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 and Westside food banks announce merger
CENTRAL OKANAGAN - Citing cost and operational efficiencies, the Kelowna and Westside community food banks have announced they are merging to form the Central Okanagan Community Foodbank. Lenetta Parry, already the executive director of both organizations, says the move was prompted by usage rates that remain stubbornly high. “Locally foodbank usage is up 20 per...
Intense 2014 fire season changes mindset in West Kelowna
WEST KELOWNA - Most municipal mayors, when given the chance, will trumpet the achievements of council and staff, but in the preface to its 2014 annual report, West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater talks mainly about one thing — how last year’s fire season affected the outlook of city council and staff. “We had two major...
Water quality reminder for 400 Glenmore Ellison homes
KELOWNA - Residents in the area of east of Old Vernon Road are being reminded of the continuing water quality advisory for their area. While the entire Glenmore-Ellison Improvement District system is under a water quality advisory, the 400 homes in the affected area just came off a boil water advisory last November. “Normally, this...
The power of information during electrical failure
WHO HAS IT, WHO DOESN'T THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - When the power goes out, so do most of the things we depend on for life and business — lights, refrigerators, internet, air conditioning, point-of-sale machines, cash machines — and depending on which power company you use, so does information. The Thompson-Okanagan is divided between Fortis B.C. and...
Huckleberry evacuation alert lifted as emergency operations centre closes
KELOWNA - The last evacuation alerts for the 55-hectare Huckleberry fire in Joe Rich have been rescinded. While the alert has been lifted for the 28 properties along Huckleberry Road, a release from the emergency operations centre says residents can expect to see ongoing fire suppression operations as firefighters work to fully extinguish the fire....
No busting the Kelowna buskers: Play on, city says
SECURITY MADE ERROR TELLING YOUNG MAN TO MOVE ON FROM PIANO IN THE PARK KELOWNA - Maybe he just doesn’t like the piano. A young man playing the piano in Stuart Park was asked to move along on Canada Day after a security guard hired by the city to patrol the area came along and...
UPDATE: Firefighters gaining ground on Huckleberry fire
KELOWNA - Fire fighters appear to be gaining control of a large fire near Heartland Ranch in Joe Rich. A release this morning says containment guards appear to be holding and the fire didn't grow much over night. It's still estimated at 80 hectares in size. Some 14 structural firefighters from Joe Rich Fire Rescue...
It’s taken 13 years but Central Green in Kelowna is starting to take shape
KELOWNA - It’s been 13 years since the school that once occupied the site known as Central Green closed down and now the second affordable housing project slated for the old Kelowna Secondary School grounds has began construction. Ki-Low-Na Friendship Society and the Ministry of Housing broke ground on the $16-million project this week. The...
Dancing and playing highly encouraged in local parks this summer
KELOWNA - With summer full on, expect a lot more activity in urban parks around the Central Okanagan. The City of Kelowna wants locals to bust a move with the Dancing in the Park program, now in its fifth year and held each Wednesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in Stuart Park. All ages and...
City borrows $57 milllion for cop shop, parkade construction
KELOWNA - The city has signed on the dotted line, borrowing $57 million to fund the construction of the RCMP police service building and the construction and expansion of the Memorial and Library Parkades. Construction of the 100,000-square-foot police services building by contractor Bird Design-Build has yet to break ground on the site at Clement...
Kelowna makes a push outdoors
KELOWNA - Even locals don’t know all the best places to hike, swim and bike — that’s the premise behind the Active By Nature campaign, which will use advanced route signage, a video and an interactive website to promote Kelowna’s outdoor infrastructure. “A proven and effective way to inform residents about our network and to...
Wine and fruit waste prompts Kelowna treatment facility upgrade
KELOWNA - The city is looking at upgrading the Brandt’s Creek Trade Waste Treatment facility in a bid to reduce the amount of biosolids it produces and the cost of hauling them away. Staff are recommending the city pay $450,000 for a centrifuge to be installed at the facility located in the North End industrial...
Car roll over accident claims life of Kelowna woman
KELOWNA - A woman from Kelowna has been identified as the passenger killed when a car rolled on Highway 16 on June 26. Coroner Donita Kuzma has identified Jamie Kathleen Doornbosch, 29, along with driver Paul John Constantineau of Thorsby, Alta., as the two people who died at the scene of the single-vehicle accident aproximately...
Second phase of Stuart Park finishes off Kelowna’s waterfront facelift
KELOWNA - Stuart Park, part two, is scheduled to open just in time for Canada Day. Walkways and the new sidewalk fronting Water Street are complete and the lawn has been laid although the City of Kelowna says it will be fenced off for a few more weeks so it can get established. A pair...
Old Western Star plant could soon meet the wrecker’s ball
KELOWNA - The last vestiges of Western Star Trucks, a manufacturing success story in Kelowna, could soon be meeting the wreckers ball. Owner of the site on Enterprise Way, 3752 Investments Ltd., has applied for a permit to raze the former Western Star truck and replace it with a Lowes home improvement store and garden...