Top Stories – September 12

As Kelowna fire crews extinguished a small brush fire near Spall and Mill Creek early Sunday morning, they discovered a man’s body. RCMP are working with the Coroners Service to determine the man’s identity and cause of death. There is no evidence the incident is criminal in nature. There was a small homeless encampment in the area.

BC’s maximum rent increase is being set at 3.5% for 2024. That is below the inflation rate of 5.6%. Landlords must provide a full three months’ notice to tenants. The 2024 maximum increase for manufactured-home park tenancies will be 3.5%, plus a proportional amount for the change in local government levies and regulated utility fees.

There will be extended Fall Highway 1 closures east of Golden for a final construction push. That means the road will be completely closed from 11am next Monday until 11am next Friday. Following that it will be shut down from 11am on the 25th, for two weeks until 11am October 6, just before the Thanksgiving long weekend. The detour between Golden and Castle Junction will add as much as 90 minutes of travel time.

Some evacuation orders were cut back to alerts along Westside Road last night while some alerts in West Kelowna were rescinded for the McDougall Creek wildfire. There were 125 firefighters, 38 operational field staff, BC Hydro technicians and RCMP working throughout the day along with 9 helicopters. The fire is still estimated at just under 14,000 hectares.

Premier David Eby is launching a task force into wildfires, drought and heat emergencies that have hammered the province. It will advise on volunteer recruitment, work with First Nations and front line workers and provide ways to make support for evacuees more accessible. He says special attention will be given to improving access to emergency funds and accommodation.

The U-S government opens a legal showdown today with Google as it takes aim at the search engine that’s the internet’s main gateway. It’s the biggest U-S antitrust trial since regulators went after Microsoft and its dominance of personal computer software 25 years ago. One possibility is that the company could be forced to stop paying Apple and other companies to make Google the default search engine.

Highway 97 just north of Summerland has reopened a few days early. It is single lane alternating traffic for now in the area where a slide came down last month. Drivers can expect delays of up to 30 minutes at the site during peak travel times and that section of highway could be closed at any time, especially if there is heavy rain.

Interior Health says one person has died as the result of a COVID outbreak at Vernon Jubilee Hospital. The outbreak was declared over last week. There were a total of 17 cases in two wings of the hospital, which involved 13 patients and four staff.

BC Premier David Eby says about 400 buildings have been destroyed by wildfires in the province this year. Just under 200 were impacted by the McDougall Creek fire. He says Victoria has been working with Ottawa to make sure communities have emergency disaster relief funding.

SPORTS

The Kelowna Rockets have acquired goaltender Jake Pilon from the Edmonton Oil Kings in exchange for a seventh-round pick in the 2027 Prospects Draft. He’s 6’3″, 194 pounds and will turn 17 next month.

Monday Night Football saw new Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers leave the game after only a couple of plays with an apparent ankle injury although x-rays did not show any issue. The game went to overtime where the Jets won 22-16 with a touchdown on their first possession.

The Vancouver Canucks named defenseman Quinn Hughes the 15th captain in franchise history. He succeeds Bo Horvat, who was traded to the Islanders in January.

The Toronto Blue Jays began a four-game series at home with the Texas Rangers by getting thumped 10-4. It is a very important time as both teams are fighting for a wild card spot. Game 2 goes just after 4 this afternoon.