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LOCAL / AREA STORIES

Final bell sounds for Naramata fire chief
Grahame Baker (L) is hanging up his hose after 16 years of service as the fire chief with the Naramata Volunteer Fire Department. "When I look back over the years, I would do it all over again," said Baker. 7/12/2011 4:17 PM

	Penticton death not found to be suspicious The man found dead alongside Highway 97 on the Channel Parkway last week is believed to have died a natural death according to the regional coroner. "The autopsy was conducted and the only significant autopsy finding was that he had pneumonia." 7/12/2011 4:14 PM		Oliver set to shine for annual festival The world will come together next weekend in Oliver. The Oliver International Sunshine Festival takes place July 16 in Oliver Community Park. The annual parade will get the festivities started at 10:30 a.m. along Highway 97.7/12/2011 6:09 AM
	ATM stolen from Okanagan Falls grocery store RCMP in Okanagan Falls are looking for three suspects who broke into the IGA grocery store Monday morning at 2:55. A stolen skid steer loader, a Bobcat like excavator, was used to smash through the front doors of the IGA and remove a Royal Bank ATM. 7/12/2011 6:04 AM		Businesses asked to shoulder costs for event funding Penticton and Wine Country Tourism is proposing a new across-the-board business licence levy and an increase to the hotel tax to help attract and pay for events in the tourism industry's shoulder season.7/12/2011 5:49 AM

MORE STORIES


Care workers at the Hamlets in Penticton reach agreement The Hospital Employees' Union has reached a tentative agreement with the operator of The Hamlets at Penticton which will protect continuity of care for seniors at the Duncan Avenue long-term care and assisted living facility.7/12/2011 5:47 AM	This Website will go 'Dark' on Wednesday (Txt only - no link) - It's been a fun 5 1/2 years. But the one-man band that has been pentictontoday.com and okasimtoday.com is done playing. Thanks to all who read us, and thanks to all who helped us. Real life and my family and friends await. Cheers! Alan7/11/2011 5:02 PM
Penticton Granfondo went "beyond expectations" (Video) Cycling enthusiasts took part in the grueling 160 km Axel Merckx Granfondo on Sunday. Some 2,000 cyclists participated in the Okanagan's first ever granfondo, which means "big race" in Italian. Axel Merckx says the event went beyond expectation.7/11/2011 5:38 AM	Summerland's Core services review suspense coming to end Mayor Janice Perrino said it is too early to tell whether an on-going review of municipal services will lead to any staffing changes. Perrino said plans call for the review to wrap up by the end of the month.7/11/2011 5:34 AM
Osoyoos: Teen pleads guilty to setting May 1st fire Phoenix McGourty, 18, pleaded guilty to one count of arson on June 29 in relation to the May 1 fire that destroyed two businesses on Main Street. A second arson charge and a Youth Criminal Justice Act charge were stayed by the Crown.7/10/2011 10:09 AM	Update: Body discovered along Penticton's Channel Parkway Penticton RCMP are continuing to investigate the death of a man whose body was found in the ditch on the eastern side of the Channel Parkway Thursday evening. Police were called to the section of Highway 97 where it passes under the old KVR railway bridge.7/10/2011 10:07 AM
College partnership builds on success Agur Lake got a bigger boost than they expected when they signed an agreement with the residential construction program at Okanagan College to build the first of the cabins needed to make the respite camp a reality.7/10/2011 10:03 AM	Large turnout in Cawston over land use issue Approximately 30 concerned citizens turned up at the June 27 meeting of the Area "B" Advisory Planning Commission to watch the group make a decision regarding a land use referral to the Agricultural Land Commission.7/10/2011 6:32 AM
