Elevate your local knowledge
Sign up for the iNFOnews newsletter today!
Vernon news
Hot weather, wildfires and changes in agriculture mean less Okanagan honey in the pot
OKANAGAN - An abnormally hot and dry summer appears to have had an unwelcome impact on Okanagan honey production. Helen Kennedy, who runs Arlo’s Honey Farm in Kelowna with her husband Rick Appel, says the season started off with an unusually early honey flow in May, likely due to above average spring temperatures. A productive...
Local agencies preparing for Syrian refugees, awaiting government direction
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - It's unknown how many Syrian refugees will be arriving in the souther Interior, but in the meantime, officials with the Immigrant Service Society of B.C. are looking for housing to place those escaping the conflict in the Middle East. Director of settlment services Chris Friesen says the are awaiting to receive further direction...
Water interruption for some Greater Vernon Water customers
VERNON – The water will be turned off for some Greater Vernon Water customers this Sunday. A valve will be replaced at a pressure reducing station at the corner of Grey Road and Buchanan Road in Coldstream on Sunday, Nov. 18, according to a media release from the Regional District North Okanagan. The water for...
Splatsin First Nation launches lawsuit against B.C. government
ENDERBY - A local First Nation has filed a lawsuit against the B.C. government accusing it of ignoring the band's jurisdiction over the welfare of its children. The Splatsin First Nation in Enderby served the province a notice of claim during a rally outside Premier Christy Clark’s constituency office in Kelowna Tuesday, Oct. 13. The...
Rainy weekend ahead in the Okanagan, avalanche risk increases in southeastern B.C.
OKANAGAN - A storm system skirting much of the region will move on this morning, though a weekend of rain is still in store for the Okanagan. The strongest winds came in the Penticton area yesterday, Nov. 12, with Environment Canada recording strong wind gusts since yesterday morning and the strongest reaching in excess of...
Workshop to address street safety concerns downtown Vernon
VERNON - Local agencies are responding to concerns about street safety in the downtown core by teaching businesses how to interact with street people in the area. A workshop is being offered next week to help teach businesses and property owners how to manage interactions with Vernon’s street population to prevent things from escalating. The...
Church looking for donations, volunteers to help welcome refugee family to Vernon
VERNON - A local church is asking the community to help make a difference in the lives of those impacted by the global refugee crisis. Members of Trinity United Church were moved by the magnitude of the crisis and have decided to sponsor a family, representative Marilyn Erdmann says in a statement. “Members of the...
Kamloops and Vernon Finning locations will stay, unknown if job cuts will hit locally
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - While Finning International announced another round of cuts the company says Southern Interior locations won’t be moving or amalgamating. The company, which is the world's largest dealer for Caterpillar equipment, has bases in Canada, where it's headquartered in Vancouver, South America and Europe. The cuts, announced today, Nov. 12, are company-wide. Hilary Anaka,...
Bow hunting pitched as solution for Vernon deer population
VERNON - There’s talk about using bow hunting to help manage the deer population in Vernon. Coun. Brian Quiring made the suggestion at a council meeting Nov. 9, noting the city is overrun with deer. “There are so many deer it’s unbelievable,” Quiring said. He added the sheer volume of deer crossing city roads is...
Vernon cyclists want more wheels on the ground
VERNON - Cycling enthusiasts are gearing up to get a bit more organized in the Vernon area. The Greater Vernon Cycling Advisory Committee has been around for roughly a decade, but members say the current structure isn’t getting the job done. Representative Bruce Mol says they’re looking to reorganize and take a more aggressive approach...
Fewer traffic check stops, drunk driving investigations in North Okanagan a symptom of heavy caseload
VERNON - A heavy case load impacted the Vernon RCMP’s ability to keep up with proactive police work, like traffic checkstops, over the summer. RCMP Superintendent Jim McNamara pointed out a 12.5 per cent rise in criminal code cases, much of it related to property crimes, which jumped 10.9 per cent, during an update on...
Big storm to hit Southern Interior Thursday
THOMSON-OKANAGAN - A series of powerful storms are set to move through the B.C. Interior beginning tonight and lasting through the end of the week. The first storm will begin tonight and a second storm, more powerful than the first, will hit the Interior on Thursday and Friday, producing strong winds and heavy rain, according...
Vernon man says he’s close to finding owner of war medals he found in an antique chest
VERNON - The Vernon man who found a mysterious box of Second World War medals inside an antique desk he bought in Montreal says he is close to finding out who their rightful owner is. Martin and his wife Jeanne Bokesch bought the desk at an antique furniture dealer last week. When they brought the...
Flags of remembrance wave proudly in Vernon
VERNON - A row of over 100 Canadian flags along Highway 97 in Vernon has been turning heads recently. The striking line of flags is displayed outside the Vernon Army Base and greets drivers coming into the city. The flags — 128 of them — were raised Oct. 17 as part of a nation-wide tribute...
Kelowna woman helped defraud Canada of almost $200 million in taxes sentenced to house arrest
KELOWNA – A Kelowna woman who helped defraud the Canadian government of almost $200 million in taxes was sentenced to 22 months imprisonment to be served at home. Deanna Lynne Lavalley, 54, is one of two women who committed fraud by cheating on her taxes and counselling others to do the same using an illegal...