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Kelowna news
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...
Memories stolen in Mission Creek Park theft
KELOWNA – When Amber Coyle would visit her dad at the extended care home where he spent his final years, she’d always look through his wallet. “He had all of my school pictures from Kindergarten through Grade 12 in there," she says. "He also had pictures of my mom and my sister and I so...
Possible arson at Gatzke farm
LAKE COUNTRY – The owners of Gatzke Orchards are hoping someone knows how a suspicious fire started on their property Monday night. According to a post on their Facebook page, the fire started on the south end of the property on May 11 but was noticed before it could spread out of control. “Feeling a...
About the recent spike in moose sightings in Kelowna…
KELOWNA – Two separate moose encounters in Kelowna have made the news in the last couple weeks, and several more sightings have been reported to WildSafe B.C. during that time, but is the number of moose sightings this year any different from last? Conservation B.C. spokesperson Barb Leslie says it isn't. According to her, ten...
Accepting gifts a potential minefield for city councillors
KELOWNA - When is it acceptable for a Kelowna city councillor to accept a gift and when is it not? That is the question city staff are currently looking to clarify. “We had a conversation about what constitutes a gift and what doesn’t and what the disclosure requirements are,” city clerk Stephen Fleming says. Rules...
Kelowna man dies days before life-saving surgery
KELOWNA – Friends and family of a young man from Kelowna are in mourning today after Joel Roshinsky, 20, passed away in Ottawa while awaiting surgery this week. Roshinsky suffered from Graves’ disease as well as a host of associated illnesses. He was admitted to Kelowna General Hospital in January last year after an eye infection led...
Fire in bark mulch prompts staff evacuation at Glenmore school
KELOWNA - A fire in a bark mulch pile a few feet away from L’Ecole Glenmore Elementary school this afternoon, just after the students had left for the day, still caused enough concern for staff to evacuate the building. “Staff here at the school had put it out before we got here,” incident commander Capt....
New name and price approved for Memorial Parkade
KELOWNA - Despite a jump in final price to more than $19 million for the Memorial Parkade, Kelowna city councillors had little say about the increase. Instead, what little debate councillors had was centred around the aesthetics of the 6.5-storey structure, slated to begin construction this summer in time for completion next summer. Coun. Luke...
Breastfeeding moms could prevail in West Kelowna
WEST KELOWNA - Breastfeeding is a right protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom and according to a report from staff, District of West Kelowna staff should be trained in to recognize this — to do anything else is sex discrimination. The staff report recommends West Kelowna get behind a request originally made...
Power outage planned for part of Kelowna
KELOWNA - Fortis customers in the central city area of Kelowna can expect a planned power outage tomorrow morning. Fortis B.C. is advising customers they will be shutting off power from 4 to 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 13, for emergency repairs. The affected area is primarily between Richter Street and Ethel Street from Sutherland Avenue...
Serious assault in Kelowna puts Armstrong teen in hospital
KELOWNA – A weekend assault in Kelowna has left a teenager from Armstrong in hospital in serious condition. The 18-year-old boy was rushed to hospital at about 9:36 p.m., Saturday, May 9, after he was hit in the head with a blunt object during a fight between two groups of people in Rutland’s Davie Park....
Firefighters called to garage fire at Kelowna townhouse
KELOWNA - Kelowna firefighters are on the scene of a garage fire at a townhouse complex in Glenmore this afternoon. Fire crews were called to unit 119 at 133 Wyndham Cres. at about 2:22 p.m., May 11. Platoon captain Steve Wallick says the fire was contained to the garage but the cause has not yet...
Mother’s Day moose on the loose in Rutland
KELOWNA – A Mother’s Day surprise when a young moose took a stroll through a busy Kelowna neighbourhood on Sunday. Amy Eder was loading her family into the car to go for Mother’s Day breakfast around 8 a.m., May 10, when she saw something big and hairy walking down the road in Rutland. “It was...
City of Kelowna chooses contractor for new cop shop
KELOWNA - The city has chosen Bird Design-Build Construction as the primary contractor for the new RCMP police services building to be built at Clement Avenue and Richter Street in Kelowna. The contract is valued at $39 million and calls for the Calgary-based construction company to shepherd the specialized police services building through the planning...
UPDATE: Little Big Town cancels Kelowna stop
KELOWNA – Bad news for fans hoping to see Grammy award-winning country foursome Little Big Town live in Kelowna, the band announced today, June 2, the Kelowna stop has been cancelled. "Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Pain Killer Tour had to be rerouted and unfortunately the Kelowna date had to be removed from the schedule. We...
Cost of new downtown Kelowna parkade on the rise
KELOWNA - The number of parking stalls planned for the city’s latest downtown parkade has jumped but so has the price tag. In a report to council, director of infrastructure Allan Newcombe says capacity of the new parkade will jump from 438 stalls under the original proposal to 566 stalls. The original budget of $15.83...
WHL PLAYOFFS: Rockets down Wheat Kings for 2-0 series lead
BRANDON - The Kelowna Rockets defeated the Brandon Wheat Kings 5-3 on Saturday night in Brandon, taking a two-games-to-nothing lead in the WHL Championship with the series heading back to Kelowna. Nick Merkley scored a beautiful short-handed goal midway through the third period to snap a 3-3 tie and send the Rockets onto the win,...
Intersecting trends making mead a sales phenom
KELOWNA - So is it the current Viking craze, Game of Thrones mania or just plain old hipsters that have thrust the ancient beverage mead back into the modern world? Judie Barta isn’t exactly sure but what she does know is that she can barely keep up with demand for the honey wine she makes...
UBCO student seeks Miss Canada crown
KELOWNA – A UBC Okanagan engineering graduate wants the world to know we need more female engineers. So she’s entering the Miss Canada pageant. Ena Vehabovic, 22, is one of the very few female fourth-year engineering students at UBC’s Okanagan campus. In a graduating class of 150, only 22 are women so she’s taking her...
Okanagan Basin Water Board demands more action on invasive mussels
OKANAGAN - The Okanagan Basin Water Board is calling on the provincial government to step up the fight against invasive quagga and zebra mussels by establishing permanent inspection stations at the five main highway entrances from Alberta. As well, in a seven-point position paper, the water board is calling on the federal government to immediately...
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...
Lots and plots predicted to be hot commodity at Kelowna Cemetery
KELOWNA - A consultant has identified one particular housing market segment in Kelowna where demand is only going to go up and where the city can eventually make some serious money — cremation lots and burial plots. Current inventory at the city-owned Kelowna Memorial Park cemetery is predicted to run out within eight years. The...
UPDATE: Kelowna teen located
UPDATE: 10:56 A.M., MAY 25, 2015 RCMP say Raven Graham has been located. 3:32 P.M., MAY 8, 2015 KELOWNA – A 17-year-old girl from Kelowna who police say went missing April 14 may in fact be in Alberta. RCMP issued a media release Tuesday, May 5, asking for the public’s help locating Raven Graham, but according...
UPDATE: Legion president injured in Highway 97 crash
KELOWNA – A car crash on Highway 97 near Old Vernon Road in Kelowna this morning seriously injured three people, including two members of the Royal Canadian Legion. Branch 26 president Syd Pratt and member Frank Truman were on their way to a Flag Day event at the Lakeview Memorial Cemetery, Lynda Wachter the Legion's manager...