Sued over shoddy home
Deadly embankment crash
2 shot at home in PG
COVID long term for 1 in 9
Reporter fires back at troll
Deadly police shooting
Suspect had list of targets
Quake rattles Mexico City
Putin seeks another term
Stability buffer held at 3.5%
Nintendo targeted by threats
Public sector strike begins
Vees win over Centennials
Warrior off to World Juniors
Too little too late for Blazers
Leppard, Journey tour
Sheen six years sober
Home Alone star cash plea
Top Stories for September 19, 2023
Peachland fire crews are preparing in the event the Glen Lake fire reaches the municipality
UPDATE 5:50 p.m. BC Parks has formally closed Eneas Lakes and Darke Lake provincial parks due to the nearby Glen Lake wildfire. Central Okanagan Emergency...
Black bears destroyed after attacking woman and dog on shores of Osoyoos Lake
A lazy afternoon relaxing on the shores of Osoyoos Lake turned into sheer terror when a sow black bear attacked a woman and her dog this weekend. Lisa Robinson,...
Lynx Air is no longer flying into or out of Kelowna's airport
Budget airline Lynx Air has quietly stopped serving Kelowna. Kelowna International Airport director Sam Samaddar says Lynx Air stopped flying into Kelowna once...
Police incident ends in arrest outside Kelowna General Hospital
A police incident outside Kelowna General Hospital appears to have ended with a person arrested on Tuesday night. Castanet Reporter Nich Johansen said roughly...
Heavy police presence near Kelowna library
A heavy police presence near the Downtown Kelowna library has appeared to close a portion of Ellis Street on Tuesday night. Reports place the officers at Ellis...
Kelowna mayor 'grateful' for drug ban at playgrounds; believes prohibition can be extended
Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas is thankful the province’s drug decriminalization policy now prohibits drug use at playgrounds and spray parks, but says he...
FortisBC restores power outage in Kelowna
UPDATE 10:45 a.m. Electricity has now been restored, according to FortisBC outage map. A very small outage remains impacting 28 customers in the Groves Avenue...
September snow falls at Big White Ski Resort
Big White Ski Resort has recorded it’s first snowfall of the season. Webcams at the mountain show small accumulations at the top of the bike park and...
Northern lights put on a show over the North Okanagan
The northern lights put on a spectacular show over the North Okanagan Monday night. Dancing green and yellow lights could be seen across the region in the clear...
Should the same rules apply to pot shops on First Nations reserve as ones in municipalies in B.C.?
A lawsuit filed by B.C. Interior cannabis retailers over black market shops operating on First Nations reserves has been thrown out by a BC Supreme Court...
Kelowna Pride condemns anti-SOGI rallies, will not counterprotest
The Kelowna Pride Society says it is not taking in part counterprotests in response to the anti-SOGI rallies set to take place in Kelowna and across the country...
Vancouver man goes missing in Portugal
Missing person searches are underway after a Vancouver tourist has gone missing in Portugal. Michael (Mike) LeGault was attending the World Youth and Student...
Firefighters battled wall of flame to save Sorrento
It was a wall of fire advancing like an angry dragon. The Bush Creek East wildfire began an aggressive run down Black Mountain in the early hours of Aug. 30 as...
Folk singer and expert whistler Roger Whittaker dies aged 87
Folk singer/songwriter Roger Whittaker has died at the age of 87. The musician, who was an expert whistler, had hits with songs such as 'Durham Town (The...
Emu spotted running in backcountry outside Kelowna
He’s seen plenty of wildlife in the area, but not a bird native to Australia. A Castanet reader shared video of an Emu running along Postill Lake Road on...
Multi-vehicle crash scene cleared on Highway 1 east of Cache Creek
UPDATE: 1:22 p.m. DriveBC advises that the accident scene on Highway 1 east of Cache Creek has now been cleared. UPDATE: 10:58 a.m. A multi-vehicle incident...
Smoke or dust devil? Mysterious column rises from West Kelowna hillside
Was it smoke or a dust devil? An unexplained column of air or debris was seen rising from a hillside over West Kelowna Monday afternoon. At first it appears...
Judge tosses B.C. Interior cannabis retailers' lawsuit targeting illegal on-reserve shops
A lawsuit filed by B.C. Interior cannabis retailers over black market shops operating on First Nations reserves has been thrown out by a BC Supreme Court...
Kelowna-Lake Country MP seeks answers on final section of Okanagan Rail Trail
Another summer has come and gone and the Okanagan Rail Trail is still missing a vital connection. The City of Kelowna went to tender earlier this year and...
