News Archive‹ Sep 3 to 9, 2017 ›

Warriors lay egg in opener

The West Kelowna Warriors must have left their game in Trail Friday night. Before a boisterous home opening crowd, the Warriors were flat in a 4-0 loss to the...

Surveying Irma's devastation

Hurricane Irma ripped roofs off houses and flooded hundreds of miles of coastline as it raked Cuba's northern coast after devastating islands the length of...

Vipers beat Silverbacks, 6-5

The Vernon Vipers scored twice in the final 10 minutes of the third period, coming from behind to beat the Salmon Arm Silverbacks, 6-5, at the Kal Tire Place on...

Irma targets St. Petersburg

Irma's leading edge brought hurricane-force winds to the Florida Keys late Saturday, bending palm trees and spitting rain as the storm swirled north with...

Smokejumpers tend to K fire

A dozen parattack firefighters, also known as smokejumpers, have been deployed to help fight the K Mountain fire burning near Keremeos, which is burning on a...

Band accused of kidnapping

The four members of a well-known Polish death metal band have been arrested on suspicion of kidnapping a woman after a concert last month in Washington state,...

Fire 50% contained

The BC Wildfire Service said on Saturday night the Finlay Creek wildfire is 50% contained, as crews have had success establishing fireguards. The fire is...

Border fire 8,000 hectares

The Diamond Creek wildfire has burned an estimated 8,000 hectares of B.C. backcountry. The most recent size estimate of the fire was 5,500 hectares, which came...

Power restored

UPDATE: 7:25 p.m. BC Hydro crews have restored power to 677 customers between Lake Country and Vernon, as of 7:07 p.m. ORIGINAL: 6:30 p.m. A total of 677...

Mourning after earthquake

Slow-moving funeral processions converged on Juchitan's cemeteries from all directions on Saturday, so many that they sometimes caused temporary gridlock...

Speed, alcohol cause crash

Kamloops RCMP believe speed and alcohol were factors in a crash that involved a motorcycle and a passenger vehicle, Saturday afternoon. The accident happened...

Canadians stuck during Irma

A medical student and her mother, who are from Coquitlam, are hunkered down in St. Maarten after riding out Hurricane Irma. Mariel Chan was starting school at...

Left-turner causes crash

UPDATE: 5:35 p.m. A man involved in the crash on Highway 97 in West Kelowna on Friday night said no left turner hit any cars, but alleged that a left turner did...

Protest outside Trump hotel

Hundreds of people rallied Saturday outside the Trump International Hotel and Tower in New York City to protest the Trump administration's decision to end a...

PQ members endorse Lisee

Parti Quebecois members have resoundingly endorsed the leadership of Jean-Francois Lisee in a confidence vote. Lisee received 92.8 per cent support from the...

Canadians facing Irma

Canadians who fled to Florida in search of warmer climes are bracing for the worst as a major hurricane descends on their new home state. Some hunkered down...

A jungle to lure Amazon

TORONTO - Canada's political leaders are joining the competition to become the home of Amazon's new corporate headquarters, with premiers and mayors...

Moose on the loose

There's not much that can stop a football team, let alone two of them, but a roaming moose nearly delayed kickoff for the sold-out Banjo Bowl in Winnipeg on...

Jazzing up the weekend

Sounds of jazz are serenading Penticton this weekend, with the 21st Pentastic Hot Jazz Festival taking place from Friday through Sunday. There are 11 bands...

Dementia and the senses

What you need to know about dementia’s effect on the five senses As we age, many different changes occur in the body, including changes in the sensory...

Colour Me Canada

Colour Me Canada is the theme for the 24th edition of the Lake Country Art Walk today and Sunday. The theme was inspired by the nation's 150th birthday....

Very funny, officers

Police in the Maine city that's home to Stephen King played a prank to coincide with the opening of the horror film "It," based on King's...

Extreme weather new norm

Extreme weather events will become more common and more intense in the Okanagan, says a climate expert. This spring, the Valley saw historic flooding, followed...

Celebrating 75 years

The Kelowna Curling Club is celebrating 75 years this weekend. "We have an open house this weekend starting Saturday from 1:00 to 4 p.m. It's going to...

Lots of love for Eclipse

There has been an outpouring of love for Eclipse the dog after he was found emaciated and lying on the side of a Surrey road. The fully grown Great Dane was...

Teen attacked in Surrey

Surrey RCMP are seeking information after a teenaged girl was attacked in the city centre area Friday night. Insp. Warren Tyson said police are appealing for...

Kleena Kleene alert lifted

Effective immediately, the Cariboo Regional District has lifted the evacuation alert for the Kleena Kleene area to all clear. An evacuation alert or order may...

No room for refugees

Denmark's minority centre-right government doesn't want to accept any refugees this year that come in under a U.N. quota system, an official said...

Vernon Subway robbed

Witnesses are telling Castanet a Vernon fast-food restaurant was robbed Saturday morning. Few details are available, but witnesses said the 27th Street Subway...

Irma heading for Tampa

With the window closing fast for anyone wanting to escape, Irma hurtled toward Florida with 125 mph winds Saturday on a projected track that could take it away...

No growth on K Mtn. fire

The K Mountain fire near Keremeos showed no growth over night. Justine Hunse, BC Wildfire Service fire information officer, said the fire is still at seven...

Monster in your mortgage

So you have found your dream home. Congratulations! Your realtor was a great negotiator and you bought your new home for $475,000. Your mortgage is $350,000...

Evac alerts rescinded

The District of Summerland has rescinded the evacuation alert for 29 properties along Garnet Valley Road from Wildhorse Road north. “Due to the decreased...

Police confirm two dead

RCMP have confirmed two people died in a fiery crash on Highway 97 Friday morning. Const. Melissa Wutke said two vehicles collided head on at around 7:30 a.m.,...

Rain, glorious rain

The dry spell is officially over. One of the driest summers on record received some much-needed rain Friday, to the delight of firefighters – and...

All quiet at Philpott Rd. fire

Things are looking good at the Philpott Road fire. Fire information office Justine Hunse said as of Saturday morning, the fire is 85 per cent contained with a...

Protesting pay

Since the implementation of a new pay system in early 2016, federal government employees say their paycheques have been inaccurate, and in some cases,...

Poll: Liberal as Speaker

Liberal MLA Darryl Plecas defied his party and took on the job of Speaker in the B.C. legislature, Friday, breaking with parliamentary tradition and offering...

Vipers win season opener

Jesse Lansdell led the charge for the Vernon Vipers in a lopsided win over their BC Hockey League rivals the Salmon Arm Silverbacks Friday. Lansdell potted two...

Severe drought conditions

The Province has announced a Level 4 drought rating for the South Thompson, Kettle and Granby watersheds. The Province is urging all surface water and...

Who will lead NDP?

A pair of events are planned for the South Okanagan to help NDP party faithful elect a new national leader. A new leader will be selected Sept. 18 and on Sept....

First quake, now hurricane

One of the most powerful earthquakes ever to hit Mexico was followed by a Gulf coast hurricane, dealing a one-two punch to the country, killing at least 61...

5M ordered to evacuate

Irma trained its sights on Florida and officials warned more than 5 million people that time was running out Friday and ordered them to evacuate ahead of the...

First Confeds, now Spanish

Public statues and tributes to early Spanish conquerors are facing mounting criticism tied to the brutal treatment of American Indians centuries ago by Spanish...

Return of Ford Nation?

Former Toronto city councillor Doug Ford says he will be running for mayor in the 2018 municipal election. Ford made the announcement Friday night during his...

Chopper crash kills singer

A helicopter carrying singer Troy Gentry, of the award-winning country music duo Montgomery Gentry, crashed on Friday, killing Gentry and the pilot. The crash...

Country legend passes

Don Williams, an award-winning country singer with love ballads like "I Believe in You," has died. He was 78. A statement from his publicist Kirt...

Hurricane diverts cruise

When they first boarded the Norwegian Escape a week ago, passengers knew exactly where they were going. Now they have no idea. The cruise ship, with about 4,000...

'As real as it gets'

Catastrophic, life-threatening, extremely dangerous. Scary? Forecasters hope so. The National Weather Service are using as fearful words as they can, on...

Wife, sons charged in death

RCMP have charged an Alberta woman and two of her sons in the death of her husband who had been missing since 2011. Police say six years ago 49-year-old Miles...

From Okanagan to Irma

FortisBC is sending four power line technicians to assist in the hurricane-ravaged Turks and Caicos Islands. The tiny nation was devastated when Hurricane Irma...

Do you like leftovers?

We had a discussion this week about leftovers, and how sometimes even though we put them in the fridge use they sometimes disappear into the nether regions and...

Unsolved crimes: West Kel

You could have the missing piece of the puzzle that will help the RCMP put someone behind bars. Here are some recent crimes that Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers...

Prime Physiotherapy

Education & understanding are paramount in the process of a patients progress in healing. Prime physiotherapy provides a leading role in patient care and...

Rockets edge past Blazers

It was a night for the goaltenders at Prospera Place as the Kelowna Rockets and Kamloops Blazers did battle in WHL pre season play Friday. The Rockets duo of...

Wrecking ball on its way

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen is hiring a demolition contractor to tear down several ramshackle structures at the Kennedy Lake Resort south of...

Something to be thankful for

Organizers of the annual B.C. Thanksgiving Food Drive are hoping to give people a reason to be thankful this year. The seventh annual food drive is scheduled...

What chamber asked Justin

The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce has revealed its top five requests of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The chamber is pleased by the growing number of...

Mtn bikers hoping for rain

Organizers of the annual Test of Humanity mountain bike race in Summerland are hoping for rain this weekend as they prepare for the fundraiser scheduled for...

Cat on a rock wall

Next time they need to use a laser pointer to do a speed run!

Warriors snag opener

Matt Kowlaski has come as advertised - at least through one game. Kowalski had a hand in all four goals Friday night as the West Kelowna Warriors opened the BC...

Canucks down Jets 4-2

The Vancouver Canucks doubled up the Winnipeg Jets 4-2 in both team's first game at the seventh annual Young Stars Classic, Friday night at the South...

