Natalie North

Nine-year-old Luke Shimizu uses a magnifying glass to have a closer look at a leaf with education assistant Kate MacDonald at the Elizabeth Buckley School. The school is the first in Canada to adopt a curriculum focused on literacy in science, technology, engineering and math.

Powering school on science and math

Victoria independent school first in Canada to adopt curriculum focused on science literacy

Nine-year-old Luke Shimizu uses a magnifying glass to have a closer look at a leaf with education assistant Kate MacDonald at the Elizabeth Buckley School. The school is the first in Canada to adopt a curriculum focused on literacy in science, technology, engineering and math.
Good Samaritans helped Gary Marlatt, also known as 'Derry' find shelter and help for his mental illness. News reports reunited him with his long lost sister. This week, those same news stories helped that same sister locate her other homeless brother.

Reunion with first homeless brother leads to second homeless brother

In an odd twist, stories that helped Diane Marlatt reunite with her lost brother in Saanich help locate second lost brother in Toronto

Good Samaritans helped Gary Marlatt, also known as 'Derry' find shelter and help for his mental illness. News reports reunited him with his long lost sister. This week, those same news stories helped that same sister locate her other homeless brother.
Richard Hudson, on his sailboat, Issuma, at West Bay Marina in Esquimalt, was the 151st person to sail through the Northwest passage.

Mariner ties up in Esquimalt after sailing Northwest passage

As arctic ice melts, more small vessels make the voyage

Richard Hudson, on his sailboat, Issuma, at West Bay Marina in Esquimalt, was the 151st person to sail through the Northwest passage.
Linda Skalenda poses with one of her finished works at her new home studio in Cook Street Village. Skalenda moved back to her hometown this summer and will be one of the artists featured at the Arts and Music in the Gardens event Aug. 11 and 12, at the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific.

Art in the garden at Glendale

Victoria landscape artist joins 60 others for show in Saanich

Linda Skalenda poses with one of her finished works at her new home studio in Cook Street Village. Skalenda moved back to her hometown this summer and will be one of the artists featured at the Arts and Music in the Gardens event Aug. 11 and 12, at the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific.
Gordie Scutt won the North American Junior Golf Championship a the age of 10 at Cedar Hill in 1990. He went on to a professional golf career.

Cedar Hill Golf Club hits 60

More than 180 golfers will tee off at 9 a.m. on Sunday (Aug. 12) to celebrate the Cedar Hill Golf Club’s 60th birthday.

Gordie Scutt won the North American Junior Golf Championship a the age of 10 at Cedar Hill in 1990. He went on to a professional golf career.
Saanich resident Jack Wellburn holds an original photo of the Christmas Day swim on the Gorge Waterway in 1920. Among the swimmers about to dive off the dock into the Gorge’s chilly December waters for a 50-metre race are Wellburn’s uncle Gerry Wellburn, Ethel Heathcoat, who would later marry Gerry, aunts Grace Knight (nee Wellburn) and Kathleen Richardson (nee Wellburn), as well as his father Tommy Wellburn.  Natalie North/News staff

Gorge swimming is all in the family

Locals have the chance to return to the old days of swimming on the Gorge this Sunday, like Jack Wellburn’s family did 90 years ago.

Saanich resident Jack Wellburn holds an original photo of the Christmas Day swim on the Gorge Waterway in 1920. Among the swimmers about to dive off the dock into the Gorge’s chilly December waters for a 50-metre race are Wellburn’s uncle Gerry Wellburn, Ethel Heathcoat, who would later marry Gerry, aunts Grace Knight (nee Wellburn) and Kathleen Richardson (nee Wellburn), as well as his father Tommy Wellburn.  Natalie North/News staff
The Milk Carton Kids, Joey Ryan, left, and Kenneth Pattengale are one of the headliners of this year's FolkWest festival, Aug. 11 and 12.

Victoria’s folk festival adds international flavour

FolkWest gives second year a go

The Milk Carton Kids, Joey Ryan, left, and Kenneth Pattengale are one of the headliners of this year's FolkWest festival, Aug. 11 and 12.

Summer heat brings out bylaw enforcement

As summer temperatures climb high and people head to their favourite swimming holes to beat the heat, they won’t be alone.

Dorothy Carter flips through Fifty Shades of Grey while she peruses the best selling books at Chapters on Douglas Street. Carter was curious to leaf through the book after having heard hype on TV surrounding the erotic novel, she said.

