Top Stories – March 10 – Gas Jumps Over $2.00

The rise in gas prices isn’t over yet and the province has no plan to reduce the 24-1/2 cents we pay in taxes on every litre. In the Central Okanagan, prices for regular are around 195.9 although there was at least two stations with a posted price of 214.9 while in Vernon it’s $1.88. In the Vancouver area, which has an additional 13 cents in taxes, prices are about $2.10 a litre. In Calgary they run up to a buck-68.

RCMP is investigating a robbery at a gas station on Harvey near Richter on February 28. About 6:20am police say a man entered the store and grabbed a bunch of cigarettes before running off. He’s described as being 6 feet tall, with a slender build. There is a security cam picture in the News tab on our website.

North Westside residents can get started preparing in case of a flooding emergency this spring. Self-serve sand and sandbag stations are available at Killiney Beach main fire hall and Westside Road Station. Due to last summer’s White Rock Lake wildfire, assessments indicate some properties may be at higher risk for localized overland flooding and landslides in the event of heavy rains and snowmelt.

A woman described as an “inspiration to not-for-profit leaders throughout the Okanagan” has been named Business Leader of the Year for 2021 by the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce. It says Marion Bremner has had a long and distinguished career both in business and community involvement, including over a decade as a Kelowna city councillor. Bremner is currently the manager of Meals on Wheels Kelowna.

A Russian airstrike devastated a maternity hospital yesterday amid growing warnings from the West that Moscow’s invasion is about to take a more brutal and indiscriminate turn. Ukrainian officials said at least 17 people were wounded in the attack. The ground shook more than a mile away when the complex was hit by a series of blasts that blew out windows and ripped away much of the front of one building.

A Kamloops rancher is suing Interior Health and a pair of surgeons after they operated on the wrong ankle. Julie Alison Reid says she went to Vernon Jubilee Hospital in March, 2020, for surgery on her left ankle. After putting her under general anaesthetic, Reid says the defendants did surgery on her RIGHT ankle until nurses told them they were doing the wrong one. She is suing for unspecified damages and costs.

A couple of hours after responding to a call yesterday around noon, RCMP arrested a man. It happened in the 600 block of Leguime Road near Lakeshore. Police didn’t say what was going on, only that the suspect was evaluated by the Police and Crisis Team mental health nurse and the investigation into the weapons complaint continues

An estimated 40-thousand vessels are put into Okanagan lake at City of Kelowna-owned boat launches every year, with as many as 25 launches every hour at peak times during the summer. The launches need significant annual maintenance to ensure they remain functional and the city is looking for residents’ input to navigate the future of the facilities. You can take part in the survey at getinvolved.kelowna.ca .

There were 84 new covid-19 cases for interior health yesterday, which once again was the most of any region in the province. In all of BC there were 274. As of yesterday, 90.7% of eligible people five and older have received their first dose of vaccine and 86.6% have received their second. There will be an update from Victoria at 12:30.

Sports

In the BC Hockey League in Vernon last night, West Kelowna beat the Vipers 5-2 to pick up their 3rd straight win. BCHL Player of the week John Evans had a goal in every period for the Warriors.

They couldn’t get Russell Wilson so the Washington Commanders are picking up Carson Wentz. The Colts will send Wentz and a 2022 second-round pick to Washington in exchange for a 2022 second-rounder and third-rounder, and a 2023 third-rounder.

At Rogers Arena, J-T Miller had a 4 point game leading the Canucks to a 5-3 win over Montreal. Next game is tomorrow night when Washington visits Vancouver.

Overshadowed by the Russell Wilson trade was word the Seattle Seahawks released all-pro linebacker Bobby Wagner. He earned six first-team All-Pro nominations, two second-team nods, and eight Pro Bowl appearances in 10 seasons. He also led the league twice in tackles.

The men’s golf focus this week is The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Florida. The prize purse is 20 Million dollars with the winner pocketing 3.6 Million.

Negotiators for locked-out players took steps toward Major League Baseball in a counteroffer yesterday that still left a gap between the bickering sides. The union dropped its proposed minimum salary to $710,000 from 725. Management is at 700.