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Kelowna
Snelson pays $75K bail, moves to Lake Country
KAMLOOPS — A Kelowna man awaiting a retrial for the manslaughter of a Kelowna college student is now walking free on bail. Last week, Neil George Snelson, 47, was granted bail and Infotel News has learned, he provided the $75,000 and was released to a home in Lake Country to await trial. He will walk...
Locals to rally against smart meters Saturday
KELOWNA – A nationwide protest against the forced implementation of smart meters will get support from a group of Kelowna locals this weekend. “June 14 is a national day of protest,” says Rozjael Young, one of the volunteers of the rally. “There are several other places in B.C. that are protesting against the smart meters, which leak...
Kelowna orchard wants apple vodka distillery
KELOWNA – Owners of a Southeast Kelowna apple orchard have been given the green light to seek approval from the Agricultural Land Commission to construct an apple vodka distillery and tasting room. The application was made by Blair and Kelly Wilson of Wallace Hill Rd. The subject property is a 20.3 acre apple orchard with...
Snow basins still high, flood threat low
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Recent snow basin numbers show there is a lot more snow than normal in much of our region even though rivers have begun receding throughout the rest of the province. The North Thompson snow basin now sits at a near normal 101 per cent though the South Thompson sits at 126 per cent....
Wipeout-style water attraction approved for City Park
KELOWNA – A new water park is coming soon to the shores of Okanagan Lake off City Park. Consisting of interlocking inflatable modules with a maximum capacity of 60 people at a time, city property manager John Saufferer says the park will be similar to the inflatable obstacle courses used in the TV show Wipeout....
The price to park goes up at many meters around Kelowna
KELOWNA – A 150 per cent increase in on-street parking fees comes into effect today, but the city says many meters won’t be adjusted for several more weeks. Plans to raise the rates were announced in January, with council voting to raise prices for the first time in 20 years. As of today, the cost...
National sport bike racer got his start on Westside Road
KELOWNA – A local rider tearing up the tracks on the American Superbike race scene taught himself to ride on the infamous Westside Road in Kelowna. Marcel Irnie of Irnie Racing is a professional Superbike racer who trains and races out of Las Vegas. A fourth place finish in a recent national event combined with...
Farmer suffers heart attack, dies pinned under tractor
KELOWNA – An industrial accident involving a tractor claimed the life of a Kelowna man Friday. Emergency crews were called to a vineyard off McCurdy Rd. shortly after 1 p.m. with reports a man suffered a heart attack and was pinned under a tractor. Const. Kris Clark says it is unclear which happened first but...
UPDATE: Standoff over at notorious house
KELOWNA – One-by-one nine people walked out of a house on Glenmore Road Friday morning with their hands over the heads and in the gun sights of RCMP officers surrounding the home. It took a police negotiator two hours to coax the suspects and their two dogs out of the house at 1370 Glenmore Rd....
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...
Traffic stop results in dial-a-dope arrest
KELOWNA – A traffic stop of a high-end SUV in Kelowna last Friday resulted in the arrest of a man police believe was operating a dial-a-dope service. RCMP Const. Kris Clark says Street Enforcement Teams have been investigating a group of individuals selling drugs out of a rental apartment downtown. Last Friday plainclothes officers conducted...
Comedian Russell Peters to perform in Kelowna
KELOWNA – Get ready Kelowna, you gonna laugh real hard. Russell Peters, the Canadian comic known for his hilarious takes on Indo-Canadian life and his catch phrase “You gonna get hurt real bad,” is coming to Prospera Place this fall. He has appeared on countless T.V. shows over his 25 year career, including The Tonight...
Vernon man sues Aeroplan over cancellation of points
KELOWNA – An Vernon man claiming thousands of dollars in damages as a result of a consumer loyalty program that cancelled his points, will have to wait for another lawsuit to be settled before his case can be heard. John David Romanchuk alleges Aeroplan, a program where members accumulate points for making purchases, unilaterally cancelled...
Chinese buyer snaps up Lake Okanagan Resort
WEST KELOWNA – Lake Okanagan Resort has been sold to a Chinese buyer. The 300 acre property north of West Kelowna was previously owned by Calgary based Northwynd Resort Properties. It includes a nine-hole golf course, 158-slip marina, tennis courts, a 240 room hotel and 15-acres of undeveloped land. It also has the only beach on...
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...
CN offers Okanagan railway to federal government
VERNON - Time has run out for interested parties to resume service on the section of rail between Vernon and Kelowna. Monday was the deadline for companies negotiating with Canadian National to buy the line, and CN spokesperson Warren Chandler says no deal was reached. “The time period has elapsed, now the 30-day window to...
Stranger replaces disabled man’s stolen scooter
KELOWNA - Thanks to the kindness of a stranger, Jason Kemps is back behind the wheel after thieves slashed his fence and stole his mobility scooter from his yard. Kemps, who lost his arm and leg in 1993, relied on his orange and black Gio scooter to get around town until late last month when...
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...
Teacher strike hits childrens’ festival where it hurts
"WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN IN THIS SITUATION." KELOWNA - Organizers of a West Kelowna childrens' festival are worried the ongoing dispute between the BCTF and the province will hurt attendance at the 8th annual Interior Savings Fat Cat Children's Festival this weekend. Artistic director Dorothee Birker says teachers bringing kids...
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...
Retirement age begins in prison for this child molester
KELOWNA – A 64-year-old man is going to jail for molesting two of his own relatives almost 30 years ago. The man, who can't be named by court order, appeared in court Monday with his current wife and pleaded guilty to charges of indecent assault, gross indecency and sexual assault. He admitted to sexually abusing...
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...