Lake Country

Lake Country vows to heavily promote rail corridor purchase, counter opponent’s misinformation ahead of referendum
LAKE COUNTRY - Stung by a defeat they didn’t see coming, Lake Country government will be pushing hard to win the April referendum on the purchase of the CN Rail corridor. Mayor James Baker said the referendum format prescribed by Elections B.C. will allow the municipality to promote the $2.6-million purchase in a way they...

Mayor says no time for referendum on CN Rail corridor deal
KELOWNA - Lake Country Mayor James Baker says there isn’t enough time to hold a referendum on the CN Rail corridor purchase before the April 1 deadline, unless the rail company and Transport Canada can somehow be persuaded to change the rules and extend it. With Lake Country out, the entire deal could collapse, leaving...

Race on to save CN Rail corridor deal despite no vote
KELOWNA - Whether it takes a referendum in Lake Country or Kelowna buying the whole thing outright, both politicians and staff in the two municipalities say they’re determined to find a way to make the CN Rail corridor purchase a reality. “We see this as too good an opportunity to pass up,” said City of...

Lake Country counters CN rail objections with mass mail out
KELOWNA - Lake Country civic officials are countering what they are calling misinformation by residents opposed to the purchase of the CN Rail corridor and the alternative approval process being used to seek its approval. Corporate services manager Reyna Seabrook said the district decided to do another mass mail out to all Lake Country households...

Rail corridor acquisition looking likely in Lake Country as ‘no-votes’ fail to materialize
LAKE COUNTRY - The man spearheading Lake Country’s acquisition of the CN Rail corridor says he felt little opposition to the project at an open house he hosted last night for local residents. “We were asked a lot of very good questions from a good cross section of people. There seemed to be more concern...

Gangster and girlfriend busted in Lake Country
LAKE COUNTRY – The resurgence of an organized criminal gang in the Okanagan has been delivered a blow following the arrest of a long-time member of the Independent Soldiers and his girlfriend on gun and drug charges. As a result of an investigation by the RCMP Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, which began in early...

Lake Country to jump on rail corridor purchase if no vote fails
KELOWNA — Lake Country will move ahead quickly with the purchase of its portion of the CN Rail corridor should the alternative approval process succeed, a prospect that seems increasingly likely. “If we’re good and we don’t reach the 931 by noon on Feb. 23 then hopefully we would have a special council meeting on...
School board gets an earful from parents over Lake Country catchment boundry changes
FRENCH IMMERSION EXPANSION INTO GLENROSA MIDDLE SCHOOL ALSO A CONCERN KELOWNA - School board chair Moyra Baxter said an emotional meeting yesterday where a large contingent of anxious parents blasted the board over proposed catchment changes in Lake Country have revealed deep divisions in the community. “There’s a real animosity between areas out there. It’s...

No real opposition to rail corridor purchase: Lake Country mayor
KELOWNA — Lake Country Mayor James Baker says he’s not aware of any organized resistance in his community to the proposal that the district borrow money to buy into the CN Rail corridor acquisition. “There’s a few people who have been writing letters against it,” Baker said, just prior to the first open house the...

Winfield 7-Eleven robbed at gunpoint
LAKE COUNTRY - An armed convenience store robbery in Winfield overnight ended with a police chase and a suspect in custody. The 40-year-old man from New Westminster was allegedly wearing a mask when he entered the 7-Eleven at 9724 Highway 97 at 2:47 a.m. Jan. 21 with a rifle in hand. Police were told he...

UPDATE: Fire fighters battle house fire in Ellison
KELOWNA – Smoke and flames from a house fire in Ellison above the Kelowna Airport Sunday afternoon, Jan. 11, could be seen for kilometres as crews struggled to get access to the huge blaze. Kelowna Fire Rescue was called at about 11:30 a.m. to the fire at 4211 Twin Creek Pl. A call for mutual...

Regional District offering free Christmas tree chipping
KELOWNA – Disposing of your real Christmas tree certainly isn’t the best part of the holidays, but the Regional District of the Central Okanagan has several locations in Kelowna and West Kelowna offering free tree chipping this year. From Dec. 26 until Jan. 31, drop off spots will be available at the Glenmore Landfill as...

Barricades planned for deadly stretch of Hwy 97
LAKE COUNTRY – A dangerous stretch of Highway 97 where a woman died following a head on collision Sunday is getting some attention from the Ministry of Transportation. “That incident over the weekend was terrible and our thoughts are with the friends and family of the people affected,” says Ministry spokesperson Murray Tekano. “It’s really...
Stolen, expensive helicopter parts recovered by police
KELOWNA – Almost all the $400,000 worth of helicopter parts stolen from a Kelowna company’s van two weeks ago have been recovered by RCMP. Alpine Helicopters lost 31 boxed helicopter parts from the van parked in the 2100-block of Peters Road on Dec. 6. Police said the parts would be worthless to a thief. Jill...
Crash on Highway 97 in Lake Country sends two to hospital
LAKE COUNTRY – Amazingly, no one was seriously injured in a two vehicle crash on the new section of Highway 97 in Lake Country Monday morning. RCMP Const. Jesse O’Donaghey says just before 7:30 a.m. the driver of a sedan rear-ended a SUV while both were travelling in the southbound slow lane north of Oyama....