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Kelowna news

Kelowna water utility finally adopts watering restrictions

KELOWNA - There is still no compelling reason to introduce watering restrictions but the City of Kelowna water utility is doing it anyway. “It’s based on supporting the provincial drought response, it's political, there is no technical reason,” Adrian Weaden says. The water quality supervisor says the decision was made this week to heed the...

Kelowna to retain control over YLW until 2054

KELOWNA – The City of Kelowna will remain in charge of the Kelowna International Airport until 2054 thanks to a 20-year lease extension by the federal government. Until that time, Kelowna will remain responsible for management, operation and development of the largest airport in the B.C. Interior. Kelowna mayor Colin Basran says the extension is...

Lock it or lose it police say after spike in Okanagan bike thefts

38 BICYCLES RECOVERED KELOWNA - More than 230 bicycles have already been reported stolen in Kelowna this year and yours could be next if you aren't careful. Bike thefts are up 58 per cent over last year so far, and that’s just the thefts that have been reported, Kelowna RCMP Const. Steve Holmes says in a...

Fishing suspended along Middle Shuswap River

VERNON - Another body of water has been closed to fishing due to ongoing drought conditions in Southern B.C. Warm water temperatures and a low flow rate are two reasons why the provincial and federal governments decided to suspend angling in Middle Shuswap River from Mabel Lake to Shuswap Falls. The suspension will last from...

Winter storms close Kelowna’s busiest boat launch at the height of summer

KELOWNA - Stormy weather last winter has left behind a sandbar in Okanagan Lake big enough to shut down the city’s busiest boat launch. Located near the mouth of Mission Creek, the Cook Road boat launch will be closed for a week at the height of the summer boating season for dredging, park planning manager...

Burning operations planned for Westside Road wildfire

KELOWNA – People living in Shelter Cove and surrounding areas may notice increased smoke on the Westside Road wildfire starting today as a result of proactive burning operations. These burning operations will take place in a controlled environment within the fire’s perimeter to remove unburnt fuels from the area and decrease the chance of the fire breaching containment lines....

Retirement building evacuated because of toaster

WEST KELOWNA – A smoking toaster forced residents of a multi-unit retirement building out of their homes early Wednesday morning. West Kelowna Fire Rescue were called to the building on Brown Road just after 5 a.m. According to a release, fire crews located a toaster in a suite on the second floor that was the...

Formula 1 tunnel boat race team joins fight against mussel infestation

KELOWNA – The Okanagan Basin Water Board is teaming up with Formula 1 Tunnel Boat racer Mike McLellan to raise awareness for their Don’t Move a Mussel campaign. The announcement was made Tuesday, July 28, at the Water Street boat launch in downtown Kelowna. The Don’t Move A Mussel campaign is attempting to raise awareness...

Want quick attention to Fortis over-billing? Go to the media

WORKED FOR THIS GUY KELOWNA – Media attention got an almost immediate result for a local celebrity who went to the news with a $4,500 power bill for a cabin that wasn’t even there. Gary Fong, a world-famous photographer and inventor made headlines last week when he went public with a massive bill for his...

Brent’s Grist Mill heritage site deteriorating quickly

KELOWNA - What do you do when your heritage is crumbling faster than than you can review it? Brent's Grist Mill, one of the city’s premier heritage sites, is rapidly crumbling and cannot wait for council’s heritage review to be fixed, according to a consultant’s report. “So it’s a catch-22 scenario. If we don’t spend the...

Migrant workers still missing from Okanagan farm a month later

VERNON - Four migrant workers from Mexico have still not been found a month after an Okanagan farm owner reported the men missing. Huizar Soto Uriel, 37, Isaac Jimenez, 28, Juvenal Rios Binedo, 39, and Juan Manual Sanchez Gallegos, 30, entered Canada on June 16, 2015. On June 26 the foursome departed the farm where...

