Community

Josh Waters and his one-year-old English Staffy cross, Rocky. (Twila Amato/Black Press Media)

COVID, heartbreak among speedbumps in Australian’s road to residency in Kelowna

Josh Waters shares his experience in the hopes to help others like him

The Tree to Sea loop is a 1,000 km bikepacking route around the north end of Vancouver Island. Photo courtesy Miles Arbor

1,000 km route opens northern Vancouver Island to bikepackers

Bikepacking combines ultralight backpacking and bicycle touring

Adventurous senior Walter Martens took his first flying lesson as a 101st birthday present, taking off from the Langley airport on Saturday, Sept. 25. (Special to Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: B.C. Senior, 101, takes first flying lesson

It was a birthday present for ‘adventurous’ Walter Martens

Roy Henry Vickers talks about art, residential schools, mourning and reconciliation at his home in the Kispiox Valley Sept. 24, 2021. (Thom Barker photo)

Hazelton artist releases new image honouring children buried in unmarked graves

Roy Henry Vickers talks about residential schools, mourning and truth and reconciliation

Roy Henry Vickers talks about art, residential schools, mourning and reconciliation at his home in the Kispiox Valley Sept. 24, 2021. (Thom Barker photo)
Smithers ambulance waiting to transport patients to other area hospitals, as BVDH is full. (Contributed photo)

Seriously injured woman transferred from Smithers to Kitimat as COVID overwhelms hospital

Cathy Whalen was transferred because Bulkley Valley hospital was overwhelmed with COVID patients

Smithers ambulance waiting to transport patients to other area hospitals, as BVDH is full. (Contributed photo)
Fort St. James Secondary School (Rebecca Dyok photo)

Friday night movies by Fort St. James Secondary School to return

Movie nights to support Grade 9 class trip to Haida Gwaii

Fort St. James Secondary School (Rebecca Dyok photo)
Two-time heart transplant recipient Robbie Thompson, seen here with the family dog, Oreo, explains why mass vaccinations are important for immuno-compromised people like himself. Photo supplied.

Two-time B.C. heart transplant recipient urges COVID vaccine opponents to reconsider

Vancouver Island man asks people to consider the greater good

Two-time heart transplant recipient Robbie Thompson, seen here with the family dog, Oreo, explains why mass vaccinations are important for immuno-compromised people like himself. Photo supplied.
Dave Birdi (right) recently spent time with family on Stuart Lake. (Photo submitted)

Binche economic development manager sees potential for bright future

Dave Birdi proud to call region home

Dave Birdi (right) recently spent time with family on Stuart Lake. (Photo submitted)
Greening Up Fort Society long-time members Louise Evans-Salt (left), Maxime Evans and Berit Christensen stand by a community bike rack made of recycled materials at Cottonwood Park. (Brenda Gouglas photo)

Art and cycling collide in Fort St. James with installation of community bike racks

Greening Up Fort Society pleased to see bike rack finally in use at Cottonwood Park

Greening Up Fort Society long-time members Louise Evans-Salt (left), Maxime Evans and Berit Christensen stand by a community bike rack made of recycled materials at Cottonwood Park. (Brenda Gouglas photo)
Tessa Duncan (left) was busy selling cotton candy at the Nechako Valley Exhibition Grounds with her friends Matty Lantz and Emma Wiebe on Friday, August 20. (Rebecca Dyok photo)

A sweet venture in Vanderhoof for Fort St James youth

Cotton candy machine draws in support

Tessa Duncan (left) was busy selling cotton candy at the Nechako Valley Exhibition Grounds with her friends Matty Lantz and Emma Wiebe on Friday, August 20. (Rebecca Dyok photo)
About 40 people took part in the Parkinson’s SuperWalk along Spadina Avenue in Chilliwack on Sept. 17, 2016. This year’s walk is virtual and takes place on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)

Folks step up to raise money for Parkinson Society of B.C. with SuperWalk

Annual event goes virtual for 2nd year in a row, funds go to Parkinson’s research, programming

