Photo: Contributed
A local author is releasing her third book this Valentine’s Day.
Terri Tatchell, who was nominated for an Oscar as a screenwriter for District 9, will add to her children’s series Endangered and Misunderstood with her latest book, Okapi Loves His Zebra Pants.
The book takes place in the Democratic Republic of Congo and features the elusive Okapi, also known as the African Unicorn. Okapis are notoriously shy animals and were photographed in the wild for the first time in 2008.
The writer uses her books to entertain and educate children in approachable ways on an otherwise serious topic. Okapi Loves His Zebra Pants celebrates physical differences and discusses ways to deal with anxiety and self-acceptance.
Tatchell’s mission is to raise money and awareness for the protected animals as all proceeds go to animal conservation efforts. Since the first book in the series was released fourteen months ago, she’s donated over $3,000.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, Tatchell shifted her ‘storytimes’ to a virtual platform like Zoom — which has allowed her to connect with people across the globe.
“Reaching children worldwide with real-time face-to-face storytelling has been a highlight of my career to date,” says Terri Tatchell.
“It feels more science fiction than anything I could make up! How is this possible? My daughter might be grown up and past storytime but hey – no big deal – I just read “Adventures of a Pangopup” to a little girl in Palestine.”
You can find the series at Once Upon A Bookstore in Kelowna, local Indigo stores and online.
Photo: Kaeli McArter
Terri Tatchell, local Oscar-nominated screenwriter spreads love for endangered animals with the release of her latest children?s book on Valentine’s Day
Rob Gibson – Feb 10, 2021 / 8:00 pm | Story: 324713
Rob Gibson
With temperatures dropping below -20 C at night in the Okanagan, the ends of Kalamalka Lake have started to freeze over.
Apple farmer Alan Gatzke, who lives in Oyama, took a video of the ice buildup near the shoreline of Kal Lake. If you listen closely you can hear the ice cracking as Gatzke steps on the ice close to the shoreline before he says, “a couple more days, should be ready for the one-mile long slapshot.”
The video shows sheer ice free of any snow.
But safety officials are warning of the dangers of thin ice. The Lake Country Fire Department recently completed their ice safety recertification training and issued a warning to everyone to be careful on Okanagan waterways as ice thickness levels can vary greatly.
“Duck Lake, because it’s quite a bit smaller, tends to freeze over most of it and it will continue to get thicker, whereas other ones like Wood and Kal Lake, we’ve had a bit of shore ice, but we haven’t had any ice out further,” Steve Windsor, fire chief for the Lake Country Fire Department said.
To be sure ice is thick enough to hold your weight, it is best to drill a test hole to determine ice thickness and be mindful that the ice is still fairly weak within about 20 feet of the shoreline.
Environment Canada says the cold snap we’ve been experiencing is expected to persist for the remainder of the week.
Photo: Tony Rutledge
Routledge’s 2003 Ford F350
A Winfield man says his 2003 Ford F350 was stolen out of his driveway early Wednesday morning.
“I noticed the space where the truck usually is, and in my mind, my worst fear was coming true,” Tony Routledge said.
As a carpenter, he had about $5,000 worth of tools in the vehicle and combined with the value of the truck and its upgrades, he estimates his loss is about $20,000 – but Routledge estimates insurance will value it at around $10,000, so he would rather get it back.
He suspects the thief (or thieves) didn’t start the truck and towed it instead. “If it started, I do believe I would have heard it and the dogs would have been barking.”
Unfortunately no nearby neighbours have video surveillance footage of the incident.
He filed a police report and says police told him that there’s a chance it could be found. According to a story by CTV News, Ford F-series pick-up trucks are the most stolen vehicles in Western Canada.
Anyone who spots the truck should call the non-emergency police line at (250) 762-3300.
“Let’s keep our eyes out a little bit more and look out for our neighbours during these tough times,” adds Routledge.
Photo: Sarita Patel
UPDATE 5:30 p.m.
