Community

Luncheon group honouring Cim MacDonald, second on the right, for her longtime work as curator with the Festival of Murals Society. (Photo by Daphne Carlyle)

Longtime Chemainus mural curator touches upon many career moments

Cim MacDonald retiring after 25 memorable years of keeping murals in peak condition

Luncheon group honouring Cim MacDonald, second on the right, for her longtime work as curator with the Festival of Murals Society. (Photo by Daphne Carlyle)
Helen Owen is the executive director for the Quatse Community Health Centre in Port Hardy. (Tyson Whitney - North Island Gazette)

Executive director talks about Port Hardy’s new community health centre

Four doctors confirmed for centre slated to open soon in Thunderbird Mall

Helen Owen is the executive director for the Quatse Community Health Centre in Port Hardy. (Tyson Whitney - North Island Gazette)
Muay Thai students Logan Orr (14) (left) and Logan Yancey (15) stand with their coaches and co-owners of World Class Muay Thai Gym Artur Nowacki and Jessica Gladstone. Both Orr and Yancey brought pride to their coaches and the community as they represented Canada at the 2023 WBC Muay Thai Junior Nationals in Calgary on April 9. (Courtesy of World Class Muay Thai)

Young Vancouver Island Muay Thai fighter headed to world championships

Cowichan Valley gym inspiring youngsters in the sport and beyond

Muay Thai students Logan Orr (14) (left) and Logan Yancey (15) stand with their coaches and co-owners of World Class Muay Thai Gym Artur Nowacki and Jessica Gladstone. Both Orr and Yancey brought pride to their coaches and the community as they represented Canada at the 2023 WBC Muay Thai Junior Nationals in Calgary on April 9. (Courtesy of World Class Muay Thai)
A big crowd turned out for the Cowichan Craft Beer and Food Festival in 2022 at the Chemainus Ball Park’s Larry Irving Field. (File photo by Don Bodger)

Alternating schedule the solution for retaining two prominent Chemainus events

Fall Festival in October and the next Craft Beer and Food Festival in 2024

A big crowd turned out for the Cowichan Craft Beer and Food Festival in 2022 at the Chemainus Ball Park’s Larry Irving Field. (File photo by Don Bodger)
Ally Badger, Mid Island Pinball League member, racks up a high score on a Led Zeppelin pinball machine at Curious Comicon in Nanaimo on May 6. (Karl Yu/News Bulletin)

Flippers fly at pinball arcade at Nanaimo’s Curious Comicon

Mid Island Pinball League attraction among the highlights of Country Club Centre event

Ally Badger, Mid Island Pinball League member, racks up a high score on a Led Zeppelin pinball machine at Curious Comicon in Nanaimo on May 6. (Karl Yu/News Bulletin)
Spring cleaning in Chemainus means mural washing, a job Wayne Gilmore’s been doing since 2001. (Photo by Art Carlyle)

Gilmore the Mr. Clean of Chemainus with his mural washing routine

More than two decades at the job of removing filth

Spring cleaning in Chemainus means mural washing, a job Wayne Gilmore’s been doing since 2001. (Photo by Art Carlyle)
Penticton’s Mae Smith celebrated her 100th birthday at the Concorde Retirement Community on Wednesday, May 3. (Logan Lockhart- Western News)

‘I’m so fortunate’: Penticton’s Mae Smith celebrates 100th birthday

The Penticton resident was joined by family and friends to mark the milestone Wednesday

Penticton’s Mae Smith celebrated her 100th birthday at the Concorde Retirement Community on Wednesday, May 3. (Logan Lockhart- Western News)
Nikki Toxopeus prepares to cut Scotch broom along the rail line in Ladysmith. She is hoping to get a corps of volunteers together to take on the invasive plant that is taking over many special spaces in Ladysmith and surrounding areas. (Duck Paterson photo)

Volunteers cutting broom to try to keep it out of Vancouver Island’s ‘special places’

BroomBusters looking to boost efforts in Ladysmith, Cedar, Cassidy and elsewhere

  • May 3, 2023
Nikki Toxopeus prepares to cut Scotch broom along the rail line in Ladysmith. She is hoping to get a corps of volunteers together to take on the invasive plant that is taking over many special spaces in Ladysmith and surrounding areas. (Duck Paterson photo)
Veronica Carroll, CEO of the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island, picks a smile cookie to kick off the smile cookie campaign at Tim Hortons. The campaign, which runs May 1 to 7, has raised $362,585 for the foundation in the last nine years. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

VIDEO: Smile cookies raise cash for Island kids, families facing health crises

May 1 to 7 marks 10th year of Tim Horton’s smile cookie campaign

Veronica Carroll, CEO of the Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island, picks a smile cookie to kick off the smile cookie campaign at Tim Hortons. The campaign, which runs May 1 to 7, has raised $362,585 for the foundation in the last nine years. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)
The District of Sooke awarded more than $122,000 in community grants this year. (File - Sooke News Mirror)

