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Vernon
UPDATE: Thunderstorm watch today, wet weather this weekend
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you were hoping for a warm, sunny weekend so you could fish or golf with dad, you may be a bit disappointed about the wet weather forecast in store for the next few days — though there should be a reprieve from those wet skies on Father’s Day. To get the forecast...
Full strike could begin Tuesday, no school Monday
OKANAGAN - This week could be the last week of school for many students, the teachers’ union announced this morning it will be moving to a full strike beginning Tuesday unless a deal can be reached on the collective agreement. An email was sent to teachers Thursday night and quickly news spread on social media....
What parents need to know about the teacher strike
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Teachers in B.C. voted overwhelmingly in favour of moving to a full strike if contract negotiations continue to stall and that could mean an early summer break for some students and limited report cards for others. The history of non-agreement between the B.C. Teachers’ Federation and the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association, the...
Teachers agree to full strike
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN — More than 28,000 B.C. teachers voted in support of moving to a full strike, a move that could come as early as next week. In total more than 33,000 teachers took part in the vote Monday and Tuesday, with 86 per cent voting in support of stage three action. “Thank you for standing...
Entire Kamloops Fire Centre to be under prohibition
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Starting Sunday the annual open fire prohibition will encompass all of the Kamloops Fire Centre as Salmon Arm and Clearwater fire zones are also shut down. The open burn ban is to help prevent human-caused wildfires as we head into a season when lightning ignited fires pick up. “We will likely see more...
National BMX series bunnyhops through Kelowna this weekend
KELOWNA – Even if you don't know the difference between a barspin and a bunnyhop, organizers of the Kelowna Firestorm BMX Nationals say this weekends event has something for everyone. The third in a series of six nationals will be held in Kelowna June 13-15 and Kelowna BMX Club president Jeff Ingram says more than...
Snow basins still high, flood threat low
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Recent snow basin numbers show there is a lot more snow than normal in much of our region even though rivers have begun receding throughout the rest of the province. The North Thompson snow basin now sits at a near normal 101 per cent though the South Thompson sits at 126 per cent....
Former Lumby councillor seeks federal role
VERNON - A former Lumby councillor is vying for the Conservative nomination in the next federal election. Janet Green, who sat on Lumby council from 2009-11, will officially announce her candidacy at a press conference Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the Village Green Hotel. Colin Mayes, three-term MP for the Okanagan-Shuswap, will not be seeking...
Moncton officers honoured in North Okanagan
VERNON - The Vernon RCMP detachment is awash with flowers, candles and condolences from the public in honour of the three fallen officers in Moncton. RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk on behalf of the Vernon detachment expressed his thanks at a press conference Monday. “Your support of our members during this time is very much appreciated...
Vernon arson tally continues to climb
VERNON - Fire set to an abandoned house and a pleasure boat has added to the list of suspected arsons within the city. Saturday around midnight, Vernon RCMP were called to a fire in an abandoned house in the 3800 block of 30 Avenue. “The rear of the building was totally engulfed when the fire...
Man in fatal traffic accident near Vernon identified
VERNON - The B.C. Corners Service has identified the man who died in a traffic accident June 4 on Highway 97 near Vernon. He was Brian Victor Dolman, 64, of Oyama. Dolman was the driver and only person inside the Subaru SUV when he veered out of the southbound lanes near the Birnie Road turnoff...
Sunscreen and shades kind of weekend
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN — Mother Nature has a treat for us this weekend—soaring temperatures and lots of sun. Highs of 24-25 C will be highlighted by sun for much of the day today and by Sunday the entire region will be seeing highs of 28 C with more sun. We can expect to see some cloud cover...
Teachers set for third week of rotating strikes
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN — Teachers in B.C. are preparing for a third week of rotating strikes and they will also decide early next week whether they launch a full strike before the end of the school year. The B.C. Teachers’ Federation announced Thursday afternoon rotating strikes will take place Tuesday through Friday next week. In school districts...
Art show stripped from college walls goes up at local gallery
VERNON - A controversial art show pulled from the gallery at Okanagan College in Vernon has a new space to continue the conversation. Local artist Ryan Robson’s evocative female portraits, which were deemed too disturbing for the walls of the college, will be displayed at Gallery Vertigo until the end of the month. The paintings...
Vernon man sues Aeroplan over cancellation of points
KELOWNA – An Vernon man claiming thousands of dollars in damages as a result of a consumer loyalty program that cancelled his points, will have to wait for another lawsuit to be settled before his case can be heard. John David Romanchuk alleges Aeroplan, a program where members accumulate points for making purchases, unilaterally cancelled...
Vernon’s fire service not saving much money, yet
VERNON - While the City of Vernon and its firefighters union spar over appropriate service levels and financial resources, a quick comparison to similar-sized cities shows it's likely too early to tell if Vernon’s new firefighting model will make a dent in the budget. Vernon sends two firefighters, instead of the conventional four-person crew, to...
Powerful storm felt across the city
VERNON - Cleanup and repairs are underway today following a major storm Tuesday afternoon in Vernon. According to Environment Canada, 12 mm of precipitation fell that day. Locals certainly felt it as they drove through gushing water, noticed lifting asphalt on the street, and watched basements flood. Tanya Laing Gahr, with the City of Vernon,...
UPDATE: Okanagan man dies in Vernon accident
VERNON - An Okanagan man is dead after a fatal accident on Highway 97 near Birnie Road. RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says the man was driving a Subaru and veered into an oncoming truck around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. He died at the scene. A driver and passenger of the truck were taken to hospital with...
WIND WARNING ENDED: Squall was expected to bring strong winds
UPDATE: The wind warning has been rescinded. THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Much of the Southern Interior will be under a wind warning later today with expected wind gusts of up to 90 km/h for Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton and 80 km/h for Kamloops as a squall line crosses into the region. Environment Canada issued a special weather...
Looks like it’s going to be a big year for excessive speeding
VERNON - Police have nabbed almost as many excessive speeders in the past six months as they did in all of last year. RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says 22 drivers have been caught speeding excessively in the North Okanagan so far this year, compared to a total of 25 in 2013. “B.C.'s speeding law compels...
Vernon hospital construction set to launch this week
VERNON - A multi-million dollar construction project to finish the top two floors of Vernon Jubilee Hospital’s Polson Tower is set to begin Wednesday. There will be a ceremony at 11 a.m. Wednesday to mark the construction start. Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster will be in attendance. The price tag on the new inpatient unit is...
CN offers Okanagan railway to federal government
VERNON - Time has run out for interested parties to resume service on the section of rail between Vernon and Kelowna. Monday was the deadline for companies negotiating with Canadian National to buy the line, and CN spokesperson Warren Chandler says no deal was reached. “The time period has elapsed, now the 30-day window to...
Wildfire season expected to heat up
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - With just 13 wildfires reported in May it was a ‘pretty average’ spring month for B.C. Wildfire but the amount of rain that falls over the next month will play a big part in whether predictions of a heavy fire year are correct. Melissa Klassen with the Kamloops Fire Centre says of the...
Penticton teen arrested for carrying butcher’s cleaver, bat and hammer
VERNON - A Penticton teen was arrested Monday morning for the possession of weapons, including a butcher’s cleaver and a bat wrapped in electrical tape. A police officer noticed the teen and a second person walking around downtown Vernon near Safeway shortly after midnight while conducting a routine patrol of the area. The teen was...