Two Penticton seniors were nearly homeless last month after needing to leave their apartment and struggling to find any affordable housing have been on a waiting list for months to get into an assisted living facility He is dealing with the last stage of bone marrow cancer and dementia The McCalls said they were forced to leave their apartment after a neighbour and landlord dispute The family searched for any affordable housing and came up empty only being saved at the last minute by support from a local charity to help get them a month at a motel McCall said she tried applying for BC Housing’s subsidized units and was met with a waiting list of two to three years “I've pretty much exhausted all of our resources," Parker said Parker doesn’t have the option to take her parents in the South Okanagan Similkameen Brain Injury Society many of which did what they could in the face of overwhelming need from others just like the McCalls Even the emergency housing and homeless shelters are reportedly too full to take them in a last-ditch option Parker said she doesn't want her parents to have to face McCall is also afraid that if her husband goes into care and she will be left to find housing on her own with her $1,100 per month pension “Look at the people living on the street they're all drug addicts.’ It's not true," McCall said And this is what's happening to all my friends I talked to that are seniors." The SOS Brain Injury Society is one of the resources Parker found helpful They connect people in need with housing-related resources in the community including rentals at properties they operate “We often don't have vacancies … We have a continuing list of folks who are searching for those rent subsidies for housing And so we're often not able to do that for people,” executive director Linda Sankey said there is always a huge volume of people looking often orders of magnitude higher than available spots It is even more challenging for seniors on a fixed or limited income putting them in a “significant crisis.” “I don't know of any rentals in Penticton even for a room that would be $1,000 a month but that money is supposed to cover all of their utilities their rent and their food and possibly their medications too,” Sankey said OneSky Community Resources does similar work Director of programs and services Heiko Ryll said they are one of 15 partners of the SHINE program which works to assist adults aged 60 and older find housing we're very limited at that with our non-market housing but that's something that we're working on with the City of Penticton," Ryll said What's missing is a better option for emergency or transitional housing “Lots of people fall between the cracks between assisted living and between community living,” Ryll said The local emergency shelter is being used for longer-term placement because people in the shelter also can't find something in their affordability range “Even our temporary winter shelter has been continuously full since the middle of November and they don't have a big turnover there and I know the system is working towards some solutions," Sankey said Part of the City of Penticton’s 2025 budget was to support housing affordability with the creation of an affordable housing incentive policy increase development of housing on city-owned land and implementation of the Social Housing and Infrastructure Plan (SHIP) a report on which will be released later this year the city announced a developer would create a 60-unit rental project on Eckhardt Avenue with 20 to 30 per cent of units rented at below market rates That construction is not likely to begin until 2026 The Penticton Indian Band and the City of Penticton are pushing for provincial programs with implementation of the Homeless Encampment Action Response Team and Homeless Encampment Action Response Temporary Housing support agreement BC Housing has been working on the Skaha Assembly Redevelopment after the Provincial Rental Housing Corporation started purchasing motels for large-scale redevelopment on Skaha Lake Road in May 2021 That has a a goal to break ground on Phase 1 by 2026/2027. Ryll said there are currently 1,540 units of non-market housing in the city which make up nine per cent of total local housing 71 per cent of the non-market housing is utilized by seniors Sankey acknowledged that if you look around Penticton but that does not solve the immediate issue “The problem is we've got a variety of people who need that housing now and asking people to wait two to four years for something to be built that's a pretty hard thing to be facing when you don't have somewhere to go tonight.” One in every five people in British Columbia is over 65 “So we're definitely the place for the federal government to take a look at, going, 'What can we do in a smaller market, and test out some housing and some affordable housing options for our senior population?' Because it's estimated that by 2030, the national average is going to be around 24 to 25 per cent [over 65]," Ryll said, citing Statistics Canada. In 2023, United Way BC released a report titled Aging in Uncertainty: The Growing Housing Crisis for BC Seniors non-profit community-based seniors organizations This focused on how more Penticton seniors are on the brink of homelessness due to a lack of affordability the seniors in their report who needed help had been working all their lives ‘How did it come to this?’” Both Ryll and Sankey confirmed they and their organizations continue to work with municipal provincial and federal governments and agencies to push for better care for people just like the McCalls “It’s a real challenge to meet people where they're at every single day knowing that there's days we're not going to be able to help them with what they're actually needing help with but we will help them with the steps to become housed,” Sankey said “There are some programs that are really good and actually making a difference for people but people have to continue to qualify and reapply every year." People can still be connected to rental assistance programs “We live in a very special place in the South Okanagan where our community comes together better than anywhere else that I've seen people won't reach out because they don't feel like they qualify for anything We're here to help in all stages of life.” Sign In Subscribe Now Penticton Search and Rescue helped transport an injured climber after they fell at Skaha Bluffs on May 2.  The team was called to assist the Penticton Fire Department and BC Emergency Health Services after the climber fell about three to four metres onto their head.  PENSAR's task was to assist in getting them from where they had fallen to the waiting ambulance.  Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines Penticton-Summerland MLA Amelia Boultbee says the Christian lobby group invited to Victoria by her fellow Conservative Party members doesn't represent her Boultbee took to social media saying "all British Columbians should have the same civil rights whether you’re gay or straight." Her comments follow Conservative MLA for Chilliwack North Heather Maahs hosting an address by the Association for Reformed Political Action in the Hall of Honour in the provincial legislature on May 2. Provincial conservative leader John Rustad was in attendance, according to a report by the CBC. ARPA executive director Mark Penninga urged members of parliament to support the group's recommendations presented in a package including opposition to medical assistance in dying "We ask that you encourage some of the things that we're recommending," said Mark Penninga ARPA executive director in the legislature's Hall of Honour is a suffering that is real in our country but the problem is the solutions that are being foisted upon children are causing irreversible damage that they are not able to come back from "Things like puberty blocking medication gender transition surgeries —are things that a provincial government is able to speak to — is able to do what they can to protect vulnerable minors from some of those procedures Boultbee took to Twitter citing her Christian background saying she believes the positions of the ARPA don't represent her or her constituents "I wouldn’t willingly be caught dead with them in public and I believe it’s an error they were allowed in the Hall of Honour at the legislature," Boultbee said "I will continue to represent all my constituents regardless of what some members of my caucus associate themselves with." Boultbee is the second Conservative MLA to condemn the ARPA event The Penticton Provincial Court issued its latest warrants to bring in a prolific offender with a history of skipping out on court dates.  Afshin Maleki Ighani had warrants issued on May 2 for two different criminal cases proceeding against him dating back to an incident allegedly taking place in Okanagan Falls on Nov has Ighani facing charges of wilfully resisting or obstructing an officer and driving while prohibited.  