Top Stories – Feb 15 – Restrictions Loosening?

We should find out today which, if any, covid restrictions in BC will be eased or lifted before the upcoming Family Day long weekend. The government is holding a news conference at 1:30. Yesterday, Saskatchewan lifted its proof of vaccine or a negative test to enter most businesses, and Alberta schools opened without mask mandates for kids.

After consultations with premiers, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the little-known Emergencies Act yesterday. It gives Ottawa powers to deal with anti-vaccine mandate protests across the country and Trudeau says measures will be geographically targeted and ‘reasonable and proportionate’ to the threats they address. Ontario protesters have ignored a Provincial State of Emergency, which comes with the threat of arrest and jail time for those who do not leave the capitol or border crossings.

Kelowna residents who would like to be notified of commercial pesticide spraying on neighbouring residential properties can now sign up for the pesticide notification registry until March 11. Online registration is available at kelowna.ca/pesticidefree . Registrants are notified by commercial spray operators on the day before or the same day as pesticides are applied to abutting residential properties.

ICBC is getting set to take auto insurance renewals online. Eligible customers with policies expiring on or after May 1, will have the option to renew their policy using their computer, tablet or mobile device. While May 1 will be the official launch date, customers can renew their insurance up to 44 days earlier. The province is also doing away with decals.

RCMP in Alberta arrested 11 people at the blocked Coutts border crossing. In a search of vehicles, they found long guns, hand guns, a machete, body armour and a large quantity of ammunition. The arrests came after a large farm tractor and a semi involved in the blockade, attempted to ram a police vehicle.

Big White Olympian Tess Critchlow returns home from Beijing today and Loose Moose is inviting everyone to greet her at the airport. Her flight gets in at 2:05 PM and everyone is required to wear masks inside the terminal. Tess placed 6th overall in the Women’s Snowboard Cross event last Tuesday, and 9th in the Mixed Team Snowboard Cross on Friday.

There were 676 new cases of covid 19 in interior health over the weekend which included 163 yesterday. In all of BC there were 27-hundred over the 3 day period. 17 new deaths, including 9 in our region were reported, for an overall total of 2,764. Outbreaks at Cottonwood’s Care Centre and Spring Valley Care Centre have been declared over.

You’ve made your point, now go home. That’s what 72% of people surveyed by Angus Reed said when it came to the anti-vax mandate protesters. However, two-thirds said Prime Minister Trudeau made things worse. 33 percent supported the protestors’ demands to end restrictions.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada will provide a 500-million dollar loan and 7.8 million worth of lethal equipment and ammunition to Ukraine as the threat of a Russian invasion grows. This is on top of a previously announced $120-million loan and non-lethal weapons that Canada has already provided.

Sports

Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is believed to have torn his ACL in the Super Bowl. He had two receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown before leaving Sunday’s contest in the second quarter.

The Edmonton Elks announced that wide receiver Duron Carter is joining the team as a defensive back. He last played in the CFL with the BC Lions in 2019 and was most recently head coach at North Palm Beach Prep in Port Saint Lucie, Florida.

Former Canuck Tyler Toffoli is heading back out west. The Montreal Canadiens traded the 29-year-old winger to the Calgary Flames in exchange for a 2022 first-round pick, a 2023 fifth-rounder, prospect Emil Heineman, and forward Tyler Pitlick.

It appears any doubts on Lewis Hamilton’s future in Formula One can be put to rest. Mercedes tweeted that #44 is back. Hamilton was enraged with the way last season ended with him losing the last race and championship.

Cristophe Farmer of the West Kelowna Warriors was named one of the BC Hockey League Stars of the Week for last week. He had 2 goals and 4 assists in 2 games against the Merritt Centennials.

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross could lose his team if tanking allegations from former head coach Brian Flores are proven true by an NFL investigation. Flores claimed the Dolphins, offered him $100,000 per loss during the 2019 season in an effort to secure a top draft pick.