Online art auction supporting hospice services

An online art auction is going to support the North Okanagan Hospice Society.The auction featuring approximately 60 pieces is going online until December 12.Money raised through the auction will go to support end-of-life care and services offered in the North Okanagan.

The City of West Kelowna has a draft budget of $133-million for 2026 featuring a possible 7.6 per cent increase.Two days of deliberations this week saw council reduce the staff-proposed operational budget by $480,000 and further reduced capital spending by $2.8 million.The focus of the budget is public safety, building...

Local Mounties are taking part in a national campaign to get impaired drivers off the roads.December is National Impaired Driving Enforcement Month, and December 6 is National Impaired Driving Enforcement Day, which the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP will use as a kickoff to a month-long Counter Attack campaign.Throughout ...

The economic region that includes Vernon saw another unemployment spike last month.Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey showed the unadjusted unemployment rate for the Thompson-Okanagan rose to 8.1 per cent in November.That was up from the rate of 7.3 per cent in October, and the highest it has been since April of 2...

Kelowna city council was presented Tuesday with an overview of community safety investments proposed in the city's preliminary 2026 budget, including continued work to address crime, social issues and emergency response capacity.The spending plan maintains funding for the Journey Home strategy, additional bylaw service...

Kelowna will be at the centre of the curling world this month as the Olympic Qualification Event gets underway at the Kelowna Curling Club.The competition runs Dec. 5 to 18 and will determine the final entries for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo. Two Olympic spots are still available in each of ...

A second-degree murder charge has been laid in a two year old homicide case.On July 3, 2023, the body of 30-year-old Miguel Suzor was found on a forest service road near Vernon.Vernon North Okanagan RCMP, E-Division Major Crime Unit, and the B.C. RCMP Major Crime Section investigated the case, which resulted in a secon...

The Climate Action Ripple Effect (CARE) program has re-branded and is looking for new mentors.The program, run by School District 22, is marking its fifth anniversary with new branding, an updated website, and strategies to boost student and community climate education, engagement and impacts.CARE sees Vernon and area ...

John Rustad has resigned as leader of the Conservative Party of B.C., saying he quit to avert a "civil war" in the Opposition ranks.His departure came one day after he refused to resign in the face of a caucus revolt in which 20 MLAs representing a caucus majority said they had lost confidence in his leadersh...