City Hall
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...
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...
Major crime investigations interfere with proactive police work
VERNON - A number of time consuming investigations sucked up RCMP resources this summer and meant other crime in the city went unchecked, says Vernon’s top cop. Superintendent Reg Burgess presented a quarterly report to Vernon City Council Monday and said investigations into the city’s alleged serial arsonist, a shooting in Polson Park, fatal motor...
Have your say on Vernon Mixed Martial Arts ban
VERNON - This is your chance to tell Vernon City Hall what you think about a ban on Mixed Martial Arts. The city is providing an opportunity for public input Monday at the start of its regular council meeting. The city has already given first readings to the bylaw — which would ban professional MMA...
UPDATE: Downtown cordoned off, evacuated due to gas leak
KAMLOOPS - Part of Victoria Street was evacuated by RCMP Tuesday afternoon after a natural gas line broke on Lansdowne Street. Traffic RCMP continue to block traffic between 1 to 2 Avenues on Lansdowne while Victoria Street businesses have re-opened. Business owners are advised to keep windows open. While the gas leak has been stopped,...
City paves paradise and doesn’t bother making it a parking lot
PENTICTON — The downtown lot that was not too long ago a teaching garden, is now a patch of levelled land. The city recently took back claim of the property after a temporary use license was not renewed by a local gardening organization. The property at Ellis Street and Nanaimo Avenue was formerly the home...
Community asked to lend a hand for Taylor Van Diest trail
ARMSTRONG - Murdered Armstrong teen Taylor Van Diest’s family is looking to the community to help keep her memory alive. Taylor’s mother Marie pleaded with the City of Armstrong for assistance weeding and watering along the Taylor Jade Van Diest Memorial Trail, which has become overrun with weeds, but the city will only agree to...
City says low apartment availability no cause for alarm
“IT’S JUST THE MARKET DOING WHAT THE MARKET DOES.” KELOWNA – A recent survey on Canadian rental markets lists Kelowna as being among the worst for finding an apartment, but Kelowna’s long range planning department is not worried. Planning manager Gary Stephen says although there hasn’t been a lot of rentals built in the last...
The price to park goes up at many meters around Kelowna
KELOWNA – A 150 per cent increase in on-street parking fees comes into effect today, but the city says many meters won’t be adjusted for several more weeks. Plans to raise the rates were announced in January, with council voting to raise prices for the first time in 20 years. As of today, the cost...
Property tax time
KAMLOOPS — If you haven’t got it yet, you will soon. City property tax bills have been mailed out and it is up to you to make sure you have paid by July 2. City council agreed to a two per cent tax hike this year, about $35 to the average homeowner. Council was originally...
Vernon firefighters association rings alarm bells over staffing structures
MAYOR SAYS STAFFING STRUCTURE IS EFFICIENT, COST-SAVING AND DOESN’T CAUSE HIM CONCERN VERNON - A heated debate over Vernon's decision to deploy fire crews in groups of two instead of four continues to simmer. The Vernon Professional Firefighters Association is speaking out about staffing structures following the release of a YouTube video showing a fire...
Councillor calls new communications strategy “propaganda”
VERNON - Council is in disagreement over a new communications policy, adopted Monday in a split 4-2 vote. The city’s communications coordinator, Tanya Laing Gahr created the policy and described is as a way to effectively communicate the city’s story to the media, the public, funding bodies and other levels of government. Coun. Bob Spiers...
Changes to handicap parking on Nicola
KAMLOOPS - Complaints over inadequate space for dropping off or picking up of disabled persons at 321 Nicola St. has city staff looking at options for changing the parking in that area. The issue first arose in November when People in Motion complained about the inadequate space, which often left the HandiDart having to stop...
UPDATE: Temporary North Shore payment office approved
KAMLOOPS - McArthur Island residents won't need to travel to City Hall this year to pay taxes after a pilot project for a local payment site was approved. Staff asked council to approve the project allowing for a payment processing site at McArthur Island Sport and Event Centre for the 2014 property tax season. Part...
When is it time for council to listen?
KAMLOOPS — Just how involved councillors should be on committees was briefly discussed in council chambers this week and it is one that could be visited more often as councillors appear to jockey for position heading into a fall election. Coun. Nelly Dever told council back in November that councillors were speaking too much during...