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council
Vernon council candidate has a legacy to honour
VERNON - The latest person to announce her candidacy for a Vernon City Council seat says she has politics in her blood — after all, her grandfather was an Alderman for the city 50-plus years ago. Kari Gares was born in Vernon and has a degree from UBCO in history and psychology. She describes herself...
Former NDP candidate running for council
KELOWNA – A controversial former NDP provincial candidate announced her return to Kelowna politics Tuesday. Dayleen Van Ryswyk says she will run for a seat on Kelowna Council in the upcoming November municipal election. Van Ryswyk, a former NDP candidate for the Kelowna-Mission riding, was forced out of the race after comments about First Nations...
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...
Extra pay for mayor and council approved
VERNON - The next people who sit on Vernon city council will have the option of getting paid to attend meetings, on top of the salary they already receive. Mayor and council decided to keep the stipend at the current $137 for half or full day meetings, but not before throwing out a proposal to...
Local musician and Festivals Kelowna coordinator to run for council
KELOWNA – A well-known local musician and programmer of marquee events like Parks Alive, Arts Alive and the Canada Day Festival will run for city council this November. Ryan Donn, 37, will make the official announcement Friday, but has confirmed he plans to file his nomination papers before the October 10 deadline. Best known for...
Vernon councillor seeks another term
VERNON - Councillor Brian Quiring will seek another term on Vernon council this fall. A partner with MQN Architects, Quiring has lived in Vernon since 1993 and served on council for the last three years. He graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Master of Architecture degree and supports development and construction as an...
UPDATE: Bepple wants back on council
KAMLOOPS - Former Coun. Nancy Bepple stepped down from her council seat in March due to health reasons but Wednesday morning she announced her intention to run in the upcoming election. Bepple said her health is now under control and it will not impact her ability to be serve the city. "It was a chronic...
There’s a passionate new face in the Vernon election race
VERNON - A passionate newcomer determined to put some personality in local politics has announced she’s running for a seat on Vernon city council. Dalvir Nahal, 38, is a first time councillor candidate. Born in India and raised in Vernon, she’s called the city home for the last 36 years. The energetic and candid breast...
Governance question snipped from fall election ballot
VERNON - A question about changing how local municipalities are governed has been stripped from the fall election ballot in Vernon. City council voted not to include a question asking voters if they want the city to pursue the creation of a municipal restructuring committee. The committee would study the implications of governance restructuring. The...
Unprecedented interest in Mayor’s chair
KELOWNA – It’s looking like voters will have an unprecedented number of choices for mayor this November. With the opportunity to file still a month away, the numbers are far from final, however outgoing Mayor Walter Gray says there does seem to be more interest this year than at any other time he can remember....
Safety measures sought for dangerous stretch of Highway 97
LAKE COUNTRY - In the aftermath of two fatal accidents, officials in Lake Country are calling for the addition of a concrete median between Beaver Lake Road and the Kelowna Airport. In July, an elderly couple and a 14-year-old passenger believed to be their grandson were fatally injured after crossing the centre line and colliding...
Tough as nails councillor announces his retirement
KELOWNA – After three years on council and 15 as fire chief, Coun. Gerry Zimmermann is stepping down from public office. Zimmermann was first elected to council in 2011, was Fire Chief from 1990 to 2005 and also served one term on the Agricultural Land Commision. “I had a hard time making this decision but...
Not much competition in Vernon election race, yet
VERNON - So far, there’s relatively little competition in the Vernon municipal election race compared to previous years. The City of Vernon reports ten nomination packages have been picked up since Sept. 2. We know three of those can be attributed to Mary-Jo O’Keefe, Victor Cummings and Klaus Tribes, all of whom are competing for...
Councillor announces she will run again
KELOWNA – Add one more name to the list of sitting councillors who will be on the ballot again this fall. Mohini Singh, who was first elected three years ago, has announced she will seek re-election to a second term. “There's a lot of unfinished business,” she says. “I see good things happening for Kelowna...
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...
Vassilaki gunning for the hot seat
PENTICTON - From the steps of City Hall, Coun. John Vassilaki announced he will run for mayor in the upcoming municipal election and work to restore power back to the hands of city council. Recent issues, including the city’s lawsuit against the Penticton Hospitality Association, have cost taxpayers thousands of dollars. “And no one has...
This is how a 76-year-old woman responded to threats from Penticton city hall
PENTICTON - A local woman refuses to apologize to city staff about comments she made in letters sent to city staff and council, and puts herself at risk to be sued. Elvena Slump, 76, has been an outspoken member of the public and has written several letters to local media and city council critical of...
T’kemlups te Secwepemc responds to media coverage of salaries, financials
KAMLOOPS – First Nations Chiefs and councillors have entirely different roles from city mayors and councillors and cannot be compared based on salary alone, says T’kemlups te Secwepemc. When salaries and audited financial statements were released last month under new federal legislation, local media around the province—including Infonews.ca—made the comparisons between chiefs and councillors to municipal...
Proposed Lavington pellet plant moves forward
COLDSTREAM - A controversial pellet plant has overcome a significant hurdle. Pinnacle Renewable Energy and Tolko Industries have the go ahead to rezone the land intended for the plant though it wasn’t an easy, or unanimous decision for Coldstream council. Third reading of the rezoning bylaw scraped through deliberations with four councillors voting in favour...
Fast charge stations for electric cars proposed for West Kelowna
WEST KELOWNA – Fast charging stations for electric cars could be coming soon to West Kelowna. The new stations, part of a province-wide initiative put forward by B.C. Hydro, will recharge a vehicle in approximately 30 minutes using direct current (DC) instead of the several hours needed at a regular AC household outlet. Facilities manager...
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...
Okanagan Indian Band describes chief and council roles
VERNON - After releasing its chief and council pay, the Okanagan Indian Band is explaining the responsibilities behind the money. Infonews.ca ran a story last week comparing band council salaries and expenses with its counterparts at the City of Vernon, as well as their respective populations. Band chief Byron Louis issued a statement in response...
Council goes against staff on casino move
KAMLOOPS - The public will get to voice input on the proposed move of the downtown casino to the former Rona location in Aberdeen after a staff recommendation to deny the application was overturned by council Tuesday. “We need the opportunity to hear from the community, and casino people,” Coun. Tina Lange said. “(We have)...
Eyesore motel blasted by Kelowna city council
KELOWNA – A boarded up motel on Harvey Avenue is getting some negative attention from Kelowna city council for its shabby appearance. The derelict Ponderosa Motel sits just east of Parkinson Recreation Centre at 1864 Harvey Ave. Coun. Robert Hobson says the motel, which closed in 2011, has become an eyesore. “It is incredibly ugly,”...