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John McDonald
John began life as a journalist through the Other Press, the independent student newspaper for Douglas College in New Westminster. The fluid nature of student journalism meant he was soon running the place, learning on the fly how to publish a newspaper.
It wasn’t until he moved to Kelowna he broke into the mainstream media, working for Okanagan Sunday, then the Kelowna Daily Courier and Okanagan Saturday doing news graphics and page layout. He carried on with the Kelowna Capital News, covering health and education while also working on special projects, including the design and launch of a mass market daily newspaper. After 12 years there, John rejoined the Kelowna Daily Courier as editor of the Westside Weekly, directing news coverage as the Westside became West Kelowna.
But digital media beckoned and John joined Kelowna.com as assistant editor and reporter, riding the start-up as it at first soared then went down in flames. Now John is turning dirt as city hall reporter for iNFOnews.ca where he brings his long experience to bear on the civic issues of the day.
If you have a story you think people should know about, email John at jmcdonald@infonews.ca
Work begins on new dike for Mission Creek restoration in Kelowna
KELOWNA - City crews have taken the first step in reversing decades of misguided management of Mission Creek in Kelowna. The first phase of the Mission Creek Restoration Initiative began this week with the closing of the creek’s south dike between Casorso Road and Gordon Drive, according to a city media release. With creek waters...
Popular rink to open next week in Stuart Park
KELOWNA - Crews have begun making ice at the popular Stuart Park outdoor rink in Kelowna with opening planned for next week. City crews will be working afternoon shifts from 4 p.m. to midnite at Stuart Park over the next few days readying the rink for an opening Tuesday, Dec. 1, according to arenas supervisor...
Kokanee numbers keep rising in Okanagan
OKANAGAN - Kokanee numbers are up from last year in all of the big valley lakes, the provincial government says. Wood Lake’s kokanee population continues to recover from a disastrous 2011 when poor in-lake conditions lead to a huge increase in fish mortality of all ages, according to a media release. Over 20,000 returned to spawn...
Kelowna church prepares to welcome and support Syrian refugee family
KELOWNA - Four generations of a Syrian family will soon be enjoying the relative safety of life in Kelowna with the support of a local church congregation. Kelowna Gospel Fellowshop Pastor Mike Penninga says he’s not yet sure when the Tounousian family, originally from Allepo, will arrive in Canada but when they do, they can...
Animation diploma in the works at Okanagan College
KELOWNA - Responding to the demands of industry, Okanagan College could soon be offering a diploma in 2D animation. Artistic skills are in high demand in the Okanagan and around the world, and the two-year diploma will prepare would-be animators for careers as character designers, storyboard artists, background painters and animators, according to a proposal...
Water main break disrupts service in East Kelowna
KELOWNA - A broken water main in East Kelowna has cut off water service to a number of homes. Service will be affected for several hours and crews are on site making repairs, South East Kelowna Irrigation District spokesman Toby Pike says in a press release. The areas and address affected include the 3300, 3400...
One year in, new Kelowna councillors are finding their groove
KELOWNA - It’s been a year since three brand new members joined Kelowna city council and while they don’t agree on everything, they do agree on one thing — it’s been a fast ride. “It went by in a blink of an eye,” Coun. Brad Sieben says. “It seems like just yesterday we were planting...
Downtown Kelowna alley an ‘untapped resource’
KELOWNA - Currently home to illegally parked cars and overflowing garbage cans, a stretch of downtown alleyway could soon be delighting locals and visitors alike if plans to beautify it get council approval. Councillors gushed over a staff proposal aiming to beautify a chunk of the lane off Bernard Avenue across from The Sails with...
First year a lesson in time management for Kelowna mayor
KELOWNA - It’s been just over a year now since Colin Basran grabbed the mayor’s chair in a convincing election win. While Basran had already completed a term as city councillor, he says it barely prepared him for the complexities of working as a full-time civic leader. “The sheer volume of invitations to events is...
Kelowna scraps policy of paying for political forums
KELOWNA - A long-standing policy of providing a free venue for an all-candidates forum during municipal elections has been dropped by city council. Deputy city clerk Karen Needham told council today, Nov. 23, at their regular weekly morning meeting, the policy stems from 1976 when council granted a request for a grant-in-aid by the Kelowna...
