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Penticton news

Changes to Penticton water billing hoped to ease resident frustrations

PENTICTON - Changes are coming to the way Penticton residents pay their water bills. The city currently reads and bills for water consumption on a semi-annual basis while electricity is billed on a monthly schedule. The irregular water charges result in budget issues for residents and greater customer dissatisfaction, City Chief Financial Officer Colin Fisher...

Owner begs court to save dog on death row

KELOWNA – The owner of a dog that’s spent the last year on death row says the judge made a mistake. Owner Drew Panton spoke passionately and capably as he represented himself at a Kelowna Supreme Court appeal Wednesday, Dec. 9, trying to save the life of his dog Jake, an eight-year-old Presa canario that...

New foundation plans to eliminate homelessness in Penticton

PENTICTON - There’s a new new group in Penticton that aims to make the Peach City the first in B.C. to eliminate homelessness. As they work towards that goal, Mike Forster and four other individuals have recently registered their social works group, Keep the Cold off Penticton, as a foundation. The group has been building momentum since...

Theft allegation behind Vernon dog rescue closure

VERNON - A controversial dog rescue in Vernon shut down its operations last week largely because of a specific allegation of theft involving the rescue's president caught on video, sources tell infoNEWS.ca. According to a volunteer, who has not yet agreed to be quoted for this story, she found her wallet missing following a Nov....

Cart program will include yard waste pickup in Penticton

PENTICTON - Penticton's new cart-based garbage collection program will also include pick-up of yard waste when it's implemented in 2016. City staff asked council to approve the proposed cart program design at Monday’s council meeting. Public Works Manager Len Robson told council a partial cart program wouldn’t work because any manual lifting of a garbage...

Penticton council refuses to chicken out on backyard hen pilot project

PENTICTON - A plucky city council approved permits for backyard hens in the city for another six months. The pilot project began in May 2014. Twelve residents applied at the time and were given approval but those permits expired in November. Planning Manager Blake Laven gave council an update on the results of the project...

City of Penticton hopes to secure federal funding

PENTICTON - Green energy and water projects topped Penticton city council’s list of preferred projects for submission to a new round of New Building Canada funding. Penticton city staff and council discussed a number of possible projects for submission to the New Building Canada Fund, which recently opened a second intake of applications. The city...

Penticton mayor calling for a community-based response to homelessness

PENTICTON - It’s going to take a collaborative, community effort to establish a housing for the city’s homeless. That from Penticton mayor Andrew Jakubeit after a meeting held last week to explore options to resolve the city’s homeless plight. There are concerns the numbers of homeless in the city is on the rise. Interested groups are trying...

Stolen dog Myster returns to the Penticton SPCA

PENTICTON - The mystery of the missing Myster is a mystery no more. Myster, the one-year-old cane corso-whippet mix, was recovered and returned to the SPCA today, Dec. 8, South Okanagan B.C. SPCA Branch Manager Carolyn Hawkins says. Hawkins says the dog has been taken to an undisclosed location and will be transferred to a...

Break-ins, tool thefts highlight police investigations last week in Penticton

PENTICTON - Penticton thieves with a penchant for tools made off with several more this week, leaving local RCMP to investigate several more break and enters. A vehicle parked at Sky View Blinds was broken into overnight on Dec. 1, Penticton RCMP spokesperson Don Wrigglesworth says. A window was smashed to gain entry and numerous...

Shoplifting incidents on the rise in Penticton as Christmas approaches

PENTICTON - It would seem 'tis the season for shoplifting in Penticton, with calls for thefts on the rise this month. Police arrested a man and woman for shoplifting incidents at Dollarama, Value Village and the Real Canadian Superstore on Dec. 1, Penticton RCMP Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth says. The two Merritt residents apparently decided to...

Arson suspected in one of two fires to break out in Penticton overnight

PENTICTON - Officials are investigating after two recent blazes in the city — one that caused an explosion in an industrial area last night and a suspicious one at a local grocery store early this morning. A fire started in the loading dock of the Save on More supermarket at Cherry Lane Mall is being...

