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Penticton news
Construction worker needs help with recovery after severe spinal injury on the job
WEST KELOWNA - Cole Bernier, a construction worker injured last week in a workplace accident, is facing a lengthy recovery after being crushed under some roof trusses. “Cole is someone you’ll never see without a smile on his face and if he’s frowning, it is typically because you changed his music or didn’t leave enough...
Super moon, eclipse delights Okanagan sky watchers
OKANAGAN - Across most of the region the skies cleared in time to catch at least part of the rare super moon and lunar eclipse event Sunday evening, Sept. 27. A supermoon occurs when a full or new moon makes its closest approach to the Earth and appears slightly larger and brighter than normal. A...
Sunny and warm end to September in the Okanagan
OKANAGAN - The weekend was filled with typical autumn weather, and a few cooler nights, but we can expect it to warm up a bit during the week as September comes to a close. Environment Canada is calling for temperatures to reach as high as 22 C this week. The mercury is expected to reach...
Two Okanagan communities will host upcoming B.C. 55+ Games
OKANAGAN – Vernon and Kelowna have been selection to host upcoming B.C. 55+ Games. The 2017 games will be held in Vernon, supported by the Armstrong and Spallumcheen, and the 2019 games will be in Kelowna. Cranbrook and Kimberley in the East Kootenays will host the games in 2018. Vernon hosted the inaugural games in...
Kamloops jail has highest number in the province for in-custody deaths
KAMLOOPS - Since August 2014 there have been four in-custody death’s at six regional provincial jails, three of which were in Kamloops according to data from the Ministry of Justice. The number went from three to four on Monday, Sept. 21 with the latest death in Kamloops but details of the case, including the inmate’s...
Hundreds of North Okanagan deer heads still needed for disease study
“WE HAVE A THREE YEAR LIMIT ON THE PROJECT AND WE STILL NEED OVER 200 SAMPLES” CHERRYVILLE - They might be off-putting to some, but to a group of government researchers, deer heads from the Cherryville area are the key to stopping a potential disease outbreak in its tracks. Analyzing the lymph nodes found in...
A Princeton murderer might get one of the longest prison sentences ever in the Okanagan
PENTICTON - Crown and defence lawyers in a sentencing hearing for a man accused of murdering two Princeton residents and wounding a third are recommending sentences almost fifteen years apart. In Penticton Supreme Court today, Sept. 25, Crown Prosecutor Frank Dubenski sought a prison term that would see convicted murderer John Ike Koopmans, 52, behind...
Navigation system upgrades at Penticton Regional Airport
PENTICTON - Nav Canada is updating one of its navigational aids at Penticton Regional Airport to make it more reliable. The federal agency is replacing the existing localizer antennae on the airport's instrument landing system. Nav Canada site manager Paul England says the Penticton airport is part of a national upgrade of airport navigation equipment....
First fall weekend warm and sunny in the Okanagan
OKANAGAN - The first weekend of autumn will be a typical one in the Okanagan, with warm days and cool nights. Environment Canada is calling for temperatures to be just above the seasonal normal high of 17 Celsius throughout the Okanagan, though overnight we can expect things to cool off a bit more than normal....
Brain injury ‘seriously diverted’ life of former psych nurse to crime spree in Kamloops, Kelowna
KAMLOOPS — A former psychiatric nurse says he’s sorry for the damage he caused in a short-term crime spree, which included injuring four sheriffs when he tried to escape custody at the Kamloops courthouse last year. Jonathan Allandale Dale Phillips, 39, pleaded guilty in Kamloops Supreme Court today, Sept. 24, to possession of stolen property,...
Unprovoked assault by career criminal gets federal time
PENTICTON - A Penticton man will do some serious jail time for a vicious, unprovoked attack that left his victim scarred for life. John Marshall Szanto, who appeared in Penticton Provincial Court today, Sept. 24, will serve three years for the assault, which took place on March 14 this year. Crown Prosecutor John Swanson recounted...
Koopmans mistrial application denied
PENTICTON - The original charges laid by a jury last April in the murder trial of John Ike Koopmans will stand. Defence lawyer Don Skogstad’s application for a mistrial on the count of attempted murder in the John Koopmans murder trial was denied in court this morning. Skogstad based his application on reasoning the jury was...
