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Kelowna news
That’s the spirit – Okanagan distiller wins international awards
OKANAGAN - Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery is celebrating a repeat win after being named distillery of the year for the second time at the 2015 World Spirits Awards in Dennmark. The distillery’s black currant liqueur beat out competition from 25 countries and 65 distilleries to take Spirit of the Year. Its Danish-style Aquavitus and Haskap...
This thief rips the rings right off your fingers
KELOWNA - RCMP believe there are more victims out there of a thief who poses as a jewellry buyer, then rips off the would-be seller. Several distraught victims have called 911 in recent days after man stole rings right off their fingers, Sgt. Brad Swecera says in a media release. The victims were asked to meet...
Former Dragon to speak at Chamber AGM
KELOWNA – You won’t want to pass on this deal. Okanagan business tycoon and philanthropist W. Brett Wilson who gained fame during his stint on The Dragon’s Den will be speaking at the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting in Kelowna this April. Wilson, who owns several businesses in the valley, will share stories...
Seattle Thunderbirds score for the win in overtime against Kelowna Rockets
KELOWNA - The Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Kelowna Rockets 3-2 in overtime on Wednesday night at Prospera Place. Lane Pederson scored the winning goal three minutes into overtime to give Seattle the win, after Kelowna had battled back from two one-goal deficits. The loss dropped the Rockets record to 51-13-5-1 on the season. Rourke Chartier...
New traffic pattern on Doyle Avenue next Tuesday
KELOWNA - Doyle Avenue between Ellis Street and St. Paul Street will be reduced to one lane of eastbound traffic on Tuesday March 24, from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. Doyle Avenue will be closed to westbound traffic, except for transit. Construction crews will be pouring concrete as part of the Interior Health building project....
Why a drone is following skiers around Big White
KELOWNA - Looking the part is half the battle when you're on the ski hill, but now you can tuck away your GoPro camera and awkward pole accessories during your next Big White ski adventure because the mountain resort offers a drone filming service to capture your feats of athleticism. It's as simple as signing...
Downtown Kelowna to get cleaner, safer
KELOWNA - Visitors to downtown should soon notice the place is a fair bit tidier and safer with a significant boost to the Downtown Kelowna Association’s cleaning and security budgets. Kelowna city council approved this week an increase in the association’s annual levy to $804,000 from $781,000 last year. The levy is applied to all...
Pole athletes blur the line between strength and sensuality
KELOWNA - If you have any illusions or misconceptions about what exactly pole dancing is or isn't, Erin Smith is gonna calmly bust 'em up for ya and right away. Number one on the list is that pole dancing is not particularly athletic, more akin to erotic dancing than, say, Crossfit or TRX. “Ninety-nine per...
City ups the bounty for graffiti vandals
KELOWNA - Taggers beware! The City of Kelowna and Crimestoppers have just upped the bounty on spray-paint vandalism. Previously, a would-be whistle-blower could only count on a reward of up to $500. The new initiative promises the full $500 as soon as an arrest is made. “Cleaning up graffiti comes with a price tag and...
New garden space for care home on Bernard Ave
KELOWNA – David Lloyd Jones Home, located at 934 Bernard Ave, has begun planning a new outdoor garden space for its residents. Jonathan Clare, Residential Manager at David Lloyd Jones Home explains, “We are truly blessed to live in an area where we can enjoy the outdoors virtually year round. Those who call David Lloyd...
Lake Country Food Bank digs in to build new facility
LAKE COUNTRY - Less than two months after winning $100,000 in a contest to put toward the project the Lake Country Food Bank broke ground today on their new million-dollar facility. During the ceremony, representatives were on hand from the District of Lake Country along with other major partners including a few from Okanagan College....
School suspension rates dropping like a stone
KELOWNA - Suspension rates at Central Okanagan schools have been dropping steadily in the last five years, mirroring in part the decline in crime rates in communities across Canada. But the superintendent of schools for the Central Okanagan says the district can claim part of the credit for helping push down the suspension rates with...
