Nora O'Malley

Tofino’s Reed Platenius gets chaired up the beach by teammates Wheeler Hasburgh and Noah Cohen after winning his first-ever WSL contest on March 12 in Florida. (Kurt Steinmetz photo)

Vancouver Island surfer tops World Surf League junior rankings

Tofino’s Reed Platenius is currently the best men’s pro junior surfer in North America

Tofino’s Reed Platenius gets chaired up the beach by teammates Wheeler Hasburgh and Noah Cohen after winning his first-ever WSL contest on March 12 in Florida. (Kurt Steinmetz photo)
Sit skier Kevin Monk, 24, rips down Whiskey Jack on March 5. (Nora O’Malley photo)

VIDEO: Vancouver Island sit skier chasing Paralympic dreams

Kevin Monk trains on Mt. Washington with the Vancouver Island Society for Adaptive Snowsports

Sit skier Kevin Monk, 24, rips down Whiskey Jack on March 5. (Nora O’Malley photo)
Koyah Morgan, 17, says her winning design was inspired by praying hands in Indigenous culture. (Nora O’Malley photo)

Island high school student designs Canada’s official Pink Shirt Day shirt

Ucluelet Secondary School artist Koyah Morgan says her design was inspired by Indigenous culture

Koyah Morgan, 17, says her winning design was inspired by praying hands in Indigenous culture. (Nora O’Malley photo)
Hotel Zed Tofino staff Jennie Foster, left, Ki Berentsen and Myles Beeby pose with the new amenity parked at the back of the property. (Nora O’Malley photo)

Cheeky ’70s themed ‘Shaggin’ Wagon’ pops up in Tofino ahead of Valentine’s Day

The Shaggin’ Wagon is in town for a good time, but not a long time

Hotel Zed Tofino staff Jennie Foster, left, Ki Berentsen and Myles Beeby pose with the new amenity parked at the back of the property. (Nora O’Malley photo)
Dr. Eric Tran is an associate member at the Providence Cancer Institute in Portland, Oregon. He graduated from Ucluelet Secondary in 2000. (Submitted photo)

From high school MVP to PhD: Meet the Ucluelet Secondary grad making strides in curing cancer

Dr. Eric Tran is part of a scientific research team pioneering breakthroughs in eradicating cancer

Dr. Eric Tran is an associate member at the Providence Cancer Institute in Portland, Oregon. He graduated from Ucluelet Secondary in 2000. (Submitted photo)
The new bus service between Nanaimo and Tofino will also serve people travelling to Port Alberni and Ucluelet. (Westerly file photo)

Islandlink announces new Nanaimo-Tofino bus service this winter

The new bus service between Nanaimo and Tofino will begin Jan. 30 and run three times a week

The new bus service between Nanaimo and Tofino will also serve people travelling to Port Alberni and Ucluelet. (Westerly file photo)
The avian flu has been detected on two, small non-commercial chicken coops in the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District. (Pixabay photo)

Two cases of deadly bird flu reported in Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District

One case was detected in Tofino and the other in the Alberni Valley

The avian flu has been detected on two, small non-commercial chicken coops in the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District. (Pixabay photo)
Volunteer firefighters tackle a massive blaze at Tofino’s Shelter Restaurant in the early morning of Dec. 22, 2022. (Bryanne Wiebe photo)

VIDEO: Massive fire engulfs Tofino’s iconic Shelter Restaurant

It took about 20 volunteer firefighters to extinguish the early-morning blaze

Volunteer firefighters tackle a massive blaze at Tofino’s Shelter Restaurant in the early morning of Dec. 22, 2022. (Bryanne Wiebe photo)
Victoria Feige is carried out of the surf and onto the podium by Team Canada coaches Albie Sears, left, and Shannon Brown after winning her fourth women’s kneel world title on Dec. 10. (ISA Pablo Franco photo)

Historic win for Canadian para surfer Victoria Feige

Feige is a para surfing GOAT after winning her fourth world title in women’s kneel

Victoria Feige is carried out of the surf and onto the podium by Team Canada coaches Albie Sears, left, and Shannon Brown after winning her fourth women’s kneel world title on Dec. 10. (ISA Pablo Franco photo)
Chris Manocchio unleashes after taking first place and a $1500 cash prize at the Tofino Oyster Festival Shucker’s Showdown on Nov. 27 at the Shore Pier. (Marcie Callewaert photos)

