Penticton news
Broken plate art a public safety concern in Penticton
PENTICTON - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but a recent art project is creating a danger to residents in Penticton. The City of Penticton has received a number of reports from residents complaining of unsafe art following incidents in three different locations. Some residents have asked if these are city art installations but...
Overdue hiker found after Summerland search
PENTICTON - A search in the Summerland area for a missing woman ended happily for all involved. Penticton Search and Rescue were called to the Summerland area Saturday, March 7 to look for a 28-year-old woman who went missing after a hike. The woman’s West Kelowna family called Summerland RCMP just before 9 p.m. to...
Generous donation to hospital care tower fund
PENTICTON - A local businessman has provided a big boost to the South Okanagan Similkameen Medical Foundation’s $20 million fundraising effort. David Kampe, owner of the Peters Brothers Group of Companies, became the first major individual donor with his $2 million donation to the new patient care tower at Penticton Regional Hospital. Kampe said he...
Layoffs announced as Keremeos youth treatment centre closes doors
PENTICTON - A Keremeos residential treatment facility for addicted youth known as The Crossing suddenly closed its doors yesterday, ending the service and sending roughly 20 people out of work. The facility was operated by Portage British Columbia, which confirmed the closure today, March 6. Portage spokesperson Christina Panagio said after a dispute with the...
Work on waterfront walkway resumes
PENTICTON - A more widened walkway will enhance visitors and residents useage of the Okangan Lake waterfront during the coming summer days. The reconstruction of Penticton’s lakefront walkway began for another season today, March 9. The walkway reconstruction project, which began in 2013 and officially opened last year, will connect The Peach with Kiwanis Pier....
Addicted youth suffer from lack of treatment facilities
PENTICTON - The closing of Portage’s youth treatment centre near Keremeos last week eliminated an important treatment facility for addicted Canadian youth, says an addiction specialist and certified interventionist. The Crossing, a residential rehabilitation centre for addicted adolescents between the ages of 14 - 18, closed suddenly last week due to a funding disagreement with...
Local cop walks the beat old style
PENTICTON - Penticton RCMP Corporal Don Wrigglesworth is common sight on Penticton city streets these days. But he’s a rare sight as well. Wrigglesworth is the city’s full-time community policing corporal, and in taking on the job has brought some good old-fashioned tradition to Penticton’s police force. Wrigglesworth is a rare sight because he is...
Lumby students dominate college spaghetti bridge contest
KELOWNA - It came down to a battle between three friends from Lumby at Okanagan College’s 32nd annual Spaghetti Bridge Contest held at the Kelowna campus today. Grade seven student Adrian Schartner from Lumby placed first with his bridge weighing 982.6 grams and supporting 275.6 kilograms before spectacularly collapsing in front of cheering friends, peers,...
What nurse practitioners bring to our health care system: Interior Health wants you to know
KELOWNA - What began as a study to figure out how Interior Health nurse practitioners could be better incorporated into the health system has turned into three instructional videos for the public to help them understand the role of NPs. The study, conducted by Interior Health and the School of Nursing at UBC Okanagan, was...
When to start reserving provincial camping sites
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Camping enthusiasts can set their alarms for the 9 a.m. opening of the online camping reserve system, Sunday, March 15. The interactive reservation website displays availability, layout and amenities for 115 front country campgrounds in 99 provincial parks. Reservations can also be made on the go using smartphones, but you aren't limited to...
KOOPMANS TRIAL: More oddities as key witness wraps up testimony
PENTICTON - The key witness in the John Ike Koopmans murder trial continued to grapple with defence lawyers under cross-examination today. Bradley Martin took the witness stand for the third day in Penticton Supreme Court on Friday, March 6. He already told the jury he overheard Koopmans arguing with two other friends, Rose Fox and...
BCHL PLAYOFFS: Penticton Vees outlast Warriors for triple OT win
WEST KELOWNA - In a game that seemed it would never end, Mitch Newsome scored midway through the third overtime period, as the Penticton Vees outlasted the West Kelowna Warriors 4-3 in game three of their Interior Division Semi-Final on Friday night, March 6, at Royal LePage Place in West Kelowna. Newsome roofed a pass...
Early morning blaze in West Bench
PENTICTON - The quick response by Penticton firefighters limited damage to West Bench property this morning. Penticton firefighters responded to the report of a fire on Jonathan Drive at 4:36 a.m., Friday, March 6, Penticton Deputy Fire Chief Dave Spalding says they sent two engines with on shift crews, with extra staff called in. The...
Few viable options for reducing “penalizing” electrical connection fees
PENTICTON - Penticton's city councillors are concerned with the high fee the city charges to hook up or to disconnect someone's electricity, but according to the city's utility manager, there's not much they can do about it. The city charges $68 to disconnect the electricity to a home for non-payment and then another $68 to...
What south Okanagan off-roaders need to know before heading out on the trail
OLIVER - Off-roading on Oliver Mountain, the Osoyoos West Bench and the impact on the area's sensitive grassland ecosystem will be focus topics at two open house meetings March 11. The meetings are scheduled for Wed. March 11 from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Senora Community Centre located at 8505-68 Ave., Osoyoos, and Thurs....