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Meaghan Archer
Sewage connection system with Skaha Hills costs City
PENTICTON - The City faces new costs for sewage connection lines to Skaha Hills, an agreement being made between the City and the Penticton Indian Band. The Skaha Hills project is being developed by the Penticton Indian Band on the Southwest end of Penticton. The development consists of a vineyard and winery, a golf course...
RCMP aren’t ruling out the possibility of other suspects in hockey association fraud
“IT’S LIKE A PUZZLE AND NOBODY’S BLEEDING.” PENTICTON - As RCMP begin their investigation into the hockey association’s fraud case, they are not ruling out other possible suspects of the crime. The late Sandy Elder is the main suspect for embezzling $315,000 from the Penticton Minor Hockey Association during her time as Treasurer on the...
It was falling on ice that did him in, not the two car crashes
PENTICTON - Four years ago, Leon Ray was driving a bus up the road to Apex Mountain Resort. A car driving down the hill lost control and collided with his bus. No one was injured. Then another vehicle coming down the mountain lost control and crashed into the bus. Again, no one was injured. Police...
Residents and councillors disapprove gas bar and Tim’s project
PENTICTON - Residents of Roy Avenue spoke out against the potential construction of a gas bar and Tim Horton’s on a property adjacent to their street, saying it would be too noisy, smelly and just plain unnecessary. The gallery was full at Tuesday’s public hearing and council meeting. Both residents and councillors expressed their disapproval...
Man found guilty for drug trafficking wants evidence excluded
PENTICTON - Defense counsel made an application for exclusion of evidence used in the trial of a Surrey man found guilty earlier this month of cocaine possession with intent to sell. Graham V. Jordan was found guilty during a trial in Penticton Supreme Court, May 5 and 6 by Justice Selwyn Romilly. Jordan was arrested...
An evening for adults at the Children’s Festival
PENTICTON - Adults have their chance to be entertained Friday evening after the Okanagan International Children’s Festival, taking place Thursday through Saturday. Wine, champagne and appetizers will be offered to guests while they enjoy presentations from stilt walkers, and African and Middle Eastern dancers. Lanterns, hand-made by the kids, will be for sale, lit up...
Bond to serve jail sentence in community for grow op
PENTICTON — A Princeton man will serve a conditional jail sentence for a 'highly-sophisticated' marijuana grow operation he ran on his property for three years. James Bond, 48, pleaded guilty to charges of producing marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.In Penticton Provincial court today, Judge Meg Shaw ordered Bond to serve an 18-month conditional jail...
Don’t let the weather dampen your mood this long weekend
PENTICTON - The weather may be a tad dreary this May long weekend, but don’t let that ruin an extra day of rest. Sunday and Monday will see temperatures in the mid-teens, with light rain and chances of clouds. The cool weather may be perfect for a hike through the Okanagan-Similkameen, part of the Meadowlark...
School board nixes jobs to fix deficit
PENTICTON - Local school board approved the 2014-15 budget this week, which includes job cuts to help pay off a $1 million deficit. In order to cover CUPE salary and benefit increases, totalling $330,000, clerical, custodial and delivery staff jobs were cut as well as $180,000 in supplies and services. To cover the remainder of...
Okanagan International Children’s Festival is back
PENTICTON - Children’s favourite performers such as Fred Penner and Kaput will be puttin’ on a show next weekend as part of The Okanagan International Children’s Festival. The festival begins Thursday, May 22 and runs until Saturday May 24. Child entertainers will perform on the Main Stage at Okanagan Lake Park and Marina Way Park....
Let’s talk about the benefits of medical marijuana
SUMMERLAND - A medical marijuana conference is coming to Summerland this weekend in support of the Nuessler-Williams family who recently spoke out to media about their need for weed. Kyla Williams, 2, has epilepsy and suffers daily from hundreds of seizures. Doctors have not been able to find a cure to help her. The family’s...
Challenge Penticton announces Valley First as title sponsor
PENTICTON - Valley First announced it will be the title sponsor for this year’s Challenge Penticton race, taking place August 24. President Paulette Rennie made the announcement this morning alongside Diana Stirling, Vice President of the Challenge board of directors, community and staff. “I couldn’t be happier with this partnership,” Rennie said. “Last year Valley...
