Latest news with #Kelowna
CTV News
9 hours ago
- CTV News
Police seek suspect in 3 Kelowna-area golf course break-ins
Police shared this image of the suspect with their release. (Kelowna RCMP) Police in the Okanagan are asking the public for help as they investigate what they describe as 'a rash of break-and-enters into local golf course pro shops.' Three different courses – one in West Kelowna and the other two in Kelowna – had their pro shops broken into over the last month and a half, Kelowna RCMP said in a news release Wednesday. The first incident occurred June 5 at Shannon Lake Golf Course in West Kelowna. Around 12:55 a.m., a suspect broke in and took 'several golf clubs, a golf bag and other items,' police said. Eleven days later, on June 16, a suspect broke into the pro shop at Gallagher's Canyon Golf Club shortly after 1:20 a.m. Again, the suspect stole multiple clubs and a golf bag, along with 'other golf-related items,' according to police. The most recent break-in occurred on July 11 around midnight, police said. The suspect in this case broke into The Okanagan Golf Club pro shop and stole 'several clubs and putters,' among other things. Mounties said all three break-ins were 'very similar in nature,' and in both Kelowna incidents, the suspect arrived and departed on an e-bike. They said they're looking for 'a suspect or suspects' in their investigation, but suggested they believe the same person is responsible for all three incidents. 'The offender appears to know exactly where they are going as they enter the pro shop, immediately heading to the area of the high-end golf clubs, taking the ones they want, and then quickly departing,' said Cpl. Guillaume Tanguay, in the release. 'All of the items this suspect takes are top-of-the-line clubs, including a significant number of Scotty Cameron putters.' Police are asking anyone with information on these incidents who has not already spoken to police to contact the Kelowna Central Okanagan RCMP detachment at 250-762-3300. Tips can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers.
National Post
11 hours ago
- Sport
- National Post
Memorial Cup host Kelowna Rockets recruit Mazden Leslie away from NCAA
Article content The conditions on the picks in the trade, according to the Giants, are tied to Leslie reporting to Kelowna, so both selections become Vancouver's property when he plays his first game with the Rockets. Article content Leslie was passed over in the NHL Draft for a third straight time this year. He is slated to attend the Vegas Golden Knights' training camp this fall as a free agent. He went to Golden Knights development camp earlier this summer. He took part in their training camp last season. Article content The Golden Knights could sign him as a free agent, but considering general manager Kelly McCrimmon's close ties to the WHL — he's a former owner/operator of the Brandon Wheat Kings — Leslie would almost certainly be reassigned to the Rockets with the Memorial Cup run in mind. Article content Something similar happened to the Giants in their Memorial Cup host season of 2006-07 with defenceman Brett Festerling, who had a free-agent contract with the Anaheim Ducks but was sent back to back to Vancouver instead of playing minor pro. Article content Leslie has played 280 regular season games with the Giants, which ties him with winger Mitch Bartley (2002-06) for sixth on the team's all-time list. Defenceman Neil Manning (2006-12) has the Giants' record for games played with 310, and Leslie would have shattered that if he came back to Vancouver this season. Leslie is 10th in career regular season points (190) in team history as well. Article content His first game against Vancouver on the visiting side at the Langley Events Centre comes Nov. 1, when the Rockets make their first of three trips there to face the Giants next season. Article content See you in September, Mazden! The former Giants captain has announced he's heading to the @Kelowna_Rockets for the 2025-26 WHL Season. 📝 | — Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) July 15, 2025 Article content Article content Vancouver had told the Giants that he was looking for a change in scenery in his bid to advance to pro hockey. The Giants could have held onto his rights to see if he would return to junior at some point from Bowling Green this season, but it's doubtful they would got more than a package featuring a first-round draft pick for one-year player. Article content Kelowna is looking to build up their roster after their 18-44-4-2 finish last season. They've brought in former Giants head coach Don Hay to be an assistant to Derrick Martin. Hay will likely be in charge of working with the defencemen. Article content Vancouver had changed up its staff as well, naming Hnat Domenichelli as general manager and Parker Burgess as coach last month. Domenichelli takes over from Barclay Parneta, who agreed to part ways with the team in April, and Burgess succeeds Manny Viveiros, who left for a pro job in Austria in May. Article content Vancouver finished 34-26-8-0 last season and finished in sixth spot in the Western Conference. They lost to the Spokane Chiefs in the first round of the playoffs.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Hundreds turn out for cupcake fundraiser in memory of Bailey McCourt
Long and steady lines stretched down the block outside Cupcasions bakery in Kelowna Tuesday. Long and steady lines stretched down the block outside a Kelowna bakery Tuesday, as hundreds turned out for a fundraiser in memory of Bailey McCourt. The event was organized by the owner of Cupcasions bakery, who wanted to honour the mother of two who was killed earlier this month. 'I was surprised, but I'm not surprised,' said Libbie Phillips, of the huge turnout. 'Kelowna is an amazing community. When the need arises, we jump in.' Cupcasions donated all proceeds from the day's sales, and customers began lining up well before doors opened. They didn't stop coming. McCourt died on July 4 when she was attacked by a man with a hammer in Kelowna parking lot. Her parents, Karen Fehr and Shane McCourt, were among those who visited the bakery for the fundraising event. 'I just broke down crying over the support. It's incredible,' said her mother. Her father added: 'She was my firstborn. She's got a special place in my heart.' McCourt's ex-husband and the father of her youngest daughter, James Plover, has been charged with second-degree murder. Earlier on the morning of the attack, he was convicted on four counts in a domestic violence case. Kelowna's mayor told CTV News the community is grieving and frustrated by what many see as a preventable tragedy. 'There is a lot of hurt that this has caused,' said Tom Dyas. 'So, the concern that the community is showing right now is just the love that is here.' The team at Cupcasions started work at 5:30 a.m. to meet demand, because so many pre-orders had already poured in.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Huge outpouring of support at ‘Bailey's Day' fundraiser
Vancouver Watch Kelowna bakery Cupcasions witnessed a huge turn out Tuesday as it held its 'Bailey's Day' fundraiser for killed mother of two Bailey McCourt.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
No talk of custody when B.C. man was convicted of choking. Then, his ex-partner was killed.
