Shannon Quesnel

By Shannon Quesnel Penticton City councillors are unhappy the province said no to a section of Highway 97 being advertised in a bike and trail plan. The Ministry of Transportation was given the details and replied it would not be building a bike lane on that stretch and the city should not add it to...

By Shannon Quesnel Penticton's Okanagan Lake waterfront will start its $2.1 million facelift today. Sidewalk and beach access will be limited and drivers will have signage and barriers to contend with. Workers will be making preparations in advance for more invasive construction later this April. Street lights will be removed in the next two days...

Mental illness played a role in last Thursday's bomb threat at the Penticton Health Centre. About 160 staff members evacuated the area but returned an hour later when it was deemed safe. RCMP determined the bomb threat was made by an elderly woman who lives at a care facility. The woman was upset an appointment...

By Shannon Quesnel Penticton city council will support a liquor store owner in trying to get his business moved from Martin Street to Fairview Road. Malvindar Randhawa wants to move the Gables Liqour Store license from 360 Martin St. to 1196 Fairview Rd. but the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch refused his request. The branch...

A 44-year-old Penticton resident was arrested for illegal drug possession following a vehicle stop and a house search. Cori Ann Mitchell of Penticton has been charged with methamphetamine and marihuana possession, unsafe firearm storage and firearm possession. These charges came about after RCMP stopped her vehicle on March 13 on Nanaimo Avenue. Following the vehicle...

By Shannon Quesnel RCMP Insp. Brad Haugli said conversation can solve problems. Talking settles disputes between neighbours and strengthen bonds between officers and the communities they protect. Penticton's top cop will be taking these lessons with him when he heads to the Lower Mainland on April 5 where he will serve as the investigative services...

By Shannon Quesnel Penticton's weather is changing rapidly today with cold winds, snow, then cloudy skies then hail. Then some sun. Then back to lightly falling hail. Environment Canada called for a few wet flurries today ending near noon. It was hailing by 2:10 p.m. Penticton residents on Twitter were commenting on the up-and-down weather...

By Shannon Quesnel Penticton city council will put booze and restaurants on its discussion menu tonight. Event organizers and a restaurant owner are seeking approvals for serving and selling alcoholic beverages. One business owner also wants to know why his request to move a liquor license from one address to another was denied. Vallarta's Canexican...

By Shannon Quesnel Parents say school board policy is leaving some students out in the cold when it comes to French enrollment classes. Diane Fort says her 10-year-old daughter, Emily Mosley, is more than ready for French classes in Penticton. Mosley has been teaching herself French and even created her own second language manual. “I'm...

By Shannon Quesnel A retired doctor is tired of people getting sick and believes a health coalition is the answer to society's medical woes. The Okanagan Similkameen Healthy Living Coalition will be made up of health groups, humanitarian agencies, school boards and government social programs. The coalition's overall goal is to make it easier for...

By Shannon Quesnel Hundreds of Native youth are getting physical next week at the 2013 Gathering Our Voices Conference. First Nations students from across Canada will be at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre from Tuesday to Friday. The event is hosted by the B.C. Association of Aboriginal Friendship Centres and the Ooknakane Friendship Centre,...

Former Penticton Secondary School student Jamie Paul Wolanski pleaded guilty to breaking bail conditions today at Penticton Provincial Court. Wolanski was in custody and appeared before Justice of the Peace Marj Warwick and his defence lawyer James Pennington via video feed. Wolanski's bail conditions were set following his arrest for the alleged June 2011 murder...

By Shannon Quesnel Penticton has another thing to be thankful for, besides its dozens of wineries, sandy beaches and fabulous views – no snow. Mother Nature dumped several centimetres of the white stuff today on Kamloops, Kelowna and Vernon last night and today. The snow was expected to stop by noon. Summerland  escaped winter's leftovers...

By Shannon Quesnel A South Okanagan man will plead guilty to two assault charges later this spring. Marcus William Sheena was in custody and appeared by video at the Penticton Provincial Court today to listen to his lawyer Michael Welsh and Crown lawyer Mallory Treddenick discuss his fate. Welsh said Sheena, who was once on...

By Shannon Quesnel The body of a missing 81-year-old Penticton woman was found in Skaha Lake Saturday morning. Olivene Bourke went missing last Wednesday and was reported being spotted near Skaha Lake Road and Channel Parkway. Sgt. Rick Dellebuur said police found some of her personal effects on Skaha Lake shore. RCMP divers were called...