Top Stories for November 24, 2022
Kelowna Hells Angels' prospect killed in single-vehicle collision
A former Kelowna Hells Angels' prospect was killed in a single-vehicle crash near Prince George earlier this month. Jason Townsend, 45, died on Nov. 17,...
Three suspects arrested after stolen truck found on Coquihalla Wednesday
Police closed the Coquihalla Highway Wednesday while officers searched the area for alleged vehicle thieves who were believed to be armed. In a press release...
Two women entered Kal Lake to get away from cougar along Okanagan Rail Trail in Coldstream
Two women jumped into Kalamalka Lake to escape a cougar at the north end of the Okanagan Rail Trail. North Okanagan Vernon RCMP Const. Chris Terleski said on...
Up to 15 cm of snow forecast to fall on Highways 1, 3
More snow is set to fall over B.C.'s Interior beginning Friday. Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning, forecasting up to 15 centimetres of snow...
Missing senior couple found, are safe and well, say Vernon RCMP
UPDATE: 1:35 p.m. Vernon RCMP say a missing senior couple has been located and is safe and well. Richard and Carole McLean had been reported missing Thursday...
Local food system 'breaking': Okanagan chef highlights why piles of discarded produce point to bigger problem
An Okanagan chef is calling for more to be done to combat food waste, wondering how large amounts of unsold produce routinely discarded at local farms could be...
Black Mountain residents disappointed after meeting fails to resolve safety concerns over planned jackhammering
A Black Mountain resident is not happy with the response from the City of Kelowna to health and safety concerns over plans to use a large jackhammer to remove...
Have you had a flu shot this year?
The B.C. Pharmacy Association alerted members this week that flu shots held by distributors are depleted with no further doses expected, but the head of the...
Writer who accused Trump of 1990s rape files new lawsuit
A writer who accused former President Donald Trump of rape filed an upgraded lawsuit against him Thursday in New York, minutes after a new state law took effect...
Tommy Fury encourages Tom Brady to turn to reality TV in search for love
Tommy Fury has encouraged Tom Brady to look for love on a reality TV show. The 23-year-old boxer - whose older brother is world champion Tyson Fury - is...
BC Hospital Employee Union calls for incentives for all health-care workers
A move to attract new health-care workers for positions in Grand Forks has drawn the ire of the B.C. Hospital Workers Union. On Wednesday, Interior Health...
RCMP investigating after liquor store in Penticton and Okanagan Falls robbed
Two armed robberies took place at liquor stores in Penticton and Okanagan Falls this week, both being threatened at gunpoint for cash. Sgt. Jason Bayda, the...
Popular European-themed Peachland Christmas market returns
The Gasthaus Christmas Market in Peachland is back for another year. The market, a traditional stop for many families in the Okanagan at this time of year since...
Owner of gay club: Shooting comes amid a new 'type of hate'
The co-owner of the Colorado Springs gay nightclub where a shooter turned a drag queen’s birthday celebration into a massacre said he thinks the shooting...
Kelowna group assisting students in need are looking for your help
A Kelowna charitable organization helping teens realize the dream of attending their high school prom is looking for help from the community. Brenda Loveridge...
Former B.C. football player facing charges of robbery, weapons and assault
A former rising B.C. football player remains in custody as he faces 21 criminal charges, including robberies, assaults and break and enters. The charges against...
Search on after float plane with three aboard crashes into B.C. bay
A search is underway in Strachan Bay on British Columbia's central coast for a float plane that crashed into the water. Mounties in Port Hardy say the plane...
Designer of original Canucks logo writes spicy letter to Francesco Aquilini
The West Vancouver graphic designer who created the logo worn in the first-ever NHL game for the Vancouver Canucks has a message for the team now: you should...
Musk says granting 'amnesty' to suspended Twitter accounts
New Twitter owner Elon Musk said Thursday that he is granting "amnesty” for suspended accounts, which online safety experts predict will spur a rise...
B.C.'s COVID-19 ICU patient count hits 16-week high
Serious COVID-19 infections spiked in B.C. in the past week, with 37 people now sick enough to be in intensive care units (ICUs), according to new provincial...
