Kelowna

Making a better helmet to help reduce brain injuries

KELOWNA – Researchers in Kelowna are part of an international team of researchers are working on applications for a new gel-like material that absorbs the shock from impacts.  A pair of professors from Imperial College London were in Kelowna this past week working with UBC Okanagan’s new Survive and Thrive Applied Research or STAR facility....

Local government to make an offer on rail corridor

OKANAGAN - A group of Okanagan municipalities plan to make CN an offer this fall for an almost 50 kilometre long rail corridor between Vernon and Kelowna. Doug Gilchrist, City of Kelowna real estate and community planning director says a jurisdictional acquisition team made up of Kelowna, Lake Country, Coldstream, the North Okanagan Regional District...

Why you’ve seen so many missing person reports on your news feed this summer

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The faces of missing people from the Thompson-Okanagan have poured into news feeds over the last few months, but police say it’s nothing out of the ordinary for this time of year. Spokesperson for the RCMP Const. Kris Clark says the summer months typically see more reports of missing people. “You’ve got the...

Homeless diners sit down to a delectable lobster meal

KELOWNA - The hungry and homeless of Kelowna recently sat down to plates of fresh, Atlantic lobster at the Kelowna Gospel Mission. The Mission says they were thrilled a courier company thought of them when they had to discard a damaged shipment of lobsters. The lobsters filling two large boxes were broken, but every part...

UBCO student union removes The Phoenix from campus

KELOWNA – The Phoenix, UBCO’s 25 year-old campus newspaper, is being removed from campus. The move is part of the UBCO student union's (UBCSUO) re-allocation of space in the UNC, which will see Resource Centers merged and new businesses added. “It just comes down to the utilization of space,” UBCSUO President Rocky Kim said, “we have...

UPDATE: Severe thunderstorm watch ended

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The severe thunderstorm watch for today ended at 6:54 p.m. for all regions except Penticton, which saw the watch lifted just before 9 p.m. Today marked the fifth day in the past 10 days a severe thunderstorm was issued for the region. Environment Canada issued the severe thunderstorm watch Thursday morning for the...

Campers rejoice, fire ban rescinded

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Recent cool, wet weather means that as of today, Thurs. Aug. 21, you can once again have campfires in the Kamloops Fire Centre one week ahead of the long weekend. B.C. Wildfire lifted the ban, which was put in place more than five weeks ago, following a decrease in wildfire risk thanks to...

Public can weigh in on Mixed Martial Arts ban

VERNON - The public will soon get a chance to provide input on a controversial Mixed Martial Arts bylaw. The City of Vernon has given first readings to the bylaw, which would ban professional MMA events. Members of the public can have their say on the bylaw at the start of the Sept. 8 council...

UPDATE: Severe thunderstorm watch ends

UPDATE: A severe thunderstorm watch for the Okanagan, South Thompson and Nicola areas has been lifted. Environment Canada states the conditions required to produce severe weather no longer apply. THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Torrential rains, strong winds and hail are all possible as an unstable airmass moves over the region. Environment Canada has again issued a severe...

Dancing in the Park final party set to swing

KELOWNA – With the third season of Dancing in the Park coming to an end this month, organizers say interest in the free outdoor dance event continues to grow. The program is intended to promote active living in the community and has taken place every Wednesday evening since July 2. With professional instructors and an...

Take a bite out of the grasshopper population

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - With the abundance of grasshoppers in our yards and parks right now it’s the perfect time to try a new recipe. The leaping insects are common cuisine in many countries so get your nets and mason jars and get to catching some of these tiny treats. They can be baked, deep fried and...

Grasshoppers take over the Interior

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - While they are an important food source in parts of Africa the overwhelming number of grasshoppers gracing our yards, parks and roads have not been nearly as welcome in the Southern Interior. Karla Hoffman, Integrated Pest Management Coordinator for Kamloops says while the city itself is not dealing with the grasshoppers as a...

UPDATE: Severe thunderstorm watch ended

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - UPDATE: 8:49 p.m., Aug. 14 The severe thunderstorm watch for the South and North Thompson and Nicola regions has ended. Short-lived storms passed through the region late afternoon and early evening, but no major damage has been reported. UPDATE: 6:07 p.m., Aug. 14 The severe thunderstorm warning has been downgraded back down to...

The cat who can open doors

While Mulder's owner may not be so impressed by his kitty's talents, many are fans of his ability to open doors - even when there's risks involved. Watch this cat take on his owner's tricks. Then on trending now, check out a family's way to cheer up their grandfather as he deals with the death...

Athletes race in 32nd Apple Triathlon

KELOWNA – One of the Okanagan’s most historic and recognized sporting events is back this weekend for the 32nd year in a row. The Kelowna Apple Triathlon is a 10 km run, 40 km bike and 1.5 km swim event that takes athletes along Lake Okanagan, up Knox Mountain and back down through Glenmore. The...

UPDATE: Severe thunderstorm watch ended, again

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - For the second day in a row the risk of severe thunderstorms in the Interior passed before any damage could be done. Much of the region received at least some rain overnight or this morning. While it stopped by mid-morning, a 30-40 per cent chance of showers remains tonight. Environment Canada issued the...

Elliott Road reopens to public after seven month closure

WEST KELOWNA – The section of Elliott Road between Main Street and Dobbin will reopen to vehicle and pedestrian traffic Monday after being closed for more than seven months for construction of a new transit exchange. Construction of the Westbank RapidBus transit exchange won't be completed until the end of the month and motorists are...

Traffic reduced to one lane on Okanagan Connector

PEACHLAND - Central Okanagan Traffic Services are responding to two separate minor crashes west of Trepanier Creek Bridge on Hwy 97C - the Okanagan Connector. The crashes are 500 meters apart. There are no injuries to report. Both lanes remain open for traffic travelling westbound. The eastbound traffic has been reduced to one lane.  The...

UPDATE: Smoky skies advisory ends

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - After more than a week under a smoky sky advisory, the smoke has finally cleared. There have been more than 1,100 wildfires this year and more than 252,000 hectares have burned. Six of those fires have been more than 10,000 ha in size with the largest reaching more than 88,000 ha. Smoke from...

UPDATE: Severe thunderstorm watch ended

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A system threatening to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the region this afternoon is no longer a concern according to Environment Canada. Meteorologists warned the system, which was developing over Washington, could produce wind gusts in excess of 70 kilometres per hour and dump 15 millimetres of rain in a short...

Suncor gets official green light to fly employees out of YLW

KELOWNA – Suncor Energy received permission Monday to continue to run their own airline for their employees out of Kelowna International Airport. The energy company has previously been using the airport on an ad-hoc basis however the new agreement will allow the city to collect airport improvement fees at a rate of $15 per passenger....

Perseids peak tonight

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A nearly full moon may make it difficult to see the full impact of the Perseids meteor shower tonight, but one of the best meteor showers of the year is still worth staying up for. The Perseids are visible from July 17 through Aug. 24 and produce longer trails and fireballs as an...

Peachland’s Drought Hill fire now 100% contained

PEACHLAND – B.C. Wildfire crews along with the Peachland and West Kelowna fire departments are currently mopping up the scene of the Drought Hill fire, which has already burned for four days but is now 100 per cent contained. “It’s still 40 hectares in size. There will be 50 personnel on site today,” says Kelsey...