Makeover in the works for downtown Kelowna alley
KELOWNA - A stretch of downtown Kelowna alleyway could soon get a permanent, big city make-over. Real estate services manager John Saufferer, in a report to Kelowna city council, is recommending the city turn the stretch of alley near The Sails off Bernard Avenue, into what amounts to an urban park. “The Bernard Avenue laneway...
Can you help this Kelowna teenager get his sentimental birthday present back?
KELOWNA - A Kelowna teen is hoping social media can help him recover a pile of car stereo equipment stolen from a car parked outside his house, some of it a gift from his father for his 17th birthday. “It was an early birthday present,” Kristian Magee says. “He just gave it to me last...
Kelowna moves to shut down abusers of agricultural land
KELOWNA – Misuse of agricultural land could soon see a few local businesses in front…
Okanagan growers debate marketing future of Ambrosia apple
OKANAGAN - Producers of the Ambrosia apple are considering whether to extend a levy used to market the new varietal. Ambrosia producers have paid a $.25 per lb. levy since 2001, shortly after the new apple was introduced, used to promote the fruit to consumers and further its research. The levy was renewed in 2006...
UPDATE: Weapons threat reported at West Kelowna high school a hoax
WEST KELOWNA - A threat to bring a weapon to Mount Boucherie Secondary School in West Kelowna made by a student lead RCMP to investigate, but there was nothing to it, says superintendent of schools Hugh Gloster. “It was basically a hoax. A youth in the community sent a message (using social media) through to...
Creatique offers incubator to Kelowna artists
KELOWNA - A Kelowna artist is trying to establish a drop-in place for those with a creative flair to have a monthly meeting of minds. Liam Danger Park says he was inspired to start Creatique as an outlet and incubator for local artists. "It's a social gathering for all kinds of creatives to come together...
Student apartment proposed for Rutland raises concerns about parking, not parties
KELOWNA - Concerns from city councillors about a student housing complex proposed for the Rutland town centre are focused not on the party potential of the 72 college students who might live there, but on potential parking problems. The 4.5-storey 23-unit apartment building proposed for Dundas Road and Highway 33 would provide students housing in...
City announces new beachfront park for Kelowna
KELOWNA - The City of Kelowna has announced the purchase of a piece of lakeshore property that will allow for the creation of a new beachfront park. Mayor Colin Basran says the city has spent $12 million acquiring the property located on Lakeshore Drive near Lexington Road. "This will create a legacy for our community...
Crews begin lifting rails off CN Okanagan corridor
CENTRAL OKANAGAN – Crews have begun lifting the rails from the former CN railway corridor,…
Discover Wines stores set to shut down in Kelowna and Kamloops after company sells licenses to Overwaitea
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Two VQA wine stores in Kelowna and another in Kamloops have agreed to sell their wine licenses to the Overwaitea Food Group, paving the way for wine sales in local grocery stores. Tracy Gray, owner of Discover Wines in Kelowna and Kamloops, confirms the sale and pending closure of her stores, saying the...
Future of Kelowna farm divides city council
KELOWNA - The owners of a former strawberry patch looking for support in removing their property from the Agricultural Land Reserve saw the request die on the vine Monday with council split down the middle. The trigger for the lengthy debate was application to the Agricultural Land Commission by Gabriel and Linda Coupal to pull...
CARMA Project provides wheels for those in need
CENTRAL OKANAGAN - Life just got a little easier for a pair of single moms in Kelowna who each picked up the keys to new car. Lena Jung and Kalista Copes where chosen by the CARMA Project, as the recipients of two refurbished vehicles, a 1999 Toyrotal RAV4 and a 1996 Chevy Lumina. Jung and...
Parking to get pricier in Kelowna
KELOWNA - Parking your car in Kelowna may get more expensive, and the penalties for those who violate the parking rules might go up as well. City parking manager Dave Duncan, in a report to council, says the recommendation for rate increases comes as a result of an rise in transit fares this September, which...
West Kelowna firefighters serve as ‘sherpas’ for disabled man’s breathtaking wilderness trip
WEST KELOWNA - Local firefighters have again made possible the annual Fire in the Mountains, a dream trip to the wilderness for a disabled person. This fall, Logan Miller, 20, with the help of the firefighters, completed the alpine circuit at Cathedral Provincial Park, near the U.S. border. Logan had an active youth but has...