Top Stories – June 23 – Pieces Found

The company behind the submersible that went missing earlier this week says the five person crew is dead. Oceangate’s statement came a few hours after a report that debris had been found in the search area near the Titanic, more than 3 kilometres beneath the surface. The Coast Guard says the debris that has been found points to a catastrophic implosion of the pressure chamber. One rescue expert says its unlikely any remains will be recovered.

Kelowna RCMP said they would be stepping up their patrols of Stewart Road West watching for speeders and it paid off on Monday. A guy was nabbed doing 103 in the 50K zone. He was fined $368 and had his car impounded for a week.

Anyone going into a casino in BC starting Monday will have to show provincial government issued photo ID. Security staff will scan it against a database of people who aren’t allowed inside casinos. The BC Lottery Corporation’s self-exclusion program is for those who have asked for help with gambling.

Former Kelowna mayor Colin Basran will not face a charge of sexual assault. The BC prosecution service announced a stay of proceedings yesterday after receiving further information from police and Basran’s lawyers. The special prosecutor concluded the charge assessment standard for proceeding with criminal charges could no longer be met.

A body was discovered Wednesday in a wooded ravine off Highway 6 in Vernon. A preliminary investigation by RCMP determined no criminality was involved. Full investigations by the police and Coroner will be done to try and determine how and when the person died.

Canada and the United States are expanding an agreement to share people and equipment to fight wildfires. The two countries have repeatedly relied on each other to help when the wildfire situation grows beyond what they can handle on their own. There are nearly 2,000 international firefighting personnel in Canada right now, including several hundred from the U.S.

The Village of Lytton and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District are suing Canada’s two national railways and Transport Canada, alleging they were negligent to let trains pass through the town during the 2021 heat dome. The lawsuit says a train passed through just 18 minutes before the first report of a fire near the tracks that eventually destroyed 90 percent of the town’s buildings.

Motorists could find it slow going on a section of Shannon Lake Road in West Kelowna next week. Crews will be working to install a water service near Bartley Road. The city says there will be intermittent single lane alternating traffic.

The head of the International Olympic Committee is criticizing Ukraine for blocking athletes from some qualifying events for the 2024 Games in Paris. Thomas Bach says he can’t understand why Ukraine has kept athletes out of events in judo, fencing and taekwondo where Russian and Belarusian athletes could compete as neutrals.

Sports

The Kelowna Falcons head to Port Angeles today for a weekend series against the Lefties. Last night they dropped a 4-1 decision to Bellingham.

The BC Lions remain the only undefeated team in the CFL West after a 30-6 win in Winnipeg last night. Tonight, it’s Montreal at Hamilton.

The 2025 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship will be played in Ottawa. Games will be held at Canadian Tire Place and TD Place.

The Blue Jays are back home for 3 games against Oakland. Toronto is currently 4th in the AL East.