Ah, shucks! Tofino crowns inaugural oyster shucking champion

Chris Manocchio shucks 18 oysters the fastest in front of an ecstatic crowd

Chris Manocchio unleashes after taking first place and a $1500 cash prize at the Tofino Oyster Festival Shucker’s Showdown on Nov. 27 at the Shore Pier. (Marcie Callewaert photos)
The Tofino RCMP detachment on Nov. 23, 2022. (Nora O'Malley photo)

Police watchdog clears B.C. RCMP officer in shooting death of Indigenous man

Details of probe into Tofino death of Julian Jones won’t be released until related court case over

The Tofino RCMP detachment on Nov. 23, 2022. (Nora O'Malley photo)
The new million dollar boardwalk leading to the natural hot springs in Ahousaht territory was built in partnership with 43K Wilderness Solutions, Maaqutusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society, and BC Parks. (Keltsmaht Adventures photo)

Ahousaht re-opens Hot Springs near Tofino

Maquinna Marine Provincial Park and Hot Springs is open to the public

The new million dollar boardwalk leading to the natural hot springs in Ahousaht territory was built in partnership with 43K Wilderness Solutions, Maaqutusiis Hahoulthee Stewardship Society, and BC Parks. (Keltsmaht Adventures photo)
Edge to Edge Half Marathoners burst over start line on Sunday morning, Oct. 16, in front of the Ucluelet Community Hall. (Melissa Renwick photo)

Ucluelet’s Edge to Edge Half Marathon and 10km makes stellar return

650 runners took to the Wild Pacific Trail on Sunday, Oct. 16

Edge to Edge Half Marathoners burst over start line on Sunday morning, Oct. 16, in front of the Ucluelet Community Hall. (Melissa Renwick photo)
West Coast mushroom buyer Butch Sheaves holds a crate of pricey chanterelles. (Nora O’Malley photo)

Dry weather causes “unprecedented” cost of chanterelles in B.C.

“We need heavy rain. We need rain that will saturate the ground”

West Coast mushroom buyer Butch Sheaves holds a crate of pricey chanterelles. (Nora O’Malley photo)
The entrance to Castaways thrift store on Tofino’s Campbell Street and Fourth. Castaways closed permanently in Nov. 2018. (Westerly file photo)

Surfer awarded more than $75K for 2×4 attack that drove him from Tofino

Court ruling after ‘not happy’ resident smashed up car revving outside his home in the early morning

The entrance to Castaways thrift store on Tofino’s Campbell Street and Fourth. Castaways closed permanently in Nov. 2018. (Westerly file photo)
Tofino surfer Ocea Green, 13, unleashes during the Princess of the Peak final at Cox Bay on Sunday, Oct. 2. (Nora O’Malley photos)

Tofino’s Queen of the Peak surf contest roars back to Cox Bay

Winners in the shortboard and longboard scored a $3,000 prize purse

Tofino surfer Ocea Green, 13, unleashes during the Princess of the Peak final at Cox Bay on Sunday, Oct. 2. (Nora O’Malley photos)
Ocean lovers gather for a beach clean of Cox Bay in Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation territory on Sept. 17. (Nora O’Malley photo)

Surfrider Canada and Reef host International Coastal Cleanup Day in Tofino

About 60 volunteers pitched in for a cleanup of Cox Bay on Sept. 17

Ocean lovers gather for a beach clean of Cox Bay in Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation territory on Sept. 17. (Nora O’Malley photo)
PHOTO FINISH: Dorian Baird, 11, zips over the finish line in his Delorean time machine soap box race car during the Sept. 17 Dustin Riley Soap Box Derby at Ucluelet’s Bay Street. Dorian went on to win top spot of the Tier B group. (Nora O’Malley photos)

PHOTOS: 2022 Dustin Riley Soap Box Derby in Ucluelet

Ukee kids had a blast on Saturday, Sept. 17 zooming down Bay…

PHOTO FINISH: Dorian Baird, 11, zips over the finish line in his Delorean time machine soap box race car during the Sept. 17 Dustin Riley Soap Box Derby at Ucluelet’s Bay Street. Dorian went on to win top spot of the Tier B group. (Nora O’Malley photos)
Crews install a cantilever along Hwy. 4 in August 2022. (BC Ministry of transportation and infrastructure photo)

West Coast highway closures resume as lengthy improvement project hits home stretch

Ministry says $53.96 million project is roughly 90% complete

Crews install a cantilever along Hwy. 4 in August 2022. (BC Ministry of transportation and infrastructure photo)
Nora O’Malley in front of Windsor Castle on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. (Tristan McConnell photo)

COLUMN: Much ado about the Queen

Tofino-Ucluelet reporter writes about a chance visit to London days after Her Majesty’s death

Nora O’Malley in front of Windsor Castle on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022. (Tristan McConnell photo)