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Single Parent Stroke Recovery: How Jeff Manuel Is Rebuilding His Life for His Kids Jeff Manuel was working two jobs to provide for his two teenage kids – a full-time role in electrical sales plus evening grocery-delivery shifts – when a stroke at 52 changed everything about how he could show up for them. Four years later, he’s not back to where he was. He’s become someone different, and by his own account, someone he likes better. A Normal Saturday Morning, Then Everything Changed Jeff’s stroke happened on a Saturday in March 2022, but the warning signs started the night before, on his last work shift. The next morning he made coffee, showered, and drove to drop off his kids’ things at their mother’s house in West Kelowna. When she opened the door, she immediately knew something was wrong – his face had visibly dropped. A local clinic ran a squeeze test that came back fine and prescribed inhalers for what they assumed was a breathing issue. It wasn’t until Jeff tried to pick up oranges with his left hand an hour later, and couldn’t, that they went to the hospital. A CT scan confirmed he’d had a stroke. He couldn’t move his arm or his leg. Raising Two Teenagers From a Hospital Bed Single parent stroke recovery comes with a particular kind of weight: the practical question of who looks after your kids while you can’t. Jeff and his ex-wife were separated but living close by, and when he was hospitalized for three months, she and their children – a boy and a girl, both thirteen at the time – stepped in to support him. She’s been doing a lot for me, and I really appreciate it. What could have been an awkward or strained dynamic instead became a stronger friendship than the one they’d had before the stroke. Jeff is candid about why the timing mattered to him: Thank goodness it happened when I was only fifty-two and not seventy-eight, when they’d got their families all grown up and their own worries. I didn’t want to be a worry to their father. His kids are now nearing graduation, and he stays in touch by text and phone, even though he doesn’t get to see them as often as he’d like. Two Years Learning to Live Again After hospital, Jeff moved into a residential rehabilitation program called Connect Communities, where he spent two years relearning basic independence – from walking to cooking to managing a wheelchair-accessible home. Progress wasn’t linear: partway through, his wheelchair tire caught on a mat and led to a fall that required a hip replacement, adding more recovery time on top of the stroke rehab. The program used occupational therapy milestones to unlock privileges – once he could complete a task within a set time, he earned the ability to grocery shop and cook for himself, working up to preparing a meal every night. That system became his bridge from full-time care toward the assisted living arrangement he’s in now, which he describes less as being stuck and more as “graduating” toward independent living. Managing Pain That Doesn’t Go Away Chronic pain has been one of the harder, more persistent parts of Jeff’s recovery – constant pain and tension on his left side, in his shoulder in particular. After four years of prescribed medication, Jeff made his own decision to stop his pharmaceutical pain pills and manage his pain with medicinal marijuana gummies instead, taken a few times a day. He credits them with helping not just with pain, but with sleep and digestion too. This is Jeff’s personal experience and decision, made under his own judgment about his body after years of living with it post-stroke – not a treatment recommendation, and as always, any change to medication should be made in consultation with your own medical team. A Rebirth, Not Just a Recovery What comes through most clearly in Jeff’s story isn’t the physical rehabilitation – it’s the internal shift alongside it. He describes the last ten years before his stroke as a period of grief he hadn’t fully processed, following the deaths of his mother and sister, and a tendency to put himself first that he says didn’t serve his family. The stroke, paradoxically, became the catalyst for the opposite: I’d like myself again because I know I’m a good person. He talks about his recovery in openly spiritual terms – leaning on his mother’s belief that “everything happens for a reason,” and describing his body’s limitations as temporary: “This is only part of your meat suit.” He’s quick to add that this reframing isn’t about denying the hard days. It’s about noticing small, cumulative wins: Sometimes you’re not aware of what’s happening, and then you think about it – I couldn’t do that yesterday, now I can. What Keeps Him Going Jeff found Recovery After Stroke the same way many listeners do – searching for answers in a hospital bed, trying to understand what had just happened to him. I’ve seen so many other people going through it. It really did help me. Now, four years on, he’s paying that forward by sharing his own story, pain and all, with the same honesty he found helpful when he needed it most. If Jeff’s story resonates with your own recovery – or your own path back to being fully present for the people who depend on you – Bill’s book, The Unexpected Way That A Stroke Became The Best Thing That Happened, digs deeper into this kind of transformation: recoveryafterstroke.com/book. If this show has helped you, you can support it directly at patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke. This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your health or recovery plan. Jeff Manuel: Raising My Kids Through a Stroke and Learning to Like Myself Again (Interview) A single dad’s 4-year journey from hospital to independence – raising his kids, relearning to cook, and rebuilding who he is. Highlights: 00:00 Jeff’s Journey: Single Parent Stroke Recovery04:01 The Day of the Stroke06:42 Personal Transformation Post-Stroke09:03 Rewiring the Brain and Recovery11:04 Support During Recovery13:32 Mindset and Spiritual Growth15:25 Challenges of Recovery18:52 Personal Transformation and Reflection20:24 Daily Life in Assisted Living24:01 Pain Management and Coping Strategies26:28 Future Aspirations and Independence28:13 Finding Community and Sharing Stories Transcript: Jeff’s Journey: Single Parent Stroke Recovery Jeff Manuel (00:00)Once you get over what has happened, you become a better person. I like myself again because I know I’m a good person. if it takes another four or five years to walk again, it takes that. But if I can get as many tools into my tool chest, I can use later in life. Bill Gasiamis (00:18)Welcome back Recovery After Stroke. I’m Bill Gassiamis. My guest today is Jeff Manuel, a single father of two teenagers who was working two jobs full time in electrical sales plus evening grocery delivery when he had a stroke at 52 that left him with left-side paralysis. Jeff describes his stroke as involving a clot and possibly a bleed as well. The exact clinical picture is something we talked through together in the episode. We get into what it’s like raising teenagers through three months in hospital and two years in residential rehab, and how his relationship with his ex-wife has changed since the stroke, how he’s learned to cook again with one hand and the pain management approach he’s landed for himself after four years of recovery. Quick note before we dive in, if you’re feeling stuck in your own recovery, I now offer one-on-one coaching for stroke survivors. It’s not therapy or medical treatment, it’s lived experience support, structure, accountability, and someone who’s actually been where you are, having survived three strokes myself. I only work with a small number of people at a time, so it stays meaningful. You can apply at recoveryafterstroke.com/momentum. If Jeff’s story resonated with you, I also wrote a book about my own experience called The Unexpected Way. That a stroke became the best thing that happened, it is available at recoveryafterstroke.com/book. And if this show has helped you, you can support it directly at patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke. Here’s my conversation with Jeff. BIll Gasiamis (01:58)Jeff Manuel. Welcome to the podcast. Jeff Manuel (02:01)Thanks for having me. BIll Gasiamis (02:01)Tell me a little bit about what life was like before stroke. What were your daily tasks? What kind of things did you get up to? Jeff Manuel (02:10)at the time I had two jobs. I had full time journal day and then after after the day job I would go and And I was I was before I was in a loop to try to catch up and Provide for my family. BIll Gasiamis (02:22)What kind of jobs did you do? Jeff Manuel (02:23)I was my last job was in sales, electrical sales. And I used to I would pick groceries for customers that were just driving by and picking up the groceries. So I’d pick mostly the the dry goods and have it ready for when they eat when they were ready to pick up the groceries. BIll Gasiamis (02:41)Was that the after hours job? Jeff Manuel (02:42)Pardon me? BIll Gasiamis (02:42)Was that the after hours task? Jeff Manuel (02:45)Yes. BIll Gasiamis (02:45)And how many hours a a week would a day would you say you were working then? Jeff Manuel (02:48)I’d be I’d probably have four four four shifts a week. Sometimes less. BIll Gasiamis (02:53)And on the day of one of your shifts. Jeff Manuel (02:54)It was manageable at the time. BIll Gasiamis (02:56)It was manageable. Jeff Manuel (02:57)Yes. BIll Gasiamis (02:57)And on the day of one of the shifts that you went to your regular job and then you did one of those shifts, how many hours would you say that? Jeff Manuel (03:06)Five hours. I believe I worked the five hours that was on my stroke happened on a Saturday. This was a Friday night. So I believe it was five hours. Cause I was started it at five and I finished at ten. BIll Gasiamis (03:07)The added So with your full time job, the regular job, that would be a normal eight hour day and then you would do an additional five hours? Jeff Manuel (03:30)Yes. BIll Gasiamis (03:30)Okay. And w other than work, what else did you get up to? Jeff Manuel (03:37)I’m a single father of two kids. So as much time as I could spend with him I spent with them even though we were not living in the same house. BIll Gasiamis (03:45)Understood. How old were the kids? Jeff Manuel (03:46)Thirteen. BIll Gasiamis (03:47)Two boys, two girls. Jeff Manuel (03:49)boy to give us BIll Gasiamis (03:50)Sorry, Jeff, what was that? Jeff Manuel (03:51)Boy and a girl, I’m sorry. BIll Gasiamis (03:52)A a boy and a girl. And you were working the extra hours to cover everybody and make sure they had everything they needed. Jeff Manuel (04:00)Yes. The Day of the Stroke BIll Gasiamis (04:01)And what what happened on the day of the stroke, Jeff? Jeff Manuel (04:05)Well, I woke up Saturday morning, everything was fine. Put on the coffee machine. Went and got a quick shower. Packed up my clothes cause I was going to to their house ’cause they lived with their mother in West Kelowna. And I was living in Peachland at the time. So I drove on the highway, popped into McDonald’s, cup of coffee, couple of sandwiches, and then they were just two minute drive away. knock on a door. She opens the door and she says, What the heck happened to you? I said, What do you mean? She said your face is on the ground. My whole left side, I guess, just collapsed. So then she says we’re going to the clinic. Is it okay? So go over does a squeeze test. I mean both hands, fine. And I was walking and talking and doing everything. Like nothing happened yet. I said the only the only issue I had was a little bit of breathing problems a couple of months previous. So we prescribe some inhalers and see if that helps. Mm got the inhalers, tried out an hour later. Didn’t do anything for me. Then I tried picking I had a shift at twelve o’clock and this was probably about eleven. And I went into the kitchen and tried picking up oranges with my left hand and I couldn’t grab it and put it in the bag and she said, We’re going to the hospital. So, okay. Then I was getting worried. So I didn’t know what it was. BIll Gasiamis (05:29)And and then you spent some time in hospital doing tests, were you? Jeff Manuel (05:32)Heard me? BIll Gasiamis (05:32)Then you spent some time at hospital, were they testing you? Jeff Manuel (05:34)Interested C D scan. Then he comes down and tells me that Mr. Manuel you had a stroke. Said okay. And then I still can’t comprehend what that actually meant. But I knew it was something wrong. And it wasn’t till the next day that I couldn’t move my arm or my leg. BIll Gasiamis (05:52)Mm-hmm. And how long ago was that, Jeff? Jeff Manuel (05:56)That was in Right of twenty twenty two. BIll