The second is for charges of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose dating to an incident on Sept An additional charge of breaching his release order was added to the second case in February.  Warrants for Ighani on the two cases were issued in December January and now most recently May 2.  A trial is currently scheduled in June for the threat and weapon-possessing case.  Family Court in March of 2024 after he failed to show up for a scheduled appearance regarding thousands of dollars in unpaid child and spousal support over the last 20 years.  Ighani had been before the courts in 2020 for sentencing of time served for five assault charges relating to two separate assaults at Okanagan Correctional Centre (OCC) for which he had earlier pleaded guilty The 52-year-old had been in jail since April 22 Ighani stabbed fellow inmate Peter Beckett who is serving time for the 2010 first-degree murder of his wife and convicted child molester David McHale The other charge related to the 2018 assault of a female OCC officer who received “severe bruising” while attempting to return him to his cell Ighani got his notoriety in 2017 when he was arrested following a Canada-wide man-hunt on kidnapping charges He was charged with 10 kidnapping and weapons offences in relation to an incident that took place in Okanagan Falls and Princeton where he was eventually caught it’s alleged that Ighani shot Thomas Szajko leading to a major police presence on a quiet residential street in the town of Oliver where Ighani was believed to have been staying in a camper trailer who were later identified as key witnesses and who had agreed to drive him from Okanagan Falls to the Lower Mainland for $400 he took control of the vehicle and forced them to turn off on a logging road between Princeton and Manning Park The vehicle stopped about six kilometres along the road where one of them was forced to get out and start digging Police at the time said all three were people who were known to each other He was acquitted of all of those charges after defence lawyer Paul McMurray convinced the presiding judge there was sufficient doubt relating to the testimony of the two key crown witnesses one of who fled to the United States after testifying Attempted murder and weapons charges against Ighani relating to the shooting of Szajko were stayed after Szajko Dialogue and debate are integral to a free society and we welcome and encourage you to share your views on the issues of the day. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines. making WHL expansion draft picks this weekVees GM/coach Fred Harbinson said: "I think we’ve covered everything we need to cover and we haven’t compromised the current team." Penticton Vees general manager and head coach Fred Harbinson will have his multi-tasking skills on overdrive this week Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience which is 190 kilometres southeast of Calgary along with the first round of its annual entry draft The remaining rounds of the entry draft are set for Thursday three 20 year olds) or 16 players (no limit on 20 year olds) but this is another level obviously,” Harbinson said Monday morning “We’re in the middle of a series that didn’t start the right way for us and giving us just 24 hours with everyone’s list is a little bit taxing “But we think we’ve got everything covered This isn’t something that was just dropped on us We’ve been going at it the last couple of months and I think we’ve covered everything we need to cover and we haven’t compromised the current team We’ve done a good job of preparing for this series Finishing this season strong is very important to us.” By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Canucks Report will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The Western Hockey League announced today the rules and regulations for the 2025 WHL Expansion Draft.📝 | https://t.co/m990YsElLQ@PentictonVees | #WHLDraft pic.twitter.com/bWui3HSKAq The Vees will be permitted to dress four 20 year olds next season — which is one more than usual — and that also includes the league playoffs They’re the first WHL expansion team since the Edmonton Oil Kings were added for the 2007-08 season three 18 year olds and five 17 year olds in their expansion draft Four teams swung pre-draft trades with Edmonton so they didn’t lose a player off in the draft process This expansion has a complication that Edmonton’s didn’t have since the NCAA opened up scholarship rules to allow players from the WHL for the first time this coming season Keeping your college eligibility had been the main drawing card of Junior A leagues like the BCHL and the NCAA switch spurred on the Vees’ move to the WHL who was a 19-year-old defenceman this past season with the Vancouver Giants provides an example of the challenges the change in NCAA regulations brings with Wednesday’s expansion draft Leslie has said that if he doesn’t sign a pro contract this summer he’ll spend his 20-year-old season beginning next fall with the Bowling Green State University Falcons rather than return to the Giants Leslie could be moved to the Giants’ college exempt list and not count against the team’s 50-player protected list after the expansion draft but not until then If things didn’t work out in pro or college and he returned to the WHL at some point this coming season he’d be an automatic top-pairing defenceman He finished second in scoring among blue liners across the league in the regular season this year with 72 points chances are they’d want to protect a fourth 20-year-old as well And that would mean they’d protect one less player overall The Vees were awarded the fourth pick in the first round of the WHL draft Chilliwack is home to the BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs who are currently facing the Victoria Grizzlies in the other league semifinal for the right to to meet either Penticton or Brooks in the championship series The Grizzlies and Chiefs are knotted at 1-1 going into Game 3 Tuesday in Victoria Chiefs principal owner Moray Keith has repeatedly said that he’s not interested in owning a WHL team The Chiefs are expected to remain in Chilliwack next season before moving elsewhere It was both the city council and the WHL that were interested in putting a team in Chilliwack with the Chilliwack Bruins playing there from 2006-11 before moving to Vancouver Island to become the Victoria Royals The league’s never announced what the Vees’ expansion fee but various league sources have put it at $15 million Penticton (41-8-5-0) and Brooks (40-10-2-2) had the BCHL’s best records during the regular season SEwen@postmedia.com transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account The Penticton Vees are down 2-0 in their Interior Conference Final series after their 3-0 loss to the Brooks Bandits, Saturday at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Saturday was the Vees’ first shutout loss of the postseason and their first shutout loss since November 5th. This also marks the first time the Vees have lost back-to-back games since February 14th. The Bandits Zach Zahara stopped all 19 shots he faced for his second shutout of the BCHL postseason. He has now stopped 49 of 50 shots he has faced through the first two games of this series. The turning point was late in the second period, with the game deadlocked at 0-0, the Vees were called for a four-minute high-sticking penalty after a video review. The Bandits ended up scoring twice on the ensuing power play. Brooks’ Keith McInnis and Nick Peluso scored the power play goals. McInnis opened the scoring with 15 seconds left in the second on a one-timer from the slot. Peluso doubled the Bandits’ lead 50 seconds into the third with a blast from the face-off circle. Parker Lalonde iced the game with an empty net goal with 2:19 left in regulation. Goaltending: Ethan Buenaventura (L), 58:14, 20/22 Game 3- Monday, May 5th, at Brooks Bandits, 6:00 pm PDT Here’s how the automatic recount will work for Terra Nova-The Peninsulas42 minutes agoVideo20:16 The Breakdown | Supplying Canada’s military + Duty Free tariff fearsThe Breakdown - Full Show |1 hour agoVideo2:01 Video evidence, NHLer testimony raise questions in world junior sexual assault trialThe National |May 2Video4:45 Trump repeats 51st state taunt as Carney prepares for White House visitThe National |May 5Video11:28 It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem Tickleberry's is coming to Penticton's Lakeshore Drive 35-year-old ice cream shop from Okanagan Falls will be the new operator of the Peach concession stand the city said Vallarta Fiesta Grill is returning to the Skaha East Concession The announcements come after city officials in February launched a competitive process to seek operators for both stands The new agreements are believed to be for a term of between three and five years.  