Council approves over $122K for non-profits in Sooke

Some councillors question process

The District of Sooke awarded more than $122,000 in community grants this year. (File - Sooke News Mirror)
Mount Baker vents regularly with steam visible depending on weather. (Photo by Gary Woodburn)

A picturesque volcano, Mount Baker steaming is ‘mostly’ hot water, says UVic prof

American Cascades include multiple volcanoes, both active and dormant

Mount Baker vents regularly with steam visible depending on weather. (Photo by Gary Woodburn)
Members of Victoria’s Chinese diaspora community lay flowers and light incense in celebration of Qingming at the Chinese Cemetery at Harling Point in Oak Bay April 5. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

‘They paved the way for us’: Chinese community honours others at Island cemetery

Qingming event held at historic cemetery at Harling Point in Victoria

Members of Victoria’s Chinese diaspora community lay flowers and light incense in celebration of Qingming at the Chinese Cemetery at Harling Point in Oak Bay April 5. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Masami Teramachi (right) delivers her map to Burnside-Gorge Community Association board member Michelle Peterson. (Courtesy Masami Teramachi)

UVic graduate depicts locals’ favourite spots with hand-drawn Greater Victoria maps

Masami Teramachi’s latest Saanich map was a collaboration with a community group

Masami Teramachi (right) delivers her map to Burnside-Gorge Community Association board member Michelle Peterson. (Courtesy Masami Teramachi)
The Victoria petting zoo welcomes its first two baby goats of the season – Jupiter and Solaris. (Beacon Hill Children’s Farm/Facebook)

Baby goats are back: Victoria petting zoo celebrates celestial kids after loss

Goat run returns to Beacon Hill Park as children’s farm welcomes spring babies

The Victoria petting zoo welcomes its first two baby goats of the season – Jupiter and Solaris. (Beacon Hill Children’s Farm/Facebook)
Clay Johnson at Stephenson Point on his 191st day of jumping into the ocean to raise awareness for people that struggle with eating disorders. (Bailey Seymour/News Bulletin)

Nanaimo teen jumping into the ocean every day for eating disorder awareness

Clay Johnson is nearing his 200th daily dip

Clay Johnson at Stephenson Point on his 191st day of jumping into the ocean to raise awareness for people that struggle with eating disorders. (Bailey Seymour/News Bulletin)
Miss Earth Canada Layanna Robinson, a Victoria resident, works alongside the students and community members March 9 in Mystic Vale at the University of Victoria. (Courtesy Greater Victoria Green Team)

PHOTOS: Miss Earth Canada pulls weeds with Greater Victoria Green Team

Of the 133 volunteers, 34 visited Mystic Vale for the first time

Miss Earth Canada Layanna Robinson, a Victoria resident, works alongside the students and community members March 9 in Mystic Vale at the University of Victoria. (Courtesy Greater Victoria Green Team)
Jack Rogers looks on as the model trains go by at this year’s Model Train exhibit at the Museum at Campbell River. Photo by Marc Kitteringham/Campbell River Mirror

There’s just something about trains: Model show returns to Campbell River

Annual Model Train Show taps into ‘Canadian psyche’ around trains — Ken Blackburn

Jack Rogers looks on as the model trains go by at this year’s Model Train exhibit at the Museum at Campbell River. Photo by Marc Kitteringham/Campbell River Mirror
Kevin Smith thinks it’s time to let people know about the crime around Chemainus, rather than burying the information or pretending it didn’t happen. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Chemainus business hit with $100,000 theft of gold and silver items

Owner calls for more awareness, security measures to combat crime

Kevin Smith thinks it’s time to let people know about the crime around Chemainus, rather than burying the information or pretending it didn’t happen. (Photo by Don Bodger)
Nathan Cotton and his family are grateful for the support of Variety - the Children’s Charity of BC after Nathan suffered two concussions in one day in 2021, leaving him with post-concussion syndrome. (Submitted photo)

Parksville family grateful for support from Variety – the Children’s Charity of BC

Injuries left 14-year-old with post-concussion syndrome

Nathan Cotton and his family are grateful for the support of Variety - the Children’s Charity of BC after Nathan suffered two concussions in one day in 2021, leaving him with post-concussion syndrome. (Submitted photo)
Burnaby Bulldogs celebrate their championship in the Cowichan Valley Minor Hockey Association Memorial Under 18 Tournament at Fuller Lake Arena Monday. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Winners all-around during a memorable hockey tournament

Burnaby captures the big prize in a shootout; many grateful individuals receive recognition

Burnaby Bulldogs celebrate their championship in the Cowichan Valley Minor Hockey Association Memorial Under 18 Tournament at Fuller Lake Arena Monday. (Photo by Don Bodger)