Don Descoteau

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Vancouver Island First Nations and others gather on the lawn of the legislature to honour the 215 children who never came home from a Kamloops residential school. The timing of the discovery will affect Victoria’s marking of July 1 as Canada Day this year. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Victoria cancels Canada Day events out of respect for First Nations

Reconciliation-based hour-long TV presentation to air later this summer, rather than July 1

Vancouver Island First Nations and others gather on the lawn of the legislature to honour the 215 children who never came home from a Kamloops residential school. The timing of the discovery will affect Victoria’s marking of July 1 as Canada Day this year. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
Paramedic Matthew Schlatter of Victoria is living a fuller life today due to the double lung transplant he received in 2019. He encourages B.C. residents to register as an organ donor and let their families know their wishes. (Instagram/Matthew Schlatter)

B.C. man living a full, active life after double-lung transplant

Matt Schlatter encourages people to register as an organ donor to help others live

Paramedic Matthew Schlatter of Victoria is living a fuller life today due to the double lung transplant he received in 2019. He encourages B.C. residents to register as an organ donor and let their families know their wishes. (Instagram/Matthew Schlatter)
Frequent buskers Johnny Bomblast, left, and Dave Harris perform in front of Munro’s Books on Government Street. The roommates recently completed a new album of original material entitled Clouds. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)

VIDEO: Not even a pandemic can keep a good B.C. street musician down

Buskers ‘One Man Band’ Dave Harris and Johnny Bomblast team up to record pandemic-inspired album

Frequent buskers Johnny Bomblast, left, and Dave Harris perform in front of Munro’s Books on Government Street. The roommates recently completed a new album of original material entitled Clouds. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)
Overhead view of Forest March BC rally in Centennial Square on Friday, March 19. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)

B.C. residents rally to protect old-growth forests

Protesters at B.C. legislature and dozens of B.C. communities stage ForestMarchBC 2021

Overhead view of Forest March BC rally in Centennial Square on Friday, March 19. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)
Royal B.C. Museum conservator Megan Doxsey-Whitfield kneels next to a carved stone pillar believed to have significance as a First Nations cultural marker by local Indigenous people. The pillar was discovered on the beach at Dallas Road last summer. Museum curatorial staff have been working with Songhees and Esquimalt Nation representatives to gain a clearer picture of its use. (Photo courtesy Royal BC Museum)

Stone carving found on Victoria beach confirmed Indigenous ritual pillar

Discussion underway with the Esquimalt and Songhees about suitable final home for the artifact

Royal B.C. Museum conservator Megan Doxsey-Whitfield kneels next to a carved stone pillar believed to have significance as a First Nations cultural marker by local Indigenous people. The pillar was discovered on the beach at Dallas Road last summer. Museum curatorial staff have been working with Songhees and Esquimalt Nation representatives to gain a clearer picture of its use. (Photo courtesy Royal BC Museum)
Standardized foundation skills assessment tests in B.C. schools will be going ahead later than usual, from Feb. 16 to March 12 for students in Grades 4 and 7. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C. teachers say COVID-affected school year perfect time to end standardized tests

Foundational skills testing of Grade 4 and 7 students planned for February and March

Standardized foundation skills assessment tests in B.C. schools will be going ahead later than usual, from Feb. 16 to March 12 for students in Grades 4 and 7. (Black Press Media file photo)
Victoria-based driving instructors are concerned for their own and the community’s safety with the continued number of residents from COVID hotspots in the Lower Mainland coming to the city to take their driving road tests. (Black Press Media file photo)

Students from COVID hotspots travel to Vancouver Island for driving tests

Union leader calls on government to institute stronger travel ban

Victoria-based driving instructors are concerned for their own and the community’s safety with the continued number of residents from COVID hotspots in the Lower Mainland coming to the city to take their driving road tests. (Black Press Media file photo)
Offices, schools, homes and more offer protection in the event of an earthquake. The Great BC ShakeOut is slated for Oct. 15, but individuals and socially distanced groups can practice earthquake drills anytime. (Black Press media file photo)

Great BC ShakeOut takes a COVID-safe approach for 2020

Public encouraged to host socially distanced earthquake drills Oct. 15 or anytime

Offices, schools, homes and more offer protection in the event of an earthquake. The Great BC ShakeOut is slated for Oct. 15, but individuals and socially distanced groups can practice earthquake drills anytime. (Black Press media file photo)
Pickleball action during the 2019 55+ B.C. Games in Kelowna. While the 2020 Games in Richmond were cancelled due to COVID-19, the Greater Victoria organizing committee has begun planning for hosting the 2021 competition next September. (Rosemary Kean/55+ BC Games Society)

Greater Victoria’s 55+ BC Games committee planning for safe 2021 competition

Richmond cancelled 2020 Games due to COVID, but local organizers optimistic about next year