Fortis customers claim routine over-billing
KELOWNA – Days after angry Kelowna residents gathered outside Premier Christy Clarks riding office to protest unfair power bills, many people are coming forward with stories about being massively over billed. Katie Krebs lives in Kelowna with her husband and two kids. She says last December and January, Fortis B.C. sent them a bill for...
More tickets released for Aerosmith
KELOWNA – If you missed out on tickets for the Aerosmith concert at Prospera next month don’t fret, a selection of premium side stage seats will be released this Friday. The seats were originally held back in case local demand wasn’t what promoters were expecting but strong sales means the block of seating will be...
Retired lawyer was outed to Law Society by former business partner
KELOWNA – Kevin James Anderson, a former lawyer who last week was ordered by the Law Society of British Columbia to stop giving legal advice, was outed by a Kelowna man who claims Anderson's ‘legal services’ helped force him from his own company. Joel Kutschera is the former co-owner of Vital Waters. Kutschera said in an affidavit...
Breast-feeding supporters plan West Kelowna ‘feed-in’
WEST KELOWNA - A group of breast-feeding supporters are planning a mass 'feed-in' at the next West Kelowna council meeting, dissatisfied with the reception given by councillors to a delegation promoting breast-feeding at the last council meeting. Last week, as part of a class project, a delegation of UBC Okanagan nursing students and a public...
Continuous pour means dust, noise and traffic tie-ups for downtown
KELOWNA - A big, loud mess: There’s no other way to describe the choked traffic and construction noise locals will experience downtown around Ellis Street and Doyle Avenue starting Tuesday morning and lasting all this week and into the next. City council has waived its own noise bylaw at the request of developer Graham Construction...
Future of iconic downtown buildings in question as city considers civic area’s future
KELOWNA - It’s time to focus on the 10,000-foot view of Kelowna’s civic area and how residents see it developing over time - that’s the thrust of a report city councillors will consider Monday. “The city owns a large majority of the land within the study area,” said Ross Soward, a planning specialist with the...
Everything you wanted to know about Islam but were afraid to ask
KELOWNA – An open discussion about Islam and its role in our society will take place at UBC Okanagan tonight, March 16, and will feature an internationally recognized instructor of the Qur'an. Daood Butt is a Montreal Imam who will be making a presentation followed by an open question and answer period. Adnan Akiel Ahmad...
Windstorm slams BC interior knocking power out to 39,000
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – A major wind storm blew through the B.C. interior Saturday afternoon, March 14, knocking down trees and breaking branches which in turn hit hydro lines cutting the power to about 39,000. In the Thompson-Okanagan area just under 1,000 B.C. Hydro customers are still without power as of 1 p.m., Sunday, March 15 due...
Major snowfall for mountain pass highways in Thompson-Okanagan
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Winter appears to be reluctant to release it’s icy grip on the mountain pass highways in the Thompson-Okanagan. Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement warning of 10 to 20 centimetres of snow by Monday morning. Meteorologist Ross Macdonald says a strong front over Washington State combined with falling freezing levels will...
Campfire in downtown Kelowna sparks car fire
KELOWNA – Someone built a campfire next to a car on outside the Level nightclub in downtown Kelowna early this morning, and the car caught on fire. Fire crews were called to 275 Leon Ave. at about 2:50 a.m., Sunday, March 15, arriving to find the car fire had just spread to the adjacent building....
Run Like the Irish to raise money for charity
KELOWNA – Despite the dreary weather conditions there were lots of smiling faces for the first annual Run Like the Irish walk and run in Kelowna today. The Kelowna Professional Firefighters’ Chartable Society event on the Mission Creek Greenway, Saturday, March 14, raises money for local charities, according to the organization’s website. “100 per cent...
Don’t forget to book your camping sites this weekend
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you decide to sleep in this Sunday you might miss out on the summer you’ve been dreaming of. The online and call centre reservation system for provincial campgrounds officially opens Sunday, March 15 at 9 a.m. Reservable sites tend to book up quickly, especially at the more popular campgrounds and for long...