Austin Westphal

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The Beach House Restaurant and nearby lots have been listed as for sale. Owner, Kate Phoenix, says operations will continue as normal until the end of August. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Site of historic Cordova Bay venue hits real estate market

Beach House Restaurant to remain open until end of August, owner says

The Beach House Restaurant and nearby lots have been listed as for sale. Owner, Kate Phoenix, says operations will continue as normal until the end of August. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
The single-family residence at 3911 Smugglers Cove Rd. in Saanich is the second most-expensive in the municipality, according to BC Assessment. (Google maps)

Saanich oceanfront among priciest neighbourhoods on Vancouver Island

Three of municipality’s most-expensive residential properties located on Queenswood Drive

The single-family residence at 3911 Smugglers Cove Rd. in Saanich is the second most-expensive in the municipality, according to BC Assessment. (Google maps)
Swimmers sporting festive New Year’s attire enjoy a chilly dip at Willows Beach in Oak Bay on Sunday (Jan. 1). (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Greater Victoria polar bear swimmers plunge into 2023

Cold Water Addicts’ inaugural polar bear swim drew huge turnout at Willows Beach

Swimmers sporting festive New Year’s attire enjoy a chilly dip at Willows Beach in Oak Bay on Sunday (Jan. 1). (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Victoria International Airport air traffic control unit operations specialist Jason Grist watches over the runway on Thursday, Dec. 15. For those who work inside the control tower, Christmas is just another day at the office. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

YYJ’s holiday heroes work around the clock to keep planes safe

Christmas is just another day at the office for the folks at Victoria International Airport

Victoria International Airport air traffic control unit operations specialist Jason Grist watches over the runway on Thursday, Dec. 15. For those who work inside the control tower, Christmas is just another day at the office. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Luna, a five-year-old bull mastiff-golden retriever cross, survived seven days trapped on a narrow ledge high above the waters of Finlayson Arm. (Courtesy Saryta Schaerer)

Courageous canine survives seven days stuck on ledge after fall from Highlands cliff

Luna reunited with her owner following a harrowing rescue

Luna, a five-year-old bull mastiff-golden retriever cross, survived seven days trapped on a narrow ledge high above the waters of Finlayson Arm. (Courtesy Saryta Schaerer)
Fine furniture students work to process lumber from a Garry oak tree that fell on Camosun College’s Lansdowne campus library building during a fall 2022 storm. (Camosun College/Flickr)

Victoria’s Camosun College fine furniture students give new life to fallen Garry oak tree

Tree came down during November wind storm and struck Lansdowne campus library in Saanich

Fine furniture students work to process lumber from a Garry oak tree that fell on Camosun College’s Lansdowne campus library building during a fall 2022 storm. (Camosun College/Flickr)
Urban Thrive’s nine-unit townhouse complex at 2859 Richmond Rd. in Saanich is the first development to be approved by council that doesn’t offer parking. (Courtesy Urban Thrive Developments)

Saanich approves city’s first-ever development with zero parking

Nine-unit townhouse complex to replace single-family home at corner of Richmond Road and Allenby Street

Urban Thrive’s nine-unit townhouse complex at 2859 Richmond Rd. in Saanich is the first development to be approved by council that doesn’t offer parking. (Courtesy Urban Thrive Developments)
Bill Okell shows off his gold medal with Flatout Motorsport’s 1994 Mazda Miata, after a surprise GTL class victory at the Sports Car Club of America 29th American Road Race of Champions. (Courtesy Bill Okell)

Saanich driver wins gold south of the border at 29th American Road Race of Champions

Bill Okell was nearly certain he had finished in second place

Bill Okell shows off his gold medal with Flatout Motorsport’s 1994 Mazda Miata, after a surprise GTL class victory at the Sports Car Club of America 29th American Road Race of Champions. (Courtesy Bill Okell)
Pepper’s Foods management and staff celebrate their bronze Independent Grocer of the Year small surface award, placing it in the top three independent grocery stores in Canada in its category. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Independently owned Saanich grocery store makes top 3 in all of Canada

Pepper’s Foods named third best independently owned grocery retailer in small surface category, again

Pepper’s Foods management and staff celebrate their bronze Independent Grocer of the Year small surface award, placing it in the top three independent grocery stores in Canada in its category. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon cargo spacecraft lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 26, on the company’s 26th commercial resupply services mission for the agency to the International Space Station. (Kim Shiflett/NASA)

Mission accomplished: UVic satellite reaches International Space Station

ORCASat to measure how earth’s atmosphere affects light

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon cargo spacecraft lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 26, on the company’s 26th commercial resupply services mission for the agency to the International Space Station. (Kim Shiflett/NASA)
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. has cleared law enforcement officers of any wrongdoing after a Feb. 21 incident that left a Saanich man dead. (Black Press Media file photo)

