated by the flashing lights, ringing bells and ornate costumes or together it creates a kind of sensory overload that leads to anxiety and even...
Warm weather leaving puddles on Stuart Park rink
KELOWNA - The unseasonably warm weather of the last few days has resulted in pools of water developing on the outdoor rink at Stuart Park, threatening the popular facility with daytime closure. “That’s been the pattern that we’ve seen over the last few years, especially in the early or late season,” arenas supervisor Steve Fagan...
Snowfall warning for Interior highways
THOMPSON-OKANANAGAN - With a snowfall warning in place for the Coquihalla Highway and Highway 3 we can expect to see significant snowfall on highway passes before the end of the day. Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for higher elevations as a Pacific frontal system begins moving across Southern B.C. today, Dec. 9. The...
West Kelowna couple seriously injured in weekend home invasion
WEST KELOWNA - A violent home invasion this weekend has left a West Kelowna couple in serious condition in hospital. Police responded to a report of a break and enter in the 1100 block of Peak Point Drive in West Kelowna just before 2 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 6, Kelowna RCMP spokesman Cpl. Joe Duncan...
Vibrant town centres critical to Kelowna’s future
KELOWNA - Town centres are the jewels of a city, where population and employment are dense and amenities and services make the area liveable. Kelowna has five town centres and the city is counting on them to both help counter the urban sprawl that characterized earlier development and to anchor future growth. This week city...
Avalanche control to close Trans-Canada Highway today
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you planned on heading east today prepare for some delays along several routes as crews perform avalanche control today. Drive B.C. warns motorists Highway 1 through Glacier National Park will be closed from noon to 8 p.m. today, Dec. 8, during avalanche control work. Delays of up to two hours are expected....
How you can get rid of that unpaid parking ticket for the price of a toy
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - For a donated toy you can get your Impark parking ticket waived and brighten a kid's Christmas at the same time. The annual Toys of Tickets event will be held for four hours on Thursday in Kamloops and Kelowna, according to a media release. Just bring a new, unused and unwrapped toy to Salvation...
Kelowna city council leans toward $50 million replacement of Parkinson Recreation Centre
KELOWNA - It’s a ways off — probably 10 years — but the city wants to see Parkinson Recreation Centre completely rebuilt and will spend at about $50 million to do it. And with its premier location, the new facility will become a central gathering place for much of the city and pay off in...
Warm but wet week ahead in the Okanagan
OKANAGAN - With at least a chance of showers every day this week we could be in for a wet week, though the above normal temperatures should make it a lot more bearable. Environment Canada is calling for highs in the 4 Celsius to 7 C range most days this week, though the Penticton area...
Snowmobiler rescued after machine breaks down near Big White
KELOWNA - A snowmobile operator became disoriented and lost after walking away from his machine when it broke down Sunday night. The man was riding alone in the area south of the Big White village when the machine broke down. He attempted to walk out but ended up spending several hours walking in the wrong...