Top Stories – Dec 30 – New York New Years

Stuart Park in downtown Kelowna is once again the place to be for a family New Year’s Eve. The New York New Years is back after a couple of Covid off years. There’s lots of stuff to do and of course food trucks to keep you satisfied. And because it’s timed to New York, the fireworks go off at 9pm.

Keep the New Year’s Eve good times rolling on New Year’s Day and get your blood pumping at the 9th annual Polar Bear Dip at Tugboat Beach in Kelowna from 1-3. You’ll run into the very cold Okanagan Lake… remember it was -30 last week. It’s a fundraiser for Community Recreational Initiatives Society, which works to ensure people of all abilities can explore the Okanagan’s outdoors.

Canada’s first permanent cap on fees charged to restaurants by food-delivery companies will go into effect in BC on January 1. It limits the fees that delivery companies can charge restaurants to no more than 20% of the value of an order. It also prohibits the companies from downloading costs onto drivers, ensuring they will continue to be paid their wages and gratuities.

Sunwing Vacations says it is working to send out dozens of recovery flights and bring home passengers stranded in Mexico. The airline says it has 40 flights planned this week, with 18 completed as they work around the clock to bring people home. The Transportation Minister said the situation was unacceptable and that airlines need to keep passengers informed.

A large cougar is prowling a tiny but densely populated island just off Nanaimo, and conservation officers are keeping a close eye on it. The Service has had numerous calls about the cougar on Protection Island, a 70-hectare community of about 350 homes on the east side of Nanaimo harbour. Officials believe it the swam from nearby Newcastle Island.

Russian missiles struck Ukraine in the biggest wave of strikes in weeks, hitting power stations and other critical infrastructure yesterday during freezing winter weather. Russia fired 69 missiles at energy facilities and Ukrainian forces say they shot down 54. Local officials said attacks killed at least two people around Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.

If playing with the toys in the mountain snow is in your New Year plans, might be an idea to check with the Avalanche Canada app. As of this morning the danger is classified as ‘considerable’ at the treeline and alpine to the east of here. The forecast is for that to continue for the next few days.

Farm workers and producers that work by agricultural piece rates get a minimum wage increase of 2.8% on New Year’s Day. The increase applies to 15 crops that are harvested by hand. Some of those include, peaches, apricots, apples, cherries and grapes. Rates were last increased by 11.5% in January 2019.

Moves by several countries to mandate COVID-19 tests for passengers arriving from China reflect global concern that new variants could emerge in its ongoing explosive outbreak and that the government may not inform the rest of the world quickly enough. China has been accused of not being forthcoming about the virus since it first surfaced in the country in late 2019.

Sports

The Kelowna Rockets wrap up 2022 with a home and home series against Seattle. Tonight, they’re at Prospera Place with the pregame show on 1047 The Lizard and Rocketfan.ca at 6:35. They move to the Emerald City tomorrow for a 6pm faceoff.

At the World Juniors in Halifax, Canada improved to 2 & 1 with an 11-0 shut out against Austria. Connor Bedard had a 6 point game. Canada plays Sweden tomorrow at 3:30.

In Winnipeg, a 3 goal second period helped the Jets to a 4-2 win over the Canucks last night. Vancouver is in the Stampede City tomorrow.

Brazilian soccer legend Pelé has died the age of 82. He had been sick with colon cancer for quite some time.