Watchdog absolves officers after Saanich man dies during police encounter

IIO finds no wrongdoing after investigation into man who fatally shot himself with crossbow

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. has cleared law enforcement officers of any wrongdoing after a Feb. 21 incident that left a Saanich man dead. (Black Press Media file photo)
The B.C. and transgender flags fly together at the B.C. legislature in Victoria on Sunday (Nov. 20) in recognition of Transgender Day of Remembrance. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

B.C. legislature marks Transgender Day of Remembrance in Victoria

Transgender flag raised to commemorate lives lost to violence

The B.C. and transgender flags fly together at the B.C. legislature in Victoria on Sunday (Nov. 20) in recognition of Transgender Day of Remembrance. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Sarah Fennell, along with several Greater Victoria parents, is speaking out after paying a $1,100 deposit for a daycare spot. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Saanich daycare kerfuffle reveals dire state of childcare in Greater Victoria

Non-refundable deposit not returned once parents learned of provider’s criminal history

Sarah Fennell, along with several Greater Victoria parents, is speaking out after paying a $1,100 deposit for a daycare spot. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
HeroWork hosts its big reveal of Victoria Cool Aid Society’s new and improved downtown community centre on Saturday (Nov. 12), which has been under construction since early August. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Cool Aid Society’s downtown Victoria community centre gets a new look

HeroWork reveals progress on latest ‘radical renovation’

HeroWork hosts its big reveal of Victoria Cool Aid Society’s new and improved downtown community centre on Saturday (Nov. 12), which has been under construction since early August. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Wreaths ornamented with poppies are laid at the cenotaph at Memorial Park during Esquimalt’s Remembrance Day ceremony on Friday (Nov. 11) morning. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Esquimalt honours Canada’s fallen, veterans on Remembrance Day

Hundreds take part in parade, ceremony at Memorial Park cenotaph

Wreaths ornamented with poppies are laid at the cenotaph at Memorial Park during Esquimalt’s Remembrance Day ceremony on Friday (Nov. 11) morning. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Retired Warrant Officer Theresa ‘Terri’ Lynn Orser remembers the peacekeepers at the Langford Cenotaph. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Langford veteran recalls psychological toll of peacekeeping in the Balkans

Terri Orser witnessed action, horror in her 27 years in the Canadian Armed Forces

Retired Warrant Officer Theresa ‘Terri’ Lynn Orser remembers the peacekeepers at the Langford Cenotaph. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Saanich mayoral candidate Fred Haynes (left) and Victoria council candidate Janice Williams both face fines from Elections BC for sponsoring election advertising without a proper authorization statement in the 2022 municipal elections. (Submitted file photos)

Greater Victoria municipal election candidates face fines for violating advertising rules

Fred Haynes, Janice Williams issued monetary penalties for breaking campaign financing rules

Saanich mayoral candidate Fred Haynes (left) and Victoria council candidate Janice Williams both face fines from Elections BC for sponsoring election advertising without a proper authorization statement in the 2022 municipal elections. (Submitted file photos)
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. has cleared law enforcement of any misconduct after a man experiencing a mental health crisis sustained severe injuries while being apprehended by a member of the Integrated Canine Service last year. (Black Press Media file photo)

Watchdog finds no wrongdoing after Saanich man injured by police canine during mental health call

IIO finds no wrongdoing after investigation into October 2021 incident

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. has cleared law enforcement of any misconduct after a man experiencing a mental health crisis sustained severe injuries while being apprehended by a member of the Integrated Canine Service last year. (Black Press Media file photo)
BC Hydro’s power outages map, just after 9 a.m on Saturday, Nov. 5. (BC Hydro)

UPDATE: Thousands in Greater Victoria still without power after major windstorm

More than 100 crews continue to repair damaged power lines, power poles

BC Hydro’s power outages map, just after 9 a.m on Saturday, Nov. 5. (BC Hydro)
A bison scapula and rib bones were found buried underneath a construction site in Saanich. The bones, which date back at least 12,000 years, were discovered on Oct. 19 and recovered Wednesday (Nov. 2). (Courtesy Broadmead Care)

Bison bones thousands of years old unearthed at Saanich construction site

Bones estimated to be between 12,000 to 14,000 years old

A bison scapula and rib bones were found buried underneath a construction site in Saanich. The bones, which date back at least 12,000 years, were discovered on Oct. 19 and recovered Wednesday (Nov. 2). (Courtesy Broadmead Care)