Gasiamis (05:59)March of twenty twenty two. Jeff Manuel (06:01)Yes. BIll Gasiamis (06:01)Got it. And you seem to be quite still significantly emotionally upset about it. Do you find that you’re have a a few challenges about dealing with your emotions? Jeff Manuel (06:11)that’s cool. I’m sorry, Bible is not upset. It’s happiness. BIll Gasiamis (06:18)It’s happiness. Jeff Manuel (06:19)I’ve turned a big corner this year And I’m happy I’m happy where I am I’m happy for who I am This is just temporary. I know that. And I’ve learned to live with it for four years and it’s okay. I’m good. BIll Gasiamis (06:34)Lovely, man. So who are you now? Who are you now that you’re happy with who has turned the corner? Personal Transformation Post-Stroke Jeff Manuel (06:42)I’m I’m more of myself a long time ago with the name. In the last ten years it’s It’s just listening to other people having a broadcast and internalizing it and using it for the good. And trying to help people as much as I can. Even it just means a smile and hey you’re doing a great job. That means the world to people. And for some people they can’t say it, so I’d say it for them. BIll Gasiamis (07:02)Mm. So the the the guy from ten years ago wasn’t happy. What was wrong with that guy? Like what is it that he wasn’t doing that wasn’t serving you? Jeff Manuel (07:15)I wasn’t paying attention to what I had to pay attention to my my wife and kids. I was up north and in the North Territories, which is Canada’s Arctic, for twelve years. Awesome years. Beautiful people. BIll Gasiamis (07:32)And what were you doing there? What was the task? Jeff Manuel (07:35)Doing a couple of different jobs. My last job was I was assistant manager of like a Costco. But it was a a locally owned Inn Valley store, so BIll Gasiamis (07:42)I went Jeff Manuel (07:46)When my boss would be out of town I would have to look after the stores and transfer to other parts of the Arctic. BIll Gasiamis (07:46)And were you away from your family at that time? Did that have you away from your family? Jeff Manuel (07:55)No, my family lived right in the same community, so BIll Gasiamis (07:57)Uh-huh. And what you you weren’t satisfied with the way you were going about life? What was the difference between now and then? Because you’re quite co comfortable suggesting that there’s been a shift, a change? Were how how were you not Jeff Manuel (08:13)I was drinking way too much. And then along with grief. BIll Gasiamis (08:18)What was the grief in relation to? Jeff Manuel (08:19)my mother and my sister had passed away from cancer. But like pretty close to tw twenty years ago now. So and recently it’s been my brother. So it’s been I’ve been thinking a lot about that. BIll Gasiamis (08:32)And were you using alcohol to cope before the stroke? Jeff Manuel (08:34)Yes. BIll Gasiamis (08:35)And did that mess up your relationships? Jeff Manuel (08:36)Not necessarily. BIll Gasiamis (08:37)How how was it that you weren’t doing the right thing by your family? Jeff Manuel (08:41)I’m just thinking more about myself than others. BIll Gasiamis (08:44)Putting yourself first. Jeff Manuel (08:46)Yes. BIll Gasiamis (08:46)Mm-hmm. Got it. And then the stroke happened and how did that change everything? Because the stroke made you unwell. It put you in hospital. But how did that shift the way that you behaved and the the way you went about life? Rewiring the Brain and Recovery Jeff Manuel (09:03)Well, in this is my fourth year, so this year I know that my brain is rewiring itself because I can see minuscule changes every single day. And sometimes you’re not aware of what what what’s happening and well then you think about it and I couldn’t do that yesterday, now I can do it. BIll Gasiamis (09:24)understood. And hello Jeff Manuel (09:26)And it’s a it’s a it’s it’s a positive positive thing that happens to you every single day. BIll Gasiamis (09:32)Got it, I appreciate that. So you’re seeing small significant changes that are adding up and you’re getting results from that. And it’s been for years now. Jeff Manuel (09:40)Yes. I’m happy to say BIll Gasiamis (09:41)Understood. That’s excellent. Now, what kind of stroke was it? Did they determine the cause and have they put you on some kind of medication or program to prevent another one? What was the issue with the stroke? Jeff Manuel (09:54)No, it was a hemorrhagic stroke on the the right side. Yeah, I was prescribed a whole bunch of pills and stuff. I guess it helped at the beginning. I couldn’t tell. BIll Gasiamis (10:03)Did they tell you what caused the brain hemorrhage? Do you know? Jeff Manuel (10:06)the the doctor said said there was a clot in my this part of the artery on the my right side and my neck. And he also told me that I had a heart attack the week before. But I didn’t see it, I think. It was just a mark one, I guess. BIll Gasiamis (10:21)So so was So was it a brain hemorrhage or an ischemic stroke? Jeff Manuel (10:27)Maybe it’s a brain hemorrhage. BIll Gasiamis (10:28)Bleed in the brain? Jeff Manuel (10:29)Yes. BIll Gasiamis (10:30)Okay. But the clot usually refers to an ischemic stroke, which is like a very different from a a bleed on the brain. Jeff Manuel (10:39)No, the it was just the vein that was clouded. BIll Gasiamis (10:41)Uh-huh. As well as a brain hemorrhage. Jeff Manuel (10:43)Yes. BIll Gasiamis (10:43)So you were really going through it. You had a heart attack, a clot issue and a brain hemorrhage all at the same time? Jeff Manuel (10:49)Yes. BIll Gasiamis (10:49)Wow. Under. Got it. So how long did you spend in hospital, Jeff? Jeff Manuel (10:55)I was there from march twelfth to June fourth ninth in the hospital. BIll Gasiamis (11:02)About three months. Support During Recovery Jeff Manuel (11:04)Yes. BIll Gasiamis (11:04)And who was there to support you during that time? Because if you’re if you’re no longer married and you live separately from your your former wife, who was by your side? How how did you get through that time? Jeff Manuel (11:18)That’s funny because it was my ex wife and my children. She would bring in to see me and f they would feed me and look after me. BIll Gasiamis (11:28)That’s very cool. She stepped up. Jeff Manuel (11:31)She did she’ve been doing a lot for me. And I really appreciate it. BIll Gasiamis (11:35)Yeah, that is lovely. And then you left from the hospital. At some point they dismissed you or discharged you. Did you have to go into rehab after that to try and get your your left side up back up on board? Jeff Manuel (11:51)Well, in the hospital I was doing really hard but but I couldn’t I could still couldn’t walk or go up steps or anything, but they applied to put me into Connect. It’s called Connect Communities. And there was a whole bunch of different houses you live in. And it’s like you have your own room, you have your shower days, and you get fed three meals a day. But everything was wheelchair accessible. And it was the best two years I had. There was that place was amazing. The people were amazing. And what they offered ya and taught you was amazing. BIll Gasiamis (12:26)Yeah. It sounds like you’ve gone on qu quite a spiritual kind of shift, some kind of a journey, an internal journey as well as the physical healing of your body. Jeff Manuel (12:35)Exactly. This I can live with. This is only part of your meat suit you’re aiming your leg. It all depends on what’s upstairs and how you can teach p other people to live with what’s happening. BIll Gasiamis (12:49)What’s one of the biggest things that you learnt when you were in there, by the time you left after two years? Because at the beginning I imagine you wouldn’t have been as upbeat, as positive as you are now. Mindset and Spiritual Growth Jeff Manuel (13:02)No, because You still are learning your your limits of being disabled or paralyzed. You still gotta live it’s like a regrowth. You learn from a baby again to crawl and then walk. And it’s like up until then it’s learning you think about things if you have to use the watchroom you think about it like twenty five different times before you actually use it. It’s a like a learning process. And I’m just starting to learn again. BIll Gasiamis (13:37)So it sounds like the biggest recovery that you had that’s been the most meaningful then was that kind of mindset part of your recovery, the spiritual part of your recovery. Jeff Manuel (13:47)I I I think once you get over what has happened, you become a better person. But I I’d like myself again because I know I’m a good person. And if it takes another four or five years to walk again, it takes that. But if I can get as many tools into my tool chest, I can use later in life. BIll Gasiamis (14:09)Yeah. Yeah. And you know what I love about that is you’re kind of setting an example for your kids, right? Y they may not know it and Jeff Manuel (14:16)I tried to my best to set an example because I always said, Thank goodness it happened when I was only fifty two and not seventy eight when they got their families all grown up and their own worries. Didn’t want to be wrong about their father. They stepped up and being adults when they were thirteen. BIll Gasiamis (14:34)Yeah. Were you also a smoker then? Jeff Manuel (14:35)Yes. BIll Gasiamis (14:36)Okay. Jeff Manuel (14:36)I did quit three months before going into hospital but I’m back smoking again, so BIll Gasiamis (14:41)You’re back smoking again at the moment? Jeff Manuel (14:43)Yes. BIll Gasiamis (14:44)And drinking? Jeff Manuel (14:44)The occasional drink. I’ve tested my limitations and see where it led. But I don’t I don’t over anything, I’m sorry. BIll Gasiamis (14:50)Can I be can I be Can I be perfectly blunt with you? Jeff Manuel (14:57)Yes, you can. BIll Gasiamis (14:58)Why don’t you reduce the amount of time it takes for you to get on your feet from four years to a s a shorter amount of time? And the best way to do that and avoid another stroke and be a real example for your kids is to stop smoking and drinking. That’ll make you more in a in put you more in the zone of allowing your brain to heal rather than continuously putting it in a space where healing is not possible. Challenges of Recovery Jeff Manuel (15:25)So understood. BIll Gasiamis (15:26)I know the challenge with smoking and drinking is beyond just putting it down and not touching it. I know it’s linked to a lot of other emotions and a lot of other things. I used to smoke and drink as well. But the work to be done is in the it’s in when you don’t have those things to go back to to regulate your emotions or change your mindset, that’s where the work is need to be done. You need to pick up the skills that make it possible you for you to deal with those particular emotions or those particular things that are going on that make you drink, that make you smoke. And that will enable you to also deal with those challenges of the grief that you’ve suffered in the past. And also will simultaneously make the right environment for healing the brain. And that should speed up the amount of time it takes for you to get back on your feet. Jeff Manuel (16:20)That’s gonna be my start processing. BIll Gasiamis (16:22)Yeah. I thought you know, we’re here to be honest and frank, and you’re being honest and frank. And I thought, well, I might as well just put it out there. There’s a lot of people that want to get better after stroke, and sometimes they’re doing the things that are getting in the way of recovery without realizing that they’re getting in the way of their own recovery. And that’s kinda like my job, you know, is to sort of say, Hey, here’s a mirror, pay attention to this. Have you seen this before? Are you aware of this? And and then that way, maybe together. You know, we’ve learned something today and we can overcome and then we can move forward a little better. Jeff Manuel (16:56)That’s good advice. BIll Gasiamis (16:57)Are you back to independent living now? Jeff Manuel (16:59)No, no, no. I mean long term care. I was in BIll Gasiamis (17:02)Yep. Tell me about that. Jeff Manuel (17:03)It’s it’s it’s it’s good for me right now for what I need. two years ago I had broken my my hip, so I had to get a hip replacement. So it was extremely hard trying to get your legs into the bed. BIll Gasiamis (17:17)Did you have a fall because of the stroke? Jeff Manuel (17:20)Not because of the stroke, but there was a a mat that that my tire got jammed into. BIll Gasiamis (17:26)The wheelchair tire. Jeff Manuel (17:27)Yeah. BIll Gasiamis (17:29)man, I got it. Jeff Manuel (17:30)It just slowed down my my mobility a bit in my rehab of the the walking but but it was okay. I got through it. BIll Gasiamis (17:42)Got it. And they did a they did a hip replacement. Jeff Manuel (17:46)Yes. BIll Gasiamis (17:46)Understood. So then there was some rehabilitation