Bailey McCourt, 32, is seen in an undated image. When James Plover was convicted on July 4 of choking someone and uttering threats, in a rage that also saw him destroy a table with a machete, his defence lawyer and the prosecutor took no issue with delaying his sentencing for up to 10 weeks, pending a psychiatric report. In the meantime, the former jail guard was to be released, and a recording of the hearing in a provincial court in Kelowna, B.C., suggests there was no discussion in light of his conviction of potential risks he posed out of custody — he had already been out on $500 bail, with conditions, ahead of his hearing. Less than three hours after the court adjourned, police were called to a parking lot about four kilometres from the courthouse, where Plover's estranged wife, Bailey McCourt, was gravely injured in an attack. She later died and Plover has been charged with second-degree murder in the killing. The identities of the victims in Plover's previous case are the subject of a publication ban. The death of McCourt in the parking lot attack that also seriously injured another woman has galvanized advocates for bail reform and better protection for victims of intimate partner violence. Protesters including McCourt's mother rallied outside the Kelowna court complex last week on the day of Plover's appearance on the murder charge. In the recording of the July 4 hearing reviewed by The Canadian Press, provincial court judge David Ruse says Plover's relationship with the choking victim had been deteriorating in June 2024 and was 'described as terrible, tumultuous and stressful.' Ruse said Plover and the victim became embroiled in a heated argument, and he choked the complainant as evidenced by neck bruising shown in photographs presented to the court. Ruse said in his oral reasons for judgment that Plover denied making threats to kill anyone other than himself, and he attempted suicide after the violent altercation. The judge said Plover at one point grabbed a machete and destroyed a dining room table and other items of 'emotional value' to the complainant, and called his parents to whom he expressed 'suicidal ideations.' The judge said Plover's mother attended the scene, and acted as an 'intermediary' between him and police before he was arrested. Ruse said Plover had testified that the choking incident was in 'self-defence,' and he had been 'mortified' by his actions to the point of wanting to take his own life. The judge didn't accept Plover's evidence. 'This self-loathing for his own actions is inconsistent with his destruction of things that he knew were precious to the complainant,' Judge Ruse said. 'These acts of destruction are consistent with anger directed at the complainant.' Ruse said the complainant did exaggerate at times, including testifying that 30 police cars had responded to the scene, when the judge said there were about a dozen. But the judge accepted the complainant's evidence and found the Crown proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Plover had uttered threats that 'were consistent with an intention to manipulate or control the complainant.' The court hearing turned to a discussion of a pre-sentence report for Plover after Ruse's reasons concluded, and defence lawyer Cory Armour said he and Crown prosecutor Catherine Rezansoff agreed that there would be 'some benefit' to Plover undergoing a psychiatric assessment. Rezansoff told the court of a potential weeks-long wait for the report due to a 'backlog,' and Armour said there was no issue with delays of up to 10 weeks since his client had been convicted. The court set Plover's next court date for mid-September, and the hearing adjourned around 9:56 a.m. Just before 1 p.m., Kelowna RCMP say they received a report about an assault with a weapon, in the attack on McCourt and the other woman. Plover was arrested and charged with second-degree murder the next day. Lawyer Armour did not respond to a request for comment. An online resume says Plover previously worked as a jail guard for the City of Kelowna and Penticton, and says he has an associate degree in criminal justice from Okanagan College. The City of Kelowna and the Kelowna RCMP confirmed in emailed statements that Plover was employed by the Commissionaires, which was contracted by the city jail guard services. 'He worked as a cell guard at the Kelowna RCMP detachment between June 2017 and November 2018,' the city's statement said. The Commissionaires BC said in an emailed statement that Plover worked for them between 2016 and 2018 before resigning. 'During his time with us, Mr. Plover held an Enhanced Reliability Clearance, which is a federal-level clearance that requires extensive background investigations, including checks on character references, employment history, financial integrity, and criminal records,' the Commissionaires BC said in a statement. 'This level of clearance is only granted to individuals who meet rigorous credibility and trustworthiness standards, and it is monitored throughout the duration of employment.' 'We categorically condemn all forms of harassment, violence, and spousal abuse,' its statement said. More recently Plover worked as a manager at a Kelowna Boston Pizza, including the night before the 2024 attack. The restaurant's owners, who were listed as references on the resume, declined to comment on Plover's time working there. Plover's resume lists one of his skills as 'conflict management.' This report by, Darryl Greer, The Canadian Press was first published July 15, 2025.
