West Kelowna
Contractor fined, vehicles taken off road, after striking West Kelowna overpass Penalty for overpass strike Photo: Colin Dacre A Kelowna-based contractor was fined and had its vehicles taken off the road after crashing into a Highway 97 overpass earlier this month. The arm of an excavator being hauled by a MJI Contracting Inc. truck hit the Westside Road overpass, damaging it, on Oct. 3. The provincial government’s database of overpass strikes lists the cause of the strike as “carrier/driver error: no permit.” In a statement to Castanet, the Ministry of Transportation says a lane of the overpass will be closed until repairs can be made to the structure. Violation tickets issued at the scene of the incident totalled $483. A following investigation by CVSE resulted in additional penalties of $725, bringing the total charges to $1,208. “The carrier was suspended from October 3 to October 12, 2023, while this investigation was underway, during which time all the carrier’s vehicles were taken off the road,” said the ministry. The cost of repairs to the overpass will be recovered by the ministry from the vehicle operator’s insurance provider. MJI Contracting did not respond to request for comment. There has been somewhat of an epidemic of commercial vehicles striking B.C. overpasses recently. It has happened 15 times this year, so far. Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Rob Fleming told CTV News this week stiffer penalties are in the works for those who carelessly crash into overpasses and bridges. Photo: Colin Dacre Photo: Calvin Sargent
West Kelowna jewelry business featured at Paris Fashion Week now available in three Okanagan stores From Paris to Peachland Photo: Carolily Danielle and Donna Scheven A West Kelowna jewelry company invited to be part of Paris Fashion Week is expanding. Carolily, owned and operated by mother-daughter team Donna and Danielle Scheven, is now available in three stores in the Okanagan. “We are thrilled to welcome three new retail stores to our Carolily family,” Donna shares. “We know our clients enjoy shopping in person and now they have opportunities across the Okanagan”. Their jewelry was recently featured during the Paris runway show of Silk Epoque by Olga Ziemann. Danielle told Castanet that they didn't know until the day of the show which designer they would be paired with, but they were very happy with the way it came together. “We create jewelry that can be enjoyed for years to come,” says Danielle. “Our pieces are made from high quality materials including sterling silver, hypoallergenic stainless steel, Austrian crystal pearls, gemstones, and more.” The company’s core collection, which has been featured in the likes of Vogue, Glamour and Vanity Fair, will be available at Art Lovers Gallery in downtown Kelowna, Lanai Ladies Boutique in Peachland, and SASS Boutique in Summerland. You can also purchase through the Carolily website. Photo: Carolily Donna Scheven watches as a model is fitted with one of her jewelry pieces during Paris Fashion Week
Walking Dead actor appearing at West Kelowna winery Walking Dead star at winery Photo: Michael Cudlitz One of the stars of The Walking Dead will be in town this November drinking whiskey at Crown and Thieves. Actor Michael Cudlitz known from the The Walking Dead series, Band of Brothers and Lois & Clark will be at the speakeasy at Crown and Thieves in West Kelowna on Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. The award-winning actor, whiskey and cigar enthusiast met local filmmaker Norm Coyne at a Comic-Con event where the pair bonded and came up with the idea of an event in West Kelowna. “Conversations like those always have a life of their own. Cudlitz started telling me about a speakeasy chain he owns and I was like, this guy has got to meet Jason Parkes,” said Coyne. Crown and Thieves Winery owner Jason Parkes has been toying with the idea of a series of meet and greets after he worked with Coyne on a Lou Ferrigno and Louis XIII cognac tasting last November. The stars aligned for next month’s event over a selection of spirits that will include Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Larceny, and Yellowstone. “Norm and I had already been talking about doing a bourbon tasting with a twist. This was just a perfect connect the dots opportunity for us to create a truly unforgettable experience,” said Parkes. Crown and Thieves will likely feel familiar to Cudlitz who is one of the owners of the Red Phone Booth, a 1920’S prohibition era speakeasy experience which boasts several locations across the U.S. including Atlanta, Nashville and Miami. For more information including tickets click here.
