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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
UPDATE: RCMP investigate suspicious death at Glenview Gardens
KELOWNA – Police are saying very little about why officers spent much of the day…
City toilets, fountains and landfills open Easter weekend
KELOWNA - You can get in a workout and take a load to the landfill this holiday long weekend, but don't expect to be able to pay your back taxes or make a development variance application. Kelowna City Hall will be closed both Good Friday, April 3, and Easter Monday, April 6, for the Easter...
West Kelowna wants to be a city not a district; using alternative approval process to make it happen
WEST KELOWNA - Like an awkward teenager, not quite sure where it fits in, the District of West Kelowna is looking to grow up into a full-fledged city. “We have about 31,000 or 32,0000 people. We are in within the population range,” Mayor Doug Findlater says. “It would be more recognizable as a city in...
Controlled burns could be coming to a neighbourhood near you
CITY COUNCIL AGREES TO "TEST BURN" IN MCKINLEY LANDING KELOWNA - Forest fires are a touchy subject in the Okanagan so it was no surprise proponents of a controlled burn in McKinley Landing had some explaining to do to city councillors. City staff want to conduct a controlled burn in McKinley Landing as part of...
Suspected Tim Hortons robber arrested after public tips
WEST KELOWNA - RCMP on the Westside have arrested a 21-year-old man in connection with a robbery at the Tim Hortons on Carrington Rd. Saturday night, March 28. According to RCMP spokesman Cpl. Joe Duncan, the suspect is alleged to have covered his face and gone into the the restaurant with a weapon where he...
Kelowna city councillors balk at unexpected request for new fire engine
KELOWNA - A majority of Kelowna city council has said no to spending $730,000 for a new fire engine a year earlier than scheduled despite a warning from Kelowna Fire Department chief Jeff Carlisle it could result in “response capacity gaps” in rural areas of the city. “We need to put our planning hats on and...
Surging greenback, failing fire truck means Kelowna taxpayers on the hook for more money
KELOWNA - The plunging Canadian dollar and a failed mechanical assessment on one of its big rigs means the Kelowna Fire Department needs to ask city council for more money. Fire chief Jeff Carlisle, in a report to council, says the department needs an additional $130,000 to complete the purchase of a fire engine originally...
Big dump of snow cost Kelowna taxpayers big bucks
KELOWNA - The big dump of 2015 dropped a near-record amount of snow on Kelowna and cost taxpayers over a half-million dollars to clean up. During the two-day snow storm, which began Jan. 3 and ended Jan. 5, about 37 centimetres of snow fell in and around the Central Okanagan. At one point, snow was...
Regional district budget down this year, but could have dropped further
KELOWNA - The Central Okanagan Regional District will spend $59.4 million of your tax dollars this year and you’re welcome to say something about it. “There is an opportunity for the public to address the board regarding the 2015-19 financial plan,” said spokesman Bruce Smith. “They don’t have to preschedule or anything. There is a...
Spring brings out the job fairs at local restaurants and hotels
KELOWNA - A sure sign of spring in the Okanagan is the job fair blitz by local restaurants and hotels. The yet-to-open Cactus Club inside the Kelowna Yacht Club is leading the pack Friday, March 27 and 28. The brand new operation is looking to staff all positions front and back, including management. The franchised...
Lots of smoke but not much fire; health inspectors clear Valoroso Foods of serious violations
KELOWNA - If Joe Valoroso is bitter about his specialty food store being called out for label tampering and other minor food safey infractions, he’s now showing it. “No one is entitled to judge anybody else,” he simply says. In fact, the president of Valoroso Foods seems quite forgiving about having his name dragged through...
Techno-geek dream job up for grabs in Central Okanagan
KELOWNA - For some people, mainly techno-geeks, it would be a dream job — driving around the Central Okanagan in a computer-equipped car or truck tricked out with commercial grade still and video cameras plus an array of eye-safe lasers. It doesn’t say Google on it, but the job-hunting website Adecco is advertising for “streetview...
