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Dana Reynolds
Dana Reynolds is originally from Saskatchewan, but previous to Kamloops lived in Toronto for five years. She is well educated, obtaining her Masters of Arts from York University and Certificate of Broadcast Journalism from Seneca College. Dana has a passion for travel, having worked and studied in three foreign countries. She is a political junkie, especially as pertains the Middle East as she wrote her thesis on Muslim immigration into Europe. Dana is very excited to be in Kamloops and embark on a career in journalism with Info News.
Government of B.C. asks for public input on 2016 budget
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The province wants your say on the 2016 B.C. budget. Public hearings have been scheduled across the province, including Kelowna and Kamloops. Residents can attend the consultation or register starting September 1 to make a brief presentation. A conference call option will also be available for those unable to attend in person. Kelowna’s...
It’s bear season: how to keep yourself (and your dogs) safe
THOMPSON–OKANAGAN – If you haven't seen a bear in town, you just might soon. Provincial WildSafe B.C. Coordinator Frank Ritcey says the number of bear sightings was down considerably at the start of the season but have steadily climbed. Bears are becoming more visible because of the change in weather and their pre-hibernation activities. “When...
North Thompson hits level four drought rating
NORTH THOMPSON – As drought conditions persist and stream flows decrease around the province, the North Thompson region has joined the ranks of many others at a level four drought rating. Conditions in the region are still extremely dry even after the past weekend’s rainfall. Further declines in stream, lake and aquifer levels could lead...
Warnings about fentanyl-laced marijuana in the Southern Interior
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Fentanyl is being mixed with marijuana here in the Southern Interior, leading the…
Roots and Blues Festival takes over Salmon Arm this weekend
SALMON ARM - The Shuswap will be filled with the sounds of brass and bluegrass as the 'summer destination spot for fans and lovers of music' takes over Salmon Arm this weekend. Now in its 23rd year, the Roots and Blues Festival features an eclectic mix of music from Blues to Bluegrass, Celtic to Cuban...
Smoke over Southern Interior from Coastal Fire Centre
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Smoke drifting into the Southern Interior is likely coming from the 1,370-hectare Harrison Lake fire that has been burning for just over a week now. As of 4 p.m. the air quality health index was sitting at a low rating throughout the region but Melissa Klassen of B.C. Wildfire says the smoke rolling...
Violence prevention funding on the way for Hillside Centre
KAMLOOPS – It took several high profile assaults and meetings with the B.C. Nurses' Union, but the province is funding violence prevention initiatives at psychiatric facilities across B.C. The $2-million announcement, made today, Aug. 6 by Health Minister Terry Lake and B.C. Nurses’ Union President Gayle Duteil, will provide violence prevention action to four different...
Foam Fest leaving Silver Star, heading to Sun Peaks next year
SUN PEAKS – Based on the success of this season’s event, Foam Fest will return to the B.C. Interior, but the race will be at Sun Peaks for the next three years instead of Silver Star. This year the fun run, made up of five kilometres of obstacles, slip and slides and lots of foam,...
Drought level increased in South Thompson, three other areas of southern interior
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Extremely dry conditions and low stream flows have forced the province to raise the drought level in four areas of the southern Interior today. A Level 4 drought rating has been announced for the South Thompson, Similkameen, Kettle and Skagit areas, July 27. Further declines in stream, lake and aquifer levels could lead...
Preparing pets for fire evacuations
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – With forest fires encroaching ever closer to homes around the province, the B.C. SPCA is encouraging animal owners to re-evaluate their emergency pet preparedness. Wildfires can quickly lead to evacuation orders and states of emergency, forcing people to leave their homes as quickly as possible. “When you’re ordered to evacuate, you need to...
An exclusive sneak-peak into a unique home fit for a king
PRITCHARD – You have to go out of the way to find it, but nestled among the pastures and ranches of Pritchard is perhaps the most unique home in the area, if not the B.C. Interior. Scratch that, it’s not so much a home — it’s a castle. The 5,000 square foot stone and concrete...
Event aims to stamp out cancer by stomping on grapes
KELOWNA – Get your grape stomping gear ready, the Okanagan Stomp is ready to stomp grapes to help stamp out cancer. The Okanagan Stomp is a wine-themed, team participation event to help raise proceeds for the Canadian Cancer society. The event will take place Saturday, Sept. 19, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the...
