Top Stories – Apr 26 – Etch-A-Crime

Kelowna RCMP are hoping the public can help identify a man seen at a number of vandalism sites along Pandosy. Between last Thursday and Saturday a number of businesses had their windows scratched or etched with a tool and in the shape of what appears to be a “tag”. Any business owner that was affected and hasn’t contacted police should do so. There’s a picture of the suspect on our FB page.

Lake Country residents are being asked to provide ideas on programs and services offered by the District. The results of the seven minute online survey will help make important decisions on future community investments and programs. You’ll find it at letstalk.lakecountry.bc.ca.

There’s a call to extend this year’s tax deadline to June 15th as a week-long strike by federal public service workers shows no signs of ending soon. An online petition by an Ottawa accountant says the strike will make it hard for some taxpayers to file by the May 1st deadline. The C-R-A says tax returns filed digitally will largely be processed automatically without delay.

With warmer temperatures forecast for later this week and recent rain, it’s anticipated the mid to upper elevation snow melt will speed up now through late June. With these seasonal conditions, there is the potential for localized flooding. Visit cordemergency.ca for links to information on flood preparedness including a recommended method for sandbag diking.

The Kelowna RCMP has the last Coffee with a Cop this month at the Downtown Kelowna Library on Ellis Street tomorrow morning from 10-1130. People are invited to stop by for a coffee and ask any local policing question that is affecting them or their neighbourhood. They can also let you know what it would take to join the RCMP if that might be of interest.

Canada and other foreign governments are working to pull their citizens out of Sudan, as fighting shakes a three-day truce brokered by the United States and Saudi Arabia. Prime Minister Trudeau says efforts are underway to airlift Canadians out of the country, and two military vessels have arrived off its coast. Global Affairs says it is aware of about 17-hundred Canadians in Sudan and they are being contacted.

A $50 million funding boost was announced by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport yesterday. Locally, the rejuvenation project for Kelowna’s Island Stage will receive just under a million dollars, while the Boucherie Road multi-use path in West Kelowna will receive half a million. The entire Thompson-Okanagan region received about 8 million.

It’s moving time at UBC Okanagan as 2,100 students either move out or change rooms. That means a whole lot of cleaning to prepare rooms, residence common areas and dining halls for new and returning students and summer conference delegates. And did you know UBCO has one residence building that is set aside for forest fire fighters over the summer fire season.

An investigation is under way after a research rocket fired from Sweden malfunctioned and ended up landing in Norway. The rocket had reached orbit at a height of 250km, where experiments were carried out in zero gravity before it went off course. It was supposed to land in an area close to the border.

Sports

At Rogers Place in Edmonton last night the Oilers beat Los Angeles 6-3 to take a 3 games to 2 lead in their NHL playoff series. The next game isn’t until Saturday in L-A.

In Toronto yesterday, the Jays blew away the White Sox 7-0 for their second straight win. First pitch today goes just after 10 this morning.

Colorado’s Cale Makar will sit out one playoff game for his hit on Kraken forward Jared McCann in the first period Monday night. McCann needed help leaving the ice.