Suspected illicit drug deaths saw another increase locally this September, but Vernon and the province are not on track to have another record high for death tolls.The B.C. Coroners Service said four fatal overdoses were recorded in Vernon last month, up from the two deaths seen locally in August.As of the end of Septe...

West Kelowna residents are invited to mark Remembrance Day Wednesday at a ceremony hosted by the Westbank Royal Canadian Legion.The service will take place at Royal LePage Place, at 2760 Cameron Road, from 10:30 a.m. until noon on Nov. 11.The City of West Kelowna is supporting this year's ceremony and congratulating th...

The YMCA is on schedule to take over operations of West Kelowna's Johnson Bentley Memorial Aquatic Centre on Jan. 1, with most staffing arrangements now in place.The YMCA of Southern Interior B.C. says the facility's management team has accepted positions with the new operator, while hiring and onboarding for remaining...

BC Highway Patrol issued 1,376 speeding tickets across the Central B.C. region during its annual October road safety campaign, down from 1,443 last year.The region includes Kelowna, Kamloops, Merritt and Clearwater.Provincewide, officers issued 6,695 tickets during October's Drive Relative to Conditions campaign - near...

There was tension at the first real Kelowna City council meeting of the new term Monday.Incumbent councillor and leading vote-getter in the recent municipal election, Gord Lovegrove, suggested Mayor Tom Dyas and council "risks betraying the public's trust" by failing to give reasons for not appointing him to ...

One person was killed in a serious crash outside Salmon Arm Friday evening.RCMP said a Mustang and Audi were heading west on Trans Canada Highway into Salmon Arm at high rates of speed, in excess of around 140 kilometres per hour.Shortly before 7:40 p.m., the Mustang attempted to pass the Audi but lost control and spun...

A fire at a Kelowna home is being investigated as suspicious after flames broke out outside the building Sunday evening.The Kelowna Fire Department was called to the 2000 block of Richter Street around 7:20 p.m., where crews found a fire burning along the rear exterior of the home.Firefighters quickly brought the blaze...

BC Conservative incumbent Kristina Loewen has held on to Kelowna Centre, but the narrowest of victories means the riding is headed for another judicial recount.Elections BC's final count puts Loewen ahead of BC NDP challenger Loyal Wooldridge by just 43 votes, with 11,689 ballots to Wooldridge's 11,646.The inclusion of...

The federal government has committed to renewing the program that provides financial aid to the winery sector, which is being seen as welcome news.In Budget 2026, the federal government committed to extend the Wine Sector Support Program with a $176.9-million investment over three years.The program provides financial a...

The region that includes Vernon saw some positive gains to the workforce last month.Statistics Canada says the Thompson-Okanagan economic region had an unadjusted unemployment rate of 6.6 per cent this October. That was an improvement from September's rate of 7.0 per cent, and down from the rate of 7.3 per cent unemplo...

Remembrance Day offers an opportunity to honour the heroes who served our country, remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice and reflect on the freedoms we enjoy today.Kelowna residents heading downtown for Wednesday's ceremonies should also prepare for road closures and parking restrictions.Several streets will c...

Construction and planting are complete along a 650-metre stretch of Mill Creek through Parkinson Recreation Park.The news marks a major milestone in Kelowna's flood protection and environmental restoration efforts.Nearly 780 native trees and 6,400 shrubs and grasses have been planted along the restored corridor. Once e...

The North Okanagan saw another dip in the housing market last month. The Association of Interior Realtors (AoIR) said a total of 126 sales were recorded in the area this October. That was down from September's 129 sales, and below the 149 sales recorded in October 2025.Most housing types in the area also saw prices dec...

A non-profit has made a monumental commitment to support youth in the Okanagan and across B.C. looking to further their education.United Way B.C. said it would be distributing a combined $800,000 through its Youth Futures Education Fund next year.The program provides youth entering post-secondary education with support...

