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Vernon Light a Bulb campaign exceeds goal

VERNON - Holiday cheer is being felt at Vernon Jubilee Hospital. The 28th annual Light a Bulb Campaign has reached its $200,000 goal, the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Association announced in a media release this week. “Support for the hospital is always very strong,” campaign chair Marg Bailey said, “But this year’s Light a Bulb campaign...

Watch for whimsical pop up parks in Vernon

VERNON - A special surprise will be popping up in a Vernon park sometime this fall. It’s part of new city initiative to bring interest and excitement to underused spaces and will see a variety of temporary equipment — such as brightly painted Adirondack chairs, a piano, drums and a massive xylophone — installed in...

Kamloops boundary extension takes another baby step forward with minister visit

KAMLOOPS - The possible annexation of New Afton Mine brought Community Minister Peter Fassbender to Kamloops earlier this week. As the minister responsible for boundary extension queries, Fassbender joined Mayor Peter Milobar Monday, Nov. 9, to meet with those potentially impacted by the proposed change, including First Nations and mining industry officials. “He was quite accommodating...

Happy twist to stolen poppy donations in Vernon

VERNON - Something good has come of an unfortunate crime earlier this week in Vernon. Bosley’s pet store manager Dawn Vipond says after news got out that someone stole a tray of poppy pins and donations from the shop, the community turned the tale around. “We’ve had a bunch of individuals come in just to donate,...

Meet Dennis, the Roots and Blues Festival’s most mischievous volunteer

SALMON ARM - As you step through the gates of the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, volunteer Dennis Roberts will be the guy telling you there’s gum stuck to your pants, or that you fit the description of a police suspect, just for the heck of it. And while his motive is mischievous, the...

Take a seat at the painted piano downtown Vernon

VERNON - The people of Vernon are making beautiful music together, thanks to a colourful, communal piano on Main Street. The old upright piano appeared about three weeks ago on the sidewalk outside a 30 Avenue business, Good Gracious. The store’s former owner Dave Russell, who is now retired, came up with the idea after...

Community celebration at Kal Beach in Vernon a hit

VERNON - It was a beach party to remember. Hundreds attended an event at Kal Beach Friday featuring activities, live music and plenty of community spirit, as well as a few National Hockey League players. The highlight for many was meeting past and present hockey idols. Jesse Vandenbrand, 7, could barely contain his excitement as...

Coffee, creativity and a cause come together at Vernon coffee shop

VERNON - Maybe you come for the coffee. Maybe the atmosphere. Maybe the constantly changing art. And this month, you might come to Vernon’s Bean Scene Coffee House to show your community spirit. Every month, the Bean Scene strips the art on its walls and puts up a new show. It’s a fun change of...

City puts brakes on community group wanting to build new Vernon bus shelters

WHAT GOES ON CITY PROPERTY MUST MEET CITY POLICY VERNON - The intentions behind a grassroots movement to spruce up Vernon’s run-down bus stops are good ones, but the City of Vernon is still putting brakes on the project, at least for now. Vernon-based organization Noteworthy Neighbourhoods hoped to get started building a new, covered...

Friends determined to finish house for Vernon dad sidelined by cancer

VERNON - Efforts are underway to ensure that when a Vernon man returns from cancer treatment in Vancouver he’ll be coming home to a finished house. Homer Alexis started feeling ill about a month ago, but chalked the symptoms up to the flu. When he didn’t get better, his wife Denise drove him to Vernon...

Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival bucks the trend and survives

SALMON ARM - We’ve got Joni Mitchell to thank for the words ‘You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone’ but the community of Salmon Arm gets the credit for acting on that epiphany before it was too late. Six months ago, things were uncertain for the Roots and Blues Festival. A number of...

Many hands might make light work if co-housing comes to Vernon

VERNON - A local woman hopes to introduce a new way of living to Vernon. It’s called co-housing, and Barbara Van Sickle is passionate about it. With a blend of private homes and common areas, co-housing neighbourhoods foster community, group decision making and the philosophy that many hands make light work. “Socially, it’s much more...

ELECTION 2014: Vote recount not necessary, according to city

PENTICTON - Members of the community are asking for a recount after voter turnout was lower than anticipated, however the city is not planning a recount request. Only 8,424 of the 26,806 eligible voters submitted their ballots for the 2014 election— almost two per cent fewer voters than in 2011. The community had high expectations...

ARCHER: The importance of being a jury member

I spent three days this week at the Penticton courthouse sitting in on a coroner’s inquest for the death of a 30-year-old man, Steven Joseph Scott, who died two years ago while in police custody. I had never been to an inquest before and was happily surprised to find the five-person jury and all the...

Who is Elvena Slump?

PENTICTON - We know Elvena Slump for her letters to the editor and recent controversy over a lawsuit filed against her by the city for remarks she made about senior staff in those letters. But this isn’t her first controversy. Slump, 76, spent nearly two decades working in print, publishing news, including a paper called The...

Penticton wants province to look after Boonstock

PENTICTON - City council has taken its Boonstock woes straight to the provincial government and it appears the province is interested in taking it on, along with other large music festivals. In a release today, the City of Penticton says its full contingent of mayor and councillors (minus only Coun. John Vassilaki) at the Union...

Who let the fish out? Penticton Indian Band opens hatchery

PENTICTON - The new sockeye salmon hatchery on the Okanagan River is a First Nations and salmon success story according to the Penticton Indian Band chief. The Penticton Indian Band held a ceremony for the grand opening of the hatchery Sunday. The Band has had a very successful salmon program for over a decade, and...

Dip your paddle in the water this weekend at Steamfest Regatta

PENTICTON - Experience a bit of Penticton history at the Steamfest Regatta this weekend on Okanagan Lake. The Regatta races were held on Okanagan Lake a hundred years ago, and the tradition stays alive today with the community-building event. The Penticton Museum has worked to restore four war canoes it received in 2010, and hopes...