Westjet adds extra non-stop flight between Kelowna and Edmonton

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - People in the Southern Interior will soon have another option when it comes to choosing a flight to Edmonton. Calling it a vote of confidence in the Edmonton metro region, Westjet has announced increased non-stop service to the Prairie city from B.C. and Saskatchewan. Starting Dec. 15 Kelowna will see one extra flight...

Water back to normal following Westside Road fire

OKANAGAN - A water advisory for two community water systems on Westside Road has been lifted. Central Okanagan Regional District officials say the Killiney Beach and Westshore water systems are back to normal after consultations with the Interior Health Authority. The advisory covered more than 530 properties off Westside Road and was issued after power...

Kamloops jail ordered to flag inmates with a history of violence: WorkSafe B.C.

KAMLOOPS - WorkSafe B.C. ordered administrators at the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre to flag or identify violent offenders after an inspector discovered there wasn't a proper system in place to warn corrections officers of a potential assault. Inspector Vincent Strain prepared his report and order to create a new flagging system after an inmate assaulted...

5,700 Shania Twain tickets sell out in under five minutes

KELOWNA – Fans of Shania Twain will be disappointed to find out that tickets for her final show at Prospera Place on Oct. 27 sold out in less than five minutes last week. Twain’s performance this fall is the last stop on what she has announced will be her last tour. Rock This Country began...

Readers respond to #maninbluesuit

KELOWNA – An InfoNews story about a recent visit by Prime Minister to the Shelter Cove wildfire last Friday has ignited a debate about political photo ops and our decision to not name the Prime Minister during a brief visit last Thursday. The story, “Man in blue suit thanks firefighters,” was shared nation-wide and drew...

High-risk water pipe on Dilworth fast-tracked for replacement

KELOWNA - A dodgy water main, the only water link for dozens of homes on top of Dilworth Mountain in Kelowna, is being replaced before something more serious happens than a burst pipe. “We had a complete failure a couple of months ago and when we looked at the pipe, pulled it out of the...

Drought level increased in South Thompson, three other areas of southern interior

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Extremely dry conditions and low stream flows have forced the province to raise the drought level in four areas of the southern Interior today. A Level 4 drought rating has been announced for the South Thompson, Similkameen, Kettle and Skagit areas, July 27. Further declines in stream, lake and aquifer levels could lead...

Kelowna city councillors to decide on name for new police station

KELOWNA - The proposed name for the new City of Kelowna police services building is just that, City of Kelowna Police Services. Kelowna city council are being asked to approve the name for the new police station on Clement Avenue, or come up with an alternative. The city is seeking a higher profile on the new...

Taxi driver ticketed for speeding after rolling car near Parkinson Way

KELOWNA - A taxi driver was ticketed for speeding after he lost control of his car and rolled over on Highway 97 and Parkinson Way in Kelowna just before 6:30 p.m. July 26. The driver, a 35-year-old Vernon man, was the only occupant of the vehicle, which Cpl. Joe Duncan says lost traction in the...

Man run over by van after road-rage incident

KELOWNA – RCMP are looking for a hit-and-run suspect after a case of road rage escalated to violence on the weekend. At just after 6 p.m. on Friday, July 24, a Toyota Highlander was allegedly being tailgated by a white cube van travelling southbound on Glenmore Road. RCMP Cpl. Joe Duncan says the drivers "exchanged...

PHOTOS: Centre of Gravity 2015

KELOWNA – More than 20,000 people attended the 8th annual Centre of Gravity extreme sports and music festival in Kelowna over the weekend, but despite having the best lineup of talent of any previous year, rainy weather kept ticket sales down slightly. In past years they have sold out, however event organizer Scott Emslie said...

Coolest weekend of July over, sun and heat on the way for Okanagan

OKANAGAN - The weekend was much cooler than what we’ve seen so far this summer, but we will be back above seasonal normals by mid-week. With temperatures only reaching the low- to mid-20s Friday through Sunday it was one of the coolest weekends we’ve seen in the past couple of months. Temperatures did reach the...