Martha Wickett

Salmon Arm Law Courts. (File photo)

Psychiatric assessment ordered for man accused in Salmon Arm church shooting

Lawyer tells court accused was diagnosed with psychosis hours after his arrest

Salmon Arm Law Courts. (File photo)
An Audi belonging to Jerry Petkau of Salmon Arm is a total write-off after an encounter with a black bear in eastern B.C. on Aug. 6. Petkau was not injured but the bear was killed. (Contributed)

Bear killed after head-on collision near B.C.-Alberta border

Driver faced with split-second choice to hit either semi or animal

An Audi belonging to Jerry Petkau of Salmon Arm is a total write-off after an encounter with a black bear in eastern B.C. on Aug. 6. Petkau was not injured but the bear was killed. (Contributed)
Emergency Health Services paramedics respond to the Sunday, April 14 shooting at the Salmon Arm Church of Christ. (File photo)

Salmon Arm church shooting case sees another delay in court

Court sees another adjournment for man facing charges of first-degree murder and aggravated assault

Emergency Health Services paramedics respond to the Sunday, April 14 shooting at the Salmon Arm Church of Christ. (File photo)
Council adds fines for street solicitation to be used only as last resort. (File photo)

Salmon Arm to fine panhandlers $50 as a last resort

Councillors say intention of street solicitation bylaw is not to criminalize poverty

Council adds fines for street solicitation to be used only as last resort. (File photo)
Salmon Arm’s Wendy Goldman texts with her sister who lives in Ridgecrest, California, 17 kilometres from the epicentre of a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, where her neighbourhood was rocked by reportedly the largest quake the state has experienced in 20 years. (Martha Wickett/Salmon Arm Observer)

B.C. woman receives firsthand account of California’s massive earthquake

Shuswap resident’s sister and family camping outside at night as aftershocks continue

Salmon Arm’s Wendy Goldman texts with her sister who lives in Ridgecrest, California, 17 kilometres from the epicentre of a 7.1 magnitude earthquake, where her neighbourhood was rocked by reportedly the largest quake the state has experienced in 20 years. (Martha Wickett/Salmon Arm Observer)
Chase RCMP seized a cache of weapons on June 21 near Scotch Creek in the North Shuswap, including several prohibited weapons. They included a Norinco Mak-90 fully automatic rifle, a Sterling Mark 4 Sub Machine gun, a Smith & Wesson revolver with a ground-off serial number and a drum magazine, and a suitcase gun. (Chase RCMP photo)

Suitcase gun, $300,000 in stolen property and more seized in Shuswap

Police recover vehicles, machinery stolen in past several years, mostly from Lower Mainland

Chase RCMP seized a cache of weapons on June 21 near Scotch Creek in the North Shuswap, including several prohibited weapons. They included a Norinco Mak-90 fully automatic rifle, a Sterling Mark 4 Sub Machine gun, a Smith & Wesson revolver with a ground-off serial number and a drum magazine, and a suitcase gun. (Chase RCMP photo)
Matrix Gathergood carries the ball during a Salmon Arm Secondary Varsity Golds game in October of 2011. (File photo)

‘Terrible, terrible thing’: Former coaches of accused Salmon Arm shooter shocked

Matrix Gathergood, 25, excelled in football, rugby during his time at Salmon Arm Secondary

Matrix Gathergood carries the ball during a Salmon Arm Secondary Varsity Golds game in October of 2011. (File photo)
B.C. A&W helps keep homeless people warm

B.C. A&W helps keep homeless people warm

Restaurant offers daytime warmth, coffee for people who have no place else to go

B.C. A&W helps keep homeless people warm
The small print on Nutter’s Brewer’s Yeast warns of the possibility of contamination by peanuts. (Martha Wickett/Salmon Arm Observer)

B.C. stores included in brewer’s yeast recall for ‘undeclared peanut’

No complaints reported regarding peanut contamination in any products sold locally

The small print on Nutter’s Brewer’s Yeast warns of the possibility of contamination by peanuts. (Martha Wickett/Salmon Arm Observer)
These two photos of Karissa Pukas were taken the day of and the day after surgery in April of this year to remove her breast implants. She says she felt immediately better after having them removed. (Photo contributed)

B.C. YouTube sensation removes breast implants after years of illness

Former Shuswap resident Karissa Pukas wants women to be informed about breast implants.

