The Member of Parliament for North-Okanagan Shuswap said 2024 had some positives and negatives for most Canadians.Speaking to Vernon Matters, Mel Arnold said the highlight for his political career this past year was having his Private Members Bill (PMB) pass and become law."One of the highlights for my year has be...

Police in Kelowna seized drugs and a loaded weapon from a stolen vehicle.On the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 18, Kelowna RCMP's Proactive Enforcement Unit located a vehicle that was stolen from Vernon this past July.The vehicle was stopped and the male driver attempted to flee on foot.Officers, with assistance from the P...

Victor Cumming had a lot of highlights to reflect on for 2024.Speaking with Vernon Matters, the Mayor of Vernon said the city accomplished a lot this past year."I think the highlight in 2024 is maintaining services, that is the key of what we do, people pay their taxes to get services met and that's always the foc...

Comic lovers, fantasy and sci-fi enthusiasts, and card game players rejoice, the Vernon Comic-Con is growing even larger next year.The annual convention is expanding to take up the Vernon Curling Club, along with the other rooms in the Vernon Recreation Centre it used for the event in 2024."We're going to have the...

The court will set a dates for a preliminary inquiry into a murder of a woman in Lumby in the new year.Vitali Stefanski is charged with second degree murder in the death of his ex-wife, Tatjana Stefanski, who was reported missing from her home this past April and found deceased in a rural area the following day.Stefans...

Penalties for flipping homes in British Columbia will come into effect in the new year.Starting January 1, 2025, the B.C. home-flipping tax will be in place to discourage investors from buying homes in order to take advantage of the housing market and turn a quick profit.People who buy their homes and sell them within ...

The price at the pumps in Vernon have jumped ahead of the holidays.The majority of gas stations in Vernon brought their prices for regular gasoline up to 161.9¢ Friday, Dec.19.That marked an 11.4 cent increase from the previous day's average prices.One station, the Chevron on 32nd Street, had its price set at 162....

The City of Vernon has tips for residents to help them cut down waste over the holiday season.Vernonites were encouraged to help cut down on their household waste going to the landfill by first diverting organic waste and recycling.The green-lidded organics carts can be used for food scraps and other compostable materi...

Two members of the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP will not be charged in connection with a non-fatal use of force investigation.The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. investigated the incident where an undisclosed individual suffered serious injuries during an arrest in the 2800 block of 28th Street in Vernon on Jun...

People wishing to support others in need this holiday season can do so while gassing up.Armstrong Regional Co-op & ARC Liquor is hosting food drives to support local food banks and the people they serve.People wishing to support the cause can donate non-perishable food items at the Co-op gas bars located in Vernon,...

Harwinder Sandhu has a new role in government and is ready to bring her personal experience into her work.The MLA for Vernon-Lumby was named the Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture for the B.C. NDP Government.Speaking with Vernon Matters, Sandhu said she grew up in a farming family and understands the efforts neede...

November was a strong month for Vernon's housing construction sector.The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) said there were 98 housing project starts recorded in Greater Vernon during the month in question.That marked a significant increase from the 24 starts recorded in November of 2023.The local project...

The provincial speculation tax will come into effect in 59 B.C. municipalities in the new year, including many local ones.The speculation and vacancy tax (SVT) is a penalty imposed on residential properties not being lived in or rented out.The tax will be expanded to include 13 new communities in 2025, including Vernon...

Police in Vernon are asking the public for help tracking down a wanted man.Vernon North Okanagan RCMP said Dale Babiy is wanted for assault with a weapon and uttering threats.Babiy is a 31-year old male, described as standing 5-4 (163 cm) tall and weighing 150 pounds (68 kg). He has brown hair and blue eyes.Dale Babiy ...

Vernon Fire Rescue Services (VFRS) is advising people take action to prevent fires over the holidays.To help prevent fires, VFRS advised people:Check lights for any damaged cords or loose connections and replace them if necessary Use clips, not nails, to hand lightsUse flame-resistant or flame-retardent decorationsKeep...

The B.C. Government's forecast shows the deficit is set to rise.The province provided an update on B.C.'s second quarter economic and fiscal report Tuesday, Dec. 17, which showed the projected deficit for 2024-25 to be $9.4-billion.That figure is $429-million more than the first quarter forecast, and was mainly attribu...

People wishing to travel between the Okanagan and Ontario will have more options in the spring of 2025.Porter Airlines is expanding its services in B.C., and among the new routes is one between Kelowna International Airport (YLW) and Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ).Service will begin on May 14, 2025, with f...

Winter weather has arrived, and the City of Vernon is reminding motorists to drive to conditions.City crews were dispatched early Tuesday, Dec. 17, to address slick road conditions caused by overnight rain and snow, and early morning freezing temperatures.The city said sanding and salting would continue Tuesday as requ...

Two men facing numerous charges relating to a robbery and assault will learn their sentences in early 2025.The B.C. Prosecution service said sentencing hearing for Stewart Tkachuk and Edward Coghill began in Vernon Friday, Dec. 13, and will continue at the courthouse on January 10.Tkachuk and Coghill were found guilty ...

UPDATE: 12:30 p.m. Dec. 18The precautionary boil water notice for the Dixon Dam Rd. area was lifted Wednesday, Dec. 18.Greater Vernon Water said bacterial testing results and disinfection levels at the South BX 2 pump station showed the water was within the safe-drinking levels.-- Original Story --A precautionary boil ...

The Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) wants to hear from the public about matters involving accessibility.The RDNO is developing an Accessibility Plan to identify and address barriers to accessibility and inclusion in the area, and asked the public to provide their input through a survey.The purpose of the sur...

Two provincial parties have come to an agreement on how to address some key issues and ensure the NDP hold the legislature for a full term.The B.C. NDP signed an agreement with the Green Party on B.C. outlining actions the government should take, with a focus on priorities that improve life for British Columbians.Premi...

Fraudsters are attempting to steal money from Vernon residents and visitors.Phishing scams have been targeting parking apps, including HotSpot, the third-party parking payment provider in Vernon.The City of Vernon warns that these scams usually appear online during searches, and involve fraudulent websites or advertise...

The local program that mediates meetings and brings about resolutions between victims and perpetrators of crime has moved to a new office.Restorative Justice Services, operated by the Vernon and District branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association, has relocated from the City of Vernon Community Safety Office to P...

More skiable terrain has opened at SilverStar Mountain Resort.The resort said it opened it's backside runs and lifts Thursday, Dec. 12.The backside was able to open as the mountain's snow base was recorded at 77 centimetres.SilverStar was also preparing to open it's Night Skiing, starting Friday, Dec. 13, and Saturday,...

A death in Vernon's downtown core is under investigation and is being considered suspicious.Vernon North Okanagan RCMP said officers responded to a report of a deceased person in the creek near the wooded area between 31st Ave. and Freshco at around 7 a.m. Monday, Dec. 9.The deceased man was found in the wooded area be...

Five highway projects in the Greater Vernon area remain unfinished.A report to Vernon City Council Monday, Dec. 9, stated there were a handful of outstanding projects from the Ministry of Transportation and Transit involving Highway 97 that were identified nearly a decade ago.Five projects outlined in 2015 remain unfin...

The local branch of Habitat for Humanity is running a raffle fundraiser that has already received a lot of support.The Okanagan branch of the organization's 50/50 raffle had already surpassed the $144-000 mark as of Wednesday, Dec. 11, and the campaign continues through to midnight Saturday, Dec. 14.Half of the money r...