More than five years after their Air Canada flight was delayed by 24 hours an Okanagan couple has finally received the compensation they deserved Fintry residents Andrew and Anna Dyczkowski flew from Kelowna to San Jose But their flight from Vancouver to Toronto was delayed causing the couple to miss their connecting flight to Costa Rica They ended up arriving at their final destination 24 hours later than planned The Air Passenger Protection Regulations that were introduced in 2019 required airlines to pay $1,000 if a passenger is delayed more than nine hours if the delay was within the airline's control and not required for safety purposes the Dyczkowskis filed the required paperwork and sent it off they received a judgment in their favour from the Canadian Transportation Agency in the amount of $1,000 each Air Canada had argued the flight delay had been primarily caused by weather which was unforeseeable and therefore beyond the control of the airline Air Canada filed an application with the Federal Court in Montreal seeking a judicial review of the decision claiming the complaint resolution officer had “cherry-picked the evidence in favour of the passenger.” The Dyczkowskis were named as defendants in the application leaving the couple unsure of how to proceed But after Castanet published a story in January 2024 about the couple's predicament lawyer Peter Choe reached out to the Dyczkowskis Air Canada unexpectedly dropped its case completely and paid the couple $1,000 each Andrew told Castanet he was actually looking forward to arguing the matter in court because “we knew we were going to win it.” because we didn't know what is this judicial review and federal court and all that stuff Then later on we learned it's just how the process works,” he said He now knows that if an airline wants to dispute the Canadian Transportation Agency's decision the airline must name the passengers as defendants in their court application “I think we should be left out of the whole dispute two little guys versus a giant corporation They have all the resources they want and a bunch of lawyers on staff all the time,” Andrew said Air Canada never answered Castanet's question about why the airline chose to drop the matter just days before it went in front of a judge an unnamed Air Canada representative agreed with Andrew in some respect customers are inadvertently drawn into the process which we recognize can create unease for them and which we want to avoid,” the airline said “Although the CTA’s processes and interpretations still lack transparency and clarity our record is improving as we gain some modicum of clarity on the process and our requirement to appeal to the courts is expected to become less frequent.” Air Canada added that 74 per cent of CTA complaints against Air Canada were dismissed between January and March of this year Andrew said he's happy they stuck with the fight as long as they did “The most important thing is to stand up for your rights,” he said Sign In Subscribe Now six puppies were rescued thanks to a Good Samaritan who found them near an Okanagan rural property.  The Good Samaritan reached out to the Okanagan Humane Society (OHS) to help assist with the dogs An OHS volunteer attended the scene to help the puppies’ rescuer when they heard more whimpering nearby Another pup who had somehow escaped from the box was found trembling just a short distance away from their siblings.  According to OHS president Romany Runnalls, this quiet rural property has sadly become a known dumping ground for unwanted animals including cats but “this time it was puppies—innocent “It’s a heartbreaking sign of the times with the cost of living and veterinary costs soaring shelters saying no and some feel they have nowhere to turn,” explained Runnalls.  The story of these puppies could have turned tragic “Because of the compassion of a passing Good Samaritan—and the dedication of an OHS volunteer foster—these puppies were given a second chance,” explained Runnalls eyes bright with the promise of a better tomorrow.” This story is just one of many that OHS deals with on a daily basis abused and abandoned animals across the Okanagan OHS helped more than 4,150 animals and is on track to hit this number or even higher as the calls for help continue to pour in during 2025.  return the emails and help every animal we can we try to be available and solutions-based to support people and the animals,” said Runnalls The charity provides a collaborative approach to animal welfare by working with the community a team of rescue and foster volunteers and more than 40 veterinary partners throughout the Okanagan Valley “There are so many people involved to save lives in the Okanagan and that is what makes OHS different we have many veterinary partners and a low-cost foster model so more of our donor dollars go directly to the animals,” explained Runnalls This is why donations are key to OHS continuing to provide support to animals in the region.  The annual Raffle to Rescue Animals is one way to support the non-profit with the fundraiser in its last week. So far more than $40,000 has been raised for local animals but OHS is still hoping to hit its target of $75,000 “You can buy tickets for the raffle but also make a donation for a tax receipt and we had two generous donors step forward to match the first $15,000 in donations,” added Runnalls.  The charity does not receive government funding and relies on support from the community to continue its work The annual Raffle to Rescue Animals is one initiative during the year OHS does to raise much-needed funds You can support the raffle by getting your tickets today or donating at: https://trellis.org/ohsraffle Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines (This is the fourth in a series of columns about the best trails to explore city by city and regional district by regional district in the Southern Interior.) The Okanagan Valley has undoubtedly the greatest density and variety of provincial parks in B.C the BC Parks website says the region has 83 parks Wikipedia lists 15 major parks in the Okanagan-Similkameen nine in the Central Okanagan and 11 in the North Okanagan the diamond in this chain of jewels is Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park in the Central Okanagan formerly a key part of the Kettle Valley Railway is now widely recognized as the best feature of the entire 28,000-kilometre Trans Canada Trail two rock tunnels and spectacular views of the canyon You can also hike to 10-metre-high benches of tufa mineral deposits sinkholes and small caves at Angel Springs deep in to Bellevue (Creek) Canyon and for the hardiest of hikers to Little White Mountain ,which is noted for its dramatic escarpment Myra-Bellevue also has an extensive hiking Friends of the South Slopes deserves the credit for turning the park into a world-class attraction (6,369 volunteer hours in 2024 alone) FOSS has nearly completed an updated trail map for Myra-Bellevue (plus Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park) with GPS coordinates and expects it to go to print this summer It will replace the “You are here” maps at key intersections and at the Stewart Road East trailhead Copies will be available at local bike shops and the three 2025 FOSS trail days Three other provincial parks in the Central Okanagan also have noteworthy trails with the second most popular campground in B.C. has three hillside trails—a 2.5-kilometre loop along the rim of the canyon one leg mid-canyon and a shorter loop in the canyon bottom All are temporarily closed due to the McDougall Creek wildfire Its 400-metre beach is perfect for picnics Located south of Myra-Bellevue and also under the care of FOSS is Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park one of the largest in the area covering 110 square kilometres Most of the park is only accessible by foot BC Parks has a detailed trail map on the park’s website secluded bays and sheltered sandy beaches tucked into 33 kilometres of undeveloped shoreline Fintry Provincial Park is located 34 kilometres north of West Kelowna at the former Fintry Estate of Capt The estate's original manor house (1911) and octagonal dairy barn (1924) have been restored and are open for summer tours For a stair-climb workout you can see much of Fintry Falls (Shorts Creek) after the first 100 steps but can get amazing views after another 300-plus steps The park has two kilometres of shoreline for picnics Other Central Okanagan provincial parks are located at Browne Lake Trepanier (all fishing) and Wrinkly Face (cliffs) The Okanagan-Similkameen's provincial parks are: • Allison Lake near Princeton (camping • Bromley Rock near Princeton (swimming • Cathedral near Keremeos: currently closed after the Crater Creek wildfire (true wilderness experience for hikers with jagged mountain peaks azure lakes and flower-dappled alpine meadows) • Inkaneep near Oliver (popular with naturalists steep climb to vertically-hexagonal basalt/lava columns 30 metres high along a 100-metre cliff) * Kickininee north of Penticton has three tiny picnic areas: Kickininee • Okanagan Lake north of Summerland (beautiful sandy/pebbly beaches lakeside trail between them permanently closed after landslide) • Otter Lake north of Princeton (nature trail on foreshore • Skaha Bluffs near Penticton (world-class rock climbing • Stemwinder near Hedley (quaint camping • Sun-Oka Beach near Summerland (one of the most superb beaches in the Okanagan) border so canoeing and kayaking south not recommended) • Vaseux Lake near Okanagan Falls (wildlife viewing trails to nearby Vaseux Lake Migratory Bird Sanctuary North Okanagan provincial parks will get their own future Making Tracks column This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet Squire arrived in the Okanagan Valley from flatland Chatham in the middle of the night in the spring of 1980 he looked across the then-four-lane roadway at Mount Baldy and commented: "Oh my God there's mountains." Driving into downtown Kelowna he concluded: "I'm going to live here for a long time." And he did playing rec hockey at Memorial Arena and downhill skiing at Big White Ski Resort After purchasing a hobby farm in the Glenmore Valley in 1986 he bought the first of many Tennessee Walking Horses After meeting Constant Companion Carmen in 1999 he bought two touring kayaks and they began exploring Interior lakes and B.C.'s coast The outdoor recreation column began with downhill ski coverage every winter as the Ski Sheriff but soon progressed to a year-round column as the Hiking His extensive list of contacts in Okanagan outdoor recreation clubs organizations and groups means a constant flow of emails about upcoming events and activities which will be posted on Castanet every Sunday You can email the Sheriff at: [email protected] Access KelownaNow using your Facebook account Privacy Policy UBC Okanagan professor Gord Lovegrove was back in the KelownaNow office this week to discuss the latest on the future of light rail in the Okanagan Valley Lovegrove has been pushing for a hydrogen-powered light rail system between Osoyoos and Kamloops for several years and the movement continues to pick up steam as it would run slower through cities like a tram in a downtown hub but accelerate to highway speeds in between municipalities where it would run on a separate track For this latest conversation on the tram-train former energy and transport policy advisor to Germany’s Green Party “You desperately need a solution for the traffic in that area especially for those people who are not able to drive a car,” Busche said about the need for light rail in the Okanagan having watched this type of light rail be utilized in Germany over more than four decades with hydrogen being added to the mix more recently Busche calls it “proven technology,” and says it doesn’t exist in Canada yet because of hiccups around regulations how long would the Okanagan Valley have to wait before this idea becomes a reality in the region Lovegrove estimates a 10-year timeline from the start of planning and he hopes that clock can start in less than a year “We know we need a planning study for this valley,” he explained noting that the cost of that would be around $3 million “We’re looking and we think we’ve found potential partners to get the funding to start the formal planning.” The ensuing cost of actually building a light rail network between Osoyoos and Kamloops would be exponentially more but Lovegrove claims it’s still about half the cost of widening Hwy 97 He says it would cost around $5 million per kilometre depending on terrain and whether it’s within cities or in rural areas along with station costs and operations costs this system could be built and operated for 30 years at the same cost it would take to add a second crossing over Okanagan Lake securing the funding for a planning study would be a massive step toward making it a reality Click here to watch the full interview with Lovegrove and Busche and check out the links below for past stories KelownaNow has tackled on the subject If you get value from KelownaNow and believe local independent media is important to our community we ask that you please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter If you appreciate what we do, we ask that you consider supporting our local independent news platform VIDEO: UBCO professor and city councillor has new energy behind his 'Love Train' idea Kelowna councillor pushing for electric light rail line linking Osoyoos and Kamloops VIDEO: Kelowna councillor refuses to be derailed on his tram-train idea VIDEO: Newly elected Kelowna councillor Gord Lovegrove remains committed to getting his 'Tram Train' idea on track ▲ Back to Top ▲ Tickleberry's is coming to Penticton's Lakeshore Drive 35-year-old ice cream shop from Okanagan Falls will be the new operator of the Peach concession stand the city said Vallarta Fiesta Grill is returning to the Skaha East Concession The announcements come after city officials in February launched a competitive process to seek operators for both stands The new agreements are believed to be for a term of between three and five years.  The beach concessions will be open in time for the May long weekend There are two other related stands in Penticton one at Sudbury Beach (operated by Junction 3 Coffee House) and another at 3701 Parkview St by Skaha Lake (operated by Tickleberry's) License-to-use agreements have yet to expire at those locations The popular ice cream shop also has two other locations one at its original Okanagan Falls spot and another on Main Street in downtown Penticton As spring temperatures continue to warm the Thompson Okanagan region health officials are urging residents to be on alert for ticks while enjoying outdoor activities such as hiking with wood ticks being the most commonly encountered species in the area Though Lyme disease is not as widespread in B.C experts say tick-borne illnesses are becoming more prevalent and should not be taken lightly “The bigger wood tick does carry disease … there is absolutely no question it’s just that it’s not quite as bad,” said Janet Sperling president of the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation Sperling stressed the importance of doing a thorough tick check after spending time outside take all your clothes off… focus in your hair You want to look right down even in between your toes Make sure you have looked for the tick,” she said Early removal of a tick significantly reduces the chances of illness It's also recommended to keep the tick if bitten You could at that point test the tick and the nice thing about testing the tick is you can grind up the whole tick and find out all the bacteria that were in that tick and then that is going to help guide the doctor,” she said Health officials recommend checking pets and children after outdoor excursions and to consult a healthcare professional if you suspect a tick bite or notice unusual symptoms in the sunshine as we approach Mother’s Day this week in the Okanagan Other than a few scattered showers in the middle of the week Environment Canada forecasts sunny conditions on Monday and Tuesday “There’s a ridge of high pressure building over southern B.C.,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Nan Lu we’re expecting sunny conditions and a slight rising temperature trend.” A mix of sun and cloud is in the forecast for Wednesday and Thursday with a slight chance of showers in some parts of the region Similar conditions are expected on Friday and Saturday Temperatures this week will be about 2-6 degrees above normal for early May Overnight lows should also be relatively mild all week Remember to share your photos to [email protected] to be featured in our gallery The latest round of pitches have come and gone and that means the annual Okanagan Angel Summit is down to its semifinalists who have pitched in $180,000 that will go to this year’s winner have selected 12 companies to continue their pursuits for the crown Each of them will get 10 minutes to pitch to the investors who will then select a handful of finalists to do a live pitch on finale night This year’s semifinalists represent a wide range of industries consumer packaged goods and software as a service which is co-ordinated by Accelerate Okanagan Eight of the 12 semifinalists hail from the Okanagan The homegrown companies include Kelowna’s EntheoTech Vernon’s Trueleaf Petcare and Bookyrslf Penticton’s MyStoria and Osoyoos’ Simply Sweet Games The out-of-towners include Victoria’s Save Da Sea Calgary’s HitchGuardian and Mastrius “We’ve been in a number of different summits throughout the years and the quality of the training that has happened at Accelerate Okanagan has been better than pretty much everything I’ve seen to date,” Mastrius CEO Mike deBoer said in a press release Red Dress Day is a National Day of Remembrance and Activism honouring the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women The red dress has become a symbol of loss for those who have been taken too soon and a call to end violence against Indigenous women worn as earrings and red hands are painted across faces participate as ally’s and fight for justice It is imperative that we continue to uplift and listen to the voices of Indigenous people and support self-determination of Indigenous communities in taking steps towards healing and justice We also must address the root causes of violence The Penticton Provincial Court issued its latest warrants to bring in a prolific offender with a history of skipping out on court dates.  