Kelowna News‹ Jan 21 to 27, 2018 ›
Not guilty of sex assaults
On the evening of Aug. 23, 2016, two women woke up from a nap in the living room of their Kelowna home to find a stranger in their makeshift bed, touching their...
Music takes over BNA
For the fifth year in a row, Fireside Sessions will take over BNA Brewing, selling out for the third year in a row. The event, which has been expanded to two...
Missing man found safe
UPDATE: 9:50 a.m. Wayne Scherger has been found after he was reported missing Friday afternoon. The 58-year-old man left his assisted living care facility in...
Oh no, more snow!
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for the Okanagan Valley, as two separate storms could combine for plenty of snow and rain. The first...
Will guilty plea stick?
Leslie McCulloch must wait over a month before he knows if he's still guilty of making hundreds of fake Oxycontin pills at his auto restoration company in...
CrossFit community unites
The CrossFit community is brought together by people inspired to live healthy lifestyles, but is kept together by continued love and support. Owners of...
Family housing proposed
A new housing development is being proposed for Taylor Road in Rutland, one that embraces a major council priority. The developer is seeking to have the...
A BC foodie favourite
The Canadian Culinary Championships return to Kelowna Feb. 2-3. Eleven of the best chefs from across the country have competed to represent their regions, with...
Kelowna NHL fantasy
Some of your favourite Montreal Canadiens alumni will be back on the ice in Kelowna. The Central Okanagan Hospice Association (COHA) has teamed up with former...
Busted en route
A Kelowna woman is facing a number of possible drug-related charges after she was pulled over by RCMP who found drugs in her vehicle. The bust happened on...
7 overdose deaths in 3 days
There have been seven suspected overdose deaths in Interior Health from Jan. 23 to 26, according to preliminary data provided by the B.C. Coroners Service. I.H....
ICBC forks over $237K
The province's insurance corporation will be kicking in $237,000 for road safety projects completed by the City of Kelowna over the past 12 months. The...
Deaf seek first aid ruling
The Okanagan Valley Association of the Deaf (OVAD) has filed a human rights complaint against St. John Ambulance for refusing to provide sign language...
Will KGH pool reopen?
The therapeutic pool at Kelowna General Hospital is closed - and there are fears among patients it may never reopen. It closed for maintenance on Dec. 23, and...
Serwa featured in Bay ad
If you listen closely you can almost hear the faint sounds of 'O Canada' off in the distance. The national hype machine is revving up for the...
Jury revisits evidence
UPDATE: 3:20 p.m. "The standard of proof beyond a reasonable doubt is relatively easy to say but it can be difficult to apply," Justice Len Marchand...
Light rail on rail trail?
Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran says it’s time to consider light rail service along the Okanagan Rail Trail. At his annual state of the city address today,...
Mattiussi to retire March 30
Kelowna city manager Ron Mattiussi has made no secret of the fact this would be his last year on the job. He has now made the date official. Mattiussi, who has...
Cops seize counterfeit bills
A wave of counterfeit bills in the Central Okanagan has prompted a warning from the RCMP. The 'funny money' has been passed to businesses in both...
State of the City
Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran delivered his annual State of the City address Friday afternoon at the Coast Capri Hotel. Castanet broadcast the address live. Click...
Chopper for Chompers
A West Kelowna helicopter company is hoping to stuff a chopper to help local animal shelters and animal welfare organizations. Last year the business...
Collision on Glenmore
A quick-thinking Castanet reader just sent us a photo of a collision which occurred just after 1:30 p.m. Friday. In the photo taken by Sarah Manchester, you can...
Castanet Kid Report
Castanet's Kid Report with junior correspondent Ariella Amato.
Alzheimer's medicine trial
Kelowna will take part in a large national trial in an effort to test drugs that could slow down dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The study will follow...
Teacher battles ALS
Kelowna teacher Isabel Vicente was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease last October. For several months her outcome looked bleak as she was unable to find...
Alleged pimp's trial set
An alleged Kelowna pimp is tentatively scheduled to stand trial in Supreme Court next fall. Simon Rypiak was arrested in August 2016 after an 11-month police...
Courier a hot commodity
The Kelowna Daily Courier property on Doyle Avenue is a hot commodity. Despite being on the market for only a few weeks, a couple of offers have apparently...
Cooking across country
The Canadian Culinary Championships return to Kelowna Feb. 2-3. Eleven of the best chefs from across the country have competed to represent their regions, with...
