Penticton News

Update: RCMP in Penticton now say the death of a woman of a gunshot wound in her home on Canada Day was not a homicide and they are not treating it as suspicious. Jul 3, 2009 / 4:25 p.m.

RCMP in Penticton are trying to determine if they have a murder on their hands.

Police were called to an apartment in the 400 block of Winnipeg Street on Canada Day for the death of a 57-year-old woman.

They are calling the death suspicious.

The unidentified woman had sustained a gunshot wound and called police.

Police say they have not ruled out foul play.

An autopsy will be performed today in Penticton.

RCMP say at this time, they have no information to suggest this was a random act of violence.

A thief is lurking in the normally quiet community of Keremeos.

Police say a thief or thieves broke into three homes in the downtown area between 11:30 p.m. July 1 and 5 a.m. July 2.

During one incident, RCMP say the owners of the house were at home on the opposite side of the house as a screen was pried off a window.

"The suspect(s) were in the home for a very short period of time before leaving and were not seen by the owner at the time," says Cst. Victoria Hett.

She says over the course of the three break-ins, a wide range of items were stolen including a black Norco Bicycle, tool boxes and tools, black Nikon camera, cheque books and suitcases.

"Several priceless elephant figurine artifacts from around the world were also taken. The elephant figurines range in size from 2 inches to 2 feet, are in various colours and are either porcelain or wooden in nature."

Hett says there were reports of an unknown male in the downtown area after the break-ins.

"Police remind owners to call police immediately if they see anyone unusual around their properties during the day or night and to make sure residences and garden sheds are left secure and locked up."

An Osoyoos woman is one of four finalists in the 2009 Canadian Living Samsung Cook of the Year Contest.

Tammy Gil joins two other cooks from B.C. and one from Ontario.

The winner is to be crowned July 17th.

Gil won the Poultry and Game Birds division with her recipe for Quail with bacon and apricots.

The winner takes home a Samsung deluxe kitchen package worth over $10,000.

Eva Fong of Burnaby with her crusted Sable fish and Chips, Cindy Ball of Vancouver and her vegetarian tri-colour Quinoa and London, Ontario's Christine Wheeler with her Maple Cranberry ribs are the other finalists.

Provided by

- Kelowna's Best Rock

There will be regular garbage collection services for homes in Penticton, Okanagan Falls, Twin Lakes and St. Andrews on Canada Day.

The Campbell Mountain, Summerland, Oliver and Okanagan Falls landfills will be closed on July 1.

The Osoyoos and Princeton landfills will be open on Wednesday.

Collection of yard waste is scheduled for the week of July 6 to July 10 for homes in Penticton, Naramata, Kaleden, West Bench, Heritage Hills and Carmi.

Residents in Okanagan Falls, Twin Lakes, Oliver, Osoyoos, Keremeos and Electoral areas 'A,' 'B,' 'C,' and 'G' will receive pickups the week of July 13 to July 17.

Residents are asked to place their bags and bundles out by 7 a.m. on their regular garbage collection day.

Once they find him, he will likely be losing his licence.

RCMP are investigating a dangerous driving incident which was reported around 4:30 p.m. Sunday on Highway 3, west of Keremeos.

Constable Myrl Stus says when officers arrived to investigate a reported motorcycle crash, the driver of the motorcycle fled the scene.

“He ran into an orchard, he was not located. It was reported from witnesses that he was injured, but declined medical treatment. The motorcycle was severely damaged,” says Stus.

He says the bike is a Honda Sportbike CBR1000, silver in colour, and the registered owner and suspected driver is facing several charges.

“He is a 35-year-old man from the Keremeos area. A witness reported that the motorcyclist was "popping wheelies" down the highway prior to the crash, such obvious and dangerous motorcycle driving is being forwarded in a report to the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles for review and revocation of this persons driver's licence.”

Stus says the driver was wearing a helmet and gloves, which were damaged, but no other protective gear.

“The driver and motorcycle skidded along the asphalt for approximately 75 meters before coming to a stop, inches away from a power pole.”