Penticton goes soccer crazy, 4,000 involved this weekend Penticton is going soccer crazy this weekend. About 4,000 people have come from all over the province to the south Okanagan for the B.C. Soccer B-Cup, a major soccer tournament with more than 120 games. 1,200 soccer players from 60 teams are participating.7/10/2011 6:29 AM	Penticton: Cycling legend meet fans They came in droves to meet their idol. a cycling legend. Eddy Merckx (R) was in Penticton on Saturday to meet, sign autographs and even sign bikes for adoring fans. The five time Tour de France winner is one of the greatest competitive cyclists of all time.7/10/2011 5:53 AM
Autopsy scheduled for Monday for Penticton body Police are on the scene after a body was discovered in Penticton. The body was discovered around 8 p.m. Thursday by a man who pulled over on the highway to make a phone call. The victim has been identified as a male in his mid to late 40s.7/9/2011 12:32 PM	Penticton will host another NHL Young Stars tourney The Vancouver Canucks will host a Young Stars tournament in the Okanagan this September. Prospects and young players from five NHL teams will play at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton from September 11 to 15.7/8/2011 6:52 AM
Osoyoos Council will meet Monday with school board officials Council representatives will meet with school board officials on July 11 regarding the future of Osoyoos Secondary School (OSS). Earlier this year, closing OSS was one of the options the school board was considering as a cost-cutting measure. 7/8/2011 5:28 AM	Volunteers still need for Penticton Granfondo Volunteers are still required for this weekend˜s Granfondo Axel Merckx in Penticton. More than 2,000 riders are expected to take part in Granfondo. Volunteers are needed for registration package pickup on Friday and Saturday at the Convention Centre. 7/8/2011 5:06 AM
Summerland man ordered to tear down cottage on Okanagan Lake A Summerland man who built an illegal lakefront cottage has been ordered to tear it down. Don Gingras did not get the necessary permits from the District of Summerland before building the cottage on his property bordering Okanagan Lake.7/7/2011 6:18 AM	Sweet Okanagan Cherry crop expected Cherries are on top again this summer with orchards starting to harvest the sweet crop over the next month. Dave Stirling of the Cherry Growers Association and a grower, said this year will be a good harvest if the weather continues to be sunny and warm.7/7/2011 6:15 AM
City feeling effects of drop in developments With Penticton voters rejecting the prospect of bringing a proposed $200 million provincial correctional centre, many at the city are wondering where the municipality will find potential revenue. (Ed: Another mess created by city hall.)7/7/2011 5:45 AM	Peach Classic Triathlon seeking volunteers Organizers of the Investors Group Peach Classic Triathlon are still looking for about 25 to 30 volunteers to assist with traffic control as well as kayakers for the July 17 event. For more information or to volunteer, contact Dave Bullock.7/6/2011 6:46 AM
City sells Munson property The City of Penticton has found a buyer for one of two Munson Mountain properties it has been trying to sell for close to a year. Council voted 5-1 Monday evening to sell the approximately 10-acre lot at 1125 Munson Ave. to Rajeev and Ritvy Sheoran for $1.2 million.7/6/2011 6:32 AM	Kars under the "K" Show and Shine event coming soon Our 10th Annual Kars under the "K" Show and Shine on July 31, will be here before we know it. We invite everyone to come and look at the cars, truck, and tractors after they have their pancake breakfast done up by the Keremeos Elks .7/6/2011 6:31 AM
Region attempts to get a handle on illegal camping The issue of transient fruit pickers and campers loitering in public parks is a complicated one according to Oliver Mayor Pat Hampson. Strawberry Creek in Osoyoos was one known spot where illegal campers and the transient fruit pickers were staying.7/6/2011 6:29 AM	Stockwell Day: Ex-MP's consultant firm still being questioned A leading Canadian political watchdog organization is continuing to question former Okanagan-Coquihalla MP Stockwell Day's decision to go into business as a government relations consultant. Day was a cabinet minister in two governments.7/5/2011 6:34 AM
