Photo: Contributed
A pair of rare paddle boards have been returned to a Kelowna couple after a story on Castanet.
Winona and Court Phillips had the boards, which were made by a friend, stolen off the roof of their vehicle last month. The theft devastated the entire family, who used the boards as their primary form of recreation in the summer.
After Castanet ran a story on the theft, Winona said a woman got in contact with them, saying they had purchased the paddle boards online the same day they were discovered missing, and wanted to do the right thing by returning them.
“We were kind of dumbfounded, like woah, we actually found them? We just couldn’t believe it, but obviously were super excited,” said Winona. “You’ll see us on the water right away.”
Winona wants to thank the public for keeping their eyes out for the boards after the story was published, and to the woman who came forward and returned the rare paddle boards.
Photo: Elections BC
The growing population in the Central Okanagan could lead to more representation in the B.C. legislature.
Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick is asking constituents for their input on possible boundary changes.
The Electoral Boundaries Commission will be consulting with British Columbians within the next year on proposed changes to electoral districts across the province.
In the Central Okanagan, it’s estimated the population will increase to 234,000 by 2025. That could mean the creation of another riding, with a new MLA for the area between Lake Country and Peachland.
There are currently three MLAs for the region; Letnick in Kelowna Lake-Country, Renee Merrifield in Kelowna-Mission and Ben Stewart in Kelowna-West. Some neighbourhoods, like Rutland, Downtown and Glenmore are represented by more than one MLA.
Letnick notes the current MLAs work collaboratively for the common good of the region through the sharing of communities.
He is urging voters in his riding to have their say on electoral boundaries through a survey he is sending out to households in his riding this week.
“Do they prefer the sharing of MLAs among communities, as is currently the case? Or do they prefer each community be represented by a single MLA?”
Photo: The Office Brewery Facebook
Kelowna’s north end brewery district has yet another new brewery on offer.
The Office Brewery is located at 301-890 Clement Avenue. It will hold 89 patrons, including 57 indoors on the main floor and mezzanine, and 32 on the outdoor patio.
The company is headed up by Tracey and Dan Allen, former partners at Doc Willoughby’s Pub, and well-known former school principal, Bruce McKay. Bruce will be the general manager with the help of his son, Andrew McKay, as the head brewer.
The brewery is in the process of running trials and developing their recipes on different beer styles. The Mumbo Jumbo Raspberry Sour and Water Cooler Gossip Westcoast Pale Ale are said to be the early favourites among customers.
The brewery will also offer dishes like charcuterie, baked mac ’n cheese and duo pork belly.
Photo: Contributed
The drop-in vaccine clinic at the Kelowna Yacht Club has been extended until Monday, August 9.
The clinic, hosted by Interior Health, The Downtown Business Association, and the Kelowna Yacht Club is open from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. daily.
Anyone who has not received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine or is 28 days past their first inoculation is welcome to drop in for their immunization.
Danielle Cameron is the executive director of clinical operations at Interior Health, and she says those who have been putting off getting the vaccine should have no fear. “Our vaccinators here are very informed and they have all of the most up to date information, so I would say if you’re unsure, If you really want to hear from one of the experts, come into the clinic and talk to our staff,” said Cameron.
The clinic saw steady traffic throughout the long weekend.
It is one of many clinics being hosted in the Interior Health region as part of the Vax for B.C. campaign, which is aimed at creating a safer environment for everyone by offering pop-up, drop-in clinics across the province.
Photo: Chelsea Powrie/file
YLW on Friday
UPDATE: 3:45 p.m.
It’s pretty much business as usual at Kelowna International Airport.
After nearly two full days of cancellations, air traffic is again moving in, and out of YLW.
Just a handful of flights remain cancelled, those being one that were cancelled Monday evening as the airport worked through the issue of reopening flight paths around the no-fly zone implemented around the White Rock Lake Wildfire.
Both WestJet and Air Canada are bringing in additional flights Wednesday to help with the backlog of travellers stuck at the airport for nearly 48 hours.
ORIGINAL 10:30 a.m.
Good news for weary travellers trying to fly in or out of Kelowna.
