Top Stories for February 8, 2025
Man missing after falling through ice on Shuswap Lake
Salmon Arm RCMP are urging the public to stay off local lakes due to unsafe ice conditions after an 18-year-old man fell through the ice on Shuswap Lake. The...
Kelowna resident reports treacherous drive along Highway 97 after snowfall Saturday morning
A Kelowna resident is speaking out after a hazardous drive along Highway 97 to Penticton on Saturday morning, following a light snowfall that left the road...
Kelowna RCMP respond to allegations of 'laziness' in property theft investigation
Kelowna RCMP has responded to allegations from lawyer Stanley Tessmer of "lazy" police work over the investigation into stolen items. On Jan. 7, 2025,...
Kelowna man found not guilty of trafficking drugs found in the car he was driving
A Kelowna man who rolled into a 7-Eleven parking lot with a meth pipe and an array of drugs in the car he was driving was found not guilty of several...
Judge blocks Trump from placing thousands of USAID workers on leave and giving them 30-day deadline
A federal judge on Friday dealt President Donald Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk their first big setback in their dismantling of the U.S. Agency for...
A 7.6 magnitude earthquake shakes the Caribbean, some islands urge residents to leave coastlines
A magnitude-7.6 earthquake shook the Caribbean Sea southwest of the Cayman Islands Saturday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and some islands and...
Should B.C. make school police liaison programs mandatory?
British Columbia's human rights commissioner says the provincial government has effectively made police liaison programs mandatory in schools with its...
Youth With a Mission Kelowna looking for help to renovate new home
Youth With a Mission Kelowna is looking for people willing to contribute time, money or both to its newest project. The group has recently been cited a 3.4-acre...
Frigid weather persists in British Columbia as low temperature records broken
Parts of British Columbia are bracing for extreme cold and Arctic outflows well into next week, as the current frigid weather broke multiple low-temperature...
The remains of all 10 people killed in Alaska plane crash have been recovered, authorities say
The remains of all 10 people killed when their small plane crashed into ice on the Bering Sea have been recovered, authorities said. The Nome Volunteer Fire...
Trump says he's firing Kennedy Center board of trustees members and naming himself chairman
President Donald Trump says he is firing members of the board of trustees for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and naming himself chairman. He...
Alberta premier denies wrongdoing, asks for expedited review of health contracts
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she wants a review of provincial contracts with private health-care clinics to be expedited amid allegations of sweetheart...
January's one- and two-bedroom rental asking prices up in Central Okanagan
The new year brought with it higher asking prices for rent in the Central Okanagan. According to data collected from Castanet Classifieds, the asking price for...
Kelowna butcher shop adds yak meat to the menu
Chicken, pork and beef move over, there’s a new meat in town and it’s got people yacking. Carnist, an ethical butcher shop that opened last year...
North Vancouver teacher suspended for professional misconduct
A North Vancouver teacher has been suspended for two months after a series of investigations found a series of incidents that ranged from...
Kelowna grappling with overhaul of parking bylaws
The City of Kelowna is pulling data from many different sources to try and determine the best way to deal with parking issues pertaining to new housing...
Find love this Valentine’s Day at Kelowna’s largest speed dating event
Kelowna is gearing up for its largest-ever speed dating event this Valentine’s Day, offering singles the chance to make real connections face-to-face. The...
B.C. Premier David Eby praises U.S.-Canada ties at Invictus Games opening ceremony
British Columbia Premier David Eby did not shy away from mentioning the geopolitical climate between the United States and Canada as he addressed the crowd at...
A closer look at the importance of gut health
When we think of gut health, most of us think only about the food we eat. But, did you know there are countless other factors outside of your plate that can...
Westbound lane of Highway 1 in Kamloops closed
A vehicle incident has closed a westbound lane of Highway 1 in Kamloops. DriveBC is reporting the incident is impacting traffic between East Kamloops and Summit...
Horoscopes Feb. 9-15
Overview On Feb. 12, the Full Moon in Leo will shine a light on our deepest desires for self-expression, creativity, and validation. This celestial event can...
