Vnsep1615

Trial coming to an end for former RCMP officer accused of downloading child porn
KELOWNA - A former RCMP officer accused of possessing child pornography will soon find out his fate. Closing arguments were made Wednesday, Sept. 16, in the Supreme Court trial of former RCMP officer Ryan David Hampton, who is accused by his wife of downloading child porn during a messy separation. Hampton pleaded not guilty to...

SNELSON TRIAL UPDATE: Kelowna killer sentenced; only 19 months left to serve
KAMLOOPS - It took two trials and nearly 22 years for the case and the jail doors to close on Jennifer Cusworth’s killer, but it will only be one year and seven months before his release. Neil George Snelson, 48, was sentenced to 11 years today, Sept. 16, in Kamloops Supreme Court. Since he was...

Bear complaints overwhelming Okanagan conservation officers
KAMLOOPS NUMBERS SLOW DOWN AFTER EARLY SPIKE THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Conservation officers in the North and South Okanagan regions are being swamped with bear complaints as the large animals begin to prepare for hibernation. While fall always sees an uptick in bear activity, conservation officer Jim Beck says this year is worse than normal. “It’s crazy...

Driver hopitalized after rolling car into bucket of a Bobcat
PENTICTON – A 26-year-old woman was taken to hospital Wednesday morning after she lost control of her car and rolled down an embankment into the bucket of a Bobcat. The cause of the crash at 1656 Holden Rd. is still being investigated and the medical status of the driver, the lone occupant, is not known....

Fishing reopens on drought-affected Okanagan rivers
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Fishermen can again drop a line in streams and rivers that were closed to angling this summer because of drought in Southern B.C. The natural resource ministry announced in a press release the reopening of fishing on the Kettle, West Kettle and Similkameen Rivers and their tributaries, the Middle Shuswap River and the main...
High bacteria levels prompt swimming advisory at Vernon’s Kal Beach
VERNON - That last swim of the summer might not feel so refreshing after you read this. An advisory is in effect recommending people not go swimming at Kal Beach due to high counts of E. coli in the water. Jennifer Jacobsen, a team leader for environmental health with the Interior Health Authority, says the...

Last day to book super cheap WestJet flights to London
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - WestJet has announced a super-low airfare to London, England with the cheeky slogan 'If that’s not cheap enough, you can always try mailing yourself.' Pricing for a non-stop flight from Vancouver to London’s Gatwick Airport starts at $299, one-way, with similar deals at select airports across Canada, including Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto and...

Vernon men charged with murder return to court
VERNON - A pair of local men accused in the murder of 42-year-old Jason Hardy were in Vernon Provincial Court again this week. Brandon Joseph Clayton Wellington, 18, and Tal Kalum La Riviere, 28, both face second degree murder charges in relation to Hardy’s death. A 14-year-old Greater Vernon boy, whose name is protected under...

Witnesses sought in crash that left Kelowna cyclist in coma
KELOWNA - RCMP are looking for witnesses in crash that left a Kelowna cyclist in a coma. Trevor Bohac, 42, was riding his bike eastbound on Robson Road West with his dog on Sept. 1 shortly after 4 p.m. when he was struck by a vehicle turning into a driveway. His leg was broken and...