Cremation crunch in B.C.
Downtown revitalization
Navigating rising costs
Trump talks trade war
$500 M for wildfires so far
‘Meet Me in Mortlach’
Chance to challenge 
Rise of humble water gun 
Shooting suspect surrenders
WhatsApp to show ads
Israel condemns partitions
US stocks rise, oil prices slip 
Panthers one win away
Pickard to start for Oilers
Rocket joins Canucks staff
NDP leader sorry
Brad Pitt admits mistakes
Former MTV host dies
Top Stories for June 9, 2025
Young Penticton mother shot dead; investigation ongoing
Police have confirmed a reported homicide over the weekend in Penticton, the victim of which has been identified by family and friends as a young mother. RCMP...
Couple from Vancouver shaken up after attempted carjacking in Kelowna
A couple who live in Vancouver but visit Kelowna frequently is shaken up after a violent incident during their most recent trip to the city last Friday. Dori...
Grass fire erupts north of Kelowna's airport
UPDATE 5:50 p.m. Firefighters remain at the scene, putting water onto the smouldering ground. While the fire has been knocked down, they will likely be working...
Multi-vehicle crash on Hwy 97 in West Kelowna has been cleared
UPDATE 8 p.m. Traffic is moving again along Highway 97 in West Kelowna after crews cleared the scene of a multi-vehicle crash at the intersection with Hudson...
Pediatric ward closure in Kelowna triggers fears of ripple effect in B.C. hospitals
Dr. Jeff Eppler, an emergency room physician at Kelowna General Hospital, is getting ready for a hectic summer. He's not only thinking about the typical...
Temperature records fall in several communities, Lytton flirts with 40 C
Scorching heat burned through the temperature record books on Sunday across parts of southern B.C. New record highs were set in a dozen communities including...
Kayaker saw high-speed boat before deadly B.C. crash in 'very problematic area'
North Vancouver resident John Belisle and his wife frequently kayak in the waters off Cates Park in North Vancouver. But they'd never seen a boat going as...
Kelowna man sentenced to house arrest, curfew for child porn convictions
Warning: This story discusses the details of a child pornography investigation and details may be triggering to some readers. A Kelowna man who collected...
'Your children deserve better:' KGH pediatricians speak out
Kelowna pediatricians are calling on the province to implement changes at the hospital that will put an end to working conditions they say are not manageable or...
Police seek witnesses after senior punches teen who threw food in Tim Hortons
Saanich police are looking for witnesses to an incident at a Tim Hortons where a senior is seen on a viral video throwing punches at a male youth who allegedly...
Bright Jenny Coffee opens new Glenmore location, will soon have three shops in Kelowna
Bright Jenny Coffee Roasters has opened a new cafe in Glenmore, marking another step in the brand’s growth across the city. The newest shop, located at...
BCWS hopes for rainfall as heat of wildfire season approaches
Persistent drought could mean a busy wildfire season this summer in the southern Interior, but BC Wildfire Service officials say most of their attention is...
Jim Pattison Centre for Health Systems Learning and Innovation opens at Kelowna General Hospital
A year-and-a-half after a $5 million donation to the KGH Foundation, The Jim Pattison Centre for Health Systems Learning + Innovation has opened in Kelowna....
Marines will be deployed to LA to respond to immigration protests
The Pentagon planned to deploy about 700 Marines to Los Angeles on Monday to help National Guard members respond to immigration protests, three U.S. officials...
Denim on the Diamond music festival moving to Waterfront Park
Denim on the Diamond is on the move yet again. The country-music festival announced Monday it is partnering with the Canadian Country Music Association for a...
Sly Stone, leader of funk revolutionaries Sly and the Family Stone, dies at 82
Sly Stone, the revolutionary musician and dynamic showman whose Sly and the Family Stone transformed popular music in the 1960s and ’70s and beyond with...
Former cadet's rape allegations against Vernon camp leader heading to trial in 2027
Civil rape allegations brought against a former cadet instructor at the Vernon Cadet Camp are expected to be tested in court in fall 2027. The lawsuit was filed...
