Kelowna news
Papa John’s rescues Dreamlift
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN — Papa John's pizza outlets in Kelowna, West Kelowna and two in Kamloops have stepped up to revive the Sunshine Dreams for Kids program in the area after Wendy's outlets in the area pulled out earlier this year. Papa John's will continue the tradition of donating all proceeds and staff wages for one day...
Rockets lose to Seattle 2-1 Tuesday
The Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Kelowna Rockets 2-1 on Tuesday night in Seattle, snapping a five game Kelowna winning streak in the process. The T-Birds scored twice in the third period to come from behind for the win. Nick Merkley had the Rockets only goal on the night, scoring midway through the first period as...
Big White receives top honours from Ski Canada magazine
KELOWNA - It's been a great year so far for Big White Ski Resort, with a record snowfall, plenty of business and now, Ski Canada Magazine has ranked it among the top Canadian world-class ski destinations. "We collect anecdotes all year from readers, writers and ski industry types" Ski Canada Magazine editor Iain MacMillan said in...
Kelowna breaks warm weather record
KAMLOOPS – The spring-like weather continues for Kelowna with a record high temperature on Sunday, Feb. 8. The mercury rose to 11.7 C, smashing the old record of 6.6 C on the same day in 2008, according to Environment Canada’s website. To put things into perspective, the normal high for his time of year is...
Father thought he’d be celebrating her wedding, not her life
KELOWNA – In the parking lot of a large church in Rutland, friends and family of the young woman killed in a car accident last week watched as her remains were slowly driven down Highway 33 atop a Joe Rich Fire Rescue truck. Hundreds of people gathered on Saturday morning, Feb. 7, to remember Alexandra Paulina...
High fives, cheers and tears at Canadian chef contest
KELOWNA – It’s not your typical Okanagan dinner fare, but you’d expect nothing less from the nation’s top chefs as they competed in the Canadian Culinary Championships in Kelowna this weekend. The grand finale winning dish from chef Ryan O’Flynn from the Westin Hotel in Edmonton was a Terrine of pine smoked Alberta river sturgeon...
Lois Lane evicted, 108-year-old building to be torn down
KELOWNA – Shoppers prefer to come to Lois Lane Antique Warehouse on their days off since it takes a while to browse the crowded aisles. Here you can find everything from reclaimed furniture to antique telephones, toys and appliances. You can get a great deal on an old lamp from a long demolished hotel or...
Suspicious package placed by man trying to join Dragoons
KELOWNA - The man who placed a suspicious package that caused RCMP to shut down parts of Leon Ave. Wednesday morning was just trying to join the army, according to a captain of the B.C. Dragoons. Police had part of Leon Ave. blocked off after a laptop in a plastic bag was found under the...
Local flooding possible as El Nino-like weather melts lower snowpack
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – It doesn’t happen often, but a perfect alignment of the right conditions may cause some flooding in the Southern Interior. The warm Pacific air bombarding the region, thanks to the Pineapple Express, is creating above normal temperatures, which in turn are starting to melt the lower elevation snowpack. Add the still frozen ground...
RCMP arrest 13 people in drug trafficking investigation
KELOWNA - A drug trafficking investigation led to 13 arrests Friday morning but only five will face the judge. Kelowna RCMP showed up at what they say is a known problem residence in the 1300 block of Belaire Avenue with a search warrant, according to an RCMP media release. Mounties found cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and...
UPDATE: Oyama Road reopens following rock slide
LAKE COUNTRY – A stretch of Oyama Road closed since Thursday following a rock slide has reopened. The unstable slope was going to be the target of a rock scaling between Willett Road and Hebbert Road, but the slide beat Lake Country workers to the punch. “Crews worked hard Friday to clear the debris from...
Gangster and girlfriend busted in Lake Country
LAKE COUNTRY – The resurgence of an organized criminal gang in the Okanagan has been delivered a blow following the arrest of a long-time member of the Independent Soldiers and his girlfriend on gun and drug charges. As a result of an investigation by the RCMP Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, which began in early...
Kelowna grandmother turns tables on phone scammer
KELOWNA – A 90-year-old grandmother was the target of an organized scam designed to pressure her into wiring almost $2,000 to get her grandson out of jail. The grandmother, who asked to remain anononymous, says a man called her at 11:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6 and pretended to be her grandson. “I was already asleep,”...
Hundreds of concrete tobogganers set to slide into Kelowna
KELOWNA - First there was Led Zepplin and now concrete toboggans, though it's not a band name but a race between roughly 430 UBCO engineering students down a slope at Big White Ski Resort. UBC Okanagan’s School of Engineering hosts the 2015 Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race from January 21 to 25 in Kelowna—an event...
Counting Crows ‘Hanginaround’ Kelowna this spring
KELOWNA – Counting Crows will be stopping in Kelowna for a concert this spring as a part of the band’s world tour to support their new album Somewhere Under Wonderland. The band hasn’t toured Canada in over 15 years. “It’s about time we’re getting back to Canada,” lead singer Adam Duritz says in a media...