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Penticton news

Penticton casino looks to expand

PENTICTON - Lake City Casino has outgrown its existing facility and is looking at options for future growth, including relocation. The casino, currently housed in the Penticton Lakeside Resort, has currently outgrown its existing facility, Executive General Manager Jerry Pokorny says. “We are always looking for ways to enhance our casinos. We’ve been speaking with...

Salmonella outbreak proof that monitoring system works: Buckerfield’s CEO

KELOWNA - The recent spike of salmonella cases connected to live poultry sales is a good news story, proof the system works rather than an indictment of its failings, according to a local business. “Fourteen cases is a very small number and it was detected and caught and the public was actually protected from what...

United Airlines drops service to Kelowna

KELOWNA – After less than a year of service between Kelowna and San Francisco, United Airlines has departed for good. The carrier first started service to Kelowna in October of last year and according to airport spokesperson Jenelle Hynes had already decided in December that it just wasn’t economically feasible to continue the once-daily flights...

New trail first step in connecting Summerland to Penticton

PENTICTON - Construction on the first phase of a new trail for the South Okanagan is set to begin next week. The Trail of the Okanagans Society announced a planned construction start day of June 13 for a new recreational pathway on Highway 97. The trail will start at Lakeshore Drive travel south to Summerland...

Court decision favours regional district

PENTICTON - A cooperative road paving initiative between the Regional District Okanagan Similkameen and the Ministry of Transportation ended up in court following a dispute between the regional district and its contractor, Associated Engineering. The problems began as a result of a 2005 water supply improvement project in Naramata that saw the regional district installing...

Penticton Search and Rescue wants you

PENTICTON - If you want to be the first person people call in an emergency, then Penticton Search and Rescue wants to hear from you. Training officer Mike Porter says with retirements of several long time leaders in the organization, they could use about a dozen more people to help make sure the team can...

Naramata residents get help in dealing with problem rats

PENTICTON - Naramata residents dealing with a rat problem are getting some help from the regional district. Regional District Naramata Director Karla Kozakevich says the community developed a problem with rats last summer and fall, with sightings and evidence of rats seen in increasing numbers in the downtown area of the community. Problems with rats...

Local woman uses social media to find long lost father

"IT'S GOING TO BE MY FIRST FATHER'S DAY IN 46 YEARS WHERE I ACTUALLY KNOW WHO MY FATHER IS." KELOWNA – A local expert in social media found out the power of Facebook last weekend when she used it to find and meet her father for the first time in 46 years. And even though...

Penticton interim city manager resigns

PENTICTON - Another Penticton city staffer is moving on. Interim Chief Administrative Officer and General Manager of Recreation and Facilities Chuck Loewen has resigned, City of Penticton Communications Officer Simone Blais confirmed today, Tuesday, June 2. Penticton Mayor Andrew Jakubeit says the resignation came as a surprise, just before the regular meeting of council last...

Summerland fire leaves man homeless

PENTICTON - A Summerland man is homeless following a fire in the community yesterday, June 1. Summerland Fire Department Chief Glenn Noble said the fire department was called to the Summerland Beach RV Park at 11:30 p.m. Monday for a structure fire. Firefighters arrived to find a large fifth-wheel trailer in the park ablaze. Noble...

Placement of Penticton power poles a problem after paving

PENTICTON - A couple of errant power poles on a newly reconstructed street corner by the City of Penticton has some people shaking their heads. Residents in the area of Industrial Avenue and Atkinson Street have noticed two power poles at that intersection located on the crosswalk beyond the curb following the recent completion of...

Wibit Water Park bringing promise of summer fun to Penticton

PENTICTON -  A new way to enjoy the Okanagan Lake waterfront is coming to Penticton later this month. Rylie and his father Randy Gallagher are partners in bringing the Penticton Wibit Water Park to Okanagan Beach. Set up will begin on June 15 and the two entrepreneurs will open their floating water park across from...

Regional grants policy revamped

PENTICTON - The Regional District Okanagan Similkameen is making changes to its grants policy. Chief financial officer Sandy Croteau said one facet of the new policy will see gas tax funding only used for projects involving land owned or leased to the regional district, eliminating the funds from the reach of non-profits and societies who...

Local businesses urged to become “Friends of the Games”

PENTICTON - General Manager of the Penticton Lakeside Resort David Prystay is one of the first community sponsors to become a Friend of the Games through his offer of in-kind services to the host society. The Lakeside will be the host hotel for the 2016 B.C. Winter Games, which will take place in Penticton from...

Lotto 6/49 ticket purchased in Penticton worth $1 million

PENTICTON - Someone who bought a Lotto 6/49 ticket in Penticton is going to be doing a happy dance soon. The B.C. Lottery Corporation reports the $1-million winner in the guaranteed prize of the Saturday, May 30, draw purchased their ticket in Penticton. The winner with the exact match to the winning number — 03362986-03...

Injunction fails, Okanagan Rail Trail land purchase goes ahead

KELOWNA - The last real hurdle to the purchase of the CN Rail corridor purchase was removed this morning in B.C. Supreme Court where an injunction sought by the Okanagan Indian Band blocking the sale was denied. “With no injunction in place CN is within its right to sell the corridor lands,” City of Kelowna...

Quick action by Penticton firefighters following lightning strike

PENTICTON - Penticton firefighters responded to a couple of structure fires over the weekend, starting with a lightning strike Friday afternoon which caused some anxious moments for residents of Huth Avenue. Deputy Fire Chief Dave Spalding says lightning hit a tree and ignited a garden shed situated just below at about 2:30 p.m. during the...

Rainfall warning for South Okanagan

PENTICTON - Residents of the South Okanagan are advised to get prepared for possible flooding over the next couple of days as Environment Canada issues a rainfall warning.  Forecasters are calling for rainfall amounts between 25 and 40 millimetres tonight and tomorrow, with the rain expected to be heavy at times. An upper disturbance moving...

Search continues to fill top job at City of Penticton

PENTICTON - The search for someone to fill the top administrative position at the City of Penticton has narrowed, while a new department head has been hired. Mayor Andrew Jakubeit says advertising for the Chief Administrative Officer job has attracted over 100 applications and the city is compiling a short list and conducting initial interviews....

BCHL stars return to Vees for 2015-2016 season

PENTICTON - Two of the brightest young stars in the BCHL last season will be back in Penticton for another year. The Penticton Vees Jr. ‘A’ Hockey Club is excited to announce defenseman Dante Fabbro (98) and forward Tyson Jost (98) will return to the team for the 2015-2016 season. Fabbro and Jost, who are...

UPDATE: Severe thunderstorm watch ended for South Okanagan

PENTICTON – A severe thunderstorm watch for the South Okanagan, including the city of Penticton, has been end by Environment Canada. Conditions are no longer favourable for the development of severe thunderstorms. The watch continues further to the east in the Boundary, Arrow Lakes, Slocan Lake, West Kootenay, Kootenay Lake, East Kootenay and Elk Valley...

Mutual aid: why you see your firefighters in neighbouring communities

PENTICTON - The massive shop fire in Naramata last weekend saw fire crews from several outlying communities scrambling to aid Naramata with extra firefighters and equipment. Extra resources were brought to bear through a mutual aid agreement with Penticton, Summerland and Kaleden which saw those departments release equipment and manpower from their fire protection areas...

Why rescuing that baby wild animal is a bad idea

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Encounters with wild animals don’t happen every day so it’s hard to know what to do when you come across a baby animal you think might have been abandoned by its parents. Fairfield Animal Hospital in Kelowna says this year they have seen more baby wild animals than ever brought to their clinic...