Lawsuit seeks compensation for survivors of tragic highway crash north of Kamloops that killed 3
The survivors of a tragic highway collision north of Kamloops that killed three members of a family of recent Afghan immigrants are suing the driver that caused...
Invictus Games 2025 kick off with star-studded opening ceremony in Vancouver
The 2025 Invictus Games for injured military and service personnel starts in Vancouver today with a star-studded opening ceremony featuring artists Katy Perry,...
Amazon starts closing Quebec warehouses as union president calls for boycott
The union that represents workers at what was Canada’s only unionized Amazon warehouse says the online retail giant has begun shutting down its seven...
'Should I just laugh?': Energy experts question Freeland's pledge to push LNG
Liberal leadership candidate Chrystia Freeland’s pitch to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to allies is drawing skeptical reactions from those who say...
Transit workers in British Columbia's Cowichan Valley launch strike in labour dispute
Transit workers in British Columbia's Cowichan Valley have launched strike action, shutting down services in the area after talks with their employer broke...
Schools on 4 Greek islands will stay shut next week as earthquakes continue
Schools on four Greek islands will remain closed through next week as earthquakes continue to rattle the region, authorities said Saturday. More than 800...
Nouveau Funk playing Mary Irwin Theatre this spring
Kelowna’s Rotary Centre for the Arts will be host to Nouveau Funk this spring. The eight-piece four-horn band plays New Orleans gospel classics and...
New dates set for Kamloops mayor, councillor's day in court
Court dates have been tentatively re-scheduled for a hearing involving Kamloops Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson and Coun. Katie Neustaeter, whom the mayor is suing for...
Trump chops away at the government and the fallout is felt in the Virginia governor's race
The Trump administration’s aggressive push to cut government jobs is reverberating in the early stages of this year's race for governor in Virginia....
Vernon Winter Carnival parade starts at noon, lots of other activities to do as well
The second day of the 64th annual Vernon Winter Carnival is in full swing with plenty of things to do. The popular parade starts at noon today with some 80...
Logan Lake man earns King Charles Coronation Medal for volunteer efforts
Logan Lake's Bruce Rye has been recognized with a King Charles Coronation Medal for his volunteer efforts in the community. Rye was nominated by Logan Lake...
Spending bill talks bog down after Trump's efforts to slash government
Before President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress can enact much of their legislative agenda, they have to deal with some unfinished business —...
Kerkhoff Develop-Build housing proposal before Vernon city council Monday
A new housing concept aimed at creating more than 1,800 attainably priced new homes on a portion of Vernon’s Commonage lands is to be considered by Vernon...
Vernon historian digs up footage of the winter carnival from 60 years ago
With the 64th Vernon Winter Carnival underway, Castanet is taking a look at carnivals from long ago. Vernon historian and videographer Francois Arseneault...
Ontario NDP pledges monthly grocery rebate for low and middle-income households
The Ontario NDP is pledging to introduce a monthly grocery rebate for lower and middle-income households to offset the rising cost of food. NDP Leader Marit...
Vernon historian presents 1964 show featuring salmon fishing off the shores of Vancouver
Today's trip down memory lane is a look at the heydays of salmon fishing in British Columbia. Vernon historian and videographer Francois Arseneault has...
Sony PlayStation Network outage enrages gamers around the world
A major outage of Sony’s PlayStation Network (PSN) on Saturday has left tens of thousands of gamers unable to access online services, stores and...
Petition to save Sveca Caetani mural to be presented to Vernon city council Feb. 24
Hundreds of people want to save Sveva. When word got out last year that the downtown Vernon Sveva Caetani mural would be lost to development, a petition was...
Eagle Bay property owner hopes to move forward with plans for campsite despite setback at the CSRD
The owner of a property in Eagle Bay that he hopes to turn into a campground and mountain bike park pledges to make any changes necessary to turn his dream into...
Another Rockets comeback falls short in a 4-2 loss to Tri-City
Another slow start and another comeback that fell just short. That was the story for the Kelowna Rockets again Saturday night in a 4-2 defeat at the hands of...