Are you satisfied with B.C.'s education system?
Only one quarter of teachers believe their students’ academic, social and emotional needs are being met, the B.C. Teachers Federation says. Worse yet,...
Judge dismisses Justin Baldoni's lawsuit against 'It Ends With Us' costar Blake Lively
A judge on Monday dismissed the lawsuit filed by actor and director Justin Baldoni against his “It Ends With Us” costar Blake Lively after she sued...
Council approves unusual rezoning of former Kelowna farmer's market site
Kelowna city councillor Maxine DeHart called it one of the most unique rezoning applications she has seen during her time on council. DeHart was referring to an...
RDCO cautions park users to be extra cautious as wildfire risk rises
As the wildfire risk in the Kelowna area rises the Regional District of Central Okanagan is warning people they could face stiff fines for lighting up in area...
Eby says it's not him blocking Smith's oil pipeline, it's lack of money and proponent
British Columbia Premier David Eby says it's not him standing in the way of Alberta counterpart Danielle Smith's longed-for oil pipeline from Alberta to...
Province won't get involved as OKIB prepares to end fire protection to Parker Cove
The province is not getting involved in fire protection disruptions for Parker Cove, despite the pleas of residents. Castanet asked the province if it had any...
Vernonite hopes to help to set record for most Ryans at a baseball game
A Vernonite is heading down to Denver to be with people he has something in common with – his name. Ryan Sheepwash will be a part of an attempt to set the...
Kamloops Mounties aid FBI in child luring probe, report increase in exploitation files
Mounties say they worked with the FBI to thwart an American man's attempt to abduct a 13-year-old Kamloops child. In a report that went to Kamloops city...
Former TD banker accused of moving $150K from senior citizen's account to herself
A former mutual fund dealer at a TD Bank (NYSE:TD) branch in Surrey is alleged to have “directed” $152,819 from the account of a 71-year-old client...
Wife charged with first-degree murder in husband's 2021 death in Nanaimo
A woman has been charged with first-degree murder in the 2021 death of her husband in Nanaimo. On Friday, Desiree Mosher was taken into custody by members of...
Keyera doubles natural gas volumes to be shipped via AltaGas terminal in B.C.
Keyera Corp. has reached an agreement to double the volume of liquefied petroleum gas it plans to export through a West Coast export facility being built by...
B.C. to restore housing aid to families with sick children in Vancouver hospitals
The British Columbia government says it's working to reverse changes that slashed accommodation funding for out-of-town parents whose children received...
Lake Country plans new egress from Copper Hill subdivision
Residents of a Lake Country neighbourhood will be getting another way to get out of their community in the case of wildfires or other disasters. The District...
Trump's new travel ban takes effect as tensions escalate over immigration enforcement
President Donald Trump's new ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens from 12 mainly African and Middle Eastern countries took effect Monday amid rising...
Twice-suspended Kamloops lawyer disbarred for ignoring order
A Law Society of B.C. hearing panel has disbarred Kamloops lawyer Nikolaus Weiser, deeming him ungovernable after failing to comply with an order. Weiser had...
Manitoba government urges tourists not to visit as 21,000 people flee wildfires
Manitoba is urging tourists to reconsider visiting as it works to find shelter for a flood of wildfire evacuees now reaching 21,000. “This is one of the...
Just one quarter of teachers believe student academic needs met: BCTF
Only one quarter of teachers believe their students’ academic, social and emotional needs are being met, the B.C. Teachers Federation says. Worse yet,...
Crash slows intersection of Richter Street and Lanfranco Road
A crash at the intersection of Richter Street and Lanfranco Road is slowing traffic. Emergency crews are at the scene of the collision and are in the process of...
Climber slid 200 feet down mountain, saved by Vernon Search and Rescue
A climber slid 200 feet and was left injured high on Mount Severide on Sunday before being rescued by Vernon Search and Rescue. Mounties requested VSAR’s...