Pickleball action during the 2019 55+ B.C. Games in Kelowna. While the 2020 Games in Richmond were cancelled due to COVID-19, the Greater Victoria organizing committee has begun planning for hosting the 2021 competition next September. (Rosemary Kean/55+ BC Games Society)
Director Arnold Lim takes a look at the shot on the set of the All-in Madonna short film shot on Piers Island in November 2017. (Photo by Robyn Thomas)

Black Press videographer to direct full-length feature, wins Telefilm grant worth $125,000

Arnold Lim to expand story of All-In Madonna with writer Susie Winters, producer Ana de Lara

Director Arnold Lim takes a look at the shot on the set of the All-in Madonna short film shot on Piers Island in November 2017. (Photo by Robyn Thomas)
Haven’t got your end-of-life arrangements settled yet? The Victoria HarbourCats baseball club is giving away a complete funeral, cremation and wills package during their home game against the Corvallis Knights this Wednesday (July 18). Don Descoteau/Black Press

B.C. baseball team offers funeral prize pack

Wednesday’s West Coast League game in Victoria features draw for end-of-life package

Haven’t got your end-of-life arrangements settled yet? The Victoria HarbourCats baseball club is giving away a complete funeral, cremation and wills package during their home game against the Corvallis Knights this Wednesday (July 18). Don Descoteau/Black Press
Victoria police are on the lookout for a man who showed up at a woman’s home on Friday morning claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency and threatening to arrest her if she didn’t hand over money immediately. (Pixabay)

CRA scammer shows up at B.C. woman’s door with handcuffs

Victoria police warning public to not let such people in and call 911 immediately

Victoria police are on the lookout for a man who showed up at a woman’s home on Friday morning claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency and threatening to arrest her if she didn’t hand over money immediately. (Pixabay)
Victoria resident Eloise Patmore is appealing to the public for help in convincing Immigration Canada to reverse their decision not to grant her fiancé a visitor’s visa that would allow him to be present at the birth of their child in the first week of June. Youtube

Pregnant B.C. woman with Zika virus pleads for fiance to be let into Canada

Eloise Patmore calls Immigration Canada’s reasons for visitor visa refusal ‘outrageous’

Victoria resident Eloise Patmore is appealing to the public for help in convincing Immigration Canada to reverse their decision not to grant her fiancé a visitor’s visa that would allow him to be present at the birth of their child in the first week of June. Youtube
Body found near Victoria harbour

Body found near Victoria harbour

Police and divers had been looking in the same area for a missing man earlier this month

Body found near Victoria harbour
Commodore Buck Zwick, Commander of the Pacific Fleet of the Royal Canadian Navy, addressed the media on Sunday at CFB Esquimalt. (Facebook/Maritime Forces Pacific)

Investigation continues into naval fuel spill off B.C.’s West Coast

“As far as we’re concerned, any spill is one spill too many”

Commodore Buck Zwick, Commander of the Pacific Fleet of the Royal Canadian Navy, addressed the media on Sunday at CFB Esquimalt. (Facebook/Maritime Forces Pacific)
A plastics industry lobby group has challenged the City of Victoria in court over its upcoming ban on the provisional of single-use plastic bags by merchants. iStock photo

Group threatens legal action over Victoria’s plastic bag ban

Petition the latest move by plastics industry association to overturn Canadian bag bans

A plastics industry lobby group has challenged the City of Victoria in court over its upcoming ban on the provisional of single-use plastic bags by merchants. iStock photo
Island Health: No need for alarm in wake of Victoria needle-prick incidents

Island Health: No need for alarm in wake of Victoria needle-prick incidents

Three incidents in a week prompts meeting between health authority, city service providers

Island Health: No need for alarm in wake of Victoria needle-prick incidents
Supporters of Pets OK BC gather in front of the B.C. legislature on Sunday for a rally. The organization is lobbying government for legislation to better recognize the value of pets to tenants and protect animal owners’ rights. (Don Descoteau/Victoria News)

WATCH: 10,000 signatures gained to stop ‘no pets’ rental policy

Pets OK BC said about 1,700 animals were surrendered to the BC SPCA last year due to housing issues

Supporters of Pets OK BC gather in front of the B.C. legislature on Sunday for a rally. The organization is lobbying government for legislation to better recognize the value of pets to tenants and protect animal owners’ rights. (Don Descoteau/Victoria News)
UVic launches school cellphone study in Greater Victoria

UVic launches school cellphone study in Greater Victoria

Parents, students encouraged to fill out online questionnaire as part of research project

UVic launches school cellphone study in Greater Victoria
UPDATED: Duke and Duchess a big hit in Victoria welcome

UPDATED: Duke and Duchess a big hit in Victoria welcome

Prince William and his wife, Kate, begin a week of travel in B.C. and the Yukon

UPDATED: Duke and Duchess a big hit in Victoria welcome