A look at the top stories of the week.
Interior Health reports nine new COVID-19 cases, seven of which are Kelowna-related
Interior Health (IH) reports nine new COVID-19 cases as of Friday July 31, seven of which are Kelowna-related.
A total of 369 cases have been reported across the health authority since the pandemic began.
There have been 137 Kelowna-related cases as of June 26th within the health authority.
“This is an increase of seven in these linked cases from yesterday (July 30th), reflecting additional information received during the ongoing investigation,” IH said in a media release.
Kelowna transfers a budget surplus of $ 2.5 million to RCMP to achieve “expected union formation.”
Kelowna has allocated its budget surplus of $ 8.1 million for 2019 to several different reserves – including $ 2.5 million for the RCMP.
Sherry Little, the city’s corporate finance manager, told Kelowna City Council on Monday July 27 that the funds would help with the RCMP’s significant loss of revenue in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and “anticipated union formation.”
The RCMP’s journey to the negotiating table began in 2015 when the Supreme Court of Canada passed law explicitly banning Mounties from union formation. In July 2019, the RCMP members voted to designate the National Police Federation (NPF) as their national negotiator.
Virus exposure on YLW flight
The BC Center for Disease Control has added another Kelowna flight to its list of COVID-19 exposures.
On Monday, July 27, the CDC recommended passengers who were on WestJet Flight 3312 from Kelowna to Edmonton on July 13 to monitor themselves for symptoms for 14 days.
However, the warning was sent exactly 14 days after the flight.
Four other flights were also on the list, including four flights to Vancouver. These flights came from Montreal, San Francisco, Montreal and Mexico City.
RCMP investigates after gunfire hit West Kelowna home
The West Kelowna RCMP is investigating further after shots were fired in West Kelowna on July 28, which hit a residence several times.
Shortly after 1 a.m., a West Kelowna RCMP responded to a report of gunfire in the 1600 block of Ross Road in West Kelowna.
Officers flooded the area and found a residence that had been hit by gunfire multiple times.
The house was occupied at the time, but no one inside was injured.
“The officers are staying on-site to advertise in the neighborhood, speak to witnesses, and gather physical evidence,” said Cpl. Jocelyn Noseworthy, Kelowna RCMP Press Secretary. “The investigation is still at an early stage and the officers will be in the area for an indefinite period of time.”
Migrant workers have been expelled for violating West Kelowna Farm’s “discriminatory” policies
Two Mexican foreign agency workers claim they were fired from a kindergarten in West Kelowna for accommodating two guests in their employer-provided dormitory – a policy they believe is unfairly imposed only on migrant workers.
Jesús Molina, 35, and Erika Zavala, 36, came to BC as part of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program to send money back to their family and six children in Baja California, Mexico.
The two arrived in Canada in early 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic peaked and several regulations were enacted for foreign workers entering the country. They each worked separately on different farms in the province before moving together to Bylands Nurseries in West Kelowna in late May – a few weeks after a COVID-19 outbreak on the farm was reported by health officials.
Kelowna’s COVID-19 reporting strategy has changed due to “broad community broadcast”.
Interior Health is changing the way cases of COVID-19 are reported in the Kelowna area.
As of July 30, the health department reported the number of cases in Kelowna, not just the confirmed cases related to events in early July.
BREAKING: @Interior_Health is changing the way Kelowna-based COVID-19 cases are reported.
Presser from IH below: pic.twitter.com/E0L6h6BYBF
– Michael Rodriguez (@MichaelRdrguez) July 30, 2020
The city recommends safe visits to Kelowna beaches and parks for a long BC Day weekend
The city of Kelowna reminds beach goers to be careful and polite on long weekends.
While crowded beaches in Kelowna are usually a sign of summer, any type of large gathering is a serious problem during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the city.
“The long weekend on BC Day is the highlight of summer in the Okanagan. We encourage residents to get out, get active, and enjoy the fresh air. Just make sure you are safe,” said Lance Kayfish, city risk manager. “If the parking lot is full or the beach or park looks too crowded, make the right choice and find another, quieter place. We’re fortunate to have plenty of beach and parking options in Kelowna. “
The colorful hot air balloon unexpectedly lands in Kelowna’s store
A hot air balloon surprised many when it landed at MTS on Leckie Road in Kelowna on Thursday morning.
At around 8:15 a.m. on July 30, the hot air balloon hovered over the vendors on Enterprise Way in the immediate vicinity of the buildings.
According to the RCMP, the abrupt landing was unscheduled, but not due to an emergency.
“I think they wanted to go to Spring Valley Middle School,” said a local official.
“The wind knocked them down this way and so they weren’t in need, but had to land.”
Six occupants were on board. No injuries were reported.
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