Penticton news

Fishing suspended along Middle Shuswap River

VERNON - Another body of water has been closed to fishing due to ongoing drought conditions in Southern B.C. Warm water temperatures and a low flow rate are two reasons why the provincial and federal governments decided to suspend angling in Middle Shuswap River from Mabel Lake to Shuswap Falls. The suspension will last from...

No last minute change of heart for Penticton council

PENTICTON - Penticton city council continues to stand firm in its decision not to revisit the Skaha waterpark issue and plans to allow the development to move forward. Council met before the public at noon today, July 29, to deliver the verdict on their decision whether or not to revisit the issue following a strong negative...

Busy year so far for Penticton search and rescue volunteers

PENTICTON - Penticton’s Search and Rescue team are dealing with unprecedented callout volumes this summer, with the busiest tourist weekend in Penticton yet to come. Penticton Search and Rescue’s Public Information Officer Randy Brown reports the organization’s call volume last year was 35 incidents for a total of 6,000 volunteer hours. This year the team...

Formula 1 tunnel boat race team joins fight against mussel infestation

KELOWNA – The Okanagan Basin Water Board is teaming up with Formula 1 Tunnel Boat racer Mike McLellan to raise awareness for their Don’t Move a Mussel campaign. The announcement was made Tuesday, July 28, at the Water Street boat launch in downtown Kelowna. The Don’t Move A Mussel campaign is attempting to raise awareness...

Want quick attention to Fortis over-billing? Go to the media

WORKED FOR THIS GUY KELOWNA – Media attention got an almost immediate result for a local celebrity who went to the news with a $4,500 power bill for a cabin that wasn’t even there. Gary Fong, a world-famous photographer and inventor made headlines last week when he went public with a massive bill for his...

Vintage warbird arrives in Penticton

PENTICTON - Penticton and South Okanagan residents have an opportunity to get up close to a vintage war machine this week. A Commemorative Air Force Arizona Wing Aviation Museum aircrew arrived in the city Monday morning, July 27, with the museum’s 'Sentimental Journey,' the museum’s fully restored B-17. The plane will be in Penticton until...

Trail improvements on the way for Three Blind Mice network in Penticton

PENTICTON - Trail upgrades are on the way for Penticton's Three Blind Mice trails network thanks to a winning proposal by the local cycling association. Okanagan-Coquihalla MP Dan Albas announced $34,750 in funding for improvements to Penticton’s cycling trails network in a release from Western Economic Diversification Canada, Monday, July 27. The grant goes to...

Quiet week a break for Penticton RCMP

PENTICTON - A change in the weather last week coincided with a drop in criminal activity in the Peach City. Crime Stoppers Community Policing Coordinator Rick Dellebuur says Penticton RCMP reported few incidents of note last week, a reprieve after weeks of higher than normal call volumes. Thieves planning to go to work were active...

Liquor policy changes good news for local wineries

PENTICTON - Local wineries continue to benefit from promised changes made to the liquor act by the provincial government. Penticton MLA Dan Ashton announced liquor policy changes that will make it easier for wineries to hold special occasions such as weddings at Painted Rock Estate Winery this morning, July 28. “Special occasion licenses were an...

Migrant workers still missing from Okanagan farm a month later

VERNON - Four migrant workers from Mexico have still not been found a month after an Okanagan farm owner reported the men missing. Huizar Soto Uriel, 37, Isaac Jimenez, 28, Juvenal Rios Binedo, 39, and Juan Manual Sanchez Gallegos, 30, entered Canada on June 16, 2015. On June 26 the foursome departed the farm where...

Kamloops jail ordered to flag inmates with a history of violence: WorkSafe B.C.

KAMLOOPS - WorkSafe B.C. ordered administrators at the Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre to flag or identify violent offenders after an inspector discovered there wasn't a proper system in place to warn corrections officers of a potential assault. Inspector Vincent Strain prepared his report and order to create a new flagging system after an inmate assaulted...

