Nanaimo news

• Take Flight

  31-05-2023 16:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  
  Fashion meets history at the British Columbia Aviation Museum
  
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• PHOTOS: Nanaimo ice rink transformed into ‘Winter Wonderland’

  30-12-2025 02:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  Nanaimo’s Frank Crane Arena has been transformed into a ‘Winter Wonderland.’
  Free public skating events have been happening since Wednesday, Dec. 24, at the arena at Beban Park, with more Winter Wonderland skates Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 30-31.
  The skating, including skate and helmet rentals, is free thanks to sponsorships from local businesses.
  This year the event also included free outdoor concerts in the breezeway between the arena and social centre.
  
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• VIDEO: Iconic B.C. farm sold for highest-ever MLS listing

  30-12-2025 01:20 via nanaimobulletin.com
  Langley’s iconic Driediger Farms has a new owner.
  An online statement posted by B.C. Farm & Ranch Realty Corp. on Saturday, Dec. 28 announced the sale of the third and final portion of the 160 acre property, a 78-acre site at 7361 240 St. that includes a frozen fruit processing facility and farm.
  At a $26 million asking price for the 78-acre section, it was the highest sold farm on MLS ever, B.C. Farm & Ranch estimated.
  Rhonda Driediger, president and owner of Driediger Farms Ltd.
  
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• Vernon festival makes debut as provincial member

  30-12-2025 00:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  With just one year under its belt, Vernon’s very first Performing Arts Festival has already reached a major milestone.
  The Vernon Performing Arts Festival (VPAF), which took place last year, has joined Performing Arts BC as an Official Member Festival.
  “This milestone gives local performers the opportunity to qualify for the Provincial Performing Arts Festival, showcasing Vernon’s artistic talent on a provincial stage,” said Becky Martselos, VPAF president.
  Performing Art
  
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• Alberni Valley Rescue Squad helps snowshoers stranded by snowy weather

  29-12-2025 23:58 via nanaimobulletin.com
  The Alberni Valley Rescue Squad was called out on two missions in late December helping stranded folks and BC Emergency Health Services.
  Trio of snowshoers
  On Dec. 23 at 7:30 p.m. they received a call about stranded snowshoers who were unable to get their vehicle free after heavy snowfall overnight. The rescue squad did not elaborate where exactly the snowshoers were stuck.
  The snowshoers were well prepared with chains, extra layers, food and a satellite phone which let them call for help. They
  
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• Missing 21-year-old Vancouver Island man found dead: RCMP

  29-12-2025 23:22 via nanaimobulletin.com
  The 21-year-old man who was reported missing to the Campbell River RCMP on Dec. 20 has been found dead.
  Tanner Closs-Gillis was found deceased on Dec. 28, according to an RCMP media release. Police say they do not suspect criminality, and the investigation has been turned over to the BC Coroners Service.
  The Campbell River RCMP thanked the public for the help and extended condolences to the family during this difficult time.
  No further information will be released.
  
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• 21-year-old Vancouver Island man found dead: RCMP

  29-12-2025 23:22 via nanaimobulletin.com
  The 21-year-old man who was reported missing to the Campbell River RCMP on Dec. 20 has been found dead.
  Tanner Closs-Gillis was found on Dec. 28, according to an RCMP media release. Police say they do not suspect criminality, and the investigation has been turned over to the BC Coroners Service.
  The Campbell River RCMP thanked the public for the help and extended condolences to the family during this difficult time.
  No further information will be released.
  
