Penticton news
Rafting accident claims life of Kelowna man ahead of wedding
KELOWNA – Less than a month before he was set to be married, a young Kelowna man has drowned while white-water rafting near Golden over the weekend. Rene Bourgault was rafting with three other people in Kicking Horse River Sunday, Aug. 16 when the group was thrown into the water roughly ten kilometres east of...
Bird book inspired by UBCO’s bio-diversity
KELOWNA - If you’re looking for hot chicks, look no further than the Birds of the UBC Okanagan Campus 2016 calendar. Produced by biologists, the annual calendar features some of the birds that can be found on the school’s campus. Photographers this year ranged across the entire 209 hectares of campus grounds and includes bluebirds,...
Okanagan First Nations develop new business with sustainable sockeye initiative
PENTICTON - Years of hard work and dedication by the Okanagan Nation Alliance to re-establish the Okanagan sockeye has resulted in a new and emerging interior fishery, as well as a new business opportunity for local First Nations. The Alliance reintroduced sockeye fry into Skaha Lake in 2003, entering into cooperative water sharing agreements with...
More to Three Blind Mice than biking, but that’s important, too
PENTICTON - The city and region have 20/20 vision when it comes to seeing recreation opportunities in the Three Blind Mice area. City of Penticton Communications Officer Simone Blais said the city has identified the area, located at 1400 Riddle Road, as an area of potential for sport and recreational use. The Penticton and Area...
New Okanagan disc golf course lands in Vernon
VERNON - You’ve got your putting and your driving Frisbees, your heavy ones and your sleek, thin ones, and now fans of the popular sport of disc golf — and curious newcomers — will have a scenic, and best of all, free, course in Vernon to fling them on. It’s all happening on a city-owned...
Commemorative weekend to honour Hedley’s first war vets
PENTICTON - The community of Hedley is planning a commemorative weekend to honour their First World War vets. The event is planned for Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 22 to Aug. 23. This year the focus is on the Hedley Boys, a group of 17 men who all signed up the same day in August 1915,...
Despite a spike in water-related deaths, drownings down overall
VERNON - A number of water-related deaths in the Thompson-Okanagan over the past month have brought the topic to the forefront of many people’s minds, but the province’s Lifesaving Society says the number of drowning deaths is actually down considerably so far this year. Just this past weekend, a 27-year-old man was critically injured while...
Wildfires break out in Oliver; evacuations ordered
PENTICTON - Two wildfires are burning out of control north and south of Oliver this evening, Friday, August 14. The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen issued an evacuation order tonight for 200 homes in the Wilson Mountain area north of Oliver and in the Testalinden Creek area south of Oliver. Emergency Social Services has been...
Shooting victim facing further victimization by bureaucracy
PENTICTON - The man allegedly shot by prolific offender Ronald Teneycke finds himself frustrated by bureaucracy as he continues to heal from the harrowing experience. Wayne Belleville, 58, says he’s not quite ready to talk about being shot by Teneycke after meeting the man on a remote logging road above Oliver on July 22. As...
Water managers preparing for longer-term Okanagan drought
KELOWNA - While they are still in the midst of dealing with this year’s widespread drought in the southern B.C. the province’s top water managers are already looking ahead to next year. “Current weather patterns is for a strong El Nino blob off the coast. It is setting up the scenario for a drier than...
Heavy rain on the way; flash flooding risk
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A system of heavy rain is on the way to the Thompson-Okanagan with the potential to cause flash flooding. Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement covering the South and North Thompson, Nicola, Shuswap and Okanagan. An area of rain embedded in thunderstorms is expected to develop over the Similkameen tomorrow afternoon,...
Severe thunderstorm watch for Okanagan
OKANAGAN - After a record day in the Okanagan temperatures are set to cool down and we can expect to see heavy rain and possibly severe thunderstorms over the next couple of days. Yesterday, Aug. 13, a new high temperature record was set in Kelowna, 37.8 Celsius, with Vernon, at 36.5 C, and Penticton, at...
You’re not the only one not feeling frisky in this heat
HEAT KILLING CATTLE (SEX) DRIVE THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Beef is meeting supply needs so far this year, but it hasn’t been easy for ranchers as they deal with drought and extreme conditions that leave cattle not wanting to mate. Kevin Boon, general manager of the B.C. Cattleman’s Association, says the hardest hit areas in the province’s...
Hospital foundation to benefit from bathtub racers event
PENTICTON - The South Okanagan Similkameen Hospital Foundation will be the major benefactor of a new summer event being staged out of Summerland. The Summerland Yacht Club presents the Great Ogopogo Bathtub Race on Saturday, August 22 beginning at 9:30 p.m. in Peach Orchard Park in Summerland. All entry and admission fees, in addition to...
Vernon tree removal ‘another straw in the demise of the herons’
VERNON - A North Okanagan city is standing by its decision to allow a stand of trees to be chopped down despite concerns within the community it could impact an at-risk species of bird. With a tree removal permit in hand from the City of Vernon, a housing developer removed the tall Cottonwood and poplar...