The majority of emergency vehicles that responded to the incident have now left the area.
A police roadblock, however, remains at the entrance to the gravel road at the end of Tower Ranch Boulevard. An officer at the roadblock refused to comment, but indicated a vehicle was involved in the incident up the gravel roadway.
Castanet has requested more information from the local RCMP spokesperson.
ORIGINAL 5:10 p.m.
Emergency crews are at the scene of an incident east of the Tower Ranch golf club.
RCMP have blocked a gravel road at the end of Tower Ranch Boulevard due to an unknown incident roughly a kilometre up the dirt road.
Residents reported multiple police cars, a fire truck and ambulances rushing through Tower Ranch at about 4:30 p.m. A police helicopter was also in the area.
When Castanet News arrived on scene around 5 p.m., an ambulance was leaving the scene with lights flashing. An RCMP Emergency Response Team armoured vehicle was also leaving.
Castanet News will update as more information becomes available.
The commander of the Central Okanagan RCMP and mayor of Kelowna have issued statements ahead of a so-called “mega-rally” planned for Stuart Park on Saturday in protest of COVID-19 health orders.
While attendance at the Stuart Park rallies has dwindled in recent weeks, plans have been in the works for an “Okanagan Valentine’s Mega Freedom Rally.” It is believed convoys could be coming from across the B.C. Interior and Lower Mainland to attend.
Supt. Kara Triance said in a video statement Wednesday that the plans are “unlawful” and put “our community in danger.”
“I want the public to know the police are taking all steps possible in our lawful authority to stop these actions,” she said, explaining officers are “operating under the provisions of Emergency Programs Measures Act” that allow them to issue fines and work with prosecutors to compel people to court.
While numerous tickets have been handed to organizers of anti-lockdown protests across B.C. over the past few months, it remains to be seen whether the BC Prosecution Service will actually attempt to enforce collection of the fines.
“I want to take this opportunity right now to dissuade anyone from attending this march or from attending the area in protest of the march,” Supt. Triance said.
“People in Canada have a democratic right to lawful and peaceful protest, but your rights do not supersede public safety. We need to find a balance between having a voice and being safe during these unprecedented times.”
A small group of counter-protesters have started to make appearances at the weekly protests in Kelowna and Supt. Triance said officers will be in attendance to maintain public safety.
“Right now we are asking that all of us work together to keep our community safe during this ongoing global pandemic,” Supt. Triance said. “It is everyone’s responsibility, and I’m asking you to do your part by staying home, staying safe and not participating in this sort of activity.”
The City of Kelowna’s statement said the municipality is “extremely disappointed and concerned” about the weekly anti-lockdown events being held in the park.
“We might not convince people who oppose public health orders or who don’t believe in science to wear masks and keep a safe distance from each other, but we hope this statement keeps the silent majority motivated to continue following public health orders,” the city said.
Rally organizer David Lindsay has already been fined three fines totalling $7,000 so far, and the City of Kelowna says those fines will continue.
“We are in conversation with the provincial government and Crown Counsel to substantially increase the fine amount for people who repeatedly flout the law and put our residents at risk,” the city said.
Mayor Basran said the Stuart Park protesters “do not represent Kelowna” and are a relatively small group of people in comparison to the majority of residents who are following public health orders.
Photo: Purple Rhino Event Rentals
A Kelowna business is spreading some LOVE.
Purple Rhino Event Rentals’ massive LOVE marquee light display has been spotted in Kelowna and it’s making its way to different businesses leading up to Valentine’s Day.
“Our goal is to spread love and cheer through the Okanagan with our COVID-friendly rental equipment,” says owner of Purple Rhino Event Rentals Maegan Young.
“Love for Okanagan came (about) when we wanted to spread more love in the simplest way- through our lights! They brighten up anyone’s day, space or event and if we could make even one persons day a little brighter our mission is complete. These are tough times for a lot of people and sometimes we need little things to make us have hope for better times ahead.”
