Wolf Depner

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Tom Michell of Michell’s Farm outside Victoria shows damage that heat caused on his raspberry crop. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Vancouver Island farmers face significant crop losses due to excessive heat

Berry patches suffer extensive damage, but high temperatures a benefit for corn growers

Tom Michell of Michell’s Farm outside Victoria shows damage that heat caused on his raspberry crop. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Butchart Gardens in Central Saanich remains closed until Wednesday, 9 a.m. because of what the business calls “extreme heat” after closing its doors Sunday at noon. (Black Press Media File)

Butchart Gardens closed due to extreme heat

The popular tourist destination says it will re-open Wednesday at 9 a.m. after closing Sunday noon

Butchart Gardens in Central Saanich remains closed until Wednesday, 9 a.m. because of what the business calls “extreme heat” after closing its doors Sunday at noon. (Black Press Media File)
Sidney resident Martha Kenny, here seen with her papillons, Vapr and Daisey, would like to see the public take more care when it comes to transporting animals after witnessing a rottweiler fall out of a truck. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Safety of dogs in focus with rising heat, incident in Victoria

Resident concerned after watching rottweiler fall out of truck in Sidney

Sidney resident Martha Kenny, here seen with her papillons, Vapr and Daisey, would like to see the public take more care when it comes to transporting animals after witnessing a rottweiler fall out of a truck. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Swanwick Ranch in Metchosin, featuring an award-winning home on 67 acres of property overlooking the ocean, recently sold for a record-setting, yet undisclosed amount. (Sotheby’s International Realty Canada photo)

Oceanfront home sells for highest price ever recorded in Greater Victoria

Listed at $14.1 million, Swanwick Ranch in Metchosin sold to an undisclosed buyer

Swanwick Ranch in Metchosin, featuring an award-winning home on 67 acres of property overlooking the ocean, recently sold for a record-setting, yet undisclosed amount. (Sotheby’s International Realty Canada photo)
Deep Cove Elementary School principal Shelley Hardcastle (right) and vice-principal Mary Kaercher help to restock Reay Creek with fish – in this case, coho fry – after a recent bleach spill killed hundreds of fish. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Greater Victoria elementary school restocks creek after suspected bleach spill kills hundreds of fish

Popular spot for local students devastated by spill

Deep Cove Elementary School principal Shelley Hardcastle (right) and vice-principal Mary Kaercher help to restock Reay Creek with fish – in this case, coho fry – after a recent bleach spill killed hundreds of fish. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Jeff Corntassel

B.C. scholar says restoring Indigenous place names a step toward reconciliation

University of Victoria’s Jeff Corntassel says it’s a statement of ‘we’re still here’

Jeff Corntassel
Crews recovered several hundred fish including 318 cutthroats from Reay Creek over two days after a suspected bleach leak. (Ian Bruce/Submitted)

Several hundred fish dead in Vancouver Island creek after suspected bleach leak

Ian Bruce of Peninsula Streams Society calls for speedy, proper investigation

Crews recovered several hundred fish including 318 cutthroats from Reay Creek over two days after a suspected bleach leak. (Ian Bruce/Submitted)
Cst. Paul Mittelsteadt, community policing officer for Sidney/North Saanich RCMP, said local RCMP are currently dealing with “a huge uptick” in complaints involving scams. (Black Press Media File)

Significant rise in scam complaints received by Vancouver Island RCMP detachment

Sidney/North Saanich community policing officer offers a variety of ways to avoid being scammed

Cst. Paul Mittelsteadt, community policing officer for Sidney/North Saanich RCMP, said local RCMP are currently dealing with “a huge uptick” in complaints involving scams. (Black Press Media File)
Plans to restore the ecology of Sidney Island include the eradication of fallow deer first introduced in the early 1900s. (Parks Canada/Submitted)

Parks Canada wants to eradicate invasive deer on small island near Victoria

Proposal to shoot about 400-500 fallow deer part of a larger plan to restore local ecology

Plans to restore the ecology of Sidney Island include the eradication of fallow deer first introduced in the early 1900s. (Parks Canada/Submitted)
The new wing at the Victoria International Airport opened up on Thursday (File contributed/YYJ)

Pandemic takes ‘hundreds of millions’ out of Victoria Airport, Vancouver Island economy