associated to the hip replacement as well to get you back on your feet. Jeff Manuel (17:55)Well, caught sorta say get me on my feet, get me in the wheelchair. Yeah. it was another six weeks in hospital. BIll Gasiamis (18:00)Yeah, got it. Okay. Yeah. You had a quite a journey, man. Like a lot of sort of downtime as a result of this condition and then all the little complications and bumps in the road. How have you sort of dealt with that mentally? Have you had somebody to talk to? Have you done some therapy? Like how is it that you’ve been been managing to, you know, wrap your head around all of this stuff? Jeff Manuel (18:30)and my mom always had a good say and she said everything happens for a reason. We just don’t know what that reason is at that time. And it’s like, okay, this had happened to me, so now I’m getting to learn why it happened because this is the rebirth of me. In my journey. I’m not the guy I was four years ago or five years ago. I’m me now. Somebody different. Personal Transformation and Reflection BIll Gasiamis (18:52)Mm-hmm. Had you had you in those last ten years before the stroke, had you forgotten about that side of you, that kind of spiritual element of you that you’ve rediscovered? Was it lost in the grief and in the drinking and in the all the work? Jeff Manuel (19:09)It went away somewhere, I don’t know exactly where it went, but it went away. You know, being being on this on this side of the the grass, I guess, I don’t know how you would say it, but going through the healthcare system, you get to see a whole lot of people. And y and you you can sense their their expressions and stuff. A lot of good people. A lot of good people too. BIll Gasiamis (19:32)How’s your relationship with with your former wife and kids now? Are they nearby? Do you see them often? Jeff Manuel (19:37)And they are nearby, but I don’t see as often as you want. I see at least probably about once a month. Well, we’re in contact, we text each other and phone each other every now and then. to graduate next year, so BIll Gasiamis (19:47)Are the kids in school? they’re graduating, so they’ve been busy with school and Jeff Manuel (19:53)Their friends and stuff, so BIll Gasiamis (19:54)Pretty normal. Jeff Manuel (19:56)Yeah, that’s normal teenagers. BIll Gasiamis (19:57)Yeah, understood. And your relationship with your ex wife, is it very cordial? Do you guys get along, even though you guys are exes and Jeff Manuel (20:05)Yeah. Yeah, we get we always got along, but we’ve been way better friends the last couple of years. BIll Gasiamis (20:14)Yeah. That sounds like it’s a it’s a great relief for you. And also she’s able to really kinda take care and help out with the children. Jeff Manuel (20:24)Exactly. Daily Life in Assisted Living BIll Gasiamis (20:24)What is a day like in your facility there where you live? What what do you guys get up to? How do they keep you occupied? What’s it what’s that like? Jeff Manuel (20:33)There is a there’s a you have breakfast at eight to ten and then lunches from twelve to one and dinners from five to six. And then you have the rec department that do little games and stuff in the activity room. I usually go out and and enjoy the fresh air and the sun. It’s warming up here. much fresh year and San John I can get the better. BIll Gasiamis (20:55)And And do you have a few people that live in the facility with you? Is it quite a large facility? How many people are in there? Jeff Manuel (21:05)yeah, there’s three different floors. I’m on the main floor. And there’s probably BIll Gasiamis (21:10)Mm-hmm. Jeff Manuel (21:13)Probably two hundred people, two fifty in three floors. BIll Gasiamis (21:16)Mm-hmm. A lot of people that I’ve spoken to in the past about those types of facilities get really down about They kind of don’t feel like they should be there or need to be there. How do you manage being there? Jeff Manuel (21:29)I’m not totally at the point where I can go live by myself. Right now I still need I still need this. Until I can afford something that is realistic. And you have to be realistic. You gotta think about things a hundred and fifty times more than you would regularly think about things. BIll Gasiamis (21:34)So it’s a cent. Jeff Manuel (21:47)I can still cook, but Right now I gotta concentrate on being me. BIll Gasiamis (21:51)And getting better. And getting back on your feet. Jeff Manuel (21:54)Exactly. BIll Gasiamis (21:54)So you can still cook, which is awesome. So you adapted to cooking with one arm? Jeff Manuel (21:59)yeah, no problem. As long as you you know what you can do, your limitations, you can do anything. BIll Gasiamis (22:04)What’s the hardest part about preparing food with one arm? Jeff Manuel (22:07)Well, you it’s pretty hard to make a salad with one arm ’cause you can’t hold the tomato or the cucumber with the other. That’s about it. That’s where you get the you can get these the plastic cutting boards that have spikes in So you just lay out your vegetables. And then you can use the one hand to cut it off. BIll Gasiamis (22:27)And is cooking encouraged to cook for yourself or is that just part of your occupational therapy? Jeff Manuel (22:34)at Connect you kinda you led up to being able to cook so the O T would give you a certain task and if you could achieve that task within a certain time limit you you would get X amount of dollars per week to go grocery shopping so you could cook for yourself. usually and every night I would cook a meal for myself. And then that graduated into becoming more self sufficient for myself so I could go in assisted living. So they found a place on the west side in assisted living and I lived there for a year and two years. BIll Gasiamis (22:55)And the Jeff Manuel (23:09)Like just threw you throws your curveball. BIll Gasiamis (23:11)Yeah, it sure does. Jeff Manuel (23:11)And up there, but but you know what? I kinda like it. Because you get to meet people, you have discussions. When you when you’re dying for communication You can talk to anybody. BIll Gasiamis (23:22)Yeah. Your facility there, there’s is there a lot of downtime? Do you guys get to intermingle and connect with each other and share spaces together? Jeff Manuel (23:34)Yeah. We can do that. Until we up in the morning and that we go to bed tonight. BIll Gasiamis (23:40)Yeah. So it sounds like it’s the great kind of a great place for you, like a a like a space between being independent again to kind of help you get through all the things you need to get through before you qu kind of was it like graduate to independence, I suppose. Is that like i is w is that how you would describe it? Pain Management and Coping Strategies Jeff Manuel (24:01)That’s that’s pretty good. I think to me now mentally the better I can become, the better my whole body will become. BIll Gasiamis (24:08)Hmm. What would be the hardest part of this stroke journey for you that that you kind of would be able to recall from all of this journey, the thing that was the hardest for you to deal with or overcome or or be challenged by? Jeff Manuel (24:24)Still still deal with the post stroke pain. It’s the hardest. BIll Gasiamis (24:30)The fatigue. Jeff Manuel (24:31)The the constant pain. BIll Gasiamis (24:33)the pain. Yep. Is that on your left side? Jeff Manuel (24:35)And arm, leg and shoulder, yeah, all on the left side. BIll Gasiamis (24:39)Do they medicate you for that? Do they try and give you some kind of pain relief? Jeff Manuel (24:43)No, I found my own. More medicine. BIll Gasiamis (24:45)Understood. And is that manageable then now the pain? Does it kind of help ease the pain? Jeff Manuel (24:50)Yes, it does. BIll Gasiamis (24:51)Okay. Jeff Manuel (24:52)It eases it away for me and and helps me not think about it. BIll Gasiamis (24:57)Uhhuh. Understood. So is the smoking related to medic medicinal marijuana, perhaps? Jeff Manuel (25:04)No, I ’cause I don’t smoke it. I it’s take the gummies. BIll Gasiamis (25:07)okay. So it’s it’s medicinal marijuana then. Jeff Manuel (25:09)Yeah. Well it’s all legal in Canada, so BIll Gasiamis (25:11)The the Yeah, it’s legal almost everywhere now. And it sounds like it’s actually very supportive of a lot of people that gummies sin seem to be a good alternative to you know, like the the Yeah. Or and also for some people it seems to be a better solution than the pharmaceutical painkillers. Jeff Manuel (25:25)Smoking it. Yeah, these are I I g I s had to stop taking my pharmaceutical pills altogether. BIll Gasiamis (25:40)Why were they causing Jeff Manuel (25:41)After af after four years I should know what’s happening to my body. I didn’t feel no but it no better after four years of taking the drugs. So I decided no more drugs. I’ll just have a gummy, figure out how I feel. BIll Gasiamis (25:53)Yeah. Jeff Manuel (25:57)Yes, this is working. I like it. BIll Gasiamis (25:59)How often do you have to take it? Jeff Manuel (26:01)Mm. Wait, four four times a day. BIll Gasiamis (26:03)Okay. So you notice when it’s starting to wear off? Jeff Manuel (26:06)Yeah, it’s only when it comes to extremes that it would take another BIll Gasiamis (26:09)And it helps you sleep, I imagine. Jeff Manuel (26:10)It helps the whole body. From your digestion and it has helped me. BIll Gasiamis (26:14)Yeah. Jeff Manuel (26:14)And actually sleep also. Sleeping eight, nine hours a day. BIll Gasiamis (26:17)Wow, that’s great, man. Do you have a lot of contact with your medical team, the people who helped you through the early phases? Do you have regular follow ups or anything like that to check in with them? Future Aspirations and Independence Jeff Manuel (26:28)No, sir. I haven’t once. BIll Gasiamis (26:30)Does does the facility there have medical professionals that you can access? Jeff Manuel (26:33)Yes. Does the doctor assigned to me? That comes every supposed to come up every three or four weeks. BIll Gasiamis (26:41)So what’s one of the things that you hope to do after you graduate from being in assisted care to being in independent living? Jeff Manuel (26:52)It’d probably have to be assist lived against. BIll Gasiamis (26:54)So again. Jeff Manuel (26:55)Assisted living. BIll Gasiamis (26:56)Yeah. My question was when you do kind of graduate from being in the assisted living to being independent in your own place again, what’s something that you’re kind of looking forward to be able to do? Jeff Manuel (27:10)The independence BIll Gasiamis (27:11)Can you have guests come and visit you at the facility that you’re at and hang out with you for the day? Jeff Manuel (27:18)Yeah. And if I want, I can transfer in the vehicle and we can go somewhere else. BIll Gasiamis (27:23)Understood. So Jeff, somehow you came across my podcast. What was it that made you do the search and find it? Jeff Manuel (27:29)Well, as soon as I was when I was in the hospital I started searching up stroke and disability and everything started popping up on my YouTube page and then I seen podcast recovery after stroke, so I started watching it and within the last year seen so many other people going through what you you’re going through. It inspired me. It really did help me. BIll Gasiamis (27:59)And then you thought it was time to tell your story. Jeff Manuel (28:00)Yes. BIll Gasiamis (28:01)Yeah. Good move. I really appreciate you reaching out, letting me know what was happening to you, what you were going through, and also joining me on the podcast. Thank you so much for your time. Finding Community and Sharing Stories Jeff Manuel (28:13)Thank you, Bill. Bill Gasiamis (28:14)Well, thanks so much to Jeff for coming on the show and being so open about what the last four years have actually looked like. The hospital stay, the rehab, the setbacks, and the mindset shifts that came with all of that. If there’s one thing to take from this conversation, it’s Jeff’s line. I’d like myself again because I know I’m a good person. That’s recovery in a sentence. Not just getting your body back, but finding your way back to yourself. If you’re feeling stuck in your own recovery the way Jeff once did, I offer one-on-one coaching for stroke survivors, structure, accountability, and support from someone who’s lived it. You can apply at recoveryafterstroke.com/momentum. If you’re a parent navigating your own recovery or you know someone who is, please share this episode with them. My book, The Unexpected Way That a Stroke Became the Best Thing That Happened. is now available at recoveryafterstroke.com/book. And if this show has helped you, you can support it at patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke. Thanks for listening. I’ll see you in the next episode. The post Jeff Manuel: Raising My Kids Through a Stroke and Learning to Like Myself Again appeared first on Recovery After Stroke.

