Penticton news

Okanagan MP mimicks Trudeau’s Vogue cover with funny tweet

KELOWNA – Local Conservative MP Dan Albas is getting some attention in the Twittersphere this week for recreating a Vogue cover photo featuring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “Must. Work. On the hair. #vogue,” he tweeted Wednesday, Dec. 9. The black and white photo attached shows him seemingly lost in thought and striking a pose that...

Warm weather sticking around just a bit longer in the Okanagan

OKANAGAN - It seems our stretch of well-above seasonal normal temperatures is coming to an end, but we still have a few slightly warmer days ahead of us. Environment Canada is calling for a high of 3 Celsius today, Dec. 11, in the Vernon and Kelowna areas, with a high of 4 C expected in...

Penticton city councillors back wine bar’s application for increased capacity and longer hours

PENTICTON - Complaints over the hours of operation and parking issues failed to dampen Penticton city council’s enthusiasm for the Mile Zero Wine Bar’s application for an increase in capacity and operating hours. Council approved the request and forwarded a recommendation of support to the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch for a doubling of interior...

Penticton Christmas lights tour returns

PENTICTON - The annual Christmas lights tour returns to Penticton next week. The City of Penticton and B.C. Transit will be sponsoring the tours on Wednesday, Dec. 16  this year. Two buses will run from the bus stop at Wade Avenue  and Martin Street with the first tour beginning at 6:30 p.m. A second bus...

Sensitive Santa brings Christmas closer to children with autism

KELOWNA - A visit to see Santa in the mall, along with the obligatory photo, is a rite of passage in Canada for most kids. But if your child isn’t fascinated by the flashing lights, ringing bells and ornate costumes or together it creates a kind of sensory overload that leads to anxiety and even...

Collision shuts down northbound lanes of Highway 97 north of Trout Creek

PENTICTON - Northbound traffic on Highway 97 has been disrupted for a period of time this afternoon and evening following a two vehicle collision. A statement issued by Drive B.C. issued at 6:30 p.m. indicated the highway was still closed following the collision, which motorist Tony Madeira says happened just in front of him at...

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...