Sooke

A Sooke teacher has been banned from teaching. (Pixabay photo)

B.C. gym teacher banned after sexually exploiting teen student

Ian McKenzie admitted to using his position of power

 

A black bear is creating havoc at French Beach Provincial Park. Officials will close the park until the bear is captured. (Photo by Gary Schroyen)

Bear rips through tent, breaks into vehicle, closing B.C. campground

Black bear wanders into French Beach Provincial Park campsite west of Sooke

 

Levi Choo recovering from burns on his hands at B.C. Children’s Hospital. The Choo family received support from B.C. Children’s Hospital and the B.C. Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund in dealing with the ordeal that dates back six years. (Photo submitted by family)

B.C. family shares harrowing story to raise funds for burn survivors

Hometown Heroes Lottery supports burn survivors and transform lives

 

James Sails reached the summit of Mount Everest on May 24. (Submitted by James Sails)

Retired B.C. soldier conquers Mount Everest, fulfilling lifelong dream

East Sooke resident journeys to top of world in mountaineering quest

James Sails reached the summit of Mount Everest on May 24. (Submitted by James Sails)
Carey Newman is one of the driving forces behind a project that will add sounds of Indigenous cultures to the Witness Blanket he first began working on in 2012. (University of Victoria/Photo Services)

B.C. Indigenous artist collecting sounds across Canada for virtual Witness Blanket

Carey Newman, creator of world-renowned Witness Blanket, seeks sounds from residential schools

Carey Newman is one of the driving forces behind a project that will add sounds of Indigenous cultures to the Witness Blanket he first began working on in 2012. (University of Victoria/Photo Services)
Local MLA John Horgan and T’Sou-ke Nation Chief Gordie Planes listen to an explanation from Synergraze founder and CEO Tamara Loiselle on how the spore tank works at a demonstration project in a greenhouse that’s home to an innovative project aimed at reducing methane gas emissions from livestock. (Rick Stiebel-Sooke News Mirror)

B.C. cow fart reduction project seeks to clear the air with seaweed

Partners in an innovative methane reduction method want to set the record straight with neighbours

Local MLA John Horgan and T’Sou-ke Nation Chief Gordie Planes listen to an explanation from Synergraze founder and CEO Tamara Loiselle on how the spore tank works at a demonstration project in a greenhouse that’s home to an innovative project aimed at reducing methane gas emissions from livestock. (Rick Stiebel-Sooke News Mirror)
Prince Charles leaves a roundtable event with business leaders in Ottawa, during the Canadian Royal tour, on May 18, 2022. Heritage Canada says an official Canadian portrait of King Charles III will be released “in due course.” (Justin Tang - The Canadian Press)

Coming soon to a public office near you: King Charles III’s face?

Government offices, municipal halls not required to display royal portraits, new one not ready yet

Prince Charles leaves a roundtable event with business leaders in Ottawa, during the Canadian Royal tour, on May 18, 2022. Heritage Canada says an official Canadian portrait of King Charles III will be released “in due course.” (Justin Tang - The Canadian Press)
Samantha Geiger says she’s been harassed in the street, had her house broken into multiple times and, on one occasion, was nearly run down by someone with a vehicle. (Courtesy of Samantha Geiger)

‘It was like I needed permission from my rapist to talk’: B.C woman says ban turned town against her

Sooke’s Samantha Geiger says court-ordered publication ban prevented her from defending herself

Samantha Geiger says she’s been harassed in the street, had her house broken into multiple times and, on one occasion, was nearly run down by someone with a vehicle. (Courtesy of Samantha Geiger)
Kelly Favro, a 39-year-old Victoria mother went to the provincial supreme court to get her publication ban lifted. (Courtesy of Kelly Favro)

B.C. women push to end court-ordered silence placed on sexual assault victims

Group wants victims to have a say on publication bans for sexual assault cases

Kelly Favro, a 39-year-old Victoria mother went to the provincial supreme court to get her publication ban lifted. (Courtesy of Kelly Favro)
A black bear lumbers along the banks of the Sooke River. A wildlife advocate says that weather impacts bears’ behaviour because it affects their food source. (Contributed - Gary Schroyen)

Bears need personal space as they prepare for winter, says B.C. wildlife advocate

