Shannon Quesnel

PENTICTON - The 2013 Penticton byelection doesn't look like it will be as busy as the 2011 municipal election race. Kevin Noonan and David Korinetz ran and lost in the 2011 general election that saw former mayor Dan Ashton in the top seat. Ashton is now an MLA and his vacancy means a byelection to...

PENTICTON — The heads of the regional district and the City of Penticton must find their chairs uncomfortable because they want new ones. The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen lost its chair Dan Ashton when he ran and won an MLA seat in the May 14 provincial election. Vice-chair Mark Pendergraft, director of Osoyoos-Rural, has been...

PENTICTON — Penticton should not worry about flooding concerns despite three days of nearly constant rainfall. The Okanagan Valley has been drenched this past week with various communities experiencing different levels of rising water. Dale Kronebusch said there are no concerns for this area. The emergency services supervisor of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen said Okanagan...

PENTICTON — Parts of Three Blind Mice Trail are no place for beginning mountain bikers. Penticton Search and Rescue president Dale Jorgensen said there's 107 kilometres of trail and some are very technical.  "The trails are zig-zagging all over the place," he says. Jorgensen pointed out there are easier trails elsewhere for starting riders to...

PENTICTON — West Bench residents might get water meters installed if the regional board goes ahead with an $894,395 upgrade. The West Bench water system has had major upgrades over two years and water meters provide incentive and savings, chief administrative officer for the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen, Bill Newell said. Newell will explain...

PENTICTON — Acting mayor Garry Litke was not shot despite wearing a deer costume with a bullseye taped to his back. Litke and city manager Annette Antoniak, who dressed as a chicken, rode a tandem bike in front of city hall on Wednesday as the price for losing a Bike To Work Week competition with...

PENTICTON — A convicted child predator who tricked a boy into bed should serve three to four years in prison, according to Crown counsel. John Swanson said Rene Mark Burke, 56, is guilty of touching a young person for sexual purpose, fear of sexual offence to person under 14 and two breaches of recognizance. Burke...

PENTICTON - An applause followed city council's decision to deny a winery's food service and patio application. Perseus Winery's request was turned down at Monday's city council meeting by a split vote with Coun. Wesley Hopkin and acting mayor Garry Litke leading the charge to deny. Hopkin said the winery didn't even fit inside a...

PENTICTON — Acting mayor Garry Litke will strap on a costume and ride a tandem bike with city manager Annette Antoniak in front of city hall Wednesday at 10 a.m. At least one will wear a chicken head. Development director Anthony Haddad said once again the city was beaten by the Regional District of Okanagan...

City staff to present possible election dates on July 2 PENTICTON — Coun. Andrew Jakubeit said he will not run for the mayor's spot. He is the last elected official to sound off on his plans on the upcoming byelection. With former mayor Dan Ashton taking his seat as MLA there is a hole in...

PENTICTON — A man guilty of sexually abusing a child should be locked up for seven years Crown prosecutor Nashina Devji said. She said the man, who cannot be identified due to a court order, sexually assaulted a girl for 18 months, several times week, starting when she was 11 years old and has shown...

PENTICTON — A byelection and a winery interfering with family life will generate discussion at Penticton city council tonight. Corporate officer Dana Schmidt was instructed to find byelection dates and examine the process to fill the seat left by former mayor Dan Ashton. He ran and won an MLA seat in the 2013 general provincial...

PENTICTON — Breaking water restrictions could mean a $25 fee each and every time the rules are broken. The City of Penticton has put Stage One water restrictions in effect. That means those with automatic irrigation systems should set them to operate from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. while those with manual sprinklers can water...

PENTICTON - Two more councillors and a 2011 election candidate say they will not be running for the mayor's job. First time councillors Wesley Hopkin and Helena Konanz said they will not be putting on their election shoes and running in the mayor's race. Konanz said she was encouraged by friends and supporters but she...

PENTICTON — Anarchist Mountain has a 50-hectare fire cooking its slopes but the blaze is considered under control as of Thursday. The wildfire is 100 per cent contained, fire information officer Melissa Welsh said. The area did receive rain on Wednesday night and still has 37 firefighters working the site on Thursday. Crews are suppressing...

PENTICTON — A non-profit group wants to grade the entire Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen through an online survey.  The Community Foundation of the South Okanagan wants as many people from Cawston, Hedley, Kaleden, Keremeos, Naramata, Okanagan Falls, Olalla, Oliver, Osoyoos, Penticton, Princeton and Summerland to decide what issues are the most important. Childhood obesity,...

PENTICTON — A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for Penticton and most of the South Okanagan area. Environment Canada said heavy downpours are possible for Thursday afternoon and evening. Large hail stones and damaging winds might also accompany the storms. It's expected 10 to 15 mm of rain could fall per hour. There is...

Transportation ministry to examine runaway lane once wreckage is removed PENTICTON — Anarchist Mountain has a 50-hectare fire cooking its slopes but the blaze is considered under control as of Thursday. The wildfire is 100 per cent contained, fire information officer Melissa Welsh said. The area did receive rain on Wednesday night and still has...

PENTICTON — The regional board will hold an election July 4 to fill the chair Dan Ashton left after stepping down to be Penticton's MLA. Ashton resigned on Wednesday. Since his absence vice-chair Mark Pendergraft has been acting chair. Chief Administrative Officer Bill Newell said the board will elect one of its own members to...

PENTICTON — MLA Dan Ashton plans on keeping his promise to cover a portion of Penticton's by-election costs up to $35,000. Ashton resigned as Penticton's mayor Wednesday, in person, at City Hall. He then stepped down as board chair of the Regional Okanagan Similkameen board, a position he's held for 12 years. He said it...

Trust fund to be created for burned man PENTICTON - A fiery explosion has left nothing for a local Olalla man when he gets out of Vancouver General Hospital. All of Randie Walker's possessions, including the motor home he lived in at 1450 Main St. in Olalla, was destroyed by a blaze made worse by...

PENTICTON — MLA Dan Ashton plans on resigning as mayor and as chair of the regional board today. Ashton was at his home in Summerland on Wednesday. On Tuesday he was sworn in as MLA in Victoria. He won the right in the May 14 general election when he beat NDP candidate Richard Cannings by...

COUN. GARRY LITKE A CANDIDATE; TWO COUNCILLORS DECLINE PENTICTON — There will be two seats on city council up for grabs whenever Mayor Dan Ashton decides he can't hold down three jobs. Ashton won the Penticton MLA seat in the May 14 provincial election. He was officially sworn on Tuesday as a member of the...