WestJet’s Encore flies past Penticton
By Shannon Quesnel Penticton Regional Airport was left off the flight manifest according to the latest WestJet-Encore announcement, Monday. The local airport was not on a list of new cities to be serviced by WestJet's Encore fleet. For now there will be non-stop daily service to Fort St. John and Nanaimo. WestJet's Encore fleet of...
Dragons’ Den producers happy with laser coats, gluten-free pizza
By Shannon Quesnel Television producers for CBC's Dragons Den got to see what South Okanagan inventors and entrepreneurs had to offer when they opened auditions in Penticton today. One bright idea came an inventor who only goes by the name 'Franzi T.' He walked into the audition room at the Penticton campus of Okanagan College...
Limp response cancels erotic art event
By Shannon Quesnel Throw cold water on the steamy Valentine's Day Erotic Art Event scheduled for Feb. 14 at the Penticton Art Gallery—it's cancelled due to low ticket sales. Billed as a stylish romantic opportunity to woo a loved one, the cost of entry was $100 per couple. Attendees were to receive an erotic art piece,...

Court case delays Penticton’s mule deer solution
Penticton has to hold off pulling the trigger on its mule deer problem. High numbers of mule deer in the city's downtown core might mean a greater chance of animal-vehicle collisions and more instances of hostile deer threatening residents and pets. One solution is a cull but the province will not give its OK until...
Doctors want public to kick, scream for new hospital at town meeting
Turning a hospital bed diagonally to get more space to treat a patient in a tiny room is not a worse-case scenario, but reality at Penticton Regional Hospital. Dr. David Paisley wants to solve this problem of space shortages and other issues with a proposed $300-million expansion to the health centre. The province has said...
Doctors want upgrade to 62-year-old Penticton hospital
About 120 doctors, specialists and surgeons want to talk to area residents about the critcially ill Penticton Regional Hospital. The Penticton Hospital Patient Care Society - all doctors with current hospital privileges – have called a town hall meeting on Feb. 13. They say the hospital is in bad shape from massive over-crowding and outdated...
Community to recognize fallen soldier
A sign commemorating Captain Jonathan Snyder will go up on Main Street. This will dedicate the area to the legacy of the former Pentictonite. Coun. John Vassilaki questioned whether the dedication would be enough or dedicating a park might be more fitting. The discussion took place during Monday's regular council meeting. Another councillor says the...
Misleading clients gets lawyer month-long suspension
A Summerland lawyer was fined $6,448 and given a one-month suspension for misleading clients and poor service. Lawyer Thomas John Johnston, 61, failed his clients several times during a 2008-2009 legal case tried in Penticton, according to the Law Society of British Columbia. The society ruled Johnston was acting in the best interests of four clients...

Federal parolee caught in Summerland
The RCMP apprehended Andrew Robert Hardenstine in the Summerland area Sunday. Hardenstine was found inside a vehicle at about 3 p.m. says Corporal Dan Moskaluk. Two other individuals fled the vehicle when police approached but no pursuit was given. Moskaluk says the priority was apprehending Hardenstine. It is not known if Hardenstine was driving. Hardenstine, 33,...
Cigarette cause of Penticton fire
A cigarette might have sparked an apartment fire late Monday night. The fire started in the bedroom of a third floor apartment at 241 Scott Ave. says Lieut. Ken Younghusband, acting-captain of the Penticton Fire Department. Firefighters saw smoke in the main apartment hallway when they arrived on the third floor. When they opened the apartment...
Vehicle fire guts garage, burns equipment at Duncan Avenue East home
Fire burned a parked car and destroyed a garage's interior this morning at 702 Duncan Ave. East. The Penticton Fire Department got the call to respond at 5:35 a.m. A department official says the fire likely started from a parked car and then spread to the detached garage. The flames did not spread to the...
Thousands attend 18th annual Penticton home show
People walked into the 18th annual Penticton Home and Renovation Show empty-handed Saturday but many left with bags of merchandise, business cards and brochures from vendors. This year's Canadian Home Builders' Association show at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre included everything from lawn care services to hardwood floor installers and TV salespersons and vacuum...

Soliciting underage prostitute gets former mayoral candidate 7 months in jail
Two men, including a former Penticton mayoral candidate, pleaded guilty to soliciting in a high profile case of child sexual exploitation Thursday. Benny Wolfe, 68, and Ken Toovey, 56, were sentenced in Penticton Provincial Court on charges of obtaining sexual services of a person under the age of 18. Wolfe was sentenced to seven months...

Assault with knife gets probation
A 54-year-old man was given a suspended sentence and one year probation in Penticton Provincial Court today for assault with a knife. In January, 2011 Richard Sacco got into an argument with the victim and during the altercation, Sacco put a five-inch long vegetable knife to the victim's throat, according to his sentencing hearing today....
Dreamlift’s Disney vacations are dreams come true for children
“It was huge,” says Margot Newtown of Penticton, of being able to send her then nine-year-old daughter, Avery Newtown, to Disneyland, California nearly 13 years ago. Margot Newtown was able to do this thanks to the Wendy's Dreamlift Day event, an annual fundraiser that collects donations and proceeds for the Sunshine Foundation, which sends children...