Local News

Friends Abreast team members Janet Ferns, Melanie Gotell, Angie Trenholm and Barb Puetz prepare to hand out pink carnations on Oct. 1 at the Mall at Piccadilly for Breast Cancer Awareness Month as a reminder to book a mammogram. (Contributed)

Carnations serve as reminder in Salmon Arm to get a mammogram

Members of Friends Abreast dragonboat team, made up of survivors and supporters, hand out carnations

Thirty-six child care spaces at Shuswap Day Care are now part of the B.C. government’s $10-a-day program. (Lachlan Labere–Salmon Arm Observer)

$10-a-day child-care program comes to Salmon Arm day care

Additional funding to reduce cost of child care expected in December

B.C. Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson waits as a polling station worker checks a list before being sent to a different ballot box to cast his vote for the provincial election in Vancouver on Saturday, October 24, 2020. British Columbia’s Electoral Boundaries Commission has released a preliminary report that recommends the creation of six new electoral districts, which would bring the total number of seats in the legislature to 93. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Okanagan adjustments proposed for B.C. electoral ridings

Growing regions prompt need for new Kelowna-Centre, moving areas in Vernon, Salmon Arm, Peachland

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Over 100 dogs gathered in Illinois to try and break the world record for the largest dog wedding ceremony. (The Associated Press/screenshot)
VIDEO: World Record attempt for largest dog wedding falls short
FILE - Kim Kardashian attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" exhibition on Monday, May 2, 2022, in New York. Reality tv star and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian has agreed to settle charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission and pay $1.26 million because she promoted on social media a crypto asset security offered and sold by EthereumMax without disclosing the payment she received for the plug. The SEC said Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, that Kardashian has agreed to cooperate with its ongoing investigation.(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
Kim Kardashian settles with SEC over crypto promotion
(Black Press Media Creative)
Katie Couric reveals breast cancer diagnosis
Coolio performs on day three of Riot Fest on Sept. 18, 2022, at Douglass Park in Chicago. Coolio, the rapper who was among hip-hop’s biggest names of the 1990s, died Wednesday, Sept. 28, 2022, at age 59, his manager said. (Photo by Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP, File)
‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ rapper Coolio dies at age 59, says manager
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Shuswap Climate Action wants severe weather and climate impacts considered in the 2022 municipal election so has posted candidate answers to four climate questions on its website. (File photo)

Shuswap Climate Action asks municipal candidates questions on climate

Group says local governments have large role to play so climate should be election issue

Shuswap Climate Action wants severe weather and climate impacts considered in the 2022 municipal election so has posted candidate answers to four climate questions on its website. (File photo)
Erica Seymour and her son Logan Christian performed an Honour Song outside the Salmon Arm Arts Centre for all the Indigenous children lost and for the ones still here on Sept. 30, 2022, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. (Martha Wickett-Salmon Arm Observer)

‘Get to know each other:’ People in Salmon Arm given road map to truth and reconciliation

Gathering for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation emphasizes importance of 94 Calls to Action

Erica Seymour and her son Logan Christian performed an Honour Song outside the Salmon Arm Arts Centre for all the Indigenous children lost and for the ones still here on Sept. 30, 2022, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. (Martha Wickett-Salmon Arm Observer)
A woman from Clearwater, 35, has been identified as the victim in a motorcycle collision on Highway 97A near Grindrod Friday, Sept. 30. (File photo)

Clearwater woman identified as victim in North Okanagan motorcycle collision

Incident happened Friday, Sept. 30, on Highway 97A at 5:15 p.m.; woman ejected from bike

