Okanagan

HELSTON: Bed bugs aren’t such a cute nursery rhyme anymore

I travelled across South East Asia for six months, bunking in cheap backpacker’s hostels and bungalows with dirt floors, and not once did I encounter the globetrotter’s worst nightmare: the dreaded bed bug. I was warned repeatedly before my departure to watch out for the nasty insects, to check linens for the telltale brownish stains...

Sun and frost this weekend in the Okanagan

OKANAGAN - Temperatures should be close to seasonal normals, on both the high and low end, this weekend and with those cooler overnight temperatures comes frost. Environment Canada is calling for a high in the double digits today, Oct. 21, and Saturday, with a high of 9 Celsius being forecast for Sunday. The seasonal normal...

Meteor shower peaks over the Southern Interior this week

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If clouds part enough tonight you may be able to get a glimpse of the Orionid meteor shower as it peaks early Thursday morning. The Orionid meteor shower, which is formed from the debris of Halley’s comet, is known for producing bright and quick meteors. This meteor shower runs throughout October and into...

Former Okanagan MPs to earn millions in pension

OKANAGAN - Colin Mayes may have retired, and Ron Cannan may have been defeated in the 2015 federal election, but with pensions set to pad their bank accounts to the tune of between $1.3 million and $2.3 million over their life-times, taxpayers are not quite done with them yet. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation released the...

Voter turnout jumps in Thompson-Okanagan ridings

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Voter turnout numbers in the 42nd federal election jumped to more than 70 per cent throughout the region, just above the national average and well ahead of 2011 turnout. In the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo riding, where Conservative Cathy McLeod was re-elected, voter turnout jumped to 74.07 per cent this election, up significantly from the 63.3...

Warm weather and chance of rain on the way for the Okanagan

OKANAGAN - It might be fall in the Okanagan, but that’s not stopping Mother Nature from keeping temperatures mostly above seasonal normals this week. Environment Canada is calling for a high of 16 Celsius in Vernon and Kelowna today, Oct. 19, with the expected high gradually dropping off to 10 C by Friday. Overnight the...

Warm weather, chance of frost in the Okanagan this weekend

OKANAGAN - Day time temperatures will remain above seasonal normals this weekend but overnight lows mean there is a chance of frost in parts of the Okanagan. Environment Canada is calling for highs of 17 Celsius today, Oct 16, and 16 C Saturday and Sunday in the Vernon and Penticton areas while Kelowna will see...

HELSTON: Learning to vote is like learning to drive, we all need a little practice

In Canada, you might be born with the democratic right to vote, but you’re not born with a magical gene that makes you a natural voter. That’s a skill that takes time and patience to cultivate. And, no, I’m not talking about the basic hand-eye coordination required to draw an ‘X’ on a piece of...

Fire ban fully rescinded in Kamloops Fire Centre this week

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - As the weather continues to cool off and fire season comes to a close, open burning is now allowed throughout the Kamloops Fire Centre. As of noon today, Oct. 15, the current open burning ban will be completely rescinded in the areas under the Kamloops Fire Centre’s jurisdiction. Many local municipalities are following...

You may not be thankful for the weather in the Okanagan this long weekend

OKANAGAN - It may be a long weekend typically filled with family, friends and lots of food, but much of this Thanksgiving weekend will also be wet and windy. While both the high and low temperatures are expected to be above normal throughout the weekend there will also be a chance of rain and strong...

Meteor shower over Kamloops this week

KAMLOOPS - Patient skywatchers will get a chance to view the Draconids meteor shower as it sets to peak this week. The Draconids is a minor meteor shower that runs from Oct. 6 to 10 and produces about 10 meteors per hour, though has been known to produce hundreds or even thousands of ‘shooting stars’...

Meteor shower over the Okanagan this week

OKANAGAN - Patient skywatchers will get a chance to view the Draconids meteor shower as it sets to peak this week. The Draconids is a minor meteor shower that runs from Oct. 6 to 10 and produces about 10 meteors per hour, though has been known to produce hundreds or even thousands of ‘shooting stars’...

