Penticton news
Annual cancer fundraiser facing shortage of registrants in Penticton
PENTICTON - Changes are in the works to this year’s Penticton Relay for Life as organizers deal with a shortage of registrants. “We have not reached our goal for teams registered and want to leave no stone unturned in our efforts to gain awareness for the most important event in our annual calendar,” Relay for...
Penticton not alone in hunt for top bureaucrat
PENTICTON - Finding new, high level municipal bureacrats is neither quick or easy, as two communities in the South Okanagan are discovering as they attempt to replace their Chief Administrative Officers. Penticton has engaged the services of a recruitment agency following Annette Antoniak’s departure in February, while Keremeos is faced with a similar process with...
InfoNews houseboat prize winner all smiles
KAMLOOPS - The winner of the InfoNews grand prize is all smiles after claiming her trip last week. “This is an awesome prize,” Debbie Sampson, who is a social development worker with the Adams Lake Indian Band, says about winning the InfoNews houseboat vacation grand prize. Though Sampson is excited her kids might be even...
Shelf price of liquor changes; little consumer impact expected
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Consumers won’t actually see much difference in costs following the new B.C. liquor laws that took effect today, according to one liquor merchant. Fred Vassilaki, the manager of Last Call Liquor Mart in Penticton, says changes to the province’s liquor laws went into effect on April 1 but they won’t have a huge...
UPDATE: Costco, IGA chicken salad recall; possible Listeria contamination
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Salads made with pre-cooked chicken have been pulled out of the coolers at Costco and IGA stores in B.C. in a recall triggered by an inspection by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Originally the recall covered in Kirkland Signature brand roasted chicken salads at Costco in Kelowna, Kamloops and the company’s stores across the country. It...
Local electronics retailer expands as big box stores close shop
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If Andre Blanleil gets any satisfaction from the demise of his retail competitor, electronics giant Future Shop, he doesn’t show it. “They were good competitors. They did a good job for the market they were going after,” the president of Andres Group of companies says. The regional chain operates 21 locations under the...
Low snowpack could mean a dry Okanagan summer
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Current snowpack levels suggest the Okanagan could be in for a dry year, while the South Thompson should fair better. According to Tobi Gardner with the River Forecast Centre, snowpack is at 76 per cent of normal in the Okanagan — the lowest in five years. “What that translates to is a lower...
Forestry crew mopping up wildfire near Okanagan Connector
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – A human-caused wildfire sparked south of the Okanagan Connector Saturday afternoon is being mopped up by a Wildfire Management crew today. Fire information officer Kayla Pepper says an initial attack crew of 13 firefighters responded to the blaze which grew to 11-hectares in size near Starshine Way Road, north of Missezula Lake yesterday...
Busy wildfire season predicted for Interior
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Be prepared for a fire season reminiscent of 2003 — maybe — regional emergency personnel were told at a workshop this week. Comparisons to the year more than 200 homes were destroyed in the Okanagan Mountain Fire and 72 homes lost in the McLure Fire were heard at a spring readiness workshop hosted...
Harry Potter on trial during Penticton Law Week event
PENTICTON - Penticton middle and high school students have a date in Penticton courthouse tomorrow. They will be there with members of the Provincial Crown Counsel and those of the local bar to conduct two mock trials as part of Law Week, Friday, April 17. The first trial, beginning at 10 a.m., will have Harry...
Soup Sisters get cooking in third charity soup event
PENTICTON - The Penticton Soup Sisters were 'souped up' for chairty at Brodo Kitchen on Monday. Brodo Kitchen Chef Paul Cecconi oversaw the soup making evening on April 13, as 22 participants prepared 180 servings of soup for the South Okanagan Women in Need Society. Four different kinds of soup were prepared, including chicken mole...
Penticton business stands firmly opposed to national park amid increasing favour
PENTICTON - There is increasing support for a national park in the Okanagan-Similkameen but not everybody is impressed by the idea. Prospects for a national park in the area arose following a feasibility study conducted in 2004. Strong local opposition to the proposal by ranchers and other stakeholders resulted in revisions to the size of...
Penticton firefighters take part in Lyme Sucks Challenge
PENTICTON - The Lyme Sucks Challenge is spreading in Penticton - hopefully faster than the disease itself. Penticton RCMP took the challenge last week, and on Wednesday, April 15, it was the Penticton Fire Department’s turn. The Lyme Sucks Challenge involves being filmed while sucking on half of a lime, nominating three others to take...
Disposal costs for burned materials on the rise
PENTICTON - The tragedy of a structure fire is hard enough, but it is about to be exacerbated by an increase in dumping fees for burned waste at Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen landfills. Burned waste is generally derived from structure fires and some of the materials may contain lead, mercury and other hazards, making...
Vees pick up another win in cup final
PENTICTON - The Penticton Vees are back at home with two wins in their back pocket after an 8-5 win Tuesday night over the Nanaimo Clippers in game three of the B.C. Hockey League Fred Page Cup Final. The Vees scored four times in the second period to build up a 5-2 lead and were...