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
Student highrise numbers too much for Kelowna city staff
KELOWNA - Design deficiencies in a high-rise intended for student housing is threatening the project’s viability. City of Kelowna planning staff are recommending city council not support an application for a development permit and a development variance permit for Cambridge House, a 70-unit six-storey high-rise planned for the corner of Ethel Street and Harvey Avenue....
No opposition to demise of little-used West Kelowna park
WEST KELOWNA - You don’t often see playgrounds close but West Kelowna is doing just that with the removal of Horizon Park. And the city says there has been little opposition to the removal of a slide, swingset and some spring rides for little kids. “We haven’t had any calls,” city spokesperson Jason Luciw says....
Urgent dredging at busy boat launch put off until fall
KELOWNA - A mechanical failure in specialized equipment has forced the City of Kelowna to reschedule urgent dredging at the Cook Road boat launch. The city announced just two days ago it’s largest boat launch would close for a week at the height of the boating season, but now says the work will have to...
Province pulls plug on Coldwater River water use
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - In a bid to help struggling salmon populations, water use reduction measures have been imposed on the Coldwater River. The province issued the restriction today, July 31, banning all water use or diversion from the Coldwater River and its tributaries from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. effective immediately. The restriction escalates to a...
West Kelowna water supply vulnerable if drought continues
WEST KELOWNA - If you were able to visit West Kelowna’s Rose Valley reservoir right now, you would find it full, water lapping right to the edges of the man-made storage water facility. However, if you were to judge the district’s water health as normal by that same measure, you would be wrong as the...
Kelowna water providers in no hurry to comply with voluntary water cuts
CENTRAL OKANAGAN - Kelowna’s five water providers will decide next week whether to comply with a request from the provincial government to voluntarily reduce water consumption by 30 per cent. Darwyn Kutney, general manager of the Glenmore Ellison Irrigation District, says the Kelowna Joint Water Committee will meet July 30 to discuss the request. “I...
Valley mayors push for early start to water conservation
OKANAGAN - Mindful of the dry winter the Okanagan has just experienced, valley mayors and councillors joined the Okanagan Basin Water Board for an early launch of the Make Water Work conservation campaign today. Mayor Doug Findlater, who chairs the water board, used his own community of West Kelowna as an example of why the...
Kelowna water utility may soon be forced to restrict use
KELOWNA - As drought-like conditions persist throughout the province people are being asked to cut back on water use, which means water restrictions could be around the corner for Kelowna water utility customers, who have not yet faced restrictions this summer. The province has declared a level three drought in the Okanagan and is sending...
Hot dog reports surging this year, says SPCA
KELOWNA - Even as they staged a demonstration, the B.C. SPCA received a real hot dog call about an animal left for 45 minutes in vehicle in downtown Kelowna. “This one’s for real,” Kelowna SPCA branch manager Suzanne Pugh said. Pugh was demonstrating an infrared thermometer which allows accurate readings of the inside termperatures of...
Kelowna water utility finally adopts watering restrictions
KELOWNA - There is still no compelling reason to introduce watering restrictions but the City of Kelowna water utility is doing it anyway. “It’s based on supporting the provincial drought response, it's political, there is no technical reason,” Adrian Weaden says. The water quality supervisor says the decision was made this week to heed the...
Lock it or lose it police say after spike in Okanagan bike thefts
38 BICYCLES RECOVERED KELOWNA - More than 230 bicycles have already been reported stolen in Kelowna this year and yours could be next if you aren't careful. Bike thefts are up 58 per cent over last year so far, and that’s just the thefts that have been reported, Kelowna RCMP Const. Steve Holmes says in a...
Winter storms close Kelowna’s busiest boat launch at the height of summer
KELOWNA - Stormy weather last winter has left behind a sandbar in Okanagan Lake big enough to shut down the city’s busiest boat launch. Located near the mouth of Mission Creek, the Cook Road boat launch will be closed for a week at the height of the summer boating season for dredging, park planning manager...
Brent’s Grist Mill heritage site deteriorating quickly
KELOWNA - What do you do when your heritage is crumbling faster than than you can review it? Brent's Grist Mill, one of the city’s premier heritage sites, is rapidly crumbling and cannot wait for council’s heritage review to be fixed, according to a consultant’s report. “So it’s a catch-22 scenario. If we don’t spend the...
Water back to normal following Westside Road fire
OKANAGAN - A water advisory for two community water systems on Westside Road has been lifted. Central Okanagan Regional District officials say the Killiney Beach and Westshore water systems are back to normal after consultations with the Interior Health Authority. The advisory covered more than 530 properties off Westside Road and was issued after power...
Westjet adds extra non-stop flight between Kelowna and Edmonton
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - People in the Southern Interior will soon have another option when it comes to choosing a flight to Edmonton. Calling it a vote of confidence in the Edmonton metro region, Westjet has announced increased non-stop service to the Prairie city from B.C. and Saskatchewan. Starting Dec. 15 Kelowna will see one extra flight...