New era for erotic lit?

Fifty Shades fad driving desire to become more sexual, says Victoria sex therapist

Dorothy Carter flips through Fifty Shades of Grey while she peruses the best selling books at Chapters on Douglas Street. Carter was curious to leaf through the book after having heard hype on TV surrounding the erotic novel, she said.
Olympian Kevin Light’s sister Heather holds a picture of his Olympic gold medal rowing crew, with their parents Terry and Anne, in their Sidney home. Watching their son win gold in Beijing was a high point in their lives.

Pride and joy

It’s an emotional roller coaster ride for families of athletes walking onto the world stage at the Olympic Games

Olympian Kevin Light’s sister Heather holds a picture of his Olympic gold medal rowing crew, with their parents Terry and Anne, in their Sidney home. Watching their son win gold in Beijing was a high point in their lives.

Cadboro Bay land claim could unearth lost history

Court cases won or lost on archive documents from around the world

Column: Top 10 reasons to read this

Did you happen to note that Victoria was recently ranked Number 2 on a list of most creative cities in Canada?

Panels from In and Out, a graphic novel create by youth in the Victoria Youth Custody Centre

Jailed teens share insider stories

Graphic novel aims to break cycle of illiteracy, youth in custody

Panels from In and Out, a graphic novel create by youth in the Victoria Youth Custody Centre
Vancouver Island Trails and Information Society president, Eric Burkle holds the new Hiking Trails book on the boardwalk at Swan Lake.

Hiking guides going strong after 40 years

What began as a 32-page booklet typed on a manual typewriter and illustrated by hand has evolved into a series of books

Vancouver Island Trails and Information Society president, Eric Burkle holds the new Hiking Trails book on the boardwalk at Swan Lake.
University of Victoria PhD candidate Kristina Kowalski, centre, leads active seniors Bob McMillan and Phyllis McCormand in a stretch near the pathway at Clover Point in Victoria. Kowalski is looking for 100 inactive seniors in Greater Victoria to participate in walking groups as a part of her thesis on the benefits of walking.

Never too old to put pep in your step

Researcher seeks inactive seniors to study cognitive benefits of walking

University of Victoria PhD candidate Kristina Kowalski, centre, leads active seniors Bob McMillan and Phyllis McCormand in a stretch near the pathway at Clover Point in Victoria. Kowalski is looking for 100 inactive seniors in Greater Victoria to participate in walking groups as a part of her thesis on the benefits of walking.
Jeani Reynolds, executive director of the Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria, and Bob Williams, president of the board of directors, welcome visitors to the main gallery space at the Arts Centre at Cedar Hill, the group’s new home after relocating from downtown Victoria last year.

Elbowroom for the arts

Greater Victoria arts council flourishes at Cedar Hill galleries

Jeani Reynolds, executive director of the Community Arts Council of Greater Victoria, and Bob Williams, president of the board of directors, welcome visitors to the main gallery space at the Arts Centre at Cedar Hill, the group’s new home after relocating from downtown Victoria last year.
Gorge Tillicum urban farmer Deb Heighway checks her newly planted strawberries on Donald Street. Heighway has 10 gardens, part of the popular spin farming, where vegetables are grown in other people’s garden plots in exchange for a box of fresh produce each week.

Urban farming in Saanich gets serious

A growing network of Gorge-Tillicum residents use veggie gardening to connect with neighbours

Gorge Tillicum urban farmer Deb Heighway checks her newly planted strawberries on Donald Street. Heighway has 10 gardens, part of the popular spin farming, where vegetables are grown in other people’s garden plots in exchange for a box of fresh produce each week.
Dave Shebib, the Garbage Guru, stands outside the Free Store on West Saanich Road in February 2011. After many complaints from neighbours, Saanich shut down the Free Store this week.

After complaints pile up, Saanich shuts down Free Store

It wasn’t the lack of revenue that caused the Free Store to close its doors.

Dave Shebib, the Garbage Guru, stands outside the Free Store on West Saanich Road in February 2011. After many complaints from neighbours, Saanich shut down the Free Store this week.

Highway speed demon faces criminal charge

A Victoria man suspected filming himself careening down the Trans-Canada Highway at 300 kilometres per hour now faces a criminal charge.

Suspect drops court documents during B&E

A Saanich woman is recovering from a disturbing Sunday evening at home alone after a man threw a planter through her sliding glass door