Andrea Rondeau

Chris Bloomfield was shot by police at a Mill Bay trailer park in 2018. Two RCMP officers have now been cleared in his shooting. (Facebook photo)
Chris Bloomfield was shot by police at a Mill Bay trailer park in 2018. Two RCMP officers have now been cleared in his shooting. (Facebook photo)
Larry Fiege, right, from Fiege’s Farm shows a rapt audience the old-fashioned way to tap a Bigleaf Maple during the Maple Syrup Festival at the BC Forest Discovery Centre Feb. 1 and 2, 2020. (Andrea Rondeau/Citizen)

Maple Syrup Festival in Duncan cancelled

The annual syrup festival is a popular event at the BC Forest Discovery Centre

Larry Fiege, right, from Fiege’s Farm shows a rapt audience the old-fashioned way to tap a Bigleaf Maple during the Maple Syrup Festival at the BC Forest Discovery Centre Feb. 1 and 2, 2020. (Andrea Rondeau/Citizen)
Jorie Benjamin does a modern dance performance to ‘La Vie en rose’ by Édith Piaf, Louis Gugliemi and Marguerite Monnot, choreographed by Elise Sampson during the Cowichan Music Festival’s Highlights Concert at the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre on March 1, 2020. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)

Cowichan Music Festival cancelled for 2021

The festival had already been limited to solo performances only for 2021

Jorie Benjamin does a modern dance performance to ‘La Vie en rose’ by Édith Piaf, Louis Gugliemi and Marguerite Monnot, choreographed by Elise Sampson during the Cowichan Music Festival’s Highlights Concert at the Cowichan Performing Arts Centre on March 1, 2020. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)
The pantomime ‘Snow White and the 5 Dwarfs’ has been cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. (Submitted)

Pantomime cancelled in Cowichan due to COVID restrictions

A partnership of the Cowichan Musical Society, the Shawnigan Players, and the Mercury Players.

The pantomime ‘Snow White and the 5 Dwarfs’ has been cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions. (Submitted)
Almost everyone in the Cowichan Valley had power back Thursday morning, after a windstorm overnight Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021 caused mass outages. (screenshot)

Power back on for most following windstorm

Only two outages remained in the Cowichan Valley Thursday morning

Almost everyone in the Cowichan Valley had power back Thursday morning, after a windstorm overnight Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021 caused mass outages. (screenshot)
Firefighters work on the balcony of a burned out unit at the Lewis Apartments in the 2500-block of Lewis Street Thursday afternoon. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)

Investigation continues into fatal apartment fire in Duncan

There is no indication of any illegal drugs/activity that may have been the cause of the blaze

Firefighters work on the balcony of a burned out unit at the Lewis Apartments in the 2500-block of Lewis Street Thursday afternoon. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)
Cowichan Tribes has issued an evacuation order for two areas within the First Nation on Jan. 2, 2021. (screenshot)

Flooding causes evacuation order for Cowichan Tribes land; COVID-19 confirmed within First Nation

Cowichan Tribes issued an evacuation order for the Wil’seem Road and Sahilton Road areas

Cowichan Tribes has issued an evacuation order for two areas within the First Nation on Jan. 2, 2021. (screenshot)
Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy are inviting audiences into their home for ‘A Celtic Family Christmas’. (Submitted)

Natalie MacMaster coming to you through Cowichan Performing Arts Centre

Here’s your chance to enjoy the famed fiddler in an online show with her husband Donnell Leahy.

Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy are inviting audiences into their home for ‘A Celtic Family Christmas’. (Submitted)
Brenda’s Brats have cancelled their Christmas variety shows due to COVID-19, but they are hoping you will still donate to the CMS Food Bank. (Submitted)

Cancellations dot the Cowichan event calendar

Christmas train and Run For The Claus among the events that won’t happen

Brenda’s Brats have cancelled their Christmas variety shows due to COVID-19, but they are hoping you will still donate to the CMS Food Bank. (Submitted)
Equipment demolished what is left of a house on Mountain View Drive near Lake Cowichan after a house fire this morning, Nov. 27, 2020. (Sarah Simpson/Gazette)
Equipment demolished what is left of a house on Mountain View Drive near Lake Cowichan after a house fire this morning, Nov. 27, 2020. (Sarah Simpson/Gazette)
(Citizen file)

Hooch the pooch saved from icy Cowichan River

Cowichan Search and Rescue swiftwater team called in to retrieve stranded dog from sandbar

(Citizen file)
North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP are looking for help from the public to identify the driver of a vehicle after a hit and run in Duncan on Oct. 22, 2020. (File photo)

North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP looking for driver after man hit in crosswalk

The hit and run is reported to have taken place on Thursday, Oct. 22

North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP are looking for help from the public to identify the driver of a vehicle after a hit and run in Duncan on Oct. 22, 2020. (File photo)
Provincial Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau speaks at Provincial Green Party headquarters at the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe in Victoria. (Arnold Lim/Black Press)

Cowichan Valley riding being called for Sonia Furstenau; Nanaimo-North Cowichan for Doug Routley

It’s officially Election Day in B.C.’s 2020 provincial snap election and the…

Provincial Green Party leader Sonia Furstenau speaks at Provincial Green Party headquarters at the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe in Victoria. (Arnold Lim/Black Press)
Island Heath has issued an overdose advisory for the Cowichan Valley. If someone has overdosed, administering naloxone can help. (Jenna Hauck/The Progress file photo)

Overdose advisory issued for Cowichan Valley

Drug users are warned to take steps to protect themselves

Island Heath has issued an overdose advisory for the Cowichan Valley. If someone has overdosed, administering naloxone can help. (Jenna Hauck/The Progress file photo)
Check out the debut of the short film ‘Standing By’ tonight on the Cowichan Peforming Arts Centre’s Facebook page. (Submitted photo)

Cowichan Performing Arts Centre streaming new short film tonight

Standing By has been created and performed by Cowichan-raised actor Nicole Ratjen.

Check out the debut of the short film ‘Standing By’ tonight on the Cowichan Peforming Arts Centre’s Facebook page. (Submitted photo)
Sue Coleman’s work will be featured in the window of Imagine That! gallery in downtown Duncan through September 2020. (submitted)

Big September coming up for the arts in Cowichan

Previewing a few of the things coming up this month just north of the Malahat

Sue Coleman’s work will be featured in the window of Imagine That! gallery in downtown Duncan through September 2020. (submitted)
The federal government announced Wednesday, July 15, 2020 that it is funding a safe drug supply pilot program for the Cowichan Valley. (THE NEWS/files)

Feds fund safe drug supply pilot program for Cowichan

The opioid overdose crisis continues to be one of the most serious public health crises

The federal government announced Wednesday, July 15, 2020 that it is funding a safe drug supply pilot program for the Cowichan Valley. (THE NEWS/files)
The Vancouver Island Symphony can’t perform in its traditional fashion due to COVID-19, so they’ve set up a series of pop-up concerts, four of which are coming to Saltair this summer. (file photo)

Symphony pop-up concerts coming to central Vancouver Island

Only 40 tickets available for each Vancouver Island Symphony private backyard show

The Vancouver Island Symphony can’t perform in its traditional fashion due to COVID-19, so they’ve set up a series of pop-up concerts, four of which are coming to Saltair this summer. (file photo)
The June 5-7, 2020 drive-in movies at the Cowichan Exhibition grounds were a huge success. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)

Drive-in movies such a success in Cowichan they doubled the features

One hundred per cent of the money collected is going to Nourish Cowichan

The June 5-7, 2020 drive-in movies at the Cowichan Exhibition grounds were a huge success. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)
A minivan crashed into the Merchants building in downtown Duncan on Thursday morning, July 2, 2020. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)

Minivan crashes into building in downtown Duncan

No word yet on the cause of the crash

A minivan crashed into the Merchants building in downtown Duncan on Thursday morning, July 2, 2020. (Kevin Rothbauer/Citizen)