Defence seeking house arrest for driver who killed a young woman in 2019 Hedley crash
A judge in Penticton will need more time to decide whether to put a man behind bars after his dangerous driving resulted in the death of a young woman in Hedley...
B.C. has plan to cancel surgeries to make room for flu cases in overcrowded hospitals
The British Columbia government has plans in place to cancel hospital surgeries to make room for patients with respiratory illnesses, but it hasn't yet...
Coquitlam man, 25, identified as victim in Dawes Hill shooting
A Coquitlam park and playground was behind police tape Thursday, Nov. 24 as members of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team combed the area for clues to...
History repeating on Canadian men's downhill ski team
LAKE LOUISE, Alta. — Canadians climbing the men's downhill racing ladder as a group and challenging European domination is a familiar script. Canada is coming...
This tiny solarium for rent in downtown Vancouver has an amazing view and privacy curtain
While Vancouver struggles with a housing crisis, more unusual rentals are popping up online. In Yaletown, for example, there's a solarium in a highrise...
Armstrong Spallumcheen Chamber backs 4-H club after it lost animals in fiery crash
The Armstrong Spallumcheen Chamber of Commerce has given a lift to a local 4-H group that suffered a horrific loss in a tragic crash at the end of summer. The...
Quebec study confirms practice of forced sterilizations of Indigenous women
There have been at least 22 cases of forced sterilization of First Nations and Inuit women in Quebec since 1980, a university study released Thursday concluded....
Boundary change may be unnecessary, says Kelowna-Lake Country's Letnick
The MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country says a boundary extension that would include a large chunk of Vernon may not be necessary. In a submission to the BC Boundary...
$740M in crypto assets recovered in FTX bankruptcy so far
The company tasked with locking down the assets of the failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX said they've managed to recover and secure $740 million in assets...
Kelowna-based REN Energy gets approval to build a renewable natural gas generating facility in Fruitvale
A Kelowna-based energy company has been given the go-ahead to build a renewable natural gas facility in the West Kootenays. REN Energy International Corp. (REN...
Canada-Belgium World Cup game attracts much Proline interest
TORONTO — The Canada-Belgium World Cup soccer game garnered plenty of attention on the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp.'s Proline betting service. The OLG...
Canadian pediatricians ditch toddler screen time limits in new guidance
The Canadian Paediatric Society has ditched setting firm time limits for screen use among toddlers and preschoolers, encouraging instead that parents prioritize...
Inflation hovers over shoppers heading into Black Friday
Black Friday marks a return to familiar holiday shopping patterns, but inflation is weighing on consumers. Elevated prices for food, rent, gasoline and other...
Slavic United Network looking to help Ukrainians
The Slavic United Network has been helping bring Ukrainian refugees to Canada for the past nine months, and now they're in need of donations from the...
UBCO student launches petition calling for improved transit service to Quail Ridge
More than 250 people have signed a change.org petition launched by a UBC Okanagan Student. Peyton Twardochleb is lobbying for better transit service to the...
Security concerns partly blamed for cancellation of annual Manitoba traditions
Two long-standing events at the Manitoba legislature that allow members of the public nearly unfettered access to the historic building during the holiday...
Lumby man doing well after kidney transplant in Vancouver
Recipient and donor are both reportedly doing well after a Lumby man's organ transplant surgery in Vancouver on Monday. Kidney donor Pam was able to visit...
Units from Kamloops RCMP team up to arrest violent suspect
Several units of the Kamloops RCMP worked together to cuff a violent suspect. Eric Joseph Heidemann, 33, of Kamloops, was wanted on a provincial warrant related...
Alberta projects $12.3B surplus for budget in latest fiscal update
Alberta’s projected surplus for this year’s budget is falling slightly but is still expected to finish at $12.3 billion. That’s about $1...
Former Penticton man given conditional discharge after assaulting girlfriend
A former Penticton resident was sentenced to a conditional discharge on Thursday morning for a domestic assault that took place while he lived in the city....
