Officials in Penticton, B.C., are appealing to Premier John Horgan in the latest twist in a bitter dispute over a temporary shelter in the Okanagan city. Penticton Mayor John Vassilaki has written an open letter to Horgan urging him to intervene on the city's behalf as it tries to close the 42-bed shelter in defiance of BC Housing's application to extend the temporary-use permit for another year. Vassilaki hopes Horgan will help resolve the disagreement with Attorney General David Eby, who's also the minister responsible for housing. Eby has said the province needs more time to find long-term

The BC College of Pharmacists has fined a pharmacist and suspended him for a year for diverting and reselling prescription medication. The college says in a recent ruling that Ian Petterson worked at a hospital pharmacy and sold its supplies and medication to a community pharmacy, then pocketed the cash. A written disciplinary ruling says text messages and emails provided the evidence and that Petterson circumvented the hospital's policies and procedures aimed at preventing such theft and diversion. He has been fined 35,000 dollars and must retake a licensing exam, though even if he passes

British Columbia recorded 515 new COVID-19 cases Tuesday, continuing a downward trend of infections as the vaccination rate accelerates. Health officials say in a news release that 6,020 people have active infections, 426 of whom are hospitalized, including 141 in intensive care. Two more people have died, bringing the death toll to 1,624. More than 2.2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered, 110,516 of which are second doses. The government is also extending the provincial state of emergency through May 25, saying it would allow health and emergency management officials to

A coalition of 15 groups wants the City of Vancouver and the federal government to rethink plans for drug decriminalization. The coalition says users have been excluded from discussions with the federal health department about decriminalization, meaning current proposals, if adopted unchanged, could do more harm that good. In a letter to Health Minister Patty Hajdu, the coalition says police have too much input in developing what is being called the ``Vancouver model'' of decriminalization covering simple possession of small amounts of drugs. The Vancouver model suggests people should be allo

A quick response by Surrey RCMP Frontline officers, the Surrey Gang Enforcement Team (SGET), and Air 1 led to the arrest of a man and woman and the preservation of evidence, including a loaded gun.On May 6, 2021 at 7:20 p.m., Frontline officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop with a vehicle for a Motor Vehicle Act violation. The vehicle failed to stop for Police and fled at a high rate of speed. The Air 1 helicopter was in the area and was able to observe the vehicle from a distance and provide direction to officers on the ground. Following the directions of Air 1, Frontline officers and S

Workers will soon have access to a made-in-B.C. paid sick leave program that will support workers to stay home when they are sick during the pandemic and afterward, including permanent paid sick leave, as a result of legislation tabled Tuesday, May 11, 2021.To better support workers during the pandemic, amendments to the Employment Standards Act will bring in three days of paid sick leave related to COVID-19, such as having symptoms, self-isolating and waiting for a test result. Employers will be required to pay workers their full wages and the Province will reimburse employers without an exis

RCMP are asking for the public's help in locating a person of interest in the suspicious death of a woman whose body was found last week along a highway in Kootenay National Park. Police say a 41-year-old man that Brenda Ware knew is being sought and that her body was discovered last Thursday, about 50 kilometres northeast of Radium. Superintendent Sanjaya Wijayakoon of the R-C-M-P's Major Crime Section says details aren't being released about the nature of the pair's relationship. The man is described as Caucasian and nearly six feet tall. BC RCMP on Twitter: #BCSoutheastDistrict #ColumbiaVa

Doctors in British Columbia are being warned they could face investigation or penalties from their regulatory body if they contradict public health orders or guidance about COVID-19. The warning is contained in a joint statement from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of B.C. and the First Nations Health Authority. The statement says the college and authority have become aware that some B.C. physicians oppose vaccines and are spreading ``misinformation'' about mask wearing, physical distancing and lockdowns. There's also concern that certain doctors are promoting COVID-19 treatments ``not

Richmond RCMP now has access to video cameras at traffic intersections throughout the city. For several months now, the City of Richmond has been installing intersection video cameras at 110 major traffic intersections across the city. Beginning April 28th, these cameras started recording. Officer-in-charge of the Richmond RCMP, Chief Superintendent Will Ng said, "This is an important advancement for public safety in our community, especially when it comes to road safety. While they can offer evidence in a variety of investigations, video cameras are particularly useful in traffic collision in