Okanagan
Local prejudice against Muslims tackled at UBCO
'IF WE DON'T SPEAK ABOUT THESE ISSUES... WE START DEVELOPING ALL THESE MISCONCEPTIONS.' KELOWNA - A UBC Okanagan graduate is organizing a forum on campus to address some of the misconceptions about his religion that are clearly still a problem in Kelowna. Adnan Akiel Ahmad Bhat holds a masters in electrical engineering from the Okanagan...
Local ski hills are growing white
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - While some of us are still holding on to the last strings of warmer weather, those looking forward to skiing and snowboarding will be happy to know the snow is falling at area ski hills. All three of the big ski hills in the area — Sun Peaks, Silver Star Mountain and Big...
Everything you wish you didn’t need to know about rats in the Thompson-Okanagan
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Just a few years ago, Thompson-Okanagan residents didn’t have to worry about rats invading attic spaces or chewing up electrical wires, simply because the rodent was a rarity in these parts. That's all changed. Steve Ball owns BugMaster Pest Control, which services the North, Central and South Okanagan, and he says rat complaints...
Wet fall week ahead for the Okanagan
OKANAGAN - A mixed bag of weather — cloud, rain and sun — is expected in the Okanagan for the last week of October. Environment Canada is calling for temperature highs at or just above seasonal normals of 9 Celsius throughout the region all week, with the warmest temperatures expected today, Oct. 26. Overnight lows...
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...
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...
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....