READY TO ROCK | Trooper, Lou Gramm, Headpins and Kenny Shields announced for Funtastic [A7]
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Friday, April 20, 2012
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Local scenes go international
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RICHARD ROLKE Morning Star Staff
LISA VANDERVELDE/ MORNING STAR
Tyra Regan purchases produce from Heino Peters, of Roots and Greens Farm out of Grindrod, on opening day of the Vernon Farmers Market Thursday morning behind Wesbild Centre. He is selling new crop certified organic spinach, radishes, mustard greens, dill, garlic greens and salad mix along with stored vegetables. The market runs Mondays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Scenes of the North Okanagan could be captivating movie buffs on the posh French Riviera. No Tell Motel, which was shot in Falkland last summer, will be screened at the Cannes Film Market, part of the international film festival, in May. “To turn the movie around in less than a year is pretty exciting,” said Rick Dugdale, a native of Enderby and president of Los Angelesbased Enderby Entertainment. Dugdale hopes exposure at Cannes will lead to international buyers picking up the horror-thriller. There will also be a screening in L.A. in May for domestic distributors. “We’ve had a lot of offers on it. We’re just trying to determine which is the best,” said Dugdale. “The whole world will see the movie by the end of the year.” But it’s expected that No Tell Motel will only hit the big screen in a few limited locations in North America. Most people will see it through DVD and iTunes. “I wouldn’t mind having a release at the Enderby drive-in,” said Dugdale, adding that no discussions have been held with the owners of the Starlight Drive-In. Dugdale isn’t surprised there is considerable interest in his latest film, with a budget of less than $1 million. “We set out to make what the box office wants. Seventy-two per cent of North American film-goers are 14 to 17 years old,” he said. No Tell Motel, was shot at the old Whispering Pines Motel, on Highway 97, over about seven weeks. While preparing for Cannes, Dugdale is moving ahead with upcoming productions in L.A. and South Carolina. He is also casting his eyes towards the North Okanagan again. “I am looking at one that will shoot in the winter. It possibly could be in Vernon,” he said. “Basically it’s about nine people on a ski mountain and Silver Star or Hunter’s Range would work.”
Murder charge upgraded in Van Diest death Morning Star Staff
A charge of second degree murder against a former Cherryville resident in connection with the homicide of an Armstrong teenager Halloween night has been upgraded. Investigators with the RCMP Southeast District Major Crimes Unit and the offices of the B.C. Crown Prosecutor confirmed via press release that Matthew Stephen Foerster’s initial charge of second degree murder has been upgraded to first degree murder in connection with the homicide death of Taylor Van Diest. The 18-year-old was found badly injured near railway tracks not far from her Armstrong home after she had gone out to meet some
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friends for Halloween festivities the night of Oct. 31, 2011. She died in Kelowna General Hospital that night from her injuries. “The decision to proceed on the charge of first degree murder was based on additional evidence that was not available at the time of the initial charge assessment by Crown,” said Neil MacKenzie with the Criminal Justice Branch. “I can’t be specific at this stage in the proceedings about the actual nature or details of what the evidence is.” Foerster was arrested without incident at a motel in Collingwood, Ont. on April 4. He was flown back to B.C.
Police said at the time that Foerster is also facing charges stemming from an alleged attack at Kelowna’s Garden of Eden escort agency April 12, 2005 and an alleged Cherryville home invasion Oct. 19, 2004. He has been remanded in custody pending his next court appearance in Kelowna May 10. Police released photographs of Foerster, along with a video of him being escorted from a plane to a van, in the hopes it may lead to more information, specifically his whereabouts on or around Oct. 31, 2011. “The release of these photos and video images were made in order to advance this investigation, and in an effort to determine
whether there are any other offenses that need further review,” said Cpl. Dan Moskaluk in the press release. Should anyone have any information regarding these matters, please call the specially created tip line established for this investigation at 1-888-688-4264. Foerster’s father, meanwhile, made his second appearance in Vernon Provincial Court by video on Wednesday. Stephen Roy Foerster, 58, of Cherryville, is facing charges of obstruction and accessory after the fact in connection with the murder of Van Diest. His court matter was adjourned until April 26.
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