Community

Always with a smile on his face, Miles St. Amand has been working at the gas station, now called Best Buy Propane, for 32 years. (Kim Kimberlin photo - Williams Lake Tribune)

Service with a smile: 32 years of pumping propane on the Cariboo Highway

Miles St. Amand, from Best Buy Propane, is just about one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet

 

The UFO sighting at Cowichan District Hospital on New Year’s Day, 1970, was a prank, according to local resident. (Royal Canadian Mint photo)

Duncan UFO sighting depicted on new coin was a prank, claims local senior

Royal Canadian Mint produces collectible coin based on incident

 

The Hope RCMP and Boston Bar RCMP are asking the public for help after an attempt was made to derail a train near the old Alexandra Bridge in Spuzzum. (pixabay/GoranH)

RCMP search for suspect who tried to derail train in Fraser Canyon

Derailment attempt took place near old Alexandra Bridge in Spuzzum

 

The Royal Canadian Mint has released a new collectible coin based on a UFO sighting in Duncan in 1970. (Royal Canadian Mint photo)

UFO sighting in Duncan depicted on new collectible coin

Sighting occurred in 1970 at Cowichan District Hospital

The Royal Canadian Mint has released a new collectible coin based on a UFO sighting in Duncan in 1970. (Royal Canadian Mint photo)
Zena Roland holds a knitted Cowichan sweater she made for the Knit launch. (Photo courtesy of VNFC)

‘Knit’ launched to ensure better earnings for Cowichan sweater knitters

Knit proceeds will help design curriculum to explore business planning, distribution and e-commerce

Zena Roland holds a knitted Cowichan sweater she made for the Knit launch. (Photo courtesy of VNFC)
Lake Cowichan Tipton’s Gas bar on North Shore Road saw an unusual customer on Thanksgiving morning. From a screenshot of security footage a bear is seen on camera around 6:30 a.m., sniffing around the ice cream fridge and candy bar rack for a sweet treat, funny enough he settled on gummy bears. (Courtesy of Tiptons)

Bear tiptoes into Tiptons in Lake Cowichan on Thanksgiving morning

Owner says bear was not aggressive, just stopped by for some gummy bears and fled

Lake Cowichan Tipton’s Gas bar on North Shore Road saw an unusual customer on Thanksgiving morning. From a screenshot of security footage a bear is seen on camera around 6:30 a.m., sniffing around the ice cream fridge and candy bar rack for a sweet treat, funny enough he settled on gummy bears. (Courtesy of Tiptons)
Small Eyes, a Northern Spotted Owl, at the Spuzzum First Nation’s First Fish Ceremony on July 29, 2023. (Photo credit: Barbara Roden)

Federal government rejects emergency order to protect Northern Spotted Owl habitat

Members of Spuzzum First Nation “furious” at federal government

Small Eyes, a Northern Spotted Owl, at the Spuzzum First Nation’s First Fish Ceremony on July 29, 2023. (Photo credit: Barbara Roden)
Small Eyes, an animal ambassador, is one of the Northern Spotted Owls that is part of the breeding program in Langley. As of July 25, three owls — two males and one female — are living in the wild in Fraser Canyon/Spuzzum First Nation territory. (Kemone Moodley/Hope Standard)

Second release brings B.C.’s wild spotted owl population from 1 to 3

Two male owls join one female owl in Fraser Canyon

Small Eyes, an animal ambassador, is one of the Northern Spotted Owls that is part of the breeding program in Langley. As of July 25, three owls — two males and one female — are living in the wild in Fraser Canyon/Spuzzum First Nation territory. (Kemone Moodley/Hope Standard)
The Kookipi Creek wildfire is an estimated 18,045.3 hectares as of Monday, Sept. 4, 2023 and remains out of control. (bc wildfire Service)

27 structures so far burned down by Kookipi Creek wildfire

6 residential homes and 21 recreational and maintenance buildings taken by fire

The Kookipi Creek wildfire is an estimated 18,045.3 hectares as of Monday, Sept. 4, 2023 and remains out of control. (bc wildfire Service)
Skyler Punnett’s new illistration, ‘The Crow That Ate The Wind,’ honours the first responders who fight wildfires. (Skyler Punnett)

Penticton artist honours firefighters nationwide

Proceeds from the work’s sales set to go to the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation

Skyler Punnett’s new illistration, ‘The Crow That Ate The Wind,’ honours the first responders who fight wildfires. (Skyler Punnett)
Students at Sandy Hill elementary in Abbotsford created banners to welcome in the participating athletes to the 55+ BC Games on Aug. 23. (John Morrow/Abbotsford News)

VIDEO: 55+ BC Games opening ceremony to feature artistic touch from Abbotsford youth

