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Vernon news
Okanagan feeling the heat
OKANAGAN - Expect temperatures to remain in the mid-30s through much of next week as the Okanagan continues to flirt with record-breaking temperatures. Environment Canada is calling for temperatures of 36 Celsius throughout the Okanagan today, July 3, and 31 C Saturday in Vernon and Kelowna. Penticton is expected to reach 33 C on Saturday....
Vernon cop charged with possessing child porn nearing trial date
KELOWNA – The trial of the former Vernon cop charged with possessing child pornography will start the middle of next month after a brief court appearance today. Ryan Hampton, 37, faces counts of possession of child pornography, accessing child pornography, attempting to obstruct justice and half a dozen breaches of court orders. He was arrested...
Hay barn goes up in flames at North Okanagan dairy farm
SPALLUMCHEEN - A North Okanagan dairy farm is suffering major losses after its hay barn and cattle feed were destroyed in a fire. The Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department was called to the blaze on Knob Hill Road around 5:45 p.m., July 1. When crews arrived on scene, the fire was raging, fire chief Ian Cummings...
Cause of destructive Vernon fire under investigation
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT SETS UP TEMPORARY LOCATION AFTER OFFICE BURNED TO THE GROUND VERNON - The roof of a burning government office and podiatry clinic caved in shortly after firefighters were inside checking to ensure no one was trapped during a massive blaze Tuesday night in Vernon. “They forced open the doors because they...
Cyclist suffers life threatening injuries in Vernon accident
VERNON - A cyclist was seriously injured early this morning after being struck by a vehicle. The accident happened around 6:20 a.m. Thursday, July 2, in the 3400 block of 25 Avenue. The cyclist, a 38-year-old woman, sustained serious, life-threatening injuries, and has been moved to Kelowna General Hospital, says RCMP Const. Karla Ivany. The...
The weather record breaker that was June
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – If it felt like weather dominated the headlines throughout June, that’s because if it wasn’t dropping a month’s worth of rain in a day, we were shattering high temperature records around the region. Lisa Coldwells, an Environment Canada meteorologist, says despite the heavy rains that bookended the beginning and end of the month,...
VIDEO: Kenny Vs. Spenny promote upcoming Kelowna show
KELOWNA – The best friends from Toronto who actually kind of hate each other, have put out a video promoting their upcoming show in Kelowna. Both Kenny Hotz and Spencer “Spenny” Rice, stars of the hit TV show Kenny Vs. Spenny, feature in the short video, but it is Spenny who does most of the...
UPDATE: Missing Lumby woman has been found safe
VERNON - Police say a Lumby woman has been found safe. A family member reported Susan Catt, 54, missing about 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 28, to the Lumby RCMP detachment. She was found sometime Tuesday, according to a RCMP release sent around midnight. An original release said Catt left her home in Lumby around...
Okanagan apples almost ready to cross the globe
OKANAGAN – The general manager of the B.C. Fruit Growers Association says they are about a month away from knowing if Okanagan apples will be bound for one of the largest markets in the world. Glen Lucas says he had hoped they would have the answers to whether or not local apples will be a...
Emergency crews responding to large fire downtown Vernon
VERNON - A large fire is burning near Vernon’s Village Green Mall. Reports say the fire broke out at the Vernon social assistance office on 48 Avenue, behind the Petro Canada gas station. A tower of smoke can be seen from across the city. Emergency crews are at the scene working to contain the blaze....
Man found dead in Kal Lake identified; second man still missing
VERNON - Police have launched a full scale search for an individual last seen with a man found dead in Kalamalka Lake over the weekend. In a media release issued in this afternoon, June 30, RCMP Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy confirmed what 23-year-old Curtis Wilson’s family announced earlier in the day; that he was last seen...
RCMP following up on torched SUV left on Spallumcheen road
SPALLUMCHEEN - Police are investigating after a vehicle was set on fire just outside of Vernon yesterday. RCMP Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy says officers were called out around 11:30 a.m. Monday, June 29, to Highway 97 near L&A Crossroad in Spallumcheen where a vehicle had been set on fire. “The vehicle was a Lincoln SUV that...
