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Kamloops news
Location picked for giant Slip ‘n Slide in Kamloops
KAMLOOPS – Another step has been taken toward the plan to bring a huge Slip 'n Slide to Kamloops this summer. Slide the City, a U.S. company which tours their giant sections of vinyl to cities across North America, has posted a location for the July event on its website. The giant section of plastic...
WASELENKOFF ACQUITTED: Why police sometimes fail to get fingerprints
KAMLOOPS — When he acquitted a retired Kamloops school teacher of possession of child pornography, a Kamloops Supreme Court justice said the Crown provided no direct link between Jerry Waselenkoff and a stack of compact discs stashed in the floorboards below his apartment. Police managed to get fingerprints off the CDs but unlike typical crime...
Premier asks you to burn responsibly this May long weekend
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – In light of the unseasonably hot and dry conditions throughout the province, Premier Christy Clark is asking residents to be extra cautious this long weekend. "Every summer, the risk of fire increases. With many parts of the province facing unseasonably warm and dry weather, that risk increases even more — putting people's homes...
WASELENKOFF TRIAL: Retired teacher not guilty of possessing child porn
KAMLOOPS - While a Kamloops Supreme Court Justice acknowledged the testimony of a retired teacher was "carefully woven" in his trial for possession of child pornography, he delivered an acquittal today, May 14. Jerry Waselenkoff was charged with one count of possessing child porn after a downstairs neighbour, Frans Van Der Woning, located four cases...
Your low-down on the May long weekend weather
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Environment Canada is calling for some pretty spectacular weather this May long weekend. Across the Thompson-Okanagan there will be sunny skies for much of the weekend, with highs getting up to 26 Celcius. Those in Vernon can expect sunshine and a high of 26 C on Saturday, followed by a reprieve from the...
What you should know about this delicious, and potentially poisonous, local delicacy
VERNON - You might have seen the bright, vibrantly green curlicues in classified ads or at the local grocery store recently and wondered what they are and where they come from. They’re called fiddleheads, and they’re found around the world, including the Thompson-Okanagan, for a few short weeks every spring. Those who have tried the...
Electoral boundary changes go to public hearing in Kamloops, Vernon
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Changes are being recommended in many electoral areas across the province and this week you can get your say in on those changes at three meetings throughout the region. The B.C. Electoral Boundaries Commission held public hearings in the fall and earlier this year a report outlining the recommended changes was released. In...
WASELENKOFF TRIAL UPDATE: Accused challenges neighbour’s accusations
KAMLOOPS - The relationship between a man charged with possessing child pornography and a neighbour who testified against him was far different than what court heard, according to the accused. Retired teacher Jerry Waselenkoff took the stand as a defence witness Tuesday, May 12 to say he and his neighbour Frans Van Der Woning had...
UPDATE: Kamloops teen located
UPDATE: 3:28 P.M., MAY 12, 2015 RCMP say 15-year-old Kyla Spijksma has been located and is safe. 11:06 A.M., MAY 12, 2015 KAMLOOPS - Police are asking for help locating a teen last seen by her family Monday evening. Kamloops RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Cheryl Bush says Kyla Spijksma, 15, was last seen by her family...
Retired conservation officer speaks out about the realities of a service stretched too thin
“YOU CAME TO WORK EVERY DAY KNOWING YOU COULD NOT FULFILL EVERY PHONE CALL AND REPORTED COMPLAINT” KELOWNA - Retired B.C. conservation officer Greg Hoyer went into the field to protect fisheries and wildlife; by the time he left in 2009 that was only a fraction of his job. “Over the years, the government just...
New wildfire recruits put through paces
MERRITT - More than 200 seasonal firefighter applicants have made the cut and this month they are being put through a ‘rigorous’ bootcamp near Merritt. About 1,000 people, many of which are post-secondary students, apply for the positions every year. Provincial Fire Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek says the job is "very in demand" and the...