Parliamentary committee to recommend pause MAID for some people with mental illness, 10 years after legalization TSB tables report on ill-fated Titan submersible. The G7 summit in France wraps, as Prime Minister Mark Carney talks trade, birthdays with US President Donald Trump. Israel, Hezbollah continue skirmishes along Lebanon border. Yearbooks at two Canadian high schools recalled over hateful and antisemitic messages. Cautious optimism in BC after crews get threatening wildfire under control near West Kelowna. Concert ticket prices are up 37 per cent since 2019, according to industry watcher Pollstar.

West Kelowna residents are breathing a sigh of relief after a fast-moving wildfire Tuesday was brought under control. More than a hundred firefighters were on the job. We'll talk to West Kelowna fire Chief Jason Brolund and wildfire ecologist Bob Gray, as we ask what being prepared for a wildfire means to you.

A forest lookout sits alone in a glass tower at 2AM and spots flames crowning two distant pines — a fire only he can see. By dawn there's no smoke, no ash, no scorched earth... and no fire at all. From phantom flames that burn and vanish to the burned Bigfoot pulled from a Nevada blaze and the UFOs caught streaking through wildfire smoke, tonight we wander into the strange and unsettling things that appear when the forests burn.EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources and full transcript): https://weirddarkness.com/ghostflamesREAD or DOWNLOAD the full transcript of this episode: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yjwtx7awFEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: The author of Frankenstein always saw love and death as connected. She visited the cemetery to commune with her dead mother. And with her lover. (Mary Shelley's Obsession With The Cemetery) *** A girl moves into a new apartment and discovers that a haunting doesn't necessarily have to be frightening. (Ghostly Happenings In My Old Apartment) *** The July 1886 murder at the Shawmut Avenue laundry was so shrouded in mystery that even the victim's name was uncertain. (The Wash-House Murder) *** Ghosts, high strangeness, and even Bigfoot – it appears they may all have something in common, and that would be forest fires. (Forest Fires and the Paranormal) *** How do you explain an experienced lookout reporting a blazing forest fire, only for it to disappear less than an hour later – leaving no trace? (Phantom Flames)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding00:03:57.045 = Show Open00:05:40.844 = Phantom Flames00:21:25.265 = Forest Fires and the Paranormal00:35:10.279 = Mary Shelley's Obsession With The Cemetery ***0048:57.368 = Ghostly Happenings In My Old Apartment00:52:28.197 = The Wash-House Murder ***01:01:09.811 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakLISTEN ON PODCAST APPS: Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*SOURCES and RESOURCES:“Phantom Flames” by F.A.Loomis from Idaho Magazine: http://ow.ly/beq730nL94u“Forest Fires and the Paranormal” by Brent Swancer for Mysterious Universe: http://ow.ly/ROYC30nL8n1“Mary Shelley's Obsession With The Cemetery” by Bess Lovejoy for the JSTOR Daily: https://tinyurl.com/y9cgd29w“Ghostly Happenings In My Old Apartment” by Cassie D, posted at MyHauntedLifeToo,com: https://tinyurl.com/ycexszvm
“The Wash-House Murder” by Robert Wilhelm, from the book “Wicked Victorian Boston”: https://amzn.to/2BGJOO0(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.Originally aired: March, 2021Weird Darkness opens a fire-themed descent that runs from a vanished forest blaze in 1976 Idaho through ghosts, Bigfoot, and UFOs born of wildfires, into Mary Shelley's graveyard education, a gentle apartment haunting, and an unsolved 1886 Boston murder.It opens with a U.S. Forest Service lookout stationed atop Pilot Peak in the Payette National Forest near Warren, high above the South Fork of the Salmon River, who woke sleepless at two a.m. in July 1976 and saw a bright orange triangle near a distant crest, then confirmed through binoculars two huge trees crowning out with flame. He calculated an azimuth with his fire-finder, radioed a two- to four-acre fire to the station fifteen air miles away, and watched it recede and vanish completely within forty minutes, leaving no smoke, no flame, and no charred ground at dawn six air miles out. Supervisors dubbed it the Pilot Peak phantom fire and sent smokejumper aircraft and hotshot crews to circle the ridge for nearly a week without finding a trace, until two months later a thousand-acre blaze on Zena Creek burned in roughly the same location he had reported.From there the episode widens into wildfires laced with the paranormal, beginning with the Curve Fire that struck South Mount Hawkins in the San Gabriel Mountains of California's Angeles National Forest on September 1, 2002, traced to a brittle 1935 wooden lookout tower and rumored to follow a cult ritual, after which hikers reported eyeless animals with hardened flesh and tall shadow figures akin to the Dark Watchers. It moves to the Battle Mountain Complex Fire near Battle Mountain, Nevada on August 6, 1999, where a letter forwarded to the Bigfoot Field Research Organization and a later call to investigator Thom Powell described firefighters capturing a burned, roughly seven-and-a-half-foot creature with a strong equine odor and near-human features. It closes with a July 2014 wildfire at West Kelowna near Vancouver, Canada, where a Castanet news video appeared to show an object shooting from a cloud, and a 2017 sighting by Arthur Frenette in New Hampshire's White Mountains, who watched a ball of fire plunge into Kinsman Ridge ahead of an out-of-control blaze.Next the episode turns to Mary Shelley, who in her 1831 introduction to Frankenstein traced her writing to her literary parents, though her mother, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman author Mary Wollstonecraft, died of puerperal fever days after her birth when Dr. Poignand removed the placenta with unwashed hands. Raised partly at her mother's grave in the St. Pancras churchyard, where she read her mother's work and escaped a strained home after father William Godwin remarried, the teenage Mary met Percy Shelley through the household and, at sixteen, declared love and reportedly first had sex among the tombstones. That fusion of reading, death, and forbidden knowledge surfaces in Victor Frankenstein's graveyard study of decay and in Godwin's 1809 Essay on Sepulchres, which framed visiting the illustrious dead as a form of communion the daughter carried into her novel of a creature assembled from corpses.From there the tone softens with a benign haunting recounted by a woman named Cassie, who moved into a larger, better-kept apartment over Christmas 2018 and lived there three months before moving in with her boyfriend. The internet blinked off repeatedly, cell reception failed in parts of the unit, electrical sockets quit working, bulbs burned out fast, and the shower switched itself on while she was away at classes. One night around one a.m. she and her boyfriend both heard the pitter-patter of bare feet in the kitchen, yet she never felt threatened, and when she left she said goodbye to whatever shared the space with her.The episode closes with the Wash-House Murder, the July 1886 killing of a Chinese laundryman found stabbed fourteen times in his Shawmut Avenue laundry in Boston's South End, his braided queue cut off and the five hundred dollars he had saved for a return to China gone. The victim's name was never certain, printed variously as Bin Chong, Ding Chong, and Wong Kong, and the case drew the Boston Police into a Chinatown governed by rival companies named Moy, Ching, Lee, and Sing. Detectives questioned the violent Moy company leader Ah Moy Chong and brought in New York interpreter Warry S. Charles, but the murder was never solved, and Charles himself was convicted of first-degree murder in 1908 after importing hatchet-armed assassins as a tong leader, leaving four dead in Chinatown.

A hose can start a lawsuit—and a precedent can end one. We dive into two fresh BC court decisions that show how civil law balances fairness, timing, and finality. First, we break down a neighbourhood flooding dispute where homeowners sought to amend their notice of civil claim to add trespass by water and psychological injury tied to both the intrusion and an insurance denial. We explain why “trespass by water” is a real, narrow pathway—requiring a direct projection of water—and how it differs from nuisance or negligence. We also unpack the duty of good faith in insurance, when mental distress damages become possible, and how judges weigh late amendments against limitation periods, prejudice, and trial readiness.Then we shift to a West Kelowna resort where restrictive covenants forced unit owners into a single rental pool. Years after the Court of Appeal found those covenants unenforceable for uncertainty, a new group of owners sought the same relief—only to face “new” evidence and a different ruling in chambers. The Court of Appeal stepped in, calling that relitigation an abuse of process and reaffirming stare decisis. We outline why finality matters, how judicial economy protects everyone, and what this win means for owners who want the freedom to rent privately or choose different management.If you care about property rights, insurance law, and the nuts and bolts of civil procedure, this one offers practical takeaways: plead early and clearly, disclose injuries promptly, and do not expect a second bite at a settled apple. Subscribe, share with a friend who loves legal insight, and leave us a quick review to tell us where you stand on late amendments and legal do-overs.Follow this link for a transcript of the show and links to the cases discussed.

On this week's podcast, we are on location at Mission Hill Family Estate in West Kelowna, just in time for the annual holiday celebrations. Over more than forty years of operation, Mission Hill has continued to evolve by adopting sustainable farming practices, creating exceptional tasting and culinary experiences at the estate, and making a significant contribution to the Okanagan's reputation on the world stage. We are joined by Chief Winemaker Taylor Whelan, who discusses Holidays on the Hill and the winery's recent accolade as the 2025 Wine Align National Wine Awards Canadian Winery of the Year. Senior Estate Manager Charlie Drummond will talk about the Boutique at Mission Hill and the Festival of Trees, featuring beautifully decorated trees displayed throughout the winery, where guests can admire the festive designs and vote for their favourite tree through January 4. Chef de Cuisine Heather Brumwell shares insights on culinary classes, holiday dining, and winter at the estate. Additionally, Guest & VIP Experience Manager Bram Bolwijn discusses the winery's Iconic Experiences.

My guest this episode is Judith Hutchinson Lepore, a Canadian writer from British Columbia whose work spans fantasy, historical fiction, and memoir. Her latest book, Finding the Phoenix, tells how she and her family escaped a devastating wildfire that destroyed much of their community. What began as personal loss became a story of renewal and connection. Find more author advice, tips, and tools at our Self-publishing Author Advice Center, with a huge archive of 2,000+ blog posts, and a handy search box to find key info on the topic you need. We invite you to join our organization and become a self-publishing ally. About the Host Howard Lovy has been a journalist for 40 years and now amplifies the voices of independent author-publishers and works with authors as a developmental editor. Find Howard at howardlovy.com, LinkedIn, and X. About the Guest Judith Hutchinson Lepore is the author of the acclaimed epic fantasy trilogy The Magic of Miraven, which has sold in eight countries. A longtime freelance writer and editor in film, radio, and television, she also worked as a personal trainer and health columnist while raising two children. In 2022, she and her husband moved to West Kelowna, British Columbia. The following year, they survived the region's worst wildfire on record—an experience she recounts in her memoir Finding the Phoenix.

On this week's show, we are on location at Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery, tucked into the slopes above Okanagan Lake, offering an upscale yet welcoming wine-tasting experience in West Kelowna. Our guests include Jesse Harnden, GM at Mt. Boucherie, as well as winemaker Jeff Hundertmark, who discusses the wine program and the overall experience you get as a visitor. Also joining us will be Joe Luckhurst, owner and distiller of Luckhurst Farm & Distillery in Kelowna, who stops by with some unique spirits. Grant Stanley is the winemaker and general manager of Spearhead Winery. Stanley will share the latest updates on his Pinot Noir and Chardonnay releases. We wrap up the show with a visit from Allison Moyes, winemaker and general manager of Solvera Wines in Summerland.

Jason Parkes & Robbie Hundertmark – 12 wines from Jason Parkes Customs/The Hatch (West Kelowna)   THE STORY   We welcome back – a dynamic duo. Jason Parkes is the founder of The Hatch in West Kelowna. Labels include The Hatch, Black Swift Vineyards, Crown and Thieves. Each of those labels has a rapidly growing list...

Today's guest on the Pagcast is West Kelowna Warriors F Cal Hughes! At the time of this recording, the eligibility rules for the NCAA/CHL had not changed. Some topics discussed during the interview include: -Choosing to go the BCHL route -The decision to commit to Boston University -What should fans know about his game AND MUCH MORE!!! FOLLOW CAL HUGHES https://www.instagram.com/_calhughes/ https://x.com/cal_hughes9 FOLLOW PAGCAST https://www.instagram.com/pagcast/ https://x.com/pagcast Gambling problem? Call one eight hundred Gambler or in West Virginia visit W W W dot one eight hundred gambler dot net. In New York, call eight seven seven eight HOPENY or text HOPENY (four six seven three six nine). In Connecticut, Help is available for problem gambling call eight eight eight seven eight nine seven seven seven or visit ccpg.org. Please play responsibly. On behalf of Boot Hill Casino & Resort (KS). Twenty-one plus age varies by jurisdiction. Bonus bets expire one hundred sixty eight hours after issuance. Deposit and eligibility restrictions apply. See terms and responsible gaming resources at D K N G dot C O slash base. Music: www.bensound.com Please share the podcast with your friends and family!

Jason Parkes & Robbie Hundertmark – 12 Spring wines from Jason Parkes Customs/The Hatch (West Kelowna)   THE STORY   We welcome back – a dynamic duo. Jason Parkes is the founder of The Hatch in West Kelowna.  Labels include The Hatch, Black Swift Vineyards, Crown and Thieves. Each of those labels has a rapidly growing...

