Vernon news

Voter turnout jumps in Thompson-Okanagan ridings
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Voter turnout numbers in the 42nd federal election jumped to more than 70 per cent throughout the region, just above the national average and well ahead of 2011 turnout. In the Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo riding, where Conservative Cathy McLeod was re-elected, voter turnout jumped to 74.07 per cent this election, up significantly from the 63.3...

ELECTION 2015: Conservative Mel Arnold leads in North Okanagan-Shuswap race
VERNON - When North Okanagan-Shuswap MP Colin Mayes announced he wasn’t seeking reelection, the riding was guaranteed a brand new representative out of the 2015 federal election. That new representative was chosen tonight. The riding has been a Conservative stronghold for many years, and tonight's results show that tradition will continue for another term. Conservative...
Accident south of Vernon sends four to hospital
VERNON - Police say a car crash just south of Vernon today was caused when a driver failed to yield while merging onto the highway. RCMP Cpl. Spencer Hornoi says a truck was making a left hand turn off Birnie Road onto Highway 97 and collided with a southbound car shortly before noon, Oct. 19....

Lock down at Vernon high school precautionary
VERNON - A Vernon high school wasn’t taking any chances when it learned of an altercation in the schoolyard this afternoon. Vernon School District Superintendent Joe Rogers says W.L. Seaton Secondary School was placed on lock down around 1:30 p.m., Oct. 19 after administration became aware of an incident involving two adult men on the...

UPDATE: Vernon men identified as victims of northeastern B.C. plane crash
VERNON - A Vernon construction company has been linked to a fatal plane crash in northeastern B.C. last week. A privately owned Cessna 207 was taking off from the Chapman gravel site in Baldonnel, about 15 kilometres south of Fort St. John of Friday, Oct.16, when it crashed and caught fire, leaving two people on...

Warm weather and chance of rain on the way for the Okanagan
OKANAGAN - It might be fall in the Okanagan, but that’s not stopping Mother Nature from keeping temperatures mostly above seasonal normals this week. Environment Canada is calling for a high of 16 Celsius in Vernon and Kelowna today, Oct. 19, with the expected high gradually dropping off to 10 C by Friday. Overnight the...

This year’s flu vaccine to target relatively vicious strain
KELOWNA – If you feel like this fall has already been worse than others for getting a cold or the flu, Interior Health has some bad news for you. It won’t peak for another month. According to Interior Health medical officer Kamran Golmohammadi the influenza virus and all the other viruses that cause flu-like symptoms...
The smell in Polson Park might not be what you think it is
VERNON - The smelly situation around Vernon’s Polson Park might be coming from deep underground. People have been complaining about a foul odour in and around the park, a problem Vernon city councillor Juliette Cunningham brought up at a meeting earlier this week. Cunningham speculated the smell might be coming from the regional district’s sani-dump...

Crown drops charges against North Okanagan man accused of dangerous driving causing death of three people
VERNON - Charges have been dropped against a North Okanagan driver involved in a tragic accident over two years ago. Crown spokesperson Neil MacKenzie says evidence in the dangerous driving causing death case of Brandon McGregor did not support a conviction. McGregor, 23, from Spallumcheen, was previously scheduled to go on trial Oct. 19 on...

North Okanagan-Shuswap: Liberal candidate Cindy Derkaz
We don’t endorse any single candidate. Our comments on these answers are an assessment of whether the candidate gave a candid answer as we asked for (REAL) or relied on party platforms, leadership or attacks on rivals for their answers (PUPPET). To understand this post, please read this first. __________________ OUR TAKE: Go ahead, move...

North Okanagan-Shuswap: Conservative candidate Mel Arnold
We don’t endorse any single candidate. Our comments on these answers are an assessment of whether the candidate gave a candid answer as we asked for (REAL) or relied on party platforms, leadership or attacks on rivals for their answers (PUPPET). To understand this post, please read this first. __________________ OUR TAKE: If you are...

North Okanagan-Shuswap: Green candidate Chris George
We don’t endorse any single candidate. Our comments on these answers are an assessment of whether the candidate gave a candid answer as we asked for (REAL) or relied on party platforms, leadership or attacks on rivals for their answers (PUPPET). To understand this post, please read this first. __________________ OUR TAKE: No strings on...

North Okanagan-Shuswap: NDP candidate Jacqui Gingras
We don’t endorse any single candidate. Our comments on these answers are an assessment of whether the candidate gave a candid answer as we asked for (REAL) or relied on party platforms, leadership or attacks on rivals for their answers (PUPPET). To understand this post, please read this first. __________________ OUR TAKE: We made sure...

Help these local musicians win the chance of a lifetime
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Your vote could help a local artist win over $100,000 and some serious musical cred. The B.C. Peak Performance Project opens up the public voting portion of its contest today, Oct. 16. Online voting runs until Oct. 23. Two artists from around the Thompson-Okanagan are in the running this year: Vernon’s Corey Myraas...
The cause of that foul odour at Vernon’s Polson Park
VERNON - It should smell like the fresh outdoors, but instead Polson Park in Vernon has been wrinkling noses lately. People are complaining about a foul, septic smell in the park, and Vernon city councillor Juliette Cunningham says she’s not only heard from community members about the problem, but experienced it firsthand. “I walk on...