Kelowna West MLA Ben Stewart not seeking re-election Stewart not seeking election Photo: Contributed Ben Stewart Long-time West Kelowna MLA Ben Stewart will not be seeking re-election next year. BC United, formerly the BC Liberal Party, announced Wednesday morning that this will be Stewart's last term in provincial politics, after four successful elections. “Ben’s years of service to our province have been exceptional,” said BC United leader Kevin Falcon. “He has made a significant impact on B.C., and we thank him for his dedication and unwavering commitment to his constituents and the people of British Columbia over the past 14 years.” Stewart, who started Quails' Gate Winery with his father in 1989, was first elected as MLA for Westside-Kelowna in 2009, under Gordon Campbell's leadership. He was re-elected in 2013, after Christy Clark had taken over as premier. But shortly after his re-election in 2013, he resigned his seat so that Clark, who was defeated in her own riding of Vancouver-Point Grey, could run in the Westside-Kelowna riding in a by-election. Clark won the by-election, and Stewart was appointed as BC Special Representative in Asia, based out of Beijing. He remained in that position until December 2016. Following Clark's resignation from office in 2017, Stewart ran again in 2018 in a by-election in the re-named Kelowna West riding, winning with 54.5% of the vote. He was re-elected again in the 2020 general election. Throughout his years in office, Stewart has served as Minister of Citizens' Services and the Minister Responsible for Multiculturalism and the Public Affairs Bureau, Minister of Community and Rural Development, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Citizens' Services and Open Government. Four-term Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick announced last spring that he will also not be seeking re-election.
Ring camera captures police pursuit through Lakeview Heights neighbourhood Pursuit caught on camera UPDATE 9:52 a.m. West Kelowna RCMP have made an arrest after a chase through several West Kelowna backyards. The chase began when police spotted a suspect, well known to them and wanted on numerous warrants, behind the wheel of a grey GMC pickup registered to someone else. The suspect spotted RCMP officers and attempted to flee in the vehicle at a high rate of speed before running the truck up on the curb in the 3100 block of Thacker Drive. The suspect ditched the truck and fled on foot in an attempt to escape capture. The chase led through several backyards, over fences and through a vineyard before the suspect forcibly entered an occupied home in the 1000 block of Sunnyside Road. A man and a woman were home at the time of the forced entry. RCMP successfully located the suspect, who continued to resist arrest before being taken into custody. "If it weren't for the sharp observation of the local RCMP officer, this individual, whose actions demonstrated a complete disregard for others, might still be at large. Furthermore, we are extremely grateful that in his attempt to avoid arrest, no citizens were harmed," says Const. Mike Della-Paolera, RCMP spokesperson. The suspect was detained for court proceedings related to his outstanding warrants, and police have recommended numerous new charges. ORIGINAL 4:00 a.m. A ring camera captured a man fleeing from police through a Lakeview Heights property Tuesday. Police said West Kelowna Mounties came across a man with several warrants out for his arrest, who allegedly fled, abandoning his vehicle in the 3100-block of Thacker Drive. A suspect was arrested a short time later. The video shows a man running up a driveway toward a house, then into the backyard, with a constable following not far behind. While pursuing, the RCMP officer yells, “Dog’s going to rip you to shreds, buddy,” to the fleeing man. A second officer arrives by vehicle, exits and follows the pursuit into the backyard. The camera shows the Mounties chasing the man through the back yard. Police said the incident had nothing to do with a police-involved shooting in the same community last week that ended in gunfire when police shot a man during a standoff. B.C.’s Independent Investigations Office, the provincial police watchdog agency, is investigating the shooting. — with files from Cindy White
West Kelowna sells Public Works Yard to BC Housing BC Housing buys city land Photo: Google Street View The City of West Kelowna has sold a property located at 2570 Bartley Road to BC Housing. Mayor Gord Milsom made the announcement at the beginning of Tuesday's council meeting. Milsom said the property, which presently houses the city's Public Works Yard, was sold to BC Housing for $3.7 million. The sale takes effect at the end of the month. Milsom says the city will continue to lease the property back from BC Housing until the agency is ready to begin construction. Once BC Housing identifies what type of housing will be built, they will come back to council with an update, according to Milsom.
