Vernon

Wintery week ahead in the Okanagan

OKANAGAN - With a snowfall warning in place and cooler temperatures in the forecast, the Okanagan is in for a wintery start to the last week of November. Yesterday, Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning for the South and North Thompson, Shuswap and North Okanagan regions, saying snowfall would begin overnight and continue through today, Nov....

Southern Interior braces for winter storm with blast of Arctic air

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – The first Arctic outbreak of the season is going to blow through the Thompson-Okanagan bringing blowing snow, cold temperatures and “crummy travel conditions,” according to Environment Canada. A special weather statement, which covers most of southern B.C., has been issued by Environment Canada warning of a winter storm expected with the worst of...

Gas prices steady in the Okanagan while Kamloops prices drop

OKANAGAN - While gas prices were trending downwards earlier this week drivers in the Okanagan didn’t get a break, unless they were up in Kamloops where prices dipped well below a dollar per litre. According to Gas Buddy, an online consumer reporting website, gas prices are currently in the 107.9 to 109.9 cents per litre...

Cool and sunny weekend ahead in the Okanagan

OKANAGAN - Temperatures are expected to be slightly below seasonal normals with just a few clouds in the sky this weekend in the Okanagan. Environment Canada is calling for highs of just -1 Celsius to 2 C throughout the weekend, a bit below seasonal normals of 3 C. An overnight low of -8 C is...

Pickup truck driver goes ‘on a rampage’ in Vernon

VERNON – The driver of a pickup went on a rampage in Vernon yesterday afternoon and a witness says it looked like "something out of a movie." Jason Spencer, who works at Central Tarp on Kosmina Road, says around 4 p.m., Nov. 18, a “crazed driver in a blue pickup truck went on a rampage”...

Okanagan growers debate marketing future of Ambrosia apple

OKANAGAN - Producers of the Ambrosia apple are considering whether to extend a levy used to market the new varietal. Ambrosia producers have paid a $.25 per lb. levy since 2001, shortly after the new apple was introduced, used to promote the fruit to consumers and further its research. The levy was renewed in 2006...

Curious about the price of marijuana in your city? Check PriceOfWeed website

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - It isn’t legal yet in Canada, but that won’t stop people from keeping a close eye on weed market in their city. Akin to the website Gas Buddy, which monitors gas prices to help consumers find the lowest price in town, there’s a website called Price of Weed, in which users report the...

Vandals destroy holiday displays at downtown Vernon store

VERNON - Four people caused extensive damage to holiday displays, lighting and the roof of a downtown store earlier this week. On Nov. 15, around 9 p.m., two males and two females, who all appear to be youths, were caught on store video surveillance damaging the holiday displays Vernon Teach and Learn on 30th Avenue...

Buying local, without leaving home, a popular choice for Okanagan holiday shoppers

OKANAGAN - It’s already well known that online shopping has taken over a large piece of the Christmas retail pie, but that doesn’t mean people are giving up on buying local to fill the stockings this Christmas. You don’t have to go out to a farmer’s market or holiday craft fair to buy local, you...

Man breaks into Vernon home, helps himself to a snack

VERNON - A local man accused of breaking into a woman’s home not only helped himself to her personal belongings — he also made himself something to eat. A local woman phoned 911 around 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 16 after she found a strange man in her house, RCMP Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy says. “He had...

Watch for whimsical pop up parks in Vernon

VERNON - A special surprise will be popping up in a Vernon park sometime this fall. It’s part of new city initiative to bring interest and excitement to underused spaces and will see a variety of temporary equipment — such as brightly painted Adirondack chairs, a piano, drums and a massive xylophone — installed in...

Something smelled off: Vernon RCMP make arrest on Highway 6

VERNON - Police only had to follow their noses to make a drug-related arrest earlier this month in Vernon. On Nov. 7 officers were driving east on Highway 6 when they smelled a strong odour of marijuana, Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy says in a release. “They quickly determined that it was coming from the vehicle in...

Alpine skiing opening five days early at Silver Star

VERNON - The plan was to open Nov. 26 but after nearly 150 centimetres of snowfall, Silver Star Mountain is ready to open a bit earlier. The ski resort announced it would be opening three chairlifts and at least 25 runs starting at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 21, a full five days ahead of the...

RCMP upping presence on downtown Vernon streets

VERNON - Vernon residents will notice more police officers patrolling the downtown core. Police will be stepping up their presence downtown with daily and nightly foot patrols, RCMP Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy says. The response comes on the heels of an attack on a Vernon food truck vendor, and concerns about street safety in the downtown...

A book about a booger by two Vernon women

VERNON - The Doubt Booger is going to make you forget all about those nagging little worries. Written by Beth McCarthy Marks and illustrated by Nadine Wilson, both of Vernon, the newly released children’s book is about the pesky effect of self-doubts. “Remember when you were small; those little worries that gnawed on you? You...

Heavy snow and rain expected on Southern Interior highways today

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you’re heading out on the highways be prepared for winter driving conditions; heavy snow and rain, along with strong winds, are expected today. Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for many highways in the Southern Interior warning of heavy snow, heavy rain and strong winds today, Nov. 17. Among the...

Highway 1 closed east of Revelstoke

REVELSTOKE - An early morning crash has closed the Trans-Canada Highway in both directions east of Revelstoke. Drive B.C. is reporting both directions closed 32 kilometres east of Revelstoke due to a vehicle incident just after 6 a.m. No detours are available. Compact snow with slippery sections and limited visibility with blowing snow is being...

Police armed with carbines the new norm at Remembrance Day services

VERNON - It’s a special sight to see Mounties dressed in their ceremonial red serge, but officers turned heads at last week’s Remembrance Day service in Vernon for a different reason — the carbines they were carrying. We might not be used to seeing police officers patrolling Remembrance Day services with semi-automatic rifles, but Const....

Vernon’s role housing Syrian refugees remains unknown

VERNON - Despite speculation the Vernon Army Camp could be used to house Syrian refugees, the official word is nothing has been decided yet. Vernon Mayor Akbal Mund says the provincial government has been in touch, but any discussion about the city taking in refugees has been very preliminary so far. “It was more of...

Stolen iPod, thousands of photos returned to rightful owners

VERNON - It must have been quite a surprise for a pair of B.C. residents to see their picture posted on the news last week. A pleasant surprise, given the circumstances. Police released the photo after seizing what they believed to be a stolen iPod during a recent arrest. They found thousands of photos of the...