Wolf Depner

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The first cruise ship of the 2019 season – the Celebrity Eclipse – docks in Victoria. (Black Press Media file photo)

Tourism spending in Canada dropped by almost 50 per cent in 2020

Tourism-related jobs dropped by almost 29 per cent

The first cruise ship of the 2019 season – the Celebrity Eclipse – docks in Victoria. (Black Press Media file photo)
Monica Stevenson, clinical nurse lead, public health for Island Health, shows demonstrates the size of a dose of the Pfizer/Biontech COVID-19 vaccine prior at Sidney’s Mary Winspear Centre. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Survey says 3 in 4 Canadians willing to get vaccinated

Willingness though varies by sociological group

Monica Stevenson, clinical nurse lead, public health for Island Health, shows demonstrates the size of a dose of the Pfizer/Biontech COVID-19 vaccine prior at Sidney’s Mary Winspear Centre. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
A new study finds social media has made one in five Canadians lose sleep and become more sedentary. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Social media has robbed 1 in 5 Canadians of sleep

Ninety per cent of Canadians aged 15 to 34 use social media

A new study finds social media has made one in five Canadians lose sleep and become more sedentary. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
A new scheduling model for BC Ambulance paramedics promises more full-time positions, but Troy Clifford, president of president of the Ambulance Paramedics Of BC, fears that the new model will not benefit Central Saanich. (Black Press Media File)

New paramedic service model rolling out this month on Vancouver Island

Province says new scheduling system promises more jobs and better coverage, union not so sure

A new scheduling model for BC Ambulance paramedics promises more full-time positions, but Troy Clifford, president of president of the Ambulance Paramedics Of BC, fears that the new model will not benefit Central Saanich. (Black Press Media File)
A trend of trees and lights still up from the holidays has some Black Press Media readers talking, and sending photos. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Warm glow of Christmas still shining in some B.C. homes

Christmas trees still up, lights stay lit, perhaps as an extended comfort during the pandemic

A trend of trees and lights still up from the holidays has some Black Press Media readers talking, and sending photos. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Almost four of 10 Canadians reported feelings of loneliness or isolation because of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Black Press Media File)

Nearly four of 10 Canadians feeling loneliness or isolation because of COVID-19

Pandemic also worsened the mental health of most Canadians with a positive diagnosis before pandemic

Almost four of 10 Canadians reported feelings of loneliness or isolation because of the COVID-19 pandemic. (Black Press Media File)
Victoria’s Fairmont Empress hotel closed for three months in late 2020, early 2021, to undergo renovations in leveraging slower hotel traffic because of COVID-19 restrictions. A new report from Statistics Canada find many businesses in the accommodation and food services sector are bracing for another tough year. (Courtesy of Fairmont Empress hotel)

Survey finds Canada’s hospitality industry has low expectations for year ahead

Almost 87 per cent of businesses in accommodation and food services report lower revenues in 2020

Victoria’s Fairmont Empress hotel closed for three months in late 2020, early 2021, to undergo renovations in leveraging slower hotel traffic because of COVID-19 restrictions. A new report from Statistics Canada find many businesses in the accommodation and food services sector are bracing for another tough year. (Courtesy of Fairmont Empress hotel)
Transport Canada does not list Victoria International Airport as an internationally designated airport, but one official says the airport is not about to lose that designation. (Black Press Media File)

Victoria airport falls off Canada’s list of international airports

Airport official says that’s temporary because of COVID, YYJ not going to lose designation

Transport Canada does not list Victoria International Airport as an internationally designated airport, but one official says the airport is not about to lose that designation. (Black Press Media File)
Members of the Saanich Fire Department along with BC Ambulance Crews responded to Mount Douglas Park Saturday morning after a man in his early 30s had collapsed while hiking. His long-time friends and roommates, a pair of brothers, performed various life-saving techniques prior to the arrival of crews. (Photo courtesy of Darrell Wick)

Saanich brothers save friend who collapsed hiking near Victoria

Rescued man is said to be recovering in hospital after collapsing

Members of the Saanich Fire Department along with BC Ambulance Crews responded to Mount Douglas Park Saturday morning after a man in his early 30s had collapsed while hiking. His long-time friends and roommates, a pair of brothers, performed various life-saving techniques prior to the arrival of crews. (Photo courtesy of Darrell Wick)
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has in the past warned of Öffnungsdiskusionorgien (translated as an orgy of discussions about openings), one of one of the 1,200 words added to the German lexicon as reported by the Leibniz Institute for the German Language. (Michael Kappeler/Pool via AP)

