Merritt

Severe thunderstorm watch issued for South Thompson and Nicola

KAMLOOPS – Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the Kamloops and Merritt areas this morning. Forecasters say conditions are favourable today, May 23, for the development of severe thunderstorms, which may be capable of producing strong wind gusts and heavy rain. Hail and intense lightning are also possible with any storm, which...

TNRD looks at options for regulating biosolids

KAMLOOPS - In response to recent concerns around biosolids the regional district is considering changes to regulations around commercial and agriculture composting. The Thompson-Nicola Regional District is reviewing a zoning bylaw to regulate commercial composting and to limit the scale of agricultural composting. In a media release, the district says if the amendment is supported...

New wildfire recruits put through paces

MERRITT - More than 200 seasonal firefighter applicants have made the cut and this month they are being put through a ‘rigorous’ bootcamp near Merritt. About 1,000 people, many of which are post-secondary students, apply for the positions every year. Provincial Fire Information Officer Kevin Skrepnek says the job is "very in demand" and the...

Upgrades set to begin on Coquihalla Highway

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Several stretches of the Coquihalla Highway will get a $15-million facelift this year as part of the province’s 10-year transportation plan. "Rehabilitation of provincial highways and side roads is a major component of our 10-year transportation plan, B.C. on the Move,” Transportation Minister Todd Stone said in a release. “These projects to improve...

Merritt woman dies after falling into ditch on forest service road

MERRITT -  A woman who died after being found in medical distress nearly 12 hours after the vehicle she was in got stuck on a forest service road has been identified. Mildred Jeannette Mitchell, 83, of Merritt, was found by RCMP around 2:30 a.m. on March 15 on the Maka Murray Forest Service Road about...

UPDATE: Missing woman found

MERRITT - The missing woman the Upper Nicola Band and Okanagan Indian Band were in search for has been located. Before she was found, Annie Joe Gottfriedson, 20, of the Upper Nicola Band was last seen Feb. 16 at noon near Nicola Street in Merritt. “Our concerns run deep for Annie Jo and her family,”...

Big and Rich returning to Merritt

JOINS DIERKS BENTLEY, LADY ANTEBELLUM AND OTHERS MERRITT - Dierks Bentley was announced as the Saturday night headliner for the Rockin’ River Fest in Merritt back in November and now several other big country names are set to join him. Big and Rich, who have previously performed in Merritt, will return to close out the...

Dierks Bentley headlining in Merritt

MERRITT - Country star Dierks Bentley is the first big act to sign up for Riverfest 2015 in Merritt. Bentley recently released his eighth album, Riser, featuring hit singles I Hold On and Drunk On A Plane. The award-winning star is the first act signed to the music festival, which will run July 30 through...

UPDATE: Semi fire on the Coquihalla

MERRITT – A tractor trailer loaded with lumber caught fire this morning Jan. 12 on the Coquihalla Highway south of Merritt. The semi was driving southbound at the Comstock exit when it started on fire, according to a tweet from VSA Highway Maintenance. The southbound lanes were closed for a couple hours until the burnt...

One person injured in Okanagan Connector rollover

MERRITT – A rollover early Saturday morning on the Okanagan Connector sent one person to hospital. The crash happened at around 5 a.m. at the junction of 97C and the Coquihalla about 25 kilometres east of Merritt, according to VSA Highway Maintenance. The B.C. Ambulance Service says one patient was taken by ambulance to hospital....

ELECTIONS 2014: Results from around the region

KAMLOOPS - Voters have spoken and while there are only two new faces around the council table in Kamloops there are a slew of new faces around the rest of the region. Council tables in both Clinton and Sun Peaks will remain unchanged with all incumbents unchallenged but in Ashcroft, Barriere, Chase, Lillooet and Merritt...

Vehicle fire on Coquihalla

KAMLOOPS – No word from RCMP on the cause of a vehicle fire on the Coquihalla Highway Saturday morning. Traffic was blocked between Kamloops and Merritt at around 9 a.m., as police let the vehicle burn itself out. RCMP haven’t said if anyone was hurt in the blaze. The highway has reopened to traffic with...

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...

Father acquitted in allegations of sexually abusing daughter

DISCRETION ADVISED; CONTENT MAY BE DISTURBING KAMLOOPS – A justice in Kamloops Supreme Court acquitted a Merritt father accused of touching his daughter for a sexual purpose after determining the daughter’s testimony was inconsistent. Justice Miriam Gropper said while she found the daughter to be “extremely poised and coherent” as she delivered evidence in court,...