Local News

Former Ladysmith Mayor Kathleen Grouhel pictured here overseeing the planting of dogwood trees in downtown Ladysmith. (Ladysmith & District Historical Society photo)

Former mayor Kathleen Grouhel to be honoured with sign and poem at Transfer Beach

Grouhel was Ladysmith’s first female mayor, serving from 1964 to 1976

A helicopter drops water on a fire at Gogo’s Christmas Tree Farm on Monday, July 26. (Photo courtesy Brian Irwin)

800 Christmas trees burn in fire at tree farm south of Nanaimo

Firefighting crews, including helicopters, battle fire all night

Classic cars will once again line Ladysmith’s 1st Avenue for the 2021 Show N Shine on August 21. (Submitted photo)

Ladysmith Show n Shine rolls through town on August 21

Organizers say Show n Shine shaping up to be among biggest car shows on Vancouver Island

Collect all three Ladysmith Days pins while supplies last. (Cole Schisler photo)

Ladysmith Days set for one day celebration at Transfer Beach

Kinsmen Parade will be held on 1st Avenue at 10:00 a.m.

Collect all three Ladysmith Days pins while supplies last. (Cole Schisler photo)
Town of Ladysmith crews worked to repair a water service line leak in November 2020. (Cole Schisler photo)

Town records 128 water service leaks since May 2020

The cause of the leaks remains unknown

Town of Ladysmith crews worked to repair a water service line leak in November 2020. (Cole Schisler photo)
Members of the Island Health team Carlee Bushell (back row left), Dr. Mike Benusic, Charlotte Brown, Kaylee Gray, Matt Erickson (front row left) and Mike Munro in front of the health authority’s new mobile vaccination clinic, the Vax Van. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)

Island Health launches mobile first-vaccination clinic across south island communities

Vax Van aims to reach vaccine hesitant people age 18 to 40 where they’re at

Members of the Island Health team Carlee Bushell (back row left), Dr. Mike Benusic, Charlotte Brown, Kaylee Gray, Matt Erickson (front row left) and Mike Munro in front of the health authority’s new mobile vaccination clinic, the Vax Van. (Kiernan Green/News Staff)
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Mary Simon speaks during an announcement at the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, Que., on Tuesday, July 6, 2021. Simon, an Inuk leader and former Canadian diplomat, has been named as Canada's next governor general — the first Indigenous person to serve in the role. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
VIDEO: Mary Simon becomes Canada’s 1st Indigenous governor general
Bill Merilees, a retired B.C. Parks regional information officer, collected mollusk shells from B.C. and Washington state coastlines for 50 years and has donated his 140,000-specimen collection to University of British Columbia’s Beaty Biodiversity Museum. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)
VIDEO: B.C. man donates 140,000 mollusk specimens to biodiversity museum
Helicopters fly past the Tremont Creek wildfire as it burns on the mountains above Ashcroft, B.C., on Friday, July 16, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
B.C. says expanding emergency alert for wildfires is a priority, but no timeline set
Richard and Linda Davis hug their grandchildren Miles and Linda Carnegie at their home in Winnipeg, Sunday, July 18, 2021. The couple were able to hug their grandchildren for the first time in fifteen months when Manitoba lifted some COVID-19 restrictions this weekend. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
‘A light at the end of the tunnel’: Canadians hug loved ones in post-vaccine reunions
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From left: PPWC Local 2’s Jonathan Beam (First Vice President - Operations); Geoff Dawe (Interim President) and Rob Cage (First Vice President- Maintenance). (Photo submitted)

Information picket sets out union issues at Island mill

Safety, payroll and staffing among the major concerns

From left: PPWC Local 2’s Jonathan Beam (First Vice President - Operations); Geoff Dawe (Interim President) and Rob Cage (First Vice President- Maintenance). (Photo submitted)
Emergency crews on scene at the Trans-Canada Highway and Roberts Street in Ladysmith, where one person has sustained serious injuries in a crash. (Cole Schisler photo)

One person seriously injured in rollover crash in Ladysmith

Motorists are urged to use caution near the intersection

Emergency crews on scene at the Trans-Canada Highway and Roberts Street in Ladysmith, where one person has sustained serious injuries in a crash. (Cole Schisler photo)
A Nanaimo man is facing a slew of charges after an early morning crash in Saanich. (Black Press Media file photo)

