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Meaghan Archer
ARCHER: The trouble with Penticton’s priorities
Penticton has been all about beaches, peaches, wine and scenery for decades. Our little town is sandwiched between two beautiful lakes and fenced in with mountains and blue skies, so of course it makes sense to market it as a tourist attraction—a place to visit and hopefully stay. But in order for people to stay...
Tax fate for local nonprofits in hands of council
PENTICTON - Four local organizations were added to the list of tax exempt properties, even though they didn’t originally qualify under the city policy. Council made a motion to add four organizations—The Paternal Order of Eagles, The Penticton Minor Hockey Association, Army, Navy and Air Force Veterans in Canada, and the Senior’s Drop-in Centre—to the...
City hopes jobs, investment follows these tax breaks
PENTICTON - The local economy may soon get a boost if a new City of Penticton tax scheme for local industrial businesses pays off. The city is offering up tax breaks to industrial businesses hoping it spurs employment and new investment. “Everybody seems to be under the impression that tourism is one of our largest...
Man killed in motorcycle crash identified
PENTICTON - The man killed in a motorcycle accident in Penticton over the weekend has been identified. PENTICTON - Kevin Michael Bradley Vezina, a 41-year-old man from Penticton, collided with a pickup truck at the intersection of Main Street and Industrial Avenue on Saturday afternoon. He was thrown from his bike and suffered injuries which...
Social media comes to the rescue in robbery of local shop
PENTICTON - Social media came to the rescue once again for a local shop owner who was able to confront the man who stole from him. Leigh Follestad, owner of SmartShopper on Main Street, posted to Facebook footage from security cameras of a man stealing form his store Tuesday night. Someone saw the video and...
Okanagan Lake and S.S. Sicamous get revamped
PENTICTON - The Okanagan Lake waterfront will soon get another new look, thanks to city staff who are putting together a plan to revitalize the area around the S.S. Sicamous. Options for the plan were presented to city council last night, who will ultimately decide what they want to see in the new park. The...
Young Stars may be back to Okanagan again next year
PENTICTON - The stands were full with fans ready for a good ol' hockey game at the South Okanagan Events Centre this past weekend, when the Vancouver Canucks hosted the Young Stars Classic. Young prospects from the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, and Winnipeg Jets played a series of games in the tournament, and...
Motorcycle crash kills West Kelowna man
PENTICTON - A West Kelowna man was killed when he crashed his motorcycle into another vehicle this past weekend. On Saturday, Sept. 13, a 42-year-old motorcyclist accelerated straight through a yellow light at the same time an oncoming car was making a left-hand turn at the intersection of Main Street and Industrial Avenue. The motorcyclist...
UPDATE: Wildfire burning north of Princeton 90 per cent contained
PRINCETON - A wildfire north of Princeton is 90 per cent contained, as of Tuesday morning. The wildfire has grown to 182 hectares from the 110 ha estimated Monday morning. It is believed to be human caused, said Kayla Pepper, fire information officer with B.C. Wildfire. The fire was first reported Sunday at around 5...
Wildfire burning off Green Mountain Road 80 per cent contained
PENTICTON - The wildfire burning west of Penticton near Shingle Creek and Green Mountain Road is 80 per cent contained as of Tuesday morning. The fire is estimated to be 18.5 hectares in size and was quite visible when it began burning late Monday afternoon. There were five firefighters working overnight, and 26 firefighters are...
Council meets Tuesday to talk tax exemptions and big hugs
PENTICTON - City Council will be held Tuesday night this week, with an agenda ranging from the biggest hug to tax exemption properties. There are three delegations on the agenda, including a presentation from Scott Mudry, a resident looking for council’s approval to organize the biggest group hug. There will also be presentations on the...
Council candidate wants to make Penticton a role model for Canada
PENTICTON - Tarik Sayeed can often be found in the gallery during city council meetings, but now he’s looking for a new spot—around the table. Sayeed, 36, is a local entrepreneur and community activist. He founded the Zero Plastic Bags initiative, was listed on the Chamber’s Top 40 Under 40 list, and has most recently...