Stalemate between Canada Post and workers drags on as union demands feds stay out
Canada Post says it has failed to make progress in recent talks with the union representing 55,000 postal workers as an increasingly acrimonious impasse drags...
BC Wildlife Park's bighorn sheep has finally met his new neighbours
The BC Wildlife Park’s resident bighorn sheep has finally met his new roommates. Robson the bighorn sheep was born at the BC Wildlife Park in 2015 and...
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says she will attend G7 summit in Alberta
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum says she will attend the G7 summit next week in Kananaskis, Alta. Sheinbaum was one of several world leaders invited to the...
Carney vows Canada will meet 2% NATO spending pledge this year
Canada will finally meet its NATO defence spending commitment this year as it confronts an alarming new world of threats, Prime Minister Mark Carney said in...
Firefighters, aircraft heading back to B.C. after helping battle blazes on Prairies
More than 100 wildland firefighters from B.C. are expected to return in the next week from blazes in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario — just in time for...
Okanagan soft fruit farmers are feeling optimistic about crops and tourists
Early indications from Okanagan farmers point to a bumper crop for cherries and soft fruit in 2025. This is in stark contrast to the same time last year, when...
Okanagan temperatures forecast to cool slightly by the weekend
Daytime highs in the 30s C are expected to continue through Wednesday across the Okanagan, but it’s not expected to be quite as hot as it was on the...
Elbows-up tourism surge could see sector ‘eke out’ a gain even as Americans stay away
From the front desk of Hotel Bedford in Goderich, Ont., Lynda Cross welcomes guests from regions ranging from southern Ontario to the South Pacific. “A...
China tariffs bite into B.C. spot prawn season, but foodies queue for kiss of the sea
Toronto resident Krista Jang showed off her "haul" on the False Creek Fishermen's Wharf in Vancouver — a bag of sweet and meaty spot prawns,...
One child ejected from the car during single motor vehicle incident in Trail
Three children and a 31-year old Trail mother were involved in a single motor vehicle incident that resulted in one child being ejected. Just after 7 p.m. on...
Human-caused wildfire 36 km from Nelson prompts fire response
An under-control wildfire at Crown Creek, located just outside of the community of Crawford Bay on the East Shore of Kootenay Lake, broke out late in the...
Kim Novak to receive Venice Film Festival’s lifetime achievement honour
Kim Novak, the glamorous and fiercely independent star of one of the greatest films ever made, Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo,” will be honored...
Low measles vaccination rates makes B.C. Interior susceptible to outbreak, says Interior Health
There are currently no measles cases in the B.C. Southern Interior, according to Interior Health. Dr. Jonathan Malo, medical health officer with IH, gave the...
Warner Bros. Discovery to split into two companies, dividing cable and streaming services
Warner Bros. Discovery will calve off cable operations from its streaming service, creating two independent companies as the number of people “cutting the...
B.C.'s youth unemployment rate second-highest in Canada with 16.6 per cent in May
High school students walking across graduation stages this month will step into an uncertain job market as B.C. has the second-highest youth unemployment rate...
Canseco: A third of Canadians avoiding U.S. purchases as Trump anger dips
One of the unique traits of the current Donald Trump administration is its ability to sculpt a narrative on social media. Whether the enemy is the previous head...
Southern Baptists target porn, sports betting, same-sex marriage and 'willful childlessness'
Southern Baptists meeting this week in Dallas will be asked to approve resolutions calling for a legal ban on pornography and a reversal of the U.S. Supreme...
Tropical Storm Barbara forecast to become a hurricane Monday as Storm Cosme forms in the Pacific
Two tropical storms gathered strength off Mexico's Pacific coast Monday, with one forecast to become a hurricane later in the day, forecasters warned....
National Holocaust Monument vandalized with 'FEED ME' written in red paint
An act of vandalism at the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa is an antisemitic attack, the co-chair of the monument committee said Monday. The words...