'Some legitimate concerns'; BC United leader says concerns of anti-SOGI parents shouldn't be dismissed
BC United Leader Kevin Falcon says the concerns of parents marching in an upcoming rally to oppose sexual orientation and gender identity teachings in schools...
RCMP investigating two fatalities on Kootenay roads
It has been a deadly few days on Kootenay roadways. Police say they responded to a collision on Highway 3A and Highway 6 near Nelson B.C. on Sept. 18 at 1 p.m....
Bail hearing for woman facing West Kelowna murder charge pushed to next month
A woman charged with murder in relation to a vehicle crash last year in West Kelowna had a brief court appearance Tuesday. Ka-Mikosit Favelle, 27, saw her bail...
GoFundMe campaign launched for uninsured renters in Vernon house fire
Friends and family are rallying around a Vernon woman and her boyfriend who lost their home to fire over the weekend. The early morning fire gutted the interior...
BC United unveils wildfire policy reforms, which involve incorporating local expertise
Opposition leader Kevin Falcon says wildfire policy reforms unveiled by BC United includes plans to leverage local expertise — a strategy informed by the...
Canadiens acquire Tanner Pearson, 2025 draft pick from Canucks for DeSmith
The Montreal Canadiens have acquired forward Tanner Pearson and a 2025 third-round pick from the Vancouver Canucks. In return, Montreal is sending goaltender...
More evacuation orders, alerts lift around McDougall Creek wildfire
More evacuation alerts and orders were lifted around the McDougall Creek wildfire Tuesday evening. Central Okanagan Emergency Operations announced it has...
Vernon School District joined by churches in condemning anti-SOGI rally
UPDATE: 6 a.m. More voices are speaking out in support of sexual orientation and gender identity education in light of an anti-SOGI planned for Vernon on...
Canucks' new broadcast team includes Ray Ferraro and Dave Tomlinson
John Garrett was the colour commentator for the Vancouver Canucks' regional broadcasts for two decades. When he announced he would no longer be part of the...
Student plant trees in Kelowna's Mission Creek Regional Park
A group of middle school students planted a number of trees Sunday in Mission Creek Regional Park. The Better World Club held a planting day where they planted...
History mystery: Local museum community helps return century-old Summerland scrapbook to family
A century-old scrapbook written by a Summerland woman will soon be reunited with its rightful owners, thanks to the work of the Vancouver Police Department and...
Jail, community service for man caught touching himself outside fast-food drive-thru
A Kamloops-area man who was caught touching himself on a picnic table near a drive-thru in Cache Creek has been ordered to spend a day in jail and complete 20...
Learn to live with wildfire smoke, British Columbians told
British Columbians are going to have to live with the health effects of huge forest fires for decades to come and need to be prepared to protect themselves...
Man presumed drowned in Lake Windermere
Emergency crews continue to search for a 26-year-old man who went missing Saturday while swimming in Lake Windermere in Invermere B.C. Columbia Valley RCMP has...
Burnaby RCMP forced to go undercover to charge hit-and-run suspect
Burnaby RCMP had to go undercover to get proof that retired Burnaby machine operator Lyle Murray Fraser was driving his car the day it hit Nedzad Hadzismajlovic...
Mini duck hide and seek fad a colourful curiosity that's taking hold in the Okanagan
The mini duck phenomenon has made its way to the Okanagan. Tiny and colourful resin ducks are starting to be found more frequently in all kinds of places in a...
Derek Edwards returns to Okanagan with In Praise of the Ostrich show
Rick Mercer calls him the funniest man in Canada, and now those in the Thompson Okanagan region will get a chance to find that out for themselves. Derek Edwards...
UN chief says people are looking to leaders for action and a way out of the current global 'mess'
Leaders of a world fractured by war, climate change and persisting inequality gathered under one roof Tuesday to hear the U.N. chief summon them to take united...
Hardeep Nijjar met CSIS every week before killing that Trudeau links to India: son
The son of Sikh community leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar says his father was meeting regularly with Canadian intelligence officers in the months before he was shot...
Now is the time to enjoy the happiest of hours at Quails’ Gate Winery
Happy Hour is back at Quails’ Gate Winery, and it’s more delicious than ever. Visit Old Vines Restaurant between 2:30 and 5 p.m. any day of the week...
BC Sikhs ask for protection after Trudeau links Nijjar killing to India
Harkirat Kaur said she had a relationship with Sikh community leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar that was like “father and daughter” before his killing in...
Prince George encampment eviction a 'serious violation of human rights': federal housing advocate
The clearing of the Millennium Park homeless encampment in Prince George “amounts to a serious violation of human rights,” federal housing advocate...