The beach concessions will be open in time for the May long weekend There are two other related stands in Penticton one at Sudbury Beach (operated by Junction 3 Coffee House) and another at 3701 Parkview St by Skaha Lake (operated by Tickleberry's) License-to-use agreements have yet to expire at those locations The popular ice cream shop also has two other locations one at its original Okanagan Falls spot and another on Main Street in downtown Penticton "Four seasons of fun" is an ongoing collaboration between Castanet and Visit Penticton showcasing what Penticton has to offer all year round grandmothers and all motherly figures deserve to be celebrated so gift them something as special as they are this Mother’s Day Penticton’s Impactfull Zero-waste Refillery & Pantry offers a variety of environmentally friendly and plastic-free products,” said owner and operator Alex Fischer we refill all-natural products for home and body and we source Canadian-first the majority of the time Our selection includes fun items such as organic skincare useful things like plastic-free cleaning brushes for any need Fischer added the store carries “lots of options” for Mother’s Day “We start with a plantable card from Greet 'N Grow which will grow wildflowers or herbs when planted,” said Fischer “A popular item to gift mom is the Pink Coconut perfume roller from Om Organics in Invermere We also offer many fun items such as shower steamers We also have branded gift boxes available to customise a gift that will please any mom.” And for those looking to start their journey into a low waste or no-waste lifestyle “To start off someone's zero-waste journey I like to recommend trying solid shampoo and conditioner bars,” explained Fischer “If they aren't ready for such a big change getting them to refill something for the first time such as their spray bottle of all-purpose cleaner or their laundry detergent so that they are using an eco-friendly option is a great choice Another classic is the reusable and washable Swedish Dish Cloth which replaces up to 17 rolls of paper towel!” Visit them in store at 309 Main St, or online at impactfull.square.site Shades of Linen in Naramata is another great shop to visit if you’re looking to further support Canadian made goods The store boasts a variety of Canadian linen made clothing and accessories “We create timeless clothing for both women and men designed and made in-house using pure linen and natural fibres,” said owner Diane Jensen “From effortlessly stylish streetwear to cozy loungewear breathable loungewear” to “linen bedding and nightwear,” Shades of Linen offers an assortment of goods sure to make the perfect gift “Step through our doors into a jazzy eclectic space where great design meets relaxed vibes then let you explore freely,” said Jensen added help is just a “question away.” Be sure to visit them in store at 156 Robinson Ave in Naramata or online on their Facebook page for more information The Penticton Art Gallery’s gift shop is another great one-stop shop for the perfect Mother’s Day gift From ceramic mugs to a statement piece of jewelry the store carries a variety of items also related to current exhibits Visit them in person at 199 Marina Way or online at pentictonartgallery.com These are just a few Penticton shops offering Mother's Day ideas. For more Penticton shopping click here. The Penticton Potters’ Guild has opened a Mother’s Day Pottery Pop-Up Shop at Cherry Lane Shopping Centre in Penticton the shop will be located in the former Body Shop location "There will be a large array of pottery gift items made by more than a dozen potters," reads a press release from the guild the guild’s popular hand-made ceramic flowers suitable for indoor display or to tuck into outdoor summer plant pots affordable Mother’s Day gifts." Flowers are also available at Dragons Den Art Supplies & Gifts on Front Street and will only be available at both locations while supplies last Partial sale of proceeds for all items will go the Penticton Potters’ Guild’s annual bursary awards for Penticton high school graduates A portion of a Penticton road is closing for some of next week due to "necessary" underground utility work and surface street repairs from Eckhardt Avenue to Scott Avenue/Fairview Road The closure will be in effect from 7 a.m "This work requires no parking in the construction area," city officials said in a press release The road will be closed to all traffic in front of 783 Winnipeg St. with local traffic accessing buildings from either side of the closure There will also be local access to Perkins Cresent from Fairview Road "Thank you for following posted signage and obeying traffic control personnel," the release continues and receive top headlines in your inbox Monday to Saturday The City of Penticton honoured local volunteers with complimentary breakfast on Saturday as the conclusion of National Volunteer Week Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield thanked everyone who takes time to volunteer in the community “Volunteers are the backbone of our community who support local not-for-profits Community volunteers go above and beyond to improve the circumstances and way of life in Penticton," he said in a news release "We are so much better off thanks to their work The breakfast was served in partnership with the South Okanagan Similkameen Community Connections Volunteer Centre with Penticton firefighters and other community leaders cooking up breakfast A complex that features two apartment buildings and commercial space could be coming to the south end of Penticton The apartments — six storeys and four storeys respectively — have been proposed for 235 Yorkton Ave Penticton City Council will hear the proposal in full when it meets on May 13 It is currently unknown how many residential units or parking stalls the apartments would include the applicant has requested a rezoning change to allow for an "accessory restaurant office and retail store uses," a public notice document released by the City of Penticton reads The property is located behind Kojo Sushi and less than a kilometre away from Skaha Lake the six-storey building would feature commercial space "at grade" and apartment units above The four-storey structure is just an apartment There will be no public hearing on the matter government has passed legislation prohibiting municipalities from holding such meetings when a proposal is consistent with the Official Community Plan The Penticton Indian Band is warning the public to stay away from a landslide area on reserve lands near Trout Creek after repeated frustrations around trespassing "Our community is deeply angered by the ongoing illegal trespassing and vandalism of protective measures in this landslide zone,” said snpink’tn Chief Greg Gabriel “This is not just a matter of jurisdiction — it’s a matter of safety and respect We are doing everything in our power to prevent injury or loss of life We ask the public to honour our land and our warnings This is not a place for recreation or sightseeing surveillance cameras have been set up in key areas and the RCMP are formally engaged "Individuals found trespassing or vandalizing fences or other safety infrastructure may face fines snpink’tn’s Trespass Bylaw includes a zero tolerance policy for trespassing on reserve lands Violators will be subject to enforcement under this bylaw in addition to other applicable laws," reads a press release issued Friday The District of Summerland and City of Penticton are standing with the PIB on this matter We urge people to think not just about themselves and the broader public when they ignore safety signs We are asking — and expecting — full cooperation," said Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield Summerland Mayor Doug Holmes is similarly on board and tampering with safety barriers is illegal The PIB is making it clear that legal action will be taken if necessary Mayor of Penticton Julius Bloomfield has issued a statement regarding the Lapu Lapu festival tragedy in Vancouver over the weekend eleven people were killed and more injured when a vehicle smashed into the festival which is a traditional Phillipino celebration Mayor Bloomfield issued the following unedited formal statement: To help make one of Penticton's elementary schools more inclusive the Rotary Club of Penticton Charitable Society has donated $1,500 to help fund a new sensory room The room will be at Skaha Lake Elementary School (SLE) in September as Inclusion Teacher at the schools said the contribution comes at a crucial time as the school prepares for a major transition Three elementary schools in the Okanagan-Skaha school district will be closing permanently this year after the board voted in April 2024 to