Penticton

Pulled over outside of the RCMP detachment, arrested on the spot

KAMLOOPS – A man disobeying his bail conditions found himself in Kamloops Supreme Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty and received a three and a half year prison sentence. Daniel Robert Sigmund, 20, was arrested and charged in connection with dial-a-dope type drug deals in Penticton after police set up a sting in 2013. When...

Armed robber gets away with cash and drugs

PENTICTON – A man wearing a disguise and armed with a gun held up the pharmacist and the pharmacist technician at the Medicine Shoppe pharmacy Thursday morning. The man walked into the pharmacy at 2210 Main St. just before 9:30 a.m. He demanded drugs and cash from the two women. They weren’t hurt and no...

City of Penticton no longer leasing Airport Beach

PROPERTY OWNERS PROMISE NO CHANGE TO PUBLIC ACCESS PENTICTON – The Kruger family has leased Airport Beach to the city of Penticton for so long no one seems to remember when the arrangement was first put into place. The long-term public access is meaningful to the family and the reason they have no plans to...

New meteor shower to put on a show tonight

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A new meteor shower is set to light up the sky around midnight on Friday and predictions are it could be quite the show. NASA says the shower could rival the well-known Perseids meteor shower that happens in August, even though no one has ever seen the Camelopardalids before. The Camelopardalids are caused...

Sewage connection system with Skaha Hills costs City

PENTICTON - The City faces new costs for sewage connection lines to Skaha Hills, an agreement being made between the City and the Penticton Indian Band. The Skaha Hills project is being developed by the Penticton Indian Band on the Southwest end of Penticton. The development consists of a vineyard and winery, a golf course...

Found amongst the damage; beaver poached at Headwaters bush party

"WE USUALLY FIND SOME GARBAGE BUT THIS SITE WAS PRETTY DISTURBING." SUMMERLAND – A weekend party at Headwaters in Summerland caused thousands of dollars in damage and may result in poaching charges if the culprits are caught. South Okanagan Conservation officer Sgt. Jim Beck says he received several complaints of gunfire and damage over the...

Home invasion suspects arrested after standoff with RCMP

KELOWNA - A pair of suspects accused of an armed home invasion were arrested Monday following several hours of negotiation outside a home on Bernard Ave. The men are accused of breaking into a home on Findlay Road and robbing at gun point a 41-year-old Kelowna man who was sleeping in his home early Monday...

Bond to serve jail sentence in community for grow op

PENTICTON — A Princeton man will serve a conditional jail sentence for a 'highly-sophisticated' marijuana grow operation he ran on his property for three years. James Bond, 48, pleaded guilty to charges of producing marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.In Penticton Provincial court today, Judge Meg Shaw ordered Bond to serve an 18-month conditional jail...

UPDATE: Teacher strikes begin Monday

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Teachers announced today they will conduct a rotating strike next week in an effort to move along negotiations with the province. The strike begins Monday, May 26 in School District 67 (Okanagan Skaha) and will be followed by the Central Okanagan (SD23) and North Okanagan-Shuswap (SD83) districts Tuesday. On Wednesday, May 28 teachers...

Petcetera officially closing

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN — There were suspicions and rumours circulating that local stores would be shutting the doors following an announcement in March Petcetera had filed for creditor protection and now we know for sure both Kamloops and Penticton are among the stores to be shut down over the next six weeks. The company announced Monday the...

All signs point to pet poop problem in public parks

KELOWNA - Poop has long been a source of endless humour with kids, now a new sign strategy by the RDCO is attempting to make it funny for adults as well. Rather than warning about fines, the doggy doo-not plan uses friendly reminders to educate pet owners and encourage responsibility. Communications officer Bruce Smith says...

Businesses stuck with graffiti cleanup

PENTICTON - Downtown business owners have a mess to clean up because of a recent spike in graffiti in the city. The tags were scribbled all over Penticton, on buildings and most commonly in alleys over the past week. RCMP say tags appear to have a distinct style, possibly created by the same person, according...