On the lookout for scammer
Police in Kelowna are looking to speak to any local restaurant owners who have fallen victim to a fraudster who's been avoiding paying for food deliveries....
Thieves smash through walls
Thieves hit a commercial building in Rutland twice in two nights, stealing from two small businesses and a church by breaking through walls. The first robbery...
Alleged pervert charged
A 64-year-old man who was arrested at a Lake Country park last summer for allegedly “doing inappropriate things to himself while watching kids play”...
Cleaning up graffiti
A gap between winter storms means the Downtown Kelowna Clean Team can hit the streets. On the agenda Thursday, graffiti removal. Greg Trytten, a member of the...
Creeps girls while on bail
A woman says she felt harassed and uncomfortable after going on a date with a Peachland man who is now facing charges of sexually assaulting two women in their...
Shrek in Kelowna
Bring the family out for an unforgettable, fantastic and funny production of Shrek the Musical. The musical is produced by Ryan Grenier and Okanagan Mission...
Serwa matriarch passes
The matriarch of one of Kelowna's most well-known families has passed away. Helen Serwa died Monday at the age of 106. Affectionately known as...
Sailor honoured nationally
Quite an honour for the head coach of the Central Okanagan Sailing Association. Devin Rubadeau has been named Sail Canada's 2017 Sailing Instructor of the...
Searching for plane by foot
A Revelstoke man has been spending his days and nights searching for a missing single-engine aircraft and the two people on board. Roland Lamarre knows the...
Nitro Circus to Kelowna
Cook is apart of Nitro Circus; the world's biggest action sports entertainment brand. The Next Level Tour features the best athletes in action sports...
Carrying the vegan banner
The Canadian Culinary Championships return to Kelowna Feb. 2-3. Eleven of the best chefs from across the country have competed to represent their regions, with...
Rockets survive Hurricane
Kole Lind scored his second goal of the game with 27 seconds left in three-on-three overtime, as the Kelowna Rockets edged the Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-3...
Courier building up for sale
UPDATE: 8:35 p.m. Union spokesman Pat Bulmer says news of Kelowna's only daily newspaper property being for sale does not necessarily mean the end is near...
Jury ready to deliberate
The Crown prosecutor told the jury in the Shea Gardecki sexual assault trial that Gardecki and his clothing matched the description of the attacker the victims...
Released after July arson
The man who walked down Harvey Avenue lighting bushes on fire during the province’s worst wildfire season on record will be released from custody, after...
No escaping Griff the dog
An alleged reckless driver from Kelowna could not escape the long paw of the law. According to a police press release, on Jan. 20 a motorist did not stop for...
Ghost sailboat found
UPDATE: 1 pm The mystery of the ghost sailboat found floating near Cedar Creek Park has been solved. The owner, Shane Branec contacted the city once he saw the...
Local parents pave way
Family Day weekend is fast approaching, and local parents are planning a weekend that's the first of its kind in Kelowna. On Feb. 9 and 10, the first...
New hotel for viewing
Developers of a new downtown Kelowna hotel are offering a glimpse into the future. Westcorp, which is proposing a 16-storey hotel on the former Willow Inn site...
You look nice today
Jan. 24 marks National Compliment Day. This unofficial day was started in 1998 by Debby Hoffman and Kathy Chamberlin as a way “to tell the people in our...
Aqua height OK
Mayor Colin Basran was the lone dissenter as Kelowna city council enthusiastically voted to move forward with a major waterfront complex in the city’s...
Big snow at local ski hills
There may be a few extra sick days called in around the Okanagan Wednesday, after local ski hills had one of the best overnight snow dumps of the season. While...
Aloha Okanagan!
The 2018 Aloha Gymfest which wrapped up recently in Oahu, Hawaii featured some serious Okanagan talent. Nine athletes and their coaches, Heather Ivanitz and...
Jungle golf is back!
Kelowna's Scandia jungle golf course is officially up and running. After it was severely flooded in May, crews have been working hard for the past several...
Chen's recipe for success
The Canadian Culinary Championships return to Kelowna Feb. 2-3. Eleven of the best chefs from across the country have competed to represent their regions, with...
Global concerns in spotlight
Kelowna is once again set to celebrate global, and local humanitarian efforts through the annual Global Citizen Events. Put on by Global Citizen Kelowna, the...
Sex assault case wraps up
The man accused of sexually assaulting two women in their home while they slept called no evidence in his defence, after the Crown finished its submissions...