This week, we're on location at the 46th Annual Vancouver International Wine Festival at the Vancouver Convention Centre. We'll talk with many international wine personalities, including John Kane, Head of Winemaking at the hyper organic Bonterra Organic Estates. Then we head to the Naramata Bench to chat with winemaker Ross Baker for an update on the La Frenz Winery wines. Some 40 minutes north by car we stop in West Kelowna, to speak with Kailee Frasch, winemaker at Quails' Gate Winery and discuss her new lineup of Field and Flight wines bottled to fill the gap caused by recent shortages in the vineyard. Then it's off to California for a visit with Shaune Zeleny, VP, International Sales, J. Lohr Vineyards & Winery, and a Paso Robles wine country discussion. The wines we spoke to on the show this week from Bonterra Organic Estates and J. Lohr Vineyards are available at select Private Liquor stores across the Province including Everything Wine, Marquis Wine Cellars and Vessel Liquor in Victoria. The wines of Quails' Gate Winery are available at BC Liquor stores and other select retailers across BC. La Frenz wines are available at the winery and select wine stores across the Province, including Everything Wine and Marquis Wine Cellars in Vancouver.

We started this podcast well over 300 episodes ago. When we started the title was Mulligan Stew Podcast (Music. Film. Food. Wine) Over the months the Pod became more music and film than anything else. Just the way the road leads us. Tasting Room Radio has worked its way back into the mix because of critical dynamics taking place. Cold damaged vineyards,  An agreement between BC Wine Growers and the BC Government to allow the 2024 wines to be grown and harvested in Washinton, Oregon and California. BC wine battles with political neighbours in Alberta, Tariffs from the USA and more.   All of these subjects were discussed over and over again by the wine trade and fans in attendance.   Tasting Room Radio set up the same home base they always have. Up to 6 chairs in a circle on the convention centre floor ..leaving room for the invited and the walk-ins.   We couldn't fit everyone in, so we decided to build the show around the most interesting storylines and storytellers.   With apologies to those we couldn't fit in, the podcast guests are     Co-Hosts - Jenna Brisco, Maude Renaud-Brisson & Kelcie Jones. Educators and Somms at This is Wine School.   Richard Kanazawa - winemaker at Bench 1775 (Naramata) Tracey Horneman - winemaker at Blue Grouse (Cowichan) Kailee Frasch - Winemaker Quails Gate  (West Kelowna)   Harry Hertscheg - Executive Director Van Wine Fest Evan Goldstein - Master Sommelier (SF) Tony Holler - Owner Poplar Grove (Naramata)   Wine School Team  Taylor Butterfield - White Wine  Winemaker  Chateau Ste. Michelle (Washington)

B.C. Premier David Eby suggests a ban on importing alcohol from the U.S. would send a message, but the proposal has spurred mixed reaction from leaders in B.C.'s food and alcohol sector. Tony Holler, the owner of Poplar Grove Winery, joins the show to discuss what this means for the local liquor sector. We ask viewers whether or not they are going to avoid buying U.S. liquor products.The William R. Bennett Bridge connecting Kelowna and West Kelowna was closed due to a police incident. RCMP say they responded to a person in crisis. CBC's Brady Strachan breaks down what is known so far. With the maintenance costs that come with home ownership, would renting be a better financial option for British Columbians? Jessica Moorhouse, host of the More Money podcast, joins the show to discuss the pros and cons of renting a home versus buying.

Plus: Geoffrey Hinton – “The Godfather of AI” – on his Nobel win and the irony of being celebrated for a creation he warns could destroy the world.Also: A lawyer representing First Nations tells us clean water should be considered a fundamental right in Canada, not a luxury; and two massive pumpkins, one giant mystery in West Kelowna, BC.

Saved for a purpose FDBC SEP 22 2024 AM Saved For A Purpose, Sunday AM (Faith's Door Baptist Church in West Kelowna, BC)

Join us on this episode of Property Profits Podcast as Bryce Kaminsky chats with the incredible Julie Anna Hoffman! Julie Anna, a savvy real estate investor from West Kelowna, shares her inspiring journey of building a multi-million dollar real estate portfolio, not just once, but twice. Despite facing tough times like bankruptcy, Julie Anna bounced back, showing us all the power of resilience and smart investing. From buying her first properties while expecting her first child to navigating through the ups and downs of the market, Julie Anna's story is packed with valuable lessons and insights. Whether you're new to real estate or looking to grow your portfolio, you'll find plenty of inspiration and practical advice in this conversation. Don't miss out on Julie Anna's remarkable story of success, recovery, and the street-smart strategies that made it all possible. ================================== Want to grow your real estate investing business and portfolio?  You're in the right place. Welcome to the Property Profits Real Estate Podcast

"Es war wie 100 Jahre Feuerwehrarbeit in einer Nacht" - erinnert sich Jason Brolund, Feuerwehrchef in West Kelowna in der kanadischen Provinz British Columbia. Mitte August 2023 waren er und seine Kollegen vom McDougall Creek Fire überrascht worden. Der Wind hatte kurzfristig gedreht und die Flammen in Richtung Stadt gepeitscht. Fast 300 Häuser wurden von den gierigen Flammen zerstört. Im Herbst hat die kanadische Regierung eine Task Force eingesetzt, um Lehren und Konsequenzen zu ziehen. Die Folgen des Klimawandels mit verstärkter Hitze und Dürre sind Faktoren; aber auch das Management der Wälder sowie eine vorbereitete Bevölkerung. Die Waldbrandsaison 2023 war flächenmäßig die größte in der Geschichte Kanadas. ARD-Korrespondentin Charlotte Voß berichtet aus Kanada.

We begin with an update from CBC reporter Brady Strachan on West Kelowna evacuees one year after the MacDougall Creek wildfire forced them from their homes. Then, we discuss how to deal with congestion as the province focuses on higher density with guest Denis Agar, executive director of Movement, transportation advocacy group. Finally, our gardening expert Brian Minter answers your gardening questions.

After a twelve-month set of climate records driven by global warming it is time to take stock of how we're impacting the planet as a species. Coral biologist Kate Quigley, of the Minderoo Foundation and James Cook University, dives into the 8th mass bleaching event at the Great Barrier Reef. We explore how deadly heat stress continues to threaten this underwater paradise and induce mass sickness in the corals that call it home. Heading onto land we reunite with Mike Flannigan, Professor of Fire Science at Thompson Rivers University, after a record-breaking Canadian forest fire season in 2023 we ask if conditions are set for a repeat. And what about the human cost of these climbing temperatures? In the future 800 million outdoor workers in the tropics may be exposed to intolerable heat stress. However, Yuta Masuda, director of science at the Paul G Allen Family Foundation, advises that options for individual action may be limited for workers to protect themselves. One of the driving forces behind a record year of global warming is the now waning El Niño system. With its counterpart, La Niña, due to pick up in 2024, we ask NOAA oceanographer Mike McPhaden what to expect from this transition and if we are headed for a turbulent hurricane season. Presenter/producer: Roland Pease Researcher: Katie Tomsett Production co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth (Photo: The McDougall Creek wildfire burns in the hills West Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, on 17 August, 2023. Credit: Darren Hull/ AFP)

I Love Kelowna episode 243. A deep dive into the world of chiropractic care with Dr. Graham Jenkins of Lighthouse Chiropractic. Chiropractic treatments go way beyond just addressing back pain. Experts like Dr. Jenkins have successfully treated conditions like colic in infants, thyroid issues, and much more. Dr. Jenkins shares his journey from Ontario to Kelowna, insights into the evolution of chiropractic care, and his experience with the recent West Kelowna wildfires.Join us for an enlightening conversation on the holistic benefits of chiropractic treatments and our personal stories from Kelowna.Featured Guest: Dr. Graham JenkinsFor more insights on chiropractic care and wellness, visit Dr. Graham Jenkins' YouTube channel: @LighthouseKelowna I Love Kelowna Podcast is a series of conversations about the people and businesses in Kelowna and the Central OkanaganAbout the HostLuke Menkes is a licensed real estate agent in British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. Your real estate journey starts here.Real Estate InquiriesLet's have a conversation about real estate. No obligation. I'm here to answer your questions.Fair Realty (Kelowna)210-347 Leon AvenueKelowna BC V1Y 8C7Luke Menkes   |   REALTOR®Your Trusted Advisor for Kelowna and Central Okanagan Real Estate Support the showNOMINATE YOURSELF, ANOTHER PERSON OR A BUSINESS TO APPEAR ON THE I LOVE KELOWNA PODCAST

Au Canada, la résilience des habitants meurtris par les feux de forêtLe Canada a subi en 2023 la pire saison des feux de son histoire, avec 18,4 millions d'hectares brûlés. Dans l'ouest du pays, dans la ville de West-Kelowna située au bord du lac Okanagan, les habitants ont été particulièrement touchés. Des centaines de bâtiments ont été détruits ou endommagés dans la vallée. Après une telle catastrophe, vouée à se reproduire, les habitants tentent de panser leurs blessures et de trouver des solutions.Un Grand reportage de Léopold Picot qui s'entretient avec Patrick Adam.  La forêt québécoise après les grands incendies de cet été« Ici dans le rang 8, on a vraiment eu peur. J'étais très inquiète car j'avais peur pour la sécurité de mes pompiers… On a réussi à sortir notre camion. Il était temps qu'ils sortent de là. ». Doris Drolet, la chef pompier du village de Normetal cerné par les flammes en juin 2023, n'est pas près d'oublier son combat contre cet incendie qui a duré plusieurs semaines... Jamais en 100 ans, la forêt aménagée du Québec n'avait subi un pareil désastre. Le manque d'humidité dû à des températures élevées au printemps, conjugué à la foudre ont provoqué d'énormes incendies... Depuis, c'est la course contre la montre pour aller couper le bois brûlé avant que les insectes ne le ravagent. Et les chercheurs tentent de comprendre ce qui va pouvoir repousser désormais.Un Grand reportage de Pascale Guéricolas qui s'entretient avec Patrick Adam.

