North Okanagan
Extraordinary animal tales of the North Okanagan
VERNON - Have you ever seen a hen raise a flock of ducklings? A dog adopt a piglet? What about a horse herding a bear? The North Okanagan has it all in terms of extraordinary animal encounters. There was Coldstream resident Val Buchanan, also known as Farmer Val, and the story that hatched when she...
Sugar Lake wildfire triples in size
VERNON - A wildfire that was an estimated 33 hectares in size over the weekend tripled overnight. Fire information officer Melissa Klassen says the lightning-caused fire raging just north of Sugar Lake is now burning 107 hectares of timber. While the fire grew Sunday night, Klassen says the latest figure is the most accurate because...
Vernon and area communities to spend latest provincial grants as needed
VERNON - Vernon and surrounding towns are getting a million bucks from the province to put towards some essential community services and each muncipality gets to decide how to spend it. The $1 million bump will be divided between Vernon, Lumby, Enderby and the North Okanagan Regional District and is part of almost $74 million...
Semi-legal marijuana grow operators arrested
VERNON - Police believe a North Okanagan couple was stealing electricity from B.C. Hydro to power their legal medical marijuana grow-op. RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says a man and woman, both 39, were arrested after police executed a search warrant at 1645 Simons Road in Spallumcheen. The investigation between police and B.C. Hydro began in...
New Enderby gas station infused with Splatsin culture
VERNON - Next time you fill up at the Super Save gas station in Enderby, follow the bear prints inside the new building. You’ll find intricately carved wooden pillars and doorways, glass etching on the windows and countless other cultural details infused into the brand new gas station store designed by Kevin Halchuk and Grahame...
Lumby murder victim touched many lives through teaching
VERNON - A North Okanagan teacher allegedly murdered by her boyfriend will be remembered for her contagious smile, kindness and compassion. Linda Ross, a teacher in school district 22’s Alternate Learning Program, was found dead at the Trinity Valley Road home she shared with her partner, Howard Everett, who now faces a second degree murder...
RCMP investigate reports of shots fired in Vernon
VERNON - Mounties investigated reports of gunfire in the 3200 block of 22 Street in Vernon during the wee morning hours Tuesday. At about 1 a.m. police were told of two men arguing and shots fired. The men knew each other, RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk said in a press release. Before officers arrived, one left...
School’s out, but provincial exams will be written
NORTH OKANAGAN - There will be picket-free entrances for grade 10-12 students writing their provincial exams in the North Okanagan. While school is out for students across the province, a ruling from the Labour Relations Board means grade 10-12 students will write their provincial exams as scheduled and have them marked. All other school exams...
School board positions on the chopping block
NORTH OKANAGAN-SHUSWAP - The number of trustees in school district 83 could dwindle by the end of the summer. The North Okanagan-Shuswap school district is considering reducing its board to seven trustees down from nine to save $23,420 and help balance the 2014/2015 budget. A review of B.C. school districts revealed SD 83 has more...
Arrests made in Vernon arson case
SERIAL ARSON SUSPECT STILL ON THE LOOSE VERNON - Police have made arrests in one of 13 suspected cases of arson in the Vernon area. Two men, aged 24 and 30, were arrested Friday evening for setting fire to some trash behind AJ’s Pets & Things on 31 Avenue. RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says the...
Looks like it’s going to be a big year for excessive speeding
VERNON - Police have nabbed almost as many excessive speeders in the past six months as they did in all of last year. RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says 22 drivers have been caught speeding excessively in the North Okanagan so far this year, compared to a total of 25 in 2013. “B.C.'s speeding law compels...
Vernon firefighters association rings alarm bells over staffing structures
MAYOR SAYS STAFFING STRUCTURE IS EFFICIENT, COST-SAVING AND DOESN’T CAUSE HIM CONCERN VERNON - A heated debate over Vernon's decision to deploy fire crews in groups of two instead of four continues to simmer. The Vernon Professional Firefighters Association is speaking out about staffing structures following the release of a YouTube video showing a fire...
Vernon drafts ban on mixed martial arts
VERNON - Vernon is hitting mixed martial arts where it hurts. City council is moving forward with the creation of a bylaw that would ban Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) events within municipal limits. “We don’t need them,” Coun. Bob Spiers says. “It’s just the association with the type of people that run those events and...
Conservation on the lookout for East Hill bear
VERNON - East Hill residents are being warned there’s a bear in their neck of the woods. RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says a large bear was spotted in the East Hill neighbourhood over the past few days. There haven’t been any run-ins with people or pets, though the Conservation Service is actively working to locate...
Police suspect alcohol led to lake accident
VERNON - Police suspect alcohol was involved in an accident east of Cherryville this weekend. Around 7:20 p.m. May 24 North Okanagan RCMP were called to the scene of a vehicle found half submerged in McIntyre Lake, off Highway 6. There were no occupants inside the vehicle. A patrol of the area with the dog...