Josh Dawson - Dec 2, 2024 / 4:00 am | Story: 520392
Josh Dawson
The Kamloops United Church's PIT Stop program has found a new home for the winter months following a devastating fire that forced it out onto the streets.
PIT Stop co-ordinator Valentine Uwakwe said the program will run out of the cathedral starting from December and into the new year.
“Next year, hopefully. I mean, at least for the cold season, just to make sure that we have them out from the cold,” Uwakwe said.
He called it a “work in progress” but said he was happy the program has found some stability.
Since the fire, the program has received food donations from Cobbs Bread, the Kamloops Food Bank and has been using the CMHA kitchen to prepare and package its meals.
“We lost everything we had, because of the fire, so we virtually buy everything on the spot to use it,” Uwakwe said.
“It hasn't been easy managing all this, because this not just requires having more volunteers on the ground to do this whole arrangement and whole preparation, but as well the the financial cost, again, it's high.”
The program has seen the number of people attending its meals dip from over 250 to less than two hundred.
Uwakwe attributed the decline to the cold, noting meals are given to anyone experiencing food insecurity, not just those living on the street.
“There's so many people in the community today who couldn't afford a proper meal, so we are open to everyone to come and have this meal,” he said.
Uwakwe said the program is expecting to see the number of attendees rise past 200 again now that a location has been found to keep people warm.
He said while they were grateful to find a home at the cathedral, he is still hoping to return to the Kamloops United Church.
“We are really grateful for the opportunity and the support from the community on this, so hopefully as we're getting there it can only keep getting better,” he said.
PIT Stop will be holding its annual Christmas dinner later this month and is asking the community to donate items for gift bags that will be handed out.
Uwakwe said any items such as new toques, gloves, socks as well as candy are in need for the bags. He added $25 gift cards for groceries will also be handed out.
“Please, if anyone from the community would want to donate those items, that would be awesome,” he said.
The Christmas dinner will be held at Sandman Centre on Dec. 15 starting at 3 p.m.
Josh Dawson - Dec 2, 2024 / 4:00 am | Story: 520367
Cindy White
The coming week will start off with plenty of sun and cool temperatures, but temperatures are forecast to rise above freezing by the weekend as cloudy skies take over, according to Environment Canada.
Monday is expected to see mainly sunny skies, with patches of fog dissipating in the morning. Temperatures will hold around 0 C throughout the day. Monday night will see cloudy periods and a low of -3 C.
"Looking at seasonal temperatures for the week, for pretty much the whole week," said Environment Canada meteorologist Gary Lee.
Tuesday will see sunny skies and a high of 0 C during the day. Cloudy skies are anticipated overnight as temperatures dip to a low of -3 C.
Sunny skies will continue into Wednesday with a high of 0 C. Skies will remain clear into the evening when temperatures will reach a low of -3 C.
"We look at the ridge kind of building in for this week, at least all the way to Thursday," Lee said.
"We know the ridge is going to continue to push northwards, majority [of the] weather is up in the central and northern part of the province."
Temperatures are expected to climb by Thursday, with a high of 3 C and sunny skies expected during the day and a low of 1 C during the night.
Skies will become cloudy by Friday, when temperatures will reach a high of 3 C and a low of 2 C.
Environment Canada is calling for cloudy skies and highs around 7 C in the forecast over the weekend.
The owners of Blackwell Dairy have been fined $15,000 after a government inspection found unauthorized waste in the farm's private landfill.
According to documents from B.C.'s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy’s compliance and environmental enforcement branch, E.J. Blackwell Holdings Ltd. was found to have breached the conditions of its refuse permit in November of last year.
The ministry said the permit allows for items like log yard refuse, log trim ends, waste hardwood veneer, asphalt, cement and concrete to be put in the landfill.
An inspection found a number of unauthorized items, including treated wood pallets, metal and plastic barrels, chairs and tires.
“Of specific concern to me are the metal and plastic barrels, which were not examined by the Blackwell refuse site prior to disposal,” a ministry representative wrote.
“The original contents of the barrels were not known, nor were they confirmed to have been empty prior to being put into the landfill. Therefore, the barrels, as well as the potential for leachate to be generated by the other unauthorized wastes received, have the potential to contain waste that may harm the environment or human health or safety.”
The ministry noted the company has been issued previous fines for unlawfully introducing waste into its refuse site, but never for a deliberate failure to comply.
According to the documents, the company provided submissions to the ministry earlier this fall, stating the allegations regarding discharged waste were vague.
“The amount of waste alleged does not indicate a significant breach of the permit and does not indicate a risk of harm. On the contrary, the landfill’s operation as a whole is a benefit to the environment, having filled and improved over 40 acres of land that is now being productively farmed,” the Blackwell company told the ministry.
The ministry said Blackwell advised them some items like wooden spools and plastic barrels that come to the landfill are refused — in some cases diverted to be put to a new use.
According to the documents, Blackwell told the ministry it has continually been taking steps to ensure compliance, “including on various occasions tracking down those who have dumped non-permitted materials to have them remove those materials or taking other steps to have the materials removed.”
