PORT ALBERNI

Members of Tseshaht First Nation are joined by School District 70 representatives for a song before the unveiling of Tsuma-as Elementary School’s new name on Sept. 29. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)

B.C. school renamed from racist figure in reconciliation ceremony

Tsuma-as is the new name for Port Alberni school formerly known as AW Neill

Members of Tseshaht First Nation are joined by School District 70 representatives for a song before the unveiling of Tsuma-as Elementary School’s new name on Sept. 29. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)
A totem pole, called n’aasn’aas?aqsa, is unveiled at Victoria Quay on Saturday, Sept. 18. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)

First Nations language pole unveiled in Port Alberni

The FNEF/ United Nations totem pole, called n’aasn’aas?aqsa, has found its home

A totem pole, called n’aasn’aas?aqsa, is unveiled at Victoria Quay on Saturday, Sept. 18. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)
Port Alberni RCMP have released a photo from a security video of the man who urinated at the front counter of the Dairy Queen on Aug. 27, 2021, hoping someone will identify him. (PHOTO COURTESY BC RCMP)

Man urinates in Port Alberni business after being asked to put on a mask

RCMP are searching for the suspect that caused a disturbance at Dairy Queen

Port Alberni RCMP have released a photo from a security video of the man who urinated at the front counter of the Dairy Queen on Aug. 27, 2021, hoping someone will identify him. (PHOTO COURTESY BC RCMP)
San Group owners Kamal Sanghera, left, Suki Sanghera and Paul Deol (from the Langley operation) announce $100 million in investments in their Port Alberni forestry operations on June 2, 2021. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Langley-based San Group donates lumber to help rebuild fire-ravaged village of Lytton

Donation follows on heels of Surrey’s Teal-Jones’s challenge to suppliers

San Group owners Kamal Sanghera, left, Suki Sanghera and Paul Deol (from the Langley operation) announce $100 million in investments in their Port Alberni forestry operations on June 2, 2021. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
San Group owners Kamal Sanghera, left, Suki Sanghera and Paul Deol (from the Langley operation) announce $100 million in investments in their Port Alberni forestry operations on June 2, 2021. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Langley-based San Group donates lumber to help rebuild fire-ravaged village of Lytton

Donation follows on heels of Surrey’s Teal-Jones’s challenge to suppliers

San Group owners Kamal Sanghera, left, Suki Sanghera and Paul Deol (from the Langley operation) announce $100 million in investments in their Port Alberni forestry operations on June 2, 2021. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Students make a “tiny home” sign with their hands as part of the Tiny Home Challenge at John Paul II Catholic School. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)

Vancouver Island school gets visit from Netflix show hosts for tiny home competition

Pilot Tiny Home elective was offered for Grades 4-7

Students make a “tiny home” sign with their hands as part of the Tiny Home Challenge at John Paul II Catholic School. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)
CELEBRATING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY Council members and witnesses from the Hupacasath First Nation, left, and Tseshaht First Nation, right, prepare to raise their respective flags in front of Port Alberni City Hall on Monday, June 21, 2021. The flags will permanently fly as part of the city’s reconciliation work. See more coverage from the flag raising ceremony on page A5. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Vancouver Island First Nations flags to fly permanently at city hall

Addition of flags are one Port Alberni response to reconciliation

CELEBRATING INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY Council members and witnesses from the Hupacasath First Nation, left, and Tseshaht First Nation, right, prepare to raise their respective flags in front of Port Alberni City Hall on Monday, June 21, 2021. The flags will permanently fly as part of the city’s reconciliation work. See more coverage from the flag raising ceremony on page A5. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
A coroner’s inquest will be taking place at the Capitol Theatre in Port Alberni for the next week. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)

Teen B.C. mom who died following police custody recalled as ‘friend to many’

Police sent Jocelyn George to hospital after intoxication had gone ‘beyond the realm’ of normal detox

A coroner’s inquest will be taking place at the Capitol Theatre in Port Alberni for the next week. (ELENA RARDON / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)
Port Alberni court house (Alberni Valley News)

Inquest set into 2016 death of B.C. teen after a day spent in police custody

18-year-old Jocelyn George died of heart failure in hospital after spending time in jail cell

Port Alberni court house (Alberni Valley News)
The School District 70 administration office in Port Alberni. AV NEWS FILE PHOTO

Talking vaping with students against principal’s orders gets B.C. teacher reprimanded

Conversations took place at a secondary school in School District 70 Pacific Rim

The School District 70 administration office in Port Alberni. AV NEWS FILE PHOTO
Terrance Mack would have celebrated his 34th birthday on May 13, 2021. Mack’s family has identified him as the victim of a homicide in an apartment on Third Avenue in Port Alberni sometime in April. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

