BICYCLE ODYSSEY
PARADE WINNERS
WINNING WINES
Keremeos women prepare for trek to Toronto See page 5
Winning entrants for 2012 Elks Rodeo See page 9
Similkameen wineries are spring wine competition favourites See page 11
E H T HIGHLIGHTED LABEL MEANS SUBSCRIPTION EXPIRED
www.keremeosreview.com
Vol.15 Number 22
Thursday, May 31, 2012
$1.15 including HST
Serving the communities of Keremeos, Cawston, Okanagan Falls and Kaleden
Police calls up in first quarter of 2012 By Steve Arstad news@keremeosreview.com
Photo by Steve Arstad
Keremeos Volunteer Firefighters, BC Ambulance personnel, and RCMP attended an incident on the rooftop of the Red Bridge Pub on Monday, May 28. A worker doing annual maintenance on the building’s air conditioning units reportedly fell from a ladder, suffering undetermined injuries. In photo, firefighters assist ambulance personnel in getting the man off the roof.
Regional hospital chair urges local support for hospital expansion By Steve Arstad news@keremeosreview.com Okanagan Similkameen Regional Hospital Board Chair Janice Perrino brought the RDOS directors up to date with respect to the proposed Penticton Regional Hospital Patient Care Tower at the May 17 regional district board meeting. The Penticton Regional Hospital Patient Care Tower consists of a four storey building and a five storey parkade which will contain a UBC medical
school, ambulatory care clinics, surgery suites, wellness centre clinics and a roof top helipad. The parkade will provide 429 parking spaces, connecting to the tower on three levels. Perrino told the board that the concept plan document would be completed by June, with a final submission for the project to the Ministry of Health slated for this fall and winter season. “Penticton Regional Hospital is grossly undersized,” Perrino told the directors. “The community must be made aware of this - we must tell our
MLA’s, the Minister of Health and the Premier that it’s time for this project to take place - we must have this expansion, we must go forward. Co-hospital Chair Gary Litke offered a recommendation “that the RDOS write to local MLA’s, the Ministry of Health, treasury board members and the province, renewing our commitment to construction of a patient care tower in Penticton and request, in the strongest possible terms, that it be given top priority in funding.” The recommendation carried unanimously.
During the first quarter of 2012, the Keremeos RCMP responded to 277 calls for service, compared with 227 calls during the first quarter of 2011 - a 22 per cent increase. Complaints relating to mischief and property damage have declined since the last quarter of 2011. In January, two males and one female were arrested and charged in connection with a series of vandalism reports which had taken place throughout the village between December 24, 2011 and January 13, 2012. The three are currently out on conditions awaiting court. Keremeos RCMP investigated two founded drug offences during the first quarter, both involving simple CDSA possession. A vehicle stopped by police after a license plate check revealed an outstanding warrant on the driver. A further search of the vehicle discovered 1.5 grams of crack cocaine and 25 percocets. The drugs were seized and the male driver was arrested. One three day Immediate Roadside Suspension and three 24 hour suspensions were issued for alcohol use while driving. The detachment made 33 foot patrols of the downtown area in the first quarter. A training session for a chapter of the restorative justice program in the community was cancelled in February due to lack of interest. There are no chronic nuisance offenders in the community at this time. Crime Stoppers received four tips relating to events in Keremeos in the first quarter.