Kelowna city hall hit with more graffiti

RCMP is continuing to investigate after Kelowna City Hall was vandalized with graffiti.

The building was spray-painted twice this fall.

Some of the messages stated”we want our freedoms back” and “lest we forget.”

But the messages also echo the anti-pandemic sentiments that were first spray-painted onto the city hall, such as “now we have surrendered those freedoms” and “honour those who died for our freedoms by demanding them back”.

Central Okanagan Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to the arrest of anyone responsible.

In November, Kelowna Mayor Colin Basran expressed his disappointment and angered over the incident saying the two actions will cost taxpayers to repair.

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Artifact, estimated more than 170 years old, found on Kelowna beach

A team of archaeologists were called to a Kelowna beach after a passerby made an unexpected discovery.

An object was found just south of where construction was taking place at the Royal Avenue Beach Access Park, near Kelowna General Hospital.

According to the City of Kelowna, that object turned out to be an artifact that looked to be an old, modified stone.

Andrew Gibbs, senior project manager with the City of Kelowna, said the artifact is pre-contact, meaning the object is older than 1846, which would make it at least 173 years old today.

The discovery of the artifact was made back in the spring. Since then the city has been working to have an archaeological assessment approved.

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Orchard Park Mall employee allegedly threatened by anti-mask protester

The anti-mask sentiment took off in November with rallies being held around the city in protest against COVID-19 restrictions.

The rallies came after B.C. implemented a mandatory mask policy on Nov. 19.

On Nov. 21 in Kelowna, RCMP was called to Orchard Park Mall to investing a group of individuals, who were part of a demonstration, refused to wear masks upon entering the shopping centre and then also refused to leave when asked to do so by staff.

While police were on scene they were notified that an individual from the group had allegedly threatened a staff member of the mall but had left before RCMP arrived.

This same weekend police were called to two other similar instances involving anti-mask demonstrators.

A woman had to be forcibly removed from Value Village for not wearing a mask and two men allegedly became belligerent in Bean Scene downtown while refusing to wear masks and carrying a copy of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

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Kelowna’s new top cop promises communication, collaboration, good conduct

Supt. Kara Triance started in her position as officer in charge of the Kelowna RCMP Regional Detachment this November.

The detachment encompasses Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland and Lake Country. Just a few weeks into her new position, Triance was busy at work tackling many hot topics of discussion within the city.

These include a recently reported spike in crime, heightened numbers of domestic and sexual violence calls, as well as a number of local RCMP members facing scrutiny for alleged misconduct.

Kelowna Capital News