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Meaghan Archer
Native court workers protest for equal pay
OKANAGAN - Native court workers are standing up against the government asking for equal pay after being cut out of a deal five years ago that increased the wages of others but not court workers. Jack Kruger, a veteran native court worker and counsellor, has spent the past two days outside the Penticton and Kelowna...
Celebrate the holidays Okanagan Valley-style with Winter Wine Events
OKANAGAN – Okanagan Valley wineries are getting in the holiday spirit with open houses, events,…
Guess who’s coming to town?
PENTICTON - Legendary Canadian rock ’n roller, Burton Cummings is hitting up the Interior of B.C. this spring as part of his In Your Backyard Tour. Cummings, former member of classic rock band The Guess Who, will be at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre along with his band and special guests Thursday March 12,...
Fire on Fairview contained and under investigation
PENTICTON - Flames poured through the windows of an apartment building on Fairview Road Thursday in the early evening. The fire was on the fourth floor of the Kirkland apartment building at 803 Fairview Road, according to Global News. One person was taken to hospital by ambulance before fire crews arrived. Their current condition is not known....
Penticton airport expansion delayed
PENTICTON - A new bidding process for the planned expansion project at the Penticton Regional Airport is in place after the first one was considered unsuccessful. There is no deadline for when the process will be complete, however Public Works and Government Services Canada, and Transport Canada are working to complete the design and the...
This is why Penticton needs a detox centre
"THEY'RE NOT THROWAWAY PEOPLE." PENTICTON - A young man leaves a detox centre in Kelowna and heads home to Penticton—a taxi ride, a bus ride and walk away. His body is rid of the alcohol it was so dependent on only a week ago; now’s an opportunity for him to start fresh, get a job...
City hits home run with baseball diamond improvements
PENTICTON - Baseball fields around town are set to get much-needed improvements thanks to a new partnership between the City and Penticton Slo-Pitch League. The fields at Lions, Parkway and Skaha ball diamonds will get new rooftops, players’ benches, a new utility shed, tractor and metal base plates (the peg-system used in the past caused...
Outgoing council has tearful goodbye at last council meeting
PENTICTON - There were tears around the council table during the meeting Monday night as goodbye speeches were made by three outgoing members, all of whom have served Penticton for nearly a decade. Coun. John Vassilaki, who has been a councillor for twelve consecutive years, went first, listing council’s accomplishments over the years and giving...
$100,000 slot machine malfunction benefits player
PENTICTON - A malfunctioning slot machine resulted in a $100,000 win for a woman gambling at Lake City Casino in Penticton last January and the B.C. Lottery Corporation has pulled all the malfunctioning machines. The lottery corporation only revealed the problem after an inquiry by the Vancouver Sun. A spokesperson confirmed today it removed 189...
Blanket drive keeps everyone warm this winter
PENTICTON - If you’re keeping warm under a blanket this winter, consider giving an extra to a person in need by donating to the local, annual blanket drive. This is the fifth year of the Cover with Kindness Blanket Drive, which was started by Greg Litwin, a notary public and director of the Soupateria in...
Penticton council would be completely different if students voted
PENTICTON - Penticton students took part in a province-wide program to choose who they thought should be on city council and the results are very different than the results of last week's civic election in Penticton. The vote was part of Student Vote Day 2014, a program offering students a chance to learn about the...
What the police expense report for Boonstock looks like
PENTICTON - The police expense report from the Boonstock festival weekend in August has been made public and reveals hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime, car cleaning services and general supplies. The police report, released by the provincial government Monday, outlines the $252,715 in policing costs—both anticipated and unexpected—for the August long weekend when over...
Penticton woman at large from Abbotsford prison
PENTICTON - A warrant has been issued for a Penticton woman incarcerated at the Fraser Valley Institute for Women when she failed to return to the prison following an authorized leave of absence. Amanda Sach, 24, has been missing since November 15, 2014 after she failed to return to the prison. Abbotsford Police issued a...
