Top Stories – Dec 20 – Coquihalla To Reopen

It’s expected that the Coquihalla will reopen sometime today, though an exact time hasn’t been released. Traffic will be restricted to commercial transport trucks and inter-city buses until permanent repairs to the highway can be completed. 24 hours after the Coke reopens, the restrictions on essential travel only for Highway 3 will be lifted.

A number of restrictions related to Covid-19 are back in place in BC this morning and will last until the end of January. Expect to see more electronic scanning of your BC vaccination card at restaurants and events as opposed to someone just looking at it. Also large gatherings, such as arenas are once again at 50% capacity and there’s no socializing between tables at bars and restaurants.

Some Christmas gatherings could look different. For instance, indoor, personal gatherings are limited to the household or residents plus 10 individuals, or one additional household if all are aged 12 and older and are fully vaccinated. And New Years Eve events will be restricted to being seated-only, with no mingling or dancing allowed.

The price of natural gas for your home is going up January 1. Fortis BC says for the average home that uses 7.5 gigajoules a month, the increase will be about 8 dollars or 9 percent. Fortis says it has seen an increase in the market prices of natural gas and delivery charges over the last quarter which it has to cover.

Those 72 hour trips across the border without having to get covid tested is coming to an end. With the spreading of the Omicron variant, starting tomorrow, all travelers will once again need a molecular PCR test before coming back into Canada. The government has also expanded its capacity to randomly test people at airports, even if they had a negative PCR test before getting on the plane.

Starting today, glass containers will again be accepted at Recycle BC depots in the Central Okanagan. They do not go in your recycling bin. Homeowners are asked to continue to hang onto white and coloured Styrofoam until further notice when it can be transported to the lower mainland.

Never under-estimate your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man. Despite rising concerns over the omicron variant, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” not only shattered pandemic-era box office records; it became the third best opening of all time behind “Avengers: Endgame” and “Avengers: Infinity War.” The Sony and Marvel blockbuster grossed 253 million dollars in ticket sales on its opening weekend.

There were 131 new cases of covid-19 in the Interior on Friday… 5, or 3.8 percent of them were Omicron. There were 789 positive tests in all of BC. 88.7 of eligible people 12 and older have received their second vaccine, 88.7% received their second and 15% have received a third dose. The weekend numbers will be released this afternoon.

And a rare copy of a Superman #1 comic book that sold on newsstands for a dime in 1939 was purchased for 2.6 million dollars in an auction. The comic showing Superman leaping over tall buildings on the cover was sold to a buyer who wishes to maintain a secret identity.

Sports

Two Canucks games at Rogers Arena on the weekend were postponed due to positive covid tests. Vancouver was scheduled to play in San José tomorrow, but the league cancelled 12 cross-border games for this week. The Ducks will not visit Vancouver on Thursday.

We may have snow and freezing temperatures but they are still golfing in Florida and at the PNC Father/Son Championship on the weekend John Daly and son John (the second), shot a final-round 15-under-par 57 to beat Tiger and Charlie Woods by two strokes.

Christmas break time for the Kelowna Rockets after a 7-4 win over the Kamloops Blazers that sent the WHL fans home happy from Prospera Place on Saturday. Noland Flamand had 4 assists. These two teams aren’t done with each other as they play again on the 28th and 29th.

The BCHL West Kelowna Warriors beat the Penticton Vees 5-2 on Saturday night. Both teams are off now until the 29th when they will play again in West Kelowna, and two nights later they’ll skate against each other in Penticton.

Two Monday games in the NFL coming up. First is a 2pm kickoff in Cleveland as the Raiders are in town for a postponed Saturday game. Then the regular Monday Night game at 5:15 has the Bears hosting the Vikings.

The Kelowna Chiefs are now on their Christmas break after a 4-3 KIJHL win over Chase on Friday and a 7-2 victory that packed the Posse back to Princeton on Saturday. Next up is a home and home series with Osoyoos on the 28th and 29th.