Six major works by Lawren Harris sell for $7.3 million at Heffel auction
Six works by Lawren Harris led Heffel’s fall auction Thursday, selling for a total of $7.3 million. One of the canvases, "House in the Ward, Winter,...
Big White opens Bullet chair Thursday, Black Forest to open Friday
More lifts are spinning at Big White Thursday, following the season's early start last week. For the first time this season, the Bullet Express Quad chair...
Vantage West Realty founder to offer investing insight for looming economic slump
The economy is set to enter a downturn, but local real estate expert AJ Hazzi says that is no reason for investors to panic. In fact, the Vantage West Realty...
Judge moves Tiny House Warriors leader's trial to Kamloops to avoid delays
A judge has approved a change-of-venue application that will move the upcoming trial of a Tiny House Warriors leader from Clearwater to Kamloops. Kanahus...
Hall of Fame defenceman Borje Salming dead at 71 after battle with ALS
TORONTO — Hall of Fame defenceman Borje Salming, who starred for the Toronto Maple Leafs over 16 NHL seasons and was a trailblazer for Europeans who later...
Mounties in southern Alberta help owner round up ostriches that escaped from a pen
RCMP in southern Alberta had an unusual chase this morning after 20 ostriches escaped their pen. Mounties say in a statement that they started receiving reports...
Iran arrests outspoken player amid World Cup scrutiny
Iran has arrested a prominent former member of its national soccer team over his criticism of the government as authorities grapple with nationwide protests...
No survivors found after floatplane crashes with three on board
No survivors have been located after a Cessna floatplane carrying two passengers crashed near Strachan Bay, north of Port Hardy, on Wednesday. The plane is...
PMO staff say Bergen privately acknowledged concerns over engaging with protesters
Staff in the Prime Minister's Office are suggesting the former Conservative interim leader, Candice Bergen, privately acknowledged concerns about engaging...
Ambassador Bridge blockade escalated economic threat from Freedom Convoy: Deputy PM
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says the economic threat to Canada escalated "exponentially" when Freedom Convoy protesters blocked a key trade hub...
IHIT investigating double homicide in wake of Coquitlam shootings
B.C.'s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team has been deployed in Coquitlam after a double fatal shooting Wednesday night. RCMP say the double homicide...
Alberta bans masking mandates in schools, guarantees in-person learning
The Alberta government says school boards can't require students to wear masks in school or be forced to take classes online. In a release, the government...
A trip of a lifetime for Tsawwassen soccer fan
It was the Canada’s first game in 36 years on the biggest stage in men’s soccer and Mark Sherritt was among the 40,000-plus fans in attendance on...
Government and air sector meet to discuss summer mistakes ahead of winter travel
Canada's Transport Minister Omar Alghabra met with members of the air transport sector to discuss measures to modernize and digitize the industry and to...
Seniors at high risk for RSV, experts warn, as Health Canada reviews 60-plus vaccine
As pediatric hospitals fill up with young children sickened by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), doctors are worried that older adultswill be the next wave to...
What was legal opinion that changed mind of CSIS director?
In late April, I wrote about the government invoking the Emergencies Act. I pointed out many of the reasons the majority of Liberal and NDP MPs cited to justify...
Prince George RCMP investigating after man asks students if they want a ride
Prince George RCMP is currently investigating an incident that occurred near Blackburn Elementary School, where students were approached by an unknown driver....
Liberals, Tories spar over scope of proposed assault-style firearm definition
The Liberals say their proposed definition of a prohibited assault-style firearm applies only to guns that belong on the battlefield. But Conservative MPs...
BC Children's Hospital triages patients from ER due to respiratory illness spike
BC Children's Hospital in Vancouver says it's triaging less serious patients from its emergency department to a nearby area due to a surge of people...
Two B.C nurses reprimanded for narcotics use
B.C.'s College of Nurses and Midwives has reprimanded two unnamed nurses for diverting narcotics from the workplace. In a decision released Nov. 20, the...