Negotiations to continue despite Okanagan Indian Band lawsuit aimed at CN Rail corridor purchase
KELOWNA - The acquisition team responsible for the $50-million group purchase of the abandoned CN Rail corridor will be meeting right away to discuss the latest threat to the already-beleagured CN Rail corridor purchase — an injunction to stop the sale by the Okanagan Indian Band. “This would potentially halt the transaction if an injunction...
Valoroso Foods faces second verification inspection later this week
KELOWNA - Valoroso Foods was open for business today even as officials from the health protection branch of the Interior Health Authority say they will be conducting a second inspection to ensure the company has taken action on violations it found during an inspection last Friday. “We will be going back at the end of...
Breast-feeding supporters crowd West Kelowna council
MAYOR ASKS FOR PROTOCOL TO DEAL WITH FUTURE DELEGATION REQUESTS KELOWNA - Crying and cooing babies provided the soundtrack as proponents of breast-feeding crowded West Kelowna council chambers tonight to show their displeasure at what they said was a lack of support for their cause. Breast-feeding mothers nursed their babies inside and outside of council...
West Kelowna breast-feeding protest to go ahead as planned
WEST KELOWNA - The West Kelowna Feed-In is going ahead as scheduled despite a bit of damage control by the district. The group declared they would protest at the March 24 council meeting after a delegation from the Interior Health Authority and UBC Okanagan asking council to help them promote breast-feeding were turned away at...
Carriage house survey shows support for secondary dwellings in West Kelowna
WEST KELOWNA - Westside residents could soon see a sight their Kelowna counterparts have seen for quite a few years — carriage houses popping up on lots where one house already exists. The latest results are in from the district’s extensive public consultation on the subject and three-quarters of West Kelowna people feel carriage houses...
Inspection found no reason to shut down Valoroso Foods: IHA
KELOWNA - An inspection of Valoroso Foods conducted Friday by the Interior Health Authority did not find any reason to shut the specialty foods store down, despite allegations of product label tampering. “This past Friday... Interior Health conducted an investigation at Valoroso Foods in Kelowna regarding food safety concerns,” IHA communications officer Patrick Gall said...
Video surveillance policy under scrutiny in West Kelowna
WEST KELOWNA - The district is updating its video surveillance policy to ensure compliance with the provincial Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. “With video surveillance cameras, obviously there are concerns with privacy,” says Erin Goodwin, facilities manager for West Kelowna. “There are standards that we have to follow.” The district does not...
What do drones, e-cigarettes and geocaches have in common?
KELOWNA - Flying drones, e-cigarettes and geocaches are all soon to be targetted in Kelowna’s updated parks bylaw. “Things change, new issues emerge,” says parks supervisor Ian Wilson, who will present the proposed changes to city council on Monday, March 23. E-cigarettes will be banned in all public parks under the revamped bylaw. Wilson says...
Surge in Kelowna rental housing construction
KELOWNA - Rental housing construction is undergoing a renaissance of sorts with the City of Kelowna reporting a surge of construction activity in the last 18 months. Recent focus has been on so-called micro-suites — units with a floor area under 29 square metres — but Doug Gilchrist, director of community planning for the city,...
Open access media policy pays off for city
KELOWNA - The 2015 citizens survey is due out in a couple of weeks and the city is expecting to do as good or better in most categories. But city officials might be surprised to find they’re doing great in a category they don’t even measure — communications with the media. While journalists love to...
That’s the spirit – Okanagan distiller wins international awards
OKANAGAN - Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery is celebrating a repeat win after being named distillery of the year for the second time at the 2015 World Spirits Awards in Dennmark. The distillery’s black currant liqueur beat out competition from 25 countries and 65 distilleries to take Spirit of the Year. Its Danish-style Aquavitus and Haskap...
This thief rips the rings right off your fingers
KELOWNA - RCMP believe there are more victims out there of a thief who poses as a jewellry buyer, then rips off the would-be seller. Several distraught victims have called 911 in recent days after man stole rings right off their fingers, Sgt. Brad Swecera says in a media release. The victims were asked to meet...