Top Stories – Nov 1 – Bus Stuff

Big Bus Business has been announced for Kelowna. Ottawa, Victoria and BC Transit will be investing 248 million dollars for Kelowna Regional transit. It will include new buses to replace the older ones, upkeep on the double-deckers, and almost 300 new bus shelters. Some of the money will go towards Kelowna’s new main bus depot.

Foul play is not suspected after a man’s body was discovered in Sutherland Bay Park at the foot of Knox Mtn Drive. The coroner will assist RCMP in the identification process. Anyone who may have been in the park Monday evening or early Tuesday morning is asked to contact police.

Telus has a deal with electric vehicle charging network operator Flo to help improve reliability. Flo will use Telus’ technology to monitor at least 60,000 chargers in Canada and the U.S. over the next five years and help provide support when they aren’t working properly. More than 1.5 million charging sessions happen each month through Flo’s infrastructure.

Rats! Kelowna’s in the Top 5 cities in Canada for the rodents. Orkin Canada ranks the city 4th in the country based on the number of rodent calls it responded to in the past year. Kelowna is #3 in BC after Vancouver and Burnaby. Toronto is the ‘rattiest’ in Canada.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected to be in Washington on Friday as part of President Biden’s push for greater economic integration across the Western Hemisphere. Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity aims to create more jobs and restore faith in democracy by having a dozen countries bolster the region’s economic competitiveness, though it is not a trade deal.

Hundreds of firefighters aided by aircraft battled a wind-driven wildfire yesterday that damaged or destroyed at least nine buildings in rural Southern California. It prompted authorities to order four-thousand residents to evacuate. The gusty Santa Ana winds have pushed the Highland Fire over 900 hectares in brushy hills in Riverside County.

A portion of Black Mountain Regional Park will be closed starting today for trail restoration. The Swainson Road parking lot will be closed along with a section of the nearby trail. Construction crews will be working on trail restoration, grading and resurfacing weekdays from 7am to 5pm until next Friday.

A BC helicopter airline has placed Canada’s first order for an electric vertical-takeoff aircraft to add to its passenger and cargo fleet. Helijet president Danny Sitnam says the ALIA aircraft built by Vermont-based BETA Technologies will allow quicker, quieter and more efficient landings and takeoffs from hospitals and other emergency zones. The zero-emission aircraft, which is currently undergoing regulatory tests, will carry five passengers and a pilot.

An Ontario cabinet minister who once played in the CFL is reportedly in the running to run the Edmonton Elks. Sources say Neil Lumsden has emerged as a candidate for the club’s president. Lumsden won three Grey Cups with Edmonton as a fullback, and is currently Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport.

SPORTS

In the NHL last night, a hat trick from Elias Pettersson helped Vancouver to a 5-2 home win against Nashville. Quinn Hughes notched 3 assists. The Canucks play in San Jose tomorrow.

The Texas Rangers could win the World Series tonight. They go into game 5 in Phoenix with a three games to one lead after an 11-7 win last night against the Diamondbacks.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league will explore the usage of neck guards following Adam Johnson’s death. Neck protection is not enforced in the NHL, and very few players, if any, wear them voluntarily.