Jake Romphf

Cody (C.J.) Poole works on the solar-powered cart that’s been his home for months. He and others are hoping to build versions of the carts for their homeless friends living with physical disabilities. The cart and Poole’s other belongings were impounded by bylaw on June 23. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Victoria homeless entrepreneurial project stifled as bylaw takes belongings

Impounding items breaks recently built trust between unhoused and bylaw, organizer says

Cody (C.J.) Poole works on the solar-powered cart that’s been his home for months. He and others are hoping to build versions of the carts for their homeless friends living with physical disabilities. The cart and Poole’s other belongings were impounded by bylaw on June 23. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
Victoria is asking the province to do more on boosting biodiversity and protections for renters. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria asks B.C. to clamp down on no-fault evictions, rent increases

Capital UBCM resolution also hopes hopes province will boost biodiversity

Victoria is asking the province to do more on boosting biodiversity and protections for renters. (Black Press Media file photo)
Researchers believe the young whale, pictured here off Tofino on June 19, is a newborn belonging to L-pod. (Courtesy of Howie Tom)

Orca newborn seen off Tofino believed to be pod’s first calf in years

Researchers say the calf was seen swimming with L-pod this month

Researchers believe the young whale, pictured here off Tofino on June 19, is a newborn belonging to L-pod. (Courtesy of Howie Tom)
Victoria is looking at banning sheltering at Topaz and other parks. Pictured is tents at Topaz Park in 2020. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria mayor pushes to ban sheltering at more parks amid call for pause

Shelter bans at Topaz, Hollywood and Regatta Point parks could bring more trauma, group warns

Victoria is looking at banning sheltering at Topaz and other parks. Pictured is tents at Topaz Park in 2020. (Black Press Media file photo)
The CRD’s search for immediate alternatives for biosolids is becoming urgent as the current filling area at Hartland landfill is being “exhausted at a much higher rate than anticipated.” Pictured is a 2020 aerial shot of a section of the landfill. (YouTube/Capital Regional District)

CRD won’t spread biosolids locally but could still ship them to Nanaimo area

Primary and contingency plans falter as local landfill being exhausted faster than expected

The CRD’s search for immediate alternatives for biosolids is becoming urgent as the current filling area at Hartland landfill is being “exhausted at a much higher rate than anticipated.” Pictured is a 2020 aerial shot of a section of the landfill. (YouTube/Capital Regional District)
Grace Lore, MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill speaks during an announcement in May 2022. The province has announced new funding for youth counselling at the Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria newcomer centre gets funding for youth mental health

Funding to support tailored counselling for immigrant and refugee youth this year

Grace Lore, MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill speaks during an announcement in May 2022. The province has announced new funding for youth counselling at the Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees. (Black Press Media file photo)
The CRD’s search for immediate alternatives for biosolids is becoming urgent as the current filling area at Hartland landfill is being “exhausted at a much higher rate than anticipated.” Pictured is a 2020 aerial shot of a section of the landfill. (YouTube/Capital Regional District)

CRD could spread treated sewage on local lands after Nanaimo-area criticism

Primary and contingency plans falter as local landfill being exhausted faster than expected

The CRD’s search for immediate alternatives for biosolids is becoming urgent as the current filling area at Hartland landfill is being “exhausted at a much higher rate than anticipated.” Pictured is a 2020 aerial shot of a section of the landfill. (YouTube/Capital Regional District)
A technician with the Substance Drug Checking project uses an infrared spectrometer to test drug samples. Researchers hope the technology could help the shift to automated services. (Courtesy of Jay Wallace)

UVic researchers hope to boost drug-checking access through automation

Automated services would alleviate need for technicians, increase access in small communities

A technician with the Substance Drug Checking project uses an infrared spectrometer to test drug samples. Researchers hope the technology could help the shift to automated services. (Courtesy of Jay Wallace)
Members of the Victoria and Saanich police departments accessed the personal information of a local critic while using a police database without the authority to do so. Pictured are Saanich police Chief Dean Duthie (left) and Victoria police Chief Del Manak. (Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria, Saanich police forces improperly surveyed accountability critic

B.C.’s privacy watchdog found police ran man’s name through database without authority

Members of the Victoria and Saanich police departments accessed the personal information of a local critic while using a police database without the authority to do so. Pictured are Saanich police Chief Dean Duthie (left) and Victoria police Chief Del Manak. (Black Press Media file photo)
Cody (C.J.) Poole works on the solar-powered cart that’s been his home for months. He and others are hoping to build versions of the carts for their homeless friends living with physical disabilities. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Homeless entrepreneurs hope Victoria backs micro-home enterprise

