Judie Steeves

Not much room between parked cars and motorized vehicles for a cyclist in the newly-rebuilt Bernard Avenue through downtown Kelowna, but fear not, it's wide enough to be a shared-use lane, and will be so marked before the project's completed.

Steeves/Trail Mix: Ask questions of candidates

If the issues of conservation of habitat for fish and wildlife concern you then you'd better take this chance to ask candidates questions.

Not much room between parked cars and motorized vehicles for a cyclist in the newly-rebuilt Bernard Avenue through downtown Kelowna, but fear not, it's wide enough to be a shared-use lane, and will be so marked before the project's completed.
Boat inspection trainer D.D. Davis of Lake Mead, Nevada holds a collection of the quagga mussels that have invaded the lake, incased in clear plastic at her talk on control of invasive aquatic species Tuesday.

Prevent invasive mussels from infesting Okanagan Lake

U.S. boat inspection trainer warns B.C. to be strict and proactive in preventing the spread of invasive mussels to the valley.

Boat inspection trainer D.D. Davis of Lake Mead, Nevada holds a collection of the quagga mussels that have invaded the lake, incased in clear plastic at her talk on control of invasive aquatic species Tuesday.

Frost damage not forecast to be significant

Despite a couple of freezing nights, local growers don't expect there'll be much orchard damage.

Codfather's Lobster Risotto

from Jude’s Kitchen: eats with wine

Celebrate the 19th annual Spring Okanagan Wine Festival by trying some new dishes that use wine.

Codfather's Lobster Risotto
Intrigue Wines partners (left to right) Ross Davis and his wife Geri, Roger Wong and his wife Jillian stop for just a moment during the bottling of their new white wines at their Lake Country winery.

Vintners share their stories during winefest

The 19th annual Spring Okanagan Wine Festival starts Thursday and wineries around the valley are gearing up to welcome visitors.

Intrigue Wines partners (left to right) Ross Davis and his wife Geri, Roger Wong and his wife Jillian stop for just a moment during the bottling of their new white wines at their Lake Country winery.
Joan and Chris Casorso on historic family land they just sold for use as the Mission Creek Greenway and a project to re-naturalize the creek.

Casorsos sell land for creek restoration

The three Casorso sisters sell a portion of theie farm land adjacent to Mission Creek so it can be used for greenway and restoration.

Joan and Chris Casorso on historic family land they just sold for use as the Mission Creek Greenway and a project to re-naturalize the creek.
Biologist Tara White, chair of the Mission Creek Restoration Initiative, points out how un-naturally straight Mission Creek is today, after being channelized in the 1950s.

The Future is Back

Tourism, the environment, recreation and education all benefit from a multi-million project to restore the lower reaches of Mission Creek.

Biologist Tara White, chair of the Mission Creek Restoration Initiative, points out how un-naturally straight Mission Creek is today, after being channelized in the 1950s.

Overnight house fires leave 10 homeless

Two house fires at the same time in the early hours of the morning kept Kelowna fire crews hopping overnight.

National Slow Food convention delegates enjoyed specially-prepared, very-local foods created by Kelowna chef Guilio Piccioli (right) at Claremont Ranch Organics in Lake Country during a tour Thursday.

Delegates eat slowly, but enjoy it

Slow Food enthusiasts savour a feast of nibblies at a heritage organic farm in Lake Country during national convention.

National Slow Food convention delegates enjoyed specially-prepared, very-local foods created by Kelowna chef Guilio Piccioli (right) at Claremont Ranch Organics in Lake Country during a tour Thursday.
The Spring Okanagan Wine Festival celebrates bud break in the vineyard, along with the release of the new wines.

Spring wine festival growing up

As warmer spring weather encourages the first grapevine buds to swell and vintners release the latest vintage,spring winefest begins.

The Spring Okanagan Wine Festival celebrates bud break in the vineyard, along with the release of the new wines.
Mission Creek no longer meanders as it used to; instead, it's been channelized and shortened, but efforts are underway to re-naturalize it—a far more costly prospect than leaving things natural.

Steeves/Trail Mix: We broke it and now we have to fix it

Natural systems can easily be destroyed, but trying to fix them once we've destroyed them is far more costly than preventing damage.

Mission Creek no longer meanders as it used to; instead, it's been channelized and shortened, but efforts are underway to re-naturalize it—a far more costly prospect than leaving things natural.

Lots of snow left to melt and run off

Forecasts are for more than the average amount of snow to run into Okanagan Lake this year, but more from the east than west side.

Mule deer gather at low elevations, wherever there's fresh young green grass at this time of year, before returning to higher elevations for the summer.

Steeves/Trail Mix: Celebrate Earth Day

There are lots of ways to celebrate Earth Day Monday, and you can start on the weekend instead of waiting!

Mule deer gather at low elevations, wherever there's fresh young green grass at this time of year, before returning to higher elevations for the summer.

Water industry meets in Kelowna

Water professionals from throughout Western Canada will converge on Kelowna in the coming week to learn the latest in the industry.

A cherry picker fills her bucket with ripe fruit last summer at Dendy Orchards.

Cherry council proposal dropped

Instead of a provincial cherry council with mandatory fees, growers have restructured their association, due to opposition to the idea.

A cherry picker fills her bucket with ripe fruit last summer at Dendy Orchards.
Isabel Pritchard and Bonita frequently walk in Myra Bellevue Provincial Park, including on this private piece of property that most people probably don't even realize isn't actually part of the park

Public must add private property to Myra Bellevue park

Few realize that a sensitive wetland and major trails from Myra Bellevue Provincial Park cross a piece of private property within the park.

Isabel Pritchard and Bonita frequently walk in Myra Bellevue Provincial Park, including on this private piece of property that most people probably don't even realize isn't actually part of the park
Jennifer Cockrall-King

Food writers gather here

Join food writers from across the country at a workshop later this month.

Jennifer Cockrall-King
Jennifer French, coordinator for Science Opportunities for Kids, shows plant ecology student Kate Short where bushes were ripped out of the ground by heavy machinery in a Glenmore ravine slated for parkland.

Wild ravine ravaged by bulldozer

A small ravine in Glenmore slated to become park has been cleared to prevent fire, but neighbours are not impressed with how it was done

Jennifer French, coordinator for Science Opportunities for Kids, shows plant ecology student Kate Short where bushes were ripped out of the ground by heavy machinery in a Glenmore ravine slated for parkland.
The Trans Canada Trail through Myra Canada near Kelowna has been closed due to damage to a trestle bridge by a rockfall.

Myra Canyon closed to the public

A fall of vehicle-sized rocks onto a trestle bridge in historic Myra Canyon has closed the Trans Canada Trail through there near Kelowna.

The Trans Canada Trail through Myra Canada near Kelowna has been closed due to damage to a trestle bridge by a rockfall.
The aftermath of the Trepanier wildfire of 2012.

Learn the latest about managing wildfire

As part of an international wildfire conference in Kelowna this week, you are invited to learn how best to prevent damage from wildfire.

The aftermath of the Trepanier wildfire of 2012.