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• World gold medal won by Vernon Vipers defenceman

  29-12-2025 22:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  Vernon Vipers defenceman Dome Szongoth will return to the North Okanagan with some pre-Christmas jewelry.
  Szongoth, who will turn 20 on Jan. 18, helped his native Hungary win the International Ice Hockey Federation’s 2026 World Men’s Division 1 Group B hockey championship gold medal in Milano, Italy, Dec. 8-14.
  As the winner of the six-team tournament, Hungary will jump into the Division 1 Group A tournament next year. Norway won the Group A tournament in Slovenia and will be promote
  
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• Apollo lands a home for the holidays and other BC SPCA top stories from 2025

  29-12-2025 21:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  A tiny survivor named Apollo, a pair of orphaned otters, an emaciated pup and the redemption of humans are among the stories being celebrated province-wide by the BC SPCA for 2025.Apollo was one day old when discovered with two siblings in a Kelowna scrap yard. Gathered up by their finder, one sibling was euthanized shortly after arrival at the animal hospital, with a second following suit shortly.Apollo not only pulled through, but thrived according to the foster that named him.
  “This sto
  
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• ‘It’s time to let the unicorn out of the closet’: Rebrand of LGBT2Q+ Kelowna lounge

  29-12-2025 20:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  An LGBT2Q+ lounge in Kelowna is changing hands and will be getting a re-brand.
  Last Friday, Dec. 26, the current owners of the Friends of Dorothy lounge in downtown Kelowna announced the establishment was being sold after six years of operation.
  On Dec. 29, the new owner was revealed to be Dustyn Baulkham, founder and CEO of events and media company Rebellious Unicorns, as well as a festival manager for Kelowna Pride.
  He also served as co-chair of the Central Okanagan Foundation from 2023 to 202
  
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• West Kelowna man gets 22 months for charges related to intimate partner violence

  29-12-2025 20:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  A West Kelowna man has been ordered to serve another 505 days in prison after being found guilty in a case of intimate partner violence.
  Stephen Daniel Hayes was convicted on Oct. 23, 2025, of breaking and entering, uttering or conveying a threat to cause death or bodily harm, and the carrying, using, handling, shipping and transporting of firearms in a careless manner from two incidents in February 2024.
  As heard in court on Dec. 11 under Justice Hardwick, Hayes and the victim, identified as L.
  
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• Self-compassion urged while navigating mental health over the holidays in B.C.

  29-12-2025 19:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  Holiday expectations often centre on reconnecting with family, spending time with friends, and sharing moments of joy. While those ideas sound comforting, they can sometimes feel more like scenes from a holiday movie than real life.
  The reality is that holiday gatherings do not always take place as expected. Family dynamics, social obligations and personal stressors can make the season emotionally challenging.
  To better understand how people can protect their mental health during this time, Vict
  
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• Ferry swap adds 44 cars to southern Salt Spring Island route in January

  29-12-2025 19:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  A ferry swap will see more vehicle capacity between the South Island and the Southern Gulf Islands as the Salish Heron takes on the route to start 2026.
  The Queen of Cumberland that usually services the route undergoes its annual refit Jan. 3 to Feb. 20.Ahead of that, the ferry is undergoing phased safety improvements through the refit period, when its deployable vehicle ramps will be permanently removed.BC Ferries recently reduced the maximum number of vehicles on each ramp from 18 to 10 effect
  
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• Stricken bald eagle recovering in B.C. Lower Mainland after Kootenay rescue

  29-12-2025 15:37 via nanaimobulletin.com
  A bald eagle discovered near Cranbrook in distress is on the mend in the Lower Mainland thanks to the intervention of some concerned observers.
  Tanya and Reg Pocha and their son, Jaxon, discovered the eagle while driving through a field in a rural area outside of the city on Saturday, Dec. 20.
  It was first noticed by Reg, who saw a bird wing flapping awkwardly on the ground amongst the grass.
  However, as they got closer, they were able to tell it was an eagle and that was in trouble.
  At first, t
  
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• Sage, cedar and an Ojibwe song honour bear found dead on Vancouver Island

  29-12-2025 15:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  A black bear stretches, head down and body twisted, across a patch of gravel not far from the main road.The sow is clearly dead, with her massive paws awkwardly where she lay after making her way from the road where a vehicle likely caused the fatal damage.When Lani Ranger stopped at the forestry road entrance near what locals call the blueberry flats – well outside Sooke near Shirley Delicious – “there were no cars, just this stunning bear.”
  She’d been enjoying a c
  
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• Book it: B.C. book shop drops 5 top reads that came out in 2025

