Vernon news
Molotov cocktail chucked at Vernon church
VERNON - Police and the Fire Department are investigating after a molotov cocktail was thrown at the Vernon Family Church Monday night. Deputy Fire Chief Lawrie Skolrood says a nearby resident noticed a large flame around 7:30 p.m. outside the church, located on 25 Avenue, and phoned 911. “It’s very fortunate the building was stucco...
Windstorm slams BC interior knocking power out to 39,000
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – A major wind storm blew through the B.C. interior Saturday afternoon, March 14, knocking down trees and breaking branches which in turn hit hydro lines cutting the power to about 39,000. In the Thompson-Okanagan area just under 1,000 B.C. Hydro customers are still without power as of 1 p.m., Sunday, March 15 due...
Water service interruption scheduled this week
VERNON - Water service will be interrupted Tuesday and Wednesday in areas of Vernon while the city conducts repairs. The city is replacing mainline valves and some customers will be without water from 8 a.m. Tues., March 17 to 4 p.m. Wed., March 18, according to a media release. The areas affected include: 621 to...
Windstorm forces Lumby residents from their homes
VERNON - Lumby residents were evacuated from their homes over the weekend due to a major windstorm. Around 7 p.m. Saturday, Mar. 14, RCMP officers were called to a home in the 400 block of Mabel Lake Road in Lumby for a hydro hazard caused by the wind. “The wind blew a portable carport up...
Vernon Mounties catch well armed break-in suspect
VERNON – An eagle-eyed neighbour played a role in the apprehension of a break-and-enter suspect in Vernon on the weekend. The man noticed someone rummaging through his neighbour’s truck on Mt. Fosthall Drive, Sunday, March 15, and called police. RCMP say a person matching the suspect’s description was spotted on a bicycle near the 7-Eleven...
Major snowfall for mountain pass highways in Thompson-Okanagan
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Winter appears to be reluctant to release it’s icy grip on the mountain pass highways in the Thompson-Okanagan. Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement warning of 10 to 20 centimetres of snow by Monday morning. Meteorologist Ross Macdonald says a strong front over Washington State combined with falling freezing levels will...
A place to call home at Vernon Jubilee Hospital
VERNON - Medical students now have a place to call home after the new medical space promised for Vernon Jubilee officially opened this week. University of British Columbia Southern Medical Program students will have access to centralized education areas, two video conferencing rooms designed for learning and training, as well as a clinical skills room....
Spring break ideas to keep the kids busy in Vernon
VERNON – There is no shortage of things to do with the children over the two-week spring break in Kelowna. Spring break kicks off Monday, March 16 before wrapping up on Friday, March 27 with all kinds of activities and day camps planned by various organizations around town. The best advice is to pre-register for...
How a group of North Okanagan teachers took funding into their own hands
NORTH OKANAGAN - It’s not always easy in cash-strapped times for teachers to find spare change for programs, but a group in the North Okanagan has found a way to think outside the box. The Outdoor Learning program in the North Okanagan and Shuswap, unlike many other courses in School District 83 such as the cancelled adult...
Vernon joins Canada-wide rallies against Bill C-51
VERNON - Vernon residents will protest a controversial piece of government legislation at a rally Saturday afternoon. The focus of the protest is Bill C-51, the federal government’s Anti-terrorism Act. The proposed legislation would allow federal authorities to investigate terrorism by accessing the public’s private information, and sharing that information among intelligence and law enforcement...
Witness to deadly B.C. boat crash recalls tears from man on trial
KAMLOOPS - A man whose speedboat crashed on a B.C. lake cradled the head of a dying houseboat operator and cried as he waited for help to arrive, a witness has testified. Lubomir Vitanov, who was a passenger on the houseboat on July 3, 2010, said he saw Leon Reinbrecht holding the victim's head after...
Don’t forget to book your camping sites this weekend
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you decide to sleep in this Sunday you might miss out on the summer you’ve been dreaming of. The online and call centre reservation system for provincial campgrounds officially opens Sunday, March 15 at 9 a.m. Reservable sites tend to book up quickly, especially at the more popular campgrounds and for long...
National anti-terrorism bill demonstrations make stops in Thompson-Okanagan
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Demonstrators gathered across the country today to protest the government's proposed anti-terrorism legislation. In the Thompson-Okanagan rallies were held in Kamloops and Vernon. Organizers dubbed the nationwide protests "Defend our Freedom." The Conservative government introduced the legislation, known as Bill C-51, in January and says it will make Canadians safer. Dozens of people...
Cause of Vernon apartment fire under investigation
VERNON – Investigators are looking into the cause of an apartment fire in Vernon early Saturday morning, although it’s not considered suspicious in nature. The fire broke out at around 1:16 a.m., Saturday, March 14 in the closet of one of the units at the building in the 3600-block of 27 Avenue, just south of...
This is what happened to that envelope of cash turned in to Vernon RCMP
VERNON - A week after a significant amount of cash was found on a Vernon sidewalk the rightful owner of the envelope of cash has been found. A woman out walking her dog saw the envelope in the area of Bodwell Road and Pottery Road at 8 a.m. on March 4 and turned it in to...