council
Litke still has a few tricks up his sleeve
PENTICTON - With two months left in office, Mayor Garry Litke hopes to accomplish a few more things before he walks out the doors of City Hall for good. Before he became mayor, Litke was a city councillor for eight years. Being a part of the team that created the South Okanagan Events Centre was...
DeHart to seek second term on council
KELOWNA – Another councillor has announced she will be on the ballot again this November. Maxine DeHart is the third and most recent sitting councillor to declare her intentions to run as an incumbent in the municipal election next month. In a media release, DeHart says she will focus her campaign on continuing the work...
2003 firestorm hero enters council race
KELOWNA – The woman who coordinated the evacuation of thousands of residents during the 2003 Okanagan Mountain Park fire is running for a seat on council. Beryl Itani, 76, was the Emergency Social Services director for the Central Okanagan for 30 years. She retired in 2011. According to the City of Kelowna website, Itani has...
Council candidate hopes to revitalize downtown core
KAMLOOPS – Small-business owner Tanja Hasler is tossing her hat in the political ring. “This is how I would like to contribute to the City of Kamloops,” she says, adding she would like to see some new faces on council to bring fresh input for the City. If elected, the pet-groomer hopes to improve fiscal...
ARCHER: Facebook can make or break a politician
It’s no secret that during an election, a candidate's skeletons can be pulled out from the closet and displayed in the light for all to see. It’s happened on all levels of government, and makes a juicy plot twist for Hollywood movies and HBO shows. But it’s hard to think it could happen to you.
Konanz runs to keep her seat
PENTICTON - Helena Konanz says she wants to continue to improve Penticton’s economy and culture by continuing her reign on city council. "My portfolio for the past three years has been towards economic development and job creation, and I would like to continue to advocate for the business and manufacturing sector of our city for...
Vernon council candidate has a legacy to honour
VERNON - The latest person to announce her candidacy for a Vernon City Council seat says she has politics in her blood — after all, her grandfather was an Alderman for the city 50-plus years ago. Kari Gares was born in Vernon and has a degree from UBCO in history and psychology. She describes herself...
Former NDP candidate running for council
KELOWNA – A controversial former NDP provincial candidate announced her return to Kelowna politics Tuesday. Dayleen Van Ryswyk says she will run for a seat on Kelowna Council in the upcoming November municipal election. Van Ryswyk, a former NDP candidate for the Kelowna-Mission riding, was forced out of the race after comments about First Nations...
Governance question snipped from fall election ballot
VERNON - A question about changing how local municipalities are governed has been stripped from the fall election ballot in Vernon. City council voted not to include a question asking voters if they want the city to pursue the creation of a municipal restructuring committee. The committee would study the implications of governance restructuring. The...
Who is Elvena Slump?
PENTICTON - We know Elvena Slump for her letters to the editor and recent controversy over a lawsuit filed against her by the city for remarks she made about senior staff in those letters. But this isn’t her first controversy. Slump, 76, spent nearly two decades working in print, publishing news, including a paper called The...
Extra pay for mayor and council approved
VERNON - The next people who sit on Vernon city council will have the option of getting paid to attend meetings, on top of the salary they already receive. Mayor and council decided to keep the stipend at the current $137 for half or full day meetings, but not before throwing out a proposal to...
Local musician and Festivals Kelowna coordinator to run for council
KELOWNA – A well-known local musician and programmer of marquee events like Parks Alive, Arts Alive and the Canada Day Festival will run for city council this November. Ryan Donn, 37, will make the official announcement Friday, but has confirmed he plans to file his nomination papers before the October 10 deadline. Best known for...
Vernon councillor seeks another term
VERNON - Councillor Brian Quiring will seek another term on Vernon council this fall. A partner with MQN Architects, Quiring has lived in Vernon since 1993 and served on council for the last three years. He graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Master of Architecture degree and supports development and construction as an...
There’s a passionate new face in the Vernon election race
VERNON - A passionate newcomer determined to put some personality in local politics has announced she’s running for a seat on Vernon city council. Dalvir Nahal, 38, is a first time councillor candidate. Born in India and raised in Vernon, she’s called the city home for the last 36 years. The energetic and candid breast...
Not much competition in Vernon election race, yet
VERNON - So far, there’s relatively little competition in the Vernon municipal election race compared to previous years. The City of Vernon reports ten nomination packages have been picked up since Sept. 2. We know three of those can be attributed to Mary-Jo O’Keefe, Victor Cummings and Klaus Tribes, all of whom are competing for...