Top Stories – August 5 – Covid Case Comparisons

There were 171 new cases of Covid 19 in Interior Health yesterday. There were 450 positive tests in the Central Okanagan last week, compared to 26 in Kamloops. As for vaccines, 76 percent in our area have had their first vaccine, while the test positivity rate is 17 percent compared to 4 percent in Kamloops.

Young adults aged 18-29 are among those hardest hit by the pandemic and related response measures according to the BC Centre for Disease Control. The challenges include escalating trends in obesity, chronic disease, and substance use, and impact to mental health and resilience. Also co-housing and living in multi-unit apartment buildings, where the ability to access adequate indoor and outdoor space is challenging.

The community of Falkland was ordered evacuated last evening as were almost 300 properties around Westwold and Monte Lake due to the White Rock Lake wildfire. There was no change in Evacuation Orders & Alerts for areas of the Regional District of Central Okanagan yesterday. However, the wildfire, which is approaching the north end of Westside Road is showing aggressive behaviour and a portion of the road north of Pinecrest is closed.

RCMP flooded the area around Enterprise Park yesterday morning after getting a call about a man with a gun in the woods. They found the suspect and were able to determine that the item the complainant had seen was not a weapon and the man was immediately released.

Andre De Grasse’s mom says she hasn’t been able to calm down since her son won the gold medal in the men’s 200-metres at the Tokyo Olympics. It’s the fifth career Olympic medal for the 26-year-old sprinter, and the first gold. And he did it in a Canadian-record time of 19-point-6-2 seconds.

West Kelowna RCMP and the Emergency Response Team arrested a man at a home on Cougar Road on Tuesday. He had warrants for driving while prohibited, mischief, dangerous operating, and flight from police. 43-year-old Michael Collins, was taken into custody and appeared in court yesterday.

The Thomas Creek fire by Okanagan Falls was estimated at 10,300 hectares yesterday as growth continued on the north flank. Meantime the Brenda Creek wildfire had 34 firefighters, 3 helicopters and a bunch of heavy equipment working on the estimated 824 hectares. Evacuation orders and alerts remain in place.

Heat and dry conditions are replacing last week’s damper weather in BC, ramping up the wildfire risk again across the province. Crews are keeping a close eye on the Boundary region after Environment Canada maps showed a fierce lightning storm near Grand Forks. There have been about 30 new fire starts in the last couple of days.

As contract talks continue, travelers can expect long lineups and lengthy delays at border crossings starting tomorrow. The union representing Canadian Border Service Agency workers issued strike notice yesterday. Canada is still preparing to allow fully vaccinated Americans to visit without having to quarantine starting Monday.

Sports

CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie hasn’t closed the door on partnership talks with the XFL. But he adds that for today and the foreseeable future, it’s all CFL all the time.

The CFL season kicks off today with a rematch of the Grey Cup 2019 combatants. Winnipeg hosts Hamilton at 5:30 as the Lions get set to take on Saskatchewan tomorrow.

The NFL preseason begins today with the Hall of Fame Game between the Steelers and Cowboys. Kick off is just after 5.

Major League Baseball Opening Day is set for March 31, with all 30 teams in action. The Blue Jays start the season on the road in Baltimore.

Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell likes his morning coffee. Two ventis from Starbucks with two espresso shots in each is more than 1,100 mg of caffeine. That’s the equivalent of drinking 10 Red Bulls…every single morning.

The WGC-FedEx St. Jude is the PGA Tour stop this week with a purse of 10.5 Million dollars on the line. Corey Conners is the only Canadian taking to the TPC Southwind course in Memphis.