community

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...

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...

Community gives Kingfisher Interpretive Centre a leg up

KINGFISHER - Good things are hatching at the Kingfisher Interpretive Centre. The salmon hatchery and educational centre located 25 kilometers east of Enderby was hit hard by a massive flood and debris flow in May. The deluge brought logs, mud and silt surging into the centre’s buildings and trails, damaging the hatchery and causing the loss...

Grab your cameras and binoculars; Marina Way Lookout is open

PENTICTON - The Marina Way Lookout officially opens Thursday evening, revealing the newest view of Okanagan Lake with a celebration and historical tour.  The reconstruction project was part of the city’s waterfront enhancement strategy. The vision was to transform the abandoned peninsula — formally used as a Canadian National Railway loading dock — into a...

Community Centre offers Day Camp for kids if strike continues

PENTICTON - The Community Centre has organized day camps for school kids ages 6 to 12 starting Sept 2. if teachers remain on strike. Camps are offered Sept. 2 to 5 and Sept. 8 to 12, with additional weeks added as needed. Kids will participate in activities, including swimming, games, crafts and sports from 9...

Loud Challenge fireworks a ‘first world problem’

PENTICTON - There has been buzz around town that some people are less than thrilled about the midnight fireworks that followed the Challenge Penticton triathlon Sunday. Several Facebook posts suggest the loud fireworks woke them from their slumbers Sunday night, while others barely noticed.. “I am that ‘younger generation’ and midnight on a Sunday was...

Challenge Penticton lines up weekend full of events

PENTICTON - The second Challenge triathlon is this Sunday and there are lots of all-ages events lined up in the days before the race. Events start Thursday, Aug. 21 and run for four days. There will be fun runs, a junior triathlon race, party in the park, free yoga and a charity swim. The whole...

TimeForChange members to speak out at council

PENTICTON - Members of the “TimeForChange” Facebook group are taking the conversation offline and onto the streets this evening. They have organized to meet in front of City Hall at 5:30 p.m. Monday before the city council meeting. The goal of the congregation is to make sure city council knows the group is serious about...

Teens finalists in World Summit Youth Award for epilepsy support

SUMMERLAND - A group of young activists are finalists for the World Summit Youth Award for their work in epilepsy awareness. The Epilepsy Awareness Squad, created by high school students Caitie Shaw and Dan Nixon in June 2013, was among 1896 applicants from 138 UN countries for the award. The group uses its website and...

A quick recap of PeachFest 2014

PENTICTON - The city was buzzing with excitment this weekend over the 67th annual Peach Festival, a longstanding Penticton tradition. Canadian rock legends The Stampeders and Trooper both took to the stage and played two great shows to huge crowds. Okanagan Lake beach was full of people during the day, enjoying the hot Okanagan weather,...

ARCHER: This one goes out to all the young people

Looking around the city council table, there are a lot of, how do I put this gently, wise faces, especially now that the youngest member, Wes Hopkin left for law school in Toronto. The 25-year-old councillor, who 22 when elected, brought a youthful spirit and fresh outlook to city governance. At his last council meeting...

Challenge home-stay program a rewarding experience

PENTICTON - Chris Hawkins is no stranger to triathlon races — being a four-time Ironman participant he knows the importance of pre-race preparation, such as rest, good diet and peace and quiet. That’s why last year, Hawkins, his wife (also a triathlete) and their two young daughters hosted professional athlete Chris Bagg and his wife...

What you need to know about Peach Fest

PENTICTON - The 67th annual Peach Festival starts Wednesday and runs all weekend, so here are a few tips, reminders and schedules to make sure you get the most out of the event. ENTERTAINMENT Emerson Drive kicks things off Wednesday night, followed by Trooper on Thursday, and The Stampeders on Saturday. A full list of...

Band chief works to bridge gaps in community

PENTICTON - Penticton Indian Band chief Jonathan Kruger hopes to involve locatees and the band community in development projects, including the new bridge that will be built over the Okanagan River channel.  The project is part of Kruger’s big plans to improve the band’s economy and community. The bridge is just a gateway for some...