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This is where cold facts yield to the hottest of takes. Here you'll find reader responses to stories, letters to the editor and newsletter editorials, or letters to the editor for the week. They may have been edited slightly for readability.

RE: Sept. 8, 2025 newsletter editorial on gambling advertising

I was very disappointed in Connor McDavid when he did his promotion with Auston Matthews/Gretzky in the early times of gambling ads.
Connor redeemed himself with a “know your limits!” ad. These are very influential people, especially with younger hockey players.
It’s “not all about the money!”
Hopefully, Connor and his representatives realize this and his VALUES take precedence over money.

— Bill Hetland, via email

I was horrified when the Supreme Court in the USA approved gambling (probably not the correct wording) but it has gone totally crazy since then!

— John Pinter, via email

Tough one that is. I always lean towards it being the responsibility of the parents to teach some common sense when it comes to decisions like this. But, if that worked, you wouldn't be asking the question. Some get it, some don't. For various reasons it appears many don't. But hasn't history taught us that the more you say no, the more they want it. The more you restrict something the more valuable it becomes to find a way to make it available. Can't think of an easy solution except maybe more advertising showing the downside. The result of the wrong decision. Maybe even done to some degree in the popular shows they watch. But we're usually too busy entertaining ourselves to take a lesson. The fun, feel good story most often wins. Many pay the price.

— Warren Caruk, via iNFOnews.ca

Don’t forget to include the advertising for drugs….cannabis stores and wrappers that mimic kids candy packaging? How is this ok? 
Not only are they advertising, they are allowing the vendors to use packaging that will entice or lure kids to use, or accidently,  use their product(s) thinking it is candy.
Our governments have learned nothing other than how to profit by promoting, drugs and crime.

— Sandra Cochran, via email

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Court sides with landlord after North Thompson tenants drilled deadbolts after eviction

So they got another 8 months of free rent and probably won't pay the original delinquent amount either. I wonder why landlords are becoming scarce?

— Martin Sparkes, via iNFOnews.ca

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Reid Hamer-Jackson's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad summer

Reid reminds me of Trump. And the pile of dung just keeps getting deeper. It's going to be a long haul till next election.
I can barely wait to see what council gets re elected or doesn't. GO TRUMP GO.

— Gary Donaldson, via iNFOnews.ca

Council has been picking on Hamer-Jackson since the beginning. He has no chance. He wanted to clean up city hall, but instead got ganged up on by a crooked council out to get him, it's disgusting. Hopefully none of these councilors are ever voted in again.

— Denise Powers, via iNFOnews.ca

Who's going to pay the taxpayers back for the money this fool's throwing away on frivolous lawsuits? Can the taxpayers put a lien on his property so our taxes don't go up because of his stupidity?

— Dianne Jackson, via iNFOnews.ca

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RE: Sept. 5 newsletter editorial on temporary foreign workers

Marshall, I own and run a business in Kamloops. You ask what’s really going on here?....

People want a job and pay but don’t really want to work. I chalk it up to the slow slide towards communism from socialism. The idea that it is not “fair” that successful people get more for more work or risk put in. It doesn’t help with a tax system that punishes people for working more or making more by charging more and more taxes on that higher income. The harder one works, the less as a percentage they get to keep.  Not very incentivizing.

Doesn’t help that both federal and provincial governments seem hell bent on finding more ways to pay people NOT to work. Between adding more stat holidays and trying to increase the number of paid sick days. You tell people they get paid to be sick, they will be sick. I blame the Universities.

— Sergei Tashlikowich, Kamloops, via email

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RE: Aug. 29, 2025 newsletter editorial on local apples returning to market

Finally! My husband is a HUGE fan of the old school Red Delicious variety found in the heritage orchards in the Okanagan, while I am a big fan of the tart Granny Smiths and similar varieties which are better for canning and baking.
Really hoping we decide to stick with local going forward and somebody sees the wisdom of restarting the fruit growers association in some capacity, especially if we start supplying Canada with our local fruit!

— Dianne Jackson, via iNFOnews.ca

Living within 200 metres of a pretty large Apple orchard in Summerland, it seems like they'll have a bumper crop with different varieties this year. Of course, much of the crop previously taken up by the BC Fruit Trees Co-op was kept in huge temperature controlled buildings, and could be distributed to retailers through the next late winter, the spring, the late summer until the new crop was harvested.

My favourite variety is Ambrosia, and, though never buying them in a conventional retail store, here in Summerland we have access to them year round and buy from The Apple Barn. It's a grower's outlet selling many varieties from large containers in the temperature controlled outlet. The door from the parking area is open 24/7, bags are supplied, and customers can buy as much as they want whether all of the same variety, or mixing  the varieties.  Customers weigh their purchases and can make an e-transfer, or put money into a sealed metal container.  This is all done on the honour system - and the cost is very much less than at retail outlets - $1.00 a pound!!

Can't beat that.

— Bob Mason, via email

In the Vernon area, you can get apples from the farmer from August to June and sometime July.  All you have to do is drive down old Kamloops road and they are on the side of the highway.  I will admit the ones in the later months of May June have to be eaten fast, but they taste awesome,  when you can’t get apples, you fill that void with the many other fresh fruits and vegetables available.

An apple a day, right.

— Marti Giroux, via email

Did not purchase USA apples. Normally we don't need to as some local apples seem to be available well into Spring. 
This year we found apples from Morocco when Canadian supplies disappeared. Yay!

— Ed Kinnear

Thank you so much for bringing this point to the media! I am very concerned that no one understands the impact of this sign. Only USA apples in a location that was once surrounded by the world's best apple orchards?

