Top Stories – July 26 – Two Missing

The search continued yesterday for two men missing in local lakes following the storm on Monday night. A kayaker disappeared on Kalamalka Lake after setting out from the west side to Kal Beach. His kayak was recovered. And a fishing vessel with one man on board capsized on Okanagan Lake near Ellison Provincial Park. Both incidents happened around 11pm.

There are already delays during the day for road work, and now Boucherie Road between Hayman and Stuart Roads in West Kelowna will be closed from 5:30 to 11pm this evening. The city says it is for seasonal Boulevard maintenance but access will be maintained for emergency vehicles, residents living in the immediate area, and transit.

Nominations are open for the Province’s Medal of Good Citizenship for 2023. It’s to recognize people who, through exceptional long-term service, have made outstanding contributions to their communities without expectation of remuneration or reward. Youth aged 15-25 and posthumous nominations are also welcome. Details at gov.bc.ca/medalofgoodcitizenship.

Things like airport expansion and improvements, transportation and parks will receive the bulk of Kelowna’s infrastructure money over the next few years. Council was told that will amount to about 2 Billion dollars. Asset management and capital planning manager Joel Shaw says 72 per cent of the spending will be to support the growth and improve services.

Members of the Canadian Navy are conducting training drills on Okanagan Lake. The Naval Security Team is operating out of the Kelowna Marina through Friday including using ‘good guy’ and ‘bad guy’ boats. The NST provides force protection, any type of security-level defence of high-value assets and harbours, and harbour defence.

BC chapters of the Longshore and Warehouse Union met yesterday at several locations along the coast to discuss the contract offer. The Maritime Employers Association says it’s the same agreement union leaders previously rejected without a full membership vote. There is speculation union leaders are under pressure to sell the deal to members due to the possibility of back-to-work legislation.

Kelowna has decided to go the Alternative Approval Process route to borrow up to $241 million for the redevelopment and construction of recreation and activity centres in the city. It will begin August 3rd and end September 15th and residents against the plan can fill out forms at city hall, Parkinson Rec Centre, or the city’s website.

Some guy decided it would be a great idea to have a bonfire in the bush near Coldstream on the weekend. The local fire department thought otherwise and handed him a fine for $1,150 after they put it out. Police say the last thing firefighters need is to have to divert essential resources to fight another fire because someone wanted to have a bonfire.

Nova Scotia RCMP have recovered the body of a second child who went missing Saturday when the province was hit with extreme flooding. They also recovered the body of a 52-year-old man northwest of Halifax. Police are still looking for the fourth missing person, described as a youth under 18.

Sports

BC Lions quarterback Vernon Adams Jr.’s knee is structurally stable with no ligament damage and there is a chance he could play this weekend in Edmonton. He suffered an injury while being sacked in the first quarter against Saskatchewan.

In Nanaimo last night the Kelowna Falcons started their WCL island swing with a 3-2 loss to the Nightowls. They will play the second of their three-game series this evening.

Boston Bruins star center Patrice Bergeron is calling it a career after 19 seasons in the NHL. The 38 year old captured his league-leading sixth Frank Selke Trophy as the NHL’s top defensive forward in June.

The Los Angeles Chargers are signing star quarterback Justin Herbert to a record five-year, $262.5-million extension. That’s an average annual salary of $52.5 million, the highest in NFL history.