Dodi Morrison: Book on prison doesn't paint a pretty picture I have been watching closely all the letters and now the vote on a correctional institute in our area. Having just finished reading Jeffrey Archer 's Prison Diaries I feel much more educated as to how these places are run. It's not a pretty picture.7/5/2011 6:30 AM	Penticton celebrates Canada Day (Video) A full day of events were scheduled last Friday at Gyro Park to celebrate Canada Day. The day kicked off with a pancake breakfast served by the Quota Club and South Okanagan Women In Need Society.7/5/2011 6:26 AM
Olalla man arrested following fatal Penticton collision The RCMP responded to a fatal motor vehicle collision on Hwy 97 at the south end of Penticton along Skaha Lake on Sunday afternoon. A 72 year old Jack Tamok of Olalla remains in custody after being arrested for criminal negligence causing death. 7/5/2011 5:06 AM	Tourists starting to flock to valley The summertime is when the Okanagan tends to come alive. But this year tourists have been taking their time getting here. "We did have a sluggish spring due to the weather primarily," said Catherine Frechette with Tourism Kelowna.7/4/2011 6:17 AM
Osoyoos denies request for container retail outlet The owner of an Osoyoos retail business gutted by fire in May cannot resume operations from a shipping container. Darlene Dorion, owner of the Dollar Smart Discount store in Osoyoos, proposed temporarily placing a shipping container on her property.7/4/2011 5:44 AM	Stockwell Day's 'consulting firm' draws ethics criticism, website disappears Day faced questions about his decision to start a company called Stockwell Day Connex. Despite Day's assertion that his is not a lobbying firm, some have questioned not only what Day will offer his clients but also what they will expect.7/4/2011 5:39 AM
Penticton: One dead after multi-vehicle accident Sunday One man died in a multi-vehicle crash on Skaha Lake Road near Wright˜s Beach Campground on Sunday afternoon. Firefighters struggled for well over an hour to extricate the man from an overturned GMC. Witnesses said the GMC was struck from behind.7/4/2011 5:27 AM	Oliver mayor blames B.C. government funding cuts on Testalinda Dam failure Oliver Mayor Pat Hampson found holes in new guidelines to improve the safety of B.C.˜s dams. Hampson said relying on voluntary compliance on something as critical as dam maintenance as being "foolhardy."7/3/2011 6:30 AM
Similkameen Planning: Good data available on watershed The much anticipated report on what data is available on the Similkameen watershed is almost finished. Dr. Hugh Hamilton and Dr. Brian Guy of Summit Environmental Consultants presented the first draft of their report to the Similkameen Valley Planning Society, who commissioned the study.7/2/2011 4:17 PM	Penticton Concert Band plays Gyro Park tonight (Saturday) Penticton Concert Band performs at Gyro Park Band Shell at 7pm on Saturday, July 2. Variety of band music, Music Director Gerald Nadeau. Guest vocalist is Madison Johnson No admission charge. Suggest blankets and/or chairs. 7/2/2011 6:58 AM
Osoyoos: Blame game now that SIREC says no thanks to Desert Park In the wake of the South Interior Recreational Equine Centre's announcement that it plans to walk away from a short-term lease for Desert Park, more details have emerged to show that the organization and the Town have had a dysfunctional relationship.7/2/2011 5:51 AM	Open burning restrictions remain in place in Kamloops fire district The Kamloops Fire Centre is reminding the public that only campfires smaller than a half-metre wide by a half-metre tall are permitted in the Kamloops Fire Centre. Any open fire larger than this is prohibited.7/2/2011 5:47 AM
Tourism numbers look promising for holiday weekend Sherrie Burechailo, manager of the Penticton Visitors Centre, is optimistic the local tourism sector can build on the success of last weekend when the city was packed with people attending the Peach City Beach Cruise and Penticton Pacific Northwest Elvis Festival. 7/2/2011 5:43 AM	Penticton teen sentenced for stabbing death A Penticton teen has been sentenced for stabbing a man to death about three years ago. The killing happened in a late night fight at a beach front park. A 27-year-old Ontario man died in the altercation.7/2/2011 5:15 AM
