NANAIMO - Offering a safe, inclusive space for those on their gender journey find new fashion is behind a new event being hosted Saturday.The Unitarian Church at 595 Townsite Rd. in Nanaimo will host "Transform Your Closet" on Saturday, Nov. 30 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., a free pop-up clothing shop for trans, non...

NANAIMO - Already with a long history of property crimes throughout the mid-Island area, a first drug trafficking conviction resulted in an automatic jail sentence. Jesse Andrew Savidant, 35, was sentenced to 18 months in jail on Thursday, Nov 28 at B.C. Supreme Court in Nanaimo after previously being found guilty of t...

NANAIMO - An oven, believed to be self-cleaning, is believed to be the source of a fire at a Barons Rd. apartment complex.Nanaimo Fire Rescue crews were called to an apartment building in the 3100 block of Barons Rd. just before 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29 after smoke was seen coming from a fourth floor apartment suit...

NANAIMO - Borrowing money to construct a slimmed down, "fit for purpose" revamp of the City's public works facility has been denied by local voters. The City of Nanaimo confirmed the results of an Alternative Approval Process (AAP) on Friday, Nov. 29, a process designed to either grant or deny the City permis...

NANAIMO - While shoppers are busy trying to cross off their holiday shopping lists, criminals are playing the role of scrooge with a multitude of scams. Starr Munro, Better Business Bureau Vancouver Island communications strategist, said their agency is tracking an evolving collection of scams, most involving technolog...

NANAIMO - A local volunteer wants to make the Christmas season a bit brighter for those in need, one shoebox at a time.The Nanaimo Shoebox Project is accepting donations until Dec. 11 to support and empower women impacted by homelessness with a care package.Local coordinator Laura Kelsey said donors can fill shoeboxes ...

NANAIMO - The premier ski destination on Vancouver Island have announced an unexpectedly early opening day for the season. Recent storm activity and cooler temperatures for the last few weeks have allowed a base of 258 centimetres of snow to accumulate at Mount Washington Alpine Resort, prompting the resort to push for...

LADYSMITH - One of central Vancouver Island's biggest and most beloved holiday events runs Thursday evening. The Festival of Lights down 1st Ave. in Ladysmith officially gets underway on Thursday, Nov. 28 with a Christmas craft fair followed by street entertainment and more. Santa will flick the switch on over a millio...

NANAIMO - A little more than a month after moving onto a Gabriola Island property, a man lashed out by severely injuring his landlord with an axe. Gregory Francis Collins, 73, was jailed for the next three years following a sentencing hearing in provincial court in Nanaimo on Wednesday, Nov. 27, in relation to the Apri...

NANAIMO - Films and television shows had a notable economic impact on the mid-Island this year, thanks to four major productions.The most high-profile production overseen by the Vancouver Island North Film Commission (INFilm) was the HBO production 'The Last of Us', which took over downtown Nanaimo for a few weeks in t...

NANAIMO - Police believe they've found the man responsible for a highly disturbing public assault on a sidewalk near downtown Nanaimo. Brent Giles George Houle, 45, is charged with aggravated assault in connection with a severe beating resulting in serious injuries to another man on Nicol St. between Finlayson and Milt...

NANAIMO - Discussions at Council tables across the mid-Island are underway, to decide how to pay for projects and services over the next five years. Property tax rate increases, which form the majority of municipal funding, have either started, or will be mulled over the coming months ahead of mandatory adoption by mid...

PARKSVILLE - With more than 330 hotels across Canada to compete with, a Parksville hotel manager well known for his friendly, helpful demeanor came out on top. Jack Chambers, front desk manager at Bayside Resort, recently secured the Spirit of Hospitality Award courtesy of parent company Choice Hotels Canada. Chambers ...

NANAIMO - An increase in the price at the pumps is being blamed on recent wild weather cutting power to thousands of people across North America. Gas prices in B.C. shot up steadily this week, going from an average of 163.8 cents per litre last week to 169.0 cents as of Tuesday, Nov. 26, with prices increasing by 11 ce...