close them citing decreasing trends of enrolment and future projections The schools will officially close in June 2025 and the buildings will be up for potential lease as a revenue stream for the district The newly expanded Skaha school will accommodate students from Kindergarten through Grade 7 "The increased student population and the inclusion of upper intermediate grades have highlighted the need for enhanced sensory equipment and a larger more inclusive space," Lefebvre said in a news release "The donation will go toward equipping the new sensory room space with tools and resources tailored to meet the diverse needs of all students at school particularly those requiring sensory support." Staff from Parkway Elementary expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Rotary Club “We deeply appreciate this amazing contribution It will make a meaningful difference for our students as we come together in a new learning environment.” The new sensory room is expected to be ready for the start of the 2025–2026 school year Oliver's SORCO Raptor Rehab Centre held its open house Sunday welcoming about half of the event's typical crowd Manager Dale Belvedere told Castanet the day was slower than usual A couple dozen wildlife exhibitors were on site including one showcasing how birds are triaged at SORCO the main event was a celebration for great horned owl Houdini's 25th birthday Visitors signed the owl's large card and the centre honoured the milestone with cake fit for the bird Two three-month-old owls were recovering at the centre — to be released Monday two baby chicks were at the rehabilitation clinic Thanks to the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society of BC a small burrowing owl was on site for visitors to see and learn more about For more information on SORCO, click here A unique custom-built bike was officially unveiled in Penticton on Thursday night after months of work and community sponsors came together Discovery House's Chopper of Hope fundraiser was announced back in January and anticipation has been building to see the project offers one lucky supporter the chance to take home the bike of their dreams The 1971 Harley Davidson had a team of volunteers working on it with Darrell Richards leading the charge at his motorcycle shop The fundraiser is in honour of former Discovery House Executive Director Jerome Abraham who passed away last year when he lost his battle with cancer Board member Jimmy Slimz said he and Richards pitched the idea to the rest of the board last year purchase a frame and start the process of building the bike Castanet went by in February to get a sneak peek at the work being done on the rigid frame Springer Richards had made part of the caveat to using his shop space and building this bike was that they had to have client input who was a past client of Discovery House a decade ago said on Thursday that he had no idea how much he would gain from the experiences they got from helping them put it all together "They're a part of something bigger than themselves and that's what's important in recovery," he added Canadian singer-songwriter Cameron Whitcomb was introduced as the special guest and celebrity sponsor Whitcomb is nearly two years sober himself and spoke about his journey to becoming clean "Looking forward to something that keeps me clean." which provides commentary on addiction and has nearly 60 million streams on Spotify said helping build the bike brought him back to his childhood working alongside his dad "It gave something to look forward to at the end of every week," he added the sense of pride and the fulfillment you get after seeing it all come together was unveiled to a full crowd of cheers and hollers Richards described the bike as a “rolling piece of art that stands for sobriety and a new life.” which "blends old-school style with modern performance," includes a: it will go on a bit of a road show around the community showing up at local events with Peachfest and the beach cruise All proceeds will directly support Discovery House and improvements to the overall quality of life for individuals struggling with addiction The winner will be announced in a draw on Friday Faculty and friends of the Penticton Academy of Music & Dramatic Arts will be hosting a special concert to help raise funds for their student bursary and scholarship programs the lineup will feature plenty of local talent “Our goal is to ensure that music education remains accessible to everyone,” executive director Catherine Jones said in a press release “This concert not only showcases the incredible artistry of our instructors and community musicians but also helps support students who otherwise may not be able to afford lessons.” All proceeds go directly to helping families access music education Tickets are $25 and available online at https://valleyfirsttix.evenue.net/ or at the Valley First box office at the South Okanagan Event Centre The Penticton Vees’ eight-game win streak ended on Friday night when they lost the Interior Conference opener 2-1 to the Brooks Bandits at the South Okanagan Events Centre The team stood strong during through the first two rounds of the BCHL Playoffs Defenceman Callum Stone scored the Vees’ only goal Parker Lalonde opened the scoring just 41 seconds into the middle period after his shot beat Ingemann on the stick side from the right wing Nathan Brown got the Bandits’ second goal with 2:46 left in the period Stone scored on a face-off in the Bandits’ zone in the third when his shot found its way through traffic and over Zahara to make it 2-1 Penticton then pulled their goalie with two minutes left in the game but couldn’t tie it up and their last shot before time expired was blocked in front of the Brooks’ net The Vees will look to level the series Saturday night at home in Game Two Come out to Penticton's Barking Parrot Bar on May 17 to enjoy a performance from a Grammy-Nominated Singer-Songwriter Steven Lee Olsen will be coming for May Long weekend to the city The musician was born and raised in a suburb of Toronto Once he broke into Nashville's songwriting community he earned accolades that include two No.1 hits in the US with his Grammy-nominated double-platinum certified song "Blue Ain't Your Color" performed by Keith Urban and "More Girls Like You" performed by Kip Moore Olsen's started to take the stage himself and has produced some Top 10 singles including "Raised by a Good Time" and "Outta Yours" Olsen will be heading on a tour with Old Dominion across Canada and making his Grand Ole Opry debut in Nashville Check out Olson at the Barking Parrot Bar on May 17 Tickets are $45 + tax and can be purchased online here. An alleged assault involving a parent and a school principal caused a lockdown situation at Grand Forks High School on Thursday afternoon Grand Forks RCMP responded to the lockdown situation at the high school after receiving reports of the alleged assault officers quickly arrested the parent at the scene without further incident and no students or other staff members were involved or at risk during the event The arrested parent was later released on an undertaking with conditions prohibiting contact and restricting them from attending the school The RCMP continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding this incident Anyone with additional information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Grand Forks RCMP detachment at (250) 442-8288 A police incident sent teachers and kids into lockdown at Grand Forks Secondary School the lockdown was initiated "out of an abundance of caution," according to a social media post from the school's official Facebook account The school could not immediately be reached for comment Castanet reached RCMP in Grand Forks by phone who said there is a press release coming with further details as to the nature of the incident Castanet will update this story at that time Wild Mountain Clinical Counselling in Penticton is hosting a fundraiser to help ensure their services are available to anyone who needs them catch a great show for a great cause at The Hub on Martin Street plus there will be activities including a 50/50 draw gift raffles and more For more information and tickets, click here. More information on Wild Mountain and the services it offers can be found here. Access PentictonNow using your Facebook account Privacy Policy Residents in and around Oliver will once again be without an emergency department overnight The latest closure at South Okanagan General Hospital will take place for 12 hours beginning at 7 pm tonight The ER is expected to reopen at 7 am on Monday Sunday’s closure marks the third consecutive evening that the ER in Oliver will be closed overnight After closing at 5 pm on Friday and reopening at noon on Saturday the ER closed its doors at 7 pm last night and did not reopen until 7 am