Kelowna
Stranger replaces disabled man’s stolen scooter
KELOWNA - Thanks to the kindness of a stranger, Jason Kemps is back behind the wheel after thieves slashed his fence and stole his mobility scooter from his yard. Kemps, who lost his arm and leg in 1993, relied on his orange and black Gio scooter to get around town until late last month when...
Teacher strike hits childrens’ festival where it hurts
"WE'RE JUST TRYING TO DO THE BEST WE CAN IN THIS SITUATION." KELOWNA - Organizers of a West Kelowna childrens' festival are worried the ongoing dispute between the BCTF and the province will hurt attendance at the 8th annual Interior Savings Fat Cat Children's Festival this weekend. Artistic director Dorothee Birker says teachers bringing kids...
Retirement age begins in prison for this child molester
KELOWNA – A 64-year-old man is going to jail for molesting two of his own relatives almost 30 years ago. The man, who can't be named by court order, appeared in court Monday with his current wife and pleaded guilty to charges of indecent assault, gross indecency and sexual assault. He admitted to sexually abusing...
CN offers Okanagan railway to federal government
VERNON - Time has run out for interested parties to resume service on the section of rail between Vernon and Kelowna. Monday was the deadline for companies negotiating with Canadian National to buy the line, and CN spokesperson Warren Chandler says no deal was reached. “The time period has elapsed, now the 30-day window to...
UPDATE: Neil Snelson granted bail
"I’M WORRIED THAT HE MIGHT REOFFEND AGAIN” KAMLOOPS — A Kelowna man awaiting a manslaughter re-trial in the death of a Kelowna teen in 1993 has been granted bail provided he comes up with $75,000 surety. Neil George Snelson, 47, was once tried and convicted of the manslaughter of 19-year-old college student Jennifer Cusworth. He...
Wildfire season expected to heat up
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - With just 13 wildfires reported in May it was a ‘pretty average’ spring month for B.C. Wildfire but the amount of rain that falls over the next month will play a big part in whether predictions of a heavy fire year are correct. Melissa Klassen with the Kamloops Fire Centre says of the...
Bernard Avenue revitalization is officially over
KELOWNA – After two years of construction the revitalized Bernard Avenue will finally open to vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Representatives of the city, including Mayor Walter Gray, gathered at the corner of Pandosy and Bernard Friday afternoon to officially announce the completion of the $14.3 million project. Work began in September 2012 and was completed...
Heat coming your way this weekend
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN — Get your sunscreen ready: the cool, wet week has a reprieve in store for us with higher temperatures for a water park or beach this weekend. Today highs will reach near normals of 21 C to 23 C across the region with a 30-40 per cent chance of thundershowers or storms this afternoon...
Former co-accused in smuggling case will be paid to testify
KELOWNA - A Supreme Court Justice ruled Friday that a West Kelowna man living in Manitoba will be reimbursed for expenses incurred while testifying in a criminal trial in Kelowna. Barry Ready, now 53, was at one time a co-accused in the trial of Clifford Roger Montgomery and Tariz Mohammed Aslam of Surrey. Both men...
Kelowna isn’t as fat as the rest of the country
KELOWNA – Maybe it’s the weather, maybe it’s the abundance of recreational opportunities, but a report released by Statistics Canada Wednesday names Kelowna as the least obese city in the country. Participants in the study, conducted between 2003 and 2012, were asked their height and weight and the numbers were adjusted to factor in misrepresentation...
Martial Arts community kicks back at “offensive” remarks by Vernon council
VERNON - The mixed martial arts community is in an uproar over what they feel were offensive and uneducated comments made about their sport earlier this week by Vernon councillors. The City of Vernon wants to ban mixed martial arts (MMA) events because, as Coun. Bob Spiers put it, “the association with the type of...
Pet snake killed at West Kelowna Buckerfield’s
"IT'S LIKE SOMEONE REACHED IN AND JUST CRUSHED HER." KELOWNA – Staff at the West Kelowna Buckerfield’s are mourning the loss of one of their pet snakes after she was found with her head mysteriously crushed Tuesday afternoon. The body of Miss Cuddles, a 4’ long Corn Snake, was found curled up under her plastic...
Food Truck Rally rolls back into Kelowna
KELOWNA – For the second year in a row, the parking lot of Prospera Place will be flooded with hundreds of hungry diners and around half a dozen trucks representing cuisine from around the world. Craig Campbell is the Communications Manager for Prospera Place and the organizer of the second annual Kelowna Food Truck Rally....
UPDATE: Severe thunderstorm watch ended for Okanagan
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A severe thunderstorm warning for the Central and North Okanagan including Vernon and Kelowna has ended this evening though a chance of heavy rain remains for the entire region. Environment Canada says 10-20 mm of rain is expected by Thursday morning but there is a chance of localized thunderstorms that could bring at...
Snow on Coquihalla
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Winter has returned to the Coquihalla Highway and the rest of the region can expect heavy rain today. Drive B.C. is reporting slushy sections from the Great Bear Snowshed to the Coquihalla Lakes exit, water pooling north of that section and fog in the section of the Coquihalla Highway between Merritt and Kamloops....