Classes bursting at seams

As students settle down for another school year, some classes are bursting at the seams in the Kamloops area. Enrolment numbers are close to what was projected...

The rain has come

The rain has begun to fall in parts of Pentiction, Vernon and Kelowna. Thunder and lightning have been heard throughout the Okanagan starting from approximately...

Death toll 61 in Mexico

One of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in Mexico struck off the country's southern coast, toppling hundreds of buildings and sending panicked...

Hwy 97 open

UPDATE 7:30 p.m. DriveBC reports that Highway 97 15 Kilometres South of Falkland is now open. UPDATE: 5:50 p.m. The estimated time of opening is now 6:30...

Who killed Adam Fettes?

RCMP are still looking for whoever murdered Adam Fettes. Fettes was killed in West Kelowna home on Sept. 10, 2006 at 10 p.m. The body of the 33 year old, who...

Pumped over bro-mance

Kelowna-Lake Country MP Stephen Fuhr is over the moon at the success of the national liberal caucus meetings held in Kelowna this week. "It's...

Mayor talks fire protection

The City of Penticton feels it needs to do "something" to improve fire protection to the Riddle Road area, but they “just haven't figured...

Some alerts lifted

UPDATE: 5:00 p.m. There has been a partial reduction of properties within an advisory Evacuation Alert issued by the RDOS in the Faulder area due to the Finlay...

No jail for doctor assault

A man found guilty of a brutal beating of a psychiatrist at Penticton Regional Hospital has been sentenced to 30 months probation. Gregory Nield, 31, also...

Back to school priorities

As a parent with young children, I know first-hand the important role our schools play in the lives of kids, families and communities. I see my kids'...

Big hay donation for CDART

A Boundary resident dropped off nearly 8,000 pounds of hay bales to the Summerland Arena on Thursday, to be donated through the Canadian Disaster Animal...

Evening Update Sept. 8

Castanet's Evening Update for Friday, Sept. 8, with reporter Wayne Moore.

Chilcotin evac alerts lifted

Residents in the East Chilcotin area can officially breathe easier. Effective immediately, the Cariboo Regional District, Yunesit’in Government and...

NDP's first throne speech

B.C.'s minority NDP government released a long list of pledges in its throne speech Friday, and the possibility of passing them into legislation grew...

Chief announces byelection

The chief of the Penticton Indian Band says byelections will be held this fall to fill five vacant council positions left by resigning members. “I would...

Hunter becomes hunted

A bow hunter who survived being mauled by a mother black bear after she pulled him out of a tree says he was determined she wasn't going to get him. Jeff...

Fire at seven hectares

UPDATE: 3:00 p.m. The K Mountain wildfire burning near Keremeos is now estimated to be seven hectares in size, according to the BC Wildfire Service. Fire...

Manslaughter charge in fire

Police have identified the man charged in a fatal house fire in Surrey. Robert Jones, 32, of Surrey, was taken into custody shortly after the fire early...

Castanet Kid Report

Castanet's Kid Report with junior correspondent Ariella Amato.

Water supply in good shape

While some parts of the province are reeling from a drought, Greater Vernon Water officials say there is enough to go around locally as long as residents keep...

Quake toll keeps rising

One of the most powerful earthquakes ever recorded in Mexico struck off the country's southern coast, toppling hundreds of buildings and sending panicked...

Who is Darryl Plecas?

Political observers were surprised Friday when Opposition Liberal member Darryl Plecas accepted the role of Speaker, despite earlier reassurances he'd given...

Dad accused, daughter dead

A Calgary man has been charged with impaired driving in the death of his own daughter. Police say a man was driving with two teens in a Jeep Liberty last...

Didn't tell about his HIV

RCMP in the Fraser Valley say a Vancouver-area man has been charged with nine additional counts for allegedly having unprotected sex without disclosing his HIV...

The Young Stars arrive

Fans were lined up all morning at the South Okanagan Events Centre box office, buying tickets ahead of the Young Stars tournament, which begins Friday. The...

Maco gets the bad guys

Maco the police dog ended his career on a high note, helping Salmon Arm RCMP nab four bad guys. Staff Sgt. Scott West said on Sept. 6 shortly before 2 a.m.,...

Chief Judge welcomes law class of 2020

$274M for pot policing

The Trudeau government has earmarked just over $274 million to support policing and border efforts associated with the plan to legalize recreational marijuana...

Fire closes national park

A popular national park in the southwestern corner of Alberta is under a mandatory evacuation order because of increased wildfire danger. Waterton Lakes...

Boucherie not a wine trail

The grand designs put forth by West Kelowna Council to improve Boucherie Road have been put on hold. The plan appears to be to provide an extension to the wine...

Snipers gather for shootout

Some of the best military and police snipers from around the world are gathered at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown for the next few days to hone their skills and...

Lil Wayne ignoring advice

Rapper Lil Wayne is a "workaholic" who is unlikely to obey doctor's orders and rest up following his latest seizure scare, according to his...

$2.2M for gender equality

The Canadian government has announced $2.2 million for gender-equality projects in British Columbia, saying more must be done to improve the lives of women,...

1.4M now urged to flee

Irma weakened slightly Friday, but remained a dangerous and deadly hurricane taking direct aim at Florida, threatening to march along the peninsula's spine...

Pushed back in fire fight

The BC Wildfire Service says the unprecedented, aggressive behaviour of three blazes has forced firefighting crews to withdraw from the area. Fire information...

Strike vote at UBC

Unionized maintenance workers at the University of British Columbia's main Vancouver campus are threatening to walk off the job if a contract dispute is not...

Hundreds attend Orientation

Fall Orientation was another success, with hundreds taking up the university’s offer to experience campus one day before the start of classes. “We...

BX Creek dries up

What was once a raging torrent of water is now dry as the desert sand. It was in April when BX Creek was threatening homes on 20th Street near 48th Avenue as...

Linkin Park thank fans

Linkin Park have thanked fans for their "outpouring of love and support" following frontman Chester Bennington's suicide in a touching video. The...

Master of Nursing welcome inaugural class

Cops hit the road for kids

More than two dozen riders hit the streets at 9 a.m. Friday for the 16th annual Cops for Kids Ride. Since its inception in 2001, the charity has raised more...

Action-packed Vancouver

Culture Vulture TV's Leanne Allen is back with plenty of reasons to visit Vancouver this month.

Smith is 'insanely single'

Sam Smith is currently on the market, declaring he is "insanely single". The Stay With Me singer launched his music comeback on Friday with the...

Liberal accepts Speaker role

A Liberal member of British Columbia's legislature has defied his party and taken on the important job of Speaker, breaking with parliamentary tradition and...

Tougher driving laws

For weeks and month and in some cases even longer we read about people that just don’t seem to care about anything. Well I know that this is nothing new,...

Clooney supporting refugee

George Clooney and his wife Amal are helping an Iraqi refugee make the most of a new life in America by putting him up in their Kentucky home. In a new joint...

TRU researchers net nearly $950,000 in federal grants

Sir Patrick Stewart fumes

Sir Patrick Stewart is furious British Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) laws have stopped him bringing his beloved pit bull into the country. The X-Men star...

Fire not impacting car show

Organizers of the Summerland Apple Valley Cruisers’ Endless Summer car show on Saturday would like to get the word out that the Finlay Creek wildfire is...

It will be paid forward!

On August 30th, a group of 20 (mostly 55+ seniors) got together at Creekhouse Pub for our usual Wednesday happy hour. Our venue has changed, we were all...

Pot to sell in liquor stores

Ontario plans to sell marijuana in as many as 150 stores run by the province's liquor control board after the federal government legalizes its recreational...

Extradition in honour killing

The Supreme Court of Canada has cleared the path for extradition of two B.C. residents to India to face murder charges in a so-called honour killing. In a 9-0...

JAY-Z's mom opens up

JAY-Z's mom Gloria Carter agreed to appear on her son's 4:44 album because she was tired of all the "mystery" surrounding her sexual...

Huge quake hits Mexico

UPDATE: 8:55 a.m. Mexican officials confirm one of the most powerful earthquakes ever to strike the nation has killed at least 32 peoples. Hundreds of buildings...

Bad news is good stuff

There are legitimate reasons people like to know about and track “bad” news. Its not a fabrication of today's world. Throughout the evolution...

Avro Arrow found in lake

Search crews say they have found a test model of the Avro Arrow, an advanced Canadian fighter jet that was controversially scrapped in 1959, on the floor of...

Jobless numbers improve

Canada's labour market posted its ninth-straight month of job gains in August to give the economy its longest monthly growth streak since before the...

Florida braces for 'Big One'

They call it the Big One — a mythic, massive hurricane that would obliterate the densely populated southeast coast. And it has long been the stuff of...

Nations rush to help

French, British and Dutch military authorities rushed aid to a devastated string of Caribbean islands Thursday after Hurricane Irma left at least 11 people dead...

Massive Equifax breach

Credit monitoring company Equifax has been hit by a high-tech heist that exposed the Social Security numbers and other sensitive information about 143 million...

540,000 ordered to flee

Georgia's governor on Thursday ordered nearly 540,000 coastal residents to evacuate inland ahead of Hurricane Irma as authorities warned the storm had the...

No way to treat a tourist

An elderly tourist had her purse snatched in downtown Kamloops Thursday evening. Police are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a male...

100 Kids Who Care

As parents, we are raising our kids to be kind and to help others in need. That's why I am so excited and thankful that the Deacon family has followed in...

Unsolved crimes: Kelowna

You could have the missing piece of the puzzle that will help the RCMP put someone behind bars. Here are some recent crimes that Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers...

Porsche comes to town

Four years in the making, Kelowna's Porsche dealership opened its doors with a party Thursday night. Hundreds of Porsche owners and enthusiasts packed the...

Revved up at the Star

The hills of SilverStar Mountain resort will be echoing with the sound of dirtbikes as riders rev up for the Rev Limiter Hare Scramble and EnduroCross. The race...

Best of BC Wine Country

Wine tourists from across the province have voted on their favourite beverages this summer. The first-ever winners of the Best of BC Wine Country awards were...

