Vernon news
Concern arises over rash of suspicious Vernon grass fires
VERNON - A pattern of suspicious brush fires in Vernon has the fire department on edge as the region heads into scorching temperatures this week. Since June 11, crews responded to four grass fires in the city, two in Becker Park June 11 and June 12, one in Jubilee Park June 22, and the fourth on...
B.C. sending more firefighters out-of-province
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - B.C. is answering a request for assistance from the Yukon, sending 31 firefighters there to help fight wildfires. According to B.C. Wildfire, the request was made through the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre, responsible for coordinating sharing of firefighting personnel and resources with other jurisdictions. B.C. just sent 21 firefighters, four fixed wing...
City approves wage increase for Vernon firefighters
VERNON - Vernon firefighters will be getting a raise as part of a negotiated deal reached with the City of Vernon this week. The new collective agreement between the Vernon local of the International Association of Firefighters and the city calls for a 2.5 per cent retroactive salary increase for each year, starting in 2013,...
No fireworks and possibly no campfires allowed this weekend
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Without a significant amount of rainfall Tuesday night, the Southern Interior could see a fire danger rating of ‘extreme’ by the start of the weekend. And that could mean no campfires on the weekend before Canada Day. Kelsey Winter of B.C. Wildfire says the fire danger rating in the Kamloops Fire Centre, which...
Vernon debuts new city brand: ‘Activate Life’
VERNON - McDonald’s has ‘I’m lovin’ it’, NIKE has ‘Just do it’ and now the City of Vernon is embracing the power of the slogan with the new tagline, ‘Activate Life.’ It’s part of a branding initiative to market and promote Vernon among locals and tourists alike. The new tagline replaces the former ‘Vernon Make...
Vernon recreation fees going up
VERNON - Residents will notice new prices when they pay for recreation services, but a Vernon councillor insists the fee increase is a reasonable one. The cost for rentals, programs and recreation services is going up 2.6 per cent this year. Coun. Catherine Lord says the increase is needed to cover rising operational costs. “It’s...
Vernon mayor tight-lipped about Green Valley Motel evictions
VERNON - As tenants of the Green Valley Motel search for new homes after being served eviction notices last week, discussions about the property are going on behind closed doors at Vernon city hall. People living at the motel need to be gone in two months, and local agencies like the John Howard Society and...
Scorching temperatures ahead for Thompson-Okanagan
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – With the official start of summer on Sunday, the weather forecast for the Southern Interior appears ready to cooperate. Penticton and Kelowna can expect a week of sunny, hot weather leading into a possibly record-breaking weekend, according to the meteorologists at Environment Canada. There is a slight chance of showers Monday night, June...
Man and kids escape fire in Vernon garage
VERNON - A blaze that lit up the night sky over Swan Lake in Vernon Sunday night destroyed a garage and threatened a home on Old Kamloops Road. Firefighters were called out about 9 p.m. Sunday, June 22, BX-Swan Lake Fire Chief Bill Wacey says. A garage was destroyed in the fire, and an adjacent...
Another grass fire in Vernon’s Becker Park; this one is suspicious
VERNON – Vernon fire crews put out another grass fire in a park right in the middle of city. Firefighters were called to a third blaze in just over a week in Becker Park at about 6:36 a.m., Saturday, June 20. The cause of this one has been deemed suspicious in nature. Capt. Brent Bond...
Six-year-old Shuswap student’s letter about friendship will melt your heart
SHUSWAP - Here is your dose of adorable for the day. Hillcrest Elementary School student Brody S. wants to create Friendship Day, and he’s looking for support from Salmon Arm City Hall, specifically the mayor herself. In what must have been the best letter the mayor received that day, six-year-old Brody S. outlines his vision...
RCMP, SPCA investigating woman accused of dragging puppy behind moving vehicle
OKANAGAN – After news of four Kelowna women who rescued a puppy that was injured while being pulled behind a moving vehicle in Oliver last week, the SPCA and RCMP have begun a joint investigation into possible animal cruelty. On Friday, June 12 at around 7:30 p.m., four women from Kelowna were on a wine...
Treat dad like a king with these Father’s Day events in the Southern Interior
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Father’s Day is one day every year where families can tell dad how much he means and do the things he enjoys. So with forecasts calling for sun and temperatures in the mid-20s any of these outdoor events happening around the Thompson-Okanagan should keep him smiling for the next 12 months. If you’re in...
Man assaulted at Vernon business
VERNON – Police are investigating after a 24-year-old man was assaulted at a Vernon business last night. RCMP say they were called to the business in the 8100-block of Highland Road in a light industrial area on the north end of Swan Lake at about 10:50 p.m., June 18. The victim had minor injuries and...
Hospital laundry workers continue anti-privatization protest as decision looms
KELOWNA - The Hospital Employees Union continued its public pressure campaign against privatization of laundry services this week with a pair of rallies in the largest communities within the Interior Health Authority. Laundry workers sought to bring provincial politicians into the mix by protesting in front of the contituency offices of MLA Terry Lake in...