Police warn Vernon residents not to give money to man going door to door
VERNON - Police are issuing a public warning about a man going door to door asking for money. Over the past three days, an unknown man has reportedly been going door to door in the area of 48 Avenue to 30 Avenue, RCMP Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy said in a media release issued today, June 30....
Police arrest, charge 62-year-old man for Bernard Ave. murder
KELOWNA – A 62-year-old Kelowna man has been arrested and charged with the murder of…
Man assaulted in Vernon parking lot
VERNON - Police are investigating an assault that took place in the parking lot of the Fruit Union Plaza and put a man in hospital this weekend. A witness contacted police around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, June 28, to report the assault. RCMP Sgt. Tory Romailler says the victim, a man in his late-40s, was taken...
Men who died in Vernon motorcycle crash identified
VERNON - The names of two men who died in a weekend motorcycle crash have been released by the B.C. Coroners Service. They were James Tyler Folden, 23, of Lumby, and Trinity James Dale Bright, 24, originally from Cherryville, but most recently residing in Canmore, Alberta. Folden was driving an offroad motorcycle with Bright as...
Campfire bans in effect this weekend for B.C. Interior
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Due to an elevated risk of fire across the Interior of B.C., the Kamloops Fire Centre has banned all open fires, including campfires, as of noon on Friday, July 3. Kelsey Winter of B.C. Wildfire says the step is being taken to prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety around Penticton, Kelowna, Vernon...
Celebrate Canada’s birthday in downtown Kelowna
KELOWNA – Canada turns 148 years old on Wednesday, July 1, and to celebrate Festivals Kelowna has put together more than 50 fun activities and performances for the whole family. The annual Celebrate Canada Day takes place in Waterfront Park, Jim Stuart Park and Kerry Park as well as Prospera Place. Last year more than...
Missing person last seen with man discovered dead in Kal Lake: Family
VERNON - A person last seen with the man who turned up dead in Kalamalka Lake has not been seen or heard from since Saturday, June 27, prompting concerned family members to plead for information from the public. Shanna Wilson says her brother, Curtis Wilson, was last seen in Vernon Saturday morning having breakfast with...
Weekend of fires fuelled by lightning
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – There were 35 fire starts this weekend in the Kamloops Fire Centre alone. Of those, 22 were caused by lightning, but the remaining 13 were believed to be human-caused. Penticton was the hottest fire zone in the region with 19 of the 35 starts this weekend, but Fire Information Officer Kelsey Winter says...
Convertible flips outside Vernon, driver escapes alive
VERNON - A man is lucky to be okay after crashing and rolling his convertible just outside of Vernon. The single vehicle accident happened around 3:30 p.m. Sunday, June 28 at Highway 97 near Bailey Road, Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy says. The 47-year-old driver was the only person in the car when it went into the...
UPDATE: Two men killed in Vernon dirt bike crash
VERNON – Two men are dead after the dirt bike they were on hit a park utility trailer on East Vernon Road in Vernon Sunday morning. RCMP were called to the crash at about 6:30 a.m., June 28, when a neighbour found the men, 23 and 24 years of age. “Early indications in this investigation...
UPDATE: Body found in Kalamalka Lake, death suspicious
RCMP SAY "STILL TRYING TO PIECE TOGETHER WHAT HAPPENED" COLDSTREAM - Police are treating the discovery of a body floating in Kalamalka Lake Sunday afternoon as suspicious. A standup paddler noticed the body floating under the surface on the south side of Cosens Bay near the cabins and notified police about 2:30 p.m., June 28,...
Suspicious dumpster fire outside Vernon high school under investigation
VERNON - A suspicious fire which started in a dumpster outside a Vernon high school is under investigation The fire department was called to Vernon Secondary School to put out the fire about 11:15 p.m., Friday, June 26. “It appeared to be suspicious in nature from what we’ve come across,” deputy fire chief Jack Blair...