Warriors ready for new year

With a disappointing and tumultuous season behind them, the West Kelowna Warriors are set to tackle a brand new BC Hockey League season. Months after capturing...

Pentastic Jazz Fest opening

The Pentastic Jazz Festival is back for its 21st year starting Friday and organizers are counting on a large turnout. The three day event is held the weekend...

Cookie sales raises 1000s

The South Okanagan Tim Hortons are once again selling smile cookies to support the Penticton Regional Hospital expansion. From now until Sept. 17 they are...

Intelligent speed bumps

And now we wonder if this would work in a Canadian climate...

Bold seagull

This seagull knows *exactly* what it's doing, and we're impressed.

Harvey's festering fallout

Roiling waters in the streets have given way to festering piles of garbage on the curbs. Harvey's record-setting rains created heaps of ruined possessions...

Tiny home pipeline protest

First Nations protesters started building tiny homes Thursday, directly in the path of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, an idea drawn from an influential...

Vying for new Amazon HQ

Canada's major cities are vying to become Amazon's second home, with the mayors of Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal all planning to pitch the technology...

SpaceX launches minishuttle

SpaceX launched the Air Force's super-secret space shuttle on Thursday, a technology tester capable of spending years in orbit. The unmanned Falcon rocket...

Freak'n race upcoming

A challenging obstacle course is returning to the South Okanagan for a sixth year. The Freak'n Farmer adventure obstacle race will take place on Sept. 23...

Rockets off to NHL camps

The roster of the Kelowna Rockets has been reduced by nearly a dozen as veterans leave the team for National Hockey League camps. Ten players are on their way...

Chiefs call for emergency

Indigenous leaders called on the Manitoba government Thursday to declare a state of emergency and free up more hotel rooms for people who have fled northern...

Ontario beats deficit target

The Ontario government posted a $991-million deficit last year — and said Thursday it had beat its 2016 projections by $3.3 billion. But the...

Poll: interest rates

Don't ignore this week's interest rate hikes, a Kelowna bankruptcy trustee is warning. It's the wrong time to be adding debt. Darrin Surminsky says...

Cops ride for kids

Cops will take to the highways of the Okanagan, Kootenays and Shuswap over the next 10 days. The 16th annual Cops for Kids ride will roll through the entire...

Calling all apprentices

The Industry Training Authority and Vernon Chamber of Commerce wants to help local businesses grow with the help of apprentices. An interactive information...

Events are still in full swing

The kids are back in school and the warm weather remains, which means many outdoor events are still underway. Below is a list of this weekends many events in...

Crash sends car into lake

UPDATE 6:30 p.m. The driver of a Lexus has been taken to hospital as a precaution after his vehicle ended up in Duck Lake Thursday afternoon. The driver was...

Former Vee at Young Stars

The Vancouver Canucks top prospects skated together at the South Okanagan Events Centre on Thursday afternoon, in anticipation of the Young Stars Tournament...

Listening to the universe

An ambitious and ground-breaking new experiment is coming online this week at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory near Kaleden. CHIME — the...

In the jury's hands

The fate of Peter Beckett is now in the hands of 12 people, as his defence wrapped up its case Thursday. Beckett and his wife Laura Letts-Beckett were fishing...

Citizen spots bad guy

Vancouver police are crediting an alert citizen for information that led to the recovery of stolen property and the arrest of a man who had just broken into a...

Shooting on Highway 1

Langley RCMP are searching for a suspect after a shooting on the Trans-Canada Highway Wednesday night. The incident occurred just before 10:30 p.m. between...

Double taxed?

I watched with great interest, the announcement on television that B.C. is now toll free as the tolls have now been taken off the Port Mann and Golden Ears...

Truck catches fire

A quick response from passing motorists prevented a vehicle fire in West Kelowna from spreading to the shoulder and nearby businesses Thursday afternoon. A...

Smoke grounds air tankers

Air tankers in Southern B.C. haven't been fighting wildfires this week due to poor visibility caused by smoke. Thick smoke has blanketed most of the...

Evening Update Sept. 7

Castanet's Evening Update for Thursday, Sept. 7, with reporter Wayne Moore.

No to decriminalization

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has closed the door on decriminalizing illicit drugs to combat a national overdose crisis but B.C.'s addictions minister says...

Mounties make drug bust

Six individuals are facing charges after a drug bust was made by Kamloops RCMP on Aug. 25. Authorities executed search warrants in a Kamloops' hotel room...

NDP to lay out blueprint

B.C.'s minority NDP government is set to table a throne speech outlining its political blueprint after months of tension, upheaval and backroom machinations...

College looks inward to find its next Regional Dean with appointment of Phil Ashman

Okanagan College Media Release After conducting a national search, it turns out Okanagan College didn’t have to look very far to find a new Central Okanagan...

Town watching its water

The Town of Oliver said it is relying on its own local data when it comes to determining water restrictions, which may not be consistent with the province's...

Bad time to ignore debt

Don't ignore this week's interest rate hikes, a Kelowna bankruptcy trustee is warning. It's the wrong time to be adding debt. Darrin Surminsky says...

Liberal meetings wrap

The two-day Liberal caucus meetings ended with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau answering more questions about the tax code. "As soon as you start talking...

Designated parking

Saturday, August 26th, 11:30 AM, sitting in the parking lot at the Westside Walmart in a handicap spot with my handicap sticker hung on the mirror waiting for...

Smoke keeps pupils indoors

Students in Kamloops will be heading indoors to get some fresh air. As a result of continuing poor air quality, School District 73 has decided to keep...

Message for Trudeau

Members of the Canadian Labour Congress and Council of Canadians staged a protest outside Kelowna's Delta Grand Hotel, Thursday, as the national Liberal...

Philpott alerts rescinded

All evacuation alerts pertaining to the Philpott Road wildfire in Joe Rich have now been rescinded. Residents of the area are now able to bring farm animals...

Gridlock as 500K flee Irma

The race to flee Hurricane Irma became a marathon nightmare for many as more than a half-million people were ordered to leave South Florida on Thursday. With...

Still summer at the Star

For those hoping to get in another blast of summer, Silver Star Mountain Resort is staying open for two bonus weekends. The resort will keep summer going Sept....

High-end boat stolen

A boat and trailer worth $80,000 went missing near Sicamous Wednesday. Cpl. Wade Fisher said Sicamous RCMP are investigating the theft of a high-end boat and...

College courses offer boomers new perspectives on retirement

Approaching retirement can be a stressful proposition even for those who report feeling well-prepared for their next chapter – a finding that has prompted an...

Strong forecast for BC

The Central 1 Credit Union is forecasting economic growth will remain healthy in British Columbia through 2020. The financial institution says the B.C. economy...

Lakeview water advisory

A water quality advisory has been issued for users of the Lakeview water system in West Kelowna. The advisory has been put in place due to increased turbidity...

Vees season opener looms

The Penticton Vees posted a perfect 4-0 record in exhibition play, and open their regular season on the road, Friday, against the Merritt Centennials. The Vees...

Size of blaze not clear

B.C. Wildfire Service personnel have been unable to fly over the Diamond Creek wildfire to get a new size estimate because of heavy smoke in the area. Fire...

Power restored

UPDATE: 1 p.m. Power has now been restored to both areas. UPDATE 8:15 a.m. A second power outage is affecting more than 1,650 customers in Lake Country. That...

Terrifying Irma ordeal

A Quebec man living on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin is calling hurricane Irma the most terrifying experience of his life after 300 km/h winds ripped the...

'Demonizing' small business

The federal Liberals are demonizing the country's small business owners to pay for their own out-of-control spending, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer said...

Prince George's first day

Prince William took son George to his first day of school on Thursday, while pregnant wife Catherine continues to battle against severe morning sickness. The...

Community rock stars

The United Way's Central and South Okanagan campaign kicked off with rock star swagger, Thursday. The annual kickoff breakfast allowed people to find their...

Nestle buys veggie brand

The maker of Hot Pockets wants to go vegetarian, California-style. Nestle, the world's biggest food and drinks company, is buying husband-and-wife startup...

Rain may be on the way

Okanagan residents who are tired of coughing and wheezing their way through the day may be in for some relief. Rain is in the forecast for the entire Valley....

IBM and MIT partner on AI

IBM is planning to spend $240 million over the next decade to create an artificial intelligence research lab at MIT. Massachusetts Institute of Technology on...

Tiger killed on highway

Georgia police shot and killed a Bengal tiger on Wednesday after it escaped from a truck and wandered along a major interstate near Atlanta, frightening...

Tilray builds in Europe

Canadian cannabis producer Tilray says it will invest 20 million euros (about C$29.5 million) in a medical cannabis operation in Portugal after winning federal...

One dead in plane crash

RCMP say one person has been killed in a plane crash near a small airport north of Winnipeg. Police say they were called to the crash site near St. Andrews...

Arrest in fatal house fire

UPDATE: noon The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team confirms a deceased male was found at a fatal structure fire in Surrey early this morning The discovery...

Morissette's baby depression

Rocker Alanis Morissette is still struggling with "horrifyingly scary" postpartum depression symptoms after welcoming her daughter last year. The...

Proulx joins carnival team

Vicki Proulx will be joining the Vernon Winter Carnival team as executive co-ordinator. “Vicki‘s extensive background in communications, volunteer...

Toxic algae lake warning

Visitors to a popular recreational lake near Kamloops want better warnings about a potentially dangerous strain of algae suspected to be growing in the water....

Fentanyl kills 8 out of 10

The painkiller fentanyl has been detected in 81 per cent of illicit drug deaths in British Columbia so far this year, an increase of 143 per cent over the same...

Flags for aborted babies

Thousands of tiny pink and blue flags lined Highway 97 in Kelowna Thursday morning. Each of the 10,000 flags represents 10 unborn babies aborted in Canada each...

Evac centre winding down

Social services officials hope at least one large centre for wildfire evacuees can be closed this weekend, despite warnings that the wildfire season in the...

Police swarm courthouse

UPDATE: 11:18 a.m. Kelowna RCMP confirm they were notified of a suspicious package on the premises of the Kelowna Law Courts this morning. "Due to public...

