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Shannon Quesnel
Ex-cop continues bail breach fight
PENTICTON - Ex-cop Keith Gregory Wiens continues his fight against a charge of breaching his bail. Wiens, 58, a former Mountie, is doing a life sentence for shooting and killing his spouse, Lynn Kalmring, at their Penticton home on Aug. 16, 2011. He isn't up for parole for 13 years. Wiens is set to represent...
How the Penticton Vees handled nude photos sent to players
'WE HOLD OUR GUYS TO A HIGH STANDARD' PENTICTON - The Penticton Vees were way ahead of a 15-year-old girl who sent nude photos of herself to some of the players. The team spoke to players about potential dangers coming through texts, Facebook or Twitter before she sent them. "Those pictures were sent to a...
School strike averted
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Students will not be getting extra days off as a school support staff strike has been averted. CUPE Local 523 members were in a legal strike position today in the Okanagan-Similkameen, Okanagan-Skaha and North Okanagan-Shuswap school districts but last minute negotiations mean no picket lines today and no walkout on Wednesday. CUPE spokesman...
Circling large aircraft on training mission
PENTICTON - The large and unmarked aircraft above Penticton yesterday was a military plane but it wasn't from the National Security Agency. It was a Canadian Forces C-130 Hercules on a training mission, according to a NAV Canada official. The four-propellor aircraft flew in tight circles and anybody who wasn't strapped in must have had...
UPDATE: Police search for truck in ice wines theft
UPDATE: 10:33 a.m. Nov. 28, 2013 PEACHLAND - West Kelowna RCMP say they're looking for a light silver-blue Ford Explorer possibly associated with the theft of wines worth $30,000 and an Acer Notebook computer from the Hainie Vineyards Estate Winery November 24. The truck was seen in the area at the time of the offence....
Bootlegger chooses Penticton woman for fall campaign
"I WAS LIKE A BASKET CASE" PENTICTON - When she was told she'd be a Bootlegger model, Amberlee Erdmann, 24, squealed with glee but was then told to keep it to herself for a little while. "I even avoided telling my dad because he's (bad) at keeping secrets." The clothing company called her where she...
Excess weight big factor in plane crash: TSB
PENTICTON - Excess weight contributed to the crash of a Piper plane that departed Penticton Regional Airport on Aug. 13, 2012. Two out of the four people onboard were killed. A Transportation Safety Board report released today stated too much weight, a reduced rate of climb and reduced power in the right engine were major...
GMO is serious health concern, former Summerland scientist says
PENTICTON - Genetically modified foods, such as the non-browning Arctic Apple, can be unsafe for humans according to two scientists. Dr. Thierry Vrain, a retired soil biologist and former staffer at the Summerland Research Station and Dr. Shiv Chopra, a former Health Canada advisor, told about a dozen people at the Lier House Cultural Centre,...
Kelowna law firm hired to fight City of Penticton
PENTICTON - The Penticton Hospitality Association is hiring a law firm to help fight the city for control of the two per cent hotel room tax. The association and the City of Penticton are taking their disagreement on who should be handling the approximately $400,000 generated annually from the two per cent hotel room tax...
Pickers scour ice wine fields thanks to cold snap
PENTICTON - Ice wine picking was almost a communal experience at 1775 Bench winery Thursday night. Seen from afar the pickers looked like blue glowing stars thanks to their headlamps. There were laughs, brief conversations and cheers about how there was no snow on the ground to drag one's feet through. General manager and co-owner Val...
Ice wine harvest started early this year
ICE WINE PRODUCTION NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART PENTICTON - Ice wine grape picking might have stopped at about 7 a.m. this morning at the 1775 Bench winery but that didn't mean a break for the tired and frozen staff. The grapes were picked and hauled directly to the processing rooms to be pressed...
RCMP take down Mcinnis Road grow-op
WEST KELOWNA - Cops raided a pot grow op in the 3200 block of McGinnis Road today. The search revealed a sophisticated, illegal marihuana growing operation with 227 mature marijuana plants and other offence-related property. Several West Kelowna residents face potential drug charges after police executed their search warrant. They might be charged with production...
