One person was taken into custody after a four-hour stand-off Thursday night in Spallumcheen.At around 10:20 p.m., the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP received a report of a disturbance at a residence in McLeod Subdivision.According to a media release from Mounties, the initial information indicated a man allegedly armed wi...

The family of a Lumby man are asking the community to help find him.Various social media posts have raised concerns about Trent Dorais, 33, who has not been seen for over a week.His father, Corey Dunn, posted that his son suffers severely from depression at times and has been in a low as of late. Dorais may be travelli...

A man facing charges including flight from police will be in court in early April.The B.C. Prosecution Service said Dale Babiy will appear in Vernon court for an arraignment hearing on April 3.Babiy was arrested on warrants in December of 2024, during which he tried to use a stolen vehicle to flee from police.RCMP used...

The Pat Duke Memorial Arena will be getting an upgrade in the spring.Starting April 1, construction equipment will start arriving at the arena so the metal roof and a portion of the building cladding can be replaced.The arena that hosts minor hockey, figure skating, ringette, and leisure skating in Lumby was originally...

People disposing of waste at the Armstrong/Spallumcheen Diversion and Disposal Facility (ASDDF) will be limited in what and how much they can dump.The Regional District of North Okanagan said the landfill on Powerhouse Rd. was nearing capacity, and disposal limitations would be required for several months as an upgrade...

Recreational facilities in Vernon will be temporarily closed for scheduled maintenance.The City of Vernon said the Vernon Aquatics Centre and the Fitness Gym will be closed for spring maintenance between Monday, March 31, and Wednesday, April 2.The facility should be ready to reopen Thursday, April 3.The temporary clos...

The owner of the Vernon Vipers is praising the Penticton Vees for their move to the Western Hockey League (WHL). John Glen, speaking from his home in snowy St. Albert, Alberta, told Pattison Media's RocketFAN, "It's a smart business move for them." The Vees were granted an expansion franchise by the WHL on Mo...

Almost two dozen properties Willow Drive have been placed under a Water Quality Advisory.The advisory was issued for 20 properties by Greater Vernon Water Thursday, March 27, following a water main break in the South Vernon neighbourhood.Properties on Willow Drive under the Water Quality Advisory (photo courtesy of GVW...

A court case involving a helicopter crash in Shuswap River two years ago is moving along.Vincent Porteous was arrested in January 2025 following a 16-month investigation into a crash in the river near Mable Lake, east of Enderby, in August 2023.The helicopter's occupants were injured in the crash. Porteous was allegedl...

-- UPDATE --Greater Vernon Water has rescinded a Water Quality Advisory for a BX neighbourhood.The advisory was issued for an area that includes Barker Rd. and parts of Silver Star Rd. after a water main break Wednesday.GVW said sample testing Thursday showed the waters disinfection levels were back within the safe dri...

-- Update --The vehicle allegedly involved in a pedestrian collision in downtown Vernon Wednesday afternoon did not remain on scene after the accident.Vernon North Okanagan RCMP told Vernon Matters a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle at the intersection of 34th St. and 30th Ave. at approximately 4:30 p.m., March 26.Po...

The local candidates for the 2025 Federal Election will take to the stage at an All-Candidates Forum next month.The Greater Vernon Chamber will host the event featuring the Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee riding candidates at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. April 17.The event, which w...

Recreational housing prices in the Okanagan Valley saw annual declines last year.That's according to year-over-year data from Royal LePage.North Okanagan Housing Types2023 Median Prices2024 Median PricesAnnual ChangesSingle Family$725,000$720,000- 0.1 per centSingle Family, Waterfront$1,850,000$1,660,000- 10.3 per cent...

People wishing to build on or modify their properties will have fewer fees to pay moving forward.At the regular meeting Monday, March 24, Vernon City Council approved amendments to the Fees and Charges Bylaw that the removal of numerous fees.Those include the complete removal of fees and charges associated with land us...

The accused in a second degree murder case will be heading to trial.The case against Vitali Stefanski, charged in the death of his ex-wife, Tatjana Stefanksi, was due to proceed with a preliminary inquiry between March 31 and April 3.However, the B.C. Prosecution Service said the Crown decided to proceed with a direct ...

-- Update -- The collision on the highway through Coldstream Tuesday reportedly occurred when a cyclist lost control and crashed into a vehicle.Vernon RCMP were dispatched to the scene of the crash on Highway 6 at Ricardo Road, near the Vegpro International warehouse, for reports of a cyclist and vehicle collision at 3...

The consumer carbon tax in British Columbia is being eliminated.The B.C. Government will introduce legislation Monday, March 31, to remove the consumer carbon tax effective April 1. This will align with the removal of the federal carbon tax on consumers.The province said it was contacting fuel sellers and natural gas r...

The jazz club in downtown Vernon is looking to expand its capability for hosting events.The Vernon Jazz Club applied to the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch to change it's liquor service from the current hours of 7:15 to 11:45 p.m., to instead be able to serve between 11 a.m. and 1 a.m.The non-profit, volunteer-ru...

Cricketers will have a place to play in the North Okanagan.At the regular meeting Monday, March 24, Vernon city council was presented with a proposal to approve the installation of a cricket pitch at the DND grounds, and to provide up to $30,000 for its construction.The playing field would be artificial turf on top of ...

One of our favourite events to emcee A record year for Valentines for Mexico with $64,860 raised!!!! All money raised goes to support orphanages and families in Mexico and Cuba. Each year, a portion of the proceeds is also donated to a local family. The recipient this year is the son of Tania Hollingsworth. S...

A proposal to review the impacts supportive housing and social programs have on neighbouring businesses and residents will not go ahead, though did spark a lively debate in the council chambers.At the regular council meeting Monday, March 24, Coun. Kari Gares put forward a Notice of Motion that asked staff to provide a...

Low and middle income families and individuals will continue to see affordable housing open up in Vernon.A report to City Council stated the affordable housing stock was projected to grow by roughly 200 units and surpass the 1,000 unit mark in 2025."Building affordable housing is not easy," Annette Sharkey, E...

A man on trial in an assault with a weapon case was found guilty of all three counts.In Vernon Provincial Court on Monday, Dale Babiy was found guilty after a trial on one count of assault with a weapon and two counts of uttering threats.The B.C. Prosecution Service said the matter was adjourned until March 31, when Ba...

Families in Vernon will have more opportunities to access affordable child care services.The B.C. Government is converting 770 spaces across the province to the $10-a-day ChildCare B.C. program with an investment of over $62-million.Included in the investment is absorbing 36 spaces at the Okanagan Boys and Girls Club -...

The distillery that operates in Vernon and Kelowna took home a prestigious awards from an international competition.Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery participated in the 2025 World Spirits Awards in Germany, where the local distillery earned 11 gold and five silver medals, as well as the titles of "Worldwide Whisk...

The federal New Democrat Party has announced its candidate for the local riding.Leah Main will be the NDP candidate for Vernon-Lake Country-Monashee in the upcoming election.The party said Main is "a fearless advocate for rural communities," noting she has over 15 years of local government experience from ser...

Vernon Fire Rescue Services actioned a grass fire Friday afternoon. Fire crews were dispatched to a grassy plot of land located behind properties in the 6100 block of Okanagan Ave. and off Chukar and Quail Roads around 4:15 p.m., March 21. Crews quickly actioned the fire, and the flames were doused and the fire contain...

The District of Coldstream is moving ahead with securing federal funding to invest in public transit over the coming decade.A letter from Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, stated B.C. Transit submitted a successful expression of interest on behalf of the community's transit s...