Top Stories – May 18 – Getting Gassed

As gas prices topped $2.08 a litre in many places in the Central Okanagan yesterday, the average price in Canada was above 2-bucks for the first time at $2.06. In parts of Alberta it’s $1.60. Prices have been climbing since late February when oil spiked to around $100 a barrel after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Prince Charles and his wife Camilla are beginning the 2nd day of their visit to Canada. They arrived in Newfoundland yesterday aboard a Canadian government jet and were welcomed by the Prime Minister and Governor General. Justin Trudeau said reconciliation will form part of the discussions Charles and Camilla engage in during their visit.

Travel chaos will end when COVID-19 measures are dropped according to the Canadian Airport Council. Right now, people are being kept on planes for over an hour after they land because there isn’t enough space to hold the lineups of travellers. Conservative transport critic Melissa Lantsman wants to know why the Canadian government is acting on advice that is different to that of other countries.

A report on the wildfire that destroyed Lytton concludes the disaster couldn’t have been stopped, even with an area-wide emergency response. The Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, says scientists found the root cause was easily ignitable structures and homes, and not just a wildfire problem. The report includes recommendations for ways to mitigate wildfire risk including mandatory mowing of tall grass and weeds around residential areas and evacuation routes.

Telus says it will invest 17.5 billion dollars in BC and 17 billion in Alberta and create thousands of new jobs in over the next four years as it looks to expand its wireless networks. The investments will be in network infrastructure, operations and spectrum, and will help deliver 5G to remote communities.

Canadian Blood Services says it’s feeling the strain to collect blood, platelets, and plasma following an increase in appointment cancellations and low attendance at donor centres. The national blood inventory has declined by 25 percent since the start of April. You can book an appointment to donate at blood.ca .

The Kelowna RCMP is asking for help in locating a missing teenager. 17-year-old Danaejah Boyd, was last seen on May 9, in downtown Kelowna, but she is also known to spend time in Vernon. She is white, 6’1″ tall, 170 lbs, with pierced ears and a faded tattoo of a cross on her middle finger of her left hand. There’s a picture in the Top News Stories tab on our website.

Some backcountry roads in the Thompson Okanagan region that were that were closed last October due to wildfires, will remain closed to allow areas to recover from wildfire impacts. Closure boundaries follow landmarks such as roads, rivers and streams near wildfire perimeters. Some thoroughfares remain open, and the closures do not impact residents or access for commercial activities.

Russians lined up in a Moscow train station yesterday for what may be their last Big Mac from one of the few McDonald’s restaurants still open in the country. The world’s largest burger chain is rolling down the shutters in Russia after more than 30 years, becoming one of the biggest global brands to leave following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. McDonald’s plans to sell 84 percent of its nearly 850 restaurants in Russia to a local buyer.

Sports

The Oilers and Flames begin the battle of Alberta in round 2 of the NHL playoffs at 6:30 tonight at the Saddledome.  You can bet on Jacob Markstrom starting in goal for Calgary while Mike Smith will be between the pipes for Edmonton.  The other series is in Carolina with the Hurricanes hosting the Rangers.

In the other two series last night, the first round of the battle of Florida went to the Lightning with a 4-1 win over the Panthers. And in Denver, the Avalanche skated to a 3-2 overtime win against St. Louis.

Baltimore Orioles pitcher Matt Harvey was suspended 60 games without pay for participating in the distribution of a prohibited drug. Harvey told a court that he provided Percocet to former L-A Angels pitcher Tyler Skaggs during a 2019 stint with the club.

At Rogers Centre last night, the Blue Jays made it 2 straight wins against Seattle, picking up a 3-0 victory. They will play their final game of the series this afternoon starting just after 4.