About 40 people took part in the Parkinson’s SuperWalk along Spadina Avenue in Chilliwack on Sept. 17, 2016. This year’s walk is virtual and takes place on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress file)
Ayden McKillop in the shirt he designed in support of the Osoyoos fire department (Junction 3 Coffeehouse/Facebook)

Osoyoos boy sells homemade shirts in support of wildfire crews

The shirts will be sold on Saturday (Aug. 21) at Junction 3 Coffeehouse

Ayden McKillop in the shirt he designed in support of the Osoyoos fire department (Junction 3 Coffeehouse/Facebook)
A beautiful new kayak was given to Abbotsford mom Nikki Jensen after hers was stolen from her. She was also given cash to replace it, so she’s sending birthday supplies to a child in Nunavut. (Nikki Jensen photo/ Facebook)

Theft of cherished kayak led to several acts of giving, says Abbotsford mother

Woman sponsoring birthday party for a child in Nunavut after overwhelming community support

A beautiful new kayak was given to Abbotsford mom Nikki Jensen after hers was stolen from her. She was also given cash to replace it, so she’s sending birthday supplies to a child in Nunavut. (Nikki Jensen photo/ Facebook)
Geoff Goodship was contacted earlier this year by a man who had acquired his father’s First World War soldier’s uniform. Submitted photo

Vancouver Island man to be reunited with father’s 104-year-old First World War uniform

Geoff Goodship got a call out of the blue from an amateur historian who had acquired the outfit

Geoff Goodship was contacted earlier this year by a man who had acquired his father’s First World War soldier’s uniform. Submitted photo
John Erickson noted that the forest fuels are exceptionally dry this year. (John Erickson/Special to the News)

See smoke? Here’s how to help crews when you report a wildfire from a B.C. expert

Err on the side of caution, advises B.C. Wildfire Service

John Erickson noted that the forest fuels are exceptionally dry this year. (John Erickson/Special to the News)
The skies above Osoyoos are thick with smoke from the nearby Nk’Mip Creek wildfire. (Twila Amato /Black Press Media)

Smoke from B.C. wildfires creating issues for those with respiratory illnesses

The wildfire smoke has made it difficult to be outside for some

The skies above Osoyoos are thick with smoke from the nearby Nk’Mip Creek wildfire. (Twila Amato /Black Press Media)
Operated by the Stuart Lake Outreach Group, the Fort St. James Food Bank is located at 271 Stuart Drive West (Kerry Sparling Facebook photo)

Volunteers make sure no one goes hungry in Fort St. James and area

Food bank available every third Wednesday of each month

Operated by the Stuart Lake Outreach Group, the Fort St. James Food Bank is located at 271 Stuart Drive West (Kerry Sparling Facebook photo)
A fleet of supercars filled a quiet Langley City street to visit Langley City teen Alyssa Anderson on Sunday, July 25, as part of the Drive Project. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)

VIDEO: Cool cars provide some automotive magic for B.C. teen

Driven Project brought fleet of supercars to quiet street

A fleet of supercars filled a quiet Langley City street to visit Langley City teen Alyssa Anderson on Sunday, July 25, as part of the Drive Project. (Dan Ferguson/Langley Advance Times)
Students make a “tiny home” sign with their hands as part of the Tiny Home Challenge at John Paul II Catholic School. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)

Vancouver Island school gets visit from Netflix show hosts for tiny home competition

Pilot Tiny Home elective was offered for Grades 4-7

Students make a “tiny home” sign with their hands as part of the Tiny Home Challenge at John Paul II Catholic School. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)
A memorial tribute to Police Service Dog Gator is growing at a the foot of a flagpole in front of the Campbell River RCMP detachment on July 9, 2021. Photo by Alistair Taylor/Campbell River Mirror

Memorial for Campbell River police dog killed in line of duty grows

VIDEO: Emergency personnel conduct vehicle parade memorial for Gator

A memorial tribute to Police Service Dog Gator is growing at a the foot of a flagpole in front of the Campbell River RCMP detachment on July 9, 2021. Photo by Alistair Taylor/Campbell River Mirror