  29-12-2025 15:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) estimates that approximately 2.2 million books are published globally every year.
  Luckily, the experts at Munro’s Books in Victoria have stepped up to help narrow down the field, and offer their top five books that were published in 2025.
  And, just in time for New Year’s book goals, too.If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kawamura
  This is a quietly profound book that sneaks into your heart with sur
  
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• How to help your dog through New Year’s celebrations

  29-12-2025 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  For many of us, New Year’s Eve is loud, joyful, and full of anticipation. For our dogs, it can feel like the world is suddenly breaking apart.
  One moment, everything is normal, and the next there are explosions in the sky, sharp cracks in the air, flashes of light at the windows. They don’t know it’s a celebration. They only know something feels very wrong.
  If you share your life with a dog who fears loud noises, you’ve likely seen it: the trembling, the wide eyes, the de
  
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• B.C. town marks 8 years of kids counting birds as part of national program

  29-12-2025 14:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  It was the first Christmas Bird Count at Brydon Lagoon for Langley City teacher Adam Knowlson and his family.
  “I actually teach outdoor ed at the school just nearby,” Knowlson told the Langley Advance Times.
  “I like to come look at the birds, but I don’t know a lot of the names, so I’m here to learn.”
  On Sunday, Dec. 28, the annual bird count marked it’s eighth year, guided by Nehal Saleh, founder of Langley City-based Explore Science Club (ESC).
  “
  
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• Shipping shift to LNG means more business for Port of Nanaimo

  29-12-2025 14:10 via nanaimobulletin.com
  As more ships switch to liquefied natural gas as their primary fuel source, the Port of Nanaimo and Seaspan Marine are stepping up to meet the demand.
  Seaspan Marine has spawned a new company, Seaspan Energy Ltd., to meet the growing need for marine fuels that are cleaner and generate lower emissions than bunker oil fuels, and now operates three ships – the Seaspan Lions, Seaspan Garibaldi and Seaspan Baker – that carry out ship-to-ship LNG bunkering to vessels in Nanaimo, Vancouver
  
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• 2025 IN REVIEW: Entertainment stories that made waves across Canada

  29-12-2025 13:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  Canada clearly had no shortage of head-turning entertainment news in 2025.
  Black Press Media reporters covered everything from an iconic first dance to Canadian musicians ranking among the century’s best – so far, according to the Rolling Stone – and to local actors and settings showing up on TVs worldwide.
  On the stageNewlywed Chilliwack couple has first dance onstage at Jonas Brothers concert
  A newlywed couple from Chilliwack got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity when they had
  
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• RCMP Major Crimes investigates suspicous Christmas Day death in Lake Country

  29-12-2025 05:18 via nanaimobulletin.com
  The BC RCMP Major Crime Unit (MCU) is investigating the suspicious death of a man in Lake Country on Christmas Day.
  According to RCMP, police were called to the 16000-block of Gatzke Road at about 9:30 p.m., Dec. 25.
  Upon arrival, they discovered the body of 43-year-old Joseph Robert McCook.
  As the death is being investigated as suspicious RCMP are releasing a photo of McCook as they are looking for public assistance in determining the circumstances that led to his death.
  Anyone with information
  
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• RCMP Major Crimes investigates suspicious Christmas Day death in Lake Country

  29-12-2025 05:18 via nanaimobulletin.com
  The BC RCMP Major Crime Unit (MCU) is investigating the suspicious death of a man in Lake Country on Christmas Day.
  According to RCMP, police were called to the 16000-block of Gatzke Road at about 9:30 p.m., Dec. 25.
  Upon arrival, they discovered the body of 43-year-old Joseph Robert McCook.
  As the death is being investigated as suspicious RCMP are releasing a photo of McCook as they are looking for public assistance in determining the circumstances that led to his death.
  Anyone with information
  
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• MacLELLAN: Kindness captivates, or why I want to live in a Hallmark Christmas movie

  29-12-2025 04:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  What if life were like a Hallmark Christmas movie?
  This is the sort of thought I have when I’m lounging in front of yet another holiday movie, wrapping presents and mulling ideas for a Christmas column. (The words “Hot” and “Frosty” may or may not have been in the title of the aforementioned holiday movie. Yes, I know it’s not strictly a Hallmark movie, but the sentiment applies.)
  Admittedly, to genuinely embrace the Hallmark zeitgeist requires a willingness t
  
