About Us

By Al Paterson
If he was still alive, Les Kerry would be proud of what his enterprise has become. Probably a bit dumbfounded, too. Overwhelmed? Very likely. He would probably also be amazed at the Kelowna we live in today, compared to the one he came to know so intimately.
As Kelowna grew, so did the operation Kerry started: the Kelowna Capital News. A sane person likely wouldn't even attempt what Kerry did back in 1930. That was the year the Great Depression hit full stride, knocking the world economy on its back. But it was also the year Kerry rolled up his sleeves and, with inexhaustible drive and determination, began the Capital News.
You want to talk about humble beginnings? They don't come much humbler than the Capital News. In August of 1930, Kerry published 1,700 copies of the first Kelowna Capital News. He did it on a hand-cranked Gestetner duplicator. Kerry's first office was the dining room table of his boarding house. Kerry was the publisher, editor, reporter, ad salesman and press man. Those early KCN editions were printed on 81/2 by 14-inch paper. And as Kelowna grew, so did the Capital News. When the Memorial Arena opened in 1948, the Capital News was front and centre.
Fifty one years later, the Capital News was on hand as the successor to Memorial Arena, Skyreach Place, became operational. When the bridge across Okanagan Lake was officially opened in 1958 by Princess Margret, the Cap News was there. When Queen Elizabeth arrived at the Kelowna Airport, the Cap News was there. And when the floating bridge is replaced in the near future, you can bet the Capital News will be on hand to see the first vehicles use it. Provincial premiers WAC Bennett and his son, Bill, used to run the Bennett's Quality Furniture and Appliances at 269 Bernard Ave., just up the street from the Cap News (287 Bernard Ave.).
But the Bennetts came in for considerable criticism when fiery editors Pat Denton, and later, Rainer Ziegenhangen, thought it appropriate. In one way or another, the Cap News was owned by the Kerry family until 1993 when Graham Takoff sold the business to Lower Mainland Publishing Ltd.. Takoff was, and still is, married to Kerry's daughter, Jayne. However, some things haven't changed. Like the promise Kerry made in his first edition: "The columns of the Capital News will be open at all times to any constructive ideas and will always be at the disposal of those whose needs it seeks to serve, without favor, political bias or creed."
The Cap News began as a weekly and stayed that way for 40 years. In 1970, the paper was published twice a week. Then, in 1978, the KCN began its current format, publishing three times weekly. Takoff began with the paper in 1960 as a reporter/ salesman.
But it was during his tenure as publisher that the paper grew to its present size and scope. "The highlight during the 33 years I was with the Capital News was coming to work every day," said Takoff. "Boy, we had some characters over the years, but we had a lot of fun, too." The Kerry presence is still felt at the Capital News because Les's grandson, Brian Takoff, has worked there since 1981. Brian got put of high school in 1977 and tried horseshoeing for four years, but he decided working as a pressman was a better way to make a living.
He started at the bottom, so the family name obviously didnt carry much weight. Brian worked as hard as his father, which is saying something. You can hear it in his voice when Brian talks about Graham. "Yeah, Dad did everything. I believe he was the editor for a while and sometimes he even ran the press. In the late 60s they installed a four-unit press and that really changed everything." One man who was around to witness a lot of those changes firsthand was Marcel Pawlitsky. He is a rarity, a throwback to a time when people spent virtually their entire working lives working for the same outfit. "I started with the Capital News in the spring of 1966," said Pawlitsky. "I retired in May of 1996. It was a wonderful 30 years. This may sound hard to believe, but most of the time I couldn't wait for Monday to come around so I could go back to work. Yes, I loved it that much." Pawlitsky started in the press room doing basically dirty work, but it wasn't long before his talents were recognized and he was promoted to shop foreman, a position he maintained for the rest of his working career at the Capital News. He credits his longevity as an employee to one person: Graham Takoff. "Graham was the best. It was so great because he never doubted me.
He gave me total control of the back shop. Whenever I had a problem, I could go into Graham's office, close the door, and we'd hash it out. We had some dandy arguments, and I can't say I won them all. But I always came out of his office smiling. I owe it all to him." When asked to select the highlight of his 30-year career, Pawlitsky was stumped. "It was always good," he said. "We had good people, we all got along most of the time and we worked hard. It was like a family. We had some great Christmas parties, house parties, and I remember many times Graham and I would go to my house after a few pints and he'd eat all my wife's perogies. He really loved her perogies. That's the kind of operation it was." Today's Capital News is a multi-million dollar-a-year operation. Whereas Kerry began by printing 1,700 copies of the Capital News back in 1930, today that number is 156,000 copies per week. Kerry was his only employee. Today, the Capital News employs 56 full-time people and another 54 part-timers.
Shortly after Lower Mainland Publishing assumed ownership of the Capital News, long-time advertising manager Jim Clark became publisher. In 1997, Clark resigned and Paul Winkler took over as publisher. Winkler left the company in November and his successor was Richard Sadick, the paper's advertising manager since arriving at the Capital News in 1991. In May of 2001, the newspaper was sold by LMPL to a group of private investors headed up by Bruce Hamilton, the owner of the Kelowna Rockets junior hockey league franchise. The transaction has returned the Capital News to its original roots of being an independent community newspaper with local ownership. Sadick left as the publisher in October 2001 and his successor was hired in January 2002, Nigel Lark. He brings with him the experience of working in the journalism business for more than 20 years at various newspapers across Canada and in his native England.
In August of 2003, the newspaper was sold again, this time to Black Press, the largest community newspaper chain in B.C. Integrated into the company's Cariboo Press division, the Capital News instantly became the largest press and newspaper member of the group. The technological and information revolution sweeping the world is being felt nowhere more acutely than in the newspaper industry. With the growing prevalence of the Internet, newspapers are trying to define their new role. Pawlitsky says the secret to the success of the business boils down to the people who work there. "I remember hiring Steve Rudy, that was at least 25 years ago," said Pawlitsky. "There was a time I wouldn't even let him set up the press because I figured I could do it better, but now I can admit it he was better. No, I've never regretted becoming a pressman. It was a good living. I remember one time I went in to Graham's office to ask for a raise. I got him up to five cents an hour more. That was good for the times. We didn't care about getting rich. Nobody goes into the newspaper business to get rich. But we worked hard and put out a product we were proud of. And we made a decent living. That's pretty good, eh?" Les Kerry would agree.
As of February 7, 2005, the Capital News launched a daily paper catering to businesses and downtown coffee shop readers.

Your Community News Team

	Managing Editor Barry Gerding 763-3212

	Advertising Manager Gary Johnston (250) 979-7327

	Classified Manager Amber Gerding 763-3212

	Circulation Manager Glenn Beaudry 763-3212

	Real Estate Advertising 763-3212

	Publisher Nigel Lark 763-3212