Kelowna
Aging waterworks the target of proposed rate increase
KELOWNA - About half of Kelowna can expect a minor water rate increase sometime soon if Kelowna city council agrees to a recommendation by staff. John Vos, the city’s director of corporate business ventures, is recommending a two percent increase for those homes and businesses serviced by the city water utility. The rest of Kelowna...
Local support group for mamas growing fast
KELOWNA – Shannon Christensen’s house isn’t cluttered with old baby things. She’s given them all away. She’s the founder of a relatively new non-profit organization that started in Kelowna last April. Mamas for Mamas is a network of caring mothers who look out for each other and give support whenever it’s needed. Since starting in...
Apartment fire puts occupants in the care of Emergency Social Services
KELOWNA - The occupants of an apartment on Glenview Avenue are in the care of Emergency Social Services today after fire early yesterday evening left their unit uninhabitable. Steve Wallick, a platoon captain with the Kelowna Fire Department, said firefighters responded in force to what turned out to be a grease fire in the kitchen...
Near-record temperatures on tap for Valentine’s Day weekend
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you were hoping for cooler weather as an excuse to cuddle up with your Valentine this weekend you may have to look for a different excuse. Environment Canada is calling for near-record high temperatures Friday through Sunday, with Penticton the most likely city to set a new record. Penticton is expecting highs...
Why the City of Kelowna wants your dog on a leash
KELOWNA - The warm weather means more residents and their dogs are out enjoying the outdoors, and in some cases, that's leading to conflicts with wildlife. The City of Kelowna issued a press release Thursday afternoon asking dog walkers to help ensure wildlife can enjoy the nice weather too. Park Services was recently notified of...
Shaw shuttering Kelowna call centre
KELOWNA - Shaw Communications announced today it will be closing down contact centres in three Canadian cities starting this summer, including Kelowna. The customer care operations in Calgary, Edmonton and Kelowna will be relocated to Victoria, Vancouver, Winnipeg and Montreal, where the contact centres will expand. A total of about 1,600 employees in the three...
Let there be rock: AC/DC Rock or Bust tour coming to Vancouver
VANCOUVER - Legendary rock band AC/DC is spending the first half of the Rock or Bust World Tour in Europe but has announced plans to tear down the house at more than a dozen North American venues at the end of the summer. With Edmonton and Vancouver on the roster for the end of September,...
How to plan the perfect date
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The guy or gal you have your eye on has said yes to a date, but Valentine’s Day is less than a week away and you have no idea how to plan the perfect date. Elizabeth deVries of Together By Design, says you need to think about the experience and connecting on the...
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...
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...
SPCA fighting cruelty with kindness
MILLION ACTS OF KINDNESS CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Even seemingly little things can help make the life of an animal better and B.C. SPCA wants to celebrate 120 years by fighting cruelty with kindness in 2015. The animal advocacy and rescue group launched the Million Acts of Kindness campaign this week. To launch the campaign...
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,”...