Rare super moon lunar eclipse over the Okanagan this weekend
OKANAGAN - Not only will the last total lunar eclipse until January 2019 take place Sunday evening, it will also be a harvest, or super, moon, meaning it will appear to be a very large red moon for part of the evening. The moon will completely pass through the Earth’s shadow Sunday evening, Sept. 27,...
Penticton to take closer look at local job market
PENTICTON - The need to help local employers find and keep skilled workers has the City of Penticton looking to conduct some labour market research. In an effort to help local employers the City of Penticton recently put out two request for proposals, one to conduct labour market research and a second looking for a...
ELECTION 2015: Where to go to find candidates forums in the South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding
PENTICTON - The lengthy campaign in this year federal election has meant there’s been lots of time to schedule all candidates meetings in the riding of South Okanagan-West Kootenay. With six all candidates meetings already attended by most candidates in the riding, there might be some solace taken in the fact that one third of...
Money spent on refugees a hot topic at upcoming Kelowna immigration symposium
KELOWNA – The effects of immigration on the Okanagan will be a topic of discussion at an upcoming two-day symposium at Okanagan College and UBC Okanagan this weekend. The Immigration Symposium is a series of in-depth discussions about the impacts various Canadian policies have on immigrants, refugees and temporary foreign workers. It takes place Friday...
Mount Baldy’s future opening in doubt as sale of resort remains in limbo
PENTICTON - A local ski area’s future opening date remains in doubt with winter just around the corner. In an information release issued earlier this month, Baldy Capital Corporation Executive Fred Johnston reported little progress over the past several months regarding the completion of the purchase of the ski resort on terms agreed to by...
Look back and laugh: A Vernon comedian retells all his humiliating tales
WHEN YOU'RE THE WORST HOCKEY PLAYER ON THE WORST HOCKEY TEAM YOU TURN TO COMEDY VERNON - Sam Mullins is wrapping up his North American comedy tour not only in his hometown, but on the stage where he saw his very first play — the Powerhouse Theatre in Vernon. “I must’ve been like seven or...
Naramata Bench winery raises money for local SPCA
PENTICTON - The Penticton SPCA got some financial help last week courtesy of a Naramata Bench winery. The SPCA of the South Okanagan received a donation of nearly $6,000 on Sept. 16 from Hillside Winery and Bistro, on behalf of the winery’s tasting room team, sales and marketing representative Mark Burgess says. The funds were...
UPDATE: Inmate dies at Kamloops jail; third in less than a year
KAMLOOPS - Another inmate has died at the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre, making it the third to occur in a year. Details surrounding the case are still being confirmed, but Dean Purdy, chair of corrections and sheriffs services component of the B.C. Government and Service Employee’s Union, confirmed the death occurred Monday night, Sept. 21....
Penticton put on international stage at tourism convention
PENTICTON - Hundres of travel writers and other tourism professionals are set to take over Penticton next week. The GoMedia convention takes place at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre Sept. 27 to Oct. 1, and is hosted by Tourism Penticton and its partners. More than 130 national and international travel writers and journalists as...
Harlem Globetrotters hitting the court in Penticton
PENTICTON - The world famous Globetrotters will show off their basketball skills in Penticton as part of their 90th world tour celebration next year. The team will return to the South Okanagan Events Centre on Feb. 29, 2016, for a 7 p.m. show. The Penticton stop is one of 320 games that will be played...
Penticton adventure park’s last day of operation dedicated to James McIntosh
PENTICTON - A Penticton adventure park will dedicate its final day of operation for the season to celebrate the life of James Christian McIntosh. On Sunday, Sept. 27, LocoLanding will be donating 100 per cent of the proceeds of their final day of the season to the McIntosh family. “When something as tragic as the...
Oktoberfest coming back to Penticton
PENTICTON - Peachland’s loss may be Penticton’s gain when it comes to fall festivities. Peachland’s Oktoberfest celebrations will not take place this year due to sluggish ticket sales, but for those in the valley wishing to celebrate the fall event there’s no need to cry in your beer — Penticton’s fifth annual Oktoberfest is back...