Lauren Battagello

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Canada Post has issued new service alerts for several communities in the Okanagan Valley amidst rapidly worsening wildfire conditions. (Black Press file photo)

Canada Post suspends delivery service for areas of Okanagan amid wildfires

The postal service has upgraded several communities to a ‘Red Alert’

Canada Post has issued new service alerts for several communities in the Okanagan Valley amidst rapidly worsening wildfire conditions. (Black Press file photo)
Desert Hills Ranch Farm Market ordered a large shipment of cantaloupe, only for it to arrive undersized. The market is giving away the fruit for free and asks the community to consider donating to food banks and others in need. (Desert Hills Ranch Farm Market/Facebook)

Size matters: B.C. market giving away 50,000 pounds of wrong-size fruit

The Desert Hills Ranch Farm Market is urging the community to take as much as they want

Desert Hills Ranch Farm Market ordered a large shipment of cantaloupe, only for it to arrive undersized. The market is giving away the fruit for free and asks the community to consider donating to food banks and others in need. (Desert Hills Ranch Farm Market/Facebook)
Megan Twaits and Jeremy Marotte at Refuge Farm and Foraged Goods in Revelstoke, B.C. (Photo by Josh Piercey/Revelstoke Review)

The seek to the steep: How a Revelstoke couple forages tea for their farming business

Jeremy Marotte and Megan Twaits swapped the nine-to-five for a forest-to-table lifestyle in 2019

Megan Twaits and Jeremy Marotte at Refuge Farm and Foraged Goods in Revelstoke, B.C. (Photo by Josh Piercey/Revelstoke Review)
Megan Twaits and Jeremy Marotte at Refuge Farm and Foraged Goods in Revelstoke, B.C. (Photo by Josh Piercey/Revelstoke Review)

The seek to the steep: How a Revelstoke couple forages tea for their farming business

Jeremy Marotte and Megan Twaits swapped the nine-to-five for a forest-to-table lifestyle in 2019

Megan Twaits and Jeremy Marotte at Refuge Farm and Foraged Goods in Revelstoke, B.C. (Photo by Josh Piercey/Revelstoke Review)
Maan Farms winery manager Gaurav Maan holds a bottle of the 2022 raspberry fruit wine, which recently won an award. (Lauren Collins)

Uncorking a gold medal: B.C.’s Maan Farms wins best fruit wine of the year

In business for over 40 years, the farm has won nearly as many medals as years it’s been in business

Maan Farms winery manager Gaurav Maan holds a bottle of the 2022 raspberry fruit wine, which recently won an award. (Lauren Collins)
photo contributed by James Furney

Juice, not gas: Fire that set B.C.’s ‘World’s Biggest Burl’ ablaze not deliberate

Port McNeill Mayor James Furney said it was an act of carelessness, not arson; burl will be restored

photo contributed by James Furney
The Sweat To Support Survivors Challenge is raising funds to boost the Battered Women’s Support Service’s programs for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence. The service’s logo portrays three women, symbolizing the stark reality that one in three women worldwide experiences physical or sexual violence, predominantly perpetrated by an intimate partner. (BWSS/Contributed to Black Press Media)

Sweaty challenge raises funds for survivors of gender-based violence in B.C.

The Battered Women’s Support Shelter is hosting the “Sweat to Support Survivors” Challenge

The Sweat To Support Survivors Challenge is raising funds to boost the Battered Women’s Support Service’s programs for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence. The service’s logo portrays three women, symbolizing the stark reality that one in three women worldwide experiences physical or sexual violence, predominantly perpetrated by an intimate partner. (BWSS/Contributed to Black Press Media)
Death cap mushrooms are extremely toxic to humans and can cause severe illness and organ failure if ingested. If consumed, visit an emergency room as soon as possible or call poison control at 1-800-567-8911. (Adolf Ceska/Contributed to Black Press Media)

Toxic death cap mushrooms showing up in B.C. earlier than usual

Toxic death cap mushrooms are not native to B.C., and can cause severe illness or death if untreated

Death cap mushrooms are extremely toxic to humans and can cause severe illness and organ failure if ingested. If consumed, visit an emergency room as soon as possible or call poison control at 1-800-567-8911. (Adolf Ceska/Contributed to Black Press Media)
FILE – Canadian runner Leah Pells (3135) of Langley, B.C. runs with pack in the women’s 1500 metre finishing sixth in her heat to qualify for the semifinals at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. (The Canadian Press)

VIDEO: 3-time B.C. Olympian talks inspiration ahead of national track & field championship

Despite big-time Olympic accolades, Leah Pells still calls herself a Langley girl

FILE – Canadian runner Leah Pells (3135) of Langley, B.C. runs with pack in the women’s 1500 metre finishing sixth in her heat to qualify for the semifinals at the Summer Olympics in Atlanta. (The Canadian Press)
CEO Jeffery Holomis and SC Carts. (Contributed)

