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council

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...

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...

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...

Unprecedented interest in Mayor’s chair

KELOWNA – It’s looking like voters will have an unprecedented number of choices for mayor this November. With the opportunity to file still a month away, the numbers are far from final, however outgoing Mayor Walter Gray says there does seem to be more interest this year than at any other time he can remember....

Safety measures sought for dangerous stretch of Highway 97

LAKE COUNTRY - In the aftermath of two fatal accidents, officials in Lake Country are calling for the addition of a concrete median between Beaver Lake Road and the Kelowna Airport. In July, an elderly couple and a 14-year-old passenger believed to be their grandson were fatally injured after crossing the centre line and colliding...

Tough as nails councillor announces his retirement

KELOWNA – After three years on council and 15 as fire chief, Coun. Gerry Zimmermann is stepping down from public office. Zimmermann was first elected to council in 2011, was Fire Chief from 1990 to 2005 and also served one term on the Agricultural Land Commision. “I had a hard time making this decision but...

Councillor announces she will run again

KELOWNA – Add one more name to the list of sitting councillors who will be on the ballot again this fall. Mohini Singh, who was first elected three years ago, has announced she will seek re-election to a second term. “There's a lot of unfinished business,” she says. “I see good things happening for Kelowna...

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...

Fast charge stations for electric cars proposed for West Kelowna

WEST KELOWNA – Fast charging stations for electric cars could be coming soon to West Kelowna. The new stations, part of a province-wide initiative put forward by B.C. Hydro, will recharge a vehicle in approximately 30 minutes using direct current (DC) instead of the several hours needed at a regular AC household outlet. Facilities manager...

Okanagan Indian Band describes chief and council roles

VERNON - After releasing its chief and council pay, the Okanagan Indian Band is explaining the responsibilities behind the money. Infonews.ca ran a story last week comparing band council salaries and expenses with its counterparts at the City of Vernon, as well as their respective populations. Band chief Byron Louis issued a statement in response...

Eyesore motel blasted by Kelowna city council

KELOWNA – A boarded up motel on Harvey Avenue is getting some negative attention from Kelowna city council for its shabby appearance. The derelict Ponderosa Motel sits just east of Parkinson Recreation Centre at 1864 Harvey Ave. Coun. Robert Hobson says the motel, which closed in 2011, has become an eyesore. “It is incredibly ugly,”...

Playground approved for Mission Recreation Park

KELOWNA – Councillors approved funding Monday for a new children’s playground in Mission Recreation Park. “Over the past few years, regular users have expressed a desire to install a playground to provide children of the participants a fun and safe play option when at the ball park,” says community recreation coordinator Chris Babcock. “After raising...

Mixed Martial Arts ban won’t affect local youth

VERNON - Kids can compete in mixed martial arts tournaments in Vernon, but not professional fighters. That’s the stance Vernon councillors took Monday when endorsing a ban on mixed martial arts (MMA) contests in the city. Council postponed dealing with the proposed bylaw last month because of concern the wording was too all-encompassing. Coun. Mary...

Council signs off on election restrictions

KELOWNA – A bylaw passed by councillors Monday caps the number of election signs you can legally display on your property. Effective immediately, no private or public places can display more than two signs for any single candidate. According to Karen Needham, the changes have been made as a result of concerns raised by council...

This popular city road might be up for a name change

KELOWNA – One of the Mission’s most used roads could be in line for a name change. Swamp Road is a major, two-lane road connecting Casorso with DeHart. On Monday, Coun. Andre Blanleil said he has heard complaints from several area residents who feel the name is less than attractive. “Some of the neighbours in...

PROSKIW: Emotion has no place in a fight

KELOWNA - I saw my first UFC fight in 1995, only two years after it launched in the U.S. I found the VHS tape tucked away on the bottom shelf of the sports section at a 24-hour video rental store that closed down a decade ago. I was 17 and the description on the back...

Kelowna orchard wants apple vodka distillery

KELOWNA – Owners of a Southeast Kelowna apple orchard have been given the green light to seek approval from the Agricultural Land Commission to construct an apple vodka distillery and tasting room. The application was made by Blair and Kelly Wilson of Wallace Hill Rd. The subject property is a 20.3 acre apple orchard with...

Wipeout-style water attraction approved for City Park

KELOWNA – A new water park is coming soon to the shores of Okanagan Lake off City Park. Consisting of interlocking inflatable modules with a maximum capacity of 60 people at a time, city property manager John Saufferer says the park will be similar to the inflatable obstacle courses used in the TV show Wipeout....

The price to park goes up at many meters around Kelowna

KELOWNA – A 150 per cent increase in on-street parking fees comes into effect today, but the city says many meters won’t be adjusted for several more weeks. Plans to raise the rates were announced in January, with council voting to raise prices for the first time in 20 years. As of today, the cost...

Martial Arts community kicks back at “offensive” remarks by Vernon council

VERNON - The mixed martial arts community is in an uproar over what they feel were offensive and uneducated comments made about their sport earlier this week by Vernon councillors. The City of Vernon wants to ban mixed martial arts (MMA) events because, as Coun. Bob Spiers put it, “the association with the type of...