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Vernon parking meter thief caught in the act

VERNON - A man suspected of breaking into over 100 parking meters has been caught. Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy says in a statement a 34-year-old man was arrested breaking into a parking meter on Centennial Drive on Friday, Dec. 4 at around 1 a.m. “To date, approximately 113 parking meters have been broken into in the...

Lots of official eyes on downtown Kelowna streets

KELOWNA - Having eyes on the street is one of the keys to safe city streets, according to the downtown plan, and Kelowna’s urban core now has quite a few with more coming. The primary eyes are Kelowna RCMP, followed by the City of Kelowna bylaw officers, transit security, the downtown ambassadors and private security...

Homeless camps still a reality in Vernon parks

VERNON - With nowhere else to turn, members of the homeless community continue to sleep in public parks in Vernon.  A census done in October found six active homeless camps in the city, executive director for the Social Planning Council of the North Okanagan Annette Sharkey says. “That is up from previous counts, but not...

Splatsin First Nation launches lawsuit against B.C. government

ENDERBY - A local First Nation has filed a lawsuit against the B.C. government accusing it of ignoring the band's jurisdiction over the welfare of its children.  The Splatsin First Nation in Enderby served the province a notice of claim during a rally outside Premier Christy Clark’s constituency office in Kelowna Tuesday, Oct. 13. The...

Pet pig flies in Vernon; councillor asks what’s next?

VERNON - It was an unusual case that some city councillors fear might not be so uncommon any more. A Vernon family desperate to keep their pet pig Felix pleaded with city council for an exception to a bylaw prohibiting swine on city property — unless on designated farm land — and got their wish...

No busting the Kelowna buskers: Play on, city says

SECURITY MADE ERROR TELLING YOUNG MAN TO MOVE ON FROM PIANO IN THE PARK KELOWNA - Maybe he just doesn’t like the piano. A young man playing the piano in Stuart Park was asked to move along on Canada Day after a security guard hired by the city to patrol the area came along and...

Regional District ambassadors to reward good dog owners

KELOWNA – Employees of the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, armed not with tickets but with treats, are in Kelowna again this summer to reward residents who are responsible dog owners. Communications officer Bruce Smith says the ambassador program was so successful last summer they’ve decided to bring the program back. The two ambassadors,...

Naked Kelowna cyclists plan to ride with respect

KELOWNA - Responding to rumours of possible interference in their event, and concerns about conflict with the Fat Cat Children’s Festival, organizers of Nake Bike Ride Kelowna say they will respond with civil obedience. “If police or bylaw were to show up, if they demand we cover up, we will comply. We’re not there to...

What do drones, e-cigarettes and geocaches have in common?

KELOWNA - Flying drones, e-cigarettes and geocaches are all soon to be targetted in Kelowna’s updated parks bylaw. “Things change, new issues emerge,” says parks supervisor Ian Wilson, who will present the proposed changes to city council on Monday, March 23. E-cigarettes will be banned in all public parks under the revamped bylaw. Wilson says...

West Kelowna takes aim at medical marijuana dispensaries

WEST KELOWNA - Enquiries about setting up a medical marijuana dispensary on the Westside have prompted the district to close what they describe as a loophole in their business licensing bylaw. “We are adding a sentence into the bylaw that essentially says a business must be in compliance with both the Criminal Code and the...

Why the City of Kelowna wants your dog on a leash

KELOWNA - The warm weather means more residents and their dogs are out enjoying the outdoors, and in some cases, that's leading to conflicts with wildlife. The City of Kelowna issued a press release Thursday afternoon asking dog walkers to help ensure wildlife can enjoy the nice weather too. Park Services was recently notified of...

Council signs off on election restrictions

KELOWNA – A bylaw passed by councillors Monday caps the number of election signs you can legally display on your property. Effective immediately, no private or public places can display more than two signs for any single candidate. According to Karen Needham, the changes have been made as a result of concerns raised by council...

HAZMAT called to contain chlorine leak

KELOWNA - The HAZMAT team was called to the Rutland Water Works pump Friday morning for a reported chlorine leak though evacuation of the area was not required. The Kelowna Fire Department received the call at 10:29 a.m. and when the team arrived they discovered a regulator malfunction on a 150 pound bottle of chlorine...

All signs point to pet poop problem in public parks

KELOWNA - Poop has long been a source of endless humour with kids, now a new sign strategy by the RDCO is attempting to make it funny for adults as well. Rather than warning about fines, the doggy doo-not plan uses friendly reminders to educate pet owners and encourage responsibility. Communications officer Bruce Smith says...