CrimeStopper... or starter? - Kelowna News

House parked in driveway Photo: Contributed A couple in East Kelowna can't leave their home because someone left a small house in their driveway. The company moving the house reportedly had truck problems, and dropped it off in front of the residence on a trailer. The house-droppers left a note reading "truck broke down, will move soon," but it has remained on the property since Friday morning. The couple who own the East-Kelowna home also own a farm nearby, according to a family member, and the couple needs to head there on Sunday morning but they can't fit their truck out of their driveway. The family member said the local RCMP was contacted on Saturday night. "There's no other means of knowing who owns this house." The relative estimated the dwelling blocking the driveway to be 1,500 square feet in size.

A mother gives back Photo: Nicholas Johansen Lynne Taylor, left, builds a LipSync device at UBC Okanagan Saturday. Robert Taylor was in a car accident in 2000, when he was 20 years old, that left him a quadriplegic. For nine years, Robert used a device that allowed him to control some electronics around the house by moving his head, providing him with some independence. In 2009, Robert passed away due to complications from the accident. On Saturday, Robert's mother Lynne joined 13 other people at UBC Okanagan in building a LipSync device, which allows quadriplegics to use their mouth to control a cursor on a smart phone or computer. “When I saw the ad in the paper I just wanted to give back,” Lynne said. “I thought, this would be something that (Robert) would be proud that I did.” The “Makers Making Change” event was put on by the Neil Squire Society, a non-profit that helps empower Canadians with disabilities through technology. Rashmi Prakash with the Neil Squire Society says through these events, they've built 180 LipSync devices, which have been given to quadriplegics. “It helps them connect to the world and start doing daily activities,” Prakash said. The 14 devices that were built Saturday will be given out to those who need them in Kelowna. “It's the idea that it's community for community, people get a chance to learn new skills, and they get a chance to use those skills for something meaningful,” Prakash said. While building the devices requires some soldering, Prakash says its a pretty straightforward process. Lynne Taylor has little experience building electronics, and she's only soldered once before. But she says while she worked away on the LipSync device Saturday, her son Robert was “very much” in her thoughts.

A bite out of Kelowna Downtown Kelowna was teeming with 1,000 people trying out the culinary options the city has Saturday. The Taste of Downtown event, organized by the Downtown Kelowna Association, was held for the seventh year, with 32 businesses taking part. Participants could get their hands on one of 1,000 passports prior to the event, and then wander around downtown, trying out the offerings from the participating businesses. “It's trick-or-treating for adults, you get to run around, sample food from places that you may not have known about downtown,” said Ryan Watters, communications manager with the Downtown Kelowna Association. The passports were sold by donation, and the event raised over $5,500 for the Central Okanagan Food Bank. “The purpose of the event is to not only feed people, but also drive people downtown to give them exposure to not only the restaurants that are participating but when you walk around to the various restaurants, you run into businesses, you run into different shops you didn't know were around,” Watters said. Jordan and Chelsea van Besouw recently moved to Kelowna and thought the event was a great way to learn about their new city. After spending two hours and 21 minutes hitting all 32 stops, they decided that The FSH was their favourite stop of the day. “We're probably going back to FSH,” Jordan said of their plans once they were done the event.

Sports take over City Park Photo: Contributed Hockey was one of the sports played in City Park Saturday. Hundreds of people ran, jumped, kicked, spiked and threw in City Park Saturday while raising $100,000 for Special Olympics athletes. The sixth annual Motionball event involved 300 members of the community along with 40 Special Olympic athletes playing a variety of sports in downtown Kelowna. Each participant fundraised prior to the event, raising a total $100,000, after expenses. “Sport is a universal thing,” said Donnie Ungaro, event director of Motionball. “It gives them confidence that they just never had.” Peter Brousseau, one of the Special Olympics athletes participating at Saturday's event, said the day is all about fun. “I've been pretty active all my life,” Brousseau said. “I like a lot more of the team sports, the team can work together to get better.” The Kelowna event is one of 20 events across the country. Ungaro says in the 17 years Motionball has been running, they've raised over $8 million for Special Olympics athletes. They've raised over $320,000 in Kelowna alone. “The city's just really embraced it,” Ungaro said. Sports included basketball, soccer, football, human foosball, ultimate frisbee, volleyball and many others

Castanet's week in review Castanet's week in review with Nich Johansen.

