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Vernon news

Bobcat sightings becoming more common in the North Okanagan

VERNON - North Okanagan residents spotted an increasing number of bobcats in recent years. Conservation officer Mike Richardson says there have already been 16 bobcat reports since April of 2014. That’s not out of line with the last few years—14 last year and 18 the year before. But it’s a lot more than it used...

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...

Judge to hear evidence against Lumby man accused of murder

VERNON - A Lumby man accused of murdering his girlfriend, a local teacher, is before a provincial court judge this week. A preliminary inquiry for Howard Everett Krewson, also known as Howard Everett, began Wednesday, Feb. 4 and is scheduled to last five days. Krewson, 55, was charged with the second degree murder of Linda...

Lavington pellet plant could be operating in the next school year

LAVINGTON - A pellet plant will be up and running in Lavington within the year, says the president of Pinnacle Renewable Energy Group.  According to Leroy Reitsma, site preparation work is underway and will wrap up in roughly 10-15 weeks. After that, the company will apply for a building permit and start constructing the plant,...

Vernon man dies in crash near Valemount

VALEMOUNT - The B.C. Coroners Service has identified a Vernon man killed in a crash with a semi-truck near Valemount January 23. He was 53-year-old Ewen Craig McDonald. A media release from the coroner says McDonald was in a pickup truck heading south on Highway 5 when he collided with the semi-truck, about 18 kilometres...

Armstrong horse owner fears for animals being sent to auction

“I HOPE THESE HORSES FIND GENTLE PEOPLE. I HOPE THEY LIVE OUT LONG AND FULL LIVES” ARMSTRONG - The possibility some of his 100 horses may go to slaughter after a court-ordered auction this weekend is not a pleasant thought for Armstrong man Gary Roberts. But that’s the reality the SPCA and the courts have...

Vernon’s future takes shape during special city meeting

VERNON - The shape of the City of Vernon over the next four years was discussed by the mayor, councillors and city directors as they evaluated and set strategic priorities during a planning session February 2, 2015. Mayor Akbal Mund and councillors started the planning session by reviewing their election platforms and employing something called...

Enderby’s connection to the Super Bowl

ENDERBY - In between football and Katy Perry Sunday evening, audiences were treated to a sneak peak of a movie filmed partly in Enderby. A trailer for Tomorrowland, starring George Clooney, Britt Robertson and Hugh Laurie, debuted when the game went to commercials. The trailer reveals a magical world of space ships and wondrous gadgets,...

Vernon RCMP academy instills teens with life skills

VERNON - Not every teen who enrolls in the week-long, Depot-like RCMP Youth Academy in Vernon becomes a police officer. For some, the early mornings, mandatory exercise, daily chore of making their bed, and getting woken up in the middle of the night for mock disturbance calls is not for them. But for 2002 Charles...

Thin ice warning for Vernon’s Swan lake

VERNON - Authorities are warning the public to stay safe around Swan Lake. With warming temperatures over the last week, the ice on the lake has thinned significantly. Police and Vernon Search and Rescue were told three people walking on the ice fell through, and that’s prompting some cautionary words. “This is very concerning as...

Accused Winfield 7/Eleven robber now charged with assaulting cop

LAKE COUNTRY - The man accused of robbing the Lake Country 7-Eleven at gunpoint is in bigger trouble after allegedly assaulting a police officer and breaching the conditions of his release. The armed robbery happened January 21 just before 3 a.m. at the 7-Eleven at 9724 Highway 97, according to an RCMP media release. The...

Who owns the bag of money found at a Vernon bank?

VERNON - RCMP are searching for the owner of a plastic bag with ten bills inside, found at the downtown Vernon CIBC branch. In a media release, Vernon Mounties say the bag was found sitting on a chair in the waiting area Jan. 6, 2015. The discovery was reported to police by a bank employee,...

The hunt is on for a new anchor at Village Green Mall

VERNON - Target isn’t the only vacancy in Vernon’s Village Green Centre. If you walk around the shopping mall, you’ll see four vacant shop spaces. When Target closes, it will be five. The City of Vernon’s economic development manager Kevin Poole has his eye on it, but says this is a time of year when...

Lumby RCMP arrest suspected post office box thief

LUMBY - A suspected post office box thief arrested, cash stolen from the Co-op and a stolen 15,000-litre diesel fuel tank are just some of the crimes officers with the Lumby RCMP detachment are working on. On January 11, 2015, Lumby members arrested a woman suspected of breaking into and stealing contents from post office...

By the numbers: Vernon SPCA at a glance

VERNON - Here are some things you might not know about the Vernon branch of the SPCA. It costs the non-profit roughly $665 to shelter a single cat. Over the course of a year, the branch goes through some 52 jugs of laundry detergent. The facility runs on six employees and 75 volunteers. Branch manager...

The unique approach Vernon is taking to selling itself

VERNON - A new City of Vernon tourism initiative is focussing more on recommendations shared by word of mouth than snagging a write up in a guide book. The city understands many people rely on reviews from friends and family when picking a place to visit, and it’s found a way to track how often...

Serial bank robber taunts police with another robbery

VERNON – A man police allege is on a three-province robbery spree has likely hit his ninth bank just one day following an inter-provincial news blitz warning the public about him. According to a release from RCMP, the Dawson Creek RCMP responded to a hold-up alarm at a local financial institution Wednesday just before 4...

Rescuing a horse? Here’s what you’re getting into

“AT THIS POINT, EVERYONE’S THINKING WITH THEIR HEARTS” ARMSTRONG - We’ve seen a lot of generosity and kindness in the weeks following an animal cruelty case, but the SPCA is cautioning people not to let good intentions cloud their judgement. Armstrong man Gary Roberts faces two charges of animal cruelty, and has been court ordered...

Park downtown Vernon for free on the following days

VERNON - There are several opportunities to park downtown Vernon without plugging the meter over the next few months. At the request of the Downtown Vernon Association, council approved free parking on Saturday, Feb. 14 from 12-3 p.m. for the Winter Carnival Chili Cook-Off event. The association also requested free parking on Feb. 21, May...

Vernon man facing 17 charges following inter-agency investigation

VERNON - A Vernon man is facing 17 criminal charges following a police investigation that began with a shipment of heroin landing at the Vancouver International Airport. Canada Border Services air cargo officers intercepted a large quantity of heroin originating from Thailand Jan. 8 at the Vancouver Airport, according to a release issued by the...

Vancouver indie shoot heads to the Okanagan

OKANAGAN - Stars will once again shine across the Okanagan when an indie feature film shoot moves from Vancouver to various locations in West Kelowna and North Okanagan next week. A specific schedule of filming days and locations for Unseen was not provided in a media release from the Okanagan Film Commission, however stargazers might...

TIMELINE: Bank robber strikes three provinces in two months

VERNON - A man police are calling a serial armed robber has stolen cash from eight different banks across three provinces in just 52 days, and police are worried he's not done yet. The first in a series of similar incidents happened at 2:50 p.m. on Dec. 1, 2014, when a man dressed in dark...

UPDATE: Car accident knocks out power to 2,663 hydro customers

ARMSTRONG - DRIVER TOLD OFFICERS SOMETHING GOT CAUGHT IN THE STEERING WHEEL ARMSTRONG - A car accident knocked out power to about 2,663 B.C. Hydro customers in the North Okanagan Monday, Jan. 26. The accident happened around 4 p.m. just south of Armstrong on Highway 97A. Customers in Armstrong, Spallumcheen and Vernon were affected. A...