These two photos of Karissa Pukas were taken the day of and the day after surgery in April of this year to remove her breast implants. She says she felt immediately better after having them removed. (Photo contributed)
A vehicle matching the description used in a Sicamous home invasion early Wednesday was reported stolen out of Armstrong sometime overnight on Oct. 24. That vehicle is a white 2003 Ford F-350 dually with BC license plate DN5358. There is a distinctive rack in the box with orange clearance lights on the cab roof. (RCMP photo)

UPDATE: GoFundMe campaign started for victim of Sicamous home invasion

Victim’s children hope to move their terminally ill mother away from Sicamous following the crime

A vehicle matching the description used in a Sicamous home invasion early Wednesday was reported stolen out of Armstrong sometime overnight on Oct. 24. That vehicle is a white 2003 Ford F-350 dually with BC license plate DN5358. There is a distinctive rack in the box with orange clearance lights on the cab roof. (RCMP photo)
Ashley Simpson went missing from Yankee Flats Road, south of Salmon Arm, in April 2016. Her drivers licence was was recently located in the tank of a sewage vacuum truck used by Sasquatch Crossing Lodge in Northern B.C. (File photo)

Missing Shuswap woman’s ID found in northern BC

Ashley Simpson’s identification found in tank of a sewage vacuum truck in Pink Mountain

Ashley Simpson went missing from Yankee Flats Road, south of Salmon Arm, in April 2016. Her drivers licence was was recently located in the tank of a sewage vacuum truck used by Sasquatch Crossing Lodge in Northern B.C. (File photo)
High water of Shuswap Lake, May 2018 (File photo)

Column: If not now, when will we make the changes needed to stop global warming?

The thought of our children or grandchildren suffering from the ravages of climate change are unbearable to think about, too frightening to consider. So we don’t.

High water of Shuswap Lake, May 2018 (File photo)
Column: Mother orca’s display of grief sends powerful message

Column: Mother orca’s display of grief sends powerful message

The grief of this orca mother may not be visible anymore, but we must not forget.

Column: Mother orca’s display of grief sends powerful message
A telephone scam involving people impersonating Canada Revenue Agency staff is getting aggressive in the Shuswap. (Black Press file photo)

Revenue Canada scam swindles $3,000 from B.C. resident

Victim provides fraudster with $3,000 in iTunes gift cards

A telephone scam involving people impersonating Canada Revenue Agency staff is getting aggressive in the Shuswap. (Black Press file photo)
RCMP block the driveway of a Canoe property where a suspect in an armed robbery in Sicamous on July 3, 2015 is alleged to have driven into after fleeing police. (File photo)

B.C. Mountie won’t be charged after robbery suspect shot

Prosecution Service determines that evidence in 2015 Salmon Arm shooting doesn’t justify charges

RCMP block the driveway of a Canoe property where a suspect in an armed robbery in Sicamous on July 3, 2015 is alleged to have driven into after fleeing police. (File photo)
B.C.’s ‘micro-preemie’ Ruby doing well at home

B.C.’s ‘micro-preemie’ Ruby doing well at home

After four-and-a-half months in hospital, Salmon Arm infant growing, moving, smiling

B.C.’s ‘micro-preemie’ Ruby doing well at home
An RCMP vehicle and a grey pickup truck are tarped over in the parking lot of the car wash and Kawasaki dealership on Monday, Jan. 30, 2017 (File photo/Salmon Arm Observer)

B.C. man shot by police in 2017 pleads guilty to string of offences

Kaymen Winter gets two years, opts for trial on two charges related to Salmon Arm car wash shooting

An RCMP vehicle and a grey pickup truck are tarped over in the parking lot of the car wash and Kawasaki dealership on Monday, Jan. 30, 2017 (File photo/Salmon Arm Observer)
Police ask for public assistance regarding stolen motorhome, may be connected to armed robbery near Lee Creek. (Photo contributed)

Cops say gun-toting robbers used fake police lights to pull over victims

Information wanted on North Shuswap robbery, police impersonation, burnt vehicle, motorhome theft.

Police ask for public assistance regarding stolen motorhome, may be connected to armed robbery near Lee Creek. (Photo contributed)
Indigenous tattoo artist Dion Kaszas tattoos an eagle on his sister Kris Wilson’s forearm in honour of their father who died on March 1. He also did the other tattoos on her arm. (Martha Wickett/Salmon Arm Observer)

B.C. artist featured on T.V. series highlighting Indigenous tattoo artistry

Skindigenous, a series on APTN TV, features international tattooing traditions including a Salmon Arm artist

Indigenous tattoo artist Dion Kaszas tattoos an eagle on his sister Kris Wilson’s forearm in honour of their father who died on March 1. He also did the other tattoos on her arm. (Martha Wickett/Salmon Arm Observer)