Candles cause of house fire Photo: Jon Manchester Twenty-foot flames were shooting from the second floor of an East Kelowna home when firefighters arrived on scene Friday night. A 911 call about 11:30 p.m. reported smoke and flames coming from a bedroom in the home on the 1700 block of Garner Road. Crews arrived to find heavy smoke and flames coming from the rear of the home. Firefighters battled the blaze from the interior to quickly contain and knock down the fire, while outside, a second hose team stopped it from spreading to large pine trees around the home, says Platoon Capt. Kelly Stephens. The fire caused extensive damage to both the first and second floors of the home, and spread into the attic space. Three people and a pet cat all got out safely and were displaced by the fire. They are being cared for by Emergency Support Services. Candles are being pointed to as the cause of the blaze.

Best surfers catch a wave Madison Erhardt Day 2 of the World Wake Surfing Championships in Kelowna saw more of the world's best competitors hit Okanagan Lake. Two of the top competitors in the men's masters division battled it out Friday afternoon. Rob Harrington and Mike Vinland are both from The United States. Harrington is ranked second in his category, and Vinland holds top spot. The pair have shredded in waters around the world. Competitor Bryce Wagner was thrilled to see so many surfers from all over make it to the competition. "We have people from Asia, Europe, South America, Canada and all of the States," he said. The event wraps up Saturday at Kelowna City Park.

CrimeStopper... or starter? Photo: Facebook A former Okanagan CrimeStoppers president has found himself on the wrong side of the law. Dino Cabalfin, who assumed the role of board president of Central Okanagan CrimeStoppers in 2014, has been charged with production of a controlled substance, allegedly stemming from a marijuana grow op. Cabalfin first became a member of the board in 2011 and stepped down when his term as president expired in 2015. According to police, a home in Kelowna was raided in mid-April and, as a result, the production charge was recommended. Charges were sworn against Cabalfin and co-accused Aurea Villanueva on Aug. 15. The pair are scheduled to make their first court appearance Sept. 26. The board of directors works at arm's length with the working operations of CrimeStoppers. Current president Timothy Lynch, who declined to comment on Cabalfin, says the board is in charge of building awareness of the CrimeStoppers program and raising funds, which provide money for tips. Presidents serve a one-year term.

Children dying from drugs Photo: Nicholas Johansen Naloxone kits were handed out at the Continuing the Conversation event Thursday. Tears of sadness and consoling hugs filled the Laurel Packinghouse Thursday night, as dozens of people met to discuss the impacts the province's drug crisis has on youth in the community. The event, Continuing the Conversation, was centred around the results of a recent survey put out by The Bridge Youth and Family Services about the challenges those looking to get off drugs face in the Okanagan. Additionally, several new Okanagan service providers spoke about how they are helping young people. “As a result of substance use, children as young as 13 have died in communities across B.C.,” said Celine Thompson, executive director of Bridge, as she fought back tears. Just over 600 people filled out the survey, answering questions about the barriers to recovery youth face and Kelowna's most needed services, among others. Respondents said youth are uncertain about where services in the community are or how to access them and long wait times pose a significant barrier for those seeking help. The survey also found support for the families of young people who need help is lacking in the community, along with residential treatment programs. Jamie McGregor, manager of Kelowna's YD33 youth detox program, said the only publicly-funded long-term youth treatment facility in the Okanagan is in Keremeos. "They provide four beds for the entirety of the Okanagan,” McGregor said. “In Kelowna and the Okanagan there is a massive lack of treatment beds.” YD33 is one of the Okanagan's newer youth treatment facilities in the Okanagan, along with Keremeos' Ashnola at the Crossing and Kelowna's Foundry. Addicted youth usually stay at YD33 for five to 15 days, while they detox from drugs. McGregor says while they only service people aged 18 and under, they see all the same addictions as would be found in similar adult facilities. “Primarily what we call polysubstance users, so people who are using whatever they can get their hands on, methamphetamine, crack cocaine, heroin," he said. “We see less alcohol than you would in an adult detox." After a stay at the detox centre, McGregor says recovering youth would “ideally” transition to a longer term treatment centre. The same centres that have a “massive lack of treatment beds” in the Okanagan. McGregor says funding for these services typically flows through Interior Health, but they're “open to all funding sources at this point.”