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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
Kelowna honours outstanding contributions during 40th annual civic awards
KELOWNA - The City of Kelowna celebrated its 40th annual civic and community awards at a gala event at the Kelowna Community Theatre. The awards recognize outstanding contributions and achievements by Kelowna residents in a range of categories. The full list of award recipients is provided below: Teen Honour in the Arts Antony Knight Honour...
Who is killing the stone people of Knox Mountain Park?
KELOWNA - Silently they stand, motionless, offering mute testimony to what their cold hard eyes have witnessed. Which is nothing, really, because they are just piles of rock. Locals and the more adventurous hikers have long known of the intricate free-style stone sculptures which have come and gone in a remote corner of Knox Mountain...
Backyard pools contaminating Okanagan Lake
OKANAGAN - Backyard pools are a source of fun and relaxation for many Okanagan homeowners but if improperly drained they are a source of excess chlorine and contaminants for Okanagan Lake. “Chlorine is unfriendly to the lake and the surge of people emptying their pools and hot tubs in the spring and fall adds to...
School board says superintendent’s pay raise long overdue
KELOWNA - A pay raise negotiated last year by Hugh Gloster, the superintendent of schools for the Central Okanagan School District, was long-overdue and well within the normal range for the educational sector, according to the school board chair. “His contract was up for renewal July 1 and we did negotiate a pay raise with...
School board searching for $1.5 million in budget cuts
KELOWNA - Some late additions to the Central Okanagan school district’s 2015 budget has pushed the anticipated shortfall to $1.5 million on a budget of $220 million. “The superintendent wanted to add two programs he thought were worth supporting,” says secretary-treasurer Larry Paul, who pegged the cost of the programs at $133,000. “He’s looking to...
Pay raise on the table for Central Okanagan school trustees
KELOWNA - Central Okanagan school trustees are considering the politically delicate subject of giving themselves a pay raise next year and how exactly to calculate it. Director of Finance Eileen Sadlowski, in a report to the school board, is recommending they choose one of three options; a raise that reflects the consumer price index, a...
Codling moth tax levy approved by Kelowna council
KELOWNA - Orchardists, and the rest of Kelowna, will pay just over $1 million in 2015 to combat the codling moth, a destructive pest that preys on apples and pears. Kelowna council approved the local levy and parcel tax, which covers all properties within city boundaries. Properties of at least 0.3 acres, containing 20 or...
Cameron House caught up in debate over heritage restoration
KELOWNA - The future of Cameron House, the iconic log structure that sits in the middle of the Richter Street park that bears its name, is still in limbo. This week city councillors wrestled at length with the issue of whether the house, built in 1929 using log-and-chink construction, has signficant heritage value and is...
Kelowna council proposes alternative to public prayer
KELOWNA - Councillors have decided to scrap a public prayer at the beginning of its Tuesday night meetings and instead will reaffirm their oath of office after receiving a report from staff on the Supreme Court of Canada’s ruling on the constitutionality of prayers at council meetings. "Council directed staff to bring forward an amendment...
Drop the video game controller and head to Exit Kelowna
KELOWNA - I’m not sure if this counts as a spoiler but if you think playing a round of Exit, the real-time escape game trending large in Japan and the U.S, means you need the skills of a ninja or a Navy Seal, you would be dead wrong. In fact, Exit is a game of...
Yes side claims resounding victory in rail trail referendum
LAKE COUNTRY - With a voter turnout that puts other elections to shame, about 75 per cent Lake Country voters showed their support for the CN Rail corridor purchase with a resounding yes vote. In a media release from the district, chief election officer Reyna Seabrook says 4,4462 or 47.9 per cent of eligible voters...
West Kelowna keeping an eye on medical marijuana dispensaries
WEST KELOWNA - A pair of businesses in West Kelowna may have the distinction of being the only legal companies in the province allowed to act as de facto medical marijuana dispensaries. While such dispensaries abound in Vancouver — over 80 at last count — none of them have business licenses, but intstead operate as...