this morning Patients needing emergency care during the closure are asked to go to Penticton Regional Hospital “People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e. severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility,” states Interior Health “Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses ▲ Back to Top ▲ A Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter is coming back Penticton Canadian country star Steven Lee Olsen will be at the Barking Parrot on Saturday night has multiple top-10 singles to his name since going solo in 2019 A songwriter in the early days of his career Olsen has credits on hits performed by Keith Urban This won't be the first time that Olsen comes to Penticton The musician performed at the Peach Festival in 2024 and was featured at a concert alongside Rascal Flatts in 2019 at the South Okanagan Events Centre Early-bird tickets worth $45 for the musician's show at Barking Parrot can be purchased here. Tickets will also be sold at the door The Barking Parrot is located inside the Lakeside Resort hundreds of local volunteers were thanked for their efforts on Saturday morning (May 3) with a free breakfast inside Penticton's Rotary Park "Envision a world that doesn't have a soup kitchen or Salvation Army," began Subrina Monteith executive director of the South Okanagan Similkameen (SOS) Community Connections and Volunteer Centre "Volunteers support non-profit organizations that have a mission to do good work in a community and often those causes are very critical." Monteith said around 250 volunteers from across the region registered for the event which served up pancakes and sausages from 8:30 a.m Isaac Gilbert was among the elected officials serving up food for volunteers and said it's important to recognize the time volunteers dedicate toward their communities "The culture we have here is that people always step up for the community whether it's for events or for fires and disasters," Gilbert said "Volunteers step in and so many people care about the wellbeing of our community." Members of the Penticton Fire Department also helped cook breakfast This marks the third year in a row the SOS Volunteers Centre has organized the appreciation breakfast. Monteith said the City of Penticton was instrumental this year in helping festivities proceed Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield declared April 27 to May 3 as Volunteer Week Bloomfield called volunteers "the backbone of our community who support local not-for-profits General Manager & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson  The Penticton Vees lost their first game of the 2025 BCHL Playoffs on Friday dropping a 2-1 decision to the Brooks Bandits in Game One of the Interior Conference Final Last night’s loss ended the Vees’ eight-game win streak Penticton posted back-to-back sweeps in the first two rounds of the playoffs Callum Stone scored the Vees’ only goal in Game One as they came in the third period when Penticton was down 2-0 Stone’s goal was his second of the playoffs and second in as many games going back to Game Four in Round Two against Cranbrook Will Ingemann was tagged with the loss but was named the second star after he stopped 21 of 23 shots Friday was his first loss in five playoff games the Vees are now facing adversity for the first time in these playoffs A loss and the Bandits have a 2-0 series lead heading back to Alberta How do the Vees respond after their first loss of the playoffs One key for Penticton is having a good start and playing with the lead The Vees are 33-4 this season when they score first 7-0 when leading after 40 minutes in the lead in the playoffs but couldn’t get ahead in the first last night Penticton lost Eli McKamey early in Game One with a lower body injury as the 16-year-old will miss the rest of the playoffs 19-year-old veteran George Stavrianeas will slide into his spot up front Penticton played most of Game One with 11 forwards so they will have the full complement upfront tonight Ethan Buenaventura gets his turn in goal in Game Two 20-year-old is 4-0 with a 1.25 goals-against average and .933 save percentage He was 2-0 against Brooks in the regular season with a .957 save percentage were excellent last night despite not scoring with just one goal combined in the last six games Evers hasn’t scored since Game One in Round One Look for them to make an impact in Game Two General Manager & Head Coach: Ryan Papaioannou The Bandits have now won nine in a row and look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead in Game Two Parker Lalonde and Nathan Brown scored in the second period as that was all the offence the Bandits needed Their best player Friday was goaltender Zach Zahara The 19-year-old stopped 30 shots last night and is now 9-1 in the postseason with a 2.34 goals-against average and .912 save percentage Zahara made timely saves throughout Friday’s game especially in the second period when the Vees were pressing for an equalizer they blocked shots and boxed out in front of their net Their top players played considerable minutes Defencemen Ethan Beyer and Keith McInnis each logged 28 minutes and Nick Peluso all played 20 minutes; a full period of hockey That top line has been dominate in the playoffs combining for 19 goals and 41 points in just 10 games Zach Zahara made 30 saves and the Brooks Bandits held off the Penticton Vees 2-1 in Game 1 of the Interior Conference finals at the South Okanagan Events Centre on May 2 Parker Lalonde and Nathan Brown scored for Brooks Game 2 is set for Saturday night, May 3 Callum Stone found the back of the net for the Vees who were handed their first playoff loss in 2025. Will Ingemann made 21 saves In a battle of the BCHL's best from the regular season Brooks drew first blood when Lalonde scored his eighth goal of the postseason, beating Ingemann stick side from the right wing just 41 seconds into the second period Brown was credited with the Bandits' second goal, at 17:14 of the middle frame as he got a piece of Michael Liśćinsky’s pass from the wall that trickled into the net Stone got Penticton on the board at 12:44 of the third period to make it a 2-1 game the defenceman fired a shot from the point through a screen that beat Zahara The Vees were unable to find the equalizer after pulling Ingemann in favour of an extra attacker with less than two minutes to play. Zahara made eight saves in the final frame the series will shift to Alberta for the series' third and fourth games on Monday and Tuesday The winner of the series will play either the Chilliwack Chiefs or Victoria Grizzlies for the Fred Page Cup Victoria owns a 1-0 lead in the Coastal Conference finals after picking up a win on Friday night CalgaryNewsZahara shuts down Vees as Bandits win opener in BCHL Interior Conference FinalBy Stephen HuntPublished: May 03, 2025 at 11:18AM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved Watch: Highlights from the Bandits 2-1 win over the Penticton Vees in game 1 of the third round. #Bandits pic.twitter.com/tg6pdQHr2f Bandits vs Vees!The @BCHockeyLeague Interior Conference Final is coming to Brooks!Tickets for Game 3 and Game 4 are on sale:https://t.co/J4oCdM4L1d BC – The Penticton Vees dropped their Interior Conference opener Friday at the South Okanagan Events Centre Friday’s loss ended the Vees’ eight-game win streak through the first two rounds of the BCHL Playoffs as it was their first loss since March 29th Defenceman Callum Stone scored the Vees’ only goal as the Vees made a push in the final 20 minutes but ultimately came up a goal short Will Ingemann was tagged with the loss in net but was sharp stopping 22 of 23 shots and was named the second star Brooks’ goaltender Zach Zahara was excellent as he stopped 30 shots and was the first star Parker Lalonde opened the scoring just 41 seconds into the second Nathan Brown then was credited with the Bandits’ second goal with 2:46 left in the period after Michael Liśćinsky’s pass from the wall went off both Stone and Brown before trickling in including Luke Posthumus hitting the post when the game was still just 1-0 for Brooks The Vees finally got on the scoreboard midway through the third as Stone scored off a face-off in the Bandits’ zone Penticton won the face-off back to blue line and Stone’s knuckleball of a shot found its way through traffic and over Zahara at 12:44 to cut the deficit down to one Penticton then pulled their goalie with two minutes left in regulation but couldn’t manufacture an equalizer as their last shot before time expired was blocked in front of the Brooks’ net The Vees will look to level the series tomorrow at home in Game Two at 6:00 pm The Lower Similkameen Indian Band (LSIB)'s forestry company is one of 18 recipients of $5 million in funding for wood waste and wildfire risk reduction in the Okanagan.  