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Old Yale Brewing has never been afraid to get creative with summer releases. They showed that last year with a trio of cocktail-inspired releases, with the Blue Hawaiian Tropical Ale returning for an encore this summer. The Fraser Valley brewery’s latest summer release is not fruit or cocktail inspired, but rather a play on one of Canada’s favourite summer treats. It’s the latest from their Trailblazer Series, an Iced Cappuccino Cream Ale that comes in at an easy-going 5% ABV.

A BC Supreme Court judge acquitted a 43-year-old man who was tried in Prince George on charges of sexual interference and sexual assault against his stepdaughter. In a July 8 verdict, Justice Shannon Ramsay decided the Crown did not prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, due to inconsistencies in testimony. The alleged offences took place between November 2016 and November 2020, when the complainant was between the ages of eight and 11-years-old.

At the nexus of nostalgia, vibe and good eats and drinks is an award-winning pub. That pub is Ellison Field Taphouse Kitchen & Bar at Kelowna International Airport -- this year's victor in the 'airport bar or pub of the year' category at the Airport Food & Beverage and Hospitality Awards in Bengaluru, India. As the accolade is international in nature, Ellison Field Taphouse beat out contending eateries from New Zealand, Edinburgh and the Persian Gulf nation of Bahrain.

Synchromesh Wines in Okanagan Falls makes not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven, but eight different Rieslings. Such a devotion to the 'king of grapes' is a natural for the owners of Synchromesh. The Dickinson family -- Alan and Amy and Alan's parents, John and Kirsty -- so love the varietal that when they started to look for land to start a winery in 2009 the overriding stipulation was that it would grow only the highest quality Riesling.

Like many who win a massive lottery jackpot, the numbers just didn’t make sense to Wing Wah C. at first. The Burnaby resident was checking his ticket from the July 4 BC/49 draw on his tablet when his confusion began. “The first thing that came to my mind was maybe the tablet was wrong,” he explained. “Usually I see $1 or $10, so to see $2 million was new!” Once he made sense of the seven-digit number and confirmed he wasn’t imagining things, he told his wife the life-changing news.

(UPDATE: July 17 @ 1:05 pm) - The eastbound lanes of Hwy 97C are open once again and the backlog of traffic has already cleared. While motorists at the scene have reported that it was a fatal incident involving a motorcycle, police have yet to comment. (UPDATE: July 17 @ 12:30 pm) - Hwy 97C remains closed eastbound after a serious incident at the Hwy 5A junction. Witnesses at the scene have reported that the incident involved a motorcycle. Eastbound traffic is significantly backed up.

Start your day off right with five things you need to know this morning. Five things you need to know Some Republican Party legislators are blaming Canada for smoke blowing across North America due to wildfires. In a letter written to Mark Carney, members of Congress Jack Bergman, John James, Lisa McClain and John Moolenaar said they were “demanding immediate action from the Canadian government." The letter went on: “American lungs are paying the price for Canadian inaction, year after year.

Hwy 1 remains closed through part of the Fraser Canyon as wildfire activity continues to threaten communities near Boston Bar. The Ministry of Transportation and Transit says the highway is closed for traveller safety as the Brunswick Creek and Ainslie Creek wildfires burn in the area. The closure is in place both east and west of Boston Bar, with traffic control established at Hope and Lytton to prevent access into the affected area.

A Surrey man seen flying along the Trans-Canada Highway (Hwy 1) on his motorcycle at speeds well over the posted limit was eventually tracked down and disciplined by police. The BC Highway Patrol says it's a reminder to all motorists that high-definition video “is everywhere” and officers will follow up with enforcement against dangerous drivers. Footage of this particular rider was captured by a witness driving on Hwy 1 near 176th Street in Surrey on July 3.

A lot more bagels are in police dog Neeka’s future. The four-legged member of the Kamloops RCMP is hanging up her harness and saying goodbye to police work. Following her well-earned retirement, she’ll live out the rest of her years at a family home in Kamloops. “Neeka is retiring due to medical reasons and will join the Neds Wish program supporting medical needs into retirement," explained Cpl. Steve Prior, Neeka’s handler.