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Marshall Jones
News is best when it's local, relevant, timely and interesting. That's our focus every day.
We are on the ground in Penticton, Vernon, Kelowna and Kamloops to bring you the stories that matter most.
Marshall may call West Kelowna home, but after 16 years in local news and 14 in the Okanagan, he knows better than to tell readers in other communities what is "news' to them. He relies on resident reporters to reflect their own community priorities and needs. As the newsroom leader, his job is making those reporters better, ensuring accuracy, fairness and meeting the highest standards of journalism.
Calgary police think this missing woman might be in the Okanagan
KELOWNA - Police are asking people in the Kelowna area to keep an eye out for a woman reported missing from Calgary last week. Calgary Police Service is looking for 51-year-old Penny Firth. She was last seen at her home on Thursday, Nov. 19, in the 2400 block of 17 Ave S.W. in the Alberta...
West Kelowna councillor admits conflict of interest (sort of)
WEST KELOWNA - A city councillor appears to have changed his tune in a conflict of interest allegation that caused delays to a development application. Rusty Ensign, a rookie councillor at the City of West Kelowna, initially denied he was in any conflict of interest when he opted to hear and vote on matters related...
Frank Gifford’s family says CTE found in late Hall of Famer’s brain after death
NEW YORK, N.Y. – The family of Pro Football Hall of Famer Frank Gifford says signs of the degenerative disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy were found in his brain after his death.
Another reprieve for Interior Health laundry workers
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The Hospital Employees’ Union is welcoming news that Interior Health is delaying its decision to contract out laundry services. New Interior Health President and CEO Chris Mazurkewich says in a release today, Nov. 25, not to expect a decision before March 2016. He’s been on the job less than a month and wants...
Great timing for Oyama artist to meet demand for colouring books
OYAMA - This Christmas you will be tempted at some point to browse the latest trend of colouring books for adults but before you buy off the rack, you should see the books from local artist Sarah Marie Thompson. The long-time Okanagan resident has three colouring books for sale both online and at Kelowna’s Mosaic...
Dirt biker near Salmon Arm hit trying to cross highway
TAPPEN - A dirt biker is in hospital with severe injuries after he was hit by oncoming traffic while trying to cross the Trans-Canada Highway Nov. 21, police say. Staff Sgt. Scott West of Salmon Arm RCMP says in a media release investigators believe the man riding the bike didn't stop before crossing near Bolton...
Damage at West Kelowna Yacht Club likely ‘hundreds of thousands of dollars’
WEST KELOWNA - It appears wind damage at the West Kelowna Yacht Club is as bad as first feared. While the members are still waiting to get official inspections from divers to assess the damage to the breakwall from a bizarre windstorm Tuesday, Nov. 17, spokesperson Pat Pope says it’s pretty much a write-off. “We...
How the Mounties got their money
VERNON - Mounties didn’t really get their man, but they did get his money. Earlier this month, North Okanagan RCMP traffic police smelled marijuana coming from a vehicle travelling in front of them on Highway 6. Police said the vehicle also had expired registration on the licence plate. They arrested the driver for possession of a...
Regional district will have to wait to probe loose-lipped colleague
'THIS PROCESS HAS... GONE OFF THE RAILS COMPLETELY' KELOWNA - A Central Okanagan Regional District hearing on the conduct of one of its members was postponed today due to an issue of procedural fairness, prompting new allegations and finger pointing among directors. Today’s hearing was supposed to determine if Central Okanagan East director Patty Hanson...
Kelowna-area politician’s loose lips have her facing possible penalties from colleagues
ALLEGEDLY GAVE UNTRUE INFORMATION; FILM COMMISSIONER FEARED LOSS OF JOB KELOWNA - A local politician is already in hot water with her colleagues, but tomorrow we should know exactly how much. Patty Hanson, a veteran director at the Central Okanagan Regional District, faces what amounts to a disciplinary hearing by her colleagues on the board....
Help Kelowna’s homeless before refugees? Here’s how
KELOWNA - Interest in helping the homeless appears to be reaching new highs since Canada announced it would attempt to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada before the end of the year. The move has created significant debate about Canada’s role in settling some of the millions of refugees escaping the Syrian civil war. It’s...
