Columnists

A registered nurse prepares a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in Halifax on Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. Yukon’s Minister of Community Services, John Streiker, says he’s outraged that a couple from outside the territory travelled to a remote community this week and received doses of COVID-19 vaccine. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan-POOL

TAYLOR: Simple gestures show our faith

COVID-19 will not go away. HIV hasn’t, TB hasn’t. We just learned how to treat them.

  • Jan 28, 2021
A registered nurse prepares a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in Halifax on Monday, Jan. 11, 2021. Yukon’s Minister of Community Services, John Streiker, says he’s outraged that a couple from outside the territory travelled to a remote community this week and received doses of COVID-19 vaccine. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan-POOL
Tanya (Erin Ormond), Donna (Stephanie Roth, and Rosie (Jenni Burke), laugh together in this scene from a rehearsal of ‘Mamma Mia!’ at the Chemainus Theatre. (Lexi Bainas/Citizen)

BOOMER TALK: Laughter is the best medicine

Vernon columnist Carole Fawcett reminds us all to enjoy the funny things in life, it’s good for us

  • Jan 27, 2021
Tanya (Erin Ormond), Donna (Stephanie Roth, and Rosie (Jenni Burke), laugh together in this scene from a rehearsal of ‘Mamma Mia!’ at the Chemainus Theatre. (Lexi Bainas/Citizen)
Vernon Morning Star columnist Sam McNair gives an inside look to One Yoga in Vernon. (Sam McNair - Contributed)

Small Business Spotlight: One Yoga Vernon

It’s 2021 and everyone is looking forward to a new year full…

  • Jan 22, 2021
Vernon Morning Star columnist Sam McNair gives an inside look to One Yoga in Vernon. (Sam McNair - Contributed)
Susan Kootnekoff is the founder of Inspire Law, an Okanagan based-law practice, and provides Kelowna Capital News with weekly stories from the world of local, national and international law. (Contributed)

Kootnekoff: 2019 new directions report on B.C.’s WCB

Susan Kootnekoff is the founder of Inspire Law, her diverse legal career spans over 20 years

  • Jan 22, 2021
Susan Kootnekoff is the founder of Inspire Law, an Okanagan based-law practice, and provides Kelowna Capital News with weekly stories from the world of local, national and international law. (Contributed)
The steel mills in the Hamilton waterfront harbour are shown in Hamilton, Ont., on Tuesday, October 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Dyer: Stay the course on Carbon pricing

Kristy Dyer has a background in art and physics and consulted for Silicon Valley

  • Jan 21, 2021
The steel mills in the Hamilton waterfront harbour are shown in Hamilton, Ont., on Tuesday, October 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
A windstorm Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, hit Lake Country hard closing Hare Road while crews respond to a broken water main. (District of Lake Country - Facebook)

TAYLOR: Discovering the essentials of life

Calendar columnist Jim Taylor reflects on last week’s windstorm

  • Jan 21, 2021
A windstorm Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, hit Lake Country hard closing Hare Road while crews respond to a broken water main. (District of Lake Country - Facebook)
A supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump sits inside the office of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi inside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. Demonstrators breeched security and entered the Capitol as Congress met to certify the 2020 presidential election results. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)

Taylor: Misguided mentality of a mob

Lake Country Calendar columnist examines U.S. Capitol riots from religious lens

  • Jan 14, 2021
A supporter of U.S. President Donald Trump sits inside the office of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi inside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. Demonstrators breeched security and entered the Capitol as Congress met to certify the 2020 presidential election results. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)
Heaton Place resident relations coordinator Carrie O’Neill sits with Richard in Armstrong. (Contributed)

Connection through questions: Armstrong retirement community staff

Heaton Place resident relations coordinator underscores importance of listening, inquiring

  • Jan 11, 2021
Heaton Place resident relations coordinator Carrie O’Neill sits with Richard in Armstrong. (Contributed)
Zoom gatherings, such as this event by the Penticton Tune-Agers, became common during 2020. This was one of many changes to come during an unprecedented year. (Penticton Tune-Agers - YouTube)

COLUMN: Our world will not go back to normal in 2021

Attempting a return to pre-pandemic conditions would be nearly impossible

Zoom gatherings, such as this event by the Penticton Tune-Agers, became common during 2020. This was one of many changes to come during an unprecedented year. (Penticton Tune-Agers - YouTube)
Sovereign Lake Nordic Club is a favourite with nordic skiers. With more than 100 kilometres of combined trails in Vernon, no wonder it’s considered one of BC’s best places for cross-country skiing! Photo courtesy Tourism Vernon.