A woman from Clearwater, 35, has been identified as the victim in a motorcycle collision on Highway 97A near Grindrod Friday, Sept. 30. (File photo)
Video
The Heiltsuk Nation have witnessed that salmon are dying by the 1,000s in the Neekas River on the mainland 20 kilometres north of Bella Bella. (Sarah Mund photo)
‘Flabbergasting’ lack of rain has returning salmon dying in droves on B.C. central coast
A file photo shows Sicamous Beach Park blanketed in gold as trees lose their leaves. Environment Canada says B.C. will continue to see unseasonably hot and dry weather into at least the second week of October. (Lachlan Labere/Salmon Arm Observer)
Hot, dry conditions expected to continue as dozens of B.C. temperature records set
Cod fill a box on a trawler off the coast of Hampton Beach, N.H., in an April 23, 2016 file photo. A new audit of Canada’s efforts to protect aquatic species at risk of going extinct says the federal government is biased against listing commercially valuable fish as needing protection. THE CANADIAN PRESS /AP/Robert F. Bukaty
VIDEO: Environment commissioner warns Canada failing to protect commercially valuable fish
Two suspects are caught on security footage vandalizing the 2010 Olympic Cauldron in Vancouver on Oct. 1. (Vancouver Police Department/screenshot)
VIDEO: Suspects smash Vancouver’s 2010 Olympic Cauldron
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Ringo on the move with two of his All Starr band members, that included the nimble fingers of former Toto guitarist Steve Lukather (left) and ex-Bread Saxman Warren Ham in 2015. (Western News File)

Ringo a no go: COVID-19 cancels All-Starr performance in Penticton

The concert was rescheduled from 2020

Ringo on the move with two of his All Starr band members, that included the nimble fingers of former Toto guitarist Steve Lukather (left) and ex-Bread Saxman Warren Ham in 2015. (Western News File)
Okanagan College students from Vernon, Salmon Arm, Kelowna and Penticton launched the Unusually Good Food Co., and have been named the Enactus Canada National champions. (OC photo)

Okanagan College students crush competition to earn national championships

Enactus Canada first place goes to Fruit Snaps and Unusually Good Food Co. projects

Okanagan College students from Vernon, Salmon Arm, Kelowna and Penticton launched the Unusually Good Food Co., and have been named the Enactus Canada National champions. (OC photo)
Riley Christie took this impressive photo in Penticton of the newly launched Starlink satellites crossing Okanagan night skies. (Facebook)

Long trail of satellites dazzle night sky over the Okanagan

SpaceX’s Elon Musk end goal is to launch 40,000 satellites into space

Riley Christie took this impressive photo in Penticton of the newly launched Starlink satellites crossing Okanagan night skies. (Facebook)
Hundreds came out for the second Walk for the Children in Penticton. The journey of 6,000 steps from the Peach to the residential school survivor memorial on the Penticton Indian Band represents the 6,000 children whose bodies were discovered in unmarked graves at residential schools in 2021. (Logan Lockhart - Western News)

VIDEO: Hundreds come out to Walk for the Children in Penticton

“We’re honouring the residential school survivors and those who didn’t make it home”: Penticton Chief

Hundreds came out for the second Walk for the Children in Penticton. The journey of 6,000 steps from the Peach to the residential school survivor memorial on the Penticton Indian Band represents the 6,000 children whose bodies were discovered in unmarked graves at residential schools in 2021. (Logan Lockhart - Western News)
A roundabout is proposed for 14th Avenue SE and Shuswap Street (becomes Foothill Road) in Salmon Arm, which will be the termination point of the new Auto Road Connector. The connector is scheduled in the city’s strategic plan as a medium-term priority, 2025 to 2027. (Martha Wickett-Salmon Arm Observer)

Three roundabouts on the horizon for Salmon Arm

Council approves design contract, budget change for three traffic circles

A roundabout is proposed for 14th Avenue SE and Shuswap Street (becomes Foothill Road) in Salmon Arm, which will be the termination point of the new Auto Road Connector. The connector is scheduled in the city’s strategic plan as a medium-term priority, 2025 to 2027. (Martha Wickett-Salmon Arm Observer)
First responders working on an overdose victim in Penticton in September, 2022. (Brennan Phillips - Western News)

Interior Health advising drug testing after recent overdoses

Testing equipment is available in communities across the Interior

First responders working on an overdose victim in Penticton in September, 2022. (Brennan Phillips - Western News)
Boil water notice has been issued on Monday, Dec. 13 in regards to construction work relating to the water twinning project being undertaken by TwinCon Enterprises Ltd.