Daughter for Kim and Kanye

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are reportedly expecting a daughter via their surrogate. It was claimed on Wednesday that the unidentified woman is due to give...

Very happy ending

I just wanted to send in a sincere thank you for posting the "Missing - Emily Robertson " story on Sept 3. The family and I are so grateful that she...

Dear prime minister

Mr. Prime Minister, I would like welcome you and the Liberal caucus to Kelowna. I trust your caucus retreat will be constructive and I hope you have some time...

Who rides at midnight?

Vernon Mayor Akbal Mund has shrugged off concerns about the lack of lighting on the large bike path that was constructed this summer along Kalamalka Lake Road....

Firebug on the loose?

With wildfires surrounding the community, Cranbrook RCMP are worried they may be dealing with a firebug within city limits. Police say they’re...

Pink's daughter unimpressed

Pink's daughter was far from impressed by her mom's achievement award at the MTV Video Music Awards and the powerful speech she gave - because she was...

Dog opens sliding door

Meet Bernie. Bernie really wants to get inside.

No more showers

Hygiene is extremely important, but what happens if you NEVER showered?

Penticton man rescued

A Penticton man reported missing in the Lower Mainland has been identified as one of the victims in a strange kidnapping case in Northern B.C. Keith Koponyas,...

Finnish kids thriving

In a July 25 interview BC Education Minister Rob Fleming said: "I think our government just has a completely different and fresh attitude towards public...

Fire Department Recruiting

Ellison Fire Department Recruiting New Members Ellison area residents who’d like to serve their neighbours are invited to apply to become a member of the...

Branson riding out Hurricane

Virgin founder Richard Branson is bracing for Hurricane Irma on his tropical island paradise. The British billionaire will ride out the storm on his private...

Westermark to lead VJHF

There is a new executive director for the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation After an extensive search, the VJHF board of directors has announced the hiring of...

Some growth, containment

Fire crews are beginning to tighten the grip around the Finlay Creek Wildfire burning between Peachland and Summerland. Fire information officer Heather Rice...

Water restrictions extended

The City of Penticton has indefinitely extended level one water restrictions, in response to a level three drought rating declared for the Okanagan earlier this...

Incredible estate property

Enjoy Oyama and Kalamalka lake views from this incredible view estate property. The home is located within the picturesque community of Lake Country. There is...

Volunteers meet at Lodge

With the 55+ BC Games starting Tuesday, organizers have almost reached their goal of 1,200 volunteers. The group currently has just over 1,100 people offering...

Banderas to play Picasso

Antonio Banderas is set to portray Spanish painter Pablo Picasso in the second season of anthology series Genius. The movie star confirmed his role in the...

The Reach partners with Kelson Group

Docs, Trudeau butt heads

Justin Trudeau got a small taste of the kind of grief his backbenchers have been getting over the government's plan to end what it calls unfair tax...

Party house under scrutiny

A two-day long wild house party at a fruit pickers' house off of Pleasant Valley Road has caused concern among local officials. Young workers said to be...

Warriors hand out letters

The West Kelowna Warriors have unveiled their leadership group for the upcoming BC Hockey League season. Veteran defencemen Jake Harrison and Stephen Kleyson...

High risk smoke continues

The Okanagan Valley continues to experience a high risk level of smoke. Thick smoke, emanating from wildfires to the southwest of the region again blanketed the...

US fire season one of worst

A wet winter and spring in the Western U.S. brought predictions that the 2017 wildfire season would be mild. It was anything but. It ended up one of the worst...

Maritimes sends firefighters

Another group of New Brunswick firefighters is heading to British Columbia to help battle historic forest fires in the province. A crew of 16 firefighters from...

Miami keeps eye on Irma

Residents in parts of the Miami metro area are under mandatory orders to leave their homes Thursday morning as Hurricane Irma barrels toward the region with...

Columbia Gorge ablaze

A fast-moving wildfire chewing through Oregon's forestland is threatening more than homes and people. It's also devouring the heart of the state's...

Road rage turns violent

A road rage incident in Victoria turned violent, Wednesday. One man was taken away on a stretcher, bloodied and bruised, in the downtown Victoria incident. The...

Climber plucked from cliff

Search and rescue crews plucked a fallen climber off the Stawamus Chief rock face Wednesday, in Squamish. One man could be seen lying on a ledge halfway up the...

In love with The Tape

It is by far one of the greatest inventions ever created by the human race. The automobile: handy, but hard on the environment. The computer: a vital part of...

PM takes questions

Okanagan residents got to question Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during a town hall meeting at UBC Okanagan Wednesday night. The gymnasium was packed with...

Smokejumpers dropping in

The unseasonably warm weather in the southern part of the province, which has prolonged the historic wildfire season, resulted in smokejumpers being sent in to...

Smoke impacting health

Some in the Okanagan are feeling their health has been impacted by smoke lingering from wildfires burning across the province. With more than a million...

Managing weather extremes

During a 2017 that has involved extensive flooding and unprecedented wildfires, weather extremes are at the forefront of Okanagan residents' minds. The...

Food bank desperate need

The Central Okanagan Food Bank is counting on the continued generosity of local residents to help replenish the shelves. "This is a desperate call because...

On time and on budget

Work on a $13 million ice sheet at Kal Tire Place is moving quickly ahead, on time and on budget. “This is the ideal situation rather than being over...

Biz shines under new lights

Judy Banfield never imagined something as simple as switching light bulbs would have such a significant impact on her business. But when she swapped the lights...

Poll: ICBC rate hikes

B.C. drivers will pay an average eight per cent more for car insurance this year. Basic insurance will go up 6.4 per cent, and optional insurance will jump 3.1...

PM speaks to new citizens

Canada's citizenry grew by 60 people Wednesday afternoon in Kelowna, and the new Canadians were welcomed by a special guest. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau...

Get bombed at Sun Peaks

The hills will be alive with the sound of music at Sun Peaks Resort once again next year. 'The mother of all mountain music festivals' is back for a...

'Running for our lives'

The leader of a northern Manitoba First Nation says an evacuation to escape a forest fire was a harrowing experience made harder by the lack of proper...

Irma devastates Barbuda

Hurricane Irma lashed Puerto Rico with heavy rain and powerful winds Wednesday night, leaving nearly 900,000 people without power as authorities struggled to...

Contractors picked for pipe

The company behind the controversial Trans Mountain pipeline expansion says it has picked contractors to work on the project extending between Alberta and...

Pathologist grilled on stand

A forensic pathologist testified Wednesday that Laura Letts-Beckett could have died from a heart arrhythmia, suffered cold-water shock, or fainted prior to...

Deluge needed to end fires

Hundreds of homes have burned and nearly half a billion dollars has been spent, but officials say there's no end in sight for British Columbia's...

Chamber bends PM's ear

Kelowna's business leaders say they're optimistic Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is getting the message that proposed tax changes are happening too...

Breakfast bags are back

The Penticton Lakeside Resort entrance will once again transform into a drive-thru breakfast station in support of the community. On Tuesday, September 12,...

Some Cariboo alerts lifted

Evacuation alerts for multiple Cariboo communities were lifted Wednesday. The Cariboo Regional District, Ulkatcho First Nation, Esdilagh First Nation and Nazko...

Northern lights tonight?

Strong solar activity is expected to put on a northern lights show tonight in the Okanagan. If the skies aren't too smoky. The U.S. Space Weather Prediction...

The Rock thanks 10-yr-old

A 10-year-old hero who saved his younger brother, floating face down in a pool, got to meet his idol Wednesday. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson invited...

More musing on meteor

A UBC astronomy professor is shedding more light on the strange object that lit up the sky Monday night. Brett Gladman says the meteor was spotted across...

Trudeau thanks fire crews

From severe flooding to B.C.'s worst wildfire season ever, 2017 has been a challenging year for first responders. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stopped by...

PTCC getting a new roof

The City of Penticton will be spending $190,000 to replace the roof and skylights of the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre. City council unanimously...

Evening Update Sept. 6

Castanet's Evening Update for Wednesday, Sept. 6, with reporter Wayne Moore.

Mayor chats up Kelowna

Kelowna's mayor won't get a chance for an extended audience with the prime minister while he's in Kelowna this week. But, that doesn't mean...

Rail trail work begins

Okanagan Rail Trail construction is about to get underway in the North Okanagan. Work is set to begin on 2.5 km of trail as crews prep for the trail corridor...

Glenmore crash stalls traffic

Traffic is backed up on Glenmore Road in Kelowna following a collision at the intersection of High Road/Summit Drive. A compact Honda Fit is in the middle of...

Fires scorch logging industry

British Columbia's Forests Minister says a historic wildfire season that has charred more than 11,500 square kilometres of land will have lingering...

Rising rates a debt warning

The Bank of Canada's second interest rate increase this summer has financial experts warning that more could be on the way, and now is the time for...

Massey Tunnel under review

The provincial government is putting a $3.5-billion bridge project on hold while an independent technical review is done to determine the best option for...

Vipers move players

The Vernon Vipers have made a couple of moves days before the BC Hockey League regular season starts. The club traded veteran forward Ryan Brushett to the...

Wood Lake a little cleaner

Bags of garbage have been collected from the shores of Wood Lake. Volunteers from World Oceans Day scoured the Pelmewash Parkway waterfront, collecting piles of...

Two more councillors resign

The embattled leadership of the Penticton Indian Band has been rocked by two more resignations of elected councillors, as calls for a new election intensify....

Creeped in bathroom stall

Police are calling a case of voyeurism in Saanich “extremely disturbing." A man used a camera attached to a selfie stick to record a woman in a...

New event popping up

There is a new addition to the 17th Annual Harvest Pumpkin Festival. The ‘Pumpkin Pop UP! Art Market is the first initiative in the Armstrong Spallumcheen...

Girl grabbed near school

RCMP are seeking the public's help to track down a suspect who grabbed a teenage girl on her way to school in South Surrey, Wednesday. The incident happened...

Clinton: what happened

Hillary Clinton takes the blame for her 2016 presidential defeat in her upcoming book but offers choice words for President Donald Trump, her campaign rivals...