Family identifies Ucluelet man as victim of Vancouver Island homicide

Terrance Mack being remembered as ‘kind, gentle’ man

Terrance Mack would have celebrated his 34th birthday on May 13, 2021. Mack’s family has identified him as the victim of a homicide in an apartment on Third Avenue in Port Alberni sometime in April. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)
Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner Andrea Inness walks beside an enormous western red cedar stump in a BCTS-issued cutblock in the Nahmint Valley. (PHOTO COURTESY TJ WATT)

Watchdog: logging practices put Vancouver Island old growth, biodiversity at risk

Forest Practices Board has issues with BC Timber Sales practices in Nahmint Valley near Port Alberni

Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner Andrea Inness walks beside an enormous western red cedar stump in a BCTS-issued cutblock in the Nahmint Valley. (PHOTO COURTESY TJ WATT)
Aria Pendak Jefferson cuddles ChiChi, the family cat that ran away two years ago in Ucluelet. The feline was missing until Courtney Johnson and Barry Edge discovered her in the parking lot of the Canadian Princess earlier this month. Aria and her parents were reunited with ChiChi in a parking lot in Port Alberni. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

B.C. girl’s wish granted as her cat came back, two years later

Courtenay family reunited with cat that went missing in Ucluelet in 2019

Aria Pendak Jefferson cuddles ChiChi, the family cat that ran away two years ago in Ucluelet. The feline was missing until Courtney Johnson and Barry Edge discovered her in the parking lot of the Canadian Princess earlier this month. Aria and her parents were reunited with ChiChi in a parking lot in Port Alberni. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Vicki McLeod will be presenting her pictures of “wild swimming” at an online women’s Zoom event, YakFest, on April 5. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)

‘Wild swimming’ offers a cure for the COVID-19 blues

Nanaimo blogger Vicki McLeod among a growing number touting the benefits of a cold water plunge

Vicki McLeod will be presenting her pictures of “wild swimming” at an online women’s Zoom event, YakFest, on April 5. (SUBMITTED PHOTO)
Michael Yellowlees and his dog Luna continue on their journey through Port Alberni after a couple of interviews on a soggy Friday, March 5, 2021. Yellowlees left Tofino four days previously and intends to walk to Newfoundland and Labrador to raise awareness for a Scottish environmental charity. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Kilted Scotsman launches walking trek across Canada in B.C.

Michael Yellowlees departs Tofino to raise funds for endangered Caledonian Forest

Michael Yellowlees and his dog Luna continue on their journey through Port Alberni after a couple of interviews on a soggy Friday, March 5, 2021. Yellowlees left Tofino four days previously and intends to walk to Newfoundland and Labrador to raise awareness for a Scottish environmental charity. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
The former BC ferry MV Tanaka will be leaving Port Alberni’s harbour at the end of March after someone in Alaska bought it from Lady Rose Marine Services. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Lady Rose sells old B.C. ferry, ends hopes of West Coast of Vancouver Island run

Port Alberni business had hopes of servicing car ferry to west coast before COVID-19 hit

The former BC ferry MV Tanaka will be leaving Port Alberni’s harbour at the end of March after someone in Alaska bought it from Lady Rose Marine Services. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Riley and Samuel, Jennifer Carroll’s sons, help deliver popcorn to a medical department that was involved in a transplant in a previous year. Operation Popcorn is BC Transplant’s way of saying thank you to medical staff for their role in ilfesaving transplants. (FILE PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER CARROLL)

One family’s decision gives three people the ultimate gift on Christmas Day

Jennifer Carroll of Port Alberni has a special reason to reflect on the spirit of giving

Riley and Samuel, Jennifer Carroll’s sons, help deliver popcorn to a medical department that was involved in a transplant in a previous year. Operation Popcorn is BC Transplant’s way of saying thank you to medical staff for their role in ilfesaving transplants. (FILE PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIFER CARROLL)
Former Conservation officer Bryce Casavant takes a cub to a rehabilitation organization on Vancouver Island. (Youtube screenshot)

B.C. union takes ex-conservation officer who refused to kill 2 bears back to court

Bryce Casavant ‘absolutely gutted’ over BCGEU’s decision to go back to court

Former Conservation officer Bryce Casavant takes a cub to a rehabilitation organization on Vancouver Island. (Youtube screenshot)
Berni the olive ridley sea turtle was released into warmer waters off the coast of California. (PHOTO COURTESY MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE)

Tropical sea turtle found off Vancouver Island released to warmer waters

‘Berni Stranders’ is only the fourth olive ridley sea turtle recorded in B.C. waters

Berni the olive ridley sea turtle was released into warmer waters off the coast of California. (PHOTO COURTESY MARINE MAMMAL RESCUE)
The bus involved in a crash on Bamfield Road on Friday, Sept. 13 is towed away from the scene. PHOTO COURTESY CTV NEWS VANCOUVER ISLAND

Province announces $30M plan for deadly Vancouver Island logging road

Gov’t announcement comes as first anniversary of UVic student deaths approaches

The bus involved in a crash on Bamfield Road on Friday, Sept. 13 is towed away from the scene. PHOTO COURTESY CTV NEWS VANCOUVER ISLAND