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Kamloops
Merritt woman searching for long lost sister born in Kamloops
KAMLOOPS - Terri Beckett grew up always having cousins she could play with — the same people her two daughters now refer to as aunts and uncles — but she always wanted a sibling. When she was 15 she found out her mother did actually have another child, her baby sister, but had given her up...
Kamloops business owner falls prey to fake B.C. Hydro call
KAMLOOPS - A local business owner says his mother fell prey to a sophisticated phone scam working its way through the Interior. Min Vo owns a nail salon in Sahali and says his mother received a alarming phone call which caused her to panic on Monday, Nov. 2. “They contacted her and were claiming to...
Flu shot season in the Southern Interior
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - With the peak of flu season just a few weeks away, Health Canada has started its yearly vaccination program. Although last year’s flu vaccine wasn’t particularly effective, Interior Health medical officer Kamran Golmohammadi says, this year’s vaccine cocktail will target the more severe of the two types of viruses – Type A. Every...
Jury convicts Kamloops man of manslaughter for arson that killed house guest
KAMLOOPS - A jury has found David Peter Gordon, a man accused of setting a fire which killed a woman sleeping in his home, guilty on one count of manslaughter and two counts of arson. The decision came shortly after 11 a.m. today, Nov. 3, after less than a day of deliberations. After a night...
Watch for Taurids fireballs, northern lights over the Southern Interior this week
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The Taurid meteor shower is one of the longer meteor showers, running from September through December every year, but this year it could be more active than usual with the possibility of fireballs tearing through the sky later this week. The Taurid meteor shower only produces about five to 10 meteors per hours...
Merritt woman claims razorblades included in grandson’s Halloween haul
MERRITT - Mounties in Merritt are reminding parents to check their children’s trick or treat bags after a grandmother reported finding two razorblades amongst her 11-year-old grandson’s candy Halloween night. Const. Tracy Dunsmore with the Merritt RCMP says the grandmother reported the incident today, Nov. 2 and doesn’t have a clue what area of town...
UPDATE: Kamloops RCMP investigate reported needle in Halloween candy, mom faces criticism online
KAMLOOPS - RCMP are investigating a report by a Kamloops parent about finding a needle in a piece of candy their child collected while trick or treating Saturday night, Oct. 31. Cpl. Cheryl Bush says in a media release, the treat came from a residence in the Brocklehurst neighbourhood. “A parent reported they had found...
Keeping safe on Halloween night
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The first thing that comes to mind on Halloween is safety, at least for parents. Kids are only thinking about the candy and costumes, but there are ways to help keep them safe on Halloween night, even if it’s the last thing on their minds. Always make sure young children are accompanied by...
Kamloops band in finals for Peak Performance Project
KAMLOOPS - A Kamloops band might just be on the brink of stardom and a serious cash prize. The top three artists from B.C.’s PEAK Performance Project were announced yesterday, Oct. 29, and include Van Damsel; a Kamloops indie-pop band. The winner will be announced at the finale concert on Nov. 19 at the Commodore...
More than 10,000 people want B.C. to stop the time change
KAMLOOPS - The petition to stop Daylight Saving Time has surpassed it’s goal of 10,000 signatures, meaning the provincial government is mandated to review it. Former Kamloops Chamber of Commerce president Bob Dieno and his friend Tara Holmes began the petition and Facebook page on Monday and by 3:50 p.m. Oct. 30, the petition reached 11,000 signatures....
B.C. has highest rate of illegal cigarettes in Western Canada, study finds
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - As the province with the most contraband cigarettes in Western Canada, the amount of illegal tobacco in B.C. remains steadily high. The statistics come from the latest study commissioned by the Western Convenience Stores Association. In September researchers collected discarded cigarettes at various locations throughout the province to determine which were illegally purchased....
Time appears right for petition to dump daylight saving time
KAMLOOPS - It’s been a couple days since Bob Dieno and Tara Holmes created a petition and Facebook page asking the B.C. government to consider doing away with daylight saving time and they are getting strong support from many in the province. The petition ‘stop the time change in British Columbia’ received hundreds of signatures...