The funding from the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) was announced at the BC First Nations Forestry Council in Penticton on April 24 by Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar.  The LSIB's Skul'qalt Forestry is receiving funding to deliver low-value logs that would normally be left behind after harvest in the Keremeos area The funding will help promote the utilization of the usually discarded resource to reduce the need to burn wood waste in slash piles and reduce greenhouse gas emissions The other projects selected across the greater Thomspson-Okanagan Region to receive funding will also either boost fibre supply and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by utilizing uneconomic wood waste or reduce wildfire risk to better protect communities and important infrastructure “We received so many excellent applications from interested parties across the province looking to invest in the future of B.C.’s forests,” shared Jason Fisher we are pleased to be able to support a portfolio of projects that will make forests more resilient and communities safer while unlocking the value of wood waste generated through forest management activities.” the wood waste utilization projects in the Thompson-Okanagan Region are anticipated to repurpose more than 181,000 cubic metres of fibre equivalent to more than 4,100 truckloads which will slash more than 24,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide and equivalent emissions The wildfire risk reduction projects in the region will cover 331 hectares of forest and prescriptions for future wildfire risk reduction work on another 508 hectares Other recipients in the Okanagan are listed below:  * Yucwmenlúcwu (Caretakers of the Land) 2007 LLP, who will receive funding for three projects The first aims to enable the delivery of lower-value wood waste from harvesting operations near Enderby to local facilities in the Okanagan Shuswap; the second to develop a prescription for a wildfire risk reduction treatment in the Monashee Community Forest adjacent to the Village of Lumby; and the third to develop a prescription for a wildfire risk reduction treatment adjacent to the City of Salmon Arm * The City of Vernon will receive funding to allow Rider Ventures to continue work on a landscape-level fuel break on the west flank of Predator Ridge and above Okanagan Lake.  * Ntityix Resources LP will receive funding to contribute to the development of a wildfire risk reduction prescription and treatment of approximately 253 hectares in the Westbank First Nation Community Forest adjacent to the neighbourhood of Glenrosa in West Kelowna Ntityix Resources will also promote the utilization of wood waste from operations where possible and employ their own local First Nations crews throughout the treatment area * The District of Summerland will receive funding to conduct wildfire risk reduction treatment on the western extent of the municipality, and will add to the previously-completed landscape-level fuel break.  * Vermillion Forks Community Forest will receive funding for two projects: One to complete a prescription for a wildfire risk reduction treatment within the wildland-urban interface west of the community of Princeton; and the other to help complete the final phase of work on wildfire risk reduction treatment above the community of Coalmont The Penticton Vees face a 2-0 series deficit after losing both games at home over the weekend to open the Interior Conference Final against the Brooks Bandits Penticton lost 2-1 in Game One and 3-0 in Game Two as they now look for a win in Game Three Monday to get back into this series Penticton has now lost back-to-back games for the first time since February 14th and have been shutout for just the second time all season The only other game they were shutout in was against West Kelowna all the way back on November 5th the Vees will need to find ways to generate more offence Just one goal through six periods and that came from defenceman Callum Stone in the third period of Game One Give credit to Brooks’ goaltender Zach Zahara and the defence in front of him the Vees will need more from their forwards Ryden Evers and Max Heise have been snake bitten of late Evers hasn’t scored in nine games and Heise has just one goal in his last seven but if the Vees are going to turn this series around those two will need to be major offensive factors the Vees have juggled their lines in hopes that sparks more offence Game Three will see four new line combinations the Vees have played very well defensively They have only allowed two even strength goals against in two games as Brooks scored twice on the power play and once into an empty net in Game Two The Vees held the Bandits to 23 shots in each of the first two games The Vees power play is 0-7 in the series and just 1-16 in its last five games The power play now sits 8th in the playoffs at 18.2 percent is Brooks scored twice on a four-minute power play in Game Two which decided the game special teams can be a deciding factor in the series The Vees need their power play to rebound and be a factor in Game Three Penticton is 4-0 in the playoffs on the road and did pick up a win in Brooks in the regular season They also had the league’s best regular season road record The CRA is not an easy place for visiting teams but the Vees have won here before and have been excellent on the road in the playoffs The Vees will continue to dress 12 forwards and seven defencemen for Game Three The Bandits came out with two wins in Penticton to start the series Brooks is the only team to win three games at the SOEC this season They return home up 2-0 in the series and look to take a stranglehold with a Game Three win Brooks’ top players have been as advertised through two games has two goals in the series and has a nine-game point streak carrying into Game Three His line mates have factored into this series as well with Nick Peluso picking up two points in Game Two Bandits’ goaltender Zach Zahara has been nearly unbeatable as he has stopped 49 of 50 shots through two games He got a shutout in Game Two and has a 0.50 goals-against average and .980 save percentage in the series Brooks has been very good at home in the playoffs as they have won their last four at Centennial Regional Arena after losing their opening game of the playoffs to West Kelowna back on April 4th Penticton Vees fans are invited to celebrate the franchise joining the WHL join the draft party at the Penticton Lakeside Resort's East Ballroom which will feature a livestream of the WHL draft including the Vees' selections A Penticton-based construction company facing numerous legal battles will not get any further funds from one homeowner after the courts recently ruled the company has been paid what is owed Okanagan Extreme Home Builders (OEHB) and its owner, Jason Stutzke, have been served with continuous lawsuits for over a year and have already been ordered to pay some debt claims against them. Most recently, OEHB was ordered out of their building office, and Stutzke was ordered to sell his home At the end of November, Stutzke was ordered to pay close to $3 million for an unpaid mortgage and building materials Castanet first reported on the legal predicament in January 2024. Since then the number of alleged unpaid claims involving Stutzke has mounted and they are sitting at an estimated $9 million in total Latimer ruled in favour of one specific local homeowner At the beginning of February in 2024, Stutzke filed a civil claim against Browning seeking alleged unpaid invoices from him totalling $154,777.08 and placing a lien on the home Stutzke claimed Browning initially hired him for a $500,000 project but a key document outlining the terms was allegedly deleted by a former employee Stutzke alleged that Browning fired his company before a kitchen installation citing a dispute involving a former employee Stutzke also accuses him of lying about installation dates for the kitchen and then refusing to pay further invoices or amounts owing on previous ones Browning filed a reply and counterclaim soon after, denying the allegation of money owed by him and arguing that Stutzke's failure to pay his own debts affected his home-building process Browning said he paid a $100,000 deposit to OEHB and a $100,000 deposit to another allegedly affiliated business and only ceased further invoice payments when work ceased on the property With only 80 per cent of his kitchen completed Browning stated he would not pay the outstanding amount on the invoices After dealing with more allegedly late installation issues because of unpaid debts and multiple contract breaches Browning said he terminated his contract with Stutzke on Aug Browning filed a counterclaim to OEHB's lien costs and health care services for Stutzke's breach of their contract The two kept battling it out in various civil court filings