Penticton news
Tourism Penticton firing on all cylinders says departing director
PENTICTON - Leaving Tourism Penticton was a hard decision to make but the executive director says he is giving the group lots of time to move someone new into the role. Departing executive director Chris Bower says leaving his position in Penticton is 'a hard one.' “I really enjoyed my time here. Tourism Penticton and...
Police on the lookout for cigarette-tossing drivers
PENTICTON - Motorists in the South Okanagan beware - you could receive a ticket for something other than a driving infraction while on the road during these hot summer days. Penticton RCMP are on the watch for motorists who throw cigarette butts out the window as the fire danger increases. “We’ve always ticketed drivers for...
Ontario zoo trying to save CrocTalk reptiles from euthanasia
KELOWNA – A reptile rescue organization in Ottawa is currently raising funds to save more than a dozen animals currently housed at CrocTalk in Kelowna from euthanasia. The animals, which include four alligators, one crocodile and 13 caimans, are welcome at Little Rays Reptiles in Hamilton, Ontario any time, but according to their GoFundMe page,...
Granfondo event great for the cash register, not so much for travelling public
PENTICTON - Penticton Mayor Andrew Jakubeit is defending Sunday’s Granfondo bicycle race saying economic impacts outweigh complaints from residents and motorists in the region over traffic slowdowns. A number of negative comments surfaced on social media regarding traffic disruptions following the Sunday, July 12 event. RCMP police spokesman Cpl. Don Wrigglesworth also noted police received...
Kelowna senior missing for two weeks
KELOWNA – A 71-year-old Kelowna senior has been missing since late last month. Police are asking for the public’s help locating Benjamin Wolfe, who has not been seen or heard from since June 29. He has no cell phone and there is no vehicle associated with him, according to Const. Steve Holmes of the Kelowna...
UPDATE: Coroner identifies victim in Shuswap house boat accident
SICAMOUS - A young Alberta woman died in a house boat accident last Friday. The accident happened on Shuswap Lake near the Cinnemousun Narrows about 15 km north of Sicamous Friday, July 10. Andrea Mary Jacura, 22, of Edmonton, Alberta died Friday while swimming in Shuswap Lake in B.C.'s Southern Interior. The woman was behind...
UPDATE: Cracks show in testimony of ex-wife of former Vernon Mountie charged with child porn
KELOWNA – The actions and recollections of a woman accusing her ex-husband of downloading child porn in 2013 were put under fire on the second day of his trial this morning, July 14. Valerie Little, 30, says she caught her ex-husband, former Vernon RCMP officer Ryan Hampton, searching for child porn on a pink laptop computer...
Great Cherry Spit coming up in Naramata
PENTICTON - Naramata’s weekly Wednesday afternoon market is celebrating local agriculture with a special event on July 22. The Great Cherry Pit Spitting Contest is coming back to the market for the sixth time, Market Manager Darren Rettie says. Two years ago a cherry picker working in Naramata took the record from local champion Kim...
Driver gets jail time for driving while prohibited
PENTICTON - A Penticton man faces jail time after being caught one too many times driving while prohibited. On March 6, 2015, Penticton RCMP stopped Paul Chavez Efrain, 21, driving a Honda Civic on Paris Street in Penticton. Efrain was found to be driving while prohibited at the time. A record check also revealed the...
Concealed shotgun discovered at Penticton court house
PENTICTON - It's unknown what his intent was but the watchful eye of a Sheriff may have stopped a potentially serious incidents at the Penticton Law Courts Monday after a man was found carrying a concealed shotgun. Penticton RCMP say a man and woman entered the Penticton court house yesterday around noon. The man was...
UPDATE: Police investigation continues at Naramata shooting scene
PENTICTON - Police activity continues today, July 14, at a residence located at the end of Lindsay Road, on the Naramata Bench. Penticton RCMP continue their investigation into a shooting that occurred at the residence at approximately 10:30 last night. According to police, two men were involved in the incident. One is being treated for...
New city manager announced for Penticton
PENTICTON - The city has finally found a permanent replacement to fill the role of city manager after the former chief administrative officer left in February. Eric Sorensen, former president and CEO of Sun-Rype Products and more recently an entrepreneur and consultant, was named the new city CAO today, July 14. Sorensen retired after working...
One injured, one in custody following Penticton shooting
PENTICTON - A single victim is in hospital following a shooting incident on the outskirts of Penticton last night. Penticton RCMP received reports of shots fired around 10:30 p.m. yesterday, July 13. Police responded to a residence near the Penticton-Naramata boundary where they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken to...
UPDATE: Former Vernon cop accused of child porn faces ex-wife-accuser on first day of trial
ADDICTED TO COCAINE, HEROIN, ALCOHOL KELOWNA – The ex-wife of a former Vernon RCMP officer accused of possessing child pornography in 2013 says she turned him in when she found more than 60 images of child porn on his computer. His lawyer, however, said she downloaded the images in an attempt to smear his image...
Grist Mill chef takes top honours at Similkameen wine event
PENTICTON - A light rain that turned into a downpour failed to dampen enthusiasm for the Barbecue King competition, Similkameen Winery Association’s premier wine event. The Grist Mill’s Natasha Schooten took home top honours, claiming Barbecue Queen for 2015, winning Judges Choice Award for her wine and food pairing of slow smoked short ribs with...