Top Stories – Dec 19 – Wanted!

Kelowna RCMP has been looking for Kyle and Justin Radis for failing to appear in court last Thursday. Both are charged with aggravated assault and robbery of a 17-year-old on the Rail Trail in November of 2021. They are considered dangerous and if you see either one do not approach and call 911. There’s a picture above.

If you are a parent you already know this, if you are not, listen up. School is out in the Central Okanagan for the Christmas break. Kids are out of class until January 2 so keep an eye out for them on the streets in the snow.

A year and a month after it was closed due to heavy rain that collapsed bridges and wiped out parts of the highway, the Coquihalla is once again 4 lanes between Hope and Merritt. It includes new temporary bridges for southbound traffic at the Bottletop and Jessica bridge sites, and a bridge for northbound traffic at the Juliet bridge site. The area remains a construction zone and drivers can expect to see ongoing speed and traffic-pattern changes.

We will remind you about this next week but there are a few places you can drop off your Christmas tree for chipping when you are done with it. They include: Ben Lee Park, Capital News Centre – on Lequime Ring Rd., the Glenmore Landfill, the Westside Transfer Station and Jack Seaton Park in Lake Country. There’s no charge, just make sure lights, decorations and tinsel are removed.

There will be labour peace on Central Okanagan buses. First Transit says a deal was reached after 2 days of binding arbitration and includes a compensation package that will total just over 12 percent. It’s believed the deal is for 3 years but specific dates were not released.

Shoplifting has surged across Canada with inflation and staff shortages cited as major factors behind the increase. Theft is an ongoing issue, but the intensity increases when food prices go up. It’s difficult to know the exact impact on local businesses because much it goes unreported. Estimates suggest retail crime cost $5 Billion in losses in 2019 in Canada.

Kelowna’s Warming Bus has been activated for the duration of the current cold snap. The 24-passenger bus will be parked overnight at Kelowna’s designated temporary outdoor sheltering site at the intersection of Richter and the Rail Trail. It’s available from 10pm to 6am with a bus driver and the site’s regular security personnel onsite through the night.

The province is extending its COVID-19 wage top-ups for staff at seniors facilities, but the restriction that limited those workers to just one work site has been lifted. Dr. Bonnie Henry says given the high level of vaccination against COVID among staff in the facilities, it’s no longer necessary to restrict where they can work.

RBC says high interest rates will continue to hold back homebuyers into the new year except in BC and Ontario. The bank says buyers will hold a stronger hand as conditions in these provinces continue to favour buyers as opposed to sellers… in other words, prices had gotten out-of-hand. Sales and prices have fallen this year as rising interest rates have increased the cost of borrowing.

Sports

The World Cup was not decided in regulation or extra time so it went to a shootout where Argentina won 42 Million dollars for the win and France won 30 Million.

The Kelowna Rockets wrapped up the first half of the season in Alberta with a 6-0 win in Lethbridge where Carson Golder and Andrew Cristall each had 4 points, but they dropped a 4-1 decision in Medicine Hat.

The Canucks have a 7:30 home start against the Blues tonight.

Monday night football is in chilly Green Bay as the Packers host the LA Rams at 5:15.