Local News

Sicamous Coun. Greg Kyllo will try to take over from retiring Shuswap MLA George Abbott for the B.C. Liberals.

Chad Mayes, an employee of Grant King's Men's Wear, cleans the sidewalks on Main Street after several inches of snow were dumped on Penticton early Saturday morning. According to Environment Canada, snow is in the forecast through Monday.

Women interested in trades training at Okanagan College can find out more at an information session from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Kelowna campus, Room T123.

Kids and parents wait for the Zamboni machine to finish re-surfacing the ice rink at Stuart Park, Kelowna, on Saturday, as the Okanagan was hit with several centimetres of snow with more expected today.

Year-end figures show house prices are down slightly in the Central and North Okanagan, but sales activity is picking up.

Not sure about participating in a full-distance, outdoor triathlon?

 

By SCOTT TRUDEAU

Okanagan Sunday

The MLA for Boundary-Similkameen may not be seeking re-election in 2013 and his replacement could be a former Oliver mayor.

John Slater remains the only incumbent for the Liberal party who is yet to be nominated or doesn’t have a nomination meeting planned, the Vancouver Sun reported Friday.

Slater had announced in September he was running again for the B.C. Liberals but now, the first-term MLA’s political future with the party appears uncertain.

Slater won the 2009 election by less than 1,000 votes over the NDP’s Lakhvinder Jhaj.

Linda Larson, an Oliver town councillor and former Oliver mayor confirmed that she was approached by party officials several weeks ago about the possibility of being nominated.

Slater wouldn’t comment on the status of the nomination other than to say it’s up to the party to decide what’s happening.

“I’m trying to do what’s best for the party,” he said. “If they figure that Linda can do a better job taking on an opponent, that’s their call, right?”

According to the Sun’s report, the majority of Liberal incumbents have been nominated and officials say the remaining two - Premier Christy Clark and deputy premier and former Penticton resident Rich Coleman - will be nominated at events held much closer to May’s election.

Slater said he’s simply going to take a wait and see approach on the matter until a nomination meeting happens.

Larson said she won’t discuss her plans regarding the nomination until Slater decides whether or not he’ll run again.

“As long as John has not done that officially I’m just kind of staying out of it,” she said. “He is a good friend and we’ve worked together for years and years. If he decides he’s not going to, would it be something I’m interest in? Yes.”

Larson said in the past 15 years she’s been approached “on and off” about running both federally and provincially by the Conservative and Liberal parties.

“Timing is everything and I suppose if ever I was going to do something in that area it would be now because I don’t plan on doing it when I’m 75 years old,” said Larson.

Arctic air so far has not invaded the Okanagan despite the prayers of icewine producers, and there doesn't appear to be an answer to their prayers in the near future.

A family-law pilot project allowing paralegals to represent clients in B.C. Supreme Court and provincial court isn't happening in Kelowna.