Airport authority head says passenger volumes down as much as 98 per cent

The new wing at the Victoria International Airport opened up on Thursday (File contributed/YYJ)
Vincent Doumeizel, senior advisor at the United Nations Global Compact on Oceans, as well as director for the Food Programme for the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, pulls up some sugar kelp seaweed off the French coast in April 2020. He was the keynote speaker during the opening ceremony of the inaugural Seaweed Days Festival. (Vincent Doumeizel/Submitted)

Let’s hear it for seaweed: slimy, unsexy and the world’s greatest untapped food source

Experts talks emerging industry’s challenges and potential at Sidney inaugural Seawood Days Festival

Vincent Doumeizel, senior advisor at the United Nations Global Compact on Oceans, as well as director for the Food Programme for the Lloyd’s Register Foundation, pulls up some sugar kelp seaweed off the French coast in April 2020. He was the keynote speaker during the opening ceremony of the inaugural Seaweed Days Festival. (Vincent Doumeizel/Submitted)
BC Ferries denied a “handful” of customers travel over the weekend following the implementation of the new provincial ban on non-essential travel between regions. (Black Press Media File)

Traffic down, issues few as BC Ferries enjoys smooth weekend under new restrictions

BC Ferries denied a ‘handful’ of customers travel over the weekend with no serious pushback

BC Ferries denied a “handful” of customers travel over the weekend following the implementation of the new provincial ban on non-essential travel between regions. (Black Press Media File)
Inflation rose 2.2 per cent in March 2021 compared to March 2020, according to Statistics Canada. Month-to-month inflation rose 1.1 per cent in March over February. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang)

Inflation up 2.2% in March but figures reflect declines during pandemic

Monthly inflation rose 1.1 per cent in March over February

Inflation rose 2.2 per cent in March 2021 compared to March 2020, according to Statistics Canada. Month-to-month inflation rose 1.1 per cent in March over February. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang)
New figures show Canadian housing prices outpacing those in other developed countries. (Black Press Media file photo)

Canadian housing prices fastest rising in the world

Relative to 2000, housing prices have risen by a factor of more than 2.5

New figures show Canadian housing prices outpacing those in other developed countries. (Black Press Media file photo)
This photo shows crews battling the fire at 7987 Galbraith Cres. that caused extensive damage and displaced six residents early Sunday morning. (Central Saanich Fire/Department Twitter)

Six fortunate to escape terrifying early-morning fire in Greater Victoria

Damage to the duplex extensive with one resident said to be ‘catatonic’ after escaping building

This photo shows crews battling the fire at 7987 Galbraith Cres. that caused extensive damage and displaced six residents early Sunday morning. (Central Saanich Fire/Department Twitter)
The first cruise ship of the 2019 season – the Celebrity Eclipse – docks in Victoria. (Black Press Media file photo)

Tourism spending in Canada dropped by almost 50 per cent in 2020

Tourism-related jobs dropped by almost 29 per cent

The first cruise ship of the 2019 season – the Celebrity Eclipse – docks in Victoria. (Black Press Media file photo)
Monica Stevenson, clinical nurse lead, public health for Island Health, shows demonstrates the size of a dose of the Pfizer/Biontech COVID-19 vaccine prior at Sidney’s Mary Winspear Centre. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Survey says 3 in 4 Canadians willing to get vaccinated

Willingness though varies by sociological group

Monica Stevenson, clinical nurse lead, public health for Island Health, shows demonstrates the size of a dose of the Pfizer/Biontech COVID-19 vaccine prior at Sidney’s Mary Winspear Centre. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
A new study finds social media has made one in five Canadians lose sleep and become more sedentary. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Social media has robbed 1 in 5 Canadians of sleep

Ninety per cent of Canadians aged 15 to 34 use social media

A new study finds social media has made one in five Canadians lose sleep and become more sedentary. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
A new scheduling model for BC Ambulance paramedics promises more full-time positions, but Troy Clifford, president of president of the Ambulance Paramedics Of BC, fears that the new model will not benefit Central Saanich. (Black Press Media File)

New paramedic service model rolling out this month on Vancouver Island

Province says new scheduling system promises more jobs and better coverage, union not so sure

A new scheduling model for BC Ambulance paramedics promises more full-time positions, but Troy Clifford, president of president of the Ambulance Paramedics Of BC, fears that the new model will not benefit Central Saanich. (Black Press Media File)
A trend of trees and lights still up from the holidays has some Black Press Media readers talking, and sending photos. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Warm glow of Christmas still shining in some B.C. homes

Christmas trees still up, lights stay lit, perhaps as an extended comfort during the pandemic

A trend of trees and lights still up from the holidays has some Black Press Media readers talking, and sending photos. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)