Arctic apple producer to seek fed approval despite opposition
PENTICTON - An orchardist is hoping a genetically modified, non-browning apple might boost the industry but that's not how others in the business see it. Neal Carter and Okanagan Specialty Fruits in Summerland have been working on a solution to reverse shrinking apple sales. He said the public would be more likely to buy a...
Bobbitt to be sentenced in Penticton
PENTICTON - A Supreme court justice agrees David Wesley Bobbitt should be sentenced in Penticton but the convicted sex offender can be transferred to Kelowna if security is in danger of being compromised. Sheriff Staff Sgt. Tracey Biro said he was obligated to tell the court his security and safety concerns earlier this month. Crown...
Crown, defence fight to keep Bobbitt case in Penticton
PENTICTON - Defence and Crown attorneys want convicted sex offender David Wesley Bobbitt to be sentenced in Penticton—not Kelowna. Defence lawyer James Pennington and Crown prosecutors Vern Frolick and Deb Drissell agreed they want to keep the case at home. The lawyers were responding to security concerns raised earlier by Penticton Sheriff Tracey Biro who said...
Former Summerland scientist to speak against GMOs
OSOYOOS - A former Summerland Research Station scientist will talk about the risks of genetic engineering technology he once helped to advance. Dr. Thierry Vrain, is a retired soil biologist and former head of the biotechnology department at the Summerland Research Station who was paid to promote genetically engineered organisms. After a 30-year career with...
Penticton band, city should be south Okanagan capital: chief
"THEY ARE ACTUALLY STARTING TO FEEL THE CHANGE AND I THINK THAT'S A GOOD THING." PENTICTON - With a $250-million land deal for a resort community and $18 million for community projects, Penticton Indian Band Chief Jonathan Kruger intends to follow in the footsteps of Westbank First Nation and Osoyoos Indian Band. Those bands have...
Bobbitt might face justice elsewhere
PENTICTON - David Wesley Bobbitt may not appear in a Penticton court, depending on the resources available to guard him there. Bobbitt is facing a dangerous offender and sentencing date sometime in the near future for violent crimes he committed in Penticton but the case might be moved to Kelowna Law Courts or another facility....
Province ponies up $11M for new school buses
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - New school buses will roll out of the garage to take kids to class and students to sporting events. The Kamloops/Thompson School District 73 gets the lion's share with nine school buses for nearly a million dollars. Vernon School District 22 will have five to divvy up between its various routes. Central Okanagan...
Four new school buses for $500K
CENTRAL OKANAGAN - Four new school buses for a half-million dollars will replacing aging rigs next spring for the Central Okanagan School District. “These four new school buses mean more money for the school district to invest in other priorities, but more importantly, for the more than 80 kids, they’re a better ride to school,”...
New book has wildlife advice for farmers, vintners
PENTICTON - It's hoped a new guidebook will teach farmers and vintners how to live with wildlife rather than against. Okanagan species are being pushed down into the valley bottoms by climate change and are faced with agricultural development creeping up into their habitat. Animals looking for new habitat, and those looking for the easiest...
Boonstock concert faces council hungry for security details
PENTICTON - Next year's Boonstock music festival will benefit Penticton, supporters say, but already it faces a council looking for more security assurances in the long shadow of a 22-year-old riot. The Boonstock Music and Arts Festival is billed as western Canada's largest music festival and for nine years its home was Sturgeon County, AB....
Oliver car bombing suspects arrested
OLIVER - Two brothers believed responsible for a car bombing in Oliver on Aug. 11 have been arrested. RCMP arrested Stephan, 19, and Eric Daoust, 23, on Thursday on a charge of using explosives under a section of the Criminal Code and after a two-month investigation. The two are in custody with one brother also...
Fintry Queen owner to pitch council boat idea Nov. 4
PENTICTON - Penticton council is awake to the possibilities of the Fintry Queen while Kelowna's leadership was less than enthusiastic about the craft according to boat owner Andy Schwab. "Snooze you lose Kelowna, snooze you lose West Kelowna," Schwab said in regards to being denied docking privileges in Kelowna and being given the OK for...