Designing homes for wildfires
We live in an age of increasing wildfire disasters because more of us are living in places where wildfires and human development collide. Right now, fast-moving...
Kamloops Hudson's Bay workers left without jobs not optimistic in fight for severance pay
Over two dozen workers from the Hudson's Bay store in Kamloops are out of a job and their union says their fight for severance pay from the historic company...
Oliver's Sunshine Festival aims to recover cost of local craft beverages
The Town of Oliver has declared the Sunshine Festival an event of "municipal significance" to recover cost of local craft beer and wine. During last...
Bitcoin is introduced into Africa's largest slum, with risks and rewards
Dotting the roadside in what is widely considered Africa’s largest urban slum are typical stands selling vegetables. What isn't typical is their...
Police looking into whether recent fires in downtown Kamloops are connected
Kamloops Mounties think a person of interest in a blaze sparked last week in a dumpster might have information about other suspicious fires in the city’s...
NIH scientists publish declaration criticizing Trump's deep cuts in public health research
In his confirmation hearings to lead the National Institutes of Health, Jay Bhattacharya pledged his openness to views that might conflict with his own....
Ukraine says Russia launched the biggest overnight drone bombardment of the war
Russia launched almost 500 drones at Ukraine in the biggest overnight drone bombardment of the three-year war, the Ukrainian air force said Monday, as the...
Penticton man gets jail sentence in community for wielding BB gun
A Penticton man who wielded a BB gun at a stranger will serve his jail sentence in the community with strict conditions. In court on Friday, June 6, Sheldon...
Cellphone ban in Canadian classrooms now accepted
Sixteen-year-old Roha Akram was skeptical when teachers in Calgary announced a cellphone ban during the first assembly of the school year. "I was like,...
'Prison-like conditions'
Re. Rail trail camp still 75% full (Castanet, May 25) Kelowna Mayor Tom Dyas was asked why this new version (of “Tent City”) is still only 75% full,...
Peachland open house and BBQ takes place Wednesday
The District of Peachland’s annual open house barbecue takes place Wednesday. The event June 11, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Peachland Community Centre will...
Judge upholds obstruction conviction for B.C. Mountie in Dale Culver case
A provincial court judge has ruled that the guilty verdict stands for an RCMP officer convicted of obstruction of justice in the case of an Indigenous man who...
James Barker Band heading to South Okanagan
Award-winning country quarter James Barker Band is coming to Penticton. On Saturday, Nov. 29, the band will take the stage at the South Okanagan Events Centre....
Firefighters doused a barbecue at an apartment on Okanagan Landing Road
The Vernon Fire Department was quick to douse a fire at The Mandalay on Okanagan Landing Road across from the Vernon Yacht Club. The fire sparked around 6:15....
AI having an impact on financial management
Artificial intelligence is poised to reshape virtually every sector of our lives to some degree, and financial services is near the top of that list. From...
Competition Bureau sues DoorDash, accuses firm of misleading customers with fees
Canada's competition watchdog is suing DoorDash Inc. and its Canadian subsidiary, accusing it of marketing its online delivery services at a lower price...
6 infants born with congenital measles from unvaccinated mothers
Ontario's chief medical officer of health says six infants have been born with congenital measles since an outbreak began last fall, adding they were...
Nintendo's Switch 2 soups up the graphics, but does it deliver the games?
I'm cruising around Bowser's Castle with my old pal Toad. It's not exactly relaxing, what with all the lava pits and banana peels and turtle shells...
Chances of showers to replace warm, sunny weather in Kamloops area: Environment Canada
Warm temperatures and sunny conditions will dominate the forecast during the start of the week, but chances of rain and overcast skies will take over before the...
Telecom sector ramping up investments in tech as traditional growth areas slow
When it comes to competition between Canada's telecommunications giants, there are certain spaces where carriers have traditionally jostled with one another...
B.C. crews brace for extreme fire behaviour when winds from cold front hit northeast
The BC Wildfire Service says crews are preparing for "extreme fire behaviour" in the province's northeastern region as a second dry cold front is...
