Vernon news
Severe thunderstorm watch for Okanagan
OKANAGAN - After a record day in the Okanagan temperatures are set to cool down and we can expect to see heavy rain and possibly severe thunderstorms over the next couple of days. Yesterday, Aug. 13, a new high temperature record was set in Kelowna, 37.8 Celsius, with Vernon, at 36.5 C, and Penticton, at...
You’re not the only one not feeling frisky in this heat
HEAT KILLING CATTLE (SEX) DRIVE THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Beef is meeting supply needs so far this year, but it hasn’t been easy for ranchers as they deal with drought and extreme conditions that leave cattle not wanting to mate. Kevin Boon, general manager of the B.C. Cattleman’s Association, says the hardest hit areas in the province’s...
Vernon tree removal ‘another straw in the demise of the herons’
VERNON - A North Okanagan city is standing by its decision to allow a stand of trees to be chopped down despite concerns within the community it could impact an at-risk species of bird. With a tree removal permit in hand from the City of Vernon, a housing developer removed the tall Cottonwood and poplar...
Gas prices going up in the Okanagan
OKANAGAN - Gas prices are rising throughout Canada and the Okanagan is no exception. According to GasBuddy, an online tracking system for gas prices, only about a dozen stations remain below 130 cents per litre this afternoon, Aug. 13, in Kelowna while about seven stations sit at 129.9 cents per litre. Many stations have jumped...
Lightning strikes keep crews hopping dousing wildfires
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Thunderstorms moving through the region ignited several new fires in the Kamloops Fire Centre. The fire danger rating for the Kamloops Fire Centre is high to extreme, with more lightning in the forecast for today, Aug. 13. “We did see lightning move through the area, followed by reports of fires yesterday, so we...
Crash on Highway 97 just south of Vernon
VERNON - A head-on collision near the Vernon Army Camp has sent two people to hospital with serious injuries. The accident happened around 9 a.m., Aug. 13, on Highway 97 near the Army Camp when two vehicles struck head-on. The drivers of both vehicles, a man and a woman, had to be removed with the...
Vernon woman remembered for taking her job seriously, and her life lightly
VERNON - If you’re from Vernon, there’s a good chance Brenda Hala took your picture at one time or another. The longtime Vernon resident and professional photographer captured special moments for many different people over the years, a legacy that will live on despite her passing Monday, Aug. 10, after a battle with ovarian cancer....
Why you’ll want to reserve your Okanagan red wines this year
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - All through the Okanagan region, winemakers are getting excited about prospects for this year’s grape crop. Hot, sunny days that have been relatively constant since early June have brought this year’s vintage along at blazing speed, and Okanagan winemakers believe the conditions are right for one of the best vintages ever. “It’s definitely...
Driver tells Vernon RCMP he didn’t hear alarms, didn’t see flashing lights before hitting train
VERNON - Alarms and flashing lights apparently didn’t stop a man from driving into a moving train Monday evening in Vernon. RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says police were notified of the collision just after 6 p.m., Aug. 10. When officers arrived, the train was blocking the roadway at 43 Avenue and 31 Street. All lights...
Roots and Blues Festival takes over Salmon Arm this weekend
SALMON ARM - The Shuswap will be filled with the sounds of brass and bluegrass as the 'summer destination spot for fans and lovers of music' takes over Salmon Arm this weekend. Now in its 23rd year, the Roots and Blues Festival features an eclectic mix of music from Blues to Bluegrass, Celtic to Cuban...
Feast of Fields has new location for farm to table festival
KELOWNA – The 7th annual festival celebrating locally grown food is happening in Kelowna this weekend. Okanagan Feast of Fields is one of three chapters started by FarmFolk CityFolk, a Vancouver organization dedicated to celebrating sustainable, local foods. Feast of Fields, which also takes place in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island, is a four-hour wandering gourmet...
Police tail prolific offender across Okanagan Lake, into the bush
VERNON - A police chase by both land and water ended with the arrest of a prolific offender in Vernon this morning. The pursuit began just after 6:15 a.m. Monday, Aug. 10, after police received a report of a suspect on Okanagan Lake near Lakeshore Road. The man had commandeered a Zodiac boat and was...
Rescuer’s ‘heart dropped’ after finding missing girls’ kayak empty on Okanagan Lake
HAPPY ENDING FOLLOWS FRANTIC SEARCH FOR YOUNG GIRLS STRANDED IN OKANAGAN LAKE OKANAGAN - Even after finding the inflatable kayak floating empty in the middle of Okanagan Lake on Saturday, a retired fire chief didn’t give up the search for a pair of young girls who were supposed to be in it. The girls, aged...
Fire destroys shed, vehicles on Vernon property
VERNON - A pillar of black smoke rising from a Vernon property Sunday afternoon was the work of a vigorous shed fire. The blaze broke out just before 2 p.m., Aug. 9 in the 4200-block of 27 Avenue, and appears to have started in or around a plastic garden shed, deputy Vernon fire chief Jack...
Okanagan set to break record temperatures this week
OKANAGAN - Grab your sunscreen, hat and a cool drink, we have a hot, sunny and likely record-breaking week ahead of us in the Okanagan. Temperatures soared above the 30 Celsius mark over the weekend, well above the 27 C seasonal normal high for this time of year, but we can expect things to get...