Kelowna and West Kelowna News‹ Feb 11 to 17, 2018 ›
Weather grounds flights
Poor visibility is causing problems at the Kelowna International Airport Saturday, forcing the cancellation of several flights. While some early-morning...
Fire at George Elliot school
Fire broke out at a Lake Country high school overnight. Lake Country Fire Chief Steve Windsor says firefighters were called to George Elliot Secondary just...
Swapping pucks for rings
The West Kelowna Warriors will ditch their curved sticks and puck for straight sticks and a ring. The BCHL hockey team will get a chance to show off its...
KFX: come and cosplay
Organizers gave a sneak peek this week of the upcoming Kelowna Fan Experience. KFX as it's known is scheduled for March 23-25 and is produced by New Vintage...
Fruit industry thriving... but
The outgoing president of the BC Fruit Growers Association painted a picture of an industry that has bounced back after some very dark days. Fred Steele,...
Local back in octagon
One of Kelowna's top fighters is in Texas this weekend looking to grab her third win in the UFC. Sarah “Cheesecake” Moras trains under coach...
$5M for tree fruit farmers
B.C.’s tree fruit farmers are about to get a boost from the provincial government in the form of $5 million set aside to give the industry a competitive...
Water repairs completed
UPDATE: 4:45 p.m. Repairs have been completed on a water pressure reducing station in the Casa Loma Area of West Kelowna. Lakeview Heights and Casa Loma...
Missing Kelowna woman
RCMP are requesting the public’s assistance in locating a missing Kelowna woman. Stephanie Lang, 29, was last seen a week ago, but hasn't been in...
Global cuts hit Okanagan
Three Okanagan employees lost their jobs at Global News this week. North Okanagan reporter Megan Turcato and two camera operators are out of work, after...
$2.9M school budget cut
The board of education for School District 23 has approved a $2.9-million reduction to its 2017-18 budget. The move reduces the overall district budget for...
Tattoo show adds suds, rock
The Okanagan Tattoo Show returns to Kelowna this summer. Organizers have announced the event will grow this year to incorporate a music and beer festival....
Taking wine ban to court?
The B.C. Wine Institute is considering legal action against the Alberta government, as British Columbia wineries begin to feel the effect of Alberta’s...
Missing teen found
Kelowna RCMP tell Castanet they have found 16 year old Giselle Roberts. She was reported missing Tuesday Feb. 13. No further details are available at this time.
Award for Castanet's Moore
For 15 years, Castanet's Wayne Moore has been covering the comings and goings across the Okanagan. Thursday night, Moore was recognized by the B.C. Fruit...
Leaving it all behind
A Kelowna family decided to pack their bags and move across the world about eight months ago. The family of four wanted to discover a different perspective on...
Kelowna's growth slowing
The rate of population growth within the Kelowna Census Metropolitan area has slowed down. While the region, which encompasses the area between Peachland and...
Biggest development ever
West Kelowna city council took tentative first steps this week toward approving what would be the biggest development the city has ever seen. With Couns....
Top 10 for local boarder
Kelowna's Tess Critchlow is one of the top ten female snowboard cross riders in the world today. It's been a busy day for Critchlow, who's been...
Moose swerves by cars
A father and daughter were recently driving down Gordon Drive when a moose came darting towards them. The moose was just inches away from the vehicle, near...
'I did not give him consent'
“I never consented to anything with him, I did not give him consent to touch me,” an alleged sexual assault victim repeatedly told the court...
Stewart ready to work
Less than a day after being returned to the legislature by voters in Kelowna West, Ben Stewart says he's ready to get to work. Stewart reclaimed the seat...
House fire in Rutland
UPDATE: 10:45 a.m. All hot spots are now out, and fire crews have left the scene. "The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. One elderly woman was...
Placid Forman in court
A Kelowna father accused of three counts of second-degree murder in connection to the death of his wife and two children appeared placid in court Thursday....
Accused lurer out on bail
A former Kelowna resident, arrested last month in Grande Prairie, Alta., on child pornography charges, is out on bail. Jonathan Karl Bruenig, 34, was released...
Drilling holes in gas tanks
Two vehicles had holes drilled into their gas tanks outside a Kelowna office. Employees came out to the work trucks on Landsdowne Place near Reid's Corner...
Voters elect Stewart
UPDATE: 11:15 p.m. Liberal Ben Stewart is now the MLA of Kelowna West, again. Quails' Gate Estate Winery was packed with supporters and friends of Stewart...
Greens get 13% of vote
UPDATE 11:15 p.m. Robert Stupka believes in the message the Green Party is delivering. He just doesn't feel enough people bothered to listen. Stupka, making...
NDP a distant second
UPDATE: 11 p.m. Disappointing. That's how Kelowna West NDP riding association president Karen Abramsen described the results of Wednesday's byelection....
Girls rescued from scaffold
Two teenage girls got a little too adventurous for their own good, Wednesday night. Firefighters with a ladder truck were called to a construction site on...
Police seek missing teen
Kelowna RCMP are requesting the public’s assistance in locating a missing Kelowna teen. Giselle Roberts was last seen Feb. 13. Police are concerned for...
Pot will transform local jobs
Legalized cannabis will usher in major economic shifts in the Okanagan as economic activity explodes and the labor market transforms dramatically. Those are...