Cause still sought, may never be known, in Calgary daycare E. coli breakout
The exact cause of a massive E. coli outbreak at Calgary daycares may never be known, Alberta's chief medical officer said Tuesday. Dr. Mark Joffe says...
Canada signs $3-billion deal to finance nuclear power in Romania
Canada is helping to finance two new nuclear reactors in Romania, which that country's energy minister says will help diminish Russia's ability to use...
Ukraine President Zelenskyy to visit Canada this week: sources
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is set to visit Canada this week after stops at the United Nations and the White House. Sources, who were granted...
A yellow traffic light means stop
Believe it or not, in British Columbia a yellow traffic light tells you that you must stop before you enter the intersection. Yes, I know there is one caveat to...
India expels Canadian diplomat after Canada links Indian agents to Sikh leader death
India struck back at Canada early Tuesday after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau linked agents of India's government to the shooting death of a Sikh leader...
Breakout Festival Riot: 15 people face charges one year after incident
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) has announced charges against more than a dozen people in relation to the riot at the Breakout Festival one year after the...
'Love robots' moving into B.C. seniors home in university study
Robots are being put to the test to see if they can prevent elderly people from being lonely and feeling isolated while in care. Kiwi and Mango are...
Stephanie Hendy to run for BC Greens in Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream
The B.C. Green Party has announced Stephanie Hendy as its candidate for Kelowna-Lake Country-Coldstream in the next provincial election. "Stephanie is a...
Canada told allies before sharing allegations about India over B.C. killing: Trudeau
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is urging India to take allegations that the country had a role in the death of a Canadian citizen seriously, after New Delhi...
Sikh community 'reeling' on news of India interference in death: B.C.'s AG says
British Columbia's attorney general says the community is reeling over news that the Canadian government is investigating a link between the shooting death...
Canada’s inflation rate reaches four per cent in August: StatCan
Higher gasoline prices drove Canada’s inflation rate to 4.0 per cent in August, making it the second month in a row inflation has risen. Statistics Canada...
Lions can become next CFL team to clinch playoff spot
TORONTO — The B.C. Lions have two shots to become the next team to clinch a CFL playoff berth. B.C. (9-4) can cement a post-season berth Friday night with a...
Escalating tensions between India and Canada spark trade worries: experts
Canada's already lagging trade with India could suffer setbacks as relations become increasingly tense, experts say. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed...
Court expected to hear city's perspective of Freedom Convoy organizers' trial
The criminal trial of two Freedom Convoy organizers is expected to hear the city's perspective on the controversial protest as Ottawa's emergency...
Shuswap residents can expect help 'sifting through the ashes' of lost homes
North Shuswap residents will soon have help handling homes and properties damaged by the Bush Creek East wildfire, which has burned 43,380 hectares and remains...
Victoria Sikhs on edge after allegation of India's role in Surrey killing
For some members of Victoria’s Sikh community, the allegation that the government of India was involved in the killing of a B.C. Sikh leader comes as no...
Nixon Wenger gifts $50,000 to CFNO to celebrate 50 years
One of Vernon's oldest law firms has donated $50,000 for 50 years in business. Nixon Wenger LLP gifted the sum to the Community Foundation North...
Central Okanagan Food Bank prepares for Thanksgiving, needs food now
The 13th annual BC Thanksgiving Food Drive is officially underway in the Central Okanagan. Look for a brown bag or a door knocker hanger on your door. The...
Kal Tire says naming partnership 'exceeds expectations' - Wesbild wasn't so happy
As Vernon non-profits voice concern over the cost of renting out Kal Tire Place and other city venues, the building's namesake says it's happy with the...
B.C. to introduce new disaster management laws to address preparedness, mitigation
British Columbia's emergency management minister said the province will be ready to introduce "in the coming weeks" new laws to govern responses...
Delta hears latest on George Massey tunnel replacement project
The province is about to move into the next step in the process of building a new eight-lane immersed tunnel to replace the aging George Massey Tunnel in Delta....
Downtown Vancouver hostel closed after destructive fire
A Vancouver hostel will remain closed for the time being following a large and devastating fire over the weekend. Hotel Belmont and backpacker hostel Samesun on...
B.C. human rights commissioner calls out anti-SOGI rallies planned across Canada
British Columbia's Human Rights Commissioner, Kasari Govender, says she is disturbed about "hate-fuelled marches" planned in several communities...
Kelowna Rockets will honour first responders prior to Saturday's home opener
The Kelowna Rockets organization will give fans a chance to openly show their appreciation to firefighters and first responders during Saturday's season...
Climate, development, India top of mind as Trudeau arrives at UN General Assembly
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived Tuesday at the UN General Assembly with the planet at a climate crossroads — and Canada facing an ever more fraught...
