Vernon news
Vernon soup kitchen sees record-breaking use of services
VERNON - A Vernon soup kitchen says it has a record number of mouths to feed, in part due to a dramatic increase in the number of families with children in need of a meal. Last year at this time, the Upper Room Mission was serving roughly 250 meals a day. That number has now...
Okanagan feeling the heat
OKANAGAN - Expect temperatures to remain in the mid-30s through much of next week as the Okanagan continues to flirt with record-breaking temperatures. Environment Canada is calling for temperatures of 36 Celsius throughout the Okanagan today, July 3, and 31 C Saturday in Vernon and Kelowna. Penticton is expected to reach 33 C on Saturday....
Vernon cop charged with possessing child porn nearing trial date
KELOWNA – The trial of the former Vernon cop charged with possessing child pornography will start the middle of next month after a brief court appearance today. Ryan Hampton, 37, faces counts of possession of child pornography, accessing child pornography, attempting to obstruct justice and half a dozen breaches of court orders. He was arrested...
Cause of destructive Vernon fire under investigation
MINISTRY OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT SETS UP TEMPORARY LOCATION AFTER OFFICE BURNED TO THE GROUND VERNON - The roof of a burning government office and podiatry clinic caved in shortly after firefighters were inside checking to ensure no one was trapped during a massive blaze Tuesday night in Vernon. “They forced open the doors because they...
Hay barn goes up in flames at North Okanagan dairy farm
SPALLUMCHEEN - A North Okanagan dairy farm is suffering major losses after its hay barn and cattle feed were destroyed in a fire. The Armstrong Spallumcheen Fire Department was called to the blaze on Knob Hill Road around 5:45 p.m., July 1. When crews arrived on scene, the fire was raging, fire chief Ian Cummings...
Men who died in Vernon motorcycle crash identified
VERNON - The names of two men who died in a weekend motorcycle crash have been released by the B.C. Coroners Service. They were James Tyler Folden, 23, of Lumby, and Trinity James Dale Bright, 24, originally from Cherryville, but most recently residing in Canmore, Alberta. Folden was driving an offroad motorcycle with Bright as...
The weather record breaker that was June
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – If it felt like weather dominated the headlines throughout June, that’s because if it wasn’t dropping a month’s worth of rain in a day, we were shattering high temperature records around the region. Lisa Coldwells, an Environment Canada meteorologist, says despite the heavy rains that bookended the beginning and end of the month,...
VIDEO: Kenny Vs. Spenny promote upcoming Kelowna show
KELOWNA – The best friends from Toronto who actually kind of hate each other, have put out a video promoting their upcoming show in Kelowna. Both Kenny Hotz and Spencer “Spenny” Rice, stars of the hit TV show Kenny Vs. Spenny, feature in the short video, but it is Spenny who does most of the...
UPDATE: Missing Lumby woman has been found safe
VERNON - Police say a Lumby woman has been found safe. A family member reported Susan Catt, 54, missing about 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 28, to the Lumby RCMP detachment. She was found sometime Tuesday, according to a RCMP release sent around midnight. An original release said Catt left her home in Lumby around...
Emergency crews responding to large fire downtown Vernon
VERNON - A large fire is burning near Vernon’s Village Green Mall. Reports say the fire broke out at the Vernon social assistance office on 48 Avenue, behind the Petro Canada gas station. A tower of smoke can be seen from across the city. Emergency crews are at the scene working to contain the blaze....
Okanagan apples almost ready to cross the globe
OKANAGAN – The general manager of the B.C. Fruit Growers Association says they are about a month away from knowing if Okanagan apples will be bound for one of the largest markets in the world. Glen Lucas says he had hoped they would have the answers to whether or not local apples will be a...
Man found dead in Kal Lake identified; second man still missing
VERNON - Police have launched a full scale search for an individual last seen with a man found dead in Kalamalka Lake over the weekend. In a media release issued in this afternoon, June 30, RCMP Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy confirmed what 23-year-old Curtis Wilson’s family announced earlier in the day; that he was last seen...
Police warn Vernon residents not to give money to man going door to door
VERNON - Police are issuing a public warning about a man going door to door asking for money. Over the past three days, an unknown man has reportedly been going door to door in the area of 48 Avenue to 30 Avenue, RCMP Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy said in a media release issued today, June 30....
RCMP following up on torched SUV left on Spallumcheen road
SPALLUMCHEEN - Police are investigating after a vehicle was set on fire just outside of Vernon yesterday. RCMP Const. Jocelyn Noseworthy says officers were called out around 11:30 a.m. Monday, June 29, to Highway 97 near L&A Crossroad in Spallumcheen where a vehicle had been set on fire. “The vehicle was a Lincoln SUV that...
Campfire bans in effect this weekend for B.C. Interior
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Due to an elevated risk of fire across the Interior of B.C., the Kamloops Fire Centre has banned all open fires, including campfires, as of noon on Friday, July 3. Kelsey Winter of B.C. Wildfire says the step is being taken to prevent human-caused wildfires and protect public safety around Penticton, Kelowna, Vernon...