Initiative hopes to reduce bike theft by transitioning skilled unhoused people into legal work

Cody (C.J.) Poole works on the solar-powered cart that’s been his home for months. He and others are hoping to build versions of the carts for their homeless friends living with physical disabilities. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
A former Saanich IT manager has been accused in a civil lawsuit from B.C.’s attorney general of wrongfully copying and distributing municipal records, including ones containing personal information. (Black Press Media file photo)

Former Saanich IT manager accused of sharing personal data now works with Elections BC

Elections agency says data protections in place, shared files deal with son’s neighbour dispute

A former Saanich IT manager has been accused in a civil lawsuit from B.C.’s attorney general of wrongfully copying and distributing municipal records, including ones containing personal information. (Black Press Media file photo)
Kristianne Stone stands by the fire escape that she would need to use if a fire broke out at her Cook Street apartment building, but the stairway remains unsafe after months. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Victoria tenant’s fears persist as fire safety systems go unresolved for months

City asked to step in as woman says apartment’s fire escape ready to cave in

Kristianne Stone stands by the fire escape that she would need to use if a fire broke out at her Cook Street apartment building, but the stairway remains unsafe after months. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
Officials at Ship Point on June 6 announced Victoria will host Hockey Day in Canada in January 2024. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Victoria nets Hockey Day in Canada to showcase city, highlight mental health

National broadcast, days of public events coming to Ship Point

Officials at Ship Point on June 6 announced Victoria will host Hockey Day in Canada in January 2024. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
(file photo)

Police liaisons dropped as Greater Victoria school district eyes expert supports

Board ends program amid concern for marginalized students, lack of police interaction protocols

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The vintage atmosphere of the tasting room at Swift Brewery in Victoria. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Swift brewery brings nostalgic tasting room to Victoria’s harbourfront

New brewery draws inspiration from your grandparent’s basement and local beer culture

The vintage atmosphere of the tasting room at Swift Brewery in Victoria. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon has announced Vancouver and Victoria among the 10 inaugural communities subject to new housing targets. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)

Greater Victoria mayors welcome being subject to new housing supply targets

Victoria, Saanich, Oak Bay among the first being tied to province’s growth mandates

Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon has announced Vancouver and Victoria among the 10 inaugural communities subject to new housing targets. (The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck)
The top microscopic image shows a pteropod with shell dissolution, the white areas, that were exposed to acidic water while the bottom image shows the usual translucent appearance of the sea snail in non-acidic water. It’s part of what helped a UVic researcher question pteropods being a bioindicator for the effects of ocean acidification. (Courtesy of Matt Miller)

UVic sea butterfly study challenges their ocean acidification indicator role

Pteropod shells could be more resilient to, but still face risks from increasingly acidic waters

The top microscopic image shows a pteropod with shell dissolution, the white areas, that were exposed to acidic water while the bottom image shows the usual translucent appearance of the sea snail in non-acidic water. It’s part of what helped a UVic researcher question pteropods being a bioindicator for the effects of ocean acidification. (Courtesy of Matt Miller)
Tim Naimi is the director of the University of Victoria’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research and the lead of a program that grades Canadian jurisdictions on their alcohol policies. The updated grading recently gave B.C. a failing grade. (Courtesy of Amanda Farrell-Low)

B.C. gets failing grade on alcohol policies from UVic-led national project

Project’s lead flags alcohol’s impact on public health in call for strengthened regulations

Tim Naimi is the director of the University of Victoria’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research and the lead of a program that grades Canadian jurisdictions on their alcohol policies. The updated grading recently gave B.C. a failing grade. (Courtesy of Amanda Farrell-Low)
Ian Cooper combs through mowed-down plants along the Galloping Goose trail section in Saanich. (Jake Romphf/ News Staff)

Invertebrate inspector decries mowed-down habitats in Galloping Goose trail margins

CRD says vegetation maintenance needed as areas abuzz with pollinators and insects

Ian Cooper combs through mowed-down plants along the Galloping Goose trail section in Saanich. (Jake Romphf/ News Staff)
Greater Victoria businesses are signing up with Too Good To Go, an app that pairs restaurants and grocers to users with the aim of cuting down the amount of perfectly good food going to waste. (Courtesy of Too Good To Go)

Victoria businesses cutting out waste with food-saving app

Too Good To Go helps people buy leftover food for a third of the cost

Greater Victoria businesses are signing up with Too Good To Go, an app that pairs restaurants and grocers to users with the aim of cuting down the amount of perfectly good food going to waste. (Courtesy of Too Good To Go)