Precautionary boil water notice for Grindrod

Interior Health and regional district order in effect due to poor test results

Boil water notice has been issued on Monday, Dec. 13 in regards to construction work relating to the water twinning project being undertaken by TwinCon Enterprises Ltd.
An anonymous donor gave a million-plus dollar donation to the Shuswap Community Foundation for an endowment fund to support small businesses and entrepreneurs in the Shuswap. Pictured are Rob Marshall, Community Futures Shuswap; Lana Fitt, Salmon Arm Economic Development Society and Roger Parenteau, Shuswap Community Foundation. (Contributed)

Anonymous donor gives million-dollar gift to Shuswap small businesses

Shuswap Community Foundation tells city council of surprise donation

An anonymous donor gave a million-plus dollar donation to the Shuswap Community Foundation for an endowment fund to support small businesses and entrepreneurs in the Shuswap. Pictured are Rob Marshall, Community Futures Shuswap; Lana Fitt, Salmon Arm Economic Development Society and Roger Parenteau, Shuswap Community Foundation. (Contributed)
Greater Victoria School District trustees Diane McNally and Rob Paynter were censured by the board and suspended from their duties until October for misconduct relating to bullying and harassment complaints. (Black Press Media file photos)

Judges says Greater Victoria School Board lacked authority to suspend trustees

Diane McNally and Rob Paynter have been reinstated after suspension over alleged bullying

Greater Victoria School District trustees Diane McNally and Rob Paynter were censured by the board and suspended from their duties until October for misconduct relating to bullying and harassment complaints. (Black Press Media file photos)
First responders working on an overdose victim in Penticton in September, 2022. (Brennan Phillips - Western News)

Interior-wide drug alert after cluster of fatal overdoses in Kelowna

Drug checks have found benzodiazepines and higher than average concentrations of fentanyl

First responders working on an overdose victim in Penticton in September, 2022. (Brennan Phillips - Western News)
A Chilliwack psychiatric nurse has accepted a 12-month suspension after engaging in an intimate relationship with a former client.

Chilliwack psychiatric nurse suspended after violating professional boundaries

Ashley Grittner engaged in an intimate relationship with a vulnerable former client

A Chilliwack psychiatric nurse has accepted a 12-month suspension after engaging in an intimate relationship with a former client.
The Aleutian Isle sees the surface for the first time on Sept. 17, over a month after it sank off of San Juan Island. (Courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Northwest)

Fuel-leaking fishing boat pulled to surface one month after sinking near Victoria

Ongoing response looks to move the boat without releasing remaining fuel

The Aleutian Isle sees the surface for the first time on Sept. 17, over a month after it sank off of San Juan Island. (Courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Northwest)
North Okanagan Youth and Family Services Society’s fund development and communications coordinator Vicki Proulx was set up with information on the organization during the Armstrong Regional Co-op’s Fuel Good Day Tuesday, Sept 20, at the Vernon gas bar. Customers and members helped NOYFSS raise slightly more than $4,000 from the event. (NOYFSS photo)

North Okanagan-Shuswap charities Fuel Good after event

Armstrong Regional Co-op’s Fuel Good Day raises more than $11,000 in Vernon, Armstrong, Salmon Arm

North Okanagan Youth and Family Services Society’s fund development and communications coordinator Vicki Proulx was set up with information on the organization during the Armstrong Regional Co-op’s Fuel Good Day Tuesday, Sept 20, at the Vernon gas bar. Customers and members helped NOYFSS raise slightly more than $4,000 from the event. (NOYFSS photo)
Penticton’s Peach City Beach Cruise returned after two years in 2022 to entertain car lovers across the province. (Logan Lockhart- Western News)

Peach City Beach Cruise planning Penticton car show in 2023

The future of the event was in question after burnouts took place on Lakeshore Drive this summer

Penticton’s Peach City Beach Cruise returned after two years in 2022 to entertain car lovers across the province. (Logan Lockhart- Western News)