Top Stories – September 11

Small-scale planned hand ignitions may continue to remove unburnt fuel and strengthen containment lines for the McDougall Creek wildfire. Weather continues to be a factor to bring the fire under control with unseasonably warm and dry conditions. Authorities are still having issues with people trying to get unauthorized access to the restricted and evacuated areas by land and water, so more police have been brought in to help. There was no change in the evacuation order and alert numbers.

The federal Conservatives’ three-day policy convention in Quebec City ended with a major vote on medical care for transgender kids. 69 percent of delegates voted that as a future government, it should stop medicinal or surgical interventions for gender-diverse and transgender kids.

A Canadian is one of two foreign aid workers reportedly killed in eastern Ukraine by Russian shelling. The organization Road to Relief says a van carrying a team of four volunteers working with a Ukrainian non-governmental organization was hit by Russian shelling. Two others in the van were seriously injured.

Realtors in the Okanagan are contributing to the wildfire relief. The Association of Interior Realtors and its 2,600 members are donating half a Million dollars that will be split between the Salvation Army and Red Cross. One of the realtors is also a volunteer firefighter who lost his home in the blaze.

A rare, powerful earthquake hit Morocco on Saturday, sending people racing from their beds into the streets and toppling buildings in mountainous villages and ancient cities. More than 2,100 people were killed, and the toll is expected to rise as rescuers struggled to reach hard-hit remote areas. The magnitude-6.8 quake was the biggest to hit the North African country in 120 years.

Canada and the U-S navies sailed two warships through the Taiwan Strait in a challenge to China’s sweeping territorial claims. The water separates China and self-ruled Taiwan as Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunited by force if necessary. It also views transits by the U-S Navy and its allies as provocative actions.

There was no change in the status of Rotary Beach on the weekend. Warning signs went up on Friday that a swimming advisory was in place although people were not told to stay out of the water. A greater amount of plant material in that part of Okanagan Lake as well as a higher population of ducks and geese can result in higher bacterial counts. The water at other beaches is okay.

Travellers will be able to visit most of West Maui next month after August’s wildfires killed at least 115 people. State tourism officials initially urged travellers to stay away in order to allow emergency response efforts to help displaced residents. But they recently began asking tourists to return and Hawaii’s governor has signed a new wildfire emergency proclamation to allow that to happen.

A pit bull puppy that California police believe got into its owners’ fentanyl stash was administered an overdose-reversing drug and is recovering. The dog’s owners were arrested and could face charges including drug possession and animal cruelty. It was the second time the dog had overdosed.

SPORTS

The Kelowna Rockets picked up their first win of 2023 with a 4-2 victory over the Kamloops Blazers on Saturday at Prospera Place. They lost by the same score on Friday in Kamloops.

At the Apple Bowl Saturday it was another victory for the Okanagan Sun as they took a 68-22 win over the VI Raiders. The 4 & 1 Sun travel to Kamloops this weekend to take on the winless Broncos.

The Blue Jays won all 3 games against the Royals on the weekend for a bit of wild card breathing room. The Texas Rangers, who are on the other side of fighting for that final wild card spot, are in Toronto for four games beginning later today.

The Monday Night Football season begins in East Rutherford New Jersey with Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets hosting Buffalo at 5:15.