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Charlotte Helston

Charlotte Helston

REPORTER Charlotte Helston grew up in Armstrong and after four years studying writing at the University of Victoria, she came back to do what she loves most: Connect with the community and bringing its stories to life. Covering Vernon for iNFOnews.ca has reinforced her belief in community. The people and the stories she encounters every day—at the courthouse, City Hall or on the street—show the big tales in a small town. If you have an opinion to share or a story you'd like covered, contact Charlotte at Charlotte Helston or call 250-309-5230. Charlotte Helston's Stories Twitter Facebook

  • Joined: January 01, 2023
  • Articles: 4097

First sponsored Syrian refugee arrives in Salmon Arm

SHUSWAP - They’ve got houses, furniture, dentists, backpacks and pretty much everything else a newcomer might need, and now a group of volunteers working to sponsor Syrian refugee families finally has its first arrival. A young man in his 20s arrived in Salmon Arm a couple of days ago, Salmon Arm Refugee Coalition member Brian...

Secret proposals exchanged over Vernon horse racing dispute

VERNON - Proposed resolutions over an ongoing legal dispute between the City of Vernon and the Okanagan Equestrian Society are on the table, but neither side is commenting on the details. The society’s lawyer, Ed Woolley, says proposals were exchanged this week and both parties are now considering their options. The legal dispute has been...

Why a break-in couldn’t have happened at a worse time for two single Vernon moms

VERNON - Kris Zacharuk is pushing her son into the arrivals gate of the Kelowna Airport in a wheelchair when her phone rings. It’s been tough lately to keep the phone bills covered, but she has to in case the doctors call about Christopher’s kidney transplant. It’s her 17-year-old daughter calling. The house Zacharuk shares...

Still confused about consent? Judge’s ruling on Coldstream sex assault might help

VERNON - A man has lost his appeal over a sexual assault that happened after a birthday party in Coldstream. According to a Jan. 6, 2016 judgment by Justice Martha Devlin, a group of people spent the evening drinking and going to a nightclub in Vernon in September 2011 to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Later,...

Why the government thinks someone intentionally blocked a culvert causing flood damage in the North Okanagan

VERNON - Plastic and wood debris found near a culvert after a devastating landslide in the North Okanagan in 2014 leads investigators to believe the flood was human caused, according to information obtained by iNFOnews.ca. Investigators with the Ministry of Forests announced in November 2015 they believed someone intentionally blocked a culvert, causing Dale Lake...

Expect to feel the squeeze as walk-in clinics close or cut back hours in Vernon

VERNON - Dwindling access to walk-in clinics in Vernon will lead to longer line-ups, and more people travelling outside their communities to see a doctor, says a Kelowna advocate for walk-ins. While the community is still absorbing the impending closure of the Vernon Family Doctor’s Walk-In Clinic, another blow came this week with news that...

Strain for medical care grows as Vernon walk-in clinic reduces to half-days

VERNON - Access to medical care continues to shrink in Vernon. Shortly after it was learned the Vernon Family Doctor’s Walk-In Clinic is closing down permanently, news has come that another walk-in clinic has drastically cut its hours. The Gartree Medical Clinic in the Vernon Square Mall has reduced its hours to 8 a.m. to...

Online contest puts Silver Star in North American spotlight

VERNON - The Star is getting some international attention for its cross country skiing. Silver Star Mountain Resort is in the running for a top 10 contest on USA Today for the best nordic resorts in North America. Three Olympians, Sadie Bjornsen, Holly Brooks and Sophie Caldwell were asked to nominate their favourite cross country...