Debris trail leads police to impaired Nanaimo driver

Driver facing charges after early morning crash in Greater Victoria

A Nanaimo man is facing a slew of charges after an early morning crash in Saanich. (Black Press Media file photo)
A pyrocumulus cloud, also known as a fire cloud, forms in the sky as the Tremont Creek wildfire burns on the mountains above Ashcroft, B.C., on Friday, July 16, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

BC Hydro keeping eye on large wildfire burning near transmission line

The Brenda Creek wildfire in Central Okanagan is still classified as out of control

A pyrocumulus cloud, also known as a fire cloud, forms in the sky as the Tremont Creek wildfire burns on the mountains above Ashcroft, B.C., on Friday, July 16, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Snowbirds taking off at 19 Wing Comox May 21, 2021. Photo by Erin Haluschak

Snowbirds returning to the Island for Op Inspiration

The goal of Op Inspiration is to pay tribute to healthcare workers

Snowbirds taking off at 19 Wing Comox May 21, 2021. Photo by Erin Haluschak
Island Health has issued an overdose advisory for Nanaimo. (Black Press file photo)

Health authority issues overdose advisory for Nanaimo

People using bright and dark purple substances, sold as ‘down’/opioids at risk, says Island Health

Island Health has issued an overdose advisory for Nanaimo. (Black Press file photo)
Here’s Jonny, the one and only Jonny Harris on stage in Chemainus. (Photo by Chris Armstrong)

Chemainus depicted in all its glory for Still Standing

TV program brings unlimited benefits to featured communities

Here’s Jonny, the one and only Jonny Harris on stage in Chemainus. (Photo by Chris Armstrong)
The Kuper Island residential school as it looked in 1917. (B.C. Archives photo)

‘Who is going to be accountable?’: Action urged in Kuper Island residential school grave findings

Survivors and community leaders call for action, accountability and support

The Kuper Island residential school as it looked in 1917. (B.C. Archives photo)
A BCEHS air ambulance transported one patient to hospital in serious condition after a dirt bike incident in the Sterling Road area of Ladysmith. (Cole Schisler photo)

Patient airlifted to hospital in serious condition after dirt bike incident

BCEHS dispatched a helicopter from Parksville to take the patient to hospital

A BCEHS air ambulance transported one patient to hospital in serious condition after a dirt bike incident in the Sterling Road area of Ladysmith. (Cole Schisler photo)
Ted Puska reveals the name of the winning entry for the Doug Bodger autographed hockey jersey from his own collection that he made available in a draw for those who provided financial support to help with medical expenses. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Eight years awaiting a kidney transplant ends in success for Puska

Surgery puts active Ladysmith resident truly back to his old self

Ted Puska reveals the name of the winning entry for the Doug Bodger autographed hockey jersey from his own collection that he made available in a draw for those who provided financial support to help with medical expenses. (Photo by Don Bodger)
Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole held a roundtable with business and civic leaders from Nanaimo-Ladysmith on July 13, 2021 to talk about the Conservative’s plan for post-COVID economic recovery. (Conservative Party of Canada photo)

Erin O’Toole says Conservative Party speaks to the needs of Vancouver Island

O’Toole toured Nanaimo, Qualicum Beach, Courtenay and Comox on July 13, 2021

Conservative Party Leader Erin O’Toole held a roundtable with business and civic leaders from Nanaimo-Ladysmith on July 13, 2021 to talk about the Conservative’s plan for post-COVID economic recovery. (Conservative Party of Canada photo)
Local musicians gathered for an impromptu jam session at Transfer Beach around 7 pm on Monday, July 12. (Cole Schisler photo)

Local musicians host Monday night jam at Transfer Beach

Eager to play some live shows, local guitar slingers take the music into their own hands

Local musicians gathered for an impromptu jam session at Transfer Beach around 7 pm on Monday, July 12. (Cole Schisler photo)
Low water level on the Chemainus River is a huge concern, considering it’s only mid-July. (Photo by Don Bodger)

Chemainus River watershed on the list of concerns for water scarcity and drought

East Vancouver Island Basin already at Drought Level 4

Low water level on the Chemainus River is a huge concern, considering it’s only mid-July. (Photo by Don Bodger)
Larry Walker Jr., a former Colorado Rockies player, will not attend all-star events in Denver this week after being “bit” by COVID-19. (National Baseball Hall of Fame)

COVID-19 keeps Larry Walker out of all-star festivities

B.C. baseball great will be inducted into Hall of Fame in September

Larry Walker Jr., a former Colorado Rockies player, will not attend all-star events in Denver this week after being “bit” by COVID-19. (National Baseball Hall of Fame)