Steady action at the polls
Voting has been steady in the Kelowna West byelection as residents go to the polls to chose a replacement for former premier Christy Clark. Clark resigned from...
Car to a mama in need
A Kelowna mom received an unexpected Valentine's Day gift, Wednesday. Mamas for Mamas and Paragon Motors presented the keys to her own car to Roxanne...
Letnick pans throne speech
Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick is disappointed the NDP government's throne speech didn't include safeguards for the provincial economy....
Kelowna West votes today
UPDATE 7:21 a.m. Elections B-C says results of the Kelowna West byelection should begin flowing in after eight tonight, once the polls have closed -- and...
Master ballet class back
The Chan Hon Goh Masterclass series is back in Kelowna by popular demand this week. Goh, a Prima Ballerina of the National Ballet of Canada (1994-2009) and...
Valentine's, do you care?
Valentines Day is here. While many choose to dismiss it, a new poll by Insights West finds three out of four people plan to celebrate the lovers' day. In...
Building Rowcliffe Park
Construction is finally set to begin on Rowcliffe Park. The community park is the signature piece of the overall Central Green development. Construction on...
Forman back in court
A man who has been charged with three counts of second-degree murder in connection to the death of his wife and his two children just days before Christmas will...
Steps to financial literacy
There is no question that finances weigh heavily on the majority, but what if there was a guide to help aleviate some of that burden. Launch Community...
Bye bye, dirt pile
Construction has officially begun on the Kelowna development that will one day supplant the downtown core’s much-maligned dirt pile. One Water Street will...
East Indians need not apply
A racist Kijiji ad for a rental suite in Rutland is causing a stir. The ad posted on Monday offers a two-bedroom suite for rent and explicitly stated: “no...
Moose attacks family pet
A moose on the loose became aggressive toward a dog in a West Kelowna backyard. Alana Haller says the moose has been hanging around her Yorkton Road...
'Disheveled and terrified'
UPDATE: 3:45 p.m. When a West Kelowna RCMP officer found the victim of an alleged violent rape just before 7 a.m. on Feb. 21, 2016, she leapt from the bush she...
City surprised by Airbnb tax
A recently announced tax on Airbnb rentals in B.C. came as a complete surprise to the City of Kelowna, and city planners are still trying to calculate its...
'A great face for radio'
Today is World Radio Day. And that's a big deal at Castanet, where we recently got into the radio business with the launch of our sister station Okanagan...
Pondering pot playing field
Now the province has set out rules, the City of Kelowna can begin work on land-use regulations for marijuana retailers. Rules introduced by the province last...
More than 6,000 vote early
Voting was light but steady during six days of advance polls in Wednesday's Kelowna West byelection. A total of 6,142 votes were cast during advance polls,...
Water shut off tomorrow
Residents in Killiney Beach will be without water Valentine's Day. Service will be shut off to customers above Westside Road from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the...
Blaze on Bernard
UPDATE 6:44 a.m Platoon Captain Kelly Stephens, with Kelowna Fire, tells Castanet an unattended candle is the culprit in an early morning fire that forced 10...
Okanagan PBR is coming!
Canada's top bull riders will be making a stop in Kelowna for the first time ever this summer. Canada’s elite Monster Energy Tour will buck into...
Calling young TEDxers
Calling all young Okanagan innovators, TEDxYouth wants you. Organizer Jordan Kleckner is hoping Okanagan youth will embrace the opportunity to get engaged,...
This moose be love
A moose strolling around the Glenrosa area of West Kelowna is turning into a bit of a celebrity. After being spotted on Glen Eagles Drive this weekend, several...
How high is too high?
Westcorp is standing up for the new design of its proposed downtown Kelowna hotel. City planning staff are recommending council deny a new development permit...
Club mourning death
UPDATE: 2:20 p.m. RCMP tell Castanet there was no death at the Liquid Zoo over the weekend. The male that passed away did however, have a connection to the...
Full day of sunshine
The Okanagan is in for a full day of sunshine this Family Day. Environment Canada forecasts a high of -5 C and mainly sunny, with cloudy periods towards late...
'Very missed' lost pup
A missing pup named Max has been all alone for two weeks now. Max is a male boxer who was last seen on Westside Road in West Kelowna. A drone search was...
Blown away by whirlwind
Kelowna residents were blown away by a whirlwind on Saturday. Figuratively. A video taken from an Orchard Park Shopping Centre parking lot shows a defined dust...
Castanet's week in review
Castanet's week in review with Nich Johansen.
Teacher training welcomed
School District 23 Central Okanagan is welcoming news that the provincial government is going to fund specialized training for 100 teachers. Education Minister...
Moose on the loose
A moose has been spotted galavanting around the Glenrosa area of West Kelowna yesterday evening. A resident of the area managed to snap a few photos of the...
Thoughts on Family Day
Premier John Horgan announced Friday that Family Day will be moved to the third week of February, in line with other Canadian provinces. "Moving Family Day...
New tiller joins milfoil fight
A new, built-in-the-Okanagan rototiller will join the valley's milfoil control fleet this year. The Okanagan Basin Water Board was updated this week on its...
CCTV monitoring not ready
The City of Kelowna is working with the provincial information and privacy commissioner to ensure its proposed surveillance monitoring program is legal. A...