Public prayer could be suspended by Kelowna council
KELOWNA - City councillors are moving quickly to stem possible controversy over its practice of offering a prayer before some council meetings in the wake of a recent Supreme Court of Canada ruling. City clerk Stephen Fleming, in a report going before council Monday morning, will offer three options for consideration; suspend the recital of a...
Mussels with wings; the new front in the battle against invasive species
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The defensive war on invasive mussels hitching a ride into British Columbia’s lakes and rivers via recreational boats has just begun but there’s already talk of opening up a new front — float planes. While recreational boats and commercial boat haulers are the primary target of the recently-launched Don’t Move A Mussel educational program,...
Vaisakhi parade to impact road and transit travel in Rutland
KELOWNA - The Okanagan Sikh Temple and Cultural Society is holding its fifth annual Vaisakhi parade in Rutland next weekend and drivers travelling through the area should be aware of rolling road closures and parking restrictions Traffic control personnel will be on hand for the parade which begins at noon, Saturday, April 25, while road...
Queensway transit exchange reopens in Kelowna
KELOWNA - Transit users in Kelowna will soon be using the upgraded Queensway transit exchange when it reopens on Sunday. Built as an all-weather facility, the Queensway transit exchange will cover the centre island of the old bus loop, giving riders shelter from the elements and increased security. Pedestrian crossings around the exchange have also...
Kelowna job fair connects job seekers with the right people
KELOWNA - If you’re looking to kickstart your career, the 2015 Kelowna Job Fair is a great place to begin. Hosted by Juice FM and Vista Radio, the Kelowna Job Fair puts you and your resume in direct contact with potential employers. In fact, you should be prepared for on-the-spot interviews and be ready to put...
CN Rail corridor purchase generates more voter interest than Lake Country municipal election
LAKE COUNTRY - By the time the results of the referendum on the CN Rail corridor purchase are in, a vote that could cause the entire deal to fail, most of the people who cast a ballot will be asleep. “It’s the same rules as an election,” said Willene Perez, deputy chief election officer for...
West Kelowna irrigation systems the target of a special brand of vandalism
WEST KELOWNA - Faced with an unusual type of vandalism aimed at its irrigation systems, the District of West Kelowna is asking for help trying to put an end to it. “This isn’t your typical loser kicking over a sprinkler head,” parks supervisor Stacey Harding says. “Whoever is doing this has a knowledge of irrigation...
Theft of big rig puts local logger down but not out
WEST KELOWNA - The owner of a $300,000 truck and low-bed trailer stolen at the end of March says the theft hit him hard but hasn’t knocked him out. “It was a big financial impact and a huge inconvenience,” Scott Horovatin, who used the 2014 Kenworth and trailer to run his own small logging outfit,...
Kelowna serves up steady increase of new restaurants
KELOWNA - You’re not imagining it. Kelowna has seen a steady increase in the number of new restaurants opening their doors in the last few years. Probably the most obvious example would be the gleaming new Cactus Club Cafe, soon to open right on the waterfront inside the Kelowna Yacht Club. The extremely competitive restaurant...
Daddy’s Little Sweetheart Ball a gala occassion for fathers and daughters
KELOWNA - Here’s your chance to meet Cinderella. Juice FM and Kelowna Mercedes-Benz are hosting Daddy’s Little Sweetheart Ball this Sunday, April 26, from 4 to 7 p.m. at the dealership showroom, 2580 Enterprise Way. Cinderella and a special guest will be making an appearance during a gala evening especially designed for fathers and their...
Occupation of premier’s officer ends, but situation remains
WEST KELOWNA - The occupation of Christy Clark's West Kelowna constituency offices ended today but the situation that caused it — where the Westside dumps its sewage—could continue for years. The chiefs of five native bands, and some non-native protesters from the Lower Nicola valley swarmed Clark's constituency office in downtown Westbank for five days,...
Former WFN chief Ron Derrickson pens book about changing face of aboriginal struggle for sovereignity
WEST KELOWNA - Unsettling Canada - A National Wake Up Call is the title of a new book co-written by six-term Westbank First Nation chief Ron Derrickson. With a forward by famed Canadian social activist Naomi Klein, the book purports to tell the story of how First Nations and Canada have found themselves at seemingly...