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Penticton news
Holiday changes for garbage pickup in the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen
PENTICTON - Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen residents will not receive garbage collection on Christmas and New Year’s Day as the pickup schedule is revised to accommodate the holiday season. Collection on those two days will shift to Saturday, Dec.26 and Saturday, Jan. 2. Penticton city residents with regular Friday collection and residents in Keremeos,...
Penticton city councillors share their festive season traditions
PENTICTON - We asked Penticton’s politicians to share their memories about their Christmas traditions, what they remembered most fondly about Christmas with their families and what traditions they follow from year to year. It’s a busy time for everyone but two Penticton councillors took the time to reply to our questionnaire to give residents a...
Some quirks of the calendar will bring you a lot more fun next year
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Before you book your vacation next year, you might find some surprises you haven’t seen on the calendar — like an extra four long weekends next year. Thanks to a few quirks of the calendar, all four date-based holidays fall on or near weekends this year. Canada Day, Remembrance Day and New Years...
Christmas laser lights causing problems for Okanagan airport
PENTICTON - A new form of Christmas lighting may have been at issue behind a police incident at Penticton Regional Airport earlier this month. RCMP were called to Penticton Regional Airport on Sunday evening, Dec. 13, after a pilot reported seeing a green laser light flash in the cockpit as he was about to land,...
Summerland Polar Bear Dip offers symbolic way to signify new beginnings
SUMMERLAND - If you haven't already, it’s time to start thinking of New Year’s resolutions, and what better way to kick off a new year and turn over a new leaf than with a bracing plunge in Okanagan Lake? This is the 31st year the Summerland Kinsmen have sponsored the annual Summerland Polar Bear Dip. ...
A cool, white Christmas for the Okanagan
OKANAGAN - You’re in luck if you dreamed of a white Christmas, but expect slightly cooler temperatures to go along with it. Enough snow has fallen this month to give much of the Okanagan a white Christmas, something that has only a 50 per cent chance of happening in Kelowna and only a 20 per...
Serious accident south of Penticton sends one to hospital
KALEDEN - One person has been sent to hospital after a head on collision south of Penticton this morning, Dec. 24. Around 7 a.m., a Honda Civic and a Ford pickup truck collided on Highway 97, roughly half a kilometre south of Lakehill Road in Kaleden. The driver of the Civic was taken to hospital...
No car seat, no ride for Armstrong mom and baby trying to board the bus
VERNON - A North Okanagan woman is sharing her experience after being told she couldn’t board a public transit bus without a car seat for her baby. Chelsey Dyer planned to take the Route 60 bus into Vernon from her Armstrong home last week to pick up her car, but wasn’t allowed on. “The driver...
Osoyoos woman absolved of assaulting an officer
PENTICTON - An Osoyoos woman charged with willfully resisting or obstructing a police officer and assaulting a police officer walked away from a Penticton courtroom a free woman today, Dec. 23 after a judge preferred her evidence over that of police. Judge Roy Dickey handed down a decision of not guilty on both counts against...
Police respond to mail theft south of Penticton
PENTICTON - Police responded to reports of a mail theft south of Penticton today, only to find the suspects throwing stolen property and weapons out of the vehicle as they tried to make their get away. Community Policing Coordinator Rick Dellebuur says unconfirmed reports of mailbox and residential theft in the Twin Lakes area prompted...
Town of Oliver familiar with new CAO hire
PENTICTON - Keremeos’ loss will be Oliver’s gain as village Cathy Cowan recently accepted the Chief Administrative Officer position in the Town of Oliver. Cowan’s departure from Keremeos will come less than eight months after she was hired as CAO of the Similkameen village. She’ll be bringing 20 years worth of experience with the Regional...
Winter break activities to keep you busy in Penticton
PENTICTON - Christmas 2015 looks like it will be white in Penticton this year, which will be a blessing to those looking for winter activities on the valley bottom. With Apex Mountain Resort a 40-minute drive from downtown Penticton, winter is never far away, no matter what kind of winter we’re experiencing, however. The resort...
