Top Stories – Dec 3 – Kelowna Light Up

The Downtown Kelowna Association’s Winter Street Market & Light Up will take place tomorrow, in Stuart Park and on Water Street. Activities run from 11am to 6pm and include a market, music, children’s activities and the 33rd annual tree lighting at 6. Water Street from Doyle Avenue to the Queensway roundabout will be closed to vehicles from 6am to 9pm.

The worst appears to over for the atmospheric rivers that pummeled the coast, but the damage to agriculture and livestock has been huge and heartbreaking. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham says there are 628-thousand chickens, 428 dairy cattle and about 12-thousand hogs dead. 110 bee hives have been submerged. There are about 700 acres of blueberries in the Sumas Prairie that still need to be evaluated after the water depth reached 8 feet.

Vernon RCMP arrested 19 people and seized an undisclosed amount of illicit substances during a drug bust yesterday morning. The drugs are suspected to be fentanyl and meth. There were also several knives, cash, a gun, and items associated with drug trafficking.

The outdoor Stuart Park ice rink is a ‘Go’ for today. The parks department was planning to put in the ice last night to get ready for the 10am opening. Starting tomorrow it will be open daily from 6am to 11pm, with skate rentals available from 11-2 and 5-8.

The West Kelowna Warriors are having the 11th annual Pastor Don’s Christmas Hamper Drive tonight when they host Salmon Arm. Cash donations and ticket proceeds during the game will be used to purchase groceries for needy families in West Kelowna to provide an opportunity to have a holiday meal.

The number of new covid cases was stable in the Central Okanagan last week. BCCDC reported 141 new infections, just 1 more than the week before. The numbers were also stable in Vernon and Penticton with Salmon Arm showing an increase of 16 to 53 new cases.

A man is in police custody following an aggravated assault in West Kelowna yesterday afternoon. It happened in the 2500 block of Main Street as police responded to a report of an attack on a woman. She was taken to hospital with serious injuries while the man was caught after a short foot chase by RCMP. Anyone with information or who may have witnessed the incident is asked to contact the West Kelowna detachment.

The Kelowna RCMP have charged a man with defrauding the Kelowna Minor Lacrosse Association. 57-year-old John Scott Adams has been charged with theft over $5,000 and fraud over $5,000. He is the former treasurer of the association and the charges follow a 3 year investigation.

The number of new covid 19 cases in the Interior health region jumped to 110 yesterday, the most of any health authority in BC. There were 578 active cases with 50 people in hospital in the Interior, 28 of them in critical care.

Sports

The CFL conference finals are set for Sunday in Toronto and Winnipeg. It’s a 9:30 start for the Argos and Tiger Cats, while the Bombers/Roughriders game goes at 1.

Just one game for the Kelowna Rockets this weekend. It’s a road game tomorrow in Kamloops against the Blazers.

The Canucks are back home after a road trip that saw them win games in Montreal and Ottawa. Tomorrow they host the Penguins at 7 to begin 6 in a row at Rogers Arena.

The Kelowna Chiefs have 2 games this weekend. They have the Posse tonight at 7 at Rutland Arena where there will be a live auction to raise funds for Princeton’s flood relief. Then it’s off to Chase to play the Heat tomorrow.

The West Kelowna Warriors will be looking to bounce back after a loss in Vernon. They have Salmon Arm at Royal LePage Place tonight at 7, then travel to the Silverbacks’ tank for a Sunday afternoon game.

Antonio Brown is in trouble with the NFL again. This time it’s for misrepresenting his covid vaccination status. He and Buccaneers team mate Mike Edwards were both suspended for 3 games.