Elevate your local knowledge

Sign up for the iNFOnews newsletter today!

Select Region

Selecting your primary region ensures you get the stories that matter to you first.

Kelowna

Biggest jump in Okanagan real estate sales in seven years

OKANAGAN – Real estate sales across the Okanagan had the biggest jump in seven years last December, according to the Okanagan Mainline Real Estate Board. Overall the region saw sales increase 24 per cent during the last month of 2014, with apartment sales up a massive 42 per cent over the previous year. Townhouse and...

STAHN: Yes it snowed, now get over it

We had a bit of snow this week. In fact we saw upwards of 40 centimetres over a two-day period, an amount not seen for between 77 and 87 years here in the Thompson-Okanagan region. Yes, that’s a lot of snow, but that’s all it was - snow. I’ve heard a lot of people exclaiming...

Mop up continues on slush-covered streets

KELOWNA – Snow removal crews will be working well beyond their typical guidelines by trying to run a plow over all 450 kilometres of city sidewalk in the next couple of days. That's unusual, in part because the city and residents rely to a certain extent on warmer temperatures to melt snow before it becomes...

Get ready for new Kelowna HOV lane rules

KELOWNA - There are some new rules to follow if you're driving Highway 97 through Kelowna, starting January 19. The High Occupancy Vehicle lanes will transition to time-of-day operations. From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday excluding holidays, the HOV lanes must be observed. At all other times, the lanes will be available...

Why Kelowna’s response to snow removal is “almost unheard of across Canada”

WANT TO SUE? GOOD LUCK KELOWNA — So you finally get out of your snow-choked driveway, just to slip on your neighbour’s sidewalk and break your nose. Or you break your wrist, jumping over a snowbank to cross the road. If you’re looking for someone to sue, don’t bother naming the city in the lawsuit...

PHOTOS AND VIDEOS: Snow-dogs of the Thompson-Okanagan

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - You’d think four legs are better for getting around in the snow than two. But that’s not the case when you’re a dog and the snow is higher than you are. Like us humans, some Thompson-Okanagan dogs embraced the snow this week, while others sulked about it. You’ll see some grumpy dog faces...

Highway 1 remains closed because of avalanche risk

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A storm system that left behind upwards of 40 centimetres of snow in our region and closed some schools for two days has also shut down Highway 1 in several spots. Avalanche control took place between Craigellachie and Revelstoke Monday because of the high risk and that section of highway was again shut...

Most of Thompson-Okanagan well shy of record snowfall amounts

ONLY KELOWNA COMES CLOSE  THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Nearly enough snow fell on Kelowna to set new two-day snowfall records this week but it was nowhere near the amount that fell on Penticton in 1932. The storm began late Saturday evening and had ended in much of the region by Monday evening. After two days of solid...

Heavy snowfall is bad news for people with disabilities

KELOWNA – For many residents of Kelowna, the massive snowfall over the last couple days has been more than an inconvenience. Dino Padula, a wheelchair user and the owner of Active Mobility Products in Kelowna says this much snow virtually cuts off many people with disabilities from normal activities like grocery shopping and other daily...

Winter storm shuts down highways

BACK TO SEASONAL NORMALS BY END OF DAY THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A winter storm warning is over for much of the Southern Interior, but it has left toppled trees, black ice and high avalanche risk in its wake. A winter storm warning remains in place for the Shuswap and regions north and east of the Shuswap,...

There is an end in sight to the snow

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – It’s been a long time since the Thompson-Okanagan received such a massive dump of snow in such a short time. “It has been quite an amazing snowfall so far,” Environment Canada meteorologist Lisa Coldwells says. By 10 a.m. Monday, we were looking at amounts which ranged from 25 centimetres in the South Okanagan,...

Gold medal game on a snow day

COULD IT BE MORE CANADIAN? THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - You watched them come out on top in every game so far, including a win over the United States on New Year’s Eve, but today, as an unprecedented snow day shuts down schools across the Southern Interior, many of us are preparing to cheer on Team Canada during...

Travel advisories in effect for highways

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Heavy snowfall is limiting visibility on several Interior highways leading Drive B.C. to put out a travel advisory for both Highway 5 and Highway 97C. The Coquihalla Highway between Merritt and Kamloops and the Okanagan Connector both have travel advisories as of 8:30 a.m. Drive B.C. asks travellers to consider alternate plans or...

Avalanche risk high in B.C., winter storm warning continues

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A winter storm warning remains in place and avalanche risk has been elevated to high throughout the region, even below treeline levels, and a section of Highway 1 is closed as crews complete avalanche control in the area. Environment Canada continues to issue a winter storm warning for much of the Southern Interior...

Snowfall closes all SD23 schools

KELOWNA – Due to a massive snow storm in the Southern Interior, all schools in School District 23 have been cancelled for Monday. According to the SD23 website, there will be a minimal administrative presence at all schools. However, teachers and support staff will not be at work to provide regular teaching services. Parents are...

Why this Okanagan woman took not one, but 12 polar bear dips

OKANAGAN - If you thought this week’s Polar Bear Swim participants were nuts, you won’t believe what this Okanagan mom has been doing for the past three months. Along with her sister and 14-year-old daughter, Kelowna resident Mix Hart has been taking a dip in Okanagan Lake once a week for the past 12 weeks....

UPDATE: Kelowna woman found safe and sound

UPDATE: RCMP say 54-year-old Valerie Fast has been located and she is safe and sound. KELOWNA - RCMP are looking for public assistance to help them find a missing Kelowna woman. Valerie Fast was last seen November 28, according to an RCMP media release. Police, friends and family are very worried about her well-being because...

Meteors, comets and planets kick off new year

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Night owls and sky lovers get prepared to celebrate the new year in style, between the Comet Lovejoy and the Quadrantid meteor shower will both be visible this weekend. The Quadrantid meteor shower will peak early in the morning of Saturday, Jan. 3, but a nearly full moon and forecasted cloud cover will...

Winter storm developing this weekend

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A winter storm set to hit the Southern Interior by Sunday could bring snowfall in excess of 25 centimetres at highway passes and could see snow turn to freezing rain in town. Friday morning Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for much of the Central and Southern Interior, including the Coquihalla Highway,...

Singing the stories of the Southern Interior

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Our region has long been a destination spot in Canada, and back before the Internet made it easy to share stories and pictures of your travels, music was used to share the beauty of our land. Tourism companies put out records with a single on the region, or even a specific city, while...

Regional District offering free Christmas tree chipping

KELOWNA – Disposing of your real Christmas tree certainly isn’t the best part of the holidays, but the Regional District of the Central Okanagan has several locations in Kelowna and West Kelowna offering free tree chipping this year. From Dec. 26 until Jan. 31, drop off spots will be available at the Glenmore Landfill as...

PHOTOS: New Year’s Day frigid plunge into Okanagan Lake

KELOWNA - About 100 brave souls walked, waded, ran and dived into the fridge waters of Okanagan Lake at Kelowna's City Park on New Year's Day. The annual Polar Bear Swim not only tested the participants ability to survive in icy water, it was a fundraiser for the Community Recreation Initiatives Society. The icy spash...

See the Thompson-Okanagan like you never have before

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – A video posted to YouTube over the weekend gives a truly birds-eye view of some of the most spectacular features of the Thompson-Okanagan. Emile Beaulieu is a Kelowna resident whose passion is paramotoring. Using a parachute and what is essentially a large powered fan strapped to his back, he performs breathtaking fly-bys of...