Top Stories – Dec 14 – YLW Travel Tips

With many people getting set to travel this winter, Kelowna International Airport has set up a page on its website to help sort through what you need to know. The main thing is you need to be fully vaccinated and wearing a proper mask in order to get on an airplane. You can get all the details by clicking here:  http://ylw.kelowna.ca/healthytravel

Transportation minister Rob Fleming said there would be increased police enforcement on Highway 3 and the numbers prove it. In his update yesterday on the highway situation, he said police have handed out 116 tickets for speeding so far this month on the highway. And if you saw the video of a semi making a dangerous pass on Highway 5A, Fleming said that company’s licence to operate in BC has been pulled.

The missing girl we told you about yesterday morning has been located. As is standard procedure, RCMP did not say where or how she was found. They only said the 15 year old was safe and sound.

Kelowna is looking for feedback on a new active transportation corridor on Casorso Road, between K.L.O and Barrera. Residents can visit the city’s ‘Get Involved’ engagement site to provide input on a proposed design, and enter to win a $50 local gift card. The addition will connect with the Ethel and Casorso ATCs, filling a gap in the continuous north-south corridor linking Downtown and Lower Mission.

Over the weekend, there were 1,129 new covid cases in BC, 200 of them in Interior Health. There were 65 new cases in the interior yesterday. There are 15 schools in the Central Okanagan reporting at least 1 exposure in the past 2 weeks.

Canada’s top doctor is urging the federal government to transform the public health system so the country is better equipped to handle future health threats. Dr. Theresa Tam says the pandemic was a wake-up call on the need for ‘public health renewal.’ She warned against scaling back public health funding once the emergency has passed, which could leave Canada at a disadvantage for the next crisis.

The Kelowna and Vernon Peak Pride festivals will share part of nearly 30 Million dollars going to 680 events throughout BC. The festivals will receive almost 37-thousand dollars to cover costs of keeping their doors open to the public and workers employed. Events in 134 communities that applied were successful in getting grants.

No big surprise that the provincial State of Emergency has been extended again… this time until the 28th. The government says it is needed for public safety measures under the Emergency Program Act and ongoing work to repair damaged highways. The order restricting non-essential travel on highways 3 and 99 will remain in place.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada would align its electric vehicle incentives with those south of the border if Canadian-built cars and trucks could be made eligible for proposed U-S tax credits. The federal government is already planning to retool its existing rebate program, which only applies to new zero-emission vehicles with a maximum base price of between 45 and 55-thousand dollars.

Sports

Never before have the Canucks gone 4 & 0 under a new head coach, and they’ll be going for 5 tonight as the bandwagon starts to get crowded again. The Columbus Blue Jackets are in Vancouver and Thatcher Demko is expected to be between the pipes again.

Monday Night Football was in Arizona, but the Cardinals fans did not go home happy. 3 touchdown passes and no interceptions from Matthew Stafford, led the L-A Rams to a 30-23 win and a 9 & 4 record, while the Cardinals fall to 10 & 3.

It’s a Tuesday night game for the Kelowna Rockets as the Victoria Royals make the trip to Prospera Place. The locals will be looking to break a 4 game losing skid at 7pm.

The NBA postponed the Chicago Bulls’ next two games against the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors amid the Bulls’ COVID outbreak. 10 Chicago players and a number of staff members have entered protocols this month.

West Kelowna Warriors forward John Evans was named one of the BC Hockey League 3 stars for last week. Evans is from South Surrey and was the high point man of the week after collecting six points in three games.

There was just one game scheduled in the NHL last night and it had to be postponed because Calgary was involved. The Flames have had at least their next 3 games postponed because a number of players are in Covid protocol.