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Armstrong

No car seat, no ride for Armstrong mom and baby trying to board the bus

VERNON - A North Okanagan woman is sharing her experience after being told she couldn’t board a public transit bus without a car seat for her baby. Chelsey Dyer planned to take the Route 60 bus into Vernon from her Armstrong home last week to pick up her car, but wasn’t allowed on. “The driver...

Diamond ring found in Vernon Walmart glove returned to rightful owner

VERNON – A woman from Lake Country quickly bought a pair of gloves at the Walmart in Vernon as she and her daughter headed to the city’s Downtown Light Up event Friday evening, Nov. 27. When Tanya Krcmar put on the gloves, one of her fingers slipped through what she says felt like a ring....

Hot weather, wildfires and changes in agriculture mean less Okanagan honey in the pot

OKANAGAN - An abnormally hot and dry summer appears to have had an unwelcome impact on Okanagan honey production. Helen Kennedy, who runs Arlo’s Honey Farm in Kelowna with her husband Rick Appel, says the season started off with an unusually early honey flow in May, likely due to above average spring temperatures. A productive...

Trial postponed for Armstrong man facing animal cruelty charges

VERNON - The trial of a man accused of mistreating a large herd of horses in Armstrong has been postponed. Gary Roberts, 69, was scheduled to begin a three-day trial in Vernon Provincial Court Monday, Nov. 9 on charges of causing unnecessary pain or suffering to an animal, failing to provide necessities, and uttering threats...

Four years later: Armstrong family still organizing walk to remember murdered teen

ARMSTRONG - An annual walk in honour of murdered Armstrong teen Taylor Van Diest will be held on a different day this year in hopes of increasing turnout. “Participation is dwindling of course, but that’s to be expected,” Taylor’s mom Marie Van Diest says. “It would be nice to see a few more people turn...

Man accused in Armstrong woman’s death ordered to stand trial

VERNON - The man accused of killing an Armstrong mother of two has been ordered to stand trial. Logan Scott, 31, of Salmon Arm was charged with manslaughter and theft under $5,000 in August 2014, nine months after Jillian McKinty, 27, was found dead in her Armstrong home. Following a preliminary inquiry this week in...

Armstrong sets goal of bringing Syrian family out of crisis

ARMSTRONG - Efforts are underway to bring a Syrian refugee family to the North Okanagan. The initiative is still in the early stages, but organizer Ron Brinnen is hoping the community of Armstrong will get on board.  “The goal is to sponsor a family of four children and their parents and have them settle in...

Two Okanagan communities will host upcoming B.C. 55+ Games

OKANAGAN – Vernon and Kelowna have been selection to host upcoming B.C. 55+ Games. The 2017 games will be held in Vernon, supported by the Armstrong and Spallumcheen, and the 2019 games will be in Kelowna. Cranbrook and Kimberley in the East Kootenays will host the games in 2018. Vernon hosted the inaugural games in...

Candy apples, picnic tables and cows: A by-the-numbers count of all things IPE

ARMSTRONG - Ever wondered such things as how many volunteer hours go into the Armstrong fair, or how many mini-donuts get churned out during it? We’ve got the answers to your burning questions below. The numbers behind the five-day Interior Provincial Exhibition truly are staggering. A tremendous number of volunteers, animals and vendors make the...

Armstrong fair fun gets underway

ARMSTRONG - The Armstrong fair gets into full swing today. The 116th annual Interior Provincial Exhibition runs Wednesday, Sept. 2, to Sunday, Sept. 6. Rides, live music, farming displays, vendors and a variety of entertainment is all on hand for the highly anticipated end of summer event. This year’s theme — Udderly Awesome! Party till...

Log Barn signage gets the boot

SPALLUMCHEEN - A roadside attraction known for its wild and wacky signs has been told to tone it down. The Log Barn, located off Highway 97A just north of Armstrong, was ordered by the Township of Spallumcheen to remove close to 20 property signs in May 2015, and recently lost a bid to reinstall a...

Surprise gives Armstrong woman the ‘wedding of a lifetime’

THE WHOLE TOWN WAS BASICALLY IN ON IT ARMSTRONG - Joan Jong was sad to be missing the Saturday farmers market in Armstrong — even if it was because she was getting married. She’s been selling vegetables at the market, which her family helped establish many years ago, for practically her whole life.  But as...

Armstrong couple’s Instagram photos will make your jaw drop

ARMSTRONG - We guarantee you’ll be reaching for your hiking boots — and maybe your passport — after scrolling through this Armstrong couple’s Instagram photos. Kam Phung and Nanae Hoshi, from the small North Okanagan town of Armstrong, have been documenting their travels and outdoor adventures with a series of stunning Instagram photos from around...

Armstrong man’s story “did not ring true” in sexual assault trial: Judge

ARMSTRONG - What began as a cordial conversation between two strangers hiding out from the rain at an Armstrong church took a sinister turn when the man pinned the woman against a wall, sexually assaulted her, and threatened to strangle her if she resisted. The woman, in her early 20s, was scared and hesitant at...

Serious assault in Kelowna puts Armstrong teen in hospital

KELOWNA – A weekend assault in Kelowna has left a teenager from Armstrong in hospital in serious condition. The 18-year-old boy was rushed to hospital at about 9:36 p.m., Saturday, May 9, after he was hit in the head with a blunt object during a fight between two groups of people in Rutland’s Davie Park....

Windstorm slams BC interior knocking power out to 39,000

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – A major wind storm blew through the B.C. interior Saturday afternoon, March 14, knocking down trees and breaking branches which in turn hit hydro lines cutting the power to about 39,000. In the Thompson-Okanagan area just under 1,000 B.C. Hydro customers are still without power as of 1 p.m., Sunday, March 15 due...

These videos about small Thompson-Okanagan towns will make you proud to live here

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - From brewhouses to outdoor theatre companies, a number of small businesses in the Thompson-Okanagan are being celebrated in a six-part video series. It’s part of a project called Small Business, Big Culture that highlights select cities across B.C. and Alberta. Vernon, Armstrong and Kamloops made the cut, in addition to Medicine Hat, Lethbridge,...

Dad suspected of drunk driving crashed car with 8-year-old daughter as passenger

ARMSTRONG – A Kelowna man is facing an impaired charge after driving his car off the road just outside Armstrong on the weekend. His 8-year-old daughter was a passenger. RCMP were called to the car crash at about 4 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21 near the intersection of Swanson Mountain Road and Salmon River Road,...

Splatsin First Nation acquires portion of rail corridor

ENDERBY - There’s been a significant advancement on the discontinued rail corridor between Armstrong and Sicamous. Following lengthy negotiations with Canadian Pacific Rail and the federal government, the Splatsin First Nation has acquired 29.25 acres of land along the old rail corridor, which was shut down in 2009. Splatsin Chief Wayne ‘Wunuxtin’ Christian says the...

Charges laid in connection with death of Armstrong woman

ARMSTRONG - A Salmon Arm man has been charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of an Armstrong woman. Jillian McKinty, 27, was found deceased in her home on Wolfenden Terrace in Armstrong Nov. 27, 2013. She was a mother of two. “The circumstances surrounding Jillian’s death were suspicious in nature,” RCMP spokesperson Gord...