Afshin Maleki Ighani had warrants issued on May 2 for two different criminal cases proceeding against him dating back to an incident allegedly taking place in Okanagan Falls on Nov has Ighani facing charges of wilfully resisting or obstructing an officer and driving while prohibited.  The second is for charges of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose dating to an incident on Sept An additional charge of breaching his release order was added to the second case in February.  Warrants for Ighani on the two cases were issued in December January and now most recently May 2.  A trial is currently scheduled in June for the threat and weapon-possessing case.  Family Court in March of 2024 after he failed to show up for a scheduled appearance regarding thousands of dollars in unpaid child and spousal support over the last 20 years.  Ighani had been before the courts in 2020 for sentencing of time served for five assault charges relating to two separate assaults at Okanagan Correctional Centre (OCC) for which he had earlier pleaded guilty The 52-year-old had been in jail since April 22 Ighani stabbed fellow inmate Peter Beckett who is serving time for the 2010 first-degree murder of his wife and convicted child molester David McHale The other charge related to the 2018 assault of a female OCC officer who received “severe bruising” while attempting to return him to his cell Ighani got his notoriety in 2017 when he was arrested following a Canada-wide man-hunt on kidnapping charges He was charged with 10 kidnapping and weapons offences in relation to an incident that took place in Okanagan Falls and Princeton where he was eventually caught it’s alleged that Ighani shot Thomas Szajko leading to a major police presence on a quiet residential street in the town of Oliver where Ighani was believed to have been staying in a camper trailer who were later identified as key witnesses and who had agreed to drive him from Okanagan Falls to the Lower Mainland for $400 he took control of the vehicle and forced them to turn off on a logging road between Princeton and Manning Park The vehicle stopped about six kilometres along the road where one of them was forced to get out and start digging Police at the time said all three were people who were known to each other He was acquitted of all of those charges after defence lawyer Paul McMurray convinced the presiding judge there was sufficient doubt relating to the testimony of the two key crown witnesses one of who fled to the United States after testifying Attempted murder and weapons charges against Ighani relating to the shooting of Szajko were stayed after Szajko You will also start receiving the Star's free morning newsletter Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna 2025 federal election live results. Browse live results for all 343 ridings 219 of 220 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election 219 of 220 polls are reporting as of 4:22 p.m. Follow our full coverage of the 2025 federal election is projected to be re-elected in Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna is in second place with 27,974 votes (43.93%) and Harpreet Badohal Albas has represented the riding since 2011 Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna used to be named Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola The riding’s boundaries were updated for the 2025 federal election 29,483 voters cast ballots at advance polls Looking for another riding? Here are the full results for the 2025 federal election. The Liberals have 169 races called in their favour They have 8,535,128 votes and 43.69 per cent of the popular vote The Conservatives have 144 races called in their favour They have 8,059,938 votes and 41.26 per cent of the popular vote The Bloc Québécois have 22 races called in their favour They have 1,232,095 votes and 6.31 per cent of the popular vote The New Democrats have seven races called in their favour They have 1,231,198 votes and 6.3 per cent of the popular vote The Greens have one race called in their favour They have 243,471 votes and 1.25 per cent of the popular vote There were three independents and four vacancies in the 338-seat Commons the Commons has grown by five ridings starting with this election This article was automatically generated using data provided by Canadian Press and will update as riding results become available Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Dozens of nations came together in the North Okanagan for what amounted to a collective rally cry against one of Canada's darkest chapters — one that's still being written today and one that local First Nations activists are attempting to punctuate with justice.  More than 200 people filled the Splatsin Community Centre Thursday for a gathering to address the hundreds of Indigenous women girls and two-spirited people who have gone missing and murdered in Canada with a particular focus on local missing and murdered cases.  called it a "historic" inter-nation gathering between the 35 Interior Salish nations adding an event like this hasn't happened since the 19th century The gathering was also historic in that it was a collaboration between Indigenous governments and the City of Enderby The event took on serious tones from the moment bear and jingle dancers made their way to centre stage It was held four days before Red Dress Day (Monday when people around the world will promote remembrance and activism for the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women a number of women wearing red followed behind the dancers their dresses signifying slogans such as 'No more stolen sisters,' and 'Gone but not forgotten.' The rally focused on two local women who have been missing for years: Deanna Wertz and Caitlin Potts Wertz was last seen on Yankee Flats Road in July 2016 Potts was 27 and enrolled in addiction services when she went missing from Enderby in February 2016 with an investigation into her disappearance having yielded no results to date The RCMP suspect foul play and in May 2017 released a surveillance video of Potts entering the Kelowna mall.  Leon renewed calls for information on the cases of Wertz and Potts.  She also renewed a call for people to come forward with information on Vernon's Traci Genereaux, who went missing at the age of 18 in May 2017 and whose remains were found in October of that year on the Salmon River Road farm where Curtis Sagmoen was living. Sagmoen, who was never charged in relation to Genereaux's death, was found dead in a Vernon motel on April 10 sparks hope that someone out there will be less fearful to come forward with information about the Genereaux case.  Genereaux's aunt, offered the crowd a detailed account of what is known about the Vernon teen's death and the crimes of Sagmoen who had been convicted multiple times of violence and threats towards sex trade workers.  Merlo said Genereaux was a vulnerable young woman.  She said the last time women disappeared in clusters and human remains were found on a farm was 15 years ago in Maple Ridge, referring to the case of convicted serial killer Robert Pickton who preyed on the vulnerable women of Vancouver's downtown Eastside The DNA of 33 women were found on his farm a Vancouver lawyer known for her role in advocating for the preservation of evidence related to the Pickton case, spoke at Thursday's event by video conference She told the crowd her advocacy is for the fundamental rights that every woman and girl is entitled to in Canada and beyond.  "This fight for the rights and equality of Indigenous women and girls in the country and all over the world is being led by Indigenous women and girls," Brown said Brown is part of the Justice for Girls organization since 1999 and is founded on the understanding that "violence against teenage girls particularly Indigenous teenage girls and girls who live in poverty is one of the single greatest threats to their human rights locally "In the work that we've done over the past 26 years we've observed that almost exclusively Indigenous girls' cases are not taken seriously by the police by our judges and by our policy makers," Brown added Grand Chief Stewart Phillip drove up from Vancouver to attend the event He spent a moment remarking on the Splatsin Centre a building he marvels at every time he visits it.  "I love what this building represents," he said "We have been brutally sideswiped by colonialism and everything that colonialism represents," the Grand Chief continued "It's been going on for hundreds and hundreds of years and that is so wonderful to see our people doing that." The event also served as a campaign against opioids which have ravaged Indigenous communities with overdoses in recent years One strongly-worded T-shirt calling for an end to the overdose epidemic was being sold alongside a red MMIWG2S T-shirt Leon told The Morning Star that stronger efforts are needed to curb overdoses, especially in light of the largest and most sophisticated drug super-lab in Canadian history having been busted in nearby Falkland last fall.   a national day of awareness for missing and murdered Indigenous women People are encouraged to hang a red dress in front of their home or business in honour of those who have been lost The North Okanagan Friendship Centre will be hosting a Red Dress Day gathering today from 10 a.m The roots of Red Dress Day can be traced back to the art project of Canadian Métis artist Jaime Black Black initiated the “REDress Project” as a visual reminder of the staggering number of missing and murdered Indigenous women across Canada creating a stark contrast against the landscape What started as an art installation soon morphed into a movement allies and advocates across Canada and beyond embraced the symbolic red dress as a rallying cry for awareness and action bringing people together to honour the lives lost and demand justice for the victims and their families Indigenous women make up 16 per cent of all femicide victims and 11 per cent of all missing women girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples are also six times more likely to be murdered than their non-Indigenous counterparts These high rates of violence have drawn widespread expressions of concern from national and international human rights authorities which have repeatedly called for Canada to address the problem nearly four years after the release of the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and two years following the release of the National Action Plan only two of the 231 Calls for Justice have been implemented while an implementation timeline has yet to be released Interior Health advises residents of the Oliver area that there will be a temporary closure of the emergency department at the local hospital Emergency services will be unavailable from 7 p.m on Monday at South Okanagan General Hospital Residents can access the ER at Penticton Regional Hospital instead People in the community who need emergency care for life-threatening conditions such as chest pains difficulty breathing or severe bleeding should call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate hospital If you are unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted HealthLinkBC provides non-emergency health information from nurses While the emergency department will be closed overnight all other inpatient services will continue at South Okanagan General Hospital Kaitlyne Peden and Sweetpea Farms wants to bring quality meat products Peden is one of five finalists in the Community Futures of North Okanagan Enterprize Challenge the 10th annual Enterprize Challenge will culminate in a Dragon’s Den-style pitch at the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre on May 8 dedicated to bringing you the finest quality meat and meat products raised right here in our fields with the utmost care and respect it’s more than just farming; it’s a commitment to our local community and to the pride that comes with knowing exactly where your food comes from Kaitlyne specializes in pasture-raised pigs and poultry and we’re excited to share that cattle will be joining our happy farm family soon,” said a post on the Enterprize Challenge website “And Sweetpea Farms’ dedication goes beyond the animals themselves Kaitlyne is also passionate when educating others about animal care and sustainable farming especially how caring for our land to ensures its health and vitality for generations to come.” Pitches start at 6 p.m. with the winners announced before the finale ends at 9 p.m. Tickets are available here A Penticton-based construction company facing numerous legal battles will not get any further funds from one homeowner after the courts recently ruled the company has been paid what is owed Okanagan Extreme Home Builders (OEHB) and its owner, Jason Stutzke, have been served with continuous lawsuits for over a year and have already been ordered to pay some debt claims against them. Most recently, OEHB was ordered out of their building office, and Stutzke was ordered to sell his home At the end of November, Stutzke was ordered to pay close to $3 million for an unpaid mortgage and building materials Castanet first reported on the legal predicament in January 2024. Since then the number of alleged unpaid claims involving Stutzke has mounted and they are sitting at an estimated $9 million in total Latimer ruled in favour of one specific local homeowner At the beginning of February in 2024, Stutzke filed a civil claim against Browning seeking alleged unpaid invoices from him totalling $154,777.08 and placing a lien on the home Stutzke claimed Browning initially hired him for a $500,000 project but a key document outlining the terms was allegedly deleted by a former employee Stutzke alleged that Browning fired his company before a kitchen installation citing a dispute involving a former employee Stutzke also accuses him of lying about installation dates for the kitchen and then refusing to pay further invoices or amounts owing on previous ones Browning filed a reply and counterclaim soon after, denying the allegation of money owed by him and arguing that Stutzke's failure to pay his own debts affected his home-building process Browning said he paid a $100,000 deposit to OEHB and a $100,000 deposit to another allegedly affiliated business and only ceased further invoice payments when work ceased on the property With only 80 per cent of his kitchen completed Browning stated he would not pay the outstanding amount on the invoices After dealing with more allegedly late installation issues because of unpaid debts and multiple contract breaches Browning said he terminated his contract with Stutzke on Aug Browning filed a counterclaim to OEHB's lien costs and health care services for Stutzke's breach of their contract The two kept battling it out in various civil court filings The case appeared in Kelowna Supreme Court at the end of March and a decision was made by Justice Latimer on April 24 Latimer agreed that Browning should have charges registered against his property cancelled “There is no valid claim to a lien,” Latimer wrote in her decision “[OEHB] merely pleads that it has done work on the property and was contracted to do additional work on the property this does not amount to a claim to an interest in land.” she found that Browning paid Stutzke $327,850.10 for his work and that there are $150,000 in renovations that are uncompleted “There being no price of work and material that remains unpaid [OEHB’s] lien is cancelled as frivolous.” Numerous other lawsuits continue to make their way through the court systems None of the allegations in the lawsuits have yet been proven in court and all named parties have a right to respond with countersuits should they choose to do so Following the pre-election elimination of the carbon tax a litre of gas in Vernon went as low as 127.9 at area Super Save stations some of the lowest prices the region has seen in years But as the weather warms up, the price of gas goes up and according to gasbuddy.com the price at the pump has gone up by at least 10-cents a litre Super Save is selling the liquid gold for 139.9 while most other stations have settled at 141.9 Petro Can has posted the biggest increase at 147.9 The price of petrol ranges widely in Kelowna according to the online gas-price tracker the Centex and Super Save Gas stations on Highway 33 and the Canco on Old Okanagan Highway were at a mere 129.9 cents a litre the price ranges from 131.9 all the way up to 147.9 In Penticton the majority of stations are sitting at 133.9 while the majority of stations in Kamloops are at the 147.9 mark with the Costco station coming in at 135.9 And despite having a region-specific transportation tax the price at some Vancouver area stations are almost on par with the Thompson Okanagan at 148.9 GasBuddy is reporting several stations are charging 162.9 cents a litre B.C.'s Alberta cousins are paying a lot less with the Calgary Costco coming in at 112.9 cents a litre May 4 to 10 is National Hospice Palliative Care Week and the Central Okanagan Hospice Association (COHA) is honouring this time with a series of free events designed to educate and support those navigating serious illness COHA will start the week with two free community information sessions titled Understanding Hospice Palliative Care in West Kelowna and Lake Country facilitated by COHA’s Community Services Coordinator these sessions will highlight the principles and values behind hospice palliative care how to navigate the care options in the Central Okanagan explore the roles and relationships within the circle of care and how COHA’s holistic programs and services can provide comfort and quality of life for individuals and families Both sessions are free to attend and open to all COHA is also hosting an