Haiti in Irma's path

Hurricane Irma could deal a crippling blow to Haiti while it's still recovering from hurricane Matthew, which struck less than a year ago, says a Canadian...

Trumps donate to Harvey

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are donating $1 million to 12 charities involved in Harvey relief efforts. The White House says the American...

Cyclist injured on trestles

Kelowna firefighters were dispatched to the Myra Canyon trestles Wednesday, to assist an injured cyclist. Firefighters used their Gator all-terrain vehicle to...

Done with ICBC

ICBC needs to end. We are paying twice as much as our AB counterparts just to support the government. What they charge and tax for services is outrageous if not...

Buy used warplanes instead?

Three retired air force generals say buying used fighter jets from Australia is a much better plan for Canada than purchasing new Super Hornets from Boeing. Tom...

Hudson's Bay to restructure

Hudson's Bay Co. is hopeful that cost-cutting and investments will bear fruit in the busy fall and holiday season after it lost $201 million in a "very...

The solution for moving oil?

A new technology that transforms heavy crude oil into pill-sized pellets could cure the oilsands industry's transportation headaches, according to...

Born in the parking lot

An Illinois police officer has delivered his son in a hotel parking lot. The Rockford Register Star reports Rockford officer James Nachampassack was on duty...

Tories want to talk mussels

A pair of Tory MPs are going to press their case that local lakes need more protection as Liberal cabinet ministers meet in Kelowna this week. North...

Kindness paid forward

Saturday night past we celebrated our anniversary as we have many times, at our favourite restaurant, The Fixx in the mission near Save On Foods. The drink, the...

'Rock' stars coming

Some of the biggest names in curling are coming to the North Okanagan. Dave Merklinger, Vernon Curling Club manager, said the annual Prestige Hotel and Resorts...

Won't back down on tax

Justin Trudeau kicked off a Liberal caucus retreat Wednesday insisting his government won't back down on a plan to end tax provisions that it maintains give...

Cher claps back at bad fan

Cher has clapped back at a fan who challenged her to take in a youngster potentially affected by U.S. President Trump's decision to end an immigrant...

Trudeau rallies caucus

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rallied his troops as the national Liberal caucus met in Kelowna, Wednesday. "We need to stay focused on what we can do to...

'No memory of crash'

A former member of Alberta's newest political party says he can't remember hitting anything with his pickup truck or hearing a loud crash. Derek...

Different this time?

B.C. First Nations leaders are hopeful commitments being made toward reconciliation by the new provincial government will be different from disappointments of...

Firehall sale on the table

The City of West Kelowna is contemplating an offer to sell its Lakeview Heights firehall to a private developer. During Tuesday's council meeting, Mayor...

Border fire at 5,500 hectares

The Diamond Creek wildfire burning between Cathedral and Manning provincial parks grew overnight but is still not an immediate threat to any structures, says...

Enjoy the view

Development of some lake access sites around Vernon's end of Okanagan Lake may just allow people to enjoy the view rather than put a foot in the water....

Overweight, under-served

A Moscow court on Wednesday ruled in favour of a flight attendant who said Russia's flagship airline stopped assigning her to work long-haul international...

Rebuilding Houston

A senior bank economist says a growing demand for building materials — as Houston looks to reconstruct in the wake of Hurricane Harvey — should put...

Twins don't know mom's big

Madonna's newly adopted twins Estere and Stelle have no idea their mother is one of the world's biggest popstars. The 59-year-old musician adopted the...

Student bush party fireless

Penticton grade 12 students reportedly abided by the campfire ban during their annual “Sunrise Party” on Beaver Dell Road Tuesday night. Every year,...

Tiny protest for big project

An Interior First Nation is hoping something tiny can make a big difference. Members of the Secwepemc Nation are constructing the first of 10 tiny houses they...

Options for fire coverage

The City of Penticton is investigating how it can improve fire protection to rural parts of the community. Councillors heard from city engineer Ian Chapman and...

Foxx and Holmes caught

Jamie Foxx and Katie Holmes appeared to confirm long-running relationship rumors by holding hands in public on Monday. The Ray actor and former Dawson's...

Overcome by weeds

How would you like this weed infested fire hazard of a park in your neighbourhood? This small linear park is located in the Solterra Ranch subdivision. It has...

BrainTrust Oktoberfest

Brain Injury is the leading cause of death and disability under the age of 44. In fact, every 3 minutes someone in BC sustains a brain injury. To bring...

Relationship's rocky road

The one commonality every single person has is that we are all in a relationship. Relationships are the building blocks of humanity. Without relationships,...

Escape from kidnapper

RCMP are investigating what appears to be a triple kidnapping in northern B.C. Cpl. Madonna Saunderson says police in Dawson Creek learned of the case on...

Obama to speak in T.O.

Former United States President Barack Obama is scheduled to speak in Toronto at the end of September. Canada 2020, an Ottawa-based think tank that is hosting...

Hit by bullet on golf course

A Vancouver Island golfer is expected to fully recover after being hit by what is believed to be an errant bullet fired by a target shooter. Nanaimo RCMP say...

Downtown parking lot delay

Plans to turn the former New Dehli restaurant block at 29th Street by 30th Avenue into a downtown parking lot have hit a snag. During the demolition of the...

Dreamers vow to fight

Immigrants are vowing to fight to stay in the U.S. and advocates are launching campaigns including fundraisers and registration drives after the Trump...

Kim K shares nude snap

Kim Kardashian isn't letting Sharon Osbourne's criticism affect her, posting yet another nude picture on her social media pages on Tuesday. The...

Black bear at the door

A black bear paid a visit to a West Kelowna home on Ironridge Place, just after 2:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 2. Rajmeet Pabla submitted surveillance footage of...

No one behind the wheel

UPDATE: Wednesday 9:50 a.m. Witnesses say no one was behind the wheel in a fatal dump truck crash in Coquitlam, Tuesday. Six people were hospitalized and one...

Aaron Carter left shaken

Singer Aaron Carter is recovering following a car accident near his home in St. Petersburg, Florida on Monday. The I Want Candy singer, who was not badly...

More resources for fire fight

The BC Wildfire Service continues to add resources in efforts to bring down the Finlay Creek wildfire. The blaze remains out of control as it burns southwest of...

Poachers not hunters!

This is clarification concerning the story on the two "gentlemen" that shot the moose. They're not hunters by any means, they're nothing more...

Rescued from wall of flame

RCMP say a backcountry hiker had to be plucked from the path of an oncoming wildfire in the southeastern corner of B.C. Columbia Valley RCMP Sgt. Bob Vatamaniuk...

Bank rate hiked to 1%

The Bank of Canada is once again raising its benchmark interest rate as it sees the economy's powerful performance pointing to broader, more self-sustaining...

Lil Wayne out of hospital

Rapper Lil Wayne has reportedly been released from the hospital after suffering multiple seizures in his hotel room over the weekend. The 34-year-old star was...

Smoke takes a hold

Air quality in the Okanagan has again deteriorated as thick smoke from surrounding wildfires hangs over the valley. Air quality in both the Central and South...

Winery pairs rover and rose

The View Winery’s Wine and Wags attracted about 30 dog lovers for a vineyard walk and wine tasting Sunday with proceeds going to the St. John Ambulance...

Fire scorched Pressy lake

My family owns two cabins on Pressy Lake near 70 mile house BC. Three weeks ago the Elephant hill wildfire ripped through our lake and destroyed 51 cabins out...

Rockets take down Blazers

The Kelowna Rockets evened their pre season record at 1-1 with a 6-4 win over the visiting Kamloops Blazers Tuesday night at Prospera Place. Six different...

Too young to ride bus?

A Vancouver father has been told his children can't ride the bus without adult supervision. Adrian Crook's kids, who range in age from seven to 11,...

Ash fell like snow

Wildfire ash fell like snow over Victoria on Tuesday. Smoke blanketed much of the region from wildfires burning in Washington state and the B.C. Interior,...

Scheer set to rally Tories

A selfie with a camel. Snapshots of cherub-cheeked children looking on in awe at some summertime marvel. Photo captions paying tribute to the support of his...

Transat to airlift vacationers

Air Transat has launched an airlift to get all its travellers out of the Dominican Republic ahead of the arrival of hurricane Irma. The Montreal-based airline...

Irma slams Caribbean

Hurricane Irma roared into the Caribbean with record force early Wednesday, its 185-mph winds shaking homes and flooding buildings on a chain of small islands...

The other Boston marathon

The Red Sox staged their own impromptu Boston marathon and wearily won it, adding a game to their AL East lead on an eventful day at Fenway Park. Hanley Ramirez...

Fire closes Columbia River

The U.S. Coast Guard has closed the Columbia River to all vessel traffic east of Portland, Oregon, because of wildfire activity in the Columbia River Gorge. The...

Biggest refinery booting up

The United States' largest oil refinery is starting to reboot after shutting down ahead of Harvey's onslaught. Motiva Enterprises says its Port Arthur,...

Progress in NAFTA talks

The latest round of NAFTA negotiations wrapped up Tuesday with the three countries declaring they have made progress, and committing to work through harder...

Music on the seas

Holland America is not your Grampa’s cruise line any more. Fabulous new interactive entertainment avenues aboard her new ship The Koningsdam and...

Death by negligence

A 38-year-old disabled woman who died while under the care of her 70-year-old mother had not received medical treatment for the last four years of her life and...

Thank you, firefighters

Joe Rich residents are showing their appreciation for firefighting crews who have been battling the Philpott Road wildfire. A sign has been erected along...

Living cheque to cheque

A new survey by the Canadian Payroll Association suggests nearly half of workers are living paycheque to paycheque due to soaring spending and debt levels. The...

Livestock on the move

Evacuation orders and alerts prompted from the Finlay Creek wildfire burning near Summerland mean that many property owners in the area need a place to move...

Transit changes costly

Proposed changes to Vernon's bus transit system could be costly to taxpayers and councillors are concerned about that. During a presentation to council on...

Filmed ransacking home

A Kelowna family was on vacation when their house was broken into, and video surveillance captured the culprit stealing upwards of $10,000 in belongings. Of all...