The case appeared in Kelowna Supreme Court at the end of March and a decision was made by Justice Latimer on April 24 Latimer agreed that Browning should have charges registered against his property cancelled “There is no valid claim to a lien,” Latimer wrote in her decision “[OEHB] merely pleads that it has done work on the property and was contracted to do additional work on the property this does not amount to a claim to an interest in land.” she found that Browning paid Stutzke $327,850.10 for his work and that there are $150,000 in renovations that are uncompleted “There being no price of work and material that remains unpaid [OEHB’s] lien is cancelled as frivolous.” Numerous other lawsuits continue to make their way through the court systems None of the allegations in the lawsuits have yet been proven in court and all named parties have a right to respond with countersuits should they choose to do so get ready to head to the polls — again Penticton city councillor Helena Konanz will be heading to Ottawa as Member of Parliament, after being elected Member of Parliament for the Similkameen-South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding on Monday night Konanz was elected to Penticton council in 2022 for a term through 2026 who then won the local MLA seat in the provincial election in October 2024 Following Boultbee's departure and facing a spring by-election, Mayor Julius Bloomfield asked council to publicly affirm whether they intended to fulfill their full municipal term [I want to see] if there's any changes to anybody's plans for the next two years," Bloomfield said affirmed that they intended to stay for their elected term The by-election to fill Boultbee's seat concluded at the start of April Konanz had been announced as the candidate for the Conservative Party Konanz addressed this at a council meeting stating that she didn't know at the time of her affirmation to fulfill her council term that she would be chosen to run federally Konanz thanked Penticton voters for the ten collective years they had given her on council "I believe that what's worthwhile is that fact that now I can just see those issues that we've been working on at the local level and bring them to the federal level and that is what this community needs," she said adding that her time on council and on the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen board of directors helped her get to where she is Mayor Bloomfield issued a statement congratulating Konanz and passion for this city have made a real and lasting impact," he said in a provided statement "We are proud to see a member of our council take on this important new role at the federal level We look forward to working with Helena in her new role as MP and wish her every success as she continues to advocate for the region." the city will need a letter of resignation from Konanz it will trigger a process under the Local Government Act A report will be prepared and presented to council which will then appoint a Chief Election Officer The Chief Election Officer sets a general voting day for the by-election which must be on a Saturday no later than 80 days after the date of appointment The most recent by-election cost taxpayers roughly $85,000 One other council seat is technically filled but inactive due to Coun. James Miller being on mandatory paid leave while he faces criminal charges Miller has publicly affirmed he will not resign his council role despite being unable to fulfill his duties of office He is due in court for trial in December 2025 The next scheduled municipal election is in October 2026 An annual event that kicks off festivities for Okanagan Granfondo in Penticton is coming back Registration is now open for the "Piccolofondo," a bike race for children aged two to 10 scheduled for 8 to 9:30 a.m The race will see kids split into different age groups and feature a race announcer Around 300 cyclists took part in the event in July 2024 “This Saturday event is often a highlight of the weekend,” says Jodi Cross executive director of Okanagan Granfondo Penticton “This is part of our community engagement — we want to give children of Penticton and the Okanagan area a chance to have the joy of participating in a cycling event.” All registrants of the race will receive a bike plate as well as a "safe and fun ride." Kids will also get a juice box There will be opportunities for parents to spectate and cheer on their children as the event takes place inside Rotary Park (185 Lakeshore Dr.) It has run since 2011 and commences one day before thousands of cyclists hit the streets for the Okanagan Granfondo Registration for the "Piccolofondo" can be done at okanagangranfondo.com/piccolofondo. Penticton’s concession stands are preparing for another season of serving hungry and thirsty beach-goers The city’s four main concession stands will be opening in time for the May long weekend In March the city issued two requests for proposals at the Skaha East and Peach Concessions the city announced that Tickleberry’s will be returning to the Peach as well as the Skaha Main concession Those are located at 185 Lakeshore Drive W and 3701 Parkview Street It was also announced that Vallarta Fiesta Grill will be returning to 3885 South Main Street to operate the Skaha East Concession Junction 3 Coffee House will be returning to the Sudbury Beach Concession Vendors will be offering ice-cold drinks and delicious snacks all summer long perfect for those long days spent at the beach All four concessions will be open until the September long weekend A walk and ceremony have been scheduled for next week in Penticton in honour of Red Dress Day an annual event in memory of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and South Okanagan Métis Association are inviting the public to take part in the gathering on Monday A walk will then proceed toward Rotary Park information booths hosted by community partners Organizers are calling the day "a unified stand to honour and remember MMIWG2S+." Indigenous women experienced homicide rates six times higher than their non-Indigenous counterparts between 2009 and 2021 "We encourage community members from all backgrounds to attend and stand in solidarity against gender-based and colonial violence affecting Indigenous peoples," a press release from the city reads Red Dress Day is observed across Canada every year on May 5.  while offering a space for "remembrance reflection and community healing," will include: • Poster making at S.S. Sicamous (11 a.m.) Penticton residents will go back to the polls for the third time this year as the city undergoes its second by-election for city council.  Helena Konanz was chosen as the MP for the Similkameen-South Okanagan-West Kootenay riding The federal election was less than a month after the city's first by-election of the year which filled the spot opened up by MLA Amelia Boultbee after she jumped to provincial politics The date for the next by-election will depend in part on when the city receives Konanz' formal written resignation which the city hadn't received yet when contacted for information It took more than two months from the provincial election for city council to vote and approve a by-election date for Boultbee's seat If it takes the same amount of time to schedule and then hold the next by-election Konanz' seat could be left open until October.  Penticton is already down one spot with Coun James Miller on mandatory leave since August 2024 over criminal charges of sexual interference invitation to sexual touching and sexual assault on a person under the age of 16 The city confirmed via email that under the Local Government Act, it would need to hold a by-election to fill the spot and that it couldn't be left vacant until the next municipal elections in 2026.  After Boutlbee was elected MLA in 2024 Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield approached every member of council and asked their intentions moving forward given a federal election was on the horizon had promised to serve out the remainder of their terms.  The by-election to replace Boultbee cost an estimated $85,000 Asked for comment shortly after the federal writ dropped Konanz said she would not be funding the by-election if she won.  When then-mayor Dan Ashton ran for provincial office he paid the city back for the cost of the by-election to replace him Boultbee also did not provide any funding for the by-election to replace her.  The organizers of the Underground Wasteland Music Festival are gearing up for the event with a fundraiser performance.  the masterminds behind the Underground Wasteland Music Festival will be presenting a music event in Penticton on May 17 featuring Okanagan heavyweights Storm The Empire local legends At Times of Madness and newcomers Full Known Nuisance All of the funds raised from this event will be going directly towards supporting the Underground Wasteland Fest "Our goal is to use these funds to invest in better equipment and higher-quality entertainment for the festival ensuring an exceptional experience for attendees," explained Mathers.  