Top Stories – Oct 27 – Booster Shots Coming

BC has announced a plan to provide COVID-19 booster shots for anyone who wants one, six to eight months following their second dose. The timing will be determined based on risk and people will be contacted when they are eligible to book a third dose. Those over the age of 70 should expect to get one before the end of the year.

Of the 44 schools in District 23, 10 were reporting possible Covid exposures yesterday. The majority of them came about a week and a half ago. The school reporting the highest number of possible exposure events is Raymer Elementary, at seven. Kelowna Secondary had 6.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is flying to Europe this week to discuss Canada’s climate plan and post-pandemic recovery progress at leaders’ summits in Italy and Scotland. COVID recovery and vaccine equity will be high on the agenda at a G-20 meeting as the world’s wealthiest nations will be pushed to do more to help vaccinate the rest of the world.

RCMP and the Coroner are investigating a fatal accident in South Kelowna in the 3700 block of Spiers Road. Police say about 10:30 on Monday night, a car went off the road and down a large embankment. The man driving the car was declared dead at the scene, while a 16-year-old male passenger was transported to hospital with what are believed to be non life-threatening injuries.

The Province calls it giving local government more tools to increase housing. What is means is that they are cutting red tape. For example, Victoria is removing the requirement for cities to hold public hearings for zoning bylaw amendments that are consistent with the official community plan. But they will still need to provide public notice of the rezoning bylaw before it is considered by council.

Health Minister Adrian Dix called it a solemn day. Almost 18-hundred long term care workers who had refused to get their first covid shot by October 12 had their contracts terminated. Another 41-hundred general health care workers have until November 15 to get fully vaccinated or face the same fate. The area with the largest number of unvaccinated workers is Interior Health at 1,369 or 7 percent.

RCMP have revealed more details on what was reported to be a man with a gun on Pandosy Monday evening. The ERT was called in and eventually 5 people were removed from the home. Police found an imitation handgun and a crossbow. All suspects were released without charges, but the investigation is ongoing.

Penticton RCMP found a man with a gunshot wound outside a home after reports of shots fired north of Naramata yesterday morning. He was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police have no suspects but are investigating if a burning vehicle found a distance away from the Indian Rock community was related to the shooting.

Victoria is taking aim at throwaway plastic items that turn into debris, impacting the environment. New legislation allows the province to identify and take direct action to phase out single-use plastic products and packaging. The changes will add the ability to regulate other products like plastic drinking straws, utensils and stir sticks that are harmful to the environment.

Sports

The Vancouver Canucks first home game of the season was ruined by the Minnesota Wild who left Rogers Arena with a 3-2 win. Philadelphia makes the trip to Vancouver for a game tomorrow.

The World Series got underway last night at Minute Maid Park in Houston as the Atlanta Braves scored 5 runs in the first three innings on the way to a 6-2 win over the Astros. Game 2 goes today at 5.

The Toronto Argonauts have traded quarterback Nick Arbuckle to the Edmonton Elks. As part of the deal, Toronto receives a third-round pick and the rights to Edmonton negotiation-list player Chad Kelly.

As if the Blackhawks didn’t have enough problems this season, they placed Jonathan Toews and fellow forward Henrik Borgstrom in the protocol. Patrick Kane landed on the list Saturday.

The New York Jets picked up veteran quarterback Joe Flacco from the Philadelphia Eagles in wake of Zach Wilson’s PCL injury. The Jets are parting with a conditional sixth-round pick for the veteran.