Man wanted on warrants arrested in Lakeview Heights after fleeing police: RCMP Arrest in Lakeview Heights Photo: Google Street View The suspect abandoned his vehicle in the 3100-block of Thacker Drive. There was a heavy police presence in the West Kelowna neighbourhood of Lakeview Heights on Tuesday, but it had nothing to do with a police-involved shooting in the same community last week. On Tuesday morning, police said, West Kelowna Mounties came across a man who had several warrants out for his arrest. He is alleged to have fled, abandoning his vehicle in the 3100-block of Thacker Drive, but was soon arrested. The incident caused some concern in the community. A woman posted on the Lakeview Heights neighbourhood friends Facebook group warning resident that police were “ripping around again” and had told one person out walking their dog to go home and lock their door. Last Wednesday, a man was shot and wounded by police just blocks away. B.C.’s Independent Investigations Office, the province's police watchdog agency, is investigating the incident. The man was believed to be involved in an incident in Kelowna where shots were reportedly fired in the 700-block of Harvey Avenue. RCMP said they then got a call that a vehicle had crashed on Olalla Road, and when West Kelowna firefighters responded, they saw that the driver had a weapon. The man fled on foot and ended up trying to hide out in a porta-potty on a vacant lot along Skyline Road. The RCMP tactical Emergency Response Team and a negotiator were called to the scene, but the man would not comply with directions. “A short time later, it is reported that there was an interaction between the man and police, and an officer discharged their firearm,” said a statement from the IIO. “The man sustained a gunshot-related injury and was transported to a local hospital for treatment.” No other details have been released about the shots fired incident that triggered the police response last week. RCMP said they would not be providing any additional comment because of the IIO investigation.
Construction underway at Shannon Lake Regional Park Construction at park Photo: RDCO Construction is underway at Shannon Lake Regional Park in West Kelowna. Visitors to Shannon Lake Park may notice construction due to the replacement of the existing staircase that leads from 2230 Shannon Ridge Dr. to the park's Eagle trail. Park access will be closed until Friday, when the construction of the new staircase is expected to be complete. Until then, the City of West Kelowna and the Regional District of Central Okanagan is asking its visitors to avoid the area under construction until the work is completed.
Okanagan Forest Task Force clears burned vehicles from McDougall Creek wildfire zone Cleaning up fire zone Photo: Kane Blake The Okanagan Forest Task Force removed some burned vehicles from the McDougall Creek wildfire zone on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. Cleaning up after a wildfire is a long, difficult process, but the Okanagan Forest Task Force has lent a helping hand in one area impacted by the McDougall Creek wildfire. On Saturday, a group of volunteers pulled out several burned vehicles from the blackened forest in the vicinity of Bartley Road. OFTF founder Kane Blake posted a video of the work on the group’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. “Yesterday a few of us spent the day pulling burnt vehicles from Bartley Rd. It became a 12 hour clean up/recovery with many obstacles but great people to help overcome any challenge we became faced with,” he wrote. Blake said it was not a scheduled clean-up event, simple a day of pulling out burnt vehicles. He added that ABC Recycling will be picking up the junk metal early next week. The volunteers pulled out a handful of vehicles, but there are still many more to be removed. Blake says it takes a long time because of the terrain and because the cars and trucks are in such bad shape from the fire they simply crumble and fall apart. The McDougall Creek wildfire was the largest wildfire in the history of West Kelowna. It destroyed or damaged close to 200 buildings and Over 10,000 residents had to evacuate their homes at the height of the blaze. If you want to help support the Okanagan Forest Task Force, local business M&M Performance is fundraising to add a six seater side by side all-terrain vehicle to the team’s fleet. Over the years the OFTF has removed more than 332,000 pounds of garbage and 447,000 pounds of metal from the wilderness in the Central Okanagan. Photo: Contributed The Okanagan Forest Task Force used a tow truck to help pull burned vehicles out of the forest near Bartley Road in West Kelowna.
Deer disentangled weeks after it was spotted with a hammock wrapped around its antlers Deer disentangled Photo: Contributed A deer that had been tangled in a hammock was spotted hammock-free on Sunday, Oct. 22 in Lakeview Heights. It’s a happy ending to a story about a deer and a hammock. A resident of West Kelowna’s Lakeview Heights posted a photo on a community Facebook group on Sunday, to update her neighbours about a buck she had spotted in her yard last month with its antlers entangled in a hammock. “A little update for everyone. This guy is rope free!” she wrote on Sunday morning. She said the deer was back in her yard this week and he had somehow freed himself from his rope adornment. Her original photo showed the hammock hanging from both antlers and blocking the animal’s eyesight. It brought up memories of ‘Hammy,’ a deer that made headlines about six years ago after it was seen wandering Prince Rupert with a purple hammock stuck on its antlers. In that case, conservation officers had to tranquilize the buck to get him free, but in the case of the West Kelowna deer, he seems to have sorted things out himself. Hailey Gooliaff with the BC Conservation Officer Service told Castanet that in the fall, deer start rubbing the velvet off their antlers and they can become entangled in netting and other objects as they scratch away. She suggested it’s best to let nature take its course, saying the animals lose their antlers every year, so anything tangled in them would likely fall off as well. The Lakeview Heights deer got free before he lost his rack. Photo: Contributed In late September the deer was seen with a hammock wrapped around both sides of its antlers.

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