Top Stories – Aug 3 – Weapons and Drugs

If you are going to do something like carry illegal weapons in your vehicle, at least have matching license plates. That was the tip off for Kelowna RCMP on the weekend when they were checking out a possible impaired driver in a parkade. Two men with multiple firearms bans were arrested, even as one tried to hide in the trunk. Police secured an AR-15-style assault rifle, and other rifles, shotguns and drugs. The car also contained what appeared to be stolen property.

There is already a campfire ban in the Central Okanagan, but it’s about to be expanded. BC Wildfire will be instituting a ban for the entire Kamloops Fire Centre, which includes Crown lands effective noon tomorrow. It will remain in effect until October 15 unless it’s rescinded earlier.

The savings accounts of Canadians have sprung a leak. As inflation tops eight percent, anyone with money in the bank is seeing their savings drip away at the fastest rate on record. Why? Because interest rates for savings accounts are around 1 percent, if that. In 1981, inflation peaked at over 12 percent, but bank accounts were paying out 19 percent interest.

One woman found out the hard way on the weekend that bait cars are still out there. RCMP in West Kelowna got notification that one had been taken and a short time later it was stopped and a 39 year old Kelowna woman who is well known to police was arrested without incident. Authorities also want people to know there are bait-bikes around to try and curb the amount of bicycle theft.

The Snowbirds will not be performing at Peachfest in Penticton today. The cancellation comes in the wake of a hard landing in a field by one of the Tudor jets shortly after takeoff from Ft. St. John yesterday. The pilot was not injured, but as is customary, the aerobatic team is grounded until investigators determine what happened.

Beer profits were down last quarter at Molson Coors. In fact, it was the fifth straight quarter of lower profits for the brewing giant. Net income was 260 Million dollars compared to 343 Million a year ago. The company says bottom line was hurt, in part, by a strike in Quebec.

Stories like this usually come out of Florida, but this one is from Utah. A man was arrested and accused of sparking a massive wildfire… while trying to kill a spider. He couldn’t tell authorities why he wanted to kill it when he was hiking, but they found marijuana and drug paraphernalia in a backpack.

The Keremeos Creek wildfire was estimated at 28-hundred hectares in size late yesterday as Highway 3A was closed between Kaleden and Keremeos. The fire has moved downslope closer to the highway at the south end of Yellow Lake. 114 wildland firefighters are working with an additional 115 structural protection personnel from fire departments across BC, along with 8 helicopters.

Near Lytton, the Nohomin Creek fire was estimated at just over 31-hundred hectares, or about 8 Stanley Parks. Rocky slopes and sparse fuels have slowed fire growth in certain areas, but there has been some growth in high elevation areas. Firefighters throughout BC are hoping the forecasted cooler weather for the next few days will help.

Hate crimes reported to police increased by 21% in Canada last year, but Stats Can says many more go unreported. The BC government says people of Asian descent are unfairly targeted and scapegoated, leading to increased attacks against them and their businesses. In Canada, hate crimes based on religion increased by 67%.

Sports

At the Hlinka-Gretzky U-18 World Hockey Championships in Red Deer Canada picked up its second straight win, beating Slovakia 9-1. The Rockets’ Caden Price and Andrew Cristall each had 2 assists. Canada plays Sweden in their final round robin game tonight.

Another big loss in the world of sports. Lengendary Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully has died at age 94. He provided the soundtrack of summer while entertaining and informing Dodgers fans in Brooklyn and Los Angeles for 67 years.

An independent investigation found the Miami Dolphins tampered with Tom Brady both while he was under contract with the Patriots and after his 2021 season with Tampa. The NFL took away two draft picks and suspended owner Stephen Ross until October and fined him 1-1/2 Million dollars.

The Toronto Blue Jays scored 2 runs in the 9th inning and that was enough to take a 3-1 win over Tampa and stay ahead of them for an American League wildcard chance. The Jays and Rays have a nooner in Tampa today which means a start just after 9 our time.

While the U-18 hockey tournament is underway in Red Deer, things are gearing up just a little North, in Edmonton, for the World Junior Championship next week. This is the tourney that started last Christmas, but was cancelled due to Covid.

Just before the trade deadline, the Blue Jays acquired relievers Zach Pop and Anthony Bass, along with a player to be named later, from the Miami Marlins in exchange for infield prospect Jordan Groshans who’s currently in Triple-A.