Top Stories – July 5 – Snowbirds Coming

The show will go on. After being grounded recently for a technical problem, the Snowbirds aerobatic team will perform over Okanagan Lake in Kelowna this weekend. It’s part of the 75th anniversary of YLW. The performances will take place north of the bridge, so the waterfront from City to Waterfront Parks will be your best viewing area. You can also tune into 104.7 The Lizard to listen to live commentary on the show.

Some drivers in Lake Country didn’t get the message about not drinking and driving on the long weekend. RCMP say five drivers were issued 90-day driving suspensions and had their vehicles impounded for 30 days. RCMP officers will continue to conduct Summer CounterAttack roadside checks.

Preparations are underway to help British Columbia fight any potential surges in COVID-19 this fall. Health Minister Adrian Dix says the pandemic has not ended and he’s urging people to continue to stay safe and ensure they have been vaccinated. Dix says there are currently no immediate plans to return to a provincewide mask mandate.

At a time of year when we are usually talking about the BC Wildfire Service, the BC River Forecast Centre has upgraded its advisory for Mission Creek. It is now on a flood watch, compared to the previous high stream flow advisory. Rainfall amounts in the 5 to 35 mm range have been observed throughout the region since Sunday. It serves as another reminder to stay away from the banks of rivers and streams as they could be undermined by the fast flowing water.

A teenager from Quebec passed away in Kelowna General Hospital from injuries suffered in an accident near Castlegar. The 18 year old young woman was among 16 students traveling in a bus when it was sideswiped by a Purolator cube van. The young woman had been attending an English-language program at Selkirk College in Castlegar.

A rooftop shooter killed 6 people in an Independence Day parade in Highland Park, just north of Chicago yesterday. More than 2 dozen others were injured, some critically, ranging in age from 8 – 85. Police took the 22 year old suspect into custody without incident in Lake Forest, Illinois after a brief chase.

The Interior Health Authority has issued a swimming advisory for Reiswig Regional Park at Wood Lake as bacterial levels are currently high. When a swimming advisory is in place, signage will be posted at the affected beach. Once testing shows bacteria levels have returned to acceptable levels the advisory will be lifted and the signs removed.

Nearly 10-thousand members of the United Food and Commercial Workers are voting this week on whether to accept a new collective agreement or issue strike notice against the 28 Superstore locations in BC. After a strike vote in May, the parent company, Loblaw, returned with a new offer with greater wage increases for long-term senior employees, expanded night shift premiums, signing bonuses and other benefits. Voting on the new offer started last week and ballots will be counted this Friday.

The federal government has signed a 20-billion dollar final settlement agreement to compensate First Nations children and families harmed by chronic underfunding of child welfare. It accounts for half of an overall 40-billion dollar deal that aims to reform the child-welfare system, including five-year funding for the First Nations Child and Family Services program.

Sports

In the CFL last night, a missed point after attempt by Toronto to tie the game with 25 seconds left gave the Winnipeg Blue Bombers a 23-22 win in Hogtown. The Bombers improve to 4 & 0 to lead the West, while the Argos drop to 1 and 2. The West is 11 & 1 against the East so far this season.

There’s a report that Evander Kane is showing an interest in a long-term contract with the Edmonton Oilers. The Vancouver-born forward who had a number of personal issues while playing with the Sharks, turned it around in Edmonton filling the net 22 times while chipping in 39 points in 43 regular-season games.

Kent Hughes is keeping his options open as he prepares for his first draft as general manager of the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs are hosting the event this week and have 14 picks in this year’s draft, including at least two in the opening four rounds.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders have acquired American receiver and kick returner Mario Alford from the Montreal Alouettes. The Als received a conditional 6th-round pick in the 2023 Draft, which will be upgraded to a 5th-round pick if Alford plays nine games with the Riders this season.

Newly minted Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness is confident he can erase a disappointing season and lead the club back to the postseason. The 67-year-old was officially introduced yesterday after inking a two-year deal to take over behind the Jets’ bench.

According to Vancouver sports media, the Canucks will not be re-signing pending unrestricted free agent Nic Petan. The 27 year old Delta native tallied 12 goals and 32 assists through 37 games with the Abbotsford Canucks in their inaugural season, but recorded just two assists in 18 appearances with Vancouver this past season.