Smaller South Okanagan communities benefit from age-friendly grants
PENTICTON - The province is helping 28 B.C. communities help their resident seniors stay mobile, active and socially connected. Okanagan Falls and Keremeos are two local communities benefitting from 2016 Age-friendly Community Planning and Project grants. Keremeos has been awarded $20,000 to help the village build an age-friendly outdoor fitness park to provide additional fitness...
Penmar society dream down, but not out
PENTICTON - The Penmar Community Arts Society is not giving up on their dream to turn the former Penmar Theatre into a community arts centre. Following the passing of a deadline last week for a Kickstarter funding campaign, Penmar Society President Kerri Milton says the group who owns the Penmar property needs to have the option...
Fortis jacking up power rates on New Year’s Day
OKANAGAN - The price of electricity will be going up almost three per cent in the Fortis service area. Rates will be going up 2.96 per cent New Year's Day, the publicly-owned utility announced last week after receiving regulatory approval. The company says that amounts to a monthly increase of $3.81 for the average Fortis...
‘Turtles’ lure man to Holden Road residence
PENTICTON - Thefts and mayhem on the road following the first significant snowfall of the season kept Penticton RCMP busy last week. Police responded to an address on Holden Road at 3 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 17, after receiving calls of a man trying to push his way through the patio door, Penticton RCMP media spokesperson...
Thief with a penchant for Wal-Mart won’t be home for Christmas
PENTICTON - A Penticton man won’t get his wish to spend Christmas with family following a Tuesday Penticton court appearance on today, Dec. 22. Brandon Michael Hurren was sentenced on counts of driving while prohibited, theft under $5,000 and breach of recognizance for a number of incidents that occurred in Penticton and Kelowna this year....
Summerland couple provides generous donation to hospital fund
PENTICTON – A Summerland couple are the latest South Okanagan residents make a generous donation…
Keremeos self storage lockers targeted by thieves
PENTICTON - Several customers are missing items following a break in at a Keremeos self storage compound. Thieves cut locks on several units in the Keremeos self storage facility, located on Veterans Avenue sometime between 10 p.m., Monday, Dec. 20, and 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 21, Keremeos RCMP Cpl. Kathleen Thien says. A chain link fence...
Penticton property tax increase on the way
PENTICTON - Penticton City Council and staff are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel following a lengthy budget meeting in council chambers this week, and it could cost taxpayers upwards of $81 per year. Council took a long look at the 2016 operating budget yesterday morning, Dec. 21, followed by a longer...
Driver loses control, rolls into ditch on Okanagan highway
WEST KELOWNA - A vehicle heading south on Highway 97 just outside of West Kelowna is on its roof in the ditch after the driver lost control this morning. A driver exiting the Okanagan Connector for the Okanagan Highway lost control and rolled the vehicle, coming to rest on the roof Tuesday morning, Dec. 22....
It’s not Christmas in Penticton until…
PENTICTON - There are several signs the Christmas season is upon us in Penticton. 1. It’s a sign of Christmas in Penticton when you see emergency vehicles, buses, taxis and personal vehicles adorned with antlers. What other time of the year does anyone attach fake antlers to their vehicles? It's a trend that seems to be on the rise...
‘Lesser evil’ driving infraction earns fines, lengthy licence suspension
PENTICTON - A man who called his choice to drive while his license was suspended a “lesser of two evils” will spend at least another year without his licence following a courtroom appearance in Penticton. Steven Gary Mason faced Judge Gale Sinclair in Penticton court on today, Dec. 21, on two counts of driving while...
Okanagan Similkameen Regional District office upgrades, upgraded
PENTICTON - The upgrade to the Okanagan Similkameen Regional District office building is on budget thanks to a gas tax grant from the Union of B.C. Municipalities. The board of directors have approved some add ons to the building renovations, in addition to giving final budget approval to the project. Chief administrative officer Bill Newell...