Kelowna

TEACHERS’ STRIKE: How much money the Terry Fox Foundation stands to lose

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The kids, the teachers, the government, the parents. We’ve heard over and over again how the current labour dispute is affecting them, but what about the organizations that also rely on schools to help with fundraising? Every year during September, students raise money for the Terry Fox Run but this year, unless teachers and...

“We’re not suspending any strike:” Iker

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Teachers’ union president Jim Iker has declined the Premier's request to suspend the strike while bargaining continues. Earlier today, Christy Clark urged him, before a packed news conference, to allow teachers to vote to end the strike or suspend it. Two hours later, Iker held is own conference and stood his ground. “We’re...

Parents taking control during teacher strike

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - With no end to the current labour dispute in sight many parents are wondering how they can make sure their kids do not fall behind in their education — book sections in many stores are picked over, only a few workbooks remaining, and many school-age programs filled up before the summer was even...

This ‘Floating island’ on Okanagan Lake could be yours

OKANAGAN – It’s the size of a small island, has multiple bedrooms and bathrooms like a cottage, but it can take you across the lake at 65 km/h. A luxury sport yacht owned by Penticton resident George Speirs was listed for sale on Kijiji this past weekend. The price tag for the 63’ Sea Ray...

Endless summer in B.C…. snow in Alberta?

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Mother Nature is welcoming some Alberta kids back to school in Canadian style today — with a snow storm. The southeast corner of Alberta, from Brooks to the B.C. border, is currently under a heavy rainfall warning but combined with temperatures hovering not much above zero some areas are instead seeing wet snow....

What you can do to prevent bear conflicts this fall

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Hide your picnic baskets and tuck away your garbage cans, it’s high season for bears as they look to take in about 20,000 calories per day before settling in to hibernate for the winter. WildSafeBC Provincial Coordinator Frank Ritcey says bear sightings in the month of August were more than the four previous...

At least someone’s getting a laugh over the teachers’ strike

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - It appears someone working for the provincial government's web department has added a little ironic wit—if not annoying editorial—to the rhetoric on the teachers strike. When all hope of ending the teachers strike before Sept. 2 was lost on the weekend, the B.C. government opened up its website so parents can register to...

Small fire forces evacuation at Mission Meadows

KELOWNA - A small fire in the kitchen of a first floor condo on Casorso Road forced the evacuation of the Mission Meadows complex Tuesday. The building's fire alarm system notified Kelowna Fire at 11:39 a.m. at the same time a neighbour noticed smoke coming from unit 108 directly opposite the main entrance and lobby. Captain...

Keep control of campfires this weekend

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Most campfire bans have been lifted heading into the Labour Day long weekend but that does not mean you should be careless with your fires while camping. B.C. Wildfire is reminding people to use extreme caution while out camping or in the backcountry. Last weekend, just days after the campfire ban was lifted...

UPDATE: Coq reopened after tour bus crash, 43 injured

MERRITT - A rollover has injured 43 people on board a tour bus and shut down the Coquihalla Highway between Merritt and Hope Thursday afternoon. Kelsie Carwithen of B.C. Ambulance Service says they got the call at 3 p.m. of an incident 30 kilometres south of Merritt involving a tour bus. They dispatched six air...

Hot Wednesday hits records, cools off for long weekend

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - It was the last hot day of August Wednesday with temperatures soaring into the 30s across the region, and while several cities closed in on record highs only Vernon hit the mark. Yesterday Vernon hit 33.5 Celsius, hot enough to tie the record set in 1986, and Kelowna also came close but couldn’t...

Police search for bear spraying robber

KELOWNA – RCMP officers are searching for a suspect who sprayed bear spray after robbing the Dilworth Drive Scotia Bank Tuesday afternoon. Before deploying the spray, a man walked in the bank with his face covered and demanded cash. He fled with an undisclosed amount. After searching the scene, police were unable to find the...

Teachers asked to ‘voluntarily stand down’

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - In an effort to get negotiations moving, Education Minister Peter Fassbender met with the lead negotiators today and asked teachers to ‘voluntarily stand down and let classes start while the parties are in mediation.’ Fassbender met with B.C. Teachers’ Federation President Jim Iker and B.C. Public School Employers’ Association representative Peter Cameron Wednesday...

Electronic music festival showcases female talent

KELOWNA – A two-day music and arts festival featuring an all-female lineup is coming back to Kelowna for the second year in a row. The Female Arts and Music Exhibition (FAME) is a collection of female promoters, DJ’s, artists, musicians, technicians and engineers who share a passion for electronic music and art. It takes place...

UPDATE: Severe thunderstorm watch ends

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A severe thunderstorm watch issued this morning has been lifted for Kamloops, Vernon and the Shuswap. Environment Canada issued the watch for nine different regions, include the North and South Thompson, the North Okanagan and the Shuswap, this morning. The watch extended north through the Cariboo and east to the Alberta border in...

Loss of rail is loss of history

VERNON - It once brought growth to the region, but now the railway linking Vernon with Kelowna is being erased one rail tie at a time. Since the last spike was laid in 1925, the nearly 50-kilometer stretch of track has carried many passengers and untold quantities of freight. But its glory days are long...

Contaminated soil found under Lakeshore Road

KELOWNA – Crews upgrading the stretch of Lakeshore Road south of Mission Creek Bridge dug something up three weeks ago that wasn’t supposed to be there. “We had an area contaminated by gas,” says project manager Purvez Irani. “We are going through the environmental (clean-up) process now. At this stage it’s looking like (it came...

Crews chasing abandoned campfires after ban ends

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The first weekend after the campfire ban was lifted, B.C. Wildfire crews were called to put out abandoned campfires across the region that could have resulted in much larger fires. “We had nine abandoned campfires, we definitely did see the number of calls go up,” Fire Information Officer Kayla Pepper says. “It is...

RCMP see surge in thefts due to residents’ negligence

KELOWNA – Calling it a “crime of opportunity” Mounties are advising Kelowna residents to keep doors and windows locked when leaving home; thieves are taking advantage of those who fail to do so.  Unlocked doors and open windows have led to a surge of break-and-enter cases in the city, with officers noting most offenses in...

Heartland stars rolling through town

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you are a fan of Heartland get your cameras ready, the stars of the hit Canadian show tour Southern B.C. raising funds for Sophie’s Place during a six-day motorcycle marathon. The Cruise with a Cause marathon began Monday and first stopped in Whistler. Tuesday the stars will make their way to Cache...

City running low on large garbage carts

KELOWNA – A combination of more customers and higher demand has the City of Kelowna’s supply of oversize wheeled garbage bins running low and staff has asked for more funds to keep up with demand. The city was alerted to the impending shortage by Okanagan Environmental Waste Systems, the company contracted to collect garbage curbside....

OOPS: Man accidentally released on bail on domestic violence charges

KAMLOOPS – A man held in custody on a string of domestic violence charges was mistakenly set free on bail from the Kamloops Law Courts and a Supreme Court judge was asked to fix it last week. "Confusing," was how Justice Hope Hyslop described the situation surrounding Jeremy Allen, born 1980. It's not clear exactly...

Accused in drive-by shooting granted bail

KAMLOOPS – One of two men accused in a fatal drive-by shooting in Salmon Arm was granted bail Friday morning in Kamloops Supreme Court. Jeremy Davis, 24, was released on a $100,000 surety. He and Jordan Larry Barnes, 27, are charged with the second degree murder of Nicolas Larsen, 24. RCMP statements say Larsen was...