Kelowna RCMP are investigating a suspicious death in the North End of the city.On Tuesday, July 7, Mounties responded to a report of suspicious circumstances in the 800-block of Baillie Avenue. Frontline officers attended and located a deceased female in the back of a vehicle.Police said in a media release Friday, a ma...

The City of Kelowna is no slouch when it comes to meeting the provincial government's new house build targets.Back in June 2024 the province set a total of almost 8,800 new homes over a five year period.After just two reporting years Kelowna has exceeded the year 3 cumulative target of 4,500 units and is approaching th...

A 14-year-old girl reported missing in West Kelowna has been found safe, according to RCMP.Police issued an update Friday morning, saying the teenager had been located and was "safe and sound."West Kelowna RCMP had asked the public for help locating the girl after she was reported missing Thursday. Police sai...

The labour force in the Thompson Okanagan improved last month, but joblessness remained fairly high.Statistics Canada reported the economic region that includes Vernon had an unadjusted unemployment rate of 7.5 per cent in June.That rate was an improvement from the 8.1 per cent unemployed in May, but still well above t...

Moraine Park will be temporarily closed starting Monday, July 13, as the City of Kelowna begins upgrades to the park's irrigation system and grass areas.The closure is expected to remain in place until early October while crews install a new watering system designed to improve reliability and conserve water.The city sa...

The Okanagan Basin Water Board has taken a new approach to try to prevent invasive mussels from entering the local waterways.As part of the 'Don't Move a Mussel' campaign, first-of-its kind boat launch stencils with messaging urging boaters to clean, drain and dry their vessels have been painted at select spots in West...

Two people lost their lives to illicit substances in Greater Vernon in May.The preliminary figures from the B.C. Coroners Service indicated there had just been six fatal overdoses in the North Okanagan community in 2026. Those included the two in May, one in March, and three in January.In Kelowna, there were three drug...

The City of West Kelowna has launched a confidential third-party whistleblower service for employees, volunteers, contractors and consultants to report suspected wrongdoing involving the municipality.The service is operated by independent investigators with Southern Law LLP and is designed to provide a confidential pro...

A death reported near Mill Creek is not considered suspicious according to Kelowna RCMP and is not believed to be related to a drowning.Police responded Wednesday afternoon to the 2600 block of Enterprise Way following a report of a sudden death.RCMP said investigators have determined there is no indication of criminal...

The Okanagan has again been ranked at Drought Level 4.The ranking, which was given for the third week in a row July 9, is the second-highest drought rating and indicates severe conditions.The B.C. River Forecast Centre said the streams in the region had high water temperatures and declining flows. The agency specifical...

Two prominent names with ties to the Okanagan food and hospitality industry will be recognized this fall with induction into the BC Restaurant Hall of Fame.Kelowna's Christina Ferreira and Okanagan-born chef Ned Bell are among 24 people selected for the 2026 class by the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association. The ...

Interior Health has urged people to be prepared for lower air quality as wildfire smoke could drift into the North Okanagan.The B.C. Wildfire Service's forecast said smoke from the fires burning near Boston Bar, south of Lilloeet, could blow east and settle over the North Okanagan and Shuswap, especially around Armstro...

A new watermilfoil harvester has been christened and named following a public contest.The Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) held a contest to name the new machine designed for chopping, collecting and clearing invasive Eurasian watermilfoil from area lakes.The contest received over 340 submissions, and after reviewing ...

A popular summer tradition is returning to West Kelowna this week with four days of free entertainment, family activities and community events.Westside Daze runs from Thursday, July 9 through Sunday, July 12, bringing back attractions including the annual parade, midway, live music and an evening drone show.The event, ...

A campaign is underway to raise $800,000 to help protect a privately owned piece of land surrounded by Myra-Bellevue Park.The BC Parks Foundation has launched a public fundraising effort to purchase the 32.4-hectare property on Kelowna's South Slopes, with the goal of adding it to the existing park system and preventin...

A person drowned in the lake near the Bennett Bridge in Kelowna late Monday, although the circumstances are not clear.The BC Coroners Service took over the case and their investigation remained open.Kelowna RCMP did not attend the scene. They learned of the incident from a concerned citizen who took video of BC Emergen...

Kelowna MP Stephen Fuhr says the federal governments decision to move ahead with a new fleet of Royal Canadian Navy submarines will strengthen Canadas defence while creating new economic opportunities for British Columbia.The federal government has selected German shipbuilder Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems as the preferre...

A campfire ban for the Okanagan and surrounding area will come into effect ahead of the weekend.The B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) will implement the ban for the entire Kamloops Fire Centre effective noon July 10.The ban, which will build on the BCWS's previous orders prohibiting categories 2 and 3 open burning and use o...

A suspicious device discovered by a landscaping crew prompted an hours-long police response in Kelowna on Monday before investigators determined there was no threat to public safety.Kelowna RCMP were called to the area of Barlee Road and Springfield Road at about 2:45 p.m. after workers found what appeared to be an imp...

The B.C. Hockey League has released its 2026-27 regular season schedule, with the new campaign getting underway Sept. 18 and several Interior B.C. teams set to open the season.The Vernon Vipers will begin their season on the road against the Salmon Arm Silverbacks at Rogers Rink. The matchup will mark the first of 54 r...

People who like to spend time outdoors have more trails to walk or ride.A new 14 kilometre section of the Splatsin te Secwépemc / Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail from Grindrod to Rosemond Lake Bridge has opened to the public, giving people a total of 34 kilometres of new trail between Armstrong and Sicamous to...

A patch of unused school ground at North Glenmore Elementary School has been turned into a vibrant outdoor learning garden.Teacher Erin Burton secured funding through the BC Parks Foundation's Learning by Nature Program and turned to the Trades and Apprenticeship Department at Okanagan College (OC) to make it happen.Mo...

The housing market was more in favour of the seller in the North Okanagan last month.The Association of Interior Realtors (AoIR) said the benchmark average prices for single family homes and for townhouses in the North Okanagan rose in June, though apartment and condominium prices declined.Single Family Homes - $784,50...

A Penticton couple is planning a life of travel and giving after discovering they had won a $75-million Lotto Max jackpot.Maureen and Darrell S. were at home when they noticed news that a winning ticket for the April 7, 2026 draw had been sold in Penticton. After checking their own ticket online, the couple realized th...

The Okanagan Valley is once again being recognized as one of Canada's premier wine regions after four local wineries captured top honours at the 2026 All-Canadian Wine Championships.Out of nearly 1,100 entries from across the country, B.C. wineries collected the bulk of national awards - including 24 double gold medals...

The Okanagan's hospitality and tourism sector is reporting a major lift after a 10-day sports and entertainment stretch that brought the B.C. Lions to Kelowna and filled hotels, restaurants and the downtown core with thousands of visitors.The provincial government estimates the "Touchdown Kelowna" initiative,...

A 29-year-old man has been arrested following a grass fire near Highway 97 and Sneena Road that briefly sparked concern in West Kelowna over the weekend.West Kelowna RCMP said officers and fire crews responded to reports of a grass fire at about 5:18 p.m. on Saturday, July 4. West Kelowna Fire Rescue was able to quickl...

Work on the next phase of improvements at Rutland Recreation Park begins next week and will take several months to complete.Starting Monday, July 6, crews will be working to upgrade the park with an addition of a new artificial turf field, walking pathways, event space, irrigation and lighting upgrades, and servicing f...