Suicide of Vancouver police officer will be subject of coroner's inquest
The events leading up to the suicide of a 30-year-old Vancouver police officer will be the subject of a coroner's inquest next month. A lawsuit filed on...
Wreckage of Warren House to be cleaned up to the tune of $45,500 at cost to owner
The wreckage of Warren House on Lakeshore Drive will finally be cleaned up in December, at the expense of the property owner. The remnants of the home, a...
Jordan Bitove will take full ownership of Torstar, reports say
Toronto Star publisher Jordan Bitove will take sole control of the newspaper's parent company as part of an arbitration deal with co-owner Paul Rivett,...
'It's frustrating': Downtown Penticton ice cream shop victim of overnight smash-and-grab for third time in less than a year
A downtown ice cream shop and cafe was the victim of a smash-and-grab break in early Thursday morning, the latest in a string of such incidents that have left...
Campaign launched seeking corporate sponsors to help attract new doctors to the Kamloops area
Corporate donors are being sought to help attract new family physicians to the Kamloops-Thompson region. The Thompson Region Division of Family Practice has...
Retailers look for Black Friday comeback as inflation has shoppers hunting for deals
Annie Titheridge's plan is to arrive at the mall before it opens, buy gifts for everyone on her list and beat the afternoon rush-hour traffic home. "My...
Vernon medicinal mushroom firm expands retail reach with Sobeys deal
A Vernon-based company that uses functional mushrooms to treat cognitive and mental health has had its products accepted for distribution by national retailer...
Vernon's most crash-prone intersection saw 200 collisions between 2017 and 2021
It's no surprise Vernon's worst intersections for crashes are on its busiest streets. And, newly updated crash data released by ICBC reveals the...
Penticton kid skates to the podium for Glengarry Skating Club
A Penticton kid shone bright at the BC/Yukon Super Series Sectional Championship this month, earning his local skating club its first podium finish at the event...
Police officers disciplined for using Taser as party trick, going on dating app while on surveillance duty
Police officers in Greater Victoria were reprimanded and demoted over the past year for misconducts that included the use of a Taser as a party trick, a poor...
Photos of 15 more suspected Breakout Festival rioters released
The Vancouver Police have released photos of 15 more suspects they believe were involved in Sept. 18's Breakout Festival riot. Chaos and violence erupted at...
Effect of rate hikes on economy will be more powerful than people think: Poloz
The full effects of interest rate hikes have yet to be felt — and will be "even more powerful" than many anticipate, former Bank of Canada...
University makes 3D virtual replicas of residential schools
A new project from the University of Calgary is creating 3D digital records of some Alberta residential schools. The Taylor Family Digital Library, in...
Nanaimo driver leaps from runaway motorhome after brakes fail
A man leapt from a runaway motorhome in Nanaimo early Wednesday after he discovered the brakes had failed. Nanaimo RCMP said the man was driving the large...
RCMP arrest the same man twice in a day after two separate assault complaints
A man is facing charges in two assaults that happened within a span of four hours. Kamloops RCMP officers were called to an assault report in the 100-block of...
Bear scores winner, Canucks rally, surprise Avalanche 4-3
DENVER (AP) — Ethan Bear snapped a tie with 8 minutes to go, and the Vancouver Canucks beat the injury-plagued Colorado Avalanche 4-3 on Wednesday night....
Celebrating culture at Okanagan Mission Secondary
It’s multiculturalism week in British Columbia, so international students at OKM in Kelowna gathered to share their culture with Canadian students....
Sajjan mum on human rights during World Cup visit to Qatar
International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan is facing opposition criticism because he did not make any public statement about human rights during his visit...
You can win big and help children with a Season of Giving Prize Calendar
Hurry, time is ticking to buy a Season of Giving prize calendar is support of Kelowna General Hospital’s neonatal ICU and the Child Advocacy Centre. The...
Higher demand for flu shots this year in B.C.
The B.C. Pharmacy Association alerted members this week that flu shots held by distributors are depleted with no further doses expected, but the head of the...
