News

Back up of traffic along Highway 97 following crash (Dave Ogilvie photo)

Driver in fatal crash near Kelowna suspected drunk, distracted, seatbeltless

Police say driver in his 40s died as a result of single-vehicle crash near Drought Road

Sooke RCMP is investigating a series of suspicious fires in the downtown area. (Black Press Media file photo)

Arsonist on the loose: Four suspicious fires unsolved in Sooke

Sooke RCMP seeks information from public

The Zumwalt-class destroyer USS Michael Monsoor was spotted sailing the waters in the Strait of Georgia near Nanaimo on Monday, Oct. 18. (Photo courtesy Tami Mullaly)

Stealthy U.S. Navy warship attracts notice as it sails through waters off Nanaimo

Zumwalt-class destroyer operating near Area Whiskey Golf

This humpback whale known as ‘Pinky’ can now head off to Hawaii after being rescued from entanglement near Ucluelet on Friday. (Photo - Karyssa Arnett, Strawberry Isle Marine Research Society)

B.C. boaters help rescue entangled humpback near Ucluelet

‘Pinky’ freed in time to head to Hawaiian breeding grounds

This humpback whale known as ‘Pinky’ can now head off to Hawaii after being rescued from entanglement near Ucluelet on Friday. (Photo - Karyssa Arnett, Strawberry Isle Marine Research Society)
NDP Member of Parliament Charlie Angus speaks during a news conference, Monday, October 18, 2021 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

NDP calls for independent social media regulator as scrutiny of Facebook heats up

VIDEO: MP says says Facebook seems to ‘drive extremist content and undermine democracy’

NDP Member of Parliament Charlie Angus speaks during a news conference, Monday, October 18, 2021 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
A firefighter stands on the shoreline of the St.Lawrence River Monday, October 18, 2021, where a firefighter drowned during a rescue operation in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

Montreal firefighter dead after falling into St. Lawrence River during rescue mission

Boaters in distress saved, but for an unknown reason fire department rescue boat then capsized

A firefighter stands on the shoreline of the St.Lawrence River Monday, October 18, 2021, where a firefighter drowned during a rescue operation in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Video
NDP Member of Parliament Charlie Angus speaks during a news conference, Monday, October 18, 2021 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
NDP calls for independent social media regulator as scrutiny of Facebook heats up
In this photo released by NASA, a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket with the Lucy spacecraft stands ready to launch from Space Launch Complex 41, Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Lucy will be the first spacecraft to study Jupiter’s Trojan Asteroids. Like the mission’s namesake – the fossilized human ancestor, “Lucy,” whose skeleton provided unique insight into humanity’s evolution – Lucy will revolutionize our knowledge of planetary origins and the formation of the solar system. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP)
VIDEO: NASA’s asteroid hunter Lucy soars into sky with diamonds
A car heads to the U.S. border crossing, Monday, August 9, 2021 in Lacolle, Que., south of Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz
Canadians cheer, Freeland urges caution as U.S. unveils land border travel plan
A vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is shown at a clinic in Toronto on Thursday, January 7, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Kids as young as 5 could get COVID vaccine next month, must wear masks: Dr. Henry
More Videos 
The roundabout at Rockland Road and Highway 19A. Photo courtesy City of Campbell River

Vancouver Island constable sets record straight on how to use a roundabout

Campbell River highway feature has drawn controversy since being introduced in early 2021

  • Oct 16, 2021
The roundabout at Rockland Road and Highway 19A. Photo courtesy City of Campbell River
Minister of State for Child Care Katrina Chen (left) and Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside read to children after child care announcement in Langley, Oct. 18, 2021. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)

B.C. expanding ‘seamless day kindergarten’ pilot program

Before and after school care expanding to 25 districts

Minister of State for Child Care Katrina Chen (left) and Education Minister Jennifer Whiteside read to children after child care announcement in Langley, Oct. 18, 2021. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)
There will be no formal Light Up festival in Ladysmith this year, due to pandemic concerns. (file photo)

Ladysmith Light Up celebrations cancelled again this year

Organizers say cancellation ‘only responsible option’

There will be no formal Light Up festival in Ladysmith this year, due to pandemic concerns. (file photo)
Colin Spires, 50, was last seen in the Burnside-Gorge neighbourhood Sept. 26. (Courtesy VicPD)

MISSING: 50-year-old man last seen in Victoria’s Burnside-Gorge area

Colin Spires last seen Sept. 26

Colin Spires, 50, was last seen in the Burnside-Gorge neighbourhood Sept. 26. (Courtesy VicPD)
(Black Press Media file photo)