Le Canada a subi en 2023 la pire saison des feux de son histoire, avec 18,4 millions d'hectares brûlés. Dans l'ouest du pays, dans la ville de West-Kelowna située au bord du lac Okanagan, les habitants ont été particulièrement touchés. Des centaines de bâtiments ont été détruits ou endommagés dans la vallée. Après une telle catastrophe, vouée à se reproduire, les habitants tentent de panser leurs blessures et de trouver des solutions. De notre correspondant à West-Kelowna,À quatre heures de route depuis Vancouver, voici West-Kelowna, dans la région de l'Okanagan. Des arbres brûlés, piliers noirs et sinistres, accueillent le visiteur. Juste à l'entrée de la ville, des murs sans toit se dressent, des habitations détruites, des carcasses fondues. Un terrain attire l'œil, complètement rasé, comme s'il n'avait jamais été construit. C'est ici que Tiffany Genge, une mère au foyer de 41 ans, avait sa maison, avec son mari et ses deux enfants.Trois mois après l'incendie, relogée à une dizaine de minutes en voiture, Tiffany panse encore ses blessures. Dans son immense salon, elle raconte : « J'ai attendu le dernier moment quand ils nous ont dit " vous devez partir maintenant ". J'ai dit aux enfants : "OK, on y va. Retournez dans vos chambres, choisissez un jouet dont vous ne pouvez absolument pas vous passer ". »Moins d'une heure après leur départ de la maison, le système de sécurité relié à son smartphone lui indique que la maison surchauffe, puis perd la connexion. « C'est à ce moment-là que j'ai réalisé que la maison avait disparu », se souvient Tiffany.Aujourd'hui, plus que ses affaires, ce sont les souvenirs qui lui manquent. Relogée dans une grande maison, un ancien Airbnb réquisitionné par la ville, elle s'y sent comme étrangère : « C'est ce sentiment de se sentir chez moi qui me manque. En tant que mère, c'est comme un nid, n'est-ce pas ? Et donc j'y pense parfois… Ceci est une maison temporaire, et nous l'avons rendue aussi confortable et accueillante que possible, mais c'est là-bas que mes enfants ont appris à ramper, c'est là-bas qu'ils ont appris à marcher, qu'ils ont dit leur premier mot ». Les souvenirs qui apparaissent sur Facebook et sur son téléphone la prennent régulièrement aux tripes et lui rappellent ce qu'elle a perdu, confie-t-elle.Quelques jours seulement après le drame d'août 2023, l'assurance a pris le relais. Tiffany peut désormais penser à l'après : pas question de quitter sa région, renommée « Smokanagan », un jeu de mot entre l'Okanagan et « smoke », « fumée » en anglais. Ils ont été parmi les premiers à obtenir le permis de démolir la maison en ruines, et l'autorisation de commencer les travaux au printemps 2024. « C'est la partie la plus excitante de tout cela. Le fait de ne plus voir tout en noir, c'est excitant pour moi et pour les enfants parce qu'ils se disent : « Oh, on va avoir de nouveaux trucs !!! », s'esclaffe Tiffany.Une saison exceptionnelleWest-Kelowna est habituée aux feux de forêts. Mais celui du mois d'août a bien failli emporter toute la municipalité, et la ville située en face, Kelowna. Pour la première fois, les flammes ont traversé le lac Okanagan, et ravagé plus de 200 habitations sur les deux rives.Depuis l'école de Mount Boucherie, Paige, 15 ans, piercing au nez, sourire aux lèvres, voyait même encore les fumerolles en allant en cours début septembre : « On en parlait plus à la rentrée, on se disait quelle maison avait brûlé, ou pas. Mais les incendies sont devenus une chose tellement normale à West-Kelowna, que nous n'en avons plus vraiment reparlé ».La plupart des amis de Paige ont été évacués cet été, quand les flammes sont arrivées. « Nous prenions des nouvelles les uns des autres tous les jours (...) et j'essayais de les soutenir avec des phrases un peu banales, comme (...) "ce ne sont que des objets, au moins on a perdu personne, n'est-ce pas ?" », raconte Paige.La jeune fille admet que la crise climatique la préoccupe beaucoup encore plus depuis que les phénomènes météorologiques locaux changent : moins de neige l'hiver en Okanagan, et des incendies tous les étés.Toute la région de l'Okanagan a subi de plein fouet cette saison estivale catastrophique : de la fumée, partout, tout le temps. Les flammes qui se rapprochent des maisons, qui réveillent pendant la nuit et qui paralysent le cours normal des choses. Assise dans un café à quelques kilomètres de West-Kelowna, Mélanie confie avoir perdu beaucoup d'argent cet été :  «Je suis peintre en bâtiment et j'avais des travaux à l'extérieur que je fais normalement en été : ils ont tous été annulés. Personne n'était intéressé, et je ne leur en veux pas. Moi-même, ça ne m'intéressait pas d'être à l'extérieur, c'était déjà assez difficile de respirer pour se déplacer et faire ses tâches quotidiennes. »La travailleuse estime avoir perdu 15 000 dollars de bénéfices, le temps de la saison des feux. Mélanie est loin d'être un cas isolé : de nombreux secteurs subissent les conséquences des feux, dont le tourisme, évidemment.Le tourisme frappé de plein fouetAu centre d'accueil des visiteurs de West-Kelowna, désert, il y a un musée consacré à la foresterie, un thème au cœur de l'identité de la ville. Pour le secteur touristique, les pertes économiques sont énormes. Jeremiah Rider est le directeur de l'Office de tourisme de West-Kelowna : « Nous avons constaté une baisse de fréquentation de 90 % ici. Dans l'Okanagan, nous en sommes au point où nous sommes presque excités lorsqu'il n'y a pas d'incendie. »Le professionnel du tourisme rappelle que les feux ne touchent pas que le tourisme : ils pèsent aussisur le marché du logement, déjà très tendu dans l'Okanagan, en réduisant le nombre de maisons disponibles.  Pour se donner du courage, Jeremiah pense à la communauté de West-Kelowna… Cet été, elle a fait preuve de résilience et de solidarité. Le directeur du musée montre fièrement une immense caisse en bois, posée devant l'accueil visiteurs et remplie de boîtes de conserves, de pâtes, et autres aliments essentiels. « C'est une boîte à dons pour la Banque alimentaire. Nous avons récolté près de 1 300 dollars en dons en espèces, sans compter la nourriture. »Une radio locale a même récolté près de 15 000 dollars de dons pour la Banque alimentaire et différentes collectes de fonds étaient en cours début novembre 2023. « Les gens se mobilisent pour aider les personnes touchées, et pour récompenser les pompiers, car c'est un travail énorme qu'ils ont eu, en particulier, le chef des pompiers Brolund, et le travail qu'il a dû faire pour maintenir la communauté en vie, pour que tout le monde reste positif et que tout le monde soit en sécurité », ajoute Jeremiah, admiratif.Des pompiers déterminésLa caserne des pompiers de Jason Brolund surplombe, sur une colline, la ville de West-Kelowna. Le chef des pompiers se dirige vers le garage immense et les camions rutilants, mais s'arrête en chemin, téléphone à la main pour montrer une image d'un immense panache de fumée : « Cette photo a été prise d'ici. C'est le jour où l'incendie a éclaté. C'était le 16 août. Aujourd'hui, c'est évidemment très différent, car nous sommes passés soudainement à l'automne ici. »Jason Brolund a été sur tous les fronts, coordonnant les centaines d'hommes mobilisés sur le terrain, dormant peu, craquant même parfois en direct à la télévision, en larmes. Tout l'été, sa caserne des pompiers est devenue sa deuxième maison. « Pour moi et la centaine de pompiers de mon département, nous continuions à venir tous les jours parce que c'est notre communauté. Nous vivons ici. Nos familles vivent ici. Nos parents vivent ici. Nous sommes allés à l'école ici. Nos professeurs habitent au coin de la rue… Nous voulons protéger cette communauté et lui montrer que nous sommes là pour elle. C'est ce qui nous a permis de rester motivés. »En septembre 2023, Jason Brolund a été invité à l'ONU par le Premier ministre du Canada, Justin Trudeau, pour parler de son expérience de terrain. Résoudre le dérèglement climatique, ce n'est pas de son ressort. Lui parle de ce qu'il voit dans sa région natale : plus de feux, plus forts, plus difficiles à gérer avec des étés plus arides. Et il y a des leçons à tirer de cette saison. « Si la première ligne de défense est laissée aux pompiers, il est bien trop tard. Nous ne pouvons pas mettre en place des services d'incendies suffisamment importants pour arriver à arrêter des feux de cette taille, avant qu'ils ne brûlent des maisons. Il faut investir en amont, comme avec FireSmart par exemple », assène le chef des pompiers.Apprendre les bons gestesPour atténuer ces feux de forêt, il y a une première solution : sensibiliser la population. L'initiative dont parle Jason Brolund, « FireSmart » ou Intelli-Feu en québécois, est un programme gouvernemental pour nettoyer les jardins et réduire le risque qu'ils s'enflamment.Direction le nord de West-Kelowna, à une centaine de kilomètres, où le même feu a dévasté plusieurs zones urbaines. Évacué cet été, un café posé au bord de la route, en bordure de forêt, se remet tout juste du désastre. Dan Stevens, un géant au grand sourire et à la verve passionnée, est déjà en train de commander sa boisson chaude. Il coordonne la sensibilisation pour FireSmart en Colombie-Britannique, et travaille aussi pour la Société des Services d'Urgences pour les Premières Nations de Colombie-Britannique.Dan Stevens était à Kelowna au moment où l'incendie a commencé à se propager. Il est donc rentré chez lui pour appliquer les principes de prévention des incendies de FireSmart à sa propre maison : « J'ai enlevé une partie de la végétation autour de ma maison, créé une zone intermédiaire autour de mon bâtiment, afin qu'il n'y ait pas de végétation inflammable. J'ai éloigné certains de mes meubles de jardin de la maison et de ma terrasse, juste au cas où des braises ou des tisons arriveraient. Car le vent peut souffler des tisons jusqu'à deux kilomètres aux alentours et cela peut déclencher des incendies lorsqu'ils se déposent sur des combustibles extérieurs ».Impossible de connaître le nombre de personnes qui utilisent le programme FireSmart, lancé par le gouvernement, il y a plus de 30 ans. Mais pour Dan, il est vital que ses principes soient connus et appliqués par tous. « Nous essayons d'atteindre toutes les communautés parce que 'l'enjeu n'est pas de savoir si le feu de forêt va arriver, mais quand il va arriver, et nous devons être préparés pour cela », rappelle-t-il, un regard inquiet par la fenêtre.Adapter les forêts mitoyennesLa deuxième solution, complémentaire de FireSmart, est de mieux entretenir les forêts, car de nombreux terrains forestiers appartiennent à des entreprises privées, situés parfois à quelques mètres seulement des habitations.Si ces parcelles ne sont pas entretenues, que du combustible est disponible au sol, elles risquent de s'enflammer encore plus vite. Coulter Roberts fait partie d'une entreprise de gestion forestière, Ntytix, qui s'inspire des anciennes pratiques des peuples autochtones du pays pour réduire l'intensité des feux aux abords des maisons.Casquette de son entreprise vissée sur la tête, le jeune homme a donné rendez-vous dans une forêt traitée par Ntytix et située sur les hauteurs de Kelowna… Elle a brûlé en 2021, sans atteindre les maisons. « L'objectif d'un projet comme celui-ci est de réduire les combustibles au sol qui vont porter le feu jusqu'à la couronne des arbres et provoquer un incendie plus intense », explique Robert Coulter en déambulant dans la forêt, le nez en l'air.Dans les bois proches des maisons, un grand nombre de branches d'arbres ont été élaguées jusqu'à trois mètres de hauteur. Les combustibles au sol ont été empilés et brûlés, un projet réalisé à la main par des équipes, avec des tronçonneuses et des scies d'élagage.Un projet comme celui de Ntytix coûte 8 000 dollars, pour 45 hectares de forêt traités, sans compter le coût en main-d'œuvre, qui rend impossible le traitement de toutes les forêts du Canada. « Il n'est pas réaliste d'arrêter tous les feux avec l'un de ces traitements. Ce n'est pas le but du projet. Il s'agit surtout de réduire l'intensité d'un incendie s'il se produit », rappelle Robert Coulter.Après une saison catastrophique, West-Kelowna se relève doucement de son traumatisme et cherche des solutions. Car les mois sont comptés : des feux brûlent encore sous la neige, et dès mars 2024, ils ressortiront, d'un bout à l'autre du Canada. L'arrivée du phénomène El Niño, annoncée par les scientifiques, pourrait aggraver la prochaine saison.