Spring and summer weather affecting black bear hibernation schedule

A black bear lumbers along the banks of the Sooke River. A wildlife advocate says that weather impacts bears’ behaviour because it affects their food source. (Contributed - Gary Schroyen)
A defaced road sign of a logging truck is seen near the protest site of Fairy Creek on southern Vancouver Island on Oct. 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

BC Supreme Court rejects old growth protesters application to combine their cases

Application called for court to join and stay proceedings due to RCMP’s “alleged systemic misconduct”

A defaced road sign of a logging truck is seen near the protest site of Fairy Creek on southern Vancouver Island on Oct. 4, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward
This orca-themed Sooke listing is making a splash on social media. (Realtor.ca)

A whale of a good time: Orca-themed home hits the market in Greater Victoria

Whale-themed listing making a splash on social media

This orca-themed Sooke listing is making a splash on social media. (Realtor.ca)
Timothy Durkin is pictured in a photograph filed in Federal Court. The B.C. Securities Commission claims the Sooke man defrauded an investor out of $1 million. (Federal Court)

Facebook fails to get $50M lawsuit by accused B.C. fraudster dismissed by court

Timothy Durkin says Facebook was negligent in refusing to remove an account impersonating him

Timothy Durkin is pictured in a photograph filed in Federal Court. The B.C. Securities Commission claims the Sooke man defrauded an investor out of $1 million. (Federal Court)
Conservation officer Peter Pauwels recently retired after 30 years of service, the vast majority of which was spent working in the Capital Region and southern Vancouver Island. (Courtesy Peter Pauwels)

The inconvenient truths about black bears in Greater Victoria

Think again if you believe development drives bears away, says former conservation officer

Conservation officer Peter Pauwels recently retired after 30 years of service, the vast majority of which was spent working in the Capital Region and southern Vancouver Island. (Courtesy Peter Pauwels)
B.C. Premier John Horgan and T’Sou-ke Nation Chief Gordie Planes listen to an explanation from Synergraze founder and CEO Tamara Loiselle on how the spore tank works at a demonstration project in a greenhouse that’s home to an innovative project aimed at reducing methane gas emissions from livestock. (Rick Stiebel - Sooke News Mirror)

B.C. premier pitches plan for less gas from cattle

Innovative technology could drastically reduce cattle methane emissions

B.C. Premier John Horgan and T’Sou-ke Nation Chief Gordie Planes listen to an explanation from Synergraze founder and CEO Tamara Loiselle on how the spore tank works at a demonstration project in a greenhouse that’s home to an innovative project aimed at reducing methane gas emissions from livestock. (Rick Stiebel - Sooke News Mirror)
A team jumped to the rescue of a baby porpoise in distress at Whiffin Spit. (Submitted)

Stranded baby porpoise rescued after Vancouver Island hiker splashes into action

Sooke residents start rescue before professional reinforcements arrive by air

A team jumped to the rescue of a baby porpoise in distress at Whiffin Spit. (Submitted)
A CRD master plan proposed to secure the future of water in the region is pegged at $2 billion. (File - Sooke News Mirror)

Greater Victoria waterworks improvement plan could top $2 billion

New filtration plant at Sooke Reservoir front and centre

A CRD master plan proposed to secure the future of water in the region is pegged at $2 billion. (File - Sooke News Mirror)
Twenty-three cats ranging in age from newborn to five weeks old were rescued from a Sooke-based animal welfare group. (Contributed - SAFARS)

23 kittens rescued from ‘hoarding situation’ in Vancouver Island home

Cats left without water and food, says animal welfare group

Twenty-three cats ranging in age from newborn to five weeks old were rescued from a Sooke-based animal welfare group. (Contributed - SAFARS)
The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit is investigating a homicide that occurred over the weekend in Sooke. (File - Sooke News Mirror)

Police have ‘person of interest’ in Sooke murder probe

Parties involved known to each other, police say

The Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit is investigating a homicide that occurred over the weekend in Sooke. (File - Sooke News Mirror)
The dromedary jumping-slug has a multi-coloured hump concealing a partial shell. The slug is red-listed provincially and listed as threatened under the federal Species at Risk Act. (Contributed - Kristiina Ovaska)

Scientist leaping to the defence of Vancouver Island’s dwindling jumping slug

Mapping project tracks this important indicator of the health of B.C. rainforest

The dromedary jumping-slug has a multi-coloured hump concealing a partial shell. The slug is red-listed provincially and listed as threatened under the federal Species at Risk Act. (Contributed - Kristiina Ovaska)