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John McDonald
John began life as a journalist through the Other Press, the independent student newspaper for Douglas College in New Westminster. The fluid nature of student journalism meant he was soon running the place, learning on the fly how to publish a newspaper.
It wasn’t until he moved to Kelowna he broke into the mainstream media, working for Okanagan Sunday, then the Kelowna Daily Courier and Okanagan Saturday doing news graphics and page layout. He carried on with the Kelowna Capital News, covering health and education while also working on special projects, including the design and launch of a mass market daily newspaper. After 12 years there, John rejoined the Kelowna Daily Courier as editor of the Westside Weekly, directing news coverage as the Westside became West Kelowna.
But digital media beckoned and John joined Kelowna.com as assistant editor and reporter, riding the start-up as it at first soared then went down in flames. Now John is turning dirt as city hall reporter for iNFOnews.ca where he brings his long experience to bear on the civic issues of the day.
If you have a story you think people should know about, email John at jmcdonald@infonews.ca
Latest report shows Southern Interior mountain snowpacks shrinking fast
FAST MELT OF SNOWPACKS CAUSING FLOOD CONCERNS THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Swollen streams and flood warnings are…
Mayor well travelled as Kelowna’s salesman-in-chief
KELOWNA – Mayor Colin Basran, just off a two-week trip to Kasugai, Japan, barely has…
Rail trail won’t go ahead without fundraising campaign
LOCAL SOCIETY AIMS TO RAISE $7.9 MILLION IN 18 MONTHS OKANAGAN – The municipalities cooperating…
Flood warnings issued for Central Okanagan
EMPTY SANDBAGS AVAILABLE AT MOST LOCAL FIRE HALLS CENTRAL OKANAGAN – Creeks and streams swollen…
Kelowna pushes through increase to development permit fees
KELOWNA – Development application fees for a host of city services will be adjusted, mostly…
Time and place important when measuring downtown safety, Kelowna councillors say
COUNCIL TO GAUGE RESIDENTS SENSE OF SAFETY IN CITY'S CORE KELOWNA – A sense of…
City wants to measure how safe you feel in downtown Kelowna
PERCEPTION OF DANGER JUST AS IMPORTANT AS ACTUAL RISK WHEN MEASURING ATTITUDES KELOWNA – City…
Carriage houses proving popular in West Kelowna
FIRST CARRIAGE HOUSES COULD BE COMPLETE BY EARLY 2017 WEST KELOWNA – The City of…
Kelowna moves to more closely align summer watering restrictions with its Okanagan neighbours
KELOWNA – Clearing up confusion around watering restrictions is one of the key aims of…
Overdose deaths could stay high in Southern Interior
NUMBERS LIKELY TO GO UP BEFORE THEY GO DOWN THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Don’t expect the epidemic…
Overdose deaths prompt province to declare public health emergency
INTERIOR HEALTH AUTHORITY HARD HIT THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Responding to a continuing surge in drug overdose…
Okanagan politicos to get first look at rail trail plans
CENTRAL OKANAGAN – Councillors and directors from various communities will get their first look soon…
The B.C. Interior is on pace to smash last year’s record number of overdose deaths
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Overdose deaths in the Interior Health Authority, already at a record number after…
Wage freeze holds down costs for Central Okanagan School District reorganization
ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGES WON'T COST ANYTHING UNTIL FREEZE LIFTED CENTRAL OKANAGAN – A long-planned reorganization of…
Budget cuts for Central Okanagan becoming annual battle
INCREASE TO SCHOOL BUS FEES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ENROLMENT JUST PART OF REVENUE INCREASES PLANNED…
Kelowna’s irrigation districts keep calm and carry on
POSSIBLE DISSOLUTION ISN'T WORTH FRETTING ABOUT, CHAIRMAN SAYS CENTRAL OKANAGAN – You wouldn’t know the…
Bee-friendly pollinator meadow planned for Kelowna park
UBC OKANAGAN RESEARCH PROJECT WILL HELP RAISE AWARENESS OF POLLINATOR SPECIES KELOWNA – Researchers from…
Controversial gravel pit application doesn’t get Kelowna council support
GRAVEL TO BE REPLACED WITH FINE SOILS AND TURNED INTO APPLE ORCHARD KELOWNA – Neighbours…
Kelowna property owners to continue shovelling their own sidewalks, council says
CITY RECEIVING INCREASING COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS FOR SERVICE AFTER STORMS KELOWNA – It didnt’ take…
Kelowna considers taking over sidewalk snow removal
CLEARING ALL SIDEWALKS ONE OPTION KELOWNA – Would you be willing to pay more taxes…
Defense minister in Kelowna to sell national defense review
HARJIT SAJJAN'S SPEECH DRAWS A FULL HOUSE KELOWNA – Canada’s defense minister Harjit Sajjan was…
UBC Okanagan sets $100 million fundraising record; hopes to do better next time
KELOWNA – Not even a year after raising $100 million during the largest capital fundraising…
Lots of snow in those Southern Interior mountains
ELEVATED RISK OF FLOODING IN THE OKANAGAN AS RESULT OF BIG SNOW PACK THOMPSON-OKANAGAN –…
Hockey dad wonders what to do after benched 10-year-old left in tears
"DAD, I THOUGHT I PLAYED HARD, WHY DID THEY BENCH ME?" OKANAGAN – A hockey…