2,500 paddlers expected

The annual Penticton Dragon Boat Festival takes place this weekend and is expected to bring in large crowds. The 17th annual event will run Sept. 9 and 10 from...

Coping with school stress

In September there will be an event for teens who are interested in learning about specific approaches to working on their mental health after heading back into...

111 years of Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is needed more than ever before as it marks 111 years in Vernon, said Lt. Stefan Reid, local manager. "I would say it is more necessary...

Ready to take back the night

Women will "Take Back the Night" on Sept. 14. The rally and march to end sexual violence against women and children returns to Kelowna streets,...

Millennials glued to phones

Have you ever used your smartphone while on the toilet? What about at the dinner table? Have you broken up with someone with a text message? If so, you’re...

Mouth watering ribfest

Meat lovers rejoice, Rotary RibFest is just around the corner. The event returns to Kelowna’s City Park for its second year Sept. 15-17. The family...

Beer stein world record

This German man just set a new world record for carrying beer steins. He's the hero we need but don't deserve.

Building a planet

What would it take to manufacture a planet?

Motorists stop to douse fire

Motorists jumped into action Tuesday to put out a small spot fire along Highway 3, near Midway. Castanet reader Grant Lalonde says he was returning from Grand...

Water only twice a week

Lake Country residents are being told to water their gardens no more than two days a week. The municipality has restricted outdoor watering as a result of no...

National park evacuated

Parks Canada issued a precautionary evacuation alert on Tuesday evening for all of Waterton Lakes National Park in Southern Alberta due to potential danger from...

Poll: Trudeau as PM

As they prepare to return to the parliamentary hot seat in two weeks, it seems somehow appropriate that Justin Trudeau and his federal Liberal colleagues are...

'Two classes of Canadians'

Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau says income-tax reforms are needed because small business owners have an unfair advantage that could create two classes of...

Nastiness at Riders game

Regina Police say they aren't pursuing any criminal investigations following reports that Roughriders receiver Duron Carter was spit on and...

Emily Carr's new campus

It's like a giant white canvass waiting for students to leave their mark. Emily Carr University of Art and Design unveiled its pristine $122.6-million...

Bay reports $201M loss

Hudson's Bay Co. has reported a net loss of $201 million in its last fiscal quarter, as it struggles to adapt to shifting industry trends. The loss, which...

Ban Montreal caleches?

Animal-welfare groups have renewed their calls for a ban on horse-drawn carriages in Montreal after another horse collapsed in the street over the long weekend....

Need help from volunteers?

A crew of nearly 200 Interior Savings volunteers is looking for opportunities to lend a hand. Interior Savings is celebrating its annual Day of Difference on...

Salmon feast honours river

The Okanagan Nation Alliance is hosting an annual three-day celebration to honour an important traditional fishing camp, gathering place and trading site. The...

$20M in aid for ranchers

Ranchers who have lost animals and land to devastating wildfires across British Columbia are getting help from the provincial and federal governments. The...

Canada too soft on nukes?

The unfolding North Korean nuclear crisis is exposing Justin Trudeau's Liberal government to international criticism that it is too soft on nuclear...

Speed demon's near miss

A speed demon nearly T-boned a Kelowna Cabs taxi over the long weekend, but managed to evade police. A Castanet reader says he was riding in the taxi early...

City grants recovery funds

The City of Penticton is providing $5,000 in funding to a local woman through the Penticton and District Community Resources Society for the training of local...

Landing sewer project starts

Sewer construction in several areas of the Okanagan Landing will be starting the week of September 18 and continue through October. The City of Vernon has...

Trudeau: one on one

UPDATE: 6 p.m. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited firefighters at the main Kelowna firehall Tuesday afternoon. He thanked them for their service during...

Victim known to police

A man shot dead in Chilliwack early Sunday was known to police, who believe his murder was targeted. Jose Martin Torres, 35, was found by police just before...

One dead after fiery crash

One person is dead and several others injured after a fiery head-on collision on Highway 97, Saturday. RCMP responded to the two-vehicle crash about 3 p.m.,...

Car sales on record pace

DesRosiers Automotive Consultants says Canada has a shot at selling a record two million cars this year after sales surged 6.9 per cent in August. More than 1.4...

China cuts Teck stake

China Investment Corp. has reduced its holding in Teck Resources Ltd. by about 42 per cent as it continues to reduce its exposure to Canada. Vancouver-based...

Fireball seen all over West

At least one expert believes a bright flash that lit up the sky over parts of Western Canada on Monday night was likely caused by a space rock that weighed up...

Scrounging days over?

Canadian Army commander Lt.-Gen. Paul Wynnyk is hoping the federal government's new defence policy means the days of pinching pennies to properly train his...

Diana items on auction

It's been 20 years since Princess Diana's death, yet her legacy has barely faded. Now, dozens of items with a direct connection to one of the most...

Ubisoft $780M expansion

Twenty years after coming to Quebec, French video game giant Ubisoft announced plans Tuesday to invest $780 million in the province by 2027, hire more than...

Bush party worries residents

Upper Carmi residents on the east edge of Penticton are anxious and hoping this year’s grade 12 students decide against throwing an annual massive bush...

Negotiate your grades

A new pilot project at a high school in Ontario will see Grade 9 students negotiating their end-of-semester grades with their teacher, an idea some experts say...

Condos climb, houses cool

Heavy competition for townhomes and condominiums pushed Metro Vancouver home sales up in August. The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver says 3,043 homes...

Charges laid in murders

Second-degree murder charges have been laid against a 21-year-old Langley man after two people were shot dead Friday morning. Police found 34-year-old Brandy...

More cash for safer park

UPDATE: 3:45 p.m. Efforts to make Vernon residents feel safer in Polson Park appear to be working, according to Mayor Akbal Mund who added that more would be...

Crews now attacking fire

The B.C. Wildfire Service has now dedicated resources to the growing Diamond Creek wildfire, burning between Cathedral and Manning provincial parks. The human...

Smoke from multiple fires

Smoke hanging over the Okanagan is coming from multiple areas and fires, according to Environment Canada. Meteorologist Doug Lundquist says valley residents are...

Partiers hit by vehicle

A 17-year-old male was arrested at the scene of a pit party early Tuesday morning after two teenaged girls were hit by a vehicle. The victims suffered minor...

Snowbombing 2018 on sale

The world's greatest music festival on snow is heading back to Canada! After a hugely successful inaugural edition in 2017, Coors Light Snowbombing returns...

Structures lost in fire

UPDATE 3:15 p.m. The B.C. Wildfire Service is reporting that structures were at the very least, damaged, during the early spread of the Finlay Creek wildfire,...

Dogs not at fault

I have seen numerous stories about anti-freeze soaked items (food, dog toys, etc.) being left around the Okanagan area. I have wondered for ages why and how...

Oliver Vineyard donates

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards’ CEO and Co-Owner Sandra Oldfield presents a $15,000 cheque on behalf of the winery’s Celebrate the Arts charity to Lori...

NDP hikes ICBC rates

UPDATE: 2:30 p.m. B.C. drivers will pay an average eight per cent more for car insurance this year. Basic insurance will go up 6.4 per cent, and optional...

Budding course explores emerging big business

Okanagan College Media Release As the federal government pursues the legalization of the recreational cannabis industry under the proposed Cannabis Act, a...

Vehicle 30 feet over cliff

UPDATE: 1:50 p.m. An ambulance and three fire trucks left the scene of a car over an embankment after no one was found on scene. RCMP said there was no one...

Improv music at the pyramid

World renowned master drummer Hamid Drake and Toronto’s virtuosic saxophonist Brodie West will be performing in concert on September 27th in the Pyramid...

Crews still battling fire

The BC Wildfire Service said a wildfire burning near Greyback Mountain has grown five hectares. The fire, which started on Sunday, is now estimated at 35...

Philpott 60% contained

A wildfire in Joe Rich that broke out near Philpott Road has not grown in size. BC Wildfire Service information officer Jody Lucius said the fire is still being...

62 homes lost to fires

Wildfires have decimated large portions of B.C. this summer, and the full extent of the damage is beginning to take shape. The Cariboo Regional District, which...

Baby left in burning home

A woman who allegedly left a baby alone in a Montreal apartment that caught fire is facing a new charge of obstructing police work. Josee Milot pleaded not...

Pay up for barge cleanup

The Federal Court of Canada says the owners of a derelict barge have defaulted and must pay thousands in costs to the Canadian organization that funds the...

White Christmas @ KAS

For the first time in nearly a decade Nathan Flavel and Randy Leslie will share the stage, playing opposite each other in Irving Berlin's White Christmas....

Rate hike anticipated

The economy's surprisingly powerful second-quarter performance is pushing forecasters to change their outlooks — starting with predictions for...

Hetfield falls on stage

Metallica singer James Hetfield says he's OK, but his ego is a bit bruised after falling on stage in the Netherlands. Fan video shows Hetfield walking into...

Passy Pete's prediction

A group of Mainers says Passy Pete the Lobster has predicted six more weeks of summer at an annual ceremony. The crustacean has been fished out of the...

Fire coverage appreciated

I just wanted to extend a little thank you to your guys for your coverage and updates in the Joe Rich fire. From the beginning you had the story on castanet...

Non-mortgage debt rises

Equifax Canada says non-mortgage consumer debt climbed 3.3 per cent year-over-year in the second quarter and warns that consumers' ability to keep up with...

Lady Gaga is 'in love'

Lady Gaga has gushed about her new boyfriend Christian Carino at a New York concert, telling fans she is "in love". The Born This Way singer, 31,...

Neo-Nazis in the army

Four serving members of the British army were arrested under the Terrorism Act on suspicion of being members of a banned far-right group, defence officials and...

Stay clear of fire aircraft

The B.C. Wildfire Service is asking boaters to “use common sense” while on Okanagan Lake, and stay well clear of firefighting aircraft gathering...

Quake shakes island

A magnitude 3.6 earthquake shook portions of Vancouver Island Tuesday morning. The quake, which hit at 9:08 a.m., was centered about eight kilometres northeast...

Motorcyclist dies in crash

A motorcyclist is dead following a collision on Highway 17 in Delta this morning. The rider apparently lost control and was thrown from the motorcycle, striking...