On today's episode of the Soul Connection Duo Podcast, we host Pam Rader! Pam is the founder of Shift Labs, Shift Power Yoga, and Author of best-selling memoir, "Through The Cracks: A Raw and Gripping Tale of Abuse, Addiction and Rising Above a Legacy of Shame". She is a Life Coach and Leadership Development Facilitator who believes in a heart-led approach to transformation. Pam shares her story and struggles openly with us during this episode. She explains that her story is not "special", which is exactly why she chose to write her memoir, with the hope that others could resonate and heal by knowing they too are not alone in their struggles. We talk about Pam's son while she shares a different perspective on grief with us and our listeners. We learn first-hand from Pam about the intense reality and some of the challenges that grief may bring for families when they love an addict. Pam also distinguishes between grief and mourning, explains the power of prayer, and reminds us of the importance of showing up for others throughout their grief and healing journeys. Furthermore, she shares some helpful ways that we all can show up and support the people in our lives. Pam offers 1:1 coaching and Leadership Development and Corporate Coaching courses which can be found on her website - www.pamrader.com. She also offers in-person Yoga classes at Shift Power Yoga studio in West Kelowna, BC. Pam is best-selling author of her memoir, “Through The Cracks: A Raw and Gripping Tale of Abuse, Addiction and Rising Above a Legacy of Shame" which is available for purchase on Amazon. Pam shares more information on her social media accounts @pamrader (⁠Instagram, Facebook & Twitter). “Struggle is the thing that propels us into seeking the depths of our souls.” ~Pam Rader To support us, please rate, review, subscribe and share! And find us on Instagram & Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠@thesoulconnectionduo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

West Kelowna return, Saskatchewan pronouns teacher, Margaret Betts obituary, Slavery Rapporteur in Canada, Women's hockey free agents, Rio Grande barge, Canada vs. Serbia and more

British Columbia extends its wildfire state of emergency. Guest: Ted Farr. News director, AM 1150, Kelowna and resident of West Kelowna (was ordered to evacuate because of the Douglas Creek fire). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey you wild women!  If you've been keeping up with the latest news in British Columbia, you may already know that the wildfires around the Kelowna area have led many to be displaced. Some have been evacuated from their homes, while others have lost theirs entirely. In any case, living through a disaster like this teaches you a lot, including how you can prioritize yourself in tough times. Getting to safety is always first and foremost, especially in situations where your survival is threatened. Next, you want to validate your loved ones, check in with your community, and manage your mental health. Even in difficult times, trust your intuition. It will show you exactly what you need to do. In this episode, you will learn about: When prioritizing yourself really matters. What happens when your body is just in survival mode. What happened in West Kelowna and why so many people were evacuated. Validating when our loved ones feel threatened and unsafe. The importance of prioritizing your community. Why evacuations are mandatory by law depending on the location of a fire. Understanding what you need in difficult times and being able to ask for help. Setting expectations with clients and why your mental health is more important. A tip for grounding yourself which can help during tough circumstances. Why holding space for others in their difficult times is so important. Why trusting your intuition matters even in difficult times. What living through tough circumstances might look like. Simple ways to put yourself first and recognize what really matters. How to help with the wildfires in BC if you feel called to do so. Mentions: www.wewildwomen.com/vip-day ______________ Got a minute? I would love a review! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap, and give me five stars. Then select "Write a Review." Make sure to highlight your favorite bits. Subscribe here. ______________ Connect with Renée: @renee_warren @we.wild.women www.wewildwomen.com

189 zerstörte Häuser in der Region um West Kelowna. Das ist die traurige Bilanz, nachdem das Feuer hier weitergezogen ist. Immerhin kamen dabei keine Menschen ums Leben. Jetzt geht es in der Gemeinde in British Columbia ans Wiederaufbauen.

Bumped into Russell Broom at EFMF. We talked Art Bergmann and his next album. What brings you here? Says I Playing with Jill Barber. Says Russ And that's how Jill and I ended up sharing a freshly poured Big Rock and a wonderful interview in the green room. Jill covers thoughts and emotions on her home and Homemaker, her latest album. The complete interview – over a cold beer – starts this two-part Mulligan Stew Podcast. Part 2 is an hour special with winemakers and locals on the fires that raged through the hills of West Kelowna. It ends with a message that they're “open for business”. Farming is tough enough. To have roads closed during the high tourist season is hard to survive. How can we help? If you're buying wine soon please buy BC from your favorite winery. It all helps. Speaking of the recent wine country fires, the  interviews we did with locals and winemaking friends  for Tasting Room Radio will be Part Two  of this weeks Mulligan Stew Podcast  Buy Local.  Thank You         ReplyForward

Dan Burritt is our host today. Better news for thousands of people forced from their homes by wildfires in B.C. as evacuation orders are lifting in West Kelowna, Kelowna, and Lake Country. Cooler weather is helping, but thousands of people in the Shuswap area still cannot go home. We get the latest details as of noon PDT on Friday, and bring you the latest from the Prime Minister's visit to wildfire zones. Plus, what is the impact of wildfires on pets and animals? We get expert advice from a veterinarian.

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey engages in our monthly economic discussion with ConstructConnect chief economist Alex Carrick and senior economist Michael Guckes to discuss interest rates and their effect on the construction economy along with the conditions we'll need to meet to move towards an economy based on renewable energy. As interest rates continue to climb both economists warn increased capital costs will keep construction projects from going forward, and Michael pointed out the U.S. government has taken on so much debt since the Great Recession and the pandemic that there's very little wiggle room for the government to correct course.  We also have the latest headlines from the Daily Commercial News and the Journal of Commerce, including the RCMP looking into a potential investigation related to the Progressive Conservative government to Ontario's removal of some areas of protected Greenbelt lands for housing development. Doug Ford's government also ran into controversy recently with the overhaul of Ontario Place and Therme Canada has released an updated design for the West Island of Ontario Place which includes four more acres of public parkland and natural spaces alongside the waterpark and other attractions that are planned. From the west, The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce is urging B.C. Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Rob Fleming to consider building a second bridge over Okanagan Lake because of anticipated population growth in the region and we have ongoing news coverage from the B.C. Interior as wildfires continue to batter the region. You can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music's podcast section. Our previous episode's interview with Canada's Building Trades Unions executive director Sean Strickland about Canadian immigration policy is here. Thanks for listening. DCN-JOC News Services RCMP evaluating Greenbelt info for potential probe after referral from OPP Therme Canada updates design for Ontario Place Kelowna chamber urges second Okanagan Lake bridge before it's too late West Kelowna water treatment plant saved from wildfire damage Yellowknife mayor says it's too unsafe for residents to return to the capital city Children flee in time as B.C. wildfire destroys summer camp on Okanagan Lake

On this episode of the Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Canada's Building Trades Unions executive director Sean Strickland about Canadian immigration policy and how it affects the construction industry. Strickland detailed how while the Canadian immigration system leans in on bringing highly educated individuals into the country, the focused has largely been on those with extensive post-secondary credentials and not skilled trades and other necessary workers, other than through temporary foreign worker programs. He also advocated for letting unions co-sponsor new immigrants in order to get them into apprenticeship programs and boost the number of skilled tradespeople available to address labour shortages and a need for more affordable housing. News editor Lindsey Cole also joined Warren for the Wednesday news segment, including a discussion of the significant wildfire activity in British Columbia, including the good news that a West Kelowna water treatment plant escaped damage despite intense fires nearby. Unfortunately, as of publication of the podcast over 60 buildings have been wiped out due to wildfires. She also pointed to a story about the John Hart Dam seismic upgrade project, which will be able to withstand a 1 in 10,000 year earthquake event. In the east Lindsey highlighted Ontario premier Doug Ford's extension of strong mayor powers to 21 municipalities along with announcing $1.2 billion in incentives for cities and towns to hit housing targets, as well as a recent story about how Toronto planning and housing committee chair Gord Perks is backing up new mayor Olivia Chow's housing initiatives. You can listen to The Construction Record on the Daily Commercial News and Journal of Commerce websites as well as on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music's podcast section. Our previous episode's interview with Gensler senior associate Duanne Render about the challenges and opportunities of converting office and commercial building stock into residential units is here. Thanks for listening. DCN-JOC News Services Ontario adding more 'strong mayors,' creating $1.2B in housing incentive fund New Toronto planning chair Perks has Chow's back Survey: Sponsorship, not mentorship, the answer to advancing women in construction West Kelowna water treatment plant saved from wildfire damage Almost 60 buildings lost to wildfire in Kelowna, B.C., area, fire chiefs say John Hart Dam seismic upgrades: A massive earthworks undertaking     The Construction Record Podcast – Episode 293: U.S. immigration and construction with AEM's Kip Eideberg

As wildfires rage on across the country, more than 50,000 people have been forced out of their homes in Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories and West Kelowna in British Columbia within the past week. And each one of those people have had to make life-changing decisions: Should you leave your home? What do you take with you? What might you never see again?Today, we hear those stories from Canadians on the move from fire-afflicted communities, told to the Globe's reporters, including Alanna Smith, Mark Rendell and Mike Hager.Questions? Comments? Ideas? E-mail us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

West Kelowna fire, Northwest Territories Meta news ban, Traffic referee, Montreal housing report, California storm and more

Unpredictable and unrelenting wildfires have destroyed blocks of homes, stores and buildings in West Kelowna and part of the Shuswap region in British Columbia. The province is currently under a state of emergency. 30,000 people are on evacuation order across B.C. and 36,000 more are under evacuation alert. This is happening against the backdrop of the country's worst wildfire season on record, with ongoing evacuation efforts in the Northwest Territories, as fire approaches Yellowknife. Today, we head to Fort Providence in the Northwest Territories and Kelowna, B.C., to hear about the human cost of these unprecedented wildfires. For transcripts of this series, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts

Hàng ngàn cư dân Canada đang sơ tán khỏi nhà của họ, khi đất nước này đang phải đối mặt với mùa cháy rừng tồi tệ nhất được ghi nhận. Tình trạng khẩn cấp đã được ban hành tại thành phố West Kelowna của British Columbia, vì nhiều đám cháy rừng cũng tiến gần hơn đến thủ phủ của vùng lãnh thổ phía bắc Canada.

I discuss how humanity is being forced to adopt an unprecedented defensive posture with respect to nature. How will this play out? Can our communities and the way we exist be sustained? Is nature at war with us? Based on increasingly erratic and dangerous climatic events, which are now threatening entire communities on a regular basis, our current prospects are not encouraging. This episode was recorded on August 20, 2023 and it was published on August 21, 2023 at 3:33pm EDT. You can support my work and this channel by booking an astrology reading. Please see my "Environment" playlist for other episodes on this topic. To receive alerts about new episodes please add yourself to my contact list here. References: Cities pondering how to protect against wildfire smoke (paywalled, sorry) 'Crisis situation': N.W.T. declares territorial state of emergency over wildfires (note title has changed) 'It was 100 years' worth of firefighting in one night': West Kelowna chief on wildfire A state of emergency has been declared in B.C. due to wildfires. Here's what that means Hurricane Hilary triggers Southern California's first tropical storm warning ever, with heavy rain and flash flooding forecast The toxic aftermath of the Maui fires could last for years Our Toxic Legacy Nature Spirits in Distress Destructive insect makes its way to Halifax area, attacking hemlock trees Worms that secrete a dangerous paralyzing toxin spreading in Montreal The climate crisis will make entire cities uninhabitable. It's time to head underground. The only way is down: subterranean survival warning Wildfires' mounting damage will cloud the economic view for months Mid-winter temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius in South America leave climatologists in disbelief Welcome to the ‘Pyrocene,' an Epoch of Runaway Fire Solar Cycle Progression - NOAA FAQ: How Does the Solar Cycle Affect Earth's Climate? #Environment #ClimateChange #ExtremeWeather Check my "Community Tab" where I comment and share links I find interesting. Errata

On Today's Nat & Drew Show: We chat with Todd Talbot, host of Love It or List It Vancouver, to talk about losing his home in the West Kelowna wildfire.  The province of BC s urging people to change their travel plans to the Okanagan.  What do people think of Joey's new moustache?  That and more on today's Nat & Drew Show! 

Thousands of Canadians have been forced to leave their homes during the past week because of wildfires in British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. Officials have confirmed the loss of multiple homes in West Kelowna and parts of the Shuswap. And the entire city of Yellowknife is under an evacuation order.