“On some occasions, individuals have gained unauthorized access to the site and dumped things that Blackwell has had to remove,” the company told the ministry.
Residents heading to downtown Kamloops in December will once again be able to enjoy free on-street parking on the weekends.
Kamloops council voted to authorize free weekend parking during its Tuesday meeting. The city has approved similar requests in past years.
The request came through the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association.
“I'd just like to thank the KCBIA for the recommendation. A lot of this is coming on the heels of a tough year for downtown businesses,” said Sarah Candido, the city’s Indigenous and external relations manager.
“We recognize we have to do a lot of amazing projects to grow our city, so we're hopeful that this will help grow business downtown on the heels of a very fantastic Santa Claus parade.”
According to a staff report prepared for council, the KCBIA requested free parking in order to encourage people to shop locally during the holiday season.
On-street parking is already free on Sundays, so this approval will add four days of free parking throughout December. The cost to the city is estimated to be an average of $19,230.
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District is trying to catch the attention of the provincial government early into the term as the 43rd parliament of B.C. prepares to get underway in 2025.
The TNRD is looking to set up meetings in early 2025 between the board chair and provincial ministers in an effort to take advocacy efforts with the province beyond the annal Union of B.C. Municipalities convention, external relations and advocacy advisor, Corbin Kelley told the board of directors at its last meeting in November.
He said taking their priorities to Victoria outside of that convention has been talked about “for quite some time” in an effort to have success in the regional district’s advocacy.
“Especially when it comes to advocating for increased funding in budget 2025,” Kelley said.
The board then unanimously approved sending reply letters to the provincial ministries of Forests, Agriculture, Transportation, Municipal Affairs, and Emergency Management and Climate Readiness to schedule meetings in early 2025.
In a press release, the regional district noted numerous board priorities that the TNRD has advocated for provincial support for in recent months and years.
Those include the TNRD requesting the province support a sustainable funding model for small water systems, maintenance of emergency egress routes as many TNRD communities have only one road in and out, address dead zones for cell service and improve internet connectivity in rural areas.
The TNRD has also called on the province for safety enhancements and more enforcement along the Yellowhead Highway north of Kamloops, requested the province eliminate unnecessary regulations for accessory buildings within Agricultural Land Reserve lands and that the province establish a dedicated and more adequate budget for invasive plant management on Crown land.
"For local governments like the TNRD, advocacy is a key factor for the organization to secure funding, develop projects and change policy or legislation from senior levels of government," the TNRD press release stated.
Police evidence markers surround an area in a North Kamloops parking lot where Cameron Cole was shot at in an apparent failed gangland shooting.
Kamloops Mounties say they know who shot at a prominent gang leader back in July, but have yet to make any arrests connected to the case.
“We are confident that we know who is responsible,” Kamloops RCMP Supt. Jeff Pelley said when asked if police had any suspects.
On July 3, according to witnesses, Cameron Cole was ambushed by two men with guns in the Riverside Plaza parking lot in the 100-block of Tranquille Road just before 7 p.m.
The two shooters are said to have emerged from the trees off the parking lot and fired at Cole, who was behind the wheel of a dark SUV which then drove into the river.
Customers on the patio of the adjacent Sandbar Grill are said to have taken cover as the shots rang out.
Cole survived the July shooting, sustaining what appeared to be a gunshot wound to the shoulder.
Police had warned just two months earlier of a risk to public safety and Cole’s life due to an ongoing conflict for control of the local illicit drug trade, at which Kamloops RCMP say Cole is at the centre.
Pelley said the shooting investigation is advancing and remains a priority for police.
“To date, no arrests have been made with respect to that, and it is an ongoing investigation,” Pelley said.
He said police intend to provide an update on the investigation in the future if charges are laid. However, Pelley said he could not provide a timeline for when that would be.
In the RCMP’s second and third quarter reports — presented in September and November to city council — Mounties from the targeted gang enforcement unit make mention of working through the process towards charge recommendations to Crown for attempted murder and discharging a firearm with intent.
Police have not commented on whether this incident is connected to the Cole shooting, citing a need to protect the integrity of their investigation, which could be compromised by revealing what stage it was in.
One eyewitness to the July shooting said he heard a car burn out of the parking lot.
Police would later say two vehicle fires — one in Westsyde and another in the 1700-block of Parkcrest Avenue — were linked to the shooting.
Mounties also released a grainy security camera screenshot of two suspects described as wearing dark clothing, as well as a photo of a suspect vehicle — a Grey Audi SQ5.
Months later, on Nov. 15, police responded to the shooting of a man in an outbuilding in the 1700-block of Parkcrest Avenue, but have yet to say whether this was connected to the gangland conflict.
Cole is currently facing drug trafficking charges stemming from a police raid in Batchelor Heights in May 2023. He is also facing weapons charges relating to guns allegedly found by police in his vehicle following the attempt on his life.
A City of Kamloops manager says the free public swimming offered when temperatures soared this summer was the city’s most popular cooling initiative.
