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Okanagan
A new chapter begins in the storied life of the Hotel El
KELOWNA – After more than a year of aggressive interest and offers from Kelowna real estate development company Argus Properties, Hotel Eldorado owner Jim Nixon decided the time was finally right to sell after 25 years. “They wanted what I wanted,” Nixon says on Argus’ plans for the hotel, marina and restaurant. “It’s a local...
Snow basins still high, flood threat low
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Recent snow basin numbers show there is a lot more snow than normal in much of our region even though rivers have begun receding throughout the rest of the province. The North Thompson snow basin now sits at a near normal 101 per cent though the South Thompson sits at 126 per cent....
Sunscreen and shades kind of weekend
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN — Mother Nature has a treat for us this weekend—soaring temperatures and lots of sun. Highs of 24-25 C will be highlighted by sun for much of the day today and by Sunday the entire region will be seeing highs of 28 C with more sun. We can expect to see some cloud cover...
WIND WARNING ENDED: Squall was expected to bring strong winds
UPDATE: The wind warning has been rescinded. THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Much of the Southern Interior will be under a wind warning later today with expected wind gusts of up to 90 km/h for Kelowna, Vernon and Penticton and 80 km/h for Kamloops as a squall line crosses into the region. Environment Canada issued a special weather...
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...
Okanagan youth conflicted on provincial student walkout
OKANAGAN - As teachers strike in shifts across the province this week, it appears students have found a day to voice their own opinions. The B.C. Student Walkout for Students, launched by Surrey teen Victoria Barker, is set for Wednesday, the only day this week not scheduled to have strike action. A Facebook group created...
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...
Dog control seeks owners of pig with pink painted toe nails
VERNON - She has painted pink toe nails, likes to follow you around, and squeals when you pick her up. That’s about all dog control knows about a small grey pig found wandering around the Vernon Golf Course. Pat Ellis, with K9 Dog Control, says the chubby, grey pig was turned in to the Vernon...
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....
Okanagan gone ‘batty’ over new program
OKANAGAN - The Okanagan has a new bat program to help with conservation, using the public’s help in detecting bat sites. The Okanagan Community Bat Project offers resources to the public, such as bat education and options for dealing with bats in buildings. References can be found online and questions can be called in to...
Study finds multi-million dollar benefits to Okanagan Rail Trail
OYAMA - Converting the rail bed between Vernon and Kelowna into a multi-use pathway would drive over $3 million in visitor spending in the first year alone, states a consulting report on predicted benefits. The Okanagan Rail Trail held a press conference Tuesday morning in Oyama to release the findings of a 70 page impact...
Road safety highlighted during Bike to Work Week
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - This week is Bike to Work Week, a celebration that kicks off a season of more cyclists on the roads, and both cyclists and motorists are being reminded to do their part to help keep everyone safe. ICBC notes an average of nearly 1,000 cyclists are injured during the warmer months of May...
Trap catches excessive speeders on 97c
West Kelowna – More than half a dozen excessive speeders were stopped and their vehicles impounded during a speed trap in West Kelowna last Friday. Const. Kris Clark says seven vehicles were stopped by members of the Kelowna Integrated Road Safety Unit who were looking for aggressive drivers along Hwy. 97c on May 23. “The...
Mapping Okanagan travel habits
KELOWNA – A survey of local travel habits reveals a number of insights into how Okanagan residents get where we need to go. Conducted by the City of Kelowna, City of Vernon, Districts of Lake Country, West Kelowna, Peachland, Westbank First Nation and the Regional District of the Central Okanagan, the survey shows the travel...