Victoria man arrested after alleged indecent act near Sooke high school

Man in custody until his next court appearance on Thursday

(Black Press Media file photo)
In this image from video made available before the start of the convention, former Secretary of State Colin Powell speaks during the second night of the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. (Democratic National Convention via AP)

Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell dead from COVID-19 breakthrough

Powell died at age 84 from COVID-19 complications despite being fully vaccinated

In this image from video made available before the start of the convention, former Secretary of State Colin Powell speaks during the second night of the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020. (Democratic National Convention via AP)
Salmon Arm Secondary graduate Michael Worobey, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona, provides information on the coronavirus and vaccine. (Contributed)

Virus specialist raised in Salmon Arm recommends more COVID rapid testing

Michael Worobey says vaccines ‘incredibly safe,’ still effective against delta variant

Salmon Arm Secondary graduate Michael Worobey, professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona, provides information on the coronavirus and vaccine. (Contributed)
A rock with the message “Every Child Matters” painted on it sits at a memorial outside the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, in Kamloops, B.C., on Thursday, July 15, 2021. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected in Kamloops, B.C., on Monday, where the Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc Nation announced in May the finding of what are believed to be some 200 unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Trudeau to visit Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc Nation in Kamloops

Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc has called on Ottawa to fund a healing centre for residential school survivors

A rock with the message “Every Child Matters” painted on it sits at a memorial outside the former Kamloops Indian Residential School, in Kamloops, B.C., on Thursday, July 15, 2021. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is expected in Kamloops, B.C., on Monday, where the Tk’emlúps te Secwepemc Nation announced in May the finding of what are believed to be some 200 unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre staff members fill water jugs at the Sylvia Grinnell River, just outside Iqaluit, in an undated handout photo. The group has been delivering water to homes and organizations that may not have their own transportation, after the city warned last week its tap water was contaminated with fuel. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Rachel Blais, *MANDATORY CREDIT*

Group delivers water to people without cars after fuel contaminates pipes in Iqaluit

Tap water can still be used for bathing, showering, laundry and washing dishes

Qajuqturvik Community Food Centre staff members fill water jugs at the Sylvia Grinnell River, just outside Iqaluit, in an undated handout photo. The group has been delivering water to homes and organizations that may not have their own transportation, after the city warned last week its tap water was contaminated with fuel. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Rachel Blais, *MANDATORY CREDIT*
A street vendor prepares her produce for sale in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. A group of 17 U.S. missionaries including children was kidnapped by a gang in Haiti on Saturday, Oct. 16, according to a voice message sent to various religious missions by an organization with direct knowledge of the incident. (AP Photo / Joseph Odelyn)

Canadian among missionaries kidnapped in Haiti, organization says

Christian Aid Ministries did not name any of the abducted people

A street vendor prepares her produce for sale in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. A group of 17 U.S. missionaries including children was kidnapped by a gang in Haiti on Saturday, Oct. 16, according to a voice message sent to various religious missions by an organization with direct knowledge of the incident. (AP Photo / Joseph Odelyn)
Passengers flying through the Victoria International Airport continue to risk exposure to COVID-19. (Black Press Media file photo)

COVID-19 detected on 3 flights through Victoria

Flights included Oct. 13 from Calgary, Oct. 12 from Vancouver, Oct. 10 from Edmonton

Passengers flying through the Victoria International Airport continue to risk exposure to COVID-19. (Black Press Media file photo)
Lansdowne Middle School was one of four Greater Victoria schools added to Island Health’s COVID-19 exposure list over the weekend. (Google Streetview)

4 new Greater Victoria school exposures reported over weekend

15 potential COVID-19 exposures, 1 active cluster total

Lansdowne Middle School was one of four Greater Victoria schools added to Island Health’s COVID-19 exposure list over the weekend. (Google Streetview)
District council re-introduced a bylaw last week banning plastic bags. The ban will take effect within six months. (Pixabay.com)

Sooke’s plastic bag ban might expand to other plastics

Ban on plastic bags to take effect within six months

District council re-introduced a bylaw last week banning plastic bags. The ban will take effect within six months. (Pixabay.com)
RCMP are investigating a suspicious fire that gutted a vacant building in Sooke on Oct. 13. (Graeme Roy - The Canadian Press)

Sooke RCMP seek public’s help in fire investigation

Dash-cam video footage sought

RCMP are investigating a suspicious fire that gutted a vacant building in Sooke on Oct. 13. (Graeme Roy - The Canadian Press)