Top Stories – Nov 10 – Cannabis Robbery Suspects

Kelowna RCMP are looking for a man and woman after an armed robbery of a cannabis store on Lawrence Avenue Monday night just before 11. Cops and a Police Dog searched the area, but were unable to locate the suspects. The man is described as a tall, white, with a muscular build while the woman is described as white, average height and a small build. Investigators believe this was a targeted robbery and encourage other cannabis stores to be vigilant in their security measures and to report any suspicious activity to the RCMP.

Observing Remembrance Day will be subdued in Kelowna this year. For health safety reasons due to COVID, the parades held annually in downtown Kelowna and Rutland will not take place. The Kelowna Memorial Park Cemetery gates will be open from 7am to 5pm.

Due to the number of possible covid 19 exposures, Mar Jok elementary in West Kelowna has moved to remote online learning as Interior Health declared an outbreak. IH is asking all members of the school community to self-monitor for symptoms and get tested if they are sick.

RCMP and the ERT responded to a reported home invasion at Highway 97 and Richter just after 5 yesterday morning. Two men eventually came out of the house and were taken into custody. Officers learned the suspects had broken into a second home and eventually 3 men and 2 women were arrested without incident. Police said there was no threat to the public as everyone involved knew each other.

West Kelowna will be holding a Remembrance Day service this year. It will be at Royal LePage Place but due to covid restrictions still in place in the Interior, will be limited to just 750 people. Attendees will have to show they are fully vaccinated at the service tomorrow from 10:45 to noon.

The BC Coroners Service says 333 lives were lost to suspected illicit drug toxicity in August and September, raising the total number of British Columbians lost this year to 1,534. That’s a 24% increase over the same period last year. There have been 50 deaths in Kelowna attributed to illicit drugs to the end of September, that compares to 60 for all of last year.

Kelowna Secondary School staff placed the school in a temporary hold and secure after reports of a potential fight circulated yesterday. There was information that several students from other schools would go to KSS to watch a fight during the noon hour. RCMP Community Youth Safety Officers and other members showed up, and as a result a fight did not happen.

Kelowna Council approved new rates for the City’s water utility users, which includes increases for 2022 and 23. If the average homeowner uses 41 cubic metres per month, they pay slightly more than $100 every 2 months, which the city says is among the lowest in the valley. The increase amounts to about six percent per year.

There were 121 new covid-19 cases in the Interior yesterday, while there were 500 in BC. Health Minister Adrian Dix said Kelowna General Hospital has one operating room closed this week due to staffing shortages related to the vaccine requirements, but to support critical care, KGH has reduced two other rooms, meaning its performing surgeries with three fewer operating rooms.

Sports

The Kelowna Rockets have the last of 5 straight home games tonight at Prospera Place. The Kamloops Blazers are in town for a 7 PM face off. Single game tickets are still available.

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was named winner of the American League Hank Aaron Award as the top offensive player for his circuit. The 22-year-old is the youngest player to win the award since it was first handed out in 1999.

The Vancouver Canucks lost 3-2 to the Ducks in overtime last night at Rogers Arena. Vancouver is in Denver tomorrow to take on the Avalanche.

The West Kelowna Warriors will try and keep their winning streak intact when they head to the United States tomorrow. They have 2 games, Thursday and Friday against the Wenatchee Wild.

The Green Bay Packers have been fined 300-thousand dollars for COVID violations while Aaron Rodgers was fined 14K.

The Anaheim Ducks placed executive vice president and GM Bob Murray on administrative leave pending an ongoing investigation. It’s related to accusations of improper professional conduct. Murray has been with the Ducks since 2005.

KIJHL hockey is at Rutland Arena tonight. The Kelowna Chiefs take on the North Okanagan Knights at 7.