Penticton makes changes to recycling program
PENTICTON - The city’s recycling program is undergoing some changes as part of the implementation of a province-wide recycling program. Multi-Material B.C. is working with city’s across the province to create consistent recycling practices in communities. While there are bigger changes happening in other areas, Penticton will see only a few small additions to its...
South Okanagan transit gets new transfer policy
PENTICTON - B.C. Transit has a new policy restricting transfers between the Summerland and Naramata bus systems. Penticton, Summerland and Naramata will have colour-coded transfer tickets to help the process, which begins Monday May 19. Penticton (blue tickets) will accept transfers from Penticton, Summerland and Naramata systems. Summerland (white tickets) and will accept transfers from...
Backyard Revitalization: City sells salvaged pavers
PENTICTON - The City has a landscaping deal for anyone looking for paving stones to add to their garden this spring. Excess paved stone, torn up from Martin Street as part of the Downtown Revitalization Plan, is up for sale at a cost of $75 per pallet. There are approximately 280 to 300 bricks per...
Wild horses won’t drag us down
PENTICTON - The Penticton Indian Band is working to tame hundreds of wild horses that roam their expansive lands, and often cause safety issues. Band Council is working with the community, Penticton City Council and the Regional District of the Okanagan-Similkameen, among others, to construct an efficient and cost effective plan that will keep the...
City makes substation upgrade deal with FortisBC
PENTICTON - The City has come to an agreement with FortisBC to purchase and upgrade the Westminster substation. The deal is part of the city’s 2011 Electrical Distribution System Plan that outlines required electrical upgrades, including the installation of a 12 kilo-volt transformer at the Westminster Station. The purchase will cost the city $4,967,000 plus...
Peachfest adds high-flying acts
PENTICTON - A high-flying act was added to the lineup for the 67th annual Penticton Peach Festival. A trampoline show, performed by The Trampoline Wall and Power Track Show, will present daily in Okanagan Lake Park during the festival. “This system allows the acrobat to carry out performances where he may walk on a vertical...
Downtown Penticton gets hooked up to free Wi-Fi
PENTICTON - Free Wi-Fi will soon be offered in Penticton’s downtown core as part of the downtown revitalization. The City made an agreement with Shaw Go Wi-Fi services to make internet accessible to the public downtown, even if they aren’t Shaw customers. Offering public Wi-Fi is something the city has been talking about for a...
That’s all she laid: hen pilot project approved
PENTICTON - City council agreed to a chicken pilot project last night, even though some residents remain unimpressed with the idea. Council has been discussing whether to allow backyard hens in residential Penticton neighborhoods for nearly a year. First, they shut down the idea of a pilot project, then enough people asked them to reconsider...
Urban Agriculture group closing garden gates
PENTICTON — Volunteers are closing their garden's gates because city council, under false pretences, shot down a licence renewal. The Penticton Urban Agriculture Association will be selling and giving away their gardening tools, boxes, compost and soil this saturday. The association’s board of directors decided to vacate the garden by June 30, the end of...
Second lift of radio telescope dish a success
PENTICTON - No dishes were damaged this morning as National Research Council engineers and staff transferred an 8.7 tonne telescope reflecter dish. The dish was brought to the South Okanagan conservatory in October via helicopter, but high pressure winds damaged the dish causing setbacks. Research engineer Gordon Lacy worked on getting the dish back to...
From excessive speeding to drug trafficking
PENTICTON — A Burnaby man was found guilty of cocaine possession with intent to sell, after police found a kilogram of cocaine powder in his car. Graham Jordan was pulled over on Highway 3 between Hedley and Keremeos for excessive speeding in November 2011 and was notified by highway patrol that his car would be...
Rocks, socks and sentencing
PENTICTON — A young Penticton man will face a couple years in a jail for creating a weapon out of socks and rocks. Anthony Leonard Donald Samuelson was found guilty of aggravated assault and assault with a weapon during trial. He pleaded guilty to three counts of breaching probation. Samuelson, 20, has been in custody...