Sandy Hill elementary students handpainted signs to be used at August event

Students at Sandy Hill elementary in Abbotsford created banners to welcome in the participating athletes to the 55+ BC Games on Aug. 23. (John Morrow/Abbotsford News)
Longtime leading Canadian player, Eric Dunn of Saanich is among the first inductees to the national foosball hall of fame. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

VIDEO: Meet B.C. man named Canada’s first-ever foosball hall-of-famer

Saanich’s Eric Dunn first Canadian to reach the rank of pro-master – the top level on tour

Longtime leading Canadian player, Eric Dunn of Saanich is among the first inductees to the national foosball hall of fame. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)
James Sails reached the summit of Mount Everest on May 24. (Submitted by James Sails)

Retired B.C. soldier conquers Mount Everest, fulfilling lifelong dream

East Sooke resident journeys to top of world in mountaineering quest

James Sails reached the summit of Mount Everest on May 24. (Submitted by James Sails)
Amanda Smith of LEPS checks out the progress of cherries in Derek Doubleday Arboretum. Smith wants to recruit more local fruit tree owners to the Community Harvest program that donates fresh fruit to local food banks. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)

Plenty of volunteers, not enough fruit trees for Langley harvest

Community Harvest program seeks fruit donors for 2023 season

Amanda Smith of LEPS checks out the progress of cherries in Derek Doubleday Arboretum. Smith wants to recruit more local fruit tree owners to the Community Harvest program that donates fresh fruit to local food banks. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance Times)
Tickets are now on sale for Charcuterie on the Pier, hosted by Sheila’s Catering owners Brant Darling, left, and Wes Levesque. The fundraising event, scheduled for Sept. 2, 2023, will also attempt to break the Guinness World Record for longest charcuterie board. (contributed photo)

Tickets now on sale for Charcuterie on the Pier event

Fundraiser aims to break Guinness World Record with 500-foot consecutive charcuterie board

Tickets are now on sale for Charcuterie on the Pier, hosted by Sheila’s Catering owners Brant Darling, left, and Wes Levesque. The fundraising event, scheduled for Sept. 2, 2023, will also attempt to break the Guinness World Record for longest charcuterie board. (contributed photo)
Jessica is running more than 900 kilometres from Nelson to Victoria as part of “Aubrey’s Run Across B.C. to End Toxic Drug Death,” passing through the Okanagan and stopping in communities for events along the way. She is running in memory of her son Aubrey, who died from toxic drug poisoning on Aug. 30, 2022. (Bill Metcalfe photo)

Running for Aubrey: Grieving B.C. mom hits pavement to Penticton for safe supply

Jessica Michalofsky will be at the Peach at 3 p.m. on Sunday

Jessica is running more than 900 kilometres from Nelson to Victoria as part of “Aubrey’s Run Across B.C. to End Toxic Drug Death,” passing through the Okanagan and stopping in communities for events along the way. She is running in memory of her son Aubrey, who died from toxic drug poisoning on Aug. 30, 2022. (Bill Metcalfe photo)
Kelowna’s tent city garnered national attention after twee by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)

Poilievre’s depiction of Kelowna’s tent city ‘disappointing’, says safety director

‘This issue is one that cities across the province and in fact across the country’

Kelowna’s tent city garnered national attention after twee by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre. (Jacqueline Gelineau/Capital News)
War medals were fished out of the Sumas River near Abbotsford and the teenager who found them is hoping to find the rightful owner. (Submitted photo)

Teen pulls box of war medals out of Abbotsford river while fishing

First and Second World War medals were in a small plastic box with duct tape on it

War medals were fished out of the Sumas River near Abbotsford and the teenager who found them is hoping to find the rightful owner. (Submitted photo)
The pink car sits on its familiar perch on the old Pick-A-Part and new Southern Irrigation property, welcoming eastbound travellers on Highway 1. The iconic landmark is the focus of the ‘Save the Car’ campaign, raising money to build a new facility for the Chilliwack Salvation Army.

Chilliwack’s famous pink car needs help to avoid being crushed

Southern Irrigation’s ‘Save the Car’ campaign is raising money for the Chilliwack Salvation Army

The pink car sits on its familiar perch on the old Pick-A-Part and new Southern Irrigation property, welcoming eastbound travellers on Highway 1. The iconic landmark is the focus of the ‘Save the Car’ campaign, raising money to build a new facility for the Chilliwack Salvation Army.
Penticton’s Mae Smith celebrated her 100th birthday at the Concorde Retirement Community on Wednesday, May 3. (Logan Lockhart- Western News)

‘I’m so fortunate’: Penticton’s Mae Smith celebrates 100th birthday

The Penticton resident was joined by family and friends to mark the milestone Wednesday

Penticton’s Mae Smith celebrated her 100th birthday at the Concorde Retirement Community on Wednesday, May 3. (Logan Lockhart- Western News)