Meaghan Archer
Vassilaki gunning for the hot seat
PENTICTON - From the steps of City Hall, Coun. John Vassilaki announced he will run for mayor in the upcoming municipal election and work to restore power back to the hands of city council. Recent issues, including the city’s lawsuit against the Penticton Hospitality Association, have cost taxpayers thousands of dollars. “And no one has...
ARCHER: City staff aren’t immune from taxpayer scrutiny but here’s a better idea
PENTICTON - City Hall has quite the series of plot lines going these days, with lawsuits, legal threats to citizens, complaints from residents and rallies outside on the street. Mayor and city councillors have taken a lot of heat from the media and public, whether it’s about vote results, a development project, or the use...
This is how a 76-year-old woman responded to threats from Penticton city hall
PENTICTON - A local woman refuses to apologize to city staff about comments she made in letters sent to city staff and council, and puts herself at risk to be sued. Elvena Slump, 76, has been an outspoken member of the public and has written several letters to local media and city council critical of...
Family sets up memorial fund for hit-and-run victim
PENTICTON - The family of a young man killed in a hit-and-run accident have set up a memorial fun in his name to help support the three young children that survive him. Scott Michaud, 27, was found dead in the early morning of August 12 alongside Skaha Lake Road in Penticton. Police said Michaud’s injuries...
Grab your cameras and binoculars; Marina Way Lookout is open
PENTICTON - The Marina Way Lookout officially opens Thursday evening, revealing the newest view of Okanagan Lake with a celebration and historical tour. The reconstruction project was part of the city’s waterfront enhancement strategy. The vision was to transform the abandoned peninsula — formally used as a Canadian National Railway loading dock — into a...
Penticton gets new business from Alberta
PENTICTON - City officials say Penticton is seeing more businesses and people coming to town from Alberta, and Jet Power and Controls Ltd. is the most recent. The Alberta-based business is in the process of opening a manufacturing plant in Penticton’s industrial sector. Jet Power is a growing company, having doubled in size every year...
City hands Challenge reins over to new stewardship
PENTICTON - Challenge Penticton is officially under the new leadership of triathlon experts Kevin Cutjar and Michael Brown. Cutjar and Brown won the city’s bid this spring to take the Challenge reins and steer the competition in the right direction. The team will invest $300,000 over five years—the length of the new contract with the...
Locks cut, items stolen from Oliver storage lockers
OLIVER - Several storage lockers were broken into Monday night at a storage facility in Oliver, according to police. At least seven lockers had their locks cut off and appeared to have been rummaged through and an undetermined amount of property was stolen, RCMP reported. The name of the storage facility is not being released...
Jail time already served, man walks away on probation
PENTICTON - An Oliver man was sentenced Monday for charges related to a car bomb explosion last August. Eric Olivier Daoust pled guilty to mischief over $5,000 and was sentenced to 30 days in jail plus two years of probation. He already served the jail time so he walked out of Penticton Provincial Court on...
Loud Challenge fireworks a ‘first world problem’
PENTICTON - There has been buzz around town that some people are less than thrilled about the midnight fireworks that followed the Challenge Penticton triathlon Sunday. Several Facebook posts suggest the loud fireworks woke them from their slumbers Sunday night, while others barely noticed.. “I am that ‘younger generation’ and midnight on a Sunday was...
Community Centre offers Day Camp for kids if strike continues
PENTICTON - The Community Centre has organized day camps for school kids ages 6 to 12 starting Sept 2. if teachers remain on strike. Camps are offered Sept. 2 to 5 and Sept. 8 to 12, with additional weeks added as needed. Kids will participate in activities, including swimming, games, crafts and sports from 9...
Skaha Hills Winery to release two labels in 2015
PENTICTON - Skaha Hills Winery is gearing up for this year’s harvest and will release its first batch of white wines next summer. The Winery will release two white labels in 2015, a Viognier, and a Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon blend. Red grapes harvested this year will be made into three red labels—a Merlot, Syrah,...
ARCHER: Can you have your event and quiet weekend too?
There are always going to be people who don't approve of noise, location or some other detail of an event. Even events like Challenge that are very well accepted by the community and city officials get some negative remarks, such as blocked off roads, congested traffic and loud fireworks. Following social media this week, it...
School district ‘extremely disappointed’ with labour strife
KELOWNA - The Central Okanagan Board of Education is ‘extremely disappointed’ in the lack of movement between the B.C. Teachers’ Federation and the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association, which could result in schools not being open next week as planned. Trustees say they have been pushing the two parties to bring in a mediator to...
Challenge accepted: Symonds defends triathlon title
PENTICTON - Family, friends, residents and volunteers lined the streets of Penticton yesterday to cheer on the 1,200 athletes that participated in the second Challenge triathlon, and to watch Penticton’s own Jeff Symonds defend his title as champion of the race. Symonds was the first to tear down the finish line ribbon after swimming, cycling...