open house Thursday To learn more, or to register for one of the free information sessions, please visit www.hospicecoha.org/hpc-2025 or call 250.753.5511 About the Author: Kelowna Capital News Staff What started out appearing to be a tight race in the riding of Okanagan Lake West-South Kelowna became a decisive win for incumbent Conservative MP Dan Albas Early in the evening on April 28, Liberal candidate Juliette Sicotte was ahead in the count "I just want to say thank you to the voters," Albas told Black Press Media when it became clear he would win "I also want to say thank you to my competitors because we live in a democracy and it wouldn't be democracy without a choice and I believe that every single one of the other candidates felt that they were putting themselves forward for the right reasons." who is returning to Parliament for a fifth term singled out the hard work of his campaign team "(Knocking) on tens of thousands of doors and handing out signs working hard at this election being a member of Parliament's an honour. I'll try to represent everyone as best I can." The remaining four candidates had significantly lower levels of support New Democrat Harpreet Badohal had 2,195 votes or 3.4 per cent support Green candidate Louise Lecouffe had 660 votes or 1.0 per cent support People’s Party of Canada candidate had 306 votes or 0.5 per cent support and Gary Suddard with the Canadian Future Party had 93 votes A total of 65,252 of 89,399 ballots had been counted This represented 72.99 per cent of eligible electors Boundaries for the riding were re-drawn out of the former Central Okanagan-Similkameen-Nicola and Kelowna-Lake Country ridings.  The redistributed results from the 2021 federal election had 48.35 per cent support for the Conservatives 18.89 per cent support for the New Democrats 6.79 per cent supporting the People’s Party of Canada and 2.75 per cent supporting the Green Party of Canada communities in the area have tended to elect right-of-centre candidates to represent them in the House of Commons The most recent example was in the 1988 federal election when Jack Whittaker of the New Democratic Party was elected to represent the former riding of Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt Canadians elected 343 Members of Parliament in the federal election.  The Liberal Party of Canada has formed the government since 2015 first with a majority and then with two minority governments.  the Conservatives received a greater share of the popular vote across Canada but the Liberals won more seats in the House of Commons.  and receive top headlines in your inbox Monday to Saturday Preliminary election results in the federal Similkameen-South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding project Conservative candidate Helena Konanz as the winner in the 2025 election With all 281 polls reporting Konanz came gathered about 4700 more votes than Liberal candidate Gloria Morgan "I am really excited and so honoured that I would be chosen as a member of Parliament for this riding," Konanz told reporters as she arrived to celebrate her victory at a brewery in Penticton Konanz added she was very nervous in the early hours of vote counting when the difference was at times around 50 votes you know I will work incredibly hard for you," said Konanz "I know there are issues here that are really important Things have changed in the last 10 years that we need to address We cannot ignore some of the social issues that have been happening in Penticton and the rest of the riding and I really want to focus on those." Morgan said she and Konanz do not agree on many things and pledged to watch closely and hold Konanz to the promises that she made to the riding NDP candidate Linda Sankey trailed by about 19,000 votes had been represented by Richard Cannings for the NDP from 2015 until his retirement this year "I think Canadians were so terrified of what was happening to the south of us that local folks were willing to do just about anything to ensure that we didn't have a Conservative majority government in Canada ..." The riding underwent some major changes following the 2021 census and 2022 electoral redistribution picking up the entire Similkameen Valley in the west The new riding stretches from Rossland to Princeton and includes Castlegar Penticton and the smaller communities in between Voter turnout in the riding was 72 per cent Konanz received 30,073 votes (44 per cent) followed by Morgan with 25,390 (37 per cent) Green candidate Philip Mansfield received 1065 votes (two per cent) and PPC candidate Barry Dewar received 660 votes (one per cent) More live results are available here. Sign up for free account today and start receiving our exclusive newsletters had a different take on the April 28 federal election and high school students participated in Student Vote Canada a parallel election timed with the 2025 federal vote Students elected a Conservative minority government with the Liberal Party forming the official opposition and Pierre Poilievre won in the riding of Carleton and Yves-François Blanchet held his seat in Beloeil—Chambly but leader Jagmeet Singh lost in Burnaby South and Elizabeth May retained Saanich—Gulf Islands students sent Conservative Tracy Gray back to Ottawa with 322 more votes than Liberal Stephen Fuhr in Kelowna Conservative Dan Albas held off Liberal Juliette Sicotte by 508 votes in Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna having previously served from 2015 to 2019 voters elected a Liberal minority government with 168 seats The Conservative Party became the Official Opposition with 144 seats Both Singh and Pedneault lost their ridings Singh has since announced he will step down as NDP leader MP-elect Damien Kurek (Battle River–Crowfoot Alta.) announced his resignation to allow Poilievre to contest a by-election He lost his Carleton riding by about 4,000 votes to Liberal newcomer Bruce Fanjoy with more than 90 candidates on the ballot Kurek had defeated his Liberal opponent by a margin of 53,502 votes to 7,482 Student Vote is an initiative of CIVIX a non-partisan Canadian charity dedicated to strengthening democracy through civic education The Central Okanagan Food Bank has been proudly supporting Kelowna and West Kelowna families for 40 years COFB serves more than 10,400 individuals with essential Your support assists these clients- 44 per cent of whom are children and 35 per cent are working families struggling amidst the rising cost of living Okanagan residents turned up at the polls Monday in numbers that haven’t been seen since 2015 Preliminary figures indicate that on average 70 per cent of eligible Okanagan voters took part in the electoral process for the 2025 federal election actually surpassing the national voter participation rate the comparisons highlighting rising voter participation may be slightly askew In the Similkameen - South Okanagan - West Kootenay 71.68 per cent of voters cast a ballot in the election that saw Conservative Helena Konanz elected in the riding that was then South Okanagan-West Kootenay the voter turnout was 65.1 per cent and NDP MP Richard Cannings was sent to Ottawa 70.6 per cent of voters showed up in Kelowna to election Liberal candidate Stephen Fuhr In the riding that was Okanagan Lake Country for 2021 Conservative Tracy Gray was elected with voter participation at a mere 63.3 per cent In Okanagan Lake West - South Kelowna Conservative Dan Albas was sent back to Ottawa in Central Okanagan - Similkameen - Nicola only 64.5 per cent of the eligible voters took part in the electoral process electing Albas for what was his fourth term Vernon - Lake Country - Monashee saw 72.8 per cent of electors headed to the polls Monday the riding that was North Okanagan Shuswap saw only 64.8 per cent of voters showed up to the polls 19,597,674 people cast their vote in Monday’s election which is roughly 68.7 per cent of registered electors Elections Canada does not gather demographics data so it's not clear which groups turned out to vote but it says postelection surveys can show which groups faced barriers to voting and what can be done to address them in future elections The Liberal party ended the election with 43.7 per cent of the total vote and 169 seats while the Conservative party secured 41.3 per cent of the vote and 144 seats The Bloc Québécois and the NDP both took 6.3 per cent of the vote With the recent celebration of Construction and Skilled Trades Month Okanagan College is pleased to announce it has launched a new web page dedicated to supporting the retention of apprentices in the skilled trades as part of its ongoing efforts to increase the number of people entering the skilled trades Okanagan College Welding student works on a project The ACTION Project website at okanagan.bc.ca/action is a dedicated online platform designed to connect female and gender-diverse apprentices in BC's construction and manufacturing trades with critical supports and opportunities including mentors who can help them succeed in their journey with real-world advice The ACTION Project (Apprenticeship Completion