Air traffic at Kelowna International Airport will begin moving again at 3 p.m. this afternoon- more than 36 hours after the airport was effectively shut down due to the eastern migration of the White Rock Lake Wildfire.
Airport operations manager Phillip Elchitz says the airport was able to work with BC Wildfire, Transport Canada and Nav Canada to re-open air transportation.
“We were able to adjust the eastern boundary of the no-fly zone over the White Rock Lake fire,” he said.
“That has allowed us to readjust the instrument approach into the airport from the north.”
Elchitz says there are four ways to intersect the existing approach from the north. They were able to open one of those.
“Air traffic control will have to basically vector aircraft around the wildfire to connect to the initial connection point for the approach,” said Elchitz.
Departure procedures to the south which were being affected by the Brenda Creek fire have also been re-established.
Elchitz says flights cancelled last night in advance of re-established of instrument approaches will remain cancelled.
However, he says a number of flights around 3 p.m. showing as on-time are expected to operate.
Both WestJet and Air Canada are adding extra flights Wednesday to remove the backlog and get everybody to their destination.
WestJet is adding four additional flights, two to Vancouver and two to Calgary on Wednesday.
Elchitz says passengers affected by the disruption in service should either go to the airport website, or contact their airline directly.
Photo: Contributed
A second COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at Cottonwoods
Interior Health has confirmed outbreaks of COVID-19 at two care homes in the Central Okanagan.
In an email to Castanet News, IH officials say outbreaks have been declared at Cottonwoods Care Centre in Kelowna and Brookhaven Care Centre in West Kelowna.
According to officials, two cases, both involving residents, have been confirmed at Cottonwoods, while seven cases, involving four residents and three staff, have occurred at Brookhaven.
This is the second confirmed outbreak at Cottonwoods. An outbreak was declared in early March and, over the two months it was active, 29 positive cases were detected, including 26 residents and three staff. Two residents died from the virus.
This is the first outbreak declared at Brookhaven.
UPDATE 2:15 p.m.
The Kelowna RCMP has confirmed that a device found at the scene of Saturday’s shooting on Pandosy Street was a viable explosive.
“Based on our examination, this device had the potential to cause significant damage to property and seriously injure members of the public that evening,” says Inspector Beth McAndie of the Kelowna RCMP.
“This device marks a dramatic escalation in violence and put innocent members of our community in real danger. This is unacceptable to us, and we are doing everything in our power to identify the parties involved in this incident.”
The RCMP explosives disposal unit ended up detonating the device safely at a secondary location.
Police are releasing more detailed images of the shooting suspect, who is seen wearing light coloured pants and a hooded sweatshirt. RCMP say they will also soon release additional video of the suspect fleeing in the hopes that they are recognized.
“If you believe you know who this suspect is, we ask you to do the right thing and identify them to us,” said Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy.
The suspect was seen fleeing the area in a light coloured SUV. Kelowna RCMP are now asking for any dash camera footage from vehicles driving on Pandosy Street from KLO Road Harvey Avenue between the hours of 6:20 p.m. and 7:10 p.m. on July 31.
ORIGINAL 12:05 p.m.
As police continue their investigation into Saturday’s brazen gangland shooting on Kelowna’s Pandosy Street, new surveillance footage is shedding light on the incident.
Two men were wounded after gunfire rang out just before 7 p.m. on Pandosy as nearby restaurants were busy with the Saturday night dinner rush.
The shooting was the fourth assassination attempt targeting West Kelowna man Kyle Gianis since 2017, prompting RCMP to name him as one of the victims and label him as a danger to the public.
Gianis has since been released from hospital. The other victim, a 25-year-old Surrey man, was brought to hospital with “life-threatening” injuries.
Castanet News has obtained video captured by a vehicle parked nearby the scene of the shooting. It shows Gianis and another man entering a car parked on the street, when a hooded figure stands up from a nearby bench and opens fire.
Both wounded men stumble out of the vehicle and run across the street while the shooter continues to fire. The hitman then throws something across the road, towards the fleeing men, before jogging north on Pandosy. The wounded men then took cover behind cars on the other side of the road, with one of them making it to the doorway of a restaurant, prior to police arriving.
