By Mick Sweetman, CHLY 101.7 FM Nanaimo, through an LJI grant from Canada-info.ca
“Go Scotty!” shouted a voice from the shore of Pipers Lagoon in Nanaimo as Scott Rees finished a 30 km swim across the Georgia Strait on Sunday.
Though he could hear the cheers, Scott Rees couldn’t see who was yelling, as he had just completed the 11-hour open water marathon swim while completely blind.
Continue reading Blind man swims across the Georgia Strait to Nanaimo
By Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The Regional District that encompasses Campbell River, the Homalco First Nation, Ka:’yu:’k’t’h’/Che:k’tles7et’h’ First Nations, K’ómoks First Nation, Nuchatlaht First Nation, Gold River, and Sayward received over $1.1 million from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund to strengthen its resilience against climate-related disasters.
Continue reading Strathcona Regional District receives funding to mitigate climate-related disastersBy Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Offshore of Vancouver Island, in Nuu-chah-nulth waters 65 kilometers west of Hesquiat Harbour, lives a nursery of deep-sea octopuses brooding their eggs. This is one of four known octopus nurseries in the world, said DFO researcher Cherisse Du Preez.
Continue reading Deep-sea octopus nursery discovered in Nuu-chah-nulth waters
By Timothy Schafer, The Nelson Daily, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
The city’s cemetery could be going green.
City council has put its staff on the path of reviewing and determining if green burials can be accommodated in the Memorial Park Cemetery, as well as City staff to complete a Parks and Cemetery Master Plan in 2024.
Continue reading Green burials: review and determination of natural burials to be made for Nelson’s cemeteryBy Alexandra Mehl, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
This year, before students even closed their books for the summer, forest fires sparked throughout the region.
The Cameron Bluff fire, which is believed to have been human-caused, grew to 229 hectares, closing Highway 4 for most of June – the only highway in and out for many West Coast communities.
One month later, the 16.6-hectare Klanawa River fire was discovered in what Huu-ay-aht Chief Councillor John Jack referred to as the shared territory between his First Nation and Ditidaht.
Continue reading First Nations’ emergency capacity stressed as wildfire season rages on