Janet Jackson feels complete

Motherhood has made Janet Jackson "feel complete", according to her older brother Tito. The Together Again singer welcomed her first child, son Eissa,...

8th Annual VJH Classic

8th Annual VJH Foundation Charity Classic Sponsored by the Paul Docksteader Foundation to Raise Funds for CardioPulmonary Care at Vernon Jubilee Hospital The...

A day for firefighters!

Once these horrific summer fires are behind us we should somehow celebrate our hard working, courageous and dedicated firefighters. Maybe we can declare a...

Intoxicated boaters caught

A call for a possible marine rescue on Saturday night resulted in police apprehending five occupants of a boat who were under the influence, near Naramata. The...

Eye on school speeders

The first day of school can bring jitters, stress – and speeding tickets. Kelowna RCMP were out in full force Tuesday morning to make sure motorists...

Join in Canada 150 mural

Be a part of a Kelowna mural, and your art will hang in Interior Health's new Community Health & Service Centre. The eight foot square mural will be...

Megan Fox's baby recovery

The third time is not a charm for Megan Fox when it comes to motherhood - the actress has faced a number of struggles since welcoming baby number three. The...

School year begins again

We place a high value on our children and signify that with school and playground zones. Traffic is required to slow to the lowest speed limit that we normally...

Rutland Road project opens

Some relief for commuters in Rutland today. A new alignment of Rutland Road at Old Vernon Road, commonly known as Reid's Corner has opened. The project was...

Motorcycle blows roadblock

The Anarchist Mountain Fire Department is asking motorists to abide by roadblocks after a close call at an accident scene on Highway 3 Sunday. Emergency crews...

3 injured in boat crash

Three people were taken to hospital after a high-speed boat crash on Okanagan Lake near Trout Creek, Monday night. The Penticton Fire Department and the...

Lil Wayne 'is doing fine'

Lil Wayne is "doing fine" after reportedly suffering multiple seizures in his hotel room over the weekend, according to his daughter. The 34-year-old...

Local man remembered

Co-workers of a North Okanagan man who committed suicide have raised funds to improve mental health services in their community. The team at Hytec-Kohler in...

Vees, Warriors make trade

The Penticton Vees announced a three-team trade involving the West Kelowna Warriors and the SJHL's Melfort Mustangs, Tuesday morning. In the deal, the Vees...

'Mini hospital' a BC first

A major new private health centre will soon open its doors in Kelowna. Occupying four floors of a soon-to-be-built new building, the centre will see Prime...

Housing for the at-risk

The province will soon be able to provide additional housing and support for individuals in Kelowna who have been homeless or are at risk. With the purchase and...

Uncle Prince Harry 'happy'

Prince Harry is "very happy" after learning that he is about to become an uncle for the third time. Officials from Kensington Palace announced on...

Prof back for classes

An English professor who spent six days walking 330 kilometres between Salmon Arm and Penticton, and back again, has finished his journey in time for class. Tim...

Bloom and Perry reunion?

Orlando Bloom and Katy Perry have sparked fresh reunion rumors after spending Labor Day weekend together. The former couple sparked dating gossip last month...

Seinfeld coming to SOEC

Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is coming to Penticton. The legendary stand-up comic will perform at the South Okanagan Event Centre Thursday, Nov. 30. Seinfeld has...

Headed for tax showdown

Ottawa's fall parliamentary session is a couple of weeks away and Canadians are already getting a preview of what could be the season's main event: a...

Trump's 'not my bride'

Russian President Vladimir Putin refrained from criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump at a news conference in China on Tuesday, but said a decision to shutter...

Prince Harry 'in love'

Meghan Markle says she and Prince Harry are "two people who are really happy and in love." The 36-year-old American actress has opened up on her...

Stars align for Harvey relief

Beyonce, Blake Shelton, Barbra Streisand and Oprah Winfrey will headline a one-hour benefit telethon to benefit Hurricane Harvey victims that will be simulcast...

Fined for topless Kate pix

A French court on Tuesday fined photographers and gossip magazine executives over topless photos of the Duchess of Cambridge. The court also ordered the...

Cenovus in selling mood

Cenovus Energy Inc. is selling its Pelican Lake heavy oil operations in northern Alberta for $975 million cash to Canadian Natural Resources. The two...

Fires consume parks, homes

Dozens of wildfires burning across the U.S. West have blanketed the air with choking smoke from Oregon, where ash fell on the town of Cascade Locks, to...

No Instagram at school

As students return to classrooms this week, Canada's largest school board says it will continue to block those using its Wi-Fi from accessing certain apps...

Sinkhole swallowing home

The ground fell out from under Heather Strickey's feet this weekend when her family's "dream home" in a well-kept Nova Scotia neighbourhood...

Snapchat helps save hikers

Rescuers are crediting a trio of hikers' use of Snapchat for helping them locate the group after they got lost near Coquitlam. The young men posted photos...

Shoo away debt vultures

If you lose your financial footing, how do you stop the circling vultures from peck, peck, pecking away at you? It would be an understatement to say that we are...

Demanding better roads

The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen will be asking the provincial government for a number of upgrades to local highways and improvements to road...

PM strategizes in Kelowna

As they prepare to return to the parliamentary hot seat in two weeks, it seems somehow appropriate that Justin Trudeau and his federal Liberal colleagues are...

Crazy party, bus crash

Farm workers, many of them young students from Eastern Canada, have been making a Vernon couple's life a misery this summer. The young workers have been...

How close do you live?

Nuclear weapons are terrifying in two ways. What they're capable of, and how close they may actually be located to you. You may have spent your entire life...

Superheroes without CGI

Superheroes without CGI looks pretty lame...

What was in the sky?

A strange light that lit up the sky was spotted across Southern B.C. by multiple people, Monday night. What exactly that bright object was has yet to be...

Smoke on Highway 1

DriveBC has issued a travel advisory for Highway 1 due to wildfire smoke. There is limited visibility on the highway at the east boundary of Glacier National...

Who let the cows out?

It's almost back to school time but not for a small herd of cows that ended up on the field at Peter Greer Elementary in Lake Country late Monday afternoon....

More crew for fight

UPDATE: 8:05 p.m. More firefighters are expected to arrive over the next few days to battle the Finlay Creek wildfire, between Peachland and Summerland....

Wind boosts SE fires

Increased wind activity in the Southeast Fire Centre has resulted in an increase in fire behaviour. The BC Wildfire Centre issued updates for a number of fires...

Surrey woman missing

Surrey RCMP are looking for a missing woman who was last seen on Aug. 18. Allyssa Crowchild, 29, was reported missing on Sept. 4th but was last seen weeks...

Boeing-Bombardier standoff

Boeing Co. has no plans to back down in its trade dispute with Canadian rival Bombardier — a high-stakes, cross-border conflict that the U.S....

More fire growth into B.C.

The B.C. Wildfire Service is reporting the Diamond Creek wildfire has grown significantly into the province over the Labour Day long weekend. The fire has now...

Irma a category 4 storm

UPDATED: 4:39 p.m. Hurricane Irma grew into a powerful Category 4 storm Monday as it approached the northeastern Caribbean and was forecast to begin buffeting...

60 killed by Harvey

UPDATE: 4:05 p.m. Officials now blame at least 60 deaths on Harvey, the storm that dumped several feet of rain on southeast Texas in a matter of days. Many of...

On his last leg(s)?

An Okanagan College professor who has walked from Salmon Arm to Penticton, has almost finished walking that same distance back again. Tim Walters, an English...

Surrey RCMP look for teen

Surrey RCMP are requesting the public’s assistance in locating a missing teenager. Hailey McClelland, 13, was reported missing on Aug. 25th. She was last...

Greyback Mountain fire

UPDATE: 3:22 p.m. Air tankers, choppers and 17 crew members from the BC Wildfire Service are fighting the Greyback Mountain wildfire south of Kelowna....

Forced to flee quickly

UPDATE: 2:38 p.m. A spokesperson for the Emergency Operations Centre says 75 evacuees have now reported in with the reception centre in Summerland. The centre...

Alarmed & using up water

Residents under an evacuation alert due to the Finlay Creek wildfire turned sprinklers on Sunday to save their properties, leading to a crisis with the local...

N Korea begging for war

UPDATE: 2:00 p.m. North Korea's leader is "begging for war," the U.S. ambassador said Monday at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council,...

Living over raw sewage

Residents of a subsidized housing complex in Coquitlam are complaining of raw sewage in the crawl space of their building. The sewage leak is prompting health...

Tunnel traffic stops for kitty

A kitten found walking in a busy Massachusetts highway tunnel has been rescued with the help of state police troopers who shut down traffic for it. Police said...

Bay moves into Holland

Hudson's Bay Co. chief executive Jerry Storch says bringing the iconic department store brand to the Netherlands wasn't his original plan, but feedback...

2 drown in Harrison Lake

Police say two people have drowned at a popular lake east of Vancouver. RCMP say officers were called Sunday evening for reports of three people in distress at...

Evacuation orders to alerts

The remaining seven evacuation orders for the Philpott Road Fire have been downgraded to evacuation alerts and five other properties on “Our Road”...

Mortgage pre-approval

Before you venture out to look at houses for sale, it is a good idea to meet with your mortgage specialist to complete an application and find out how much you...

Kault Hill fire contained

The Kault Hill wildfire near Salmon Arm is now 100 per cent contained. "The fire is 0.9 hectares in size. There are 11 personnel on site assessing the...

IPE cracks 150,000 again

Armstrong's big fair is as popular as ever. A total of 151,109 people attended the Interior Provincial Exhibition between Wednesday to Sunday, slightly...

Chance of rain this week

The Okanagan is in for another hot few days, but may get some much-needed rain toward the end of the week. A beautiful Labour Day Monday is in store. Kelowna...

Houston 'open for business'

Houston's mayor insists that America's fourth-largest city is "open for business," but with areas under water, people not yet in their homes,...

Afraid to go in the water

Nova Scotia may be known as Canada's Ocean Playground, but the moniker hardly applies to Halifax harbour. Almost 10 years after the city spent $333 million...

