Top Stories – Oct 14 – Rail Trail Tent Fire

A fire inside a tent in tent-city along the Rail Trail could have been a lot worse than it turned out to be yesterday morning. Thankfully a fast response by the RCMP and Fire Department extinguished the fire and they were able to remove the occupant before there were any injuries or it spread to other tents where people were sleeping. With colder evenings here, more people are using camp stoves and open flames in an attempt to keep warm. RCMP and City By-Laws will be working to find shelters for the winter months or provide warm sleeping bags.

Don’t forget tomorrow is municipal election day in BC. If you haven’t had a chance to vote early, the polls will be open from 8AM to 8PM. Check your city’s website for locations.

A UBC Okanagan researcher is calling for doctors to have an open mind when it comes to cannabis use to combat nausea and other symptoms during pregnancy. Doctoral student Sarah Daniels says cannabis use during pregnancy is nothing new. She notes it remains among the most widely used drugs in Canada in both general and prenatal populations.

A Kelowna RCMP Officer seized almost 45-hundred in cash, 29 grams of meth and 8.4 grams of fentanyl Wednesday evening. The cop saw a white Infiniti G35 pull into a parking lot at Bernard and Gordon and it was driven by a woman without a license. As the officer checked the car out, there was drug paraphernalia in plain sight. She turned over the cash and drugs and was arrested, but released pending further investigation.

On the heels of a Vogue Magazine article touting the wines of the Okanagan, Air Canada’s in-flight magazine is doing the same. The latest issue of En Route, talks about Kelowna being an exceptional destination for experiencing the best of autumn. It raves vineyards harvest grapes from the vines for the year’s vintages, and locally grown fruits and vegetables are the perfect complement.

A 58-year-old Ontario man is facing charges under a new law against intimidating a health-care worker. Ottawa police say he made threatening phone calls to a family doctor. The doctor says the calls came after she appeared on a national television show advocating for people to keep wearing masks.

A website that compares apartment rental prices across the country found that Kelowna was the 5th most expensive market last month. Zumper says a 1 bedroom was going for a city record $1,900, while a 2 bedroom actually fell 30 bucks to 24-hundred. If you don’t want to pay that much, a 1 bedroom in St. John’s, Newfoundland, will set you back $860.

While some ignore the open burning ban that is still in place, Central Okanagan property owners are reminded that no permits are being issued in local fire service areas due to the continued high fire danger rating. This coincides with continued burning prohibitions in the Kamloops Fire Centre jurisdiction until at least October 28. Fire chiefs continue to monitor conditions and will determine a start date for burning permits within their areas.

Unions representing care aides, lab assistants and cleaning staff have reached a new labour agreement with health employers in BC. The nine-union Facilities Bargaining Association, which represents about 60,000 people, has ratified a 3-year contract. Other workers in the unit include health records clerks, dietary staff, nursing unit assistants and trade and maintenance workers.

Sports

Just 1 home game for the Kelowna Rockets this weekend. The Everett Silvertips make the trip across the border for a 7:05 faceoff tonight. The pregame show with Regan Bartel on 1047 The Lizard, begins at 6:35. Rockets will wear pink jerseys that will be auctioned off during the game with the proceeds going to the Canadian Cancer Society.

There are 2 games in the CFL today as the end of the season draws closer. The Montreal/Ottawa rematch starts at 4, while the Stampeders host Hamilton at 6:30.

The West Kelowna Warriors have the Wenatchee Wild at Royal LePage place tonight. BCHL face off time is 7PM. The locals are trying to rebound after 2 overtime losses in the Kootenays last week.

The BC Lions have a big game tomorrow night at BC Place Stadium. The Winnipeg Blue Bombers, who have secured 1st place in the CFL West visit Vancouver as the Lions continue their second place battle with the Stampeders

The Vancouver Canucks’ 5 game road trip continues tomorrow in Philadelphia. Face off time against the Flyers is at 1PM. After that, they head to Washington for a game on Monday.

A couple of teams with 2 wins and 3 losses so far in the NFL season, take to the field in Seattle Sunday afternoon. The Seahawks host the Arizona Cardinals at 1:05.