West Kelowna yacht club and boats damaged in windstorm
WEST KELOWNA - Heavy rains and strong winds caused played havoc with the West Kelowna Yacht Club today, damaging several boats, docks and perhaps the integrity of the breakwater itself. Several boaters inspected damage around 4 p.m. today, Nov. 17, and two boats threw their moorings entirely. One, the Manhattan, had its bow torn off as...
As Liberals decide how to bring 25,000 Syrians to Canada, the choice is also who
OTTAWA – Somewhere right now, in a refugee camp in Amman or a rental apartment in Beirut or on a street in Istanbul, sits a Syrian hoping to be among the 25,000 people resettled to Canada, possibly by the end of the year.
Montreal’s raw sewage dump proceeding as planned, mayor says
MONTREAL – The City of Montreal says the controversial process of dumping eight billion litres of raw sewage into the St. Lawrence River went off without a hitch as it got underway Wednesday.
B.C. First Nations could be awarded millions for Canada’s 65-year-old mistake
FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – Two British Columbia First Nations could be compensated millions for a mistake the Canadian government made 65 years ago.
UPDATE: Storm should miss Kamloops but Penticton’s not so lucky
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A powerful storm expected to bring winds up to 70 km/h tomorrow and potentially bring plenty of moisture with it is headed south, according to Environment Canada. The weather office ended its special weather statement for the North Thompson issued earlier today, Nov. 11, and made a special weather statement for the South...
Nova Scotia couple found dead in Mexican hotel, no signs of violence: official
A Canadian couple who had travelled to Mexico to attend their daughter's wedding has been found dead at a hotel near the resort city of Playa de Carmen.
Kelowna’s Greenway tree emerges as symbol for Remembrance Day
KELOWNA - The fairies of the Mission Creek Greenway are still tending to a lonely green tree in a forest of yellow leaves this November, but perhaps for the first time, they’ve got people talking about a different holiday. It’s not unusual for greenway walkers or runners to find the little birch tree decorated for...
IN PHOTOS: Remembrance Day in Kelowna
Scenes from a sunny Remembrance Day at the cenotaph in Kelowna. Photos by Adam Proskiw %%image2%% %%image3%% %%image4%% %%image5%% %%image6%% %%image7%% %%image8%%
Penticton champions new affordable housing project, but at what cost?
PENTICTON - The city is getting a big boost to affordable housing, but it’s going to come at the eventual relocation of the Penticton Lawn Bowling club. The City of Penticton and the province say as many as 70 new affordable housing units will be built in two phases on the site in the 200...
Pedestrian suffers extensive injuries jaywalking across Kelowna highway
KELOWNA - A senior remains in hospital with multiple injuries after he was struck by a vehicle while crossing the highway outside of a crosswalk or intersection Saturday night. The 65-year-old man was trying to cross Highway 97 near Leathead Road when he was struck by a green Jeep Cherokee in the northbound lane. The...
What you can learn from seven people who turn ideas into reality
KELOWNA - Everyone has an idea. Some people have big ideas. Then you have Mark Jennings-Bates-size ideas. One year, the Kelowna business consultant might be racing rally cars, another year riding an enduro bike across South Africa. Or he might be setting a new Guinness Book of World Records team flight on a paramotor across...
Who is at fault? Driving instructor takes on traffic circle dash-cam crash
DO YOU BLUFF YOUR WAY THROUGH TRAFFIC CIRCLES OR DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO? THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - They're slowly popping up in more streets and neighbourhoods to help us but instead often incite mass confusion, arguments, sometimes panic and even the occasional crash. Does anyone know what to do in a traffic circle? We found...
Family pleads for more staff after elderly mom dies in attack at Kamloops senior’s home
KAMLOOPS - For the third time in the past two years, the B.C. Coroners Service has declared a death at an Interior senior's facility a homicide. Eighty-four-year-old Emily Houston died on July 15th, 10 days after she was attacked by a fellow resident of Kamloops Seniors Village. Kamloops RCMP investigated, but decided against recommending charges....