New movie of the week being filmed in Osoyoos

OSOYOOS - A new Valentine’s Day TV movie that begins filming this week is being shot entirely in Osoyoos. A Hand in Love is a ‘story about true love in an on again - off again relationship.’  The movie will feature a young couple dealing with business, a vineyard, a blog and a baby. The...

Week of perfect fall weather ahead in the Okanagan

OKANAGAN - As far as autumn goes, this should be a good week in the Okanagan with temperatures above normal during the day and overnight. While we are waking up to temperatures several degrees below seasonal normals of 5 Celsius the mercury is supposed to stay above those normals for the rest of the week....

Things to do in the Okanagan before they close for the season

VERNON - So much to do, so little time. Mere weeks remain before a number of Okanagan attractions close down for the season — and that means you’ve got to get moving, or wait until next year. The Kalavida Surf Shop in Vernon closes its doors for the season on Oct. 4, although special arrangements...

Chance of snow at higher elevations around the Okanagan tonight

OKANAGAN - We all know it’s officially fall but you may not be ready to hear this — snow levels are dropping to 1,500 metres tonight. Environment Canada is calling for a low of just 8 or 9 Celsius tonight, Oct. 2, throughout the Okanagan, just above seasonal normals of 6 C, but with a...

Record grape harvest bodes well for Fall Okanagan Wine Festival

KELOWNA - It's been a stellar year for Okanagan vineyards and it will continue with a ten-day celebration of all things wine, which is expected to attract more than 20,000 visitors. Many local wineries are picking grapes earlier than ever before this year, according to Lori Pike-Raffan, the public relations director for Okanagan Wine Festivals...

Super moon, eclipse delights Okanagan sky watchers

OKANAGAN - Across most of the region the skies cleared in time to catch at least part of the rare super moon and lunar eclipse event Sunday evening, Sept. 27. A supermoon occurs when a full or new moon makes its closest approach to the Earth and appears slightly larger and brighter than normal. A...

Sunny and warm end to September in the Okanagan

OKANAGAN - The weekend was filled with typical autumn weather, and a few cooler nights, but we can expect it to warm up a bit during the week as September comes to a close. Environment Canada is calling for temperatures to reach as high as 22 C this week. The mercury is expected to reach...

First fall weekend warm and sunny in the Okanagan

OKANAGAN - The first weekend of autumn will be a typical one in the Okanagan, with warm days and cool nights. Environment Canada is calling for temperatures to be just above the seasonal normal high of 17 Celsius throughout the Okanagan, though overnight we can expect things to cool off a bit more than normal....

Rare super moon lunar eclipse over the Okanagan this weekend

OKANAGAN - Not only will the last total lunar eclipse until January 2019 take place Sunday evening, it will also be a harvest, or super, moon, meaning it will appear to be a very large red moon for part of the evening. The moon will completely pass through the Earth’s shadow Sunday evening, Sept. 27,...

Rare super moon lunar eclipse over Kamloops this weekend

KAMLOOPS - Not only will the last total lunar eclipse until January 2019 take place Sunday evening, it will also be a harvest, or super, moon, meaning it will appear to be a very large red moon for part of the evening. The moon will completely pass through the Earth’s shadow Sunday evening, Sept. 27,...

Harlem Globetrotters hitting the court in Penticton

PENTICTON - The world famous Globetrotters will show off their basketball skills in Penticton as part of their 90th world tour celebration next year. The team will return to the South Okanagan Events Centre on Feb. 29, 2016, for a 7 p.m. show. The Penticton stop is one of 320 games that will be played...

Conflicts between humans and bears expected to increase in the Okanagan

WEST KELOWNA – A busy weekend for bear sightings in West Kelowna could signal the start of a fall rife with bear-human conflicts. Frank Ritcey, the creator of the interactive Wildlife Alert Reporting Program on WildsafeBC.com, says four sightings of black bears were reported in the Shannon Lake neighbourhood in West Kelowna since Friday. “This...