Poppy campaign kicks off this week
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - This year’s poppy campaign is expected to be underway this Friday, Oct. 30. Poppies will be available at all Legion offices and members will have them available at locations throughout the city. Funds from the poppies contribute to veterans, their families and others in need of assistance in the community. The long-standing tradition...
Trial for two youths in Salmon Arm shooting death expected next year
KAMLOOPS - The trial for a man and woman accused of gunning down a man in a Salmon Arm school yard won’t take place until next spring. Names of both accused charged with first-degree murder cannot be revealed as they were both youths at the time of the alleged offence. Their names are protected under...
Conservation officers save baby bobcat in Osoyoos
KAMLOOPS - An orphaned bobcat kitten got another chance at life after being rescued by conservation officers this summer. Officers found the kitten orphaned near Osoyoos in July and with the help of the public were able to capture it. The kitten was then transferred to the B.C. Wildlife Park in Kamloops for rehabilitation. The...
Kamloops man rallies to get Daylight Saving Time dropped in B.C.
KAMLOOPS - A local man wants the province to stop turning clocks back in favour of remaining on one standard time year-round. Former Kamloops Chamber of Commerce president and local business owner Bob Dieno no longer wants to spring forward or fall back and has created a petition to call on the province to consider...
Local ski hills are growing white
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - While some of us are still holding on to the last strings of warmer weather, those looking forward to skiing and snowboarding will be happy to know the snow is falling at area ski hills. All three of the big ski hills in the area — Sun Peaks, Silver Star Mountain and Big...
Everything you wish you didn’t need to know about rats in the Thompson-Okanagan
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Just a few years ago, Thompson-Okanagan residents didn’t have to worry about rats invading attic spaces or chewing up electrical wires, simply because the rodent was a rarity in these parts. That's all changed. Steve Ball owns BugMaster Pest Control, which services the North, Central and South Okanagan, and he says rat complaints...
How to keep your jack o’ lantern from rotting
KELOWNA – An unusually warm summer may have been nothing but a help to most farmers in the Okanagan but it’s forced pumpkin farmers to take steps to ensure customers get products that aren’t mushy and spoiled. Jas Sanghera is the owner of Don-O-Ray Vegetables on Benvoulin Road. He says the unusual weather this year...
Undercover conservation officers stumble upon butcher near Kamloops selling wild game
KAMLOOPS — When undercover conservation officers approached a Savona butcher to inquire about a man selling wild game meat, he told them to buy from him instead, making himself a new target for investigation along with their original suspect. Stuart Malcom Stephenson, 53, pleaded guilty to trafficking wildlife under the Wildlife Act and received a...
VIDEO: Local mountain bikers hits the hills of Utah for stunning night ride
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - It was a night ride like no other, and it’s all captured on video to showcase the world in light and colour. Kamloops natives and professional mountain bikers Graham Agassiz, Matty Miles and Matt Hunter take us through the hills of Utah at night in Darklight. Special lights are used on the bikes...
Three patients remain in hospital after violent attack near Lillooet
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Three of the original 11 people who were admitted to Interior Health hospitals after an attack at the Bridge River Indian Band office near Lillooet remain under medical care. “One patient is in serious but stable condition and two are stable and beginning their recovery,” Tracy Watson of Interior Health says. The patients...
Meteor shower peaks over the Southern Interior this week
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If clouds part enough tonight you may be able to get a glimpse of the Orionid meteor shower as it peaks early Thursday morning. The Orionid meteor shower, which is formed from the debris of Halley’s comet, is known for producing bright and quick meteors. This meteor shower runs throughout October and into...
Voter turnout jumps in Thompson-Okanagan ridings
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Voter turnout numbers in the 42nd federal election jumped to more than 70 per cent throughout the region, just above the national average and well ahead of 2011 turnout. In the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo riding, where Conservative Cathy McLeod was re-elected, voter turnout jumped to 74.07 per cent this election, up significantly from the 63.3...