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• Sober curious? B.C. health officials share tips for drinking less over the holidays

  28-12-2025 22:00 via nanaimobulletin.com
  The holidays are a time when many may drink some wine, but drinking too much alcohol can have harmful consequences.
  Interior Health (IH) has put together a simple guide to encourage people to reduce how much alcohol they drink, and where to go for help if they are struggling to do so.
  Reducing your alcohol intake or removing it from your life can have numerous benefits, from increased energy, improved sleep and concentration, lower blood sugar and blood pressure levels, as well as lower risk of
  
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• Province working to help tenants after motel fire in Nanaimo

  28-12-2025 21:05 via nanaimobulletin.com
  Motel guests and tenants are receiving support after a fire in the middle of the night on Boxing Day.
  The provincial government is working with emergency support services and other local partners on solutions for emergency lodging, food, clothing and financial support for those displaced in a fire at Nanaimo’s Value Lodge Motel, noted a social media post from Sheila Malcolmson, the B.C. minister of social development and poverty reduction.
  The minister expressed gratitude for the quick res
  
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• Police watchdog launches probe in the wake of Merritt woman’s death

  28-12-2025 20:34 via nanaimobulletin.com
  The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) is investigating the death of a woman in Merritt to see if police action or inaction contributed to her death.
  B.C.’s police watchdog launched the investigation following a separate investigation by members of the Merritt RCMP.
  Information from an advocacy group raised questions about a December police investigation that was undertaken into alleged intimate partner violence that took place before the woman’s death, the IIO said Frid
  
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• Condé: warmth in the cold, or how Christmas feels different in Canada and Brazil

  28-12-2025 19:16 via nanaimobulletin.com
  Christmas is often treated as a universal celebration, but living between cultures reveals how deeply place shapes tradition.
  I often think about the contrast between Canada and Brazil during the holiday season, obviously not just for the fact that back home it is summertime while up here I’ve had many white Christmases. But the rhythm, timing, and the way many families gather around the season are different as well.
  In Canada, Christmas feels like a long build-up that peaks on December 25
  
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• Celebrini’s 2 points help San Jose Sharks dump Vancouver Canucks 6-3

  28-12-2025 06:45 via nanaimobulletin.com
  Igor Chernyshov’s first NHL goal stood up as the winner, lifting the San Jose Sharks to a 6-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in NHL action Saturday at Rogers Arena.
  Ryan Reaves, John Klingberg, William Eklund, Macklin Celebrini and Collin Graf also scored for San Jose (18-17-3), with Yaroslav Askarov stopping 23 shots for the win in goal.
  Linus Karlsson, Marco Rossi and Drew O’Connor for Vancouver (15-19-3), while Conor Garland and Filip Hronek had two assists each. Thatcher Demko st
  
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• Health-care stakeholders in Nanaimo hear about ways to re-think seniors care

  27-12-2025 19:30 via nanaimobulletin.com
  Health-care stakeholders in Nanaimo heard about innovations in long-term seniors’ care at a conference last month.
  The Nanaimo Regional Hospital District hosted a Health Forward summit Nov. 13 at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre. The day consisted of half a dozen sessions, including one on changing approaches to seniors care including preventative care, long-term care and aging in place.
  Dr. Adam Hoverman, family and public health and preventative medicine physician at Wellington Med
  
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• LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Tough love helps drug users clean up

  27-12-2025 14:05 via nanaimobulletin.com
  To the editor,
  Re: Nanaimo drop-in hub for people experiencing homelessness searching for new location, Dec. 13.
  I am a recovered drug user. Hopefully I will continue to stay clean though my urges come at times.
  It upsets me when I read this drop-in hub or shelter or that self-appointed prevention site is going to make a difference. They do not.
  Most of us have anxiety or mental problems and become addicted to cope and many of us turn to crime. Our families and friends have relentlessly tried to
  
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