Shannon Quesnel

PENTICTON - A crowd of Corry Place residents snorted in disbelief when Coun. Wesley Hopkin said at last night's council meetings that improvements for their cul-de-sac would be included in the next budget deliberations. Resident Garry Gratton said he's had enough with the promises. Residents have been promised new pavement, storm drains, curbs, underground electrical,...

PENTICTON - Paige Judd from Penticton wins first place in the female portion of the 30th annual Mr. Muscle and Miss Bikini contest on Sunday. Hundreds turned out to Skaha Beach to see dozens of men and women flex their biceps, triceps and quads. Judd took her prize of $500 cash and an opportunity to...

PENTICTON - Canada's Snowbirds gave a preview of their air show for the Penticton Peach Festival by roaring over town on Tuesday. The team landed one-by-one at the Penticton Regional Airport shortly after doing a fly-by of the community. The pilots and crew members emptied each of the nine CT-114 Tutors of personal luggage and...

PENTICTON - B.C. Family Day Party at Gyro Park on Sunday was the centre of attraction for downtown tourists and residents. Dozens of families experienced a relaxed atmosphere with live musicians, vendors and plenty of activities for children. When the kids weren't getting their muscles burning jumping up and down or climbing a climbing wall,...

PENTICTON - Children will be climbing up the wall, not driving their parents up the wall, at Gyro Park this Sunday. The B.C. Family Day Party in the Park is one of several events taking place this weekend in Penticton and it will feature a large climbing wall complete with harnesses. From 11 a.m. to...

SUMMERLAND - A dropped purse is the alleged cause for a white truck colliding with a McDonald's outdoor eating area in Summerland on Thursday. Cpl. Bruce Haley said a Summerland woman, 70, told police she exited the Summer Fair Mall on 7519 Prairie Valley Rd. and dropped her purse in the area of the accelerator....

PENTICTON - B.C.'s health minister said the province is committed to building a hospital expansion but not any time soon. Health Minister Terry Lake told a reporter on Thursday's CBC Daybreak South he did not believe anyone committed to having a hospital built in Penticton in four years. At interview's end he did say the...

UPDATE 9:05 a.m., Aug. 2, 2013 PENTICTON - Fire crews were kept busy on Thursday handling small spot fires left by lightning strikes in the Naramata and Peachland areas. While hundreds of strikes were detected last night during storms in the Kamloops fire region, there was plenty of rain with some areas getting 10 mm....

PENTICTON - A First Nation will get paid for its contribution to a watershed plan which is in contrast with other communities doing similar work for free. The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen was hesitant at a previous meeting about paying the Lower Similkameen Indian Band $43,755 for the First Nation's work on the Similkameen River...

PENTICTON - Okanagan River channel caretakers want help paying its $40,000 bill but a regional district director wants more for the money. The Penticton Indian Band spends $40,000 for channel maintenance and for the upkeep of its portion of the KVR Trail system. The First Nation would like some financial assistance from the other stakeholders...

PENTICTON - Lightning, large hail stones and strong winds are in Thursday afternoon's forecast. Environment Canada recommends when severe weather approaches take immediate safety precautions. Seek shelter and stay out of the water. Thunderstorms are building over parts of the southern interior. To contact a reporter for this story, to send photos or videos, email...

PENTICTON - Penticton RCMP have had plenty of drug busts and other arrests this past month according to a drug task force report. RCMP arrested 16 people for a variety of offences including 11 breaches of bail conditions, six various drug possessions, a crystal meth trafficking charge, a controlled prescription pills trafficking charge and one...

PENTICTON - Penticton Indian Band added an educational component to its now formalized partnership with the modular-home company Britco Structures. The two groups have had a relationship for about eight years but took it to the next level recently to formalize their partnership. As part of the agreement the company now offers an internship program...

PENTICTON - City council wants public input about making the Okanagan Lake waterfront even greener. The city wants advice on its proposed Marina Way Lookout project which will restore habitat in the area east of the Penticton Art Gallery. More than 20 native trees and about 300 native shrubs will be planted and invasive plant...

UPDATE: 9:48 a.m. July 31, 3013 The man who died following a tractor accident near Princeton July 27 has been identified. He was Barend Vant' Veld, 65, of Princeton. The B.C. Coroners Service has not revealed the cause of death and the investigation is ongoing. The family of Vant' Veld have been notified. 5:05 p.m....

OSOYOOS - A cyclist was struck in Osoyoos on Highway 97 Monday evening and police are looking for an additional driver who was at the scene. The cyclist Michael Geoffrey Holmes, 52, of Osoyoos, was lying on the road at the time he was struck by a Mazada 626 sedan sometime before 9:55 p.m.  He...

PENTICTON - Dancers will be able to take off their clothes again at The Opal Nite Club once the operators amend their business license. The club already had an exotic dance show on Friday and Saturday but several people complained. Penticton development director Anthony Haddad said staff have already spoken with club offiicals. Haddad said...

SUMMERLAND - A proposed trail should show off Okanagan Lake to hikers and bicyclists Mayor Janice Perrino said. She said a new trail system is needed to show off the scenery along the lake. The KVR Trail exists but it follows an old rail-line well away from the water. "The KVR is great and it's...

A small car fire on the Penticton Indian Band reserve almost handled itself. Band firefighters attended a car fire on Green Mountain Road and Penticton IR Road around 4:29 p.m. The flames stay confined to the car and destroyed it. Around the car was a dry and grassy area and just 20 feet away was...

PENTICTON - Faces light up when Angelo enters any of the rooms at the Trinity Care Centre which is precisely the reaction staff want to see. The small white dog was waiting with his handler Diana MacDonald and resident Betty Crowe, 86, in the front foyer Monday morning. The pooch sat on Crowe's lap, with...

PENTICTON - A different strategy for a better outcome is what Vic Powell has planned for the Sept. 7 byelection. Powell, a former military man, ran for the mayor's position in the 2011 Penticton election but only came away with 472 votes and lost to former mayor Dan Ashton. He said not using election signs...

PENTICTON - Thousands of worms are being plopped into people's homes to eat and turn human garbage into garden friendly compost. Years ago this might have been a turn-off to many but more and more residents are happy to invite the slimy invertebrates into their backyards and garage, according to Penticton Community Garden Society president...

UPDATE: 9:01 p.m., July 29, 2013 PENTICTON - The evacuation alert for Willowbrook and Yellowbrick Road properties in the White Lake area has ended. A 70-hectare wildfire, now 100 per cent contained, prompted the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen to issue the alert. This affected property owners at 3566, 3639, 3749, 3775 and 4351 Willowbrook...