Sooke

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 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”

 

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

 

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)
Conservation officer Peter Pauwels said coastal wolf attacks on dogs are rare near Greater Victoria. (File photo courtesy of Ian McAllister/Pacific Wild)

Hiker rescues dog from jaws of a wolf in attack on southern Vancouver Island

The hiker was walking with their dog on a trail on Broom Hill

Conservation officer Peter Pauwels said coastal wolf attacks on dogs are rare near Greater Victoria. (File photo courtesy of Ian McAllister/Pacific Wild)
Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue senior search and rescue operations manager Vickie Weber at the unit’s headquarters in East Sooke. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C. search and rescue teams had another record year in 2021

Pandemic has pushed more people outdoors, including underprepared hikers

Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue senior search and rescue operations manager Vickie Weber at the unit’s headquarters in East Sooke. (Black Press Media file photo)
The water off Port Renfrew could be threatened without a federally-funded search and rescue and environmental response service in Port Renfrew, says the Pacheedaht First Nation. (File - Sooke News Mirror)

B.C. First Nation wants feds to expedite plans for marine rescue centre

Vancouver Island’s Pacheedaht chief says talks stalled on $22-million project for Port Renfrew

The water off Port Renfrew could be threatened without a federally-funded search and rescue and environmental response service in Port Renfrew, says the Pacheedaht First Nation. (File - Sooke News Mirror)
Shawn Driver proudly stands next to his car in his Sooke shop. (Bailey Moreton - Sooke News Mirror)

Fast enough for you? B.C. racer hits record speed of 468 km/h

High-speed driver Shawn Driver is breaking records, but still wants to go faster

Shawn Driver proudly stands next to his car in his Sooke shop. (Bailey Moreton - Sooke News Mirror)
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)

B.C. man accused of selling fake ownership in world-renowned Sooke Harbour House

Timothy Durkin faces B.C. Securities Commission in November

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)
Members of the black-tailed deer family appear to be most severely affected by adenovirus hemorrhagic disease. (Photo - Veronika Andrews)

Fast-spreading disease has ‘100s’ of deer dropping dead on Vancouver Island

Never seen before in B.C. Adenovirus hemorrhagic disease poses no risk to humans, livestock or pets

Members of the black-tailed deer family appear to be most severely affected by adenovirus hemorrhagic disease. (Photo - Veronika Andrews)
The Capital Regional District has issued a boil water advisory for the Wilderness Mountain Water Service Area in East Sooke. (Katja Just - Pixabay.com)

B.C. commercial groundwater users have to register, start paying for water

New rules take effect March 2022 and will effect about 20,000 well users

The Capital Regional District has issued a boil water advisory for the Wilderness Mountain Water Service Area in East Sooke. (Katja Just - Pixabay.com)
Athena and Venus, ready to ride. (Zoe Ducklow - Sooke News Mirror)

Goggling double-dog motorcycle sidecar brings smiles to B.C. commuters

Athena and Venus are all teeth and smiles from their Harley-Davidson sidecar

Athena and Venus, ready to ride. (Zoe Ducklow - Sooke News Mirror)
The earliest known drawing of Woodside Farm in the 1850s. (Contributed - Sooke Region Museum)

Woodside sold: Sooke couple buys Western Canada’s oldest working farm

South Island’s Woodside Farm is the oldest continuously operated farm west of the Great Lakes

The earliest known drawing of Woodside Farm in the 1850s. (Contributed - Sooke Region Museum)