Vernon news
Dream wedding for a dying father
"HE'S DONE SO MUCH FOR US NOW IT'S OUR TURN TO LOOK AFTER HIM" KELOWNA – Christina Richard was just 11 years old when Eric Lavoie entered her life in 2003 and changed it forever. Her mom, Sophy Zaglis, 49, was raising five kids on her own, working as a registered nurse and volunteer with...
ELECTION 2015: Why North Okanagan-Shuswap candidate Cindy Derkaz wants to earn your vote
VERNON - You might know her from her days working at Derkaz Shoes, her parent’s shop, or from her involvement in organizations like the Shuswap Community Foundation or Shuswap Trail Alliance. And now, Cindy Derkaz is introducing herself in a new capacity, as the Liberal party candidate for the North-Okanagan Shuswap riding. Derkaz grew up...
Illegal burn doused by Vernon firefighters
VERNON - Vernon firefighters are reminding the public there is still a fire ban, something a local man apparently didn’t know. About 10 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 20, the Vernon Fire Department was called out to the 7300-block of Old Stamp Mill Road for a burning complaint. “It was a homeowner there claiming he didn’t know...
KF Aerospace announces more layoffs in the Okanagan
OKANAGAN - Rebranding the company hasn’t helped KF Aerospace avoid the turbulence of the marketplace which has forced the company to cut jobs in both Kelowna and Hamilton. President Tracy Medve was not available for interviews Friday as the Kelowna-headquartered company announced layoffs equivalent to eight per cent of its workforce. However, Medve said in...
Kamloops dental surgeon continues work while awaiting penalty for causing brain damage to patient
KAMLOOPS - A local dental surgeon continues to work at his practice while he waits to hear what penalty a professional panel imposes for a series of failures which led to a patient’s cardiac arrest during surgery. A team of investigators for the Inquiry Committee of the College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia examined...
Police investigate deadly crash in Spallumcheen
SPALLUMCHEEN - A man is dead after crashing his car on the highway just south of Armstrong early this morning. RCMP say an off-duty police officer discovered the man’s flipped car around 4:20 a.m., Aug. 21, on Highway 97A at Eagle Rock Road. “The investigators have determined the vehicle was north bound (and) jumped the...
For this Vernon family, nearly 200 years of sweet tradition is baked right in
VERNON - Not many people can say they’re carrying on family traditions stretching back to 1825, but Vernon baker Roy Bouman continues to do so with pride. Every perfect cream puff, every birthday cake, and each smiling customer pays homage to the long line of family bakers who passed down recipes, strong work ethic and...
Kelowna man who died while rafting lived and loved ‘all in’
"DON'T FORGET HOW LUCKY YOU ARE TO LOVE YOUR LOVED ONES SO MUCH IT HURTS" KELOWNA – They were high school sweethearts planning their dream Kelowna wedding when Rene Bourgault’s life was cut short in a tragic rafting accident last weekend. Friends, family and everyone who has been touched by his life are mourning his...
Armstrong lifts stage two watering restrictions
ARMSTRONG - While the province remains under a level four drought rating, the City of Armstrong has decided to relax watering restrictions. The city implemented stage two restrictions earlier this month in response to the level four drought declaration, but believes they are no longer necessary. After monitoring the impact of stage two restrictions, the...
Local man documents entire CN rail corridor for posterity
KELOWNA – An Okanagan man with a passion for local history has begun work on a video he hopes will preserve the significance of the CN Rail corridor for generations to come. Alan Gatzke spent dozens of hours and thousands of dollars from his own pocket to modify his pickup so it could be used...
UFC extends contract with Kelowna fighter
KELOWNA – Local UFC welterweight Matt Dwyer has had his UFC contract extended by four fights. Dwyer, 25, a Kelowna resident since he was two years old, fights out of Toshido MMA in Kelowna. He was signed to a remarkably rare four-fight contract with the UFC in 2014. Although his first appearance resulted in a...
Maintenance work to shut down Vernon pool
VERNON - Only a few more days are left to visit the Vernon pool before it shuts down for a month of maintenance work. The annual aquatic centre shutdown will start Monday, Aug. 24 and last until Sept. 21. This year’s closure will be an extra week long so recreation services can replace the flooring...
Mussel threat turns real during training session
OKANAGAN - A training session on how to inspect for invasive mussels turned hands-on when a contaminated boat showed up from Ontario. An Ontario couple shipped the boat to the Lower Mainland after it was moored for several months in the mussel-infested Rideau Canal, according to a press release from the Okanagan Basin Water Board....
Vernon cadets show bravery in moments after head-on collision
VERNON - A group of staff cadets and instructors celebrating at a recent graduation parade in Vernon didn’t hesitate to drop what they were doing and run to help those involved in a serious car crash. “The flags were just being marched on and we heard a loud bang,” Major Keri Winkelaar says. “We turned...
Warm fall, mild winter in long-range forecast
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Look for a hotter, drier fall across the Southern Interior if AccuWeather’s long-range fall forecast holds true. Issued by AccuWeather’s global weather centre, the forecast says a stubborn high pressure system anchored over the West coast and abnormally warm water over the north-eastern Pacific have kept the weather warm and dry. This is...