Fore! Okanagan company drives electric golf carts to Fully Charged trade show

SC Carts will have their lithium-battery operated carts on display in Vancouver this September

CEO Jeffery Holomis and SC Carts. (Contributed)
Drought conditions in B.C. are disproportionately worse compared to seasonal averages, and officials and experts are urging British Columbians to be sparing with their water usage. (Adobe stock)

Faucet frugality: Experts say B.C. residents need to conserve water now

The province is facing severe drought conditions much earlier than usual

Drought conditions in B.C. are disproportionately worse compared to seasonal averages, and officials and experts are urging British Columbians to be sparing with their water usage. (Adobe stock)
MSABC president and CEO Alec Morrison said the association is “very proud” of the campaign they’ve put out thus far, and hopes that the message and goals of making mining more climate-friendly will resonate with a wide audience. (Spotlight file photo)

B.C. mining suppliers working to make industry greener from pit to port

Heavy industries in Canada emitted over 500 megatons of greenhouse gas per year in the last 30 years

MSABC president and CEO Alec Morrison said the association is “very proud” of the campaign they’ve put out thus far, and hopes that the message and goals of making mining more climate-friendly will resonate with a wide audience. (Spotlight file photo)
Zachary Kronbauer is from Vernon. (Contributed)

Vernon man achieves highest pharmacist licensing exam grade in Canada

The Canadian Pharmacists Association presents the award annually to the top student

Zachary Kronbauer is from Vernon. (Contributed)
Still Your Song Director Britany Sparrow is spending weekends and evenings working on her first full-length feature film being shot in Fredericton, New Brunswick. (Lance Kenneth Blakney Photography)

Lights, camera, dreams: Vernon woman embarks on making a feature film

Britany Sparrow is making her first feature-length film after 20 years in the film space

Still Your Song Director Britany Sparrow is spending weekends and evenings working on her first full-length feature film being shot in Fredericton, New Brunswick. (Lance Kenneth Blakney Photography)
Bone will be leaving on his cycling journey to Vancouver on Aug. 1, and estimates he’ll arrive in three weeks’ time. He says he has some supporters who plan to join him for stretches of the ride, and is hoping to have a group ride into downtown Vancouver with him at the end. (Richard Bone/Contributed to Black Press Media)

Alberta man once given 5% chance of survival to cycle 1,500 km to Vancouver

Funds raised will be donated to the SickKids Foundation

Bone will be leaving on his cycling journey to Vancouver on Aug. 1, and estimates he’ll arrive in three weeks’ time. He says he has some supporters who plan to join him for stretches of the ride, and is hoping to have a group ride into downtown Vancouver with him at the end. (Richard Bone/Contributed to Black Press Media)
Most Canadians prefer to pay for things with credit cards, and even though 51 per cent of survey respondants say they’re happy with the current legal tender in Canada, 49 per cent said introducing new methods of payment would be a point of interest. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

Money, money, money: Canadians show interest in new payment methods

Almost a majority amount of Canadians said they would like new forms of legal tender

Most Canadians prefer to pay for things with credit cards, and even though 51 per cent of survey respondants say they’re happy with the current legal tender in Canada, 49 per cent said introducing new methods of payment would be a point of interest. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)
Park improvements will begin sometime in 2024, with a finalized improvement plan set to be done by the end of this year. The project largely relies on community feedback and needs, and public response will shape the design. (Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen)

Improving parks in the Okanagan-Similkameen

Plans include open houses and surveys for public feedback

Park improvements will begin sometime in 2024, with a finalized improvement plan set to be done by the end of this year. The project largely relies on community feedback and needs, and public response will shape the design. (Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen)
Climate change and severe weather in B.C. has had significant impact on the agricultural sector, and the program hopes to improve water storage and supply systems to better withstand against the elements. (Jann Ledbetter)

Tap off, tap on: New program to boost water management for B.C. farmers

The program seeks to improve food security, agricultural production with better water management

Climate change and severe weather in B.C. has had significant impact on the agricultural sector, and the program hopes to improve water storage and supply systems to better withstand against the elements. (Jann Ledbetter)
Some of the harshest judged behaviours fell into the “during flight” category, with things such as leg room and arm-rest sharing being a hot debate. (File photo)

What flies, what doesn’t: Travel company releases airport etiquette list

The clapping-when-the-plane-lands debate ends here

Some of the harshest judged behaviours fell into the “during flight” category, with things such as leg room and arm-rest sharing being a hot debate. (File photo)
Campsite demand has been increasing in B.C., and the feature seeks to improve visitor experience and to improve on campsite turnover rates. (File photo)

British Columbians can now get alerts about open campsites

The feature will allow campers a chance to book sites of interest once they become available

Campsite demand has been increasing in B.C., and the feature seeks to improve visitor experience and to improve on campsite turnover rates. (File photo)