Vernon news
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Vernon sees strongest housing starts in years
VERNON - The City of Vernon is boasting its highest number of housing starts in six years. There were 255 housing starts in 2014, the highest number since 2008, which saw 368 starts. Meanwhile, overall building permit values jumped to $93 million, almost doubling the $50 million in 2013. It’s all good news in 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...
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...
Back home and back to business for Vernon’s Upper Room Mission
VERNON - The door is once again open at Vernon’s Upper Room Mission. The soup kitchen served lunch in its dining hall for the first time in two months today, Jan. 26, and communications manager Lisa Anderson says it’s good to be home. “This is where our clients feel most comfortable coming in out of...