B.C. Sikh community seeks clarity on Canadian intelligence gathering
Sikh community leaders are meeting this week to chart a path forward for better understanding the root of Canadian intelligence efforts to combat foreign...
Plans in place to keep SD73 students, employees safe during planned protest
SD73 officials say they are confident in their preparations ahead of a rally Wednesday in which anti-SOGI protesters are planning to march to the...
Driver, elderly women punched in random attack on West Van bus
Two elderly women were punched in the head and the driver of a West Vancouver Transit bus was punched repeatedly in a seemingly random attack on strangers...
No decision yet on proposed elimination of TRU's BFA program
Thompson Rivers University senators heard impassioned pleas Monday from students and faculty members who want to see the school's embattled visual arts...
UAW threatens expanded strikes if there is no progress on contract with automakers by noon Friday
The leader of the United Auto Workers said that a limited strike targeting plants in Missouri, Michigan and Ohio may be expanded if “serious...
No charges in death of West Vancouver senior struck by truck driver
There will be no charges in the death of a West Vancouver senior who was struck and killed by commercial truck driver during a February 2023 snowstorm. The...
Photos show stunning display of northern lights Monday in skies above Kamloops
The northern lights were on full display Monday night in the Kamloops area. Castanet Kamloops received photos from readers who captured the phenomenon from...
TikTok is launching new tool that will help creators label AI content on the app
In its bid to curb misinformation, TikTok said on Tuesday it will begin launching a new tool that will help creators label AI-generated content they produce....
Watchdog finds mismanagement, 'disturbing' lack of disclosure at Defence Department
A federal watchdog says the Department of National Defence committed wrongdoing by contravening a law designed to help whistleblowers. Public sector integrity...
Municipalities say they need provincial support amid drug decriminalization
A Kamloops city councillor is joining officials from municipalities across B.C. calling for more provincial supports to deal with the impacts of increased drug...
Canadian Mental Health Association says SOGI saves lives
Vernon's Canadian Mental Health Association has added its voice to a growing chorus in solidarity with sexual orientation and gender identity education in...
Swings in inflation not ‘unusual,’ but underlying price pressures still high: BoC
Bank of Canada deputy governor Sharon Kozicki says swings in the inflation rate are to be expected in a speech coming after the latest consumer price index...
S&P/TSX composite down more than 200 points, U.S. stock markets also lower
Canada's main stock index was down more than 200 points in late-morning trading in a broad-based decline led by the base metal, technology and industrial...
Environment Canada warns of smoky skies in Central Okanagan
Environment Canada has issued another smoky skies bulletin for the Central Okanagan. The notice issued Tuesday says the region is expected to be impacted by...
BC United's plan to deal with crime
Over the summer, I have met with hundreds of you, and talked about your concerns. In those coffee conversations, community gatherings, meetings, and even at the...
City of Penticton offering free compost this week only
The City of Penticton is offering free compost this week for pickup. The giveaway, starting Wednesday Sept. 20 through Saturday or until supplies last, will be...
Penticton mayor, council meeting with provincial government officials to push for public safety resources
Representatives from Penticton council have made pushing for more public safety resources a priority at this week's Union of British Columbia Municipalities...
Evacuation alerts still in place near Upper Park Rill Creek wildfire in rural Oliver area
Evacuation alerts near the Upper Park Rill Creek wildfire remain status quo for now. The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen Emergency Operations Centre...
Annual Vaseux Lake Bird Observatory open house upcoming, for up-close look at migratory birds
Want to learn more about migratory birds in the South Okanagan? The Okanagan Similkameen Conservation Alliance is opening its doors at Vaseux Lake for its...
Search and Rescue crews play low profile but crucial role during civil emergencies like wildfire evacuations
What many people may not realize is the important role that BC’s 78 Search and Rescue (SAR) groups play during wildfire events. During interface wildfires...
Relive the action-packed Young Stars Classic in Penticton
Penticton was host to some of the brightest up-and-coming new talents in hockey and crowds of spectators this past weekend, during the 2023 Young Stars Classic...
RotaryGo! aims to get kids to practice when parents can't
Teenagers sitting on the couch playing video games will have one less excuse for not getting outside and being active if the members of three local Rotary Clubs...
Kamloops council to meet with several provincial ministers at UBCM
Kamloops city councillors are preparing for several meetings with provincial ministers this week in Vancouver at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention....
Vernon's Noble Yoga, set to celebrate first anniversary, hits all of your senses
In the heart of Vernon, an oasis of peace, wellness and sensory delight awaits you. Noble Yoga, established just a year ago, aims to redefine the yoga...