Former city councillor sentenced to prison for sexual assault
PENTICTON - Former city councillor Gary A. Leaman will spend the next few years in jail—his punishment for sexually assaulting two young victims. Leaman, 59, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault and was sentenced to a total of 21 months in provincial prison by Judge Gale Sinclair today at the Penticton Courthouse. Sinclair...
If Elvena Slump ran for council this would be her platform
PENTICTON - Elvena Slump made headlines last week after she received a legal threat from the city for emails she sent to city council and senior staff members about the roles of senior staff in city government. Slump is no stranger to municipal politics, running for a seat on city council herself in 2008. Even though...
BOBBITT: Dangerous offender hearing to resume in October
PENTICTON - The dangerous offender hearing and sentencing of David Bobbitt will continue next month. Bobbitt pleaded guilty last year to seven charges, including unlawful confinement, and sexual and aggravated assault in relation to a 2011 incident when he confined a 22-year-old woman and her toddler in his second-hand store, sexually assaulted the woman and...
ARCHER: Heritage homes add character to Penticton
There’s something about an old house that I just love. I get this giddy feeling hearing the old wood floors creak as I was across a room, the dated wallpaper, hand-cranked appliances, and little odds and ends of years long past. And it still feels, in a way, like home. So when it comes to...
Penticton entrepreneur heads to Toronto for TEDX
PENTICTON - Less than a year ago, Tarik Sayeed quit his stable job and invested his personal savings into a startup company that he felt would better society. Next month he will represent his company and Penticton at TedXToronto — one of Canada’s largest TED conferences. Sayeed is scheduled to give a presentation on an...
Boonstock says RCMP accounting is ‘speculation’
PENTICTON - Boonstock organizers say they received a bill from the provincial government three-and-a-half times more than the additional $50,000 RCMP say is owed for extra costs incurred over the festival weekend last month. The Ministry of Justice sent an invoice to Boonstock organizers with a “total owing” of nearly $177,000, and gave them 30...
Summerland mayor won’t run for re-election
PENTICTON - Two-term Summerland mayor Janice Perrino announced she will not seek re-election this fall. Perrino made the announcement on Monday that she will be leaving her seat at the council table for another willing candidate. And while she is sad to leave, she said she is leaving feeling accomplished and satisfied. Perrino also works...
How Penticton residents are changing the political landscape in town
PENTICTON - The political movers and shakers that started TimeForChangePenticton have introduced a more advanced campaign to support electoral candidates in the upcoming municipal election. The idea to start Vision Penticton was brewed up at a meet and greet held by TimeForChange organizers on Monday. Vision Penticton is like the “older sibling” to the original group,...
Sharpen your skates for the Young Stars Classic this weekend
PENTICTON - Playing in the NHL is a dream for many young hockey players, and a bunch of young stars will get closer to making that dream a reality at the Young Stars Classic this weekend in Penticton. Prospects of the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets will be playing at the...
RCMP say Boonstock needs to reimburse government for additional police costs
PENTICTON - RCMP say Boonstock organizers need to reimburse the provincial government for additional police officers required during the festival weekend, after private security failed to provide adequate resources. The two final days of the festival required additional personnel since RCMP had to shift their focus to security and public safety. A new cost analysis...
BOBBITT: Doctor says victim suffered life-threatening injuries
PENTICTON - The victim of an aggravated and sexual assault incident on July 31 2011 suffered life-threatening injuries, an emergency doctor said today during the dangerous offender hearing and sentencing of Penticton man, David Bobbitt. Dr. James Atkins treated the victim in the early morning of July 31, 2011, shortly after her arrival to the...
Crews work overnight to calm blaze between Oliver and Osoyoos
PENTICTON - A wildfire continues to burn between Osoyoos and Oliver in the Inkaneep and Mica Creek area. The fire is estimated to be 18 hectares in size as of Tuesday morning. It is burning Northeast of Osoyoos and Southeast of Oliver. No structures are threatened. There were 19 personnel on site Monday plus two...