RCMP said Sunday they discovered what was believed to be an improvised explosive device at the scene of the shooting and called in the provincial bomb squad, resulting in an extended closure of the area. They have not yet confirmed if the device they found was indeed an explosive.
It’s also not known if the item the shooter is seen throwing in the video was the suspected bomb that officers found. Castanet has requested an update from police.
Kelowna mayor Colin Basran released a statement over the weekend calling the shooting “very distressing and concerning.”
“Incidents like this put the lives of innocent people and our first responders at risk and are not acceptable,” Basran said.
Prior to the Pandosy shooting, Gianis was most recently hit with bullets in March in the parking lot of Global Fitness off Harvey Avenue. The Vancouver Sun reported that he mocked his failed assassins on social media after the attempt.
His home in West Kelowna was also raided in March by the Combined Special Forces Enforcement Unit — the province’s police gang unit.
In 2017, he was the target of a shooting in Langley outside a restaurant that ended up killing his friend Tyler Pastuck. David Tull was sentenced to nearly 12 years in jail for conspiracy to murder Gianis in the 2017 shooting.
Then in 2018, Surrey nurse Paul Bennett was killed when an assassin searching for Gianis went to the wrong home, reported the Vancouver Sun at the time.
Gianis was sentenced to 13 years in prison in Washington State in 2008 for smuggling methamphetamine precursors into the U.S. He was transferred to Canada and released on parole in 2013.
In 2007, the CBC reported that Gianis was the occupant of a home that was shot at two nights in a row.
Photo: RCMP
Rob Gibson – Aug 3, 2021 / 1:44 pm | Story: 341845
Photo: CTV News
It may not feel like it but fall is just around the corner, which means back to school.
The first day of school for most British Columbia students is September 7.
In order to make sure as many students get their coronavirus vaccination as possible, Interior Health has sent a letter urging parents to make sure their kids get the jab.
“Dear parents, guardians and staff, we would like to remind you that accessing COVID-19 vaccination has never been easier. If you or your child have not been immunized against COVID-19 yet, now is the perfect time to do so.”
The letter indicates that if you haven’t already had your first dose, getting one now means you could get the second dose 28 days later and be fully immunized by the start of the school year.
“We are counting on you for a safe start to the school year.”
“Getting vaccinated is the best way we can protect each other against the variants and ensure they can’t mutate and spread.”
Interior Health has clarified that anyone born in 2009 or earlier are currently eligible for covid-19 vaccination.
Vaccine clinics:
- Trinity Hall, Kelowna Monday – Sunday, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Thursday, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- Rutland Secondary School gymnasium Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Westbank Lion’s Community Centre Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Photo: Colin Dacre
Christina Lake
A Kelowna resident has died in a boating accident on Christina Lake, east of Grand Forks.
RCMP was called to a possible drowning on the lake Thursday Evening around 8:30 p.m.
Another boater found the woman in the water and brought her to the Texas Creek boat launch. The Christina Lake Fire Department and BC Ambulance Service responded, but unfortunately were unable to revive the woman.
The 60-year old from Kelowna was in the area camping with family and friends.
Police say she was alone on the boat. Somehow she fell overboard.
Alcohol and drugs are not considered factors in the death and it is not considered suspicious.
Photo: Contributed
Darryl Brown
A Lake Country woman plans on travelling after she won a $1 million in a Maxmillions draw.
“I used the Lotto! app and couldn’t believe it,” Darryl Brown said after checking her ticket at home. “I checked it again, and again, and again!”
Brown purchased her ticket at 7-Eleven on 39 Avenue in Vernon and said her husband was the first to hear about her win.
“I showed my husband and he said ‘someone is messing with you! This can’t be real!’ He still doesn’t completely believe it,” she explained.
Brown plans on having a barbecue with friends and family to celebrate her life-changing win. As for what she plans to do with her prize money, travel is top of mind, with Amsterdam being the first stop on her list. She says she wants to help out her family as well.
When asked how it feels to be a millionaire, Brown responded with “Disbelief. Excitement!”
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