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A terrifying, bloody end to the East Kelowna Haunted Hall

KELOWNA – One of Kelowna’s most popular Halloween attractions will soon be as dead as the corpses it used to scare kids and adults for the past three years. The East Kelowna Haunted Hall has been a yearly fixture ever since organizer Kathy Bullach started it with her own decorations in 2012. She says although...

Power back on at CrocTalk animal rescue… for now

KELOWNA – You might say he’s caught between a hot rock and a hard place. Doug Illman is the owner and operator of CrocTalk Conservation and Rescue, a reptile rehabilitation and education centre in Southeast Kelowna. With more than 50 animals including adult crocodiles, exotic cats, fish and birds, the centre functions as both a...

Taxpayers First slate has plans for the Central Okanagan Regional District

KELOWNA – The slate of five council hopefuls known as Taxpayers First have unveiled a plan that, if elected, would put a massive, multi-storey commercial/residential building on the current Regional District lot on KLO Road as part of a restructuring plan. Taxpayers First, made up of Carol Gran, Graham James, Dale Olson, Michael Gorman and...

Police need help solving five-year-old murder

KELOWNA – Five years after Kelowna resident Christopher Daniel Hetu died from multiple gunshots at a park in Kelowna, police are still looking for clues about what happened. Hetu, an unemployed construction worker who was 20 at the time of his death, was found in Millbridge Park suffering from three to five gunshot wounds in...

Centre of Gravity welcome back but only in July

KELOWNA – Centre of Gravity is welcome to return to Kelowna for its eighth year, but only if it’s not during the August long weekend. Council received a report from the Outdoor Events Committee Monday, which looked at how the three-day festival impacted residents, the RCMP and local infrastructure. Wet Ape Productions agreed to move the...

Candidates square off at first mayoral election forum

KELOWNA – Five of the eight candidates for mayor were at Manteo Resort Wednesday morning for the first public forum of the municipal election. Mayoral hopefuls Colin Basran, Sharon Shepherd, Kelly Row, Glendon Smedley and Chuck Hardy were each given two minutes to answer eight questions put forward by the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce. During...

Kelowna Legion not surprised by attack in Ottawa

KELOWNA – Past president of the Kelowna Legion Ron LeRoy says he actually wasn’t all that surprised when he found out a gunman had shot and killed one soldier and injured two more. “I just wondered when (it would happen),” he says. “We’re not a small country anymore and we’re in there now with the big guys so...

Upcoming election forums are your chance to meet the candidates

KELOWNA – As the election draws near, several groups and organizations have candidate forums planned where residents will have the opportunity to meet and ask questions of those running for council, mayor and school trustee. The first forum is for mayoral candidates only and is organized by the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce. Participating candidates will...

Bear repair to cost $40k

KELOWNA – A public art work in downtown Kelowna is undergoing repair work caused by residents and tourists who can’t seem to look without touching. Bear is a six metre sculpture next to Stuart Park on Water Street. According to building services manager Martin Johansen, stone pavers at the base have been broken repeatedly since...

New Yacht Club officially open

KELOWNA – After two years of construction and many more spent planning, the new Kelowna Yacht Club is finally open. The new 24,000 sq. ft. clubhouse adjacent to the Water Street boat launch includes offices, a classroom, a boardroom and a privately-operated public restaurant and patio. The second floor has a covered deck and houses...

Local history comes to life in bigger, better book

OKANAGAN-SIMILKAMEEN – One of the regions longest running traditions is back, bigger and better than ever before. The Okanagan Historical Society Annual Report is a collection of essays that explores the varied and rich history of the valley. David Gregory is the editor of the publication and he says the 78th issue is one of...

Given to run for council, not mayor

KELOWNA – First term councillor Gail Given, who has hinted in the past she was considering running for mayor next month, will instead seek to keep her seat on council. Given, who has lived in Kelowna more than 30 years, says with the majority of the councillors leaving she wanted to ensure there will be...

Diverse-abilities on display at City Hall

KELOWNA – A line of people stood together outside City Hall Wednesday raising awareness for issues still faced by those in our city who have disabilities. The rally, called the Pathways Inclusion Chain, was organized by Pathways Abilities Society, a 61-year-old group started by a handful of parents in 1953. It has since grown to...

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...

Proposed cell tower scrubbed

WEST KELOWNA – A controversial plan to build a cell phone tower in West Kelowna has been abandoned amid protest from neighbours. The 20-metre tall tower, which was to be erected by Rogers Wireless at Mount Boucherie Winery, drew criticism from neighbours who worried it would be an eyesore and could negatively affect their health....

Millions announced for upgrades to Westside Road

WEST KELOWNA – Premier Christy Clark announced Friday that the province would invest $45 million over five years to upgrade one of the worst roads in B.C. The first step involves widening an 800 metre section from Waterfront Farm to Blue Grouse as well as installation of roadside barriers and rock protection.   Construction on...

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...

Two Kelowna locals fight for the UFC this weekend

KELOWNA – Two MMA fighters from Kelowna will be on the same UFC card this weekend. For one of them, this will be his long-awaited UFC debut. Toshido’s Rory MacDonald and Matt Dwyer are currently in Halifax readying for the televised UFC Fight Night 54 Saturday night. Welterweight contender MacDonald (17-2) will headline against Tarec...

B.C. Hydro to conduct study on secondary power line to West Kelowna

WEST KELOWNA – District of West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater says last night’s line failure that cut power to thousands of homes for nine hours would have been very serious if it happened just one month from now. The failure was caused by a fire that started atop one of hundreds of poles supporting West...

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...

West Kelowna mayor seeking third term

WEST KELOWNA – Doug Findlater has announced he will seek his third term as mayor of West Kelowna in the upcoming election. First elected six years ago, Findlater has been on the West Kelowna District Council since incorporation. According to a press release sent Monday morning, “Doug is seeking re-election because he believes that the...