Ty Helgason, the emergency preparedness manager, provided a report to council’s safety and security committee about the municipal division’s activities from July to September, including the city's heat response.
Helgason said the City of Kamloops extreme heat response protocol was active for 22 days this summer — between July 5 to July 22 and Aug. 1 to Aug. 4.
“The free public swimming was the most popular cooling resource, seeing an increase in daily swimmers from 350 up to 650, while the larger cooling centres saw low utilization overall,” Helgason said.
He said the large cooling centres, set up when possible at McArthur Island and Sandman Centre, saw comparatively low use, averaging less than 17 daily visitors.
In July, council heard large indoor cooling centres aren’t necessarily the most effective strategy, and tend to not be particularly well used. Residents can expect the city to shift towards readying a more diverse network of cool spaces during heat events in future years, instead of relying on these large cooling centres.
Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Dana Napier puts some helpful tips under the windshield wiper of a vehicle at Aberden MAll as part of Mounties' annual Safe for the Season campaign.
Kamloops RCMP volunteers are hitting the city’s retail parking lots this week with crime prevention tips they hope will help reduce the theft of gifts and other valuables from vehicles over the holiday season.
On Thursday, Mounties launched their annual Safe for the Season Campaign at the Aberdeen Mall.
Throughout December, the Kamloops team will scour parking areas and retail locations throughout the city and hand out tip cards with suggestions to help reduce crime during the holidays, and engage with the public about safe practices to deter thefts this winter.
“By spreading the spirit of crime prevention, we hope to help reduce the time, cost, and emotional toll that being victimized can have on a person, which can be further amplified during a season that promotes the spirit of kindness,” Cpl. Dana Napier said in a press release.
Sandro Piroddi, coordinator of the Kamloops RCMP crime prevention unit said following a few simple best practices can be very effective in reducing the chances of being targeted by a thief.
“Ultimately, the best practice is to keep parcels out of sight and remove them from your vehicle as soon as possible,” Piroddi said in the release. “Thieves are shopping too and we want to help the community by sharing some simple tips to help prevent their vehicle from being targeted.”
Some tips to remember include securing your valuables in the trunk or out of sight in the vehicle, parking in well-lit areas, close to buildings with heavy foot traffic, paying attention to your surroundings when placing items in your vehicles to make sure you are not being observed and to keep an eye on who handles your credit/debit card.
For more information on holiday safety tips, visit the BC RCMP website.
Kamloops nightclubs and bars might be able to count on staying open later than usual on New Years Eve each year if a new bylaw amendment is approved by council.
During its Tuesday meeting, council voted in favour of holding a public hearing to consider a permanent extension of hours for liquor-primary establishments on New Years.
Under the current zoning bylaw, businesses classified as neighbourhood pubs must close at 1 a.m., while nightclubs must close by 2 a.m.
Last year, after receiving a request from the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association, council agreed to extend hours of operation for liquor-primary establishments until 3 a.m. on Jan. 1.
“Staff gathered input from the city’s protective services agencies, including the RCMP, Kamloops Fire Rescue and Community Services, and determined that a licensed business hours extension to 3 a.m. on New Year’s Day would be supported and can be managed with existing resources,” said a staff report prepared for Tuesday’s council meeting.
The report noted a 3 a.m. closing time might allow for more gradual dispersal of crowds, and could support “business vitality and community vibrancy.”
Kamloops council voted 7-1 in favour of authorizing a public hearing to consider the bylaw amendment. Coun. Dale Bass was the only vote in opposition. Coun. Mike O’Reilly was not present during Tuesday’s meeting.
Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc and City of Kamloops representatives took part in a push-in ceremony Friday, welcoming the newest fire engine to the Kamloops Fire Rescue fleet.
Firefighters and representatives from both governments stood shoulder to shoulder to push the heavy engine through the garage bay doors at Fire Station No. 1.
Ken Uzeloc, fire chief and the city’s protective services director, said along with celebrating the new apparatus, Friday marked the formal debut of the Tk’emlups te Secwepemc logo emblazoned on the side of the KFR trucks.
“We're very honoured to have this on our trucks going forward. We will also be retrofitting our existing trucks with that — and we hope that this just brings the two communities even closer together,” Uzeloc said.
He said by adding the logo, KFR members are acknowledging they work on Secwepemc land, and are ensuring that TteS knows “we are also your fire service.”
“We are there to serve you," Uzeloc said. "We are there to help protect just as we do over here."
The new fire engine received a blessing from a TteS elder before it was carefully and ceremonially pushed into the station’s apparatus bay.
Injured in police shooting
Heavy snow, freezing rain
Seniors, disabled need $250
Call to cap asylum seekers 
Charged in mother's death 
'Framework' to reach deal
Sails make a comeback
'Trump-proof' state laws
Memorial quilt on display 
Stellantis CEO steps down
Industry under pressure
Potential salmonella recall
Rockets drop nine on Pats
Warriors struggle in OT
Kamloops Blazers lose big
Elton's husband his 'rock'
Moana 2 has huge opening
Jolie had secret laser surgery
Kamloops 4:00am - 307 views