Port Coquitlam dealership staff traumatized, beaten in wild robbery
"The armed assailants physically battered staff and robbed them of personal belongings." Jeff Kornatowsky of Port Coquitlam car dealership Journey...
25,000 pounds of books shipped
The NITEO Africa Society, a charitable organization that enriches life-wide literacy communities through books, capacity-building resources and reciprocal...
Climate adaptation strategy commits funds to fight heat, floods, fires
The federal government has released a climate adaptation strategy that includes $1.6 billion in new spending to help communities faced with risks that range...
Vernon's Ratio Coffee & Pastry raising funds for NONA Child Development Centre
Ratio Coffee & Pastry will be making tasty creations for a good cause this Christmas season. The downtown Vernon eatery will be raising funds for the NONA...
Vancouver man sentenced to less than six months time served to avoid deportation
Warning: This story talks about suicide and may be distressing to some readers. A Vancouver provincial court judge has sentenced a man to less than six...
Accused in 2021 Spallumcheen murder scheduled for pretrial conference Dec. 9
The man accused in a 2021 homicide in Spallumcheen will face a pretrial conference Dec. 9 in Vernon. Jevon Smith is charged with second-degree murder in the...
Going beyond a ball cap when it comes to recognizing volunteers' efforts
I often see posts on social media about what to give as gifts for volunteers. Whether the gifts are for reaching a milestone, to celebrate Volunteer Week, or...
Support Syilx Okanagan Nation artists at upcoming Penticton craft fair
Celebrate and support Syilx artists at the triumphant return of the En'owkin Centre's Syilx Members Artisans Craft Week. On Dec. 7, 8 and 9, find unique...
UN rights body deplores Iran crackdown, establishes probe
The U.N. Human Rights Council voted Thursday to condemn the bloody crackdown on peaceful protests in Iran and create an independent fact-finding mission to...
Alleged Chinese spy working for Hydro-Québec seeking bail
A former employee of Quebec's electricity utility who is charged with economic espionage for the benefit of China told his bail hearing today he wants to...
Government lays out plans to combat climate change in National Adaptation Strategy
The federal government has released its National Adaptation Strategy, a plan to combat flooding, wildfires and coastal erosion occurring as a result of climate...
No food drive, but realtors volunteering for Vernon Salvation Army kettle campaign
The North Okanagan Realtor Food Drive is no more. But area real estate agents will still be stepping up to help out the Vernon Salvation Army. For many years,...
Vote buying application filed at BC Supreme Court over Pouce Coupe mayoral election
Former Pouce Coupe mayor Lorraine Michetti has made an application in BC Supreme Court asking that the village’s mayoral results be thrown out. Michetti...
Man accused of Chinatown mom-toddler assault faces other charges
A man charged with assault in connection with an incident involving a mother and her toddler in Vancouver’s Chinatown is facing a total of five assault...
Tonight is the night to help raise 10,000 food items for those in need in Penticton
It's not too late to participate in the annual 10,000 Tonight food-raiser in Penticton. Tonight, Nov. 24, eager volunteers will be combing the community...
Tickets now available for Kamloops Symphony's annual Christmas show
The Kamloops Symphony’s annual Christmas celebration will return next month with three performances. Christmas with the KSO will run twice on Dec. 17 and...
Penticton Vees' win streak up to 21 with a triumph over Salmon Arm Silverbacks
The Penticton Vees earned their 21st straight win with a come-from-behind victory against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks on Wednesday night at the South Okanagan...
Roster campaign supports Vernon Salvation Army and Turning Points
Vernon's The Roster Sports Club Bar & Grill is dishing out the kindness this holiday season. The Roster launches its third annual Dish Out the Kindness...
K'wese'ltken Kristmas Market raised nearly $1,200 for Kamloops Food Bank
The second annual K’wese’ltken Kristmas Market raised nearly $1,200 and almost 900 pounds of non-perishable food items for the Kamloops Food Bank....
Users of the Grindrod Water Utility should boil water before using
A boil water notice has been issued for users of the Grindrod Water Utility. The Regional District of North Okanagan, in conjunction with Interior Health,...