Several new recreational amenities are now open at Glenmore Recreation Park in Kelowna.The latest improvements include a grass sports field, tennis and pickleball courts, an outdoor fitness area and a skateboarding spot.The park has also received new pathways, sports lighting and a water feature.The project is being co...

Elections B.C. begins final counting Friday in the provincial election, with an estimated 150,000 additional ballots to be reviewed across the province.In Kelowna-Centre, just over 1,000 ballots remain to be counted. Conservative incumbent Kristina Loewen holds a 132-vote lead over NDP challenger Loyal Wooldridge follo...

Well known Kelowna personality, Eddy Haymour, has died, at the age of 96.Haymour was known as a dreamer and entrepreneur who bought Rattlesnake Island in 1971, hoping to build a world-class destination there.His bold, but unfulfilled vision sparked controversy and made him one of British Columbia's most talked-about fi...

A second respiratory illness outbreak has been declared in the Central Okanagan in less than a week.Interior Health identified an outbreak of Influenza A at the Spring Valley long term care facility in Kelowna Tuesday.The respiratory virus that causes symptoms of fever, headache and muscle pain, runny nose, extreme tir...

Kyle and Carolyn Nixon of Nixon Hospitality Group have been named joint recipients of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce's 2026 Business and Community Leader of the Year award.The chamber announced the winners Wednesday, following a unanimous decision by its independent judging panel.CEO Ester Pike says the couple have bu...

West Kelowna's newly elected council has officially taken office, following an inaugural ceremony Tuesday marking the start of the city's 2026-2030 term.Mayor Stephen Johnston and six councillors were sworn in during the Nov. 3 ceremony, attended by family members, friends, West Kelowna RCMP representatives and members...

West Kelowna Mounties are looking for three people - two men and a woman - who are wanted for alleged kidnapping and aggravated assault.They are Crystal Richard, Braiden Rosch, and Scott Chambers who are believed to be travelling throughout B.C.This follows an incident in late August when a victim was allegedly assault...

An agency that supports heritage sites and associated projects is providing some financial aid to support knowledge-sharing programs being led by the Okanagan Indian Band.Through its Legacy Fund, Heritage B.C. said it would be supporting the OKIB in developing a 13-x̌iyáɬnxʷ (moons) calendar and foraging book...

A new 500-tree forest will be planted in Kelowna ahead of Remembrance Day as a living tribute to Canadian veterans.The City of Kelowna, Trees for Life, the Canadian Hockey League and Kubota Canada are partnering on the project at Rotary Marsh Park on Nov. 10.The Hero Forest will recognize the origins of the Memorial Cu...

UBC Okanagan says last week's fire on campus was "frightening" but there was minimal damage to the inside of the building.The Creative and Critical studies site was evacuated Thursday due to a fire on the roof.The University said in a social media post that the building damage is currently being assessed, and...

A call for local musicians and artists across Canada has been issued for the 35th annual Roots and Blues festival.Last year's event brought out over 29,500 live music fans to take in the sounds of over 40 performers at the festival in Salmon Arm.Organizers are looking to grow on the success of the festival by issuing a...

Kelowna is getting another shot at the world curling stage, landing the World Senior Curling Championships for both 2027 and 2029.World Curling announced the two events will be held at the Kelowna Curling Club, with the 2027 championships running April 24 to May 1. The 2029 event is scheduled for April 21 to 29.The cit...

The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce is bringing Canada's chief trade commissioner to the Okanagan next week to discuss opportunities for local businesses looking to expand beyond the U.S. market.Sara Wilshaw, senior assistant deputy minister of international trade and chief trade commissioner of Canada, will headline a ses...

An illness outbreak has been declared at a long-term care facility on the west side of Okanagan Lake.Interior Health identified an Inflenza A outbreak at the Vineyards Residence's Vineyards & Hall's Landing Units Friday.Influenza A is a respiratory viral infection that can cause fever, fatigue, cough and sore throa...