Pendergraft returned as Chair at regional district board elections

PENTICTON - There were few changes to Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen board following the inaugural meeting. Electoral Area “A” Director Mark Pendergraft was elected board chair for his fourth year while Penticton mayor Andrew Jakubeit received the nod as vice-chair for his second year. Electoral Area “F” West Bench director Michael Brydon took on...

Explosions rock industrial area in Penticton

PENTICTON - Emergency personnel responded to a series of explosions in a Penticton industrial area yesterday evening. Around 9:30 p.m. yesterday, Dec. 7, a report of an explosion came in for Commercial Way in Penticton. Eyewitness Skyar Noe-Vack could see a large plume of black smoke coming from the rear of a building at the...

School closures at odds with Summerland’s vision of future growth

PENTICTON - The mayor and council in Summerland have expressed their concern about with the Okanagan Skaha school district plan regarding potential school closures, specifically the possible closure of Giant's Head elementary school. They say school closures are inconsistent with council’s vision for the community and condemned any school closure in the district. "The difficulty...

Penticton stop on Megadeth world tour

PENTICTON - Thrash metal band Megadeth will be in Penticton this spring as part of the North American leg of its world tour. The concert at the South Okanagan Events Centre on Saturday, March 5, 2016, will feature special guests Suicidal Tendencies, Children of Bodom and Havok. The tour is in support of Megadeth’s new...

WWE Road to Wrestlemania coming to Penticton

PENTICTON - Wrestlemania is coming to the South Okanagan Events Centre. WWE Live presents Road to Wrestlemania at the centre on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2016. The best of the WWE’s superstars and divas will be part of the Penticton show, including Demon Kane, Dean Ambrose, Intercontinental Champion Kevin Owens, Dudley Boyz and Bray Wyatt and...

Warm but wet week ahead in the Okanagan

OKANAGAN - With at least a chance of showers every day this week we could be in for a wet week, though the above normal temperatures should make it a lot more bearable. Environment Canada is calling for highs in the 4 Celsius to 7 C range most days this week, though the Penticton area...

Christmas season begins in Penticton with Santa Claus Parade and Light Up

PENTICTON - A raw south wind and the threat of rain failed to dampen the enthusiasm of hundreds of Pentictonites who braved cool conditions Saturday afternoon to view the Santa Claus parade. The 19th edition of the parade went north on Main Street from White Avenue, terminating at Gyro Park. Even though temperatures were above...

Why this Vernon dog rescue wasn’t the saving grace it claimed to be

"I THINK SHE IS A DOG FLIPPER AND NOT SOMEBODY WHO REALLY CARES ABOUT DOGS" VERNON - After 16 years working in animal welfare, Patricia Zerr was never asked to steal a dog — until the winter of 2014 after she got involved with a Vernon-based dog rescue. She remembers driving to a home on...

Liveable wage at the heart of South Okanagan labour market study

PENTICTON - Local employers are skittish about hiring oil patch workers, while complaints of the high cost of living in the South Okanagan are largely perception-based by prospective employees, Penticton City Council has learned. Those were two of the findings in a Labour Market study of Penticton and the South Okanagan presented by MDB Insight executive vice-president...

$77,000 worth of temporary hires requested at regional district budget talks

PENTICTON - The Regional District Okanagan Similkameen is looking add $77,600 to the 2016 payroll for temporary and part time positions. At budget talks this week at the Penticton Lakeside Restort, directors considered requests for five positions from several departments. Building Services is seeking three positions, one to help with Kennedy Lake permitting, one to...

Blues, rock and gospel in Penticton Dream Music Festival lineup

PENTICTON - A new group of artists will be centre stage at the 2016 Dream Music Festival. The Dream Cafe Co-op announced the dates and line up for next year’s festival — where Blues and Rock will visit their Gospel roots — today, Dec. 4. The 2016 festival will take place at the Penticton Trade...