Top Stories – Apr 14 – Cenotaph Disruptor Charged

A woman who interrupted a ceremony at the Kelowna Cenotaph last Remembrance Day with an antivax rant, has been charged. Linda Jackson, who’s 56, will go to court on a charge of ‘disturbing order or solemnity of a meeting’. RCMP inspector Adam MacIntosh said there is no tolerance for hate, and the right to protest is not an absolute. And a charge has been laid in connection with an anti-vaccine protest at Trinity Church in Kelowna last summer. RCMP say 60 year old Bruce Orydzuk has been charged with causing a disturbance after shouting racial slurs at a security guard. Prosecutors decided not to file for a hate crime.

The BC Urban Mayor’s Caucus is generally pleased with the announcements in the recent federal budget. Kelowna Mayor and caucus co-chair Colin Basran says allocation of $10 billion over five years for affordable housing and homelessness will make an impact towards solutions. The group says four of the five fastest-growing Canadian metropolitan areas are in BC, including Kelowna, and that rapid growth comes with a housing affordability and supply crisis.

Western officials say Russia may be looking to borrow from the Syria playbook for Ukraine. That’s where Bashar al-Assad’s forces tested the international community’s resolve by gradually ramping up the brutality of attacks and methods. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, blamed Syrian government forces for multiple chemical attacks on its own people, including the use of chlorine and sarin gas.

Justin Trudeau says it is absolutely right that people are describing Russia’s actions in Ukraine as genocide. The prime minister says Russia has used sexual violence, mass killings and other war crimes and human rights violations to attack the Ukrainian population. World leaders have been hesitant to formally declare genocides as that triggers an obligation under international convention for countries to intervene.

Westbank First Nation residents now know how much their property taxes will be going up this year… and it’s one of the largest increases in the region. The average residential property will see an increase of $118, which works out to 5.35%. The average bill of $1,745, after the Homeowner Grant is applied, will be due July 2nd this year.

New York police arrested the man suspected in the Tuesday shooting and smoke bomb attack on a subway train. 62 year old Frank James will face federal charges including the use of a dangerous weapon to cause death and serious injury to passengers and employees on the subway system. His attack left at least 16 people injured… 10 from gunshot wounds.

Toyota is rolling out its first fully electric vehicle in eight years. The company unveiled the battery-powered BZ4X small SUV, which starts at $42,000 U-S and can go up to 400 kilometres per charge. It is Toyota’s first EV since 2014, when it last sold an electric version of the RAV4.

Canadian retailers expect competition for workers to heat up over the next 12 months as the country’s jobless rate hits record lows. A survey found the fight for talent is expected to emerge as one of the greatest hurdles, with 77 percent of retailers saying they believe it will be tough to hold on to their best employees. Shortages are expected to be most acute in store operations, customer service and I-T departments.

Sports

After their overtime win against Vegas on Tuesday, the Vancouver Canucks host Arizona tonight at Rogers Arena. The last time these guys played in Glendale a week ago, Vancouver won 5-1.

Two West Kelowna Warriors have been chosen for the BC Hockey League’s all-star teams. Defenseman Jason Jugnauth was named to the First Team, while d-man Tyler Rubin was named to the All Rookie Team.

Game dates have been set for round 2 of the BCHL playoffs between West Kelowna and Salmon Arm. The first two games will be tomorrow and Saturday in the North Okanagan, with games 3 and 4 next Monday and Wednesday at Royal LePage Place.

The Las Vegas Raiders and quarterback Derek Carr agreed to a three-year, 121.5-million dollar contract extension that runs through the 2025 season. Carr was entering the final season of a five-year, $125-million contract he signed in 2017.

WHL playoff tickets go on sale today for the Kelowna Rockets when they take on the Seattle Thunderbirds. The first two home games are April 26th and 27th, a Tuesday and Wednesday. Tickets are available at selectyourtickets.com starting at 11.

Last game today for the Blue Jays in New York when they play at Yankee Stadium at 4. Yesterday, Toronto won 6-4 and have now won 2 of the 4 games.