Top Stories – October 12

The number of dead in the Israel-Hamas war has passed 2,300, with at least 12-hundred killed in Israel. Rockets continue to be fired from Gaza even as Israeli troops mass near the border. U-S President Joe Biden called the Hamas attack on Israel “the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust,” and a campaign of “pure cruelty.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said last night that they would crush and destroy Hamas.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly isn’t confirming whether Hamas militants are holding any Canadians hostage. But she says three Canadians are missing, two are dead and one is presumed dead following Saturday’s brutal attack on Israel. The Canadian Forces will start flying Canadian citizens, permanent residents and their families from Tel Aviv to Athens by the end of the week. An Air Canada flight will return them to Canada.

West Kelowna Council voted in favour of a motion asking that Mayor Gord Milsom write to the Regional District of Central Okanagan requesting an Independent Public Hearing Process regarding the McDougall Creek Wildfire. They would like to focus on provincial Emergency Support Services and the effectiveness of the RDCO Emergency Plan.

Saying you will lower grocery prices, and doing it, are different things. Grocery giants Loblaw, Empire and Costco haven’t responded to a request about whether they’ll deliver on initial plans to stabilize prices. The Canadian Press asked major chains to confirm what exactly each of them has promised to do. Walmart Canada says it shared plans to continue offering “every day low prices.”

The Kelowna RCMP has been searching for a grey 2008 Dodge D2500 pickup with possible body damage. Police were investigating a report of two possibly intoxicated guys inside the truck in a mall parking lot Tuesday night and when they went to speak with the individuals, the truck rammed the police vehicle and took off. RCMP received multiple reports throughout the night that the truck was driving recklessly and due to concerns for public safety, they could not engage in a pursuit.

The BC government has launched a new fund aimed at increasing productivity in the construction sector while improving labour supply, inclusion and retention. Victoria says the Workplace Innovation Fund bolsters construction and workforce development in five critical areas, including adoption of new technologies and training, along with better partnerships between sectors.

The federal Liberal government will extend an amnesty order on guns it prohibited in the wake of the deadly 2020 Nova Scotia shooting rampage, for an extra two years. It applies to those who own one of the more than 1,500 models of guns that Ottawa announced it was banning, saying “assault-style” firearms, such as the AR-15, have no place in communities.

A reminder that open burning is still not permitted in the Central Okanagan, despite what may be happening elsewhere in the interior. Fire chiefs continue to monitor conditions and will re-evaluate issuing outdoor burning permits as the month goes on as conditions improve.

Eight Ottawa residents will be allowed to testify at the criminal trial of two Freedom Convoy organizers. Prosecutors want local witnesses to tell the court how disruptions caused by the protest, and intimidation by demonstrators, played out on the streets. The first 13 days of the trial happened last month and it has resumed after a two-and-a-half week break.

SPORTS

In the first game of the season for the Vancouver Canucks last night, Brock Boeser had his first career 4 goal game while JT Miller had 5 points, leading the hometown team to a big 8-1 win against the Oilers. Next up is a return match to Edmonton to start a 5 game road trip on Saturday.

The New Jersey Devils are rewarding head coach Lindy Ruff with a multi-year contract extension. He is 98-98-24 since taking the reins with the Devils in 2021.

In the NFL, Thursday Night Football is in Kansas City where Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs will host Russell Wilson and the Denver Broncos at 5:15.