NANAIMO - Cost of living pressures ever-present and Nanamo's growing population highlight the importance of an annual local tradition of giving. Registration for the annual Great Nanaimo Toy Drive starts on Tuesday, Nov. 26, allowing parents and caregivers of children up to 17-years-old the opportunity to register onli...

VICTORIA - A silent vigil was held outside Victoria's legislature for women killed by men in B.C., including a Nanaimo woman whose death in January is considered a homicide. Around 20 participants held signs on Monday, Nov. 25 containing the names and ages of the 16 women killed this year, as well as the day of their d...

NANAIMO - All three people charged with murdering a woman in Nanaimo in 2023 are now accounted for. Tyler Stephen Elrix, 41, was arrested on the weekend in Chemainus by members of the Vancouver Island Emergency Response Team, confirmed the RCMP's Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU). An arrest warrant was i...

NANAIMO - A routine traffic stop on Nanaimo's Hammond Bay Rd. reversed in a hurry when an alleged impaired driver approached from behind. Nanaimo RCMP say it happened on Saturday, Nov. 23 at about 4 p.m. on Hammond Bay Rd. at Williamson Rd. RCMP Res. Cst. Gary O'Brien said a veteran officer in an unmarked police cruise...

QUALICUM BEACH - Final preparations are well underway for an event which has grown over two decades into an extremely popular mid-Island holiday tradition. Milner Christmas Magic returns beginning Dec. 5 at Milner Gardens and Woodland in Qualicum Beach on Hwy. 19A, however an army of volunteers are already hard at work...

NANAIMO - The City is clarifying some regulations around short-term rentals in the Harbour City, ensuring both those who offer and use the service are following the rules.Amendments include clarifying where a single short-term rental unit is allowed, ensuring operators have a business licence and are the primary reside...

NANAIMO - Despite a small setback at the start of the week, a pop-up overdose prevention site (OPS) near Nanaimo's hospital had the desired positive impact, according to organizers. Doctors for Safer Drug Policy planned to set up an unsanctioned OPS on the grounds of Nanaimo Regional General Hospital (NRGH) on Monday, ...

PARKSVILLE - Efforts to establish a 36-unit south Parksville apartment building geared toward the working class clashed with those opposed. During a City of Parksville public hearing this week, most speakers, many of them local area residents, outlined why they're against the vision of Parksville Lions Housing Society ...

NANAIMO - It's a smaller jump than in recent years, but the cost of living still continues to rise on the central Island. New data from Living Wage BC shows the hourly wage two adults must each earn to support a family of four in Nanaimo is $23.29, a four per cent increase from $22.87 in 2023. Anastasia French from the...

GABRIOLA ISLAND - Residents are familiar with the script, but that doesn't make it any easier. Power has been out for residents of Gabriola and neighbouring Mudge Island since the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 19 when a powerful storm bruised Vancouver Island and surrounding areas. While most areas of Vancouver Island have ...

QUALICUM BEACH - It's the official start of the holiday shopping season for many mid-Islanders. Hosted by the Qualicum Beach Chamber of Commerce, Moonlight Madness happens on Thursday, Nov. 21, with the night market kicking off at 4:00 p.m. with all festivities taking place downtown. Chamber CEO Jared Shaw said this fa...

NANAIMO - A body was located from an Old Victoria Rd. Nanaimo home after it was destroyed by fire early Wednesday morning. The fire at 1019 Old Victoria Rd. broke out just after 5:00 a.m. with Nanaimo RCMP reporting later in the day that the occupant of the home was missing. Res. Cst. Gary O'Brien with the Nanaimo RCMP...

NANAIMO - Downed trees, blocked trails and destroyed playground equipment was the aftermath of an unusually powerful storm pummelling much of Vancouver Island. Several large trees tumbled to the ground at north Nanaimo's Neck Point Park, while several other parks sustained a similar fate, said the City of Nanaimo's man...

NANAIMO - Police believe a person living in a south-end home where an early morning fire broke out may still be inside.The fire at 1019 Old Victoria Rd. was reported on Wednesday, Nov. 20 just after 5 a.m., with flames and thick smoke seen shooting from the home just south of McKenzie Rd.Nanaimo RCMP Res. Cst. Gary O'B...