Osoyoos Indian Band Chief Clarence Louie to speak on building understanding and connection between Elders and seniors
Penticton's Brown Bag Lecture, this week will host the Osoyoos Indian Band Chief, who is eager to share his perspectives to help build understanding and...
After 15 years at the helm, can Schreiner lead the Ontario Greens to a breakthrough?
There was a moment in 2023 when it seemed possible the man who had become practically synonymous with the Green Party of Ontario might leave it behind. The...
West Kelowna Warriors hit for seven in rout of the Vernon Vipers
The West Kelowna Warriors hit for a season-high seven goals Saturday night in a 7-3 rout of the visiting Vernon Vipers Saturday night before nearly 1,000 fans...
Hamas releases 3 more Israeli hostages for 183 Palestinian prisoners under Gaza ceasefire
Hamas-led militants released three gaunt, frail-looking Israeli hostages on Saturday, and Israel freed 183 Palestinian prisoners as part of a fragile agreement...
Naramata residents protecting Chute Creek from the next flood
A committed group of community-minded citizens have teamed up with several partners to prevent chronic flooding in a longtime Naramata neighbourhood, while also...
City of Penticton reports positive impact so far of 24/7 winter shelter
City of Penticton staff are optimistic about preliminary data from the 24/7 Temporary Winter Shelter that debuted late last year. A report that will be...
SD73 says cybersecurity practices up to snuff as 'cat and mouse' game with hackers intensifies
The Kamloops-Thompson school district says it's keeping pace with best security practices as B.C. school districts face a rising number of cyber attacks. In...
Penticton council to review costs for adding more mobility access beach mats
After "phenomenal feedback" from last year's rollout of the Mobi-Mat at Sudbury Beach on Skaha Lake, Penticton council is considering investing...
War-torn Lebanon forms its first government in over 2 years
Lebanon’s new prime minister on Saturday formed the country’s first full-fledged government since 2022. President Joseph Aoun announced in a...
Elvis tribute artist to perform Valentine's Day show at Tumbleweed Lounge
A local Elvis tribute artist will be crooning the King's hit tunes from past decades at the Tumbleweed Lounge in downtown Kamloops this Valentines Day....
Penticton Roller Skate Society hosting Punk Rock Prom fundraiser
Come out to Punk Rock Prom at the end of February and support the Penticton Roller Skate Society. The society said the evening will be filled with live music...
Selkirk College hospitality students serve up B.C.’s Best
Fresh ingredients, close-to-home suppliers, culinary creativity and engaging service will bring a delightful energy of fusion to the annual Best of B.C. event...
District of Summerland repairing Washington Avenue watermain break
The District of Summerland is working on repairing a water disruption that occurred early Saturday morning. Residents in the Washington Avenue, Garnet Avenue,...
Kamloops home to one of six new Indigenous justice centres opened by province, BC First Nations Justice Council
The provincial government and BC First Nations Justice Council officially has opened a new Indigenous justice centre for Kamloops — one of six new...
Female and non-binary students invited to TRU engineering event
Local female and non-binary students between grades 8 and 12 are invited to Thompson Rivers University for a free STEM workshop on Mar. 1. Attendees will hear...
Penticton Vees win streak ends in 3-2 overtime loss to the Vernon Vipers
A six-game win streak came to an end on Friday night for the Penticton Vees, after their 3-2 overtime loss to the Vernon Vipers at the South Okanagan Events...
Cultural burn through Lower Similkameen Indian Band, BC Wildfire planned in coming week near Osoyoos
The public is advised that BC Wildfire Service and Lower Similkameen Indian Band, in conjunction with BC Parks, will be conducting a cultural burnin the South...
Summerland museum shares a look back at sporting events more than a century ago
With Superbowl Sunday kicking off this weekend, the Summerland Museum & Archives Society gave a look into where the area's big sporting events were held...
Castlegar native Evin assumes head coach duties for KIJHL Rebels
Alex Evin is excited to be back on a bench after a two-month break, that was long enough for him. The Castlegar native spent eight years with the BCHL’s...