Super fan in Van.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson's love for Vancouver continues after the professional wrestler and actor posted a video on Instagram after meeting a...

Big wave of byelections

Death, palace intrigue and allegations of lies and corruption are at the centre of the highest number of Quebec byelections in more than 30 years. The Oct. 2...

NAFTA: Early sticking points

Negotiators have run into a series of early sticking points on nearly every major element considered key to achieving a new NAFTA agreement, The Canadian Press...

Big money, tricky promise

British Columbia's New Democrats are expected to use this week's throne speech to broadly outline how they intend to follow through on their key...

A boost for COSAR

The Central Okanagan Search and Rescue (COSAR) team has received new lifesaving equipment. COSAR was able to purchase three high tech AED’s thanks to...

Will and Kate expecting

Prince William and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, are expecting their third child, Kensington Palace said Monday. Kensington Palace made the pregnancy...

Thousands flee US wildfires

Wildfires forced thousands to flee their homes across the U.S. West during a sweltering, smoke-shrouded holiday weekend of record heat. The fires Sunday caused...

Strides in labour movement

Leaders in the labour movement say things are looking better this Labour Day than they did a decade ago, despite a shifting economic landscape that includes...

Construction giant for sale

Canada's construction industry may soon have a better idea of how attractive it is to the increasingly globalized building sector as one of its biggest...

Golf goes to the dogs

Predator Ridge is going to the dogs. Again. But don't worry, it simply means the resort's second annual dog friendly golf tournament is back. The second...

Truck blaze starts grass fire

Another truck went up in flames on the Coquihalla Highway, Sunday. Details are few, but images sent to Castanet show a large commercial vehicle was burned to a...

Caucus a boon for Kelowna

MP Stephen Fuhr says Kelowna will be the big winner when the federal Liberal caucus spends three days in the city. All 184 federal Liberal MPs will begin...

Club ready to take off

Always wanted to fly, but can't afford an airplane? No worries. The Kelowna Flying Club has purchased its first club aircraft. The Grumman AA5B Tiger will...

My desktop looks weird

Just when you think you’re getting a handle on Windows 10, something happens and your screen looks completely different. No problem. You’re likely...

Citizen protects residents

Grant George helped contain the fire near West Bench Drive and Bartlett Drive in Penticton on Friday, all while using a piece of heavy equipment. George, 64,...

Big prizes to giveaway

The South Okanagan Similkameen Crime Stoppers is hosting it's 16th Annual Golf Tournament at Penticton Golf & Country Club this coming Saturday. The...

Punjabi Mela raises 1000s

Punjabi Mela, a Punjabi Festival in Penticton Sunday raised thousands for the BC Cancer Foundation, according to Rev Matharoo, organizer. The event held at...

'Not a panic situation'

Peachland Mayor Cindy Fortin wants to reassure residents that everything is being done to control the wildfire at Finlay Creek. “I’d like to let...

Fly away baby prank

What happens when you give your toddler too many helium balloons?

First family of Skytypers

Ever considered writing a message in the clouds? Greg and Stephen Stinis are the guys to call. The father-son team run the Chico, California-based company...

Still fighting wildfire

UPDATE: 9:45 p.m. The Finlay Creek wildfire near Peachland has not seen any growth over the last few hours and remains at 1,000 hectares in size. Seven...

Deadly gunfire in Chilliwack

B.C.'s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team is investigating an early morning shooting in Chilliwack . One man is dead after gunfire was heard about 4:20...

Fire closes Sea to Sky

The Sea to Sky Highway was closed for almost three hours, Sunday, due to a forest fire. Highway 99 was closed near Squamish from about 3:30 to 6:15 p.m. There...

'Massive military response'

Defence Secretary Jim Mattis on Sunday shot back at North Korea's claimed test of a hydrogen bomb with a blunt threat, saying the U.S. will answer any...

C-Train cop overcome

Calgary Transit says one of its peace officers was hospitalized after possibly being exposed to drugs during an incident in a light rail station. The agency...

Queensway parking closed

The Queensway Jetty between Water and Mill streets, including the city-owned parking lot, will be closed beginning Tuesday. The area will be closed to...

Hot goalie beats Warriors

The West Kelowna Warriors fired 41 shots on goal but could not beat a red-hot Bo Didur as the Salmon Arm Silverbacks closed out the preseason with a 5-1 victory...

Young woman found

UPDATE: 6:53 p.m. The British Columbia Missing Report has advised that Emily Robertson,16, has been found, according to the family. The young woman went...

Explosion during wildfire

Multiple residents living in Peachland heard a loud explosion hours after a wildfire in Finlay Creek Saturday. “All of a sudden the sky just lit up and...

More allowed home

More residents are now allowed to return home after a wildfire on Philpott Road. Eleven properties have changed from an evacuation order to an evacuation alert...

Adopt a kitten

With many animals looking for forever homes, there isn't enough staff to keep up with all the furry friends, that's why Critteraid is asking for...

Air quality drops

UPDATE: 1:32 p.m. Air quality in the Central Okanagan climbed to seven (7) in terms of pollutants by noon Sunday. The North Okanagan woke up to the bad air. A...

US warning over nuke test

U.S. Defence Secretary Jim Mattis on Sunday shot back at North Korea's latest nuclear provocation with a blunt threat, saying the U.S. will answer any North...

Hwy 1 reopens after fire

UPDATE: 12:05 p.m. Highway 1 west of Salmon Arm has reopened, according to DriveBC. ORIGINAL STORY: 11:10 a.m. A wildfire about 10 km west of Salmon Arm has...

Let your kid walk to school

Did you walk to school as a child? If you are of a certain age, chances are very good that the answer is yes. Do you let your children walk to school? There is...

New alert over park fire

The Columbia Shuswap Regional District has reissued an evacuation alert for Heather Lodge and the CP Railway work yard due to the Mountain Creek wildfire still...

Old WW2 bomb defused

UPDATE: 10:15 a.m. Police say bomb disposal experts have successfully defused a huge World War II-era bomb in the German financial capital Frankfurt that forced...

Castanet's week in review

Castanet's week in review with Nich Johansen.

Rockets lose opener

The Kelowna Rockets lost their preseason opener to the Victoria Royals 5-4 in overtime on Saturday night. The Rockets opened the scoring just seven and a half...

Overnight fire fight

UPDATE: 8:30 a.m. Seven BC Wildfire crew members and two pieces of heavy equipment remained at the site of the Finlay Creek wildfire overnight, according to...

More dramatic fire photos

Central Okanagan photographers captured some dramatic images of the Finlay Creek wildfire, burning south of Peachland. Here's a sample of some of the...

Big crowd for IPE

There was a big turnout Saturday for Armstrong's Interior Provincial Exhibition. IPE general manager Yvonne Paulson said 49,353 visited the fair grounds on...

Astronauts return to earth

Astronaut Peggy Whitson returned to Earth late Saturday, wrapping up a record-breaking flight that catapulted her to first place for U.S. space endurance....

Race to self-driving cars

Canadian companies could be serious contenders in the global self-driving vehicle race, experts suggest. Toronto-area auto parts supplier Magna launched its...

Business: the week ahead

Five things to watch for in the Canadian business world in the coming week: Up, up and don't go away: Canadian gas prices, which tend to rise ahead of long...

NAFTA olive branch

Attack mode, says the Conservative Party's new foreign affairs critic, will not be the opposition's first instinct when dealing with the Liberal...

Islands face climate change

The windswept archipelago of Iles-de-la-Madeleine used to spend most of every winter firmly encased in the ice of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, protected from the...

Harvey survivors wait, worry

The line snakes on and on, along a wall inside the shopping mall, each person in search of help after a hurricane swamped their town. As they wait, they...

N. Korea conducts nuke test

North Korea says it set off a hydrogen bomb Sunday in its sixth nuclear test, which judging by the earthquake it set off appeared to be its most powerful...

Could BC have done more?

A fire in Logan Lake started like so many others in British Columbia's worst wildfire season on record — a smouldering campfire, not fully...

Adding to opioid crisis?

Drug users trying to quit heroin gathered for a meeting in Vancouver with one mission in mind: to support each other through the struggles of a reformulated...

US seizes Russian posts

The United States seized control Saturday of three Russian diplomatic posts in the U.S. after confirming the Russians had complied with the Trump...

Lidia strands tourists

Tropical Storm Lidia weakened into a depression as it marched up Mexico's Baja California Peninsula on Saturday after flooding streets and homes in resort...

Shapovalov's star rising

As teen tennis star, Denis Shapovalov continues his improbable run into the fourth round of the U.S. Open, one of his early opponents says he's not...

Effigy burning fans fears

High anxiety about White House politics, hurricane flooding and even the threat of nuclear war with North Korea is adding an extra spark to the annual burning...

Can't pay fine with tokens

A Massachusetts library is reminding residents that Chuck E. Cheese tokens are not an acceptable form of payment for overdue book fines. Peabody Institute...

Madonna moves to Portugal

Madonna is heading overseas to a new home in Portugal. The Michigan native had been living in New York. She said on Instagram Saturday that she finds the energy...

Horoscope: Sept. 3-9

Overview for all signs: Rapid communications back and forth will help to line up a target-based agenda; fill in the blanks on the fly. This is an action week...

Unsolved crimes: DLC

You could have the missing piece of the puzzle that will help the RCMP put someone behind bars. Here are some recent crimes that Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers...

Working on Philpott fire

Ninety-one firefighters, helicopters, six pieces of heavy equipment and support staff were on scene continuing efforts to work on a wildfire on Philpott Road...

CFUZ looking for old tunes

Peach City Radio, or CFUZ, will be asking for vinyl and audio gear at the sixth annual Okanagan vinyl festival. The donation drive takes place on Sept. 10,...

Ruby Blues, Naramata

For Canada’s 150th birthday this year, Castanet is featuring an Okanagan wine each week, celebrating the bottles of our Valley and the diversity of the...

Kitty rescue

Apparently this cat didn't need rescuing after all...

The worlds rarest pasta

For more than 300 years, the world’s rarest pasta recipe and its intricate shaping technique have been passed down by generations of women in one...