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Vernon

UPDATE: Severe thunderstorm watch ended

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - UPDATE: 8:49 p.m., Aug. 14 The severe thunderstorm watch for the South and North Thompson and Nicola regions has ended. Short-lived storms passed through the region late afternoon and early evening, but no major damage has been reported. UPDATE: 6:07 p.m., Aug. 14 The severe thunderstorm warning has been downgraded back down to...

Looking for a forever home, Vernon SPCA pets of the week

Spot My name is Spot and I hope you can spot me amongst the other kittens at the B.C. SPCA shelter in Vernon. I am so very loving and just waiting for that human lap to lay in and purr for hours on end. Please ask the Vernon SPCA staff if you are interested in...

Liquor added to wares peddled at Vernon Farmers Market

VERNON – The City of Vernon is following the lead of other municipalities in the province and allowing the local farmers’ market to sell alcohol products. City council voted this week to amend the city policy to allow the sale, and sampling, of liquor at the market. Breweries, distilleries, meaderies and wineries have all expressed...

Grasshoppers take over the Interior

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - While they are an important food source in parts of Africa the overwhelming number of grasshoppers gracing our yards, parks and roads have not been nearly as welcome in the Southern Interior. Karla Hoffman, Integrated Pest Management Coordinator for Kamloops says while the city itself is not dealing with the grasshoppers as a...

Take a bite out of the grasshopper population

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - With the abundance of grasshoppers in our yards and parks right now it’s the perfect time to try a new recipe. The leaping insects are common cuisine in many countries so get your nets and mason jars and get to catching some of these tiny treats. They can be baked, deep fried and...

Catastrophic electrical failure sparks Coldstream mill fire

COLDSTREAM - Employees at a lumber mill in Coldstream saw sudden, lightning-like flashes followed by flames after an electrical malfunction almost burnt down the entire facility. Investigators believe they have found the cause of Tuesday’s vicious fire at Coldstream Lumber, just off Highway 6 on Ricardo Road. Coldstream fire chief Shane Code says a combination of...

Friends of Kal Park step up efforts against Ministry proposal

VERNON - A local advocacy group is determined to quash a Ministry of Transportation initiative aimed at Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park. The Friends of Kal Park has launched an online petition — now with over 600 supporters — as part of ongoing efforts to halt the Ministry’s application to move the park’s boundary. The change would...

UPDATE: Severe thunderstorm watch ended, again

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - For the second day in a row the risk of severe thunderstorms in the Interior passed before any damage could be done. Much of the region received at least some rain overnight or this morning. While it stopped by mid-morning, a 30-40 per cent chance of showers remains tonight. Environment Canada issued the...

The cat who can open doors

While Mulder's owner may not be so impressed by his kitty's talents, many are fans of his ability to open doors - even when there's risks involved. Watch this cat take on his owner's tricks. Then on trending now, check out a family's way to cheer up their grandfather as he deals with the death...

Sentencing delayed for missionary guilty of assaulting wife and kids

VERNON - The sentence hearing for a missionary found guilty of assaulting his wife and children was postponed Tuesday so he could receive a psychiatric assessment. The 42-year-old was supposed to be sentenced on charges of assault, assault with a weapon and sexual assault Tuesday afternoon in Vernon Supreme Court but a last minute order...

Child lurer enticed victims by saying he was a modelling agent

VERNON - A Vernon man lured Okanagan girls via Facebook by telling them he was a modeling agent looking for young talent, said the Crown. David Clayton Willerth, born in 1974, is scheduled to enter expected guilty pleas for 25 counts, including communicating by computer to lure a person under 16, making or publishing child...

Vernon officials investigate suspicious backyard grass fire

VERNON - Authorities in Vernon are investigating another suspicious fire, this time in a resident’s backyard. Fire crews were called to the 800 block of Mt. Bulman Place about 2 a.m. Monday to fight a backyard grass fire. Deputy fire chief Jack Blair says the fire was quickly contained and the only damage was to...

Heat, rain in forecast

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Have both your sunscreen and umbrella on standby, we are expecting two more days of high heat but then we are heading to below normal temperatures and rain later in the week. Monday we are looking at temperatures of 34 to 36 Celsius across the region and while Tuesday's temperatures for most of...

UPDATE: Severe thunderstorm watch ended

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A system threatening to bring strong winds and heavy rain to the region this afternoon is no longer a concern according to Environment Canada. Meteorologists warned the system, which was developing over Washington, could produce wind gusts in excess of 70 kilometres per hour and dump 15 millimetres of rain in a short...

Missionary found guilty of assaulting wife and children

VERNON - A  former missionary and pastor who 'corrected' his children by beating them with a comb and who forced himself on their mother was found guilty of assault with a weapon and sexual assault in Vernon Supreme Court Monday. The North Okanagan man, aged 42, met the complainant while the two were doing missionary...