Summer watering restrictions likely as province records average lowest snowpack levels in 31 years
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The lastest snowpack measurements from the provincial government’s river forecast centre are showing record low levels in some areas including the Okanagan and Similkameen regions. Without substantial rain in the next couple of months, reservoirs across the region will also be lower than normal, likely leading to water use restrictions in many communities...
New pet registry promotes microchip implants
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The SPCA is promoting a new province-wide pet identification registry where animals with microchip implants can have their information stored in a centralized database. "We’ve created a first for British Columbia — a centralized database for pets who receive permanent identification at any B.C. SPCA shelter, veterinarian or microchip clinic across the province,”...
Union takes fight for hospital laundry services to the street
KELOWNA - Hospital Employees Union members took to the streets outside Kelowna General Hospital today to push for the Interior Health Authority to reconsider a plan to privatize laundry services. “These are workers that perform a very important health care service, they ensure that operating rooms are stocked with clean linens. Here at KGH 17,000...
Special occasion liquor licences now available online
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A program by the provincial government to make it easier to get a special occasion liquor licence has been opened up to the Southern Interior. The licences are now available online in the Thompson-Okanagan. The B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch began a pilot program in the Lower Mainland in early February and has now opened...
VIDEO: 20,000 young fish pumped into lake
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Moving more than 20,000 young fish from a hatchery into a lake isn't easy, unless you have the right tools for the job. On Sunday, May 3, Go Fish B.C., a nonprofit program organized by the Freshwater Fisheries Society of Canada, released a behind-the-scenes video of the restocking of rainbow trout in Paul Lake...
Meteors to shower the Southern Interior sky this week
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A nearly full moon may play havoc with the Aquarids Meteor Shower as it peaks this week but there is still a chance to see some of the brightest meteors if you can find a patch of clear sky and are patient. The product of dust particles left behind by Halley’s Comet, the...
UPDATE: Body of missing man found in Adams Lake
CHASE – The body of a 57-year-old man who fell into Adams Lake while boating with his grandson in the middle of the night was located Sunday morning. RCMP say the Clearwater man and his 22-year-old grandson were in a 12-foot aluminum boat fishing at about 12:30 a.m., Saturday, May 2, when the wind blew...
Almost $50k raised at first Papa John’s Dreams for Kids Day
KELOWNA – The first ever Papa John’s Dreams for Kids Day raised more than $42,000 to help make dreams come true for kids with disabilities and life-threatening illnesses. Papa John’s took over the program from Wendy’s late last year. And yesterday, April 29, five participating restaurants in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Kamloops and Prince George raised...
Fire ants found in Naramata concern Kamloops researcher
PENTICTON – A Thompson Rivers University researcher wants to stop a newly-discovered invasive species from…
Expect to see smoke along the Coquihalla this week
KAMLOOPS - A series of small burns north of Merritt, off the Coquihalla Highway, will be conducted by Wildfire Management Branch personnel starting this week. The controlled burns will take place Thursday, April 30, and Tuesday, May 5, and are in preparation for a training course that will help students determine the origin and cause...
How to help the victims of the earthquake in Nepal
Over a thousand people are dead and tens of thousands of people are homeless after a powerful earthquake struck in Nepal on Saturday and officials warn the death toll will rise as more reports come in. The magnitude 7.8 quake originated outside the capital of Kathmandu. Within hours of the earthquake, emergency relief organizations sprung...
Salmon Arm man faces charges in fatal crash near Field
FIELD – A two-car crash on Highway 1 near the B.C.-Alberta border last night left a 37-year-old Calgary man dead and two others injured, including a Salmon Arm man who is also facing charges. RCMP say the crash happened at about 7:15 p.m., April 24, three kilometres east of Field. “At this time we believe...
Kelowna’s newest attraction will test your nerves and your teamwork
KELOWNA – The door locks behind you and the clock starts counting down. You are trapped in a dimly lit room and an eery soundtrack begins to play in the background. For the next 45 minutes you and your team search frantically for clues as you try to escape Kelowna's newest and perhaps most thrilling...