Taylor: All by myself on the ski trail

After Christmas, I went up the mountain for some cross-country skiing. By…

  • Jan 7, 2021
Sovereign Lake Nordic Club is a favourite with nordic skiers. With more than 100 kilometres of combined trails in Vernon, no wonder it’s considered one of BC’s best places for cross-country skiing! Photo courtesy Tourism Vernon.
Silver Star’s snow and valley inversion at sunset. Eventually, that snow turns into water. (Roseanne Van Ee photo)

Get Outdoors! And protect our snow

Snow is an important part of our ecosystem says outdoor enthusiast

  • Jan 4, 2021
Silver Star’s snow and valley inversion at sunset. Eventually, that snow turns into water. (Roseanne Van Ee photo)
Celebrate the New Year by all means, but don’t expect it to be a reset. Black Press File Photo

2020 was NOT a bad year, so quit blaming it

Illness, grief and disaster have no respect for astrology

Celebrate the New Year by all means, but don’t expect it to be a reset. Black Press File Photo
Wind power or wind energy is the use of wind to provide the mechanical power through wind turbines to turn electric generators and traditionally to do other work, like milling or pumping. (Contributed)

Dyer: Balancing variable solar and wind energy

Kristy Dyer has a background in art and physics and consulted for Silicon Valley

  • Dec 29, 2020
Wind power or wind energy is the use of wind to provide the mechanical power through wind turbines to turn electric generators and traditionally to do other work, like milling or pumping. (Contributed)
One Okanagan man bought and delivered enough food for 10 Christmas dinners for families and individuals in need. (Bruce Shouldice photo)

Boomer Talk: Making A Difference at Christmas

Columnist Carole Fawcett shines light on Good Samaritan

  • Dec 25, 2020
One Okanagan man bought and delivered enough food for 10 Christmas dinners for families and individuals in need. (Bruce Shouldice photo)
One Okanagan man bought and delivered enough food for 10 Christmas dinners for families and individuals in need. (Bruce Shouldice photo)

Okanagan man makes a difference at Christmas

Columnist Carole Fawcett shines light on Good Samaritan

  • Dec 25, 2020
One Okanagan man bought and delivered enough food for 10 Christmas dinners for families and individuals in need. (Bruce Shouldice photo)
As you read this, columnist Roger Knox will be trying unsuccessfully to make his Christmas wrapping look as beautiful and professional as these. (Thinkstock photo)

COLUMN: Wrapping up Christmas

‘Twas the night before Christmas And all through the house If you…

As you read this, columnist Roger Knox will be trying unsuccessfully to make his Christmas wrapping look as beautiful and professional as these. (Thinkstock photo)
They must have been ordered from a catalogue - Avon probably - in the 1950's or 60's. Photo Andrea DeMeer 2020

There is no such thing as the perfect Christmas

Look for the joy in disastrous dinners and melted wax figures

They must have been ordered from a catalogue - Avon probably - in the 1950's or 60's. Photo Andrea DeMeer 2020
A Vernon business displays a sign designed to make you think about shopping local. (Big Sun Beachwear and Tanning)

Giving made easy in Vernon

AT RANDOM: So many ways to help those less fortunate, as well as our neighbours struggling amid COVID-19

A Vernon business displays a sign designed to make you think about shopping local. (Big Sun Beachwear and Tanning)
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry poses with Nisha Yunus, who has been a residential care aide with Vancouver Coastal Health for 41 years. Yunus was one of the first health-care workers in B.C. to receive a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. (BC Government photo)

COLUMN: I will take the COVID-19 vaccine

British Columbians will get their first doses this month

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry poses with Nisha Yunus, who has been a residential care aide with Vancouver Coastal Health for 41 years. Yunus was one of the first health-care workers in B.C. to receive a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. (BC Government photo)
Hundreds of experimental poinsettias in colours of pink, red, white and even polka dot patterns, fill the University of Maryland Research Greenhouse Complex in College Park, Md., in 2003. (Matt Houston/AP photo)

A Gardener’s Diary: Caring for Christmas poinsettias

Columnist Jocelyne Sewell offers points of care to keep Christmas plants cheery all year

  • Dec 19, 2020
Hundreds of experimental poinsettias in colours of pink, red, white and even polka dot patterns, fill the University of Maryland Research Greenhouse Complex in College Park, Md., in 2003. (Matt Houston/AP photo)