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PROSKIW: We are not the worst animal

The shockingly brutal attack on three sleeping dogs by a coward with a machete last week has truly shown the best and worse in us all. I admit to wishing very bad things for whoever did this; a swift, violent payback from some anonymous hero. But the better part of me says be patient and...

Tearful testimony from cops who thought they were going to die

KELOWNA – Two RCMP constables, testifying in the Kelowna Supreme Court trial of accused Westside Road shooter Michael Ellis Thursday afternoon, relived a day they will never forget. Const. Tara Schneider was working general duty in Vernon the afternoon of July 31, 2012 when a call that police were in pursuit of a suspect who...

Walk to fight Ebola at Mission Creek this weekend

KELOWNA – A local non-profit is on the front lines battling a microscopic foe that threatens tens of thousands of West Africans. Hope for the Nations is a Kelowna-based charity that focuses on empowering at-risk children around the world. They are currently in 20 countries, including Liberia, the country hit hardest by the Ebola virus....

UPDATE: Cache of guns, Hell’s Angels paraphernalia found on traffic stop: Crown

KELOWNA – Whether or not Hell’s Angel Joseph Bruce Skreptak knew he was in a vehicle full of guns when he was arrested Nov. 25, 2010 was the focus of the opening day of his Supreme Court trial Wednesday morning. Skreptak, who was arrested shortly after 10 that night along with three other men, is...

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....

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...

Witness shot at three times, continues following

KELOWNA – A witness who took the stand in the attempted murder trial of accused Westside Road shooter Michael Ellis was shot at three separate times, but still refused to stop following him. Michael James Scott is an onsite construction supervisor with the Ministry of Transportation. He was in his work truck on Westside Road...

Masterchef responds to claim she stole thousands from restaurant

KELOWNA – A dispute between a local reality show chef and her former business partner at Krafty Kitchen may be headed to Supreme Court. Kaila Klassen, a semi-finalist in the TV show Masterchef Canada, says she was removed from the company, Krafty Kitchen and Bar Ltd., after she broke off a personal relationship with owner...

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...

Westside shooter threatened man and his young son

KELOWNA – The encounter lasted only a few minutes but left a strong impression on Mark Langmead and his 11-year-old son. “It was very disturbing,” he told Justic Ian Josephson in the B.C. Supreme Court trial of accused Westside shooter Michael Ellis Tuesday. “(My son) was very upset. He was extremely quiet and refused to...

Local fighter ranked third best in the country

KELOWNA – Local MMA athlete Sarah “Cheesecake” Moras was recently ranked in the top three female fighters in Canada by MMACanada.net. Moras, 26, got her start on the TV show The Ultimate Fighter last year and won her first official fight in the UFC by unanimous decision July 6 against Alexis Dufresne. “I think every ranking does...

PROSKIW: The lesson of the day: It’s okay to fight dirty

At a recent B.C. Teachers Federation anti-government rally, one of the speakers brought someone with her to the microphone. Her five-year-old son was suddenly before 300 cheering people on the side of a busy highway. The boy tries to hide in her arms a few times but after some gentle prodding he eventually parrots “I want school.”...

This ‘Floating island’ on Okanagan Lake could be yours

OKANAGAN – It’s the size of a small island, has multiple bedrooms and bathrooms like a cottage, but it can take you across the lake at 65 km/h. A luxury sport yacht owned by Penticton resident George Speirs was listed for sale on Kijiji this past weekend. The price tag for the 63’ Sea Ray...

TEACHERS’ STRIKE: Huge rally planned Wednesday; Soccer fields closing?

WEST KELOWNA – Christy Clark's constituency office better get used to company. More than 200 people gathered out front of the Premier's West Kelowna constituency office on Dobbin Road today—what should have been the first day of school—to add pressure in her dispute with the province's teachers and a whole lot more may be coming...

Electronic music festival showcases female talent

KELOWNA – A two-day music and arts festival featuring an all-female lineup is coming back to Kelowna for the second year in a row. The Female Arts and Music Exhibition (FAME) is a collection of female promoters, DJ’s, artists, musicians, technicians and engineers who share a passion for electronic music and art. It takes place...

Contaminated soil found under Lakeshore Road

KELOWNA – Crews upgrading the stretch of Lakeshore Road south of Mission Creek Bridge dug something up three weeks ago that wasn’t supposed to be there. “We had an area contaminated by gas,” says project manager Purvez Irani. “We are going through the environmental (clean-up) process now. At this stage it’s looking like (it came...

City running low on large garbage carts

KELOWNA – A combination of more customers and higher demand has the City of Kelowna’s supply of oversize wheeled garbage bins running low and staff has asked for more funds to keep up with demand. The city was alerted to the impending shortage by Okanagan Environmental Waste Systems, the company contracted to collect garbage curbside....

Local mountie takes a plunge for ALS research

KELOWNA – Const. Kris Clark of the Kelowna RCMP made a splash Friday afternoon, in support of ALS research. Clark was nominated by a host of a local radio station earlier this week to take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, a viral sensation that is raising money and awareness for ALS research. Clark says he...

Vandalism likely caused 1000 litre oil spill at district office

KELOWNA – An apparent act of vandalism at a Regional District office has caused a massive amount of used motor oil, diesel and transmission fluid to spill onto a parking lot Friday morning. Andy Brennan of the Regional District says operation crews arriving at 6 a.m. found the spill. “It seems like somebody overnight put...

UBCO student union removes The Phoenix from campus

KELOWNA – The Phoenix, UBCO’s 25 year-old campus newspaper, is being removed from campus. The move is part of the UBCO student union's (UBCSUO) re-allocation of space in the UNC, which will see Resource Centers merged and new businesses added. “It just comes down to the utilization of space,” UBCSUO President Rocky Kim said, “we have...

Dancing in the Park final party set to swing

KELOWNA – With the third season of Dancing in the Park coming to an end this month, organizers say interest in the free outdoor dance event continues to grow. The program is intended to promote active living in the community and has taken place every Wednesday evening since July 2. With professional instructors and an...