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A West Bench Elementary student made a passionate plea to School District 67 trustees on Tuesday.

“West Bench is the best school ever. Please don’t close it,” said Jack MacIntosh, who’s attending his final year at the school, at a community meeting where the trustees are listening to public opinion on school closures in the face of declining enrolment.

Noting the potential for serious health and cultural impacts, parents of West Bench Elementary students are asking their community’s school be removed from the list of those identified for possible closure.

“Our whole community is dependent on that school. It’s how we stay connected, it’s how our friends know their neighbours, and we think that’s pretty important,” said Riley Gettens on behalf of the West Bench Parent Advisory Council.

Persistent concerns about smart meters have prompted a group of local politicians to call on the B.C. government to pull the plug on further installations of the devices in the region. 

“It’s easy to be silent, but sometimes it’s important to take a stand and get a message out, and it doesn’t have to be based on perfect information,” said Tom Siddon, who led the push for an immediate moratorium from his seat as the Area D director on the board of the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen.

Posted: Tuesday, September 30, 2014 9:00 am

Almost at the same time public officials were discussing the increasing problem of free roaming horses, one of the animals had to be euthanized after being hit by a car Friday.

The incident happened about 8 a.m. on Highway 97 near Old Airport Road just south of the city.

Penticton RCMP were notified by a third party about the accident and several cars attended the scene, and the young horse, which apparently suffered serious leg injuries, was shot.

The following article appear in the February 8, 2011, edition of the Kamloops Daily News (link to full article and comments).It provides some good background information on the sale of feral horses.

By CAM FORTEMS
Daily News Staff Reporter

For buyer Kevin Spears, the bidding Tuesday for one of more than 20 feral horses rounded up and put to auction by the province went a little too high.

The following article appeared in the on-line "Oliver Daily News" . Jack Bennest, who did the story and who has spent much time at the RDOS board table, asked me for some comments.  He included these at the end of the story. The story stems from a letter to the RDOS from the Province asking whether the RDOS would be willing to takeover the West Bench water system if the WBID decided to dissolve.

The uncertainty surrounding the transfer of a portion of the Kettle Valley Railway Trail to the Penticton Indian Band sparked a feeling of fear from some at Wednesday’s public meeting in West Bench.

“This is a very touchy issue between everybody,” said Chief Jonathan Kruger. “A lot of people use the (trail) right now and it’s just that fear of change and we just have to get past that fear and come to some understanding where we can all live together because we are living together right now. I’m sure we can work together and live together and prosper together.”

Penticton Indian band Chief Jonathan Kruger wants to reduce the fear factor surrounding the band‘s application to reacquire the former KVR right-of-way through the reserve.
Kruger and band Councillor Joan Phillip outlined the proposal before about 150 people attending a public information meeting Wednesday night at West Bench Elementary School.
While many residents expressed concern over what the bandís future plans may be for the route, emotions were largely kept in check.