Innovative Opportunities and Networking) is funded in part by the Government of Canada's Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy to encourage apprentice retention in the industry and the progression towards their Red Seal certification "I'm very excited to be part of the ACTION Project with a focus on supporting female and gender-diverse apprentices in their journey through trades training," said Sara Cousins Okanagan College's trades program manager "It's incredibly meaningful to be involved in a project that will involve so many of our partners and I cannot wait to see more females achieve their Red Seal I want to thank all our partners for supporting this project to get off the ground." The ACTION project is one-to-one mentorship with industry professionals networking events connecting apprentices with trades mentors advanced skills training for more senior apprentices The 8th annual proclamation of April as Construction and Skilled Trades Month in B.C recognized the commitment and resilience of over 28,000 contractors and approximately 167,000 tradespeople across the province These professionals are supported by a wide network of manufacturers and others form the backbone of BC's built environment and economy "We know there is a shortage of skilled workers in the trades and our goal is to support everyone who wants to get into a great career in the skilled trades," said Stephen Speers head of OC's Trades and Apprenticeship programs "This project is a great example of how we can work with our partners to provide excellent training opportunities." Okanagan College offers the newest equipment and technologies in state-of-the-art training facilities located in Kelowna, Vernon, Salmon Arm, and Penticton. Find more information here Okanagan College will extend the mentorship program to apprentices of all genders in all trades programs In a world hungry for sustainable energy, Alberta is fast becoming one of the pre-eminent jurisdictions on the planet for hydrogen fuel... Peel District School Board (PDSB) welcomed a distinguished delegation from the United Kingdom's House of Commons Education Select... Michelle Sylvestre (BFA - Art '17, MFA - New Media '21), a PhD student in the cultural, social and political thought program,... Following Construction and Skilled Trades Month in April Okanagan College (OC) has built a new web page dedicated to supporting the retention of apprentices and increasing the number of people entering the skilled trades The ACTION (Apprenticeship Completion, Training, Innovative Opportunities and Networking) Project website connects female and gender-diverse apprentices in B.C.’s construction and manufacturing trades with supports and opportunities including mentors who can help them succeed It is partly funded by the federal government’s Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy “I’m very excited to be part of the ACTION Project with a focus on supporting female and gender-diverse apprentices in their journey through trades training,” said Sara Cousins “It’s incredibly meaningful to be involved in a project that will involve so many of our partners and I cannot wait to see more females achieve their Red Seal I want to thank all our partners for supporting this project to get off the ground.” marked Construction and Skilled Trades Month for the eighth year More than 28,000 contractors and roughly 167,000 skilled tradespeople keep the province building “We know there is a shortage of skilled workers in the trades and our goal is to support everyone who wants to get into a great career in the skilled trades,” said Stephen Speers head of OC’s trades and apprenticeship programs “This project is a great example of how we can work with our partners to provide excellent training opportunities.” The College will extend the mentorship program Brothers Wilbur and Templeton are in search of a new home.  The cats were actually born in Vernon under a boat and rescued by the Okanagan Humane Society they have been living with a foster family circumstances changed and the cats were unable to stay in the home OHS is once again caring for these two bonded felines these brothers are looking to go to the same home that will be able to care for them these cats are good with other felines in the home They are quite happy to play with other cats too.  It’s not known if they are good around children as they haven’t been exposed to them.  They are both adaptable and gentle-natured For more information on the duo please contact okanaganhumanesociety.com/adopt Conservative MP Dan Albas will represent Okanagan Lake West-South Kelowna in Ottawa and he's optimistic about what he'll be able to do despite a Liberal minority government being voted in but in a minority parliament we should be able to make progress on (some) concerns," Albas said the Liberal Party has made huge promises when it comes to things like housing for young people and (doggone) it I'm going to make sure they deliver on some of that It may not be the way I want but we are going to be demanding some results from this new government." he's intent on helping diversify trade so Canada is less reliant on America and he's hoping to find ways to help relieve the financial pressures on seniors who are having to make a choice between "heating and eating." Conservative MP Dan Albas is projected to take the Okanagan Lake West-South Kelowna riding and we always knew it was going to be a competitive election ourselves...," Albas said "We knocked on more doors than I've ever done in my career got more lawn signs out and had more meaningful conversations." To his team of "happy warriors," Albas had high praise "This has been one of the best experiences I've ever had," he said Albas was elected as Member of Parliament in what was then know as Okanagan-Coquihalla Albas is seeking a fifth term in the newly re-drawn Okanagan Lake West South Kelowna riding Up-to-the-minute local results can be found here. Supporters of Conservative MP Dan Albas are feeling good about their candidate's chances compared to Juliette Sicotte who has 44.8 per cent Despite a Liberal minority government being projected Albas supporters are feeling positive and cheering when they see their local candidate's votes come in Up-to-the-minute local results can be found here. Polling stations are slow to report results in the Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna riding Liberal candidate Juliette Sicotte is in the lead with 47.8 per cent of the lead compared to Conservative incumbent Dan Albas having 41 per cent of the vote Polls have closed in the 2025 federal election and results should come in soon Supporters are starting to gather at candidate rallying spots though it will be some time until the results of voters are clear Supporters of incumbent candidate Dan Albas have started to gather at a local restaurant though he's not expected to come out soon Voters will decide who will represent Okanagan Lake West—South Kelowna in Monday night's federal election Riding boundaries have been redrawn since the last election in 2021 to reflect population growth and voters in showed up in large numbers during the advance polls There were 29,483 votes cast in the newly named Okanagan Lake West-South Kelowna riding What that means for election night remains to be seen Visit this page on election night for a complete breakdown of up-to-the-minute results UBC Okanagan will offer a four-year Bachelor of Commerce degree with applications for the program opening in September UBC Okanagan’s Senate has officially approved a new Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) program transitioning from the current Bachelor of Management degree The four-year program will welcome its first cohort in September 2026 bringing a refreshed approach that builds upon years of experience delivering business education in the Okanagan “In today’s rapidly changing business environment this strategic shift represents far more than just a name change,” says Dean of the Faculty of Management “We are sending a clear message that the Faculty of Management means business.” The new BCom program responds to emerging industry demands for specialized business graduates while aligning with the existing commerce program structure at the UBC Sauder School of Business in Vancouver Building on the strengths of the Bachelor of Management this new program will allow students to focus on business fundamentals in their first two years before specializing in one of eight possible concentrations designed to meet the needs of today’s dynamic business landscape “We are directly addressing what our students alumni and industry partners have been telling us,” Dr “The Bachelor of Commerce preserves the core strengths of our management program while offering refined content and specialized concentration options—exactly what today’s business students need in a dynamic global economy.” The UBC Okanagan BCom features carefully crafted elements designed to prepare graduates for the challenges of succeeding in business today “BC’s Labour Market Outlook projects 998,000 job