Top Stories – June 28 – Lodestar Art Downtown

Lodestar Art is coming to the intersection of Richter and Clement to mark the gateway of a new and emerging mixed-use north end neighbourhood. Lodestar from MAKE Studio is made of timber to form a mountainous peak and will be just outside the RCMP Building. The 36-foot sculpture will be put in place over the next few days, causing traffic disruptions from time to time.

The body of a Calgary man has been found almost two weeks after he went missing after jumping into Okanagan Lake from a boat near Rattlesnake Island. RCMP say he was located in about 64 metres of water about half a kilometre from where he went missing. A Remotely Operated Vehicle and sonar were used in the recovery.

Almost 9 out of 10 British Columbians say supporting small businesses is important to them, according to a poll conducted for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. And 62% say most of their favourite places to shop are small businesses. When asked why, the top reason is to support their community.

Student housing spaces at Okanagan College’s Kelowna campus will more than double as construction starts on the first on-campus student housing to be added in more than 30 years. The new housing will increase on-campus accommodations in Kelowna by 216 beds for a total of 360. Construction is expected to be completed in winter 2023.

Twice weekly outdoor water restrictions remain for customers of the Regional District’s water systems. Those with even number addresses may water outdoors on Saturday and Tuesday while those with odd addresses may only irrigate outside on Sunday and Wednesday. Automated sprinklers are from midnight and 6am, while those with manual irrigation can water between 6 and 11am and 6 pm to midnight on their day.

If you’re going to be a do-it-yourselfer when it comes to home repairs and renos, make sure to follow the rules. Technical Safety BC found in a survey that 49% did not know that they needed a permit to do home repair or renovations. It could have big safety and insurance implications down the road as some insurance companies may not cover damages for unqualified work and might even demand compensation.

West Kelowna residents have their own ride-sharing company as U-RIDE has started operations. It’s recruiting part-time drivers by offering a $1,000 sign up bonus. U-RIDE has been in Kelowna and Kamloops for a while and plans to expand to Victoria, Nanaimo and Prince George. The company’s app is on Google Play or the App Store.

North Westside Road residents will have an opportunity to dispose of unwanted bulky items. Tomorrow, through Wednesday, July 13, during regular operating hours at the North Westside Road transfer station, you can dispose of large household items for a cost of $20 per truckload… cash or cheque only. It’s for residents with a valid ID card and residential items.

Scores of civilians were feared killed or wounded in a Russian missile strike on a crowded shopping mall in Ukraine’s central city of Kremenchuk. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the number of victims was unimaginable, citing reports that more than 1,000 people were inside at the time. Images showed plumes of black smoke from the shopping center engulfed in flames.

Sports

After 20 years of competing, Big White snowboard cross athlete and Olympian Tess Critchlow is hanging up her race jersey. Among her accomplishments: three Canadian National Championship wins, multiple top-10 World Cup finishes, 9th overall in the Snowboard Cross at the 2018 Winter Olympics, and 6th at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Three players that wore Vancouver Canuck colours are among the 5 going to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Daniel and Henrik Sedin, and Roberto Luongo got the ‘call to the hall’. Also going are Daniel Alfredsson, who spent 17 years with Ottawa, and Riikka Sallinen who is with the Finnish Women’s team and one of the most decorated players in international ice hockey.

This is a big blow to the red-hot BC Lions. They are expected to be without the services of all-star receiver Bryan Burnham for at least a couple weeks with fractured ribs. Just before halftime on Saturday, he took a massive hit from Argos defensive back Shaquille Richardson.

The Houston Texans were formally named as defendants in the ongoing civil case involving their former quarterback, Deshaun Watson. A lawyer involved says the overwhelming evidence collected indicates that the Texans enabled Watson’s behaviour.

The Blue Jays picked up a big home win yesterday beating the Boston Red Sox 7-2. Toronto snapped its 2 game losing streak and picked up 3 runs in both the 3rd and 5th innings. They’ll play again today at Rogers Centre just after 4.

The Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche will continue the celebration with a parade in Denver on Thursday. The last time a major league sports team in the city won a championship came in 2016 for the NFL’s Broncos.