Canada is having its worst wildfire season on record, with at least 1,000 fires burning across the country. British Columbia has declared a state of emergency; 15,000 households have been ordered to evacuate, as firefighters battle raging wildfires that have set homes ablaze. Also on the programme: Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, has hosted talks with Iran's foreign minister. Is the meeting a sign relations are improving? And we hear why Italy's government settled the bill of four Italian tourists in Albania, who left a restaurant without paying for their meal. Plus, how will history look back on the indictment of former President Donald Trump? (Photo: The McDougall Creek wildfire burns next to houses in the Okanagan community of West Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, August 19, 2023. Credit: Reuters/Chris Helgren)

Aug. 18, 2023: Guest host Bruce Claggett in for Jas Johal What's it looking like in Kelowna this afternoon?  Guest: Mark Burley, head of Downtown Kelowna Business Association Regional Animal Protection Society offering shelter for cats caught in wildfire evacuation  Guest: Eyal Lichtmann, CEO of RAPS Wildfire update with Kimberly Davidson  Guest: Kimberly Davidson, Anchor & Producer for Global Okanagan Wildfire update from an information officer  Guest: Tom Wilson, Information Officer for West Kelowna Wildfire update continued Guest: Calvin Hector, reporter with AM1150 in Kelowna Canadian band played amidst wildfire conditions Guest: Ji Yehia, lead vocalist and guitarist for Roadwaves A tragic end for the Eh-frame HGTV host's dream home destroyed by wildfire  Guest: Todd Talbot, Host of HGTV's Love it or List it Vancouver Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we sat down with Sam Dubbeldam of West Kelowna BC. Sam is a heavy equipment operator by day, but spends a lot of time with a fly rod on lakes and rivers in the interior of British Columbia. We talked about where his passion for fly fishing originated, go to patterns, tying, trips and much more. Thanks Sam for sharing your story on the podcast!

Chris is the Public Works Manager for the City of West Kelowna in British Columbia. We chat about his transition from playing SimCity to actually being a Public Works Manager. We cover what APWA has done for him and why everyone entering the Public Works industry should join APWA. Servant Leadership is how he makes sure he reaches his teammates and he asks for patience and respect from our community members. Give it a listen and remember to thank your local Public Works Professionals.

Long time friend of the show and friend of the vine Grayson Riordon and I sit down at Black Swift Vineyards as he pours me some of the latest offerings from his bevy of beauties.  Located in West Kelowna under the Jason Parkes Customs stable of wineries, Grayson pours and talks, I drink and listen. It's a beautiful combination.    Get ready for a fun conversation. Pull up a chair, grab a glass and enjoy! Black Swift Vineyards- https://blackswiftvineyards.com/   Grayson and his Instagram content can be found here- https://www.instagram.com/graysonriordon/   Photos and liner notes of all guests appearing on the show can be found on our website-   https://friendsofthevine.podbean.com/    For podcast updates and to follow the show as we source out future guests look us up on Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/ianswinetruths/   All music found in this podcast is courtesy of the group Shakamoraine- https://facebook.com/Shakamoraine/  

Every now and then, we all need a break from extremely dark cases and to touch on stories that are more light-hearted.This is the inaugural episode of our collaborative monthly series! BrewVerie is a Florida Man style news show but we cover the USA to Canada and all around the world with little to no Florida. These episodes will be on both the Brew Crime and Reverie True Crime feeds! (Pick your poison)Daily News... Once Monthly.Sourceshttps://bc.ctvnews.ca/apparent-attempt-to-steal-dragon-street-lamp-with-leaf-blower-as-distraction-prompts-vancouver-police-investigation-1.5879471https://www.castanet.net/news/West-Kelowna/368135/Man-grabs-two-gas-cans-moons-door-camera-while-making-his-getaway#368135https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/weird-highlights-canada-federal-budget-2022https://nationalpost.com/news/local-news/okanagan-township-sells-landowners-property-for-dirt-cheap-over-unpaid-taxes-without-telling-him/wcm/2b777e6f-faf9-41af-bb6d-56a8d9a1a360https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-strip-club-will-smithhttps://ottawasun.com/news/weird/brides-marry-wrong-grooms-during-blackout-in-indiahttps://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2022/04/29/airport-us-tourists-unexploded-souvenir-bomb-to-ben-gurion/?sh=4a4be67f44afhttps://atlantablackstar.com/2022/05/03/angry-oklahoma-woman-slaps-teen-calls-him-the-n-word-over-sold-out-menu-item-at-little-caesars-attorney-wants-misdemeanor-charge-upgraded-under-child-abuse-statute/https://kfor.com/news/local/enid-woman-hurls-racial-slurs-and-slaps-teen-over-crazy-bread/https://local12.com/news/offbeat/family-awarded-5-million-for-golf-ball-damage-to-home-massachusetts-golfball-indian-pond-country-club-course-windows-broken-problem-emotional-distresshttps://www.newsweek.com/texas-snake-handler-bitten-death-rattlesnake-1702833https://nypost.com/2022/05/02/snake-handler-eugene-de-leon-sr-dies-after-bite-at-festival/https://apnews.com/article/arizona-animals-265c4c5a039013fe7065ef6538e829d8 https://www.npr.org/2022/04/12/1092251250/wwii-grenade-found-among-potatoes-at-french-fry-factory-in-new-zealand https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/04/28/bear-destroys-car-lip-gloss-Colorado/5631651176201/https://apnews.com/article/arrests-chicago-california-escondido-3d9fe9c1d005269603b0689dc8e47bf6 https://wrif.com/2022/04/01/woman-takes-stolen-car-to-court-appearance-for-car-theft/ https://apnews.com/article/oddities-michigan-theft-ec665da8b9143fc21e98343639067a6a

This is the inaugural Episode of our Collaborative Monthly series with Paige of Reverie True Crime. BrewVerie is a Florida Man style news show but Covering USA, Canada and the World with little to no Florida. THis will be found on both the Brew Crime and Reverie True Crime feed (Pick your poison). Daily News... Once Monthly.Sourceshttps://bc.ctvnews.ca/apparent-attempt-to-steal-dragon-street-lamp-with-leaf-blower-as-distraction-prompts-vancouver-police-investigation-1.5879471https://www.castanet.net/news/West-Kelowna/368135/Man-grabs-two-gas-cans-moons-door-camera-while-making-his-getaway#368135https://nationalpost.com/news/politics/weird-highlights-canada-federal-budget-2022https://nationalpost.com/news/local-news/okanagan-township-sells-landowners-property-for-dirt-cheap-over-unpaid-taxes-without-telling-him/wcm/2b777e6f-faf9-41af-bb6d-56a8d9a1a360https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-strip-club-will-smithhttps://ottawasun.com/news/weird/brides-marry-wrong-grooms-during-blackout-in-indiahttps://www.forbes.com/sites/suzannerowankelleher/2022/04/29/airport-us-tourists-unexploded-souvenir-bomb-to-ben-gurion/?sh=4a4be67f44afhttps://atlantablackstar.com/2022/05/03/angry-oklahoma-woman-slaps-teen-calls-him-the-n-word-over-sold-out-menu-item-at-little-caesars-attorney-wants-misdemeanor-charge-upgraded-under-child-abuse-statute/https://kfor.com/news/local/enid-woman-hurls-racial-slurs-and-slaps-teen-over-crazy-bread/https://local12.com/news/offbeat/family-awarded-5-million-for-golf-ball-damage-to-home-massachusetts-golfball-indian-pond-country-club-course-windows-broken-problem-emotional-distresshttps://www.newsweek.com/texas-snake-handler-bitten-death-rattlesnake-1702833https://nypost.com/2022/05/02/snake-handler-eugene-de-leon-sr-dies-after-bite-at-festival/https://apnews.com/article/arizona-animals-265c4c5a039013fe7065ef6538e829d8 https://www.npr.org/2022/04/12/1092251250/wwii-grenade-found-among-potatoes-at-french-fry-factory-in-new-zealand https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/04/28/bear-destroys-car-lip-gloss-Colorado/5631651176201/https://apnews.com/article/arrests-chicago-california-escondido-3d9fe9c1d005269603b0689dc8e47bf6 https://wrif.com/2022/04/01/woman-takes-stolen-car-to-court-appearance-for-car-theft/ https://apnews.com/article/oddities-michigan-theft-ec665da8b9143fc21e98343639067a6a

Do you ever wonder what it's really like to be an influencer and to be chasing likes? What really goes on behind the scenes? My guest Carlee Krtolica is a Calgary mom of 2 girls, a blogger, content creator, social media influencer at Styled to Sparkle, and the author of the book Chasing Likes. She is also a freelance interior designer and a sommelier with her WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) Level 2 Certification.  Her blog and social media are a direct reflection of her daily life with her family, home projects, outdoor adventures, global travel, fine food, wine, and spirits and so much more. Carlee wants to share what makes her life easier in the hopes that it will make your life easier too! Listen in as we talk about: Chasing likes. Carlee gets real about her experience and success as an influencer.  Knowing your limits. Carlee gives us insight into how she ‘does it all', and it comes with knowing when, and what, to outsource. Following your passions. When our passion runs deep within us, that's when we know we're living in our purpose. Carlee shares how she continues to follow her passions in her business and tapping into her wildest dreams by writing a book. Living in the ‘pinch me' moments. You know those moments in life when it almost feels surreal to have the opportunities you have? Carlee gives us insight into her favourite Connect with Carlee: Instagram: @styledtosparkle https://www.instagram.com/styledtosparkle/ Facebook: @styledtosparkle https://www.facebook.com/styledtosparkle/ Website:  https://www.styledtosparkle.com Blog Post: Carlee's nursery for her second daughter Blog Post: Carlee's kitchen Book: Chasing Likes by Carlee Krtolica CHASING LIKES Are you thinking about being an influencer? Carlee asks, “Are you sure you want to do this?”. Being an influencer is a lot more work than you might think. There are many decisions to make about the content you are going to create in terms of what you want to share, how much you want to share, and how authentic you want to be. You need to really think about why you would want to get into this space. It might seem like you just snap some photos and get some free stuff but that is not how it works these days.   KNOWING YOUR LIMITS “Not everything you see is real. Give yourself some grace and ask for help.” On social media, it can appear that people have it all together, that they, themselves, are ‘doing it all', and that their lives are perfect – almost too good to be true. Carlee gives us insight into how she ‘does it all', and it comes with knowing when, and what, to outsource. She shares how important it is to know our limits, so that we have the time and energy to pour back into the things we love during the day; like spending time with our loved ones, working on projects that bring us joy, and filling up our own cup. Carlee reminds us that there is no shame in asking for help to live a life that feels balanced. She shares two of her favourite ways to make her life easier:  Instacart: Instacart is a grocery delivery company. This saves Carlee a trip to the grocery store and having to pack up her young girls. Sprout Society: Sprout Society is a Calgary based company that has a great variety of pre-made plant based meals that Carlee can have on hand in the fridge or freezer. Her family loves them! WINE RECOMMENDATIONS Carlee loves and knows a lot about wine! She shares some of her favourites.  Mission Hill Perpetua Chardonnay: Mission Hill is located in West Kelowna, British Columbia. Carlee recommends pairing this wine with popcorn topped with butter, truffle oil, and parmesan cheese.  Blue Mountain Pinot Noir: Blue Mountain is located in Okanagan Falls, British Columbia.  Nk'Mip Cellars Merlot: Nk'Mip Cellars an Indigenous owned winery located in Osoyoos, British Columbia. Carlee loves enjoying this wine with steak.  Hello Someday Crossroads Red Blend: Hello Someday is owned by a Calgary Couple,

On May 4, 2017, a massive storm rolled through the valley, bringing so much rain that Mill Creek spilled its banks and nearby homes and businesses were flooded.  As a result of this, on may 6th, a state of emergency was called for Kelowna and West Kelowna. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Nat interviews Amy Web about creating a legendary fitness company and being an incredible coach for their clients. Amy Web is an online fitness coach who makes 80K/month consistently with her biz partner Brett Godin in PHX Lifts and is a part owner of Iron Energy Gym in West Kelowna alongside PT Domination. Links:  IG: natashastorm_ Website: www.thevirtualassistants.co