The LOVE light set up will be at BNA Brewery on Wednesday, Truck 59 Cidery on Thursday and Frind Winery from Friday to Sunday.
Visitors are encouraged to take photos with it and spread some love on social media.
Purple Rhino Event Rentals specializes in marquee letters and numbers for events of all occasions. They also have an outdoor cinema rental available which includes a 20-foot inflatable movie screen. Click here to learn more.
Photo: Big White
Cold temperatures have forced the closure of the Cliff and Gem Lake chairs at Big White.
After a relatively mild first half of winter, temperatures have plummeted across British Columbia this week. And with temperatures hitting -30 C in the alpine at Big White, the resort has temporarily closed two chairlifts.
On Tuesday, the resort decided not to operate the Gem Lake Express and Cliff chairs, citing safety concerns, and the pair will likely remain closed through the week.
“In the case of a lift failure, these temperatures present challenges to get team members safely in place if they need to manually evacuate those two chairs,” the resort posted to Facebook.
“We will assess temperature each morning, but you can expect these two chairs to remain closed until we have a rise of temperature in the alpine. Remember – this is for your comfort and safety.”
Despite the blue skies and sunshine overhead, temperatures are expected to hit -24 C Wednesday, with wind chill dropping temperatures to -35 C.
“Come prepared for the cold, pack extra warm layers, and be aware of signs of frostbite,” Big White says.
The resort has an alpine snowpack of 220 cm, with 56 cm falling in the past week. Cold, dry conditions are forecast to persist through the weekend.
Rob Gibson – Feb 10, 2021 / 10:53 am | Story: 324688
Photo: WestJet
Castanet has learned that a WestJet flight from Calgary had to be met on the tarmac by RCMP after a passenger on board the flight became disruptive.
WestJet flight 3387 from Calgary to Kelowna was forced to reach out to authorities to let them know they were dealing with a disruptive passenger on board the aircraft and that RCMP should be standing by when the plane landed at YLW in Kelowna.
Jessica Hewitt, spokesperson for Kelowna International Airport, tells Castanet the flight left Calgary at 9:50 p.m. and arrived in Kelowna at 10:14 p.m. on February 9, 2021 and that RCMP had to respond to the incident which involved a disruptive passenger.
Hewitt did not provide details on what sort of disruption the passenger allegedly caused but did say, “safety is a priority and we support our airline partners and RCMP as needed. This incident did not impact flight operations at YLW.”
Castanet has reached out to RCMP for more information.
Photo: Kelowna RCMP
A man was arrested Tuesday after he allegedly dropped a bag of crystal meth in the lobby of a Kelowna hotel.
RCMP seized a significant amount of drugs after being called to a hotel for a report that a bag of drugs had been dropped in the lobby.
Officers identified the man who they believed dropped the bag and a short time later, he was seen leaving the area in a vehicle and a traffic stop was initiated.
The 23-year-old man was arrested and during a search of the vehicle, one kilogram of fentanyl and crystal meth was seized.
The man has been released without charges while the investigation continues. This includes a full analysis of the drugs seized.
The findings of this investigation will be handed to the Public Prosecution Services of Canada.
Photo: Wayne Moore
Kelowna’s downtown fire hall will undergo a major exterior renovation this year.
Work is expected to begin April 1 on the exterior masonry work on the heritage building, which has degraded over time.
The upgrades were born out of a 2014 masonry conditions assessment of the fire hall, which was originally constructed in 1924.
Buildings and structures project manager Scott Bushell says the project entails a repointing exercise of the failed mortar.
“Based on the vintage of the building since it was built in 1924, over time the mortar joints degrade due to weather and climate conditions. It’s effectively removing the existing mortar and reinstallating it,” said Bushell.
Work will mainly focus on the 1924 building’s the north and east elevations.
Some work will also take place on the south and west elevations.
The city has earmarked nearly $600,000 for the project.
City council set aside money for the work in the 2019 budget.
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