openings in the next decade finance and administration accounting for 18 per cent of these opportunities,” Dr “Our BCom graduates will be exceptionally well-positioned to meet this demand with specialized skills that employers value in today’s competitive marketplace.” Current Bachelor of Management students will have flexible options to either complete their existing degree or transition to the new BCom program with personalized support throughout their academic journey “We are absolutely committed to a forward-thinking approach that places UBC Okanagan at the centre of cultivating business leaders who can navigate complex global landscapes with confidence and integrity,” says Dr Drawing from the strengths of the Bachelor of Management the BCom is powered by meaningful community collaboration capstone projects and co-op placements—relies on the shared commitment of regional partners it remains firmly anchored in the Okanagan community organizations and leaders to play an active role in shaping the next generation of business professionals Applications for the BCom will open this fall, with the first cohort starting in September 2026. For more information, visit: management.ok.ubc.ca/academic-programs/bcom UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning founded in partnership with local Indigenous peoples ancestral and unceded territory the campus resides The most established and influential global rankings all consistently place UBC in the top five per cent of universities in the world and among the top three Canadian universities The Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world in British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. For more visit ok.ubc.ca We respectfully acknowledge the Syilx Okanagan Nation and their peoples unceded territory UBC Okanagan is situated Search all stories Subscribe to receive news by email Visit UBC's Vancouver news room Global and Admin Messages emergency services at Oliver's hospital will be made unavailable The South Okanagan General Hospital's emergency room is closing from 5 p.m on Friday (May 2) to noon on Saturday (May 3) Patients are asked to access emergency care at Penticton Regional Hospital during this time "People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility," its announcement reads The Oliver-based hospital closed its emergency room twice in April and once in March this year after a slew of regular service interruptions in 2023 and 2024 All other inpatient services at the facility have continued during the closures With Emergency Preparedness Week (May 4–10) around the corner the Central Okanagan Emergency Operations Centre is reminding everyone that being ready for emergencies is a shared responsibility “In It Together,” highlights how individuals and emergency services all play a part in keeping each other safe “Local governments and first responders prepare constantly to support emergency incidents throughout our community,” said Fire Chief and Emergency Program Coordinator Dwight Seymour “It is up to residents to follow steps to emergency preparedness at home or work connecting with your neighbours and preparing an emergency kit you are taking responsibility for your safety and the safety of your friends and loved ones.” Three simple things residents can do to get started: It’s also a good idea to check insurance to make sure properties are covered for events such as fires or floods. Home insurance may help with temporary housing or meals if residents are forced to leave their homes. Businesses should also review their continuity plans to bounce back faster after an emergency.  In the event of an evacuation, Emergency Support Services (ESS) can help provide short-term essentials such as food, shelter, and clothing. To speed up the process, residents are encouraged to sign up in advance using the BC Services Card app and create a profile with the Evacuee Registration and Assistance (ERA) tool on the provincial government website.  Residents are also encouraged to get to know their neighbours especially those who might need a hand during an emergency To stay informed, sign up for emergency email alerts at CORD website and free downloadable guides are available at PreparedBC Follow @CO_Emerg on X and CORDEmergency on Facebook for real-time updates and preparedness tips May is Invasive Species Action Month and the province is helping fund the fight by providing nearly $3 million to 33 organizations allowing them to continue their work against invasive plants increase soil erosion and alter its chemistry and negatively impact agriculture production and water quality creating substantial economic and environmental damage.  has some of the most amazing ecosystems in the world fragile and in danger from invasive plants," Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar said in a media release agency or government can effectively control invasive species alone and collaboration is critical to everyone's success "The work these groups do is crucial in our fight together to ensure B.C.'s unique environments remain healthy and vibrant."   That work includes supporting B.C.'s Invasive Plant Program in identifying and reporting where the plants have been found encouraging landowners and managers to control them and controlling high-risk infestations to limit spread invasive plants are spreading and taking over critical lands especially sensitive ecosystems such as grasslands and riparian areas," Invasive Species Council of B.C executive director Gail Wallin said in the release "They are estimated to cost us over $2 billion in losses annually As many invasive species are intentionally introduced through activities through increased awareness and adopting responsible practices." To help carry out the preventive and educational work $,892,000 in funding has been provided to invasive species committees including a number of regional districts in the Okanagan and Shuswap • Thompson-Nicola Regional District: $100,000 • Regional District of Kootenay-Boundary: $78,000 • Regional District of Central Okanagan: $15,500 • Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen: $14,000 • Columbia-Shuswap Regional District: $18,000 • Regional District of North Okanagan: $18,000 • Boundary Invasive Species Society: $38,000 • Okanagan and Similkameen Invasive Species Society: $15,000 • Columbia-Shuswap Invasive Species Society: $12,500 The North Okanagan population is continuing to grow and the area should soon be levelling up In a presentation to city council on Monday city manager of economic development John Perrott said the North Okanagan should qualify as a Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) this year as long as growth projections remain steady The area will qualify to become a CMA once it hits 100,000 population and its core centre At the end of 2024 the North Okanagan had an estimated population of 99,800 while the City of Vernon reached about 49,167 The North Okanagan grows by about 1.5 per cent a year and the city by about 1.8 per cent meaning both populations should surpass the number of residents needed to become a CMA Becoming a CMA will unlock new information data for the city to look ahead and gain further insight with Perrott told Castanet an example of an interesting data set is unemployment data "[Currently,] we don't have a local unemployment rate in the North Okanagan but we don't have one up here," explained Perrott "That would be an example of one data set that all of a sudden we'd be able to track on a monthly basis." the area must also be socially and economically intertwined Kelly Fehr asked if the city would be required to pay more into the RCMP once the designation is met but director of financial services Elma Hamming said the city already pays the maximum threshold at 90 per cent Perrott also told Castanet Vernon will be getting mid-year updates which will give staff a better idea of if the area will become a CMA in 2025 So says Spallumcheen's Caravan Farm Theatre the location for a Mother's Day event to make all moms feel magical Horse Drawn Magic – Mother's Day Magic is set for Sunday as moms can enjoy a ride into the woods along with complimentary tea and a tarot experience with legendary tarot card reader Jan Kudelka followed by a High Tea picnic on the farm's lawn mom will disembark for her reading," said Caravan Farm Theatre "The reading incorporates Oracle Cards drawn at the start of the journey Because who doesn't like a little musing on one's fortune enjoy a cup of complimentary ceylon or lemon ginger tea on the lawn An array of delicious foods and drinks will be available for purchase."  