Keremeos/Similkameen: Water Works With Jeremy To continue on last week's subject, there are other things you can do to ensure good growth for your lawn during the summer heat. During your summer lawn mowing, set your mower to cut the grass at a height of six to eight centimetres.7/1/2011 7:07 AM	City examining options to boost SOEC revenues The city councillor who chairs the city's South Okanagan Events Centre advisory board wants ideas from the public on how to make the facility and its surrounding campus of city-owned buildings less of a burden on the taxpayers of Penticton.7/1/2011 6:33 AM
Local Teachers endorse Provincial job action Threatened job action by the province's teachers is unlikely to affect students at the classroom level, according to representatives from both Okanagan Skaha School District and the local teachers' union.7/1/2011 5:52 AM	Okanagan: Police step up patrols on the water RCMP will have an increased presence on the water this long weekend to remind boaters to be responsible for the safety of everyone on the lakes. "Our hope is to have our presence on the water Friday, Saturday and Sunday on both Okanagan and Skaha Lake."7/1/2011 5:51 AM
Highway closure near Oliver caused by motorcycle crash A serious motorcycle crash north of Oliver shut down on Highway 97 for several hours this morning. The bike was traveling north when it lost control on a sharp curve near Vaseux Lake at about 8:30 a.m.6/30/2011 7:28 AM	Parkway Elementary School crossing guard struck by vehicle A student at Parkway Elementary School was struck by a vehicle Wednesday at about noon. School district superintendent Wendy Hyer said the female student was serving in the role of crosswalk attendant at the time of the accident.6/30/2011 7:27 AM
Copper Mountain Mine tour Regional district directors and staff members visited Copper Mountain Mine last Thursday near Princeton. The born again mine is pumping millions of dollars into the Lower Similkameen economy at a time when the regional economy could use the boost.6/29/2011 5:41 AM	Festivals have city rocking and rolling The economic injection into the local economy from the annual Peach City Beach Cruise and Penticton Pacific Northwest Elvis Festival is once again estimated to be in the millions of dollars.6/29/2011 5:36 AM
Samantha Wright, Matthew Gomez co-valedictorians at Maggie When Princess Margaret Secondary School announced its co-valedictorians at its annual polar bear swim held traditionally in April, no one was more surprised than graduates Samantha Wright and Matthew Gomez. behalf 6/29/2011 5:32 AM	Search for missing Penticton man called off The search for a Penticton man missing in Nevada has officially been called off. Helicopters scoured the wilderness of northeast Nevada State last week looking for any sign of 59-year-old Al Chretien. After coming up with nothing, the search is now over. 6/29/2011 5:08 AM
Penticton: Shed and vehicles engulfed by flames Vehicles and a shed were damaged in a fire on Saturday that sent billowing black smoke into the Penticton sky near the airport. Penticton Indian Band Fire Chief Barry Phillips said flames came within 20 feet of the Delta Mobile Home Park. 6/28/2011 5:30 PM	Keremeos: Vandalism in Pine Park playground Matt Lougheed, maintenance worker with the Village, removes a child's swing seat in Pine Park that was destroyed by vandals. The damage, which included broken glass in the playground area, was coincident with reports of a group of unsavoury campers.6/28/2011 6:52 AM
CritterAid: Rescued horse 'Faith' died on the weekend The horse named 'Faith' passed away this past weekend. Faith arrived at Critteraid in February of 2008 when she was found collapsed on a driveway in the Marron Valley. The horse, a mare, was emaciated beyond belief. Her frail body was literally frozen to the ground.6/28/2011 6:43 AM	Justice? Penticton: New Murder trial date set for Corey Swite A date has now been set for a second trial for Corey Wolf Swite, previously convicted of murdering and sexually assaulting an 85-year-old Penticton woman in August 2006. He was given life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.6/28/2011 5:51 AM