A push to turn promises into protection
The third U.N. Ocean Conference opened Monday as pressure mounts for nations to turn decades of promises into real protection for the sea. French President...
Member of Barenaked Ladies perfoming in Vernon this weekend
One member of the Barenaked Ladies is coming to Vernon this weekend. JUNO award winner, Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee, and Barenaked Ladies founding...
Lake Country's Pradha Farm multiplying its concert output this summer
Local music will be flowing all summer long at Lake Country’s Pradha Farm. The community-focused farm in Oyama normally hosts a concert each summer, but...
Montreal home sales, prices rise in May despite steady rates and economic uncertainty
Home sales in the Montreal-area rose again in May compared with the same month a year ago, as the city's real estate board says both activity and price...
Get a summer sweat on at fun Penticton activities
"Four seasons of fun" is an ongoing collaboration between Castanet and Visit Penticton showcasing what Penticton has to offer all year round. Watch...
Defence lawyers begin final submissions in hockey players' sex assault trial
A woman accusing five hockey players of sexual assault made up a false narrative because she didn't want to take responsibility for her decisions that...
Merritt man gets six months jail for choking partner during 2023 altercation
A Merritt man who was found guilty of choking his partner during a fight in 2023 has been handed a six-month jail sentence. The court heard the 35-year-old man,...
Palestinians say Israel and its allies fired on crowd near Gaza aid site. Hospital says 6 killed
Palestinians say Israeli forces and allied local gunmen fired toward a crowd heading to an Israeli- and U.S.-supported food distribution center in the Gaza...
Salmon Arm man jailed for breaking curfew after police attended his home to arrest someone else
A Salmon Arm man was arrested for breaking curfew conditions after police went to his residence to arrest someone else and found the man was not at home. On May...
Average asking rents fall annually for eighth straight month to $2,129: report
The national average asking rent in May was down 3.3 per cent from a year earlier at $2,129, marking the eighth consecutive month of year-over-year decreases....
Montreal officials say they've left no stone unturned to prepare for Grand Prix
City officials and organizers of this weekend’s Grand Prix in Montreal say they’re ready for the more than 350,000 people expected at the Formula...
Vernon Pride 2025 an 'absolutely wonderful' week
Pride Day in Civic Memorial Park wrapped up an "absolutely wonderful” Pride Week, according to Vernon Pride Society President, Dawn Tucker. Pride Day...
Shuswap firefighters deployed to help fight wildfires elsewhere in the province
Three teams of firefighters and equipment from the Columbia Shuswap Regional District have been deployed to help fight wildfires around the province. In a...
Vernon swimmers compete at International Masters Games in Taiwan
A pair of Vernon swimmers took their skills to the world stage recently. Kurt and Robynne Ouchi explored global competition for the first time at the...
Oliver to hold town's first-ever Pride March
The Town of Oliver will be holding its first-ever Pride March with a picnic this week. On Saturday, June 14, participants will meet, kicking off the inclusive...
Vernon hosts 83rd Annual Ceremonial Review for cadets
An appreciative audience of 200 family and friends attended the 83rd Annual Ceremonial Review for the 67 cadets of Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron 223 Red...
Lillooet Hospital ER to close for 37-hour period
The Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre emergency room be closed for 37 hours starting Monday night. In a news release, Interior Health said emergency services...
Fire crews extinguish wildfire near Warfield quickly and avert its spread
Quick action by the Kootenay Boundary Regional Fire Rescue (KBRFR) to a wild land fire knocked down and contained what could have been a disastrous interface...
Kootenay region gears up for tourism boom alongside new short-term rental requirements
Tourism season in the Kootenays is underway and is expected to be far busier than last year. "We are expecting a lot more regional and interprovincial...
Trail summer staple Music in The Park set to begin later this month
Local supergroup Truckvancar heads up the bill for the Kootenay Savings Music in The Park starting June 26 in Gyro Park in Trail. Presented by the Trail and...