Senate committee on terrorism makes Kamloops imam ‘an outsider’
KAMLOOPS – An imam at a mosque near Kamloops says a new senate committee report recommending screening of religious leaders to weed out extremist factions is blatant discrimination. Mazhar Mahmood, imam of the Ayesha Mosque just outside of Kamloops, says he feels unfairly targetted and alienated by his own government. “Personally, I feel like an...
Why a playwright chose Kanao Inouye — the Kamloops Kid — as his muse
ONE OF ONLY TWO CANADIANS HANGED FOR TREASON KAMLOOPS – His name is Kanao Inouye. He was only the second, and currently the last Canadian ever tried and hanged for treason. He was a first generation Canadian, born and raised in Kamloops to Japanese parents. He returned as an adult to Japan to study, but...
Summerland power outage to last until at least 2 p.m.
SUMMERLAND - A power outage has been affecting the majority of Summerland residents since earlier this morning and Fortis B.C. says it will be at least 2 p.m. before power is restored. Fortis B.C. says crews are busy on site and were inspecting a problem with a transformer on the feed to the city. Interior...
Million-dollar Kamloops home comes complete with trip to Italy
KAMLOOPS – Think you have to choose between the house, the once-in-a-lifetime trip and a fully-stocked wine cellar? Not with this Sun Rivers house. The sale of 3014 Visao Ct. comes complete with a trip to Italy and a cellar stocked full of wine. It's part of Upcountry Developments’ formal launch and director of design...
Smoky skies advisory issued for entire Thompson-Okanagan region
THOMPSON OKANAGAN – If the visible smoke in the sky wasn't enough to warn you, a smoky skies advisory has now been issued for a large portion of the Southern Interior. The Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with the Interior Health Authority, has issued a smoky skies advisory for the Thompson, Shuswap, Nicola, Fraser Canyon,...
Hikers missing for seven days in the backcountry tell their story
KEREMEOS – An Ontario couple who went missing in the Similkameen Valley southwest of Keremeos late last month have have decided to share their experience. Rick Moynan and Lynne Carmody were first declared missing by staff at Cathedral Lakes Lodge when they did not return from hiking by supper time, Monday, June 22. What followed...
Another Rockets’ coach heading to the NHL
KELOWNA – Kelowna Rockets head coach Dan Lambert has resigned his position to become an assistant coach with the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres. Only head coach for a year, Lambert led the Rockets to the 2015 MasterCard Memorial Cup and Western Hockey League Championship this past season. “This was a decision that was very...
Cooking with backyard flowers
'I DIDN'T KNOW I COULD EAT THAT' KAMLOOPS – There is more to eat in your backyard garden than just vegetables. Elaine Sedgman, of the Thompson Shuswap Master Gardeners Association of B.C., loves cooking with flowers because not only does it make food aesthetically pleasing but it’s experimental. “When I have my grandkids here we...
The weather record breaker that was June
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – If it felt like weather dominated the headlines throughout June, that’s because if it wasn’t dropping a month’s worth of rain in a day, we were shattering high temperature records around the region. Lisa Coldwells, an Environment Canada meteorologist, says despite the heavy rains that bookended the beginning and end of the month,...
Weekend of fires fuelled by lightning
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – There were 35 fire starts this weekend in the Kamloops Fire Centre alone. Of those, 22 were caused by lightning, but the remaining 13 were believed to be human-caused. Penticton was the hottest fire zone in the region with 19 of the 35 starts this weekend, but Fire Information Officer Kelsey Winter says...
Gottfriedson elected B.C. regional chief
KAMLOOPS – Shane Gottfriedson is B.C.’s new regional chief. Gottfriedson announced a couple months ago he would not seek re-election as head of Tk'emlups te Secwepemc so that he could run for the provincial leadership role. The election took place in Vancouver this morning, June 25, and according to Don Bain of the Union of B.C....
UPDATE: Firefighters gain ground on Lytton wildfire
UPDATED 10:11 A.M., JUNE 13 LYTTON – The wildfire burning across the Fraser River from Lytton is now 20 per cent contained and there wasn’t any significant growth on the huge blaze overnight. B.C. Wildfire Management says the fire is now 1,270 hectares in size today, June 14, down slightly from the 1,280 ha mapped...