19-year-old added to sex offender registry for drunk actions
PENTICTON - A young man will serve a conditional sentence in the community after he pleaded guilty to sexual assault and unlawfully entering a home. In October 2013, a complaint was made against Justin M. Cantelon, 19, that Cantelon had entered her bedroom window over the weekend and sexually assaulted her. Cantelon had been at...
ELECTION 2014: Vote recount not necessary, according to city
PENTICTON - Members of the community are asking for a recount after voter turnout was lower than anticipated, however the city is not planning a recount request. Only 8,424 of the 26,806 eligible voters submitted their ballots for the 2014 election— almost two per cent fewer voters than in 2011. The community had high expectations...
ELECTION 2014: Who won in the South Okanagan
SOUTH OKANAGAN - You voted and the results are in for the mayors and councils of the South Okanagan who will start their four-year terms in December. Summerland welcomes new mayor Peter Waterman, who won with 1,197 votes. Joining him on council is Toni Boot with 2,819 votes; Erin Trainer with 2,214 votes; Erin Carlson...
“Your bomb-making days are over:” Judge
PENTICTON - A Penticton man who made a pipe bomb that accidentally exploded in June will pay a fine, rather than serve time in prison. Matthew Steven Nason, born in 1976, was charged with making an explosive and dangerously storing firearms. The homemade pipe bomb he constructed using “highly volatile explosives” exploded on June 5,...
ELECTION 2014: Jakubeit new mayor of Penticton
PENTICTON - The votes are in and Andrew Jakubeit is the new mayor of Penticton, beating out former councillor and colleague John Vassilaki and local businessman Jukka Laurio. Jakubeit won by more than 2,000 votes with a total of 5,126 votes. “I just want to say thank you,” he said after the win. “The whole...
Faux campaign signs spark a laugh during tense election time
PENTICTON - There's a local man known by friends for his random acts of kindness, whether it’s sticking a ten dollar bill in a library book, or making fake election signs to get a laugh from his friends. Rylan Hernberg’s signs are mixed in with the other hundreds of election candidate signs around town, but...
Early bird rates for Challenge 2015 end Sunday
PENTICTON - Time is running out to get early bird registration rates for next year’s Challenge Penticton race—North America’s oldest and most iconic long-distance triathlon. Early bird rates for full distance ($500), half distance ($250), full relay distance ($695) and half relay distance ($395) expire Sunday, Nov. 16. More information on regular registration rates will...
Cyberlove campaign back for anti-bullying week
PENTICTON - Summerland teens are challenging people all over the world to spread positive messages on social media during anti-bullying week. Caitie Shaw and Dan Nixon, two high school students from Summerland and founders of the Youth Empowerment Project, started the #cyberlove campaign, which kickstarted earlier this fall. The goal of the campaign was to...
Nominate a small B.C. business before time runs out
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The Small Business B.C. Awards is accepting nominations and already a few local businesses and entrepreneurs have been recognized for their contributions and achievements. Nominations and votes will be accepted until Nov. 30, 2014 and is open to all new and existing businesses registered in B.C. with fewer than 50 employees. The Top...
Cold weather means record-breaking ice wine harvest in South Okanagan
SOUTH OKANGAN - Wineries throughout the South Okanagan have begun harvesting ice wine grapes after record-low temperatures sweep the valley. Nk’Mip Cellars Winery in Osoyoos has almost completed its harvesting, which has never happened so early in the year, says Moss Scheurkogel, winery supervisor. “It was completely unforeseen,” he says of the cold weather. A...
Police seek help in identify attempted robbery suspects
PENTICTON - RCMP are asking the public’s assistance in finding three attempted robbery suspects who tried to steal a man’s wallet Tuesday evening. A 34-year-old male victim was walking alone near the McLaren Arena on Duncan Avenue when three males in a white two-door Honda Civic approached him demanding he turn over his wallet, according...