NEWS
Bighorn Mountain Estates
PENTICTON WESTERN
www.pentictonwesternnews.com
3
news
Peach City Beach Cruise geared up for great weekend
VOL. 48 ISSUE 48
on the mountainside at Okanagan Falls just minutes from beautiful Skaha Lake NEW HOMES READY FOR OCCUPANCY starting at $349,000
4400 McLean Creek Rd. Okanagan Falls, BC
250.497.7122 www.bighornmountainestate s.com
WEDNESDAY, June 18, 2014
11
entertainment Kenny Rogers dishes out tunes, humour and cash
17
sports Greenhough headed to rodeo championship in Wyoming
FIRE CLAIMS EVERYTHING Kristi Patton
NEWS PENTICTON WESTERN
Western News Staff
TANYA DURACK is comforted by her daughter Deedee and son Axel Ferguson Tuesday after returning to her Martin Street house for the first time since Saturday night when a fire gutted the building and killed two pets.
Mark Brett/Western News
Tanya Durack stares in disbelief at the burned -out shell of what used to be her home. With a couple of garbage bags of clothes stuffed into a car, she pulled up to the residence at 627 Martin St. where a three-alarm blaze was called in just before 10:30 p.m. on Saturday. “Everything I own in life was in this home. There was pictures, baby books, the kids baby teeth that I kept because I was the tooth fairy, video tapes with movies of my brothers and me when we were little; things I can’t replace,” said Durack brushing away tears. “That’s the hardest part. It is absolutely horrible.” Durack was in the bath when her roommate, Brandon Irving, came screaming into the house telling everyone to get out. Irving said the breaker had blown a few times that night and he went outside to have a cigarette and investigate. He smelled burning wires and when Irving checked the side of the house flames were visible in the window. Durack had come out of the bathroom, wrapped in just a towel ensuring her kids got out safely. She went back in with some of the other residents, unsuccessfully trying to battle the blaze with a fire extinguisher, before opening her bedroom door. “The fire came at us like it was reaching at me. It was like a hand that wanted to grab me. That is how fast it came,” said Durack. “It was
so scary. The smoke was burning my eyes and I couldn’t breath. I still have nightmares about it.” Durack grabbed a hoodie and pajama pants from her son’s floor and ran outside. Standing in the backyard she called for help, as one of the occupants rescued a kitten. Two other pets, a cat and a bearded dragon lizard, died in the blaze. Emergency social services provided shortterm assistance to find lodging for the occupants of the house, which included Durack’s kids, her daughter’s boyfriend and Irving. That ended Tuesday at noon. As the kids sat on the curb outside what was once their house waiting for investigators to finish asking their mom questions, they wondered where they would go next. The family has lived on Martin Street for three months, having re-located from Smithers to Vernon and finally finding a home in Penticton. “We are out today and I literally don’t know what we are going to do. We moved here for a fresh start. My daughter just graduated the other day. Then this,” said Durack, a single mother. The family is desperate for a roof over their head and some food. Durack’s daughter, DeeDee Ferguson, said anyone wanting to assist them with any type of aid can contact them at 250328-1010. Ferguson also wanted to thank Grant King’s Menswear, who have taken her prom dress to try and dry-clean and salvage it for her. Fire chief Wayne Williams said there was considerable damage. “The occupants were very lucky to get out, very lucky,” he said.
Teachers picket while high school students write year-end exams Joe Fries
Western News Staff
B.C. high school students started writing provincial exams this week, but a full-scale strike by teachers has ended classes for younger kids. Following a failed weekend bargaining session, teachers on Tuesday began a full walkout after three weeks of rotating strikes.
INSTALLS
“We feel we’ve done what we can,” said Leslea Woodward, president of the Okanagan Skaha Teachers’ Union. “Teachers are feeling very disappointed, of course, that the proposals were not seriously considered.” She noted the B.C. Teachers’ Federation and the B.C. Public School Employers’ Association have more negotiations scheduled this week, so a deal is still possible.
We Install it Right. Guaranteed.
DESIGN & INSTALLATION
• OUTSTANDING SELECTION • COMPETITIVE PRICING • AFFORDABLE FINANCING • INSURED, QUALIFIED LOCAL INSTALLERS • STORE BACKED WARRANTY
“We’re not leaving the table,” Woodward said. They’ll also not leave local picket lines to administer and mark provincial exams, since there are enough administrators in Okanagan Skaha to do the job, which was declared an essential service by the Labour Relations Board. Teachers did agree, however, to maintain at least one picket-free entrance at each of the three high Recliners From
399
$
schools in Penticton and Summerland, and regular bus service will be available for secondary students through June 24. Meanwhile, kids in elementary and middle schools were told Friday to take their personal belongings home with them, although Okanagan Skaha superintendent Wendy Hyer said facilities are still open just in case. “Any student who would like to
RED TAG
SALE
go into the school to retrieve their things may enter the school to do so,” she said via e-mail. Teachers have been without a contract since June 2013. Their latest proposal was a five-year deal with an eight per cent wage increase and $5,000 signing bonus, while the counter-offer was a sixyear agreement with a seven per cent pay hike and $1,200 signing bonus. Sofas From
899
$
EWIDE
R UP TO 50% OFF STO
FLOORING
150 FAIRVIEW PLACE • PENTICTON • 250-493-1233
DOWNTOWN on 70 BACKSTREET BOULEVARD with FREE PARKING
TOLL FREE: 1-877-404-2950 • PH: 250-492-8104 • WWW.GUERARDS.COM