Sex toys, money stolen
UPDATE: 5 p.m. A Kelowna store owner is telling two suspects to man up and turn themselves in after robbing her store and locking employees in a bathroom. Wild...
Crashes continue
UPDATE 4:40 p.m. Another crash has occurred on the slippery Kelowna roads. This time, a single vehicle has crashed on Glenmore Road North, near the landfill. ...
Bail granted in murder case
The man accused of murdering a young mother in 2013 is expected to be released from custody on bail this week. Jay Thomson, 61, was arrested in November 2017,...
Missing boy's mom thankful
A Kelowna mother is extremely thankful to RCMP for finding her missing son. Her seven-year-old boy was home sick from school on Monday and was playing in their...
Flair CEO eyes millennials
The new head of Kelowna’s home-grown airline says his company will have to more effectively engage millennials to succeed in the hyper-competitive...
Pot shop blowback?
Now that the city of Kelowna has moved to shut down dispensaries by the end of January, business owners and employees are left holding the bag. The city of...
Senseless crime spree
Kelowna RCMP needs the public's help to get more information as they investigate what appears to be senseless vandalism Tuesday morning. Just after...
Target is functional zero
An absolute end to homelessness is likely not going to happen in Kelowna within the next five years. Dr. Alina Turner, hired to support the work of the...
Asian influence inspires
The Canadian Culinary Championships return to Kelowna Feb. 2-3. Eleven of the best chefs from across the country have competed to represent their regions, with...
Bikeshare a go in Kelowna
If all goes according to plan, come April 1st, Kelowna will be the latest city to test drive a bikeshare program. The proposed 18-month pilot program was given...
Pot shop shutdown
A Kelowna lawyer is representing several local marijuana dispensaries in a fight with City Hall. Evan Cooke says he has been retained by the dispensaries after...
Mall update a hit
It's been a long time coming. That was the general feeling of city councillors after hearing about updates to downtown's Towne Centre Mall Monday. The...
Kelowna man found
UPDATE: 4:45 P.M. The Kelowna RCMP has confirmed that the 46-year-old man, who police had been searching for is no longer being considered a missing person. ...
Game of Drones in town
Drones have zoomed to new speeds and skill levels in Kelowna. The first ever drone racing competition took place on Sunday with competitors from all over...
Cops swarm, find boy
UPDATE: 4 p.m. A potentially scary situation was avoided after swift action from RCMP in Kelowna on Monday. Several officers were engaged to search for a...
Pizza delivery car stolen
A pizza delivery man’s vehicle was stolen early Sunday morning. RCMP were called to Rutland Road North near McCurdy Road for a theft of vehicle just...
Stash of stolen tires found
RCMP have located close to 30 stolen tires that were taken from a car dealership in Kelowna. An overnight commercial break and enter took place on Jan. 12 where...
Flurries in the forecast
The Okanagan is in for a mild week ahead, with a possible chance of flurries off and on all week. "There is a low complex storm off of the coast and that...
Slashed tires a mystery
RCMP said the cause of numerous damaged tires to vehicles parked at Okanagan College is not yet known. Multiple people attending class on Saturday came out to...
Donation box stolen
This time it's personal! Crime Stoppers needs your help to catch a crook who snatched a Crime Stoppers donation box from a 7-11 located at Harvey Avenue...
Medallist back for more
The Canadian Culinary Championships return to Kelowna Feb. 2-3. Eleven of the best chefs from across the country have competed to represent their regions, with...
One robbery, four arrests
One attempted bank robbery and four arrests in Kelowna today just go to show nobody profits from crime. On Saturday afternoon, RCMP responded to a call about an...
Slashed tires at college
At least 10 vehicles parked at Okanagan College were vandalized on Saturday afternoon. Carrie Langevin said her vehicle and nine others were all parked in staff...
Foster makes top 10 in Can
Big White's director of snow sports Josh Foster has been selected for the Canadian Ski Instructors’ Alliance Interski team. Interski 2019 will take...
'Gifting circle' a scam
It looks like there's a new scam in town. Last year in Coquitlam, RCMP issued an alert about the "gifting pyramid scheme". "We are finding...
Bikeshare pedals into town
An 18-month pilot project to bring a bikeshare service to Kelowna is close to becoming reality. A month ago, at a Monday morning council meeting, city staff...
Mom's kitchen influence
The Canadian Culinary Championships return to Kelowna Feb. 2-3. Eleven of the best chefs from across the country have competed to represent their regions, with...