Oliver
B.C. Wildfire reporting progress on Oliver wildfires
OLIVER, B.C. – The wildfires burning in the heart of the Okanagan’s wine country continue to threaten prized vineyards and orchards with scores of residents still out of their homes, but B.C. Wildfire says there has been significant progress in the fight against the blazes. Two fires are raging near the picturesque tourist town of...
Uneasy calm in Oliver after frantic night firefighting and evacuating
PENTICTON - Hundreds of people remain out of their homes as crews continue to battle the two wildfires in the Oliver area today. There is an uneasy calm after the frantic firefighting and evacuations last night. Smoke plumes dot the mountainsides west of the community today, Aug. 15, after the Wilsons Mountain and Testalinden Creek fires...
Testalinden Creek fire pushing north; wildfire crews ready for increased activity
OLIVER – The Testalinden Creek fire has grown to over 3.1 square kilometres and will likely be getting even bigger over the next few days. B.C. Wildfire says the extremely dry conditions and the forecast gusty southerly winds mean increased fire activity. The fire, which has been growing in a northerly direction, blew through containment...
Osoyoos Lake drowning victim identified
OSOYOOS – The B.C. Coroners Service has released the name of the young girl who drowned while wading in Osoyoos Lake last week. Naziha Mohammed, 12, of Calgary was wading with a friend near Haynes Point on the west side of the lake around 7:30 p.m., Aug. 17, when rough water caused her to slip...
Volatile South Okanagan prolific offender suspected in Oliver armed robbery
OLIVER – The corner store in Oliver was held up by a man with a weapon on Thursday and the RCMP suspect a prolific offender wanted for not showing up to serve his jail sentence may be their man. RCMP say a man walked into Eastside Grocery at the corner of Park Avenue and Eastside...
RCMP, SPCA investigating woman accused of dragging puppy behind moving vehicle
OKANAGAN – After news of four Kelowna women who rescued a puppy that was injured while being pulled behind a moving vehicle in Oliver last week, the SPCA and RCMP have begun a joint investigation into possible animal cruelty. On Friday, June 12 at around 7:30 p.m., four women from Kelowna were on a wine...
Beading a path through the Okanagan
PENTICTON - An Okanagan artist and entrepreneur turned a daydream into a unique business opportunity which continues to grow with each new tourist season. Karen Griggs was looking for a way to make a living while following her passion when she came up with the idea of the Bead Trail. According to her blog, a...
Golden Mile Bench is a thing; dream becomes reality for some Okanagan wineries
OLIVER – Soon, when you open a bottle of wine from one of 11 select wineries in the South Okanagan, you will notice something new on the label. The Golden Mile Bench sub-geographical indicator, or sub-appellation, is a first in B.C. meant to mark wines grown in a specific region with at least 95 per...
Oliver continues to remember a beloved educator
PENTICTON - It’s been two months to the day since Oliver lost one of the town’s - and School District 53’s - most respected educators, but residents aren’t about to forget the man anytime soon. The community and school district were shocked to hear of the sudden death of David Barton Tumlinson on January 23, 2015....
Oliver job site raided by thieves
OLIVER – The RCMP in Oliver are asking for the public’s help to find those responsible for stealing $13,500 worth of equipment. Police say thieves raided the job site in the 4300-block of Black Sage Road overnight between Wednesday, Dec. 17 and Thursday, Dec. 18. The crooks got away with 600 litres of diesel fuel,...
Investigation into fatal Oliver crash continues
OLIVER - Police continue their investigation into a pedestrian collision that took the life of a woman in Oliver Tuesday morning. Emergency crews responded to the scene at the corner of Fairview Road and Highway 97 at 6:21 a.m. Tues., Nov. 25. A 73-year-old woman recently identified as Oliver resident Betty Anstey, was struck by...
ELECTION 2014: Who won in the South Okanagan
SOUTH OKANAGAN - You voted and the results are in for the mayors and councils of the South Okanagan who will start their four-year terms in December. Summerland welcomes new mayor Peter Waterman, who won with 1,197 votes. Joining him on council is Toni Boot with 2,819 votes; Erin Trainer with 2,214 votes; Erin Carlson...
Wine documentary rolls out the red carpet for Okanagan premiere
SOUTH OKANAGAN - A documentary that follows three South Okanagan wineries through a season is rolling out the red carpet for its premiere showing in Oliver in two weeks. Local production artists and videographers Jon Hunwick and Kenton Gilchrist of Asymetriq Productions Inc. are ready to release their latest film titled Ventures in Wine Country,...
Vandalized cafe may be linked to municipal election
OLIVER - An Oliver cafe owner says he won’t take election signs down, even after his business was vandalized in what appears to be anti-election behaviour. John Micka, owner of Sunshine Cafe in Oliver has to replace his cafe-front window after it was shot at by a pellet gun. The shot left several small holes...
Okanagan Valley wineries propose new designation area
SOUTH OKANAGAN - Okanagan Valley wineries may receive a new official designation after a study revealed that an original agricultural landscape is a contributing factor to the production of unique wines. Golden Mile Bench wineries, located near Oliver, have submitted a proposal to become the first official sub-Designated Viticultural Area of the Okanagan Valley DVA....