Just yesterday I went to 3 different stores before finding an apple made in Canada! I found them in Freshco. I mentioned this to my “organic conscious” friend and he looked at me with little concern. “But they are organic,” he said. But missed the point. We have organic apples less than 100 km from here; why am I paying for apples from California?

Last year I mentioned this to the manager at the Save-on Foods in sahali. Why are you not supporting local farming by selling their fruits here? I refuse to spend my money to support American farmers while Canadian farmers lose money. But I watched as several immigrants gladly bought the apples that were on sale.
Is it because they have no loyalty to this country or is it because we are raised to value a good deal more than where our money is going? Don’t be naive. We can pay for it now, by spending more for an apple orchards later when we support a farmer gone bankrupt but we all pay. Look at the bigger picture.

Not to mention the nutritional difference in an apple grown in local soil and not transported across many states, chemicals added to preserve them.

I shake my head at the people purchasing corn on the cob at Walmart that was flown here from Turkey, when we have a local farmer selling his local corn from the back of his truck at the local market for the same price. It’s a Choice; plain and simple. Supply and Demand. Don’t buy it and Walmart will stop sending it here.
We have a responsibility to do things better than that. We are smarter. Mother Nature is counting on us to choice more wisely.

Please educate us!

- Sherri Lahn, via iNFOnews.ca

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iN PHOTOS: A showcase of railcar graffiti rumbling through Kamloops

I absolutely LOVE railcar graffiti. I photograph this vibrant genre whenever I can which is not often since there are no rail lines where I live. Thank you for this story!

— Alix MacDonald, via iNFOnews.ca

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RE: Aug. 25, 2025 newsletter editorial on the lack of people moving to the Thompson and Okanagan valleys.

In Penticton today and had a couple of hours to wander around. Beautiful town but it relies on tourism and boy are prices high on everything. To me, if you want repeat business you have to have prices that are affordable. Next visit will be with box lunches from home.

— R.B. Manery, via iNFOnews.ca

I, for one am happy to have them leave if that is what they want. So many of them came here, flaunting their cash, and now the cash flow is gone. During the summers, they abused our lakes, forests and roads, then left, having us clean it up. They wanted the big houses, the big cars, and were happy to use our water without concern. They needed those green lawns. I certainly don’t mind people moving to the Okanagan, but it has to be monitored. 

— Marti Giroux, via iNFOnews.ca

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RE: Aug. 27, 2025 newsletter editorial on the Edgewood ostriches

You people are supposed to be smart and helping people stay healthy. Without retesting these birds for avian flu, you are hurting not only the birds and their owners but all science on health. You should be ashamed of yourselves. If I were your boss I would fire you all. You have your heads stuck in the sand.

— Ken Caldwell, Lumby, via email

These birds need to be studied on how they were able to gain herd immunity. Right now, we still have the mentality, Kill Kill Kill anything that doesn't have a solution. These birds are of no danger to anything, they don't have the virus.
Just more political BS!

— Marilyn Leszczynski, via email

I do think you are wrong simply because these are blanket rules and regulations. I believe that sometimes you must decide on an individual basis. And what is wrong with letting this group live and using it as a learning experience. In addition, if someone wants to take these birds away, let them. I am sure there would be some agreement made to ensure there would be no comeback.

— Marti Giroux, via email

You're not wrong. I believe in science, not popularity and especially not big money. When I heard that one of the reasons for culling was because the virus can exist and mutate in these birds, it made sense. It also told me why we humans have to have updated covid shots. We can’t just cull infected humans so we have to keep up with the new variants as they spread from those who are carriers of the virus.
The science community should tell us honestly why they do what they do and not treat us like it’s too complicated for us. Those of us who don’t believe in magic and fiction will understand, trust the collective intelligence of our society. We are reasonably well educated enough to understand.

— Anthony Plourde, Kamloops, via email

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BC nurse who swiped narcotics from work avoids suspension and Aug. 25 newsletter editorial on nurse discipline

I'm guessing the current lack of medical professionals in BC has something to do with the nurse in question not being fired. It's an unfortunate and dangerous situation, but is it worse than not having enough nursing staff to handle patients? 

I don't have an answer, but if we can't fill our shortage during the current disaster in the US, (which is an opportunity for Canada to encourage medical pros to come to Canada), then we're not doing enough to get them here. Incentives, higher pay, better family life. What's it going to take to fix a vital situation that's already costing human lives?

— Karen Klein, via email

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Kaslo woman denied farmers' market stall blames 'spiritually violent people' in court

She should demand a booth in the Walmart McDonalds and sue them next.

— Lola Giddens, via iNFOnews.ca

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Osoyoos homeowner's unique solution to stop dogs from turning Ogopogo yellow

Put a rock border all around with sharp 2 inch rocks dogs hate walking on.

— Leonard Legare, via iNFOnews.ca

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iN PHOTOS: Kamloops nature lover goes on bee hunt

Big fan of these articles. Big fan of your bee pics Darrel :) We all could use more of this.

— Amy Giddens, via iNFOnews.ca

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B.C. ostrich farm seeks new stay of cull order and says CFIA mobilizing 'imminently'

This is just a guess, but I'm a pretty good guesser: The Supreme Court of Canada is going to decline to hear the appeal. There also is not going to be a stay of the order pending appeal. At every level of this proceeding the determination has been consistent. There is no reasonable prospect of success.

— William Mastop, via iNFOnews.ca

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The Latest: Hamas says its leaders survived an Israeli strike on Qatar

An attack like this upon negotiators meeting to review a proposal would seem to make pretty clear the level of Israeli interest in a negotiated settlement. People with no hope of a negotiated settlement don't just go away. The two Palestinians that attacked the people at the bus stop would have known there was no chance of survival but it's not like negotiation is going to aid them or their people.

— William Mastop, Vernon, via iNFOnews.ca

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