Local

Don’t bee afraid of prime swarms

WEST KELOWNA – It came over the horizon like a cloud of black smoke. Fast moving and unified, the swarm of around 40,000 honey bees crossed the Snyastan mall parking lot and settled in a tree only metres from the main entrance of Bosley’s Pet Food. Bosley’s manager Michelle Bell says she saw the swarm...

Inflatable downtown water park opens to public

KELOWNA – Just in time for Canada Day weekend, Kelowna’s newest water attraction is open to the public. Consisting of interlocking inflatable modules with a maximum capacity of 60 at a time, Wibit Water Park is anchored approximately 20 metres off the shores of City Park. City councillors approved the attraction earlier this month, granting...

Gellatly Road will be even more closed during fireworks

WEST KELOWNA – Gellatly Bay is one of the most popular spots in West Kelowna to view the Canada Day fireworks, but drivers and pedestrians will have to take a different route to get there this year. Gellatly Road was closed to traffic May 2 after residents noticed the bank supporting it had eroded to...

House party killer appeal shot down

KELOWNA - A 29-year-old Kelowna man convicted of shooting and killing a high school student at a house party in 2007 will not be granted appeal, according to a hearing summary released Thursday. Trevor Shannon, who was 22 at the time, was sentenced to life in prison in 2012. He maintains he was trying to...

Woman escapes out window of her own moving vehicle

KELOWNA – A Kelowna woman had to jump from her own moving vehicle Thursday morning after the man she allowed to drive decided he wasn’t going to stop. Sgt. Wade Seversen says the woman, 32, alleges she let the man drive her pickup to a residence in Kelowna with her as a passenger. When he...

Woman killed in head-on collision

PEACHLAND – A woman was killed in a head-on collision in Peachland Thursday afternoon. The accident happened shortly after noon at the intersection of Highway 97 and Trepanier Bench Rd. RCMP Sgt. Wade Severson says a northbound SUV hit a southbound semi. Global Okanagan reports a witness says the SUV crossed the centre line and hit...

Our Rutland final project plans revealed

KELOWNA – The Our Rutland community engagement process on how best to spend $100,000 has concluded with the city finding a way to combine two of the top five suggestions into the final plan. Roxby Park will be upgraded and Rutland residents will get their own year-round public market. The Our Rutland project was announced...

Subject of police warning pleads guilty to sexual assault of children

WEST KELOWNA – A man police have been investigating since 2012 has pleaded guilty to charges of sexually touching children. Jason Antonio White, 35, was the subject of a public warning issued in March. The warning said investigators have “reasonable grounds to believe White of West Kelowna is offending against children and that there may...

Elderly pedestrian hit crossing Dilworth

KELOWNA - Driver inattentiveness is the suspected cause of an accident that injured an elderly man on Dilworth Wednesday. Witnesses say the man, in his 80’s, was walking south down Dilworth Dr. when an SUV leaving the liquor store parking lot hit him and knocked him to the ground. Const. Paul Bentham says the man was...

Lumby shooter charged with murder

LUMBY – Murder charges have been laid against the man suspected of shooting a Vernon teacher to death before turning the gun on himself in a rural part of Lumby last week. Howard Everett of Lumby is still in hospital after the body of a 51-year-old woman was found at a home in the 300...

Seniors considered in new transit plans

PENTICTON - Councillors discussed the need for more public transit options at last night’s city council meeting, including increased evening hours and shorter wait times. Staff presented options for the new three-year contract with B.C. Transit that will run from 2015 to 2018. Options including extending certain routes, all night services and Sunday services. The...

Munson Pond won’t be a park any time soon

KELOWNA – It’s a perfect place for a public park, wouldn't cost much and councillors love the idea—but Munson Pond will not open to the public any time soon. Munson Pond is roughly three hectares of city-owned property, hidden from view by cottonwood trees on the corner of KLO Road and Benvoulin Rd. Kelowna City...

Suspicious fire near senior care home

KELOWNA – Arson is the suspected cause of a late night fire behind Cottonwoods Care Centre over the weekend. The investigation is in the early stages, but Const. Kris Clark says it looks like a type of fuel was poured onto the ground near a chain link fence that separates Cottonwoods and a private residence...