Kelowna

Barricades planned for deadly stretch of Hwy 97
LAKE COUNTRY – A dangerous stretch of Highway 97 where a woman died following a head on collision Sunday is getting some attention from the Ministry of Transportation. “That incident over the weekend was terrible and our thoughts are with the friends and family of the people affected,” says Ministry spokesperson Murray Tekano. “It’s really...

B.C. wildfires, cold and heat make list of top 2014 weather stories
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - You would expect that temperature would play a big part in a list of top weather stories, but unlike in previous years Environment Canada says our long, cold winter was the attention grabber in 2014. It was such a cold winter that much of the country remained cooler than usual throughout the summer...

Get your winter driving face on for holiday travel
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you have travel plans over the next couple of days give yourself a little more time, and not just because of the amount of holiday traffic that usually files down the highway at this time of year. The next 24 hours could bring a lot of snow as well. Environment Canada is...
Four local lawyers recognized with distinction
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Four lawyers in the B.C. interior have been appointed with honourary Queen’s Counsel designations. The honour is to recognize lawyers who have demonstrated merit and contribution in the legal profession. David Michael Rush is one of the founders and partners of Rush Ihas Hardwick LLP in Kelowna and is recognized as one of...

Kelowna family devastated as keepsakes, presents stolen days before Christmas
KELOWNA – When Jenny Beston got home from work Monday evening, an RCMP officer was standing outside her open front door. And her heart sank. Her first thought was that something terrible happened. Her husband Jason is working out of town and as far as she knew, her two kids, ages eight and five, were...

Chances of a white Christmas slim
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you live in Penticton, you only have a 36 per cent chance of seeing a white Christmas in town, but in Vernon you have an 88 per cent chance. The current forecast is offering very little hope for a white Christmas through most of the region, unless you plan on heading up...

Mounties looking for owners of rare gold-plated coins
KELOWNA - RCMP are looking for the owner of a set of commemorative gold coins turned in to police Wednesday morning. The limited edition coins are struck in gold-plated nickel by the Royal Canadian Mint. They memorialize the 1984 Papal visit of Pope John Paul II and were presented by the Canadian Conference of Catholic...

Vet opens heart, clinic to evacuated pets
WEST KELOWNA - Evacuations can be a high stress situtation but one local vet is trying to make it easier on people and their pets by offering free kennelling for all pets displaced by the wildfire burning in West Kelowna right now. Dr. Moshe Oz , a vet with Rose Valley Veterinary Clinic, says they’ve...

UPDATE: Smith Creek fire now 30 per cent contained
WEST KELOWNA – Some positive news from the fire lines at the Smith Creek wildfire burning in West Kelowna Saturday morning. B.C. Wildfire Management is reporting the 260 hectare blaze is now 30 per cent contained. The perimeter contained is the area of the fire closest to the 1,100 evacuated homes. The cooler temperatures, higher humidity...

Cooler, wet forecast could help Thompson-Okanagan fire crews
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A little help is in the forecast for fire crews this week as Mother Nature dials down the temperatures and throws in a little rain. While temperatures will be near normal (26-29 Celsius) across the region for the next two days we can also expect to see rain today with a 40 per...

VIDEO: Smith Creek fire from above and by the numbers
KELOWNA - Take a guess: How much water have fire crews dropped on the Smith Creek fire over the past week and a half? Would you believe more than 1.2 million litres? As of Monday morning helicopters had flown more than 100 hours, skimmers had dropped more than 300 loads of water and foam and...

Police warn gangsters to avoid Kelowna this weekend
KELOWNA – With one of the city’s biggest festivals taking place in downtown Kelowna this weekend, local RCMP are once again issuing a public warning to gang members planning to take part. Sgt. Lindsey Houghton of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit says every year gangs are drawn to the Okanagan, but they are not...

Snow to impact holiday travel this weekend
HEAVY SNOW FORECAST FOR COQUIHALLA THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you were planning to hit the highways this weekend to visit family and friends, or to head out of town to get your last minute shopping done, beware, Environment Canada is warning of a storm system moving over the Interior highways. Snow is already falling this morning...
Low gas prices a present at the pump
PLAN A KAMLOOPS PIT STOP TO FILL UP THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Spent a little too much on gifts this year? You might still come out flush on your holiday budget thanks to the dropping prices at gas pumps around the country. For those that plan to drive during the holidays gas prices are often a thing...

Kamloops teachers, protesters welcome Clark and cabinet with loud rally
KAMLOOPS - The atmosphere was one of celebration as Premier Christy Clark and her cabinet sat in on a luncheon in Kamloops Wednesday, though outside teachers gathered to continue the rally for a better education system. “A lot of the issues around public education still remain,” David Komljenovic, president of the local teachers’ union and...