Top Stories – June 15 – High Water Emergency

A local State of Emergency has been declared for the Kelowna area in response to the threat to property from isolated flooding along Mission Creek, Scotty Creek and the upper reaches of Mill Creek. Emergency Operations Centre staff are working with response agencies including city crews that are inspecting bridges, looking for debris in the areas and monitoring the water levels and the weather. Sand and sandbags have been deployed to Radant and Parsons roads. Residents in affected areas that may be concerned about their properties can pick up sand and sandbags at the Capital News Centre. The Greenway trail is closed from the Peck Road parking area upstream to the Field Road entrance. Also, the underpasses at the Truswell/Lakeshore, Gordon Drive and Casorso Road bridges are closed, as is KLO Creek Regional Park. More info at cordemergency.ca .

The High Streamflow Advisory continues for the Okanagan, Similkameen and Boundary regions. The River Forecast Centre says the recent rain, coupled with snowmelt, could cause creeks and streams to rise very quickly. People are reminded to stay away from the banks as they could be undermined and suddenly give way.

The rebuilding of Lytton, which was mostly destroyed in a fire almost a year ago, could start as soon as September when the clean-up is done. Ottawa announced 77 million dollars for the community, most of which will be used to build community structures such as a recreation centre. The buildings are slated to be ‘green’ and fire resistant.

Keep that mask handy for air travel in Canada. That’s one of the restrictions that remains for travelers starting on Monday. Gone, will be vaccine mandates for all domestic air and rail travel as well as those on outgoing international travel. Foreign visitors to Canada will still need to be vaccinated.

The West Kelowna RCMP is investigating a report of a suspicious incident involving an individual who allegedly approached a 9-year-old child walking in the 1500-block area of Gregory Road. It happened Monday between 2 and 4pm when the child was approached and grabbed by the shoulder but not injured. The suspect is described as a person in their forties wearing all dark clothing.

Save-On-Foods and Western Family are teaming up to Share It Forward for the fifth year in a row. Starting tomorrow through the 22nd, for every Western Family product sold online or in-store at any Save-On-Foods, PriceSmart Foods and Urban Fare, the companies will donate 50% of net proceeds to local food banks. The goal is to raise 300-thousand dollars.

The battle against mosquitoes moves to roadside catch basins next week in many Central Okanagan neighbourhoods. Crews wearing high visibility vests and driving scooters with whip flags will be stopping briefly at roadside catch basins to drop water soluble pouches containing pellets of an environmentally approved mosquito larvicide. Approximately 12-thousand catch basins will be treated, with another round expected in late July.

The Alberta government is lifting the few pandemic restrictions that remain in place, saying the province is moving past the Omicron wave as COVID hospitalizations decline steadily. Measures that ended include mandatory masking on public transit and isolation for people who test positive for the virus or have symptoms.

Sports

The skaters are back on the ice tonight as the first game of the Stanley Cup Final begins in Denver. The Colorado Avalanche host the back-to-back defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning. The game starts just after 5pm.

Canucks GM Jim Rutherford says they’re not going to let Brock Boeser become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Vancouver says it has a 7.5 Million dollar qualifying offer for the 25 year old, but doesn’t expect that would be the starting point for a new, long-term contract.

At Rogers Centre last night, the battle of the birds went to the Orioles as they beat the Blue Jays 6-5 to even their 4 game series at 1 win each. They’ll play again today at 4.

The Vegas Golden Knights hired former Boston Bruins bench boss Bruce Cassidy as their next head coach. Cassidy led the Bruins to the postseason in all six years at the helm, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019.

The Calgary Flames say athletic therapist and author Jim “Bearcat” Murray died at the age of 89. He joined the hockey club in 1980 as the head athletic trainer and held the position until 1996 when he retired. There’s a hockey rink named after him in Okotoks.