Canucks Young Stars Classic singles and doubles on sale this week

PENTICTON - Tickets to this year’s 2015 Vancouver Canucks Young Stars Classics are selling fast and as a result single tickets are going on sale earlier than usual. Demand has been so strong the single and double header tickets will be made available for purchase two weeks earlier than normally scheduled. Tickets go on sale...

Penticton war vet honoured by France

PENTICTON - A Penticton Second World War vet was recognized for his service by the French government at a ceremony of the Royal Canadian Air Force Wing in Penticton. Retired RCAF Flight Lt. Lance "Lou" Benton received the French Medal of Honour during the ceremony on July 24. Benson was recognized by the French government...

Readers respond to #maninbluesuit

KELOWNA – An InfoNews story about a recent visit by Prime Minister to the Shelter Cove wildfire last Friday has ignited a debate about political photo ops and our decision to not name the Prime Minister during a brief visit last Thursday. The story, “Man in blue suit thanks firefighters,” was shared nation-wide and drew...

Member loses land claim against Penticton Indian Band

MEMBER CLAIMED ORAL TRADITION GRANTING LANDS PENTICTON - A Penticton Indian Band member has lost another round in court against his own band as he tries to reclaim land he says his grandfather was verbally granted in the early 1900s. The dispute dates back to 2008 when Lavern Jack took up residence on Lots 197...

Submission deadline for inaugural Penticton film festival looming

PENTICTON - Peach Festival is coming up fast, and so is the first ever Reel Peach Film Festival. Taking place Aug. 5 to 9 during the annual Peach Festival, the film festival will feature one to three minute commercials or short films prior to nightly headline events at Okanagan Lake Park. “Our vision for the...

Drought level increased in South Thompson, three other areas of southern interior

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Extremely dry conditions and low stream flows have forced the province to raise the drought level in four areas of the southern Interior today. A Level 4 drought rating has been announced for the South Thompson, Similkameen, Kettle and Skagit areas, July 27. Further declines in stream, lake and aquifer levels could lead...

Coolest weekend of July over, sun and heat on the way for Okanagan

OKANAGAN - The weekend was much cooler than what we’ve seen so far this summer, but we will be back above seasonal normals by mid-week. With temperatures only reaching the low- to mid-20s Friday through Sunday it was one of the coolest weekends we’ve seen in the past couple of months. Temperatures did reach the...

VIDEO: Home destroyed by fire in South Okanagan

WILLOWBROOK – Fire crews worked to prevent a raging house fire from spreading to the surrounding bush in the South Okanagan community of Willowbrook Saturday night. The Willowbrook Fire Department volunteers were called to the home on Green Lake Road at about 10:30 p.m., July 25. A witness says everyone in the house, including the...

Composting study sniffing out consultant

PENTICTON - The Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen continues to move forward in its quest to divert more organic waste from the region’s landfills. The district has issued a Request for Proposals for an Organics Consultant as it develops a strategy to better handle and treat organic waste. Part of strategy development includes such things as...

Dramatic rescue in Penticton Creek canyon

“FILTHY, SOAKED AND SAVED A LIFE” PENTICTON – Search and Rescue volunteers helped save the life of a woman who tumbled 75 metres in the Penticton Creek canyon last night. Local search and rescue crews were called out at about 8:30 p.m., July 24, to rescue the 54-year-old Penticton woman who had been hiking on...

Showers for the weekend in the Okanagan; sunshine returns Monday

OKANAGAN – The cool, wet weekend is a welcome break from the hot, dry weather we’ve been experiencing so far this summer in the Okanagan. Environment Canada is calling for showers off and on today, July 25, and Sunday up and down the valley, with high temperatures in the low 20s Celsius. Most of the...

Penticton crime stats continue to climb

PENTICTON - Crime isn’t taking a holiday in Penticton, at least not in this year’s second quarter. Penticton RCMP responded to 4,885 calls for service from April to June of 2015, up from 4,188 calls received during the same period last year, a 17 per cent increase. There was a 26 per cent increase in...