Gas prices skyrocket for long weekend

THOMPSON OKANAGAN - Gas prices have skyrocketed just in time for the long weekend. Many pumps across the Thompson-Okanagan are advertising a ten cent jump today. In Vernon, many gas stations are selling at 143.9 cents per litre. It’s the same story in Kelowna, with most places selling at 143.9 and one, the Superstore on...

Teacher negotiations moved forward

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN — The province announced Thursday it would remove the 10-year term from the table and the teachers’ union president says it’s a relief to finally see it off the table. “It shows the government is willing to get more serious about it and we are happy about that,” B.C. Teachers’ Federation President Jim Iker...

John Fogerty playing down on the corner in Penticton

PENTICTON - John Fogerty probably wasn't Born on a Boyou unless Berkely California's climate was far wetter back in 1948, but his years with Creedence Clearwater Revival suggest there was something about the sound of swamp pop to capture his soul — and he's bringing that sound to Penticton in November. Fogerty's "Creedence Clearwater Revival...

Years of boiling tap water over

PENTICTON – The people living on the West Bench are drinking water right from the tap in the first time in years. Interior Health says the water from the new West Bench Water System is safe following a $9.8 million dollars in improvements. The permanent boil water advisory was lifted on Friday. The new supply...

City makes substation upgrade deal with FortisBC

PENTICTON - The City has come to an agreement with FortisBC to purchase and upgrade the Westminster substation. The deal is part of the city’s 2011 Electrical Distribution System Plan that outlines required electrical upgrades, including the installation of a 12 kilo-volt transformer at the Westminster Station. The purchase will cost the city $4,967,000 plus...

Man caught near Osoyoos with eight bricks of cocaine

OSOYOOS - A 19-year-old Mexican National arrested at the border with a backpack full of cocaine faces sentencing later this month. RCMP and the United States Border Patrol combined efforts, arresting two men near the Boot Lake area east of Oroville/Osoyoos Lake January 3, 2014. Andy Garcia-Macias was arrested soon after he and the other...

This judge means business

PENTICTON — A Penticton Provincial judge laid into an offender for not following the rules of his conditional sentence. Judge Gregory Koturbash was stern as he spoke to Kevin Forgaard, who was under house arrest for a break and enter offense last year. A condition of the sentence was that he not leave the confines...

Halley’s Comet debris trail sets the sky aglitter tonight

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A peak at the annual debris trail from Halley’s Comet may be possible tonight and early Tuesday morning if skies clear. Every spring bits of the debris trail burn up resulting in the annual Eta Aquarid meteor shower. This year the peak will occur tonight, Monday, May 5, through Tuesday morning. The bright...

Doobie Brothers lighting up Penticton in October

PENTICTON - Music icons The Doobie Brothers will celebrate the fall harvest in Penticton this year, with a concert planned at the South Okanagan Events Centre. The rockfest is scheduled for October 27, 7:30 p.m., and they'll be performing all the classic hits you know and love. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The first seeds...

Spring cleaning on the Coquihalla

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN — If you plan on hitting the highways this week plan for delays as crews clean and fix highways hit hard by a cold, wet winter that left potholes and frost heaves on many roads in the region. Work has already begun on some highways and over the next week drivers can expect to...

WITH PICTURES, VIDEO: Injured geocacher rescued off Mt. Savona

SAVONA — A geocacher was rescued off Mt. Savona by helicopter early this evening after he was left injured by a displaced boulder. Around 1 p.m. two hikers were on Mt. Savona, about 12 km south of Savona, Friday afternoon and took a short cut to get to a geocache close to the caves. While...

Penticton farmers market season starts Saturday

PENTICTON - Believe it or not, it’s now May, which means warm weather, relaxing on the patio and the return of farmers markets. The Penticton Farmers Market sets up this Saturday, May 3 for its first day of the season. The 100 block of Main Street will be blocked off for the market, open from...