Wagons will go on the farm on the half-hour Ticket prices are (taxes not included): Adults $30; Children 4-16 and under $15; Children three and under are free. Tickets can be booked here National Volunteer Week is April 27 to May 3 The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) Protective Services department extends immense gratitude to the Emergency Support Services and FireSmart volunteers for their dedication evacuees and animals are at the heart of the response Your compassion and commitment make a world of difference when it matters most For further information, visit volunteer.ca. After two previous attempts at a spot in Parliament the third time appears to have been the charm for a Penticton city councillor Helena Konanz is the Conservative Party of Canada projected winner for the Similkameen-South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding who was defeated in the 2019 and 2021 elections succeeded in beating near challenger Liberal Gloria Morgan and third place follower NDP Linda Sankey on Monday "It's been a long stretch and I'm really excited and so honoured," said Konanz She was closely contested by Liberal Gloria Morgan and I hope everyone in this riding is watching closely and I hope that we all will be holding her to the promises that she made to this riding," Morgan said going on to then thank her volunteers and family NDP candidate Linda Sankey finished a distant third before the boundaries had been redistributed held by MP Richard Cannings who retired ahead of this election "I gotta say that this whole process has been really heartwarming to hear from voters and to hear what's on their mind and to know that people felt so intensely moved to ensure that [Conservative leader] Pierre Poilievre's government didn't get their hands on Canada's majority," she said she said at an acceptance speech Monday night in Penticton that "the work begins tomorrow." The Conservative Party will not form a government It is yet to be seen whether the Liberal Party will form a majority or minority government but it is clear Mark Carney will remain as Prime Minister Up to the minute local results from this and other ridings can be found here. The Similkameen-South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding is up in the air as polls approach closing today Voter turnout has reportedly been steady Whether this riding will remain an NDP holdout or turn Conservative or Liberal remains to be seen Castanet will share updates throughout the evening in this story as soon as results are available left vacant by retiring NDP MP Richard Cannings New riding boundaries this year include more of the historically blue Similkameen Valley Read in-depth interviews with the local candidates by clicking on their names below (Helena Konanz declined Castanet's request for an interview): Polls open at 7 a.m. and run until 7 p..m. today, Monday April 28. Find out where your polling station is by checking your voting card or searching by postal code online here. you can show a driver’s licence or any other government-issued photo identification Elections Canada said 7.3 million Canadians cast ballots over the Easter long weekend voter turnout was just over 62 per cent nationwide Castanet will have live election night coverage beginning at 6:30 p.m We will also be updating the results locally and across the country An abandoned car became engulfed in flames in Okanagan Falls early Saturday morning Okanagan Falls firefighters responded to the blaze at Eastside Road and Panorama Crescent The car had been sitting there for roughly a week or so parked on the wrong side of the road," said fire chief Fred Dobransky with Okanagan Falls Volunteer Fire Department Residents reported waking up to the sounds of banging and small explosions The cause of the fire has not yet been determined Earlier in March, an abandoned RV camper went up in flames at Vaseux Lake Provincial Park between Okanagan Falls and Oliver in the early morning hours More than 630 students from more than 20 schools in two different districts from Penticton to Osoyoos and Keremeos, along with a couple hundred community members gathered together for one of the largest salmon fry releases yet for the region.  This year marked the first time the ceremony was held at Skaha Lake and the start of the third decade of salmon fry releases with the Okanagan Nation Alliance Fishery.  The number of students and schools in recent years had grown too much for the traditional release location on the banks of the River Channel near Green Mountain Road "I am just so happy and so grateful that we have all of our children that will participate in this annual event Your presence here is so meaningful," Penticton Indian Band Chief Greg Gabriel said you will be the ones that will be taking this responsibility on for years to come." Chief Keith Crow of the Lower Similkameen Indian Band and representative of the Colville Confederated Tribes Joe Peone attended and participated in the release.  "These days are awesome and it goes to our partnerships that we have with our family across the border other people that we work with on the Columbia River Treaty the Columbia River Salmon Restoration Initiative," Crow said "I'm so proud of our nation and everything that they do." Students from schools in Districts 53 and 67 arrived by bus and lined up to take their turns releasing the fry into the lake.  The release of the salmon fry is just one part of efforts by the Syilx Okanagan Nation Alliance (ONA) to bring the population back to their traditional waters.  another ceremony was held at the Okanagan Lake Dam at the top of the River Channel to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new fish passage that will provide salmon access to more than 350 square kilometres of habitat for the keystone species that had been cut off for nearly 100 years.  the goal is to release 5.35 million sockeye salmon fry in 2025 The release at Skaha Lake was first of seven ceremonial releases being held with further mass releases being done by ONA Fisheries staff.  This year the ONA is also planning to release 9,400 Chinook fry into the water as they work to reintroduce that species back to its traditional territory.  Last year saw the highest count of salmon return to Osoyoos Lake since the salmon releases began and it also saw the first documented return of a Chinook salmon.  The upcoming ceremonial releases and their locations are listed below: make sure to get your mom a nice card and some flowers Spallumcheen's Horse Drawn Okanagan is offering an intimate event of tea Guests will be welcomed by the heavy draft horses John They magnificent animals are a sight to behold and it’s an arms reach to pat their soft They are curious and affectionate by nature and enjoy meeting people whether it’s sleigh rides or wedding carriage rides people want to meet the horses and see them up close That’s how they connect with our horses but to be able to stand beside and pet them gives people a different experience That’s what our Mother’s Day event is all about,” said Kelly MacIntosh There will be a long table set alongside the row of stabled horses to sit and enjoy a variety of teas Each guest will receive a decorated vanilla and chocolate cupcake made by Cakey Bakey in Vernon a sample bag of savoury nuts from Rancho Vignola and anyone who enjoys being in the company of horses Guests will also enjoy a live violin performance by a student of the Vernon Community Music School There will also be a vintage inspired photo wall to take pictures of the special day wearing her floral crown to greet newcomers to the farm The best dressed guest will be given a hanging basket guests can purchase local honey from Armstrong Apiaries teacup arrangements by Silk Flowers by Sue and Horse Drawn Okanagan Cookbooks as a gift for mom or treat for anyone There are two seating times - 1 and 2:30 p.m Tickets are $45 per person and pre-registration is required Space is limited to 24 guests at each seating The venue is wheelchair accessible and there is parking for shuttles available at the entrance The event is located at 4735 Grandview Flats Rd North For more information and to purchase tickets, contact MacIntosh at 250-540-7344, or email [email protected] Benedikt Braun’s deep roots in the wine industry have shaped his passion for the beverage sector leading to a lifetime of working with wine around the world. His passion has led him to Okanagan College where he is working with communities across the Okanagan and Shuswap to solve real world issues “Having grown up around vineyards in Germany, I’ve always felt a deep connection to wine and nature,” said Braun, an Okanagan College (OC) student and research assistant with the College’s Applied Research department. “Being able to support the industry in new and innovative ways is very exciting We are working directly with industry partners on ways to support our community.” Braun is bringing his passion to a research project at OC aimed at finding sustainable solutions to beverage industry by-products. The project is exploring ways to reduce and repurpose by-products generated by the region’s wineries and other beverage makers—matter that often end up in landfills or municipal wastewater systems “Working on this project allows me to merge my passion for winemaking with meaningful academic research,” said Braun, who is in the Bachelor of Business Administration program OC “Contributing to a study that supports sustainable practices in the beautiful Okanagan region feels both inspiring and fulfilling.”