The May event "unites a diverse group of musicians from a wide range of bands that have left their mark on the Okanagan music scene and others,” read a statement from 3N1GMA.  the "time has come for the underground to rise from the ashes and collide music genres of punk a thrash punk band based in Oliver taking to the stage at 9 p.m Full Known Nusiance is known for its raw groovy punk sound with a focus on riff-driven aggressive punk/hardcore.  The Kelowna band is known for their raw energy blending elements of metal a Canadian progressive metalcore band which is just about to release its latest EP.  Sign up below for unlimited digital access for 30 days receive our daily news alerts & breaking news WATCH LISTEN General Manager & Head Coach: Fred Harbinson  The Penticton Vees finally get back to action this coming Friday when the battle for the Ryan Hatfield Trophy kicks into gear at the South Okanagan Events Centre The Vees dispatched the Cranbrook Bucks in the Interior Conference Semi-Final completing their second consecutive sweep after showing the Okotoks Oilers the door in Round One the Vees get set for the matchup the whole junior hockey world has been waiting for a best-of-seven series with the Brooks Bandits with a trophy on the line For the Vees it marks the franchise’s ninth appearance in the Interior Conference Final since President GM & Head Coach Fred Harbinson stepped behind the bench The Vees and the Bandits played four times throughout the Regular Season The two teams had nearly identical regular seasons finishing in the top 2 spots in the BCHL standings in a combined 17 playoff games through two rounds For Penticton it’s been the same during the playoffs as it was during the regular season as they continue to get contributions from up and down the lineup Max Heise continues to lead the team with 13 (3-10-13) while Simon Meier and Luke Posthumus are tied atop the team lead in goals with six These three players all play on different lines further proving the depth that Penticton features on a nightly basis makes them extremely difficult to play against It’s not only the depth that’s shone for Penticton but special teams have been rock solid through eight games in the playoffs as well The blue and white sit fourth in the BCHL (23.8%) in power play percentage and remain a perfect 16/16 on the penalty kill Brooks will test both units immensely as they also sit in the top 5 in both categories The crease continues to be split for the Vees through eight playoff games between the pair of 2025 Wally Forslund Trophy winners in Will Ingemann and Ethan Buenaventura The two were awarded the Wally Forslund Trophy this week by the BCHL as the tandem with the lowest combined goals against average throughout the BCHL Regular Season It’s the fourth season in a row that Vees’ goaltenders have won the award The two have gone start for start during the first eight games of the playoffs and it is expected Ingemann will take his turn in the rotation when the puck drops on Game One on Friday night The pair sit together at the top of the goals against average statistics for BCHL goaltenders in the playoffs while Buenaventra (.933%) sits fourth and Ingemann (.915%) sits 11th in save percentage General Manager & Head Coach: Ryan Papaioannou  For much of the regular season the Brooks Bandits looked downright unbeatable The high-flying offensive style combined with a structured defensive system helped the Bandits get out to a 10-0-0-0 start and earn wins in 17 of their first 18 contests in their inaugural BCHL season They finished just one win behind Penticton during the regular season with 40 and entered the playoffs as the Interior Conference’s second seed After losing the opener at home to West Kelowna the Bandits have won eight straight over the Warriors and Sherwood Park Crusaders to earn their spot in the Interior Conference Final beginning Friday in Penticton Led up front by veteran players Nic Peluso Parker Lalonde and former Vernon Vipers forward Luke Bibby the Bandits have scored 40 goals in their nine games through two rounds A potent offense that can score at any given time the Bandits are quick in transition and responsible with the puck in all three zones making them incredibly difficult to match up with on a nightly basis Not only are the Bandits dangerous at even strength but special teams was a weapon for them all season as well Both their powerplay and penalty kill finished in the top third of BCHL teams during the regular season posting eye popping numbers particularly on the penalty kill They had the top ranked penalty kill throughout the 54-game regular season giving up only 27 goals on 211 penalty kill opportunities They were the third most penalized team during the regular season and rank first in times shorthanded during the playoffs thus far with 41 penalty kill opportunities in nine games They’ve killed those off at a rate of 87.2% Zach Zahara has done the bulk of the goaltending for Brooks in the second half of the BCHL season and deep into the playoffs signed after the departure of standout goaltender Johnny Hicks in December is a veteran goaltender with WHL experience that provides stability at the team’s most important position The former Medicine Hat Tigers and Wenatchee Wild goaltender has appeared in all nine playoff games for the Bandits collecting 8 wins while maintaining a 2.49 goals against average and .905% save percentage Barring injury he will man the crease when the puck drops Friday for Game One of the Interior Conference Final There is a traffic incident on Warren Avenue West blocking the turnoff onto the Channel Parkway Monday afternoon A Castanet reporter on scene reports it appears to be a rear-ender incident The Seek Bespoke Market is coming back to Penticton the market featuring creative entrepreneurs including designers small shop owners and makers will take over The Standard at 124 Estabrook Avenue "Shoppers will find a selection of items such as handcrafted jewellery wellness essentials and home goods from 25+ vendors," reads a press release –  The Western Hockey League announced today the rules and regulations for the 2025 WHL Expansion Draft which will serve as a key roster-building tool for the expansion Penticton Vees The 2025 WHL Expansion Draft is scheduled for Wednesday The following rules have been approved for the 2025 WHL Expansion Draft: WHL Clubs will be permitted to protect either: A) 16 players aged 17 to 20 years old (born in 2008 plus an additional six (6) players appearing on their College List B) 14 players aged 17 to 19 years old (born in 2008 2006) and three (3) 20-year-old players (born in 2005) appearing on their 50-player plus an additional six (6) players on their College List Players aged 16 (born in 2009) are exempt from the 2025 WHL Expansion Draft for all WHL Clubs The two WHL players appearing on the Pro Hockey List (Connor Bedard which is only for underage players in the NHL this season The two WHL Clubs advancing to the WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien will receive an accommodation as follows: Should the WHL Conference Championships extend to a Game 7 with the deciding game on Tuesday the losing Club(s) will submit their protected lists to the WHL Office by 12 p.m MT on the same date as the team that loses the WHL Championship Series Regulations Relating to Expansion Franchise The Penticton Vees were awarded the fourth pick overall in the first round of the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft and the 2025 WHL U.S and the fourth WHL pick in the first round of the 2025 CHL Import Draft Division of the Western Conference in 2025-26 There will be no other changes to WHL alignment Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary The WHL offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development and a safe and positive environment for all participants the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for close to 60 years The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team SK – Saskatoon Blades alumnus Nicholas Andrusiak helped the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s (SJHL) Melfort Mustangs capture their second consecutive… The 2024-25 season was one of optimism and excitement for the Saskatoon Blades The Bridge City Bunch defied outside expectations… The 2025 WHL Expansion Draft featuring the Penticton Vees is scheduled for Wednesday SK – The Western Hockey League (WHL) announced today Saskatoon Blades head coach Dan DaSilva is an Eastern Conference finalist… SK – Saskatoon Blades President and General Manager has been named an Eastern Conference Finalist for the…