Vernon news
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...
Plans for huge new care home in downtown Vernon coming along
VERNON - The creation of a large, multi-storey care home in downtown Vernon is moving along, but there are concerns it won’t be much to look at. The City of Vernon supported several development variances for the project, which includes 90 residential care beds, 52 assisted living units, 72 one- and two-bedroom condo units, and...
Vernon residents still fighting resort’s attempts to build a marina
VERNON - A controversial marina proposal on Okanagan Lake has resurfaced. The Outback Resort has once again applied for permission from the provincial government to build a 72-slip marina in South Bay near Ellison Provincial Park and that’s put a local community group on the defensive. The Friends of South Bay has been boycotting the marina...
Vernon’s Canada Day fireworks could return, but not without your help
'WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST TO ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO COMPLAINED... WHY DON'T YOU COME OUT AND SUPPORT THIS' VERNON - Vernon’s mayor is asking members of the public to step up and lend a hand in next year’s Canada Day festivities. The longtime tradition of Canada Day fireworks was cancelled in 2015, but looks like...
Trial postponed for Armstrong man facing animal cruelty charges
VERNON - The trial of a man accused of mistreating a large herd of horses in Armstrong has been postponed. Gary Roberts, 69, was scheduled to begin a three-day trial in Vernon Provincial Court Monday, Nov. 9 on charges of causing unnecessary pain or suffering to an animal, failing to provide necessities, and uttering threats...
Vernon council disagrees about panhandling issue
VERNON - A Vernon city councillor insists panhandling is getting out of control, but that view isn’t shared by the rest of council. Coun. Scott Anderson raised the issue after a Vernon food truck vendor spoke out about being harassed and physically assaulted downtown. “We have a duty to help anyone that needs help and...
Thefts, crime getting worse in Lake Country
LAKE COUNTRY – A long time resident of Lake Country says crime in his community has increased over the last three months and is the worst he's ever seen. “There’s been a few waves, like when the Coquihalla first opened up there was a wave of chainsaws and that stuff stolen but it faded away,”...
Vernon minor hockey pledges cash for arena project
VERNON - A local sports organization has thrown financial support behind the construction of a new arena in Vernon. The Greater Vernon Minor Hockey Association board of directors has pledged a $25,000 contribution to the City of Vernon to be used toward the construction of a second ice sheet at Kal Tire Place if the Nov. 28...