Vernon

Vernon bar taking things in a new direction

VERNON - A Vernon restaurant and sports bar is turning its focus from those who go out, to those who stay in. Monashee’s Bar & Grill on 30 Avenue in downtown Vernon will welcome patrons for a pint for the last time this weekend, but it’s not turning its back on them completely. Owner Steve...

Two teens, ages 14 and 18, arrested for murder in Vernon death

VERNON - Police have arrested two teenagers for second degree murder in the death of Jason Hardy, whose body was found in Polson Park last week. One of the teens is a 14 year old male. He and 18-year-old Brandon Wellington were arrested Aug. 31. Both are residents of the Greater Vernon area, RCMP Const....

‘Too soon’ say critics of decision to lift campfire ban

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Some fire-shocked B.C. residents are questioning the decision by the Ministry of Forests to lift the campfire ban that has been in place since early July. The ministry announced Monday afternoon the ban would be lifted on Crown lands and campsites in the South East and Kamloops fire centres and many communities and regional districts...

Vernon pedophile sentenced to over six years in jail for ‘depraved’ acts

JUDGE SEES TO REMOVAL OF TATTOO 'TROPHY' VERNON - A diagnosed pedophile is going behind bars for what a Vernon Provincial Court judge called vile, depraved and repeated sex crimes against his step-daughters. The 41-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the identities of the girls, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the girls when...

Performance audit looks at City of Vernon purchasing practices

VERNON - B.C.’s auditor general has pulled back a curtain on the City of Vernon’s purchasing activities. Acting auditor Arn van Iersel took a look at the city’s purchasing practices over a two-year audit period, from 2010 to 2012, and released the findings this week in a report. The performance audit reviewed whether the city...

Summer likely over but long weekend forecast sunny

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – If there will be any more hot summer days this year, they will come in the last two weeks of September, but the chances are summer is over in the Thompson-Okanagan. Residents from Kamloops to Penticton are currently experiencing lower than average temperatures for this time of year and that probably won’t change...

Plan in place to support people evicted from Vernon motel

VERNON - Local organizations have a plan in place to support people evicted from the Green Valley Motel. Tenants must be out of the building by the end of the day today, Aug. 31, and Annette Sharkey from the Social Planning Council for the North Okanagan says local organizations, primarily the John Howard Society, are...

Foul play involved in body found in Polson Park

VERNON - Police are revealing more information about a man found dead last week in Polson Park.  He has been identified as 42-year-old Jason Thomas Hardy, and police believe foul play was involved in his death. His body was found the morning of Aug. 26 in Polson Park. RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says Hardy has...

Pot oil extraction cause of explosion in Vernon apartment building

VERNON - An apartment fire that sent two men to hospital with serious burns was caused when a marijuana extraction operation exploded, police say. The occupants, a 21 and a 22-year-old, were badly burned in the fire and remain in hospital. Vernon police are now confirming the Aug. 14 fire was started by a marijuana...

Cool, wet week in store for the Okanagan

OKANAGAN - The mercury has dropped and rain is expected to fall as summer break wraps up this week. With Environment Canada calling for high temperatures to only reach the mid- to high-teens all week, you can expect temperatures to remain quite a bit below seasonal normals of 23 Celsius for a high and 11...

ELECTION 2015: Mulcair plans Vernon visit

VERNON - The leader of the NDP will stop in Vernon next week. Tom Mulcair is visiting Tuesday, Sept. 1, to help launch local candidate Jacqui Gingras’ campaign in the North Okanagan-Shuswap riding. The public event is happening at Gingras’ office at 3023 30 Avenue starting at noon. Other party leaders Justin Trudeau, Stephen Harper...

RCMP marine unit focus is saving lives not writing tickets

OKANAGAN - With just one boat covering lakes throughout the southern Interior, there’s plenty of times when the long arm of the law simply ends at the lakeshore. But if you do run into the RCMP marine enforcement unit and you’re boat’s not up to snuff, they’ll be on your case, either writing you a...

Vernon motel to become low-income housing complex

VERNON - The hunt for an affordable place to call home in Vernon just got a bit easier. The Journey Inn, the former Travelodge located behind the Fruit Union Plaza in downtown Vernon, was recently bought by B.C. Housing and will be operated as a low-income housing complex for people at risk of homelessness, the...

Rainy weather and thunderstorms for Okanagan

OKANAGAN - In the wake of the extended period of hot, dry weather, the Okanagan is about to receive several days of rain.  Environment Canada is calling for clouds and showers beginning today, Aug. 28, and continuing through to Wednesday. Thundershowers are forecast for Saturday. And it will be cool with highs of 19 Celsius and...

Okanagan Lake water level not bad, next year could be the problem

OKANAGAN - Despite sitting smack dab in a region beset by a level four drought, Okanagan Lake is not doing too badly when it comes to water level, at least at first glance. Estimates from the natural resources ministry predict the lake won’t go down as far as it has in previous drought years. It's...

Overnight brush fire on highway north of Vernon ‘could’ve been a different story’

SPALLUMCHEEN - Emergency crews took no chances with a brush fire burning on a slope off Highway 97 Wednesday night. Armstrong-Spallumcheen fire chief Ian Cummings says the half-acre blaze was reported just after 9 p.m., Aug. 26, just north of Greenhow Road on Highway 97. “It was quite visible, there was pretty high flames. We...

Serious crimes unit investigates body found in Vernon park

VERNON - Police continue to investigate the death of a man found in Polson Park Wednesday. The man’s body was discovered shortly before 10 a.m. Aug. 26. In a media release issued today, Aug. 27, RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk confirmed the man was in his late 40s, but said his identity is not being released...

Whereabouts of missing workers from Vernon remain a mystery

VERNON - Two months after going missing, four migrant workers last seen in the Okanagan still have not been located. The four men, from Mexico, were working at an orchard in Vernon before going missing in late June. According to the Vernon RCMP, they’d been in Canada for ten days before taking a cab from...

Top antique and art appraiser makes stop in the Southern Interior

KELOWNA - Here’s your chance to find out if that old painting hanging in the bathroom is really a Picasso or not. Professional antique and art appraiser Peter Blundell is making a one-day stop in Kelowna where he will appraise those uncertain antiques, collectibles and art pieces and tell you whether they are treasure or...

So You Think You Can Dance coming to Kelowna

KELOWNA – The top ten finalists from this year’s So You Think You Can Dance will be performing in Kelowna in January. The show is part of a North America tour that features the best dancers from the twelfth season of the 13-time Emmy Award-winning show on Fox and CTV. Judge, executive director and co-creator...

New Vernon sports track opens this Friday

VERNON - Locals will get their first chance to check out the new sports track by Okanagan College this week. A soft opening is set for this Friday, Aug. 28, for the Greater Vernon Athletics Park. Regional district staff and volunteers will be at the park from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. to welcome visitors...

Missing woman with health concerns found

CENTRAL OKANAGAN - A missing Kelowna woman with health concerns has been located, according to RCMP. Brittany Nelson, 30, has been located and is safe and sound," Cpl. Joe Duncan says in a release sent one day after friends reported her absence. To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or...