Pandemic changed your life in some way? The Germans have a word for it

German lexicon grew by 1,200 words in 2020, many inspired by COVID-19 pandemic

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has in the past warned of Öffnungsdiskusionorgien (translated as an orgy of discussions about openings), one of one of the 1,200 words added to the German lexicon as reported by the Leibniz Institute for the German Language. (Michael Kappeler/Pool via AP)
This was the scene outside North Saanich’s Parkland Secondary School after an attempted but unsuccessful break-and-enter into the school torched an ATM inside of it. Sidney/North Saanich RCMP did not make any arrests and currently lack suspects as the investigation continues. Members of the public who may have witnessed something or possess other information can contact police at (250) 656-3931 or to Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. (Submitted)

Money to burn: burglars torch North Saanich high school ATM

Police dogs searched the exterior and interior of the school after early morning break-and-enter

This was the scene outside North Saanich’s Parkland Secondary School after an attempted but unsuccessful break-and-enter into the school torched an ATM inside of it. Sidney/North Saanich RCMP did not make any arrests and currently lack suspects as the investigation continues. Members of the public who may have witnessed something or possess other information can contact police at (250) 656-3931 or to Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. (Submitted)
</p> A survey by Statistics Canada finds Black Canadians earn less than non-visible minority Canadians despite having higher levels of education. (The Canadian Press file photo)

COVID-19 worsened unemployment picture for Black Canadians

Black Canadians also more likely to suffer other hardships

</p> A survey by Statistics Canada finds Black Canadians earn less than non-visible minority Canadians despite having higher levels of education. (The Canadian Press file photo)
Shannon Davis, manager at Sidney’s Star Cinema, holds up the largest available bag of popcorn available for sale at the theatre. It also also sells four smaller sizes in generating revenue following its closure last fall because of COVID-19. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Vancouver Island theatre can’t give you movies, but it can serve popcorn

Sidney’s Star Cinema using popcorn sales to prop up COVID-plagued bottom line

Shannon Davis, manager at Sidney’s Star Cinema, holds up the largest available bag of popcorn available for sale at the theatre. It also also sells four smaller sizes in generating revenue following its closure last fall because of COVID-19. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
BC Ferries carried 2.9 million passengers and 1.6 million vehicles during the final three months of 2020, a decrease of 39.6 per cent and 22.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2019. (Black Press Media file photo)

BC Ferries’ passenger count down 42 per cent as red ink dots third quarter report

Losses would have been worse without federal-provincial funding

BC Ferries carried 2.9 million passengers and 1.6 million vehicles during the final three months of 2020, a decrease of 39.6 per cent and 22.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2019. (Black Press Media file photo)
Higher prices at the pump contributed to a one per cent jump in the Consumer Price Index in January 2021 compared to 12 months ago. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)

Higher gas prices led to higher January consumer prices in Canada

Prices for other goods including food also rose, but at a slower pace

Higher prices at the pump contributed to a one per cent jump in the Consumer Price Index in January 2021 compared to 12 months ago. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)
A new reports finds that the number of active businesses in British Columbia had dropped by 5.1 per cent in October 2020 compared to 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld)

New report finds COVID-19 pandemic cut B.C.’s hospitality jobs in half

Some 14,000 businesses closed during height of pandemic

A new reports finds that the number of active businesses in British Columbia had dropped by 5.1 per cent in October 2020 compared to 2019. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld)
Sidney/North Saanich RCMP recently used “alternative processes” to deal with a case involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images among youth from Sidney and North Saanich. (Black Press Media File)

Vancouver Island police warn about ‘non-consensual sharing’ of intimate images

RCMP issue reminder that it’s illegal to share nude pictures after Sidney case involving youth

Sidney/North Saanich RCMP recently used “alternative processes” to deal with a case involving the non-consensual sharing of intimate images among youth from Sidney and North Saanich. (Black Press Media File)
Professional Lego builder Robin Sather, here seen in 2018, will be building a castle based on Sidney’s Old Post Office as part of Sidney’s Family Day Weekend Lego Event presented by Peninsula Co-Op running Feb. 13 to Feb. 15. (Black Press Media file photo)

Old Vancouver Island post office to be immortalized in Lego

Canada’s only professional Lego builder will build a castle based on Sidney building over weekend

Professional Lego builder Robin Sather, here seen in 2018, will be building a castle based on Sidney’s Old Post Office as part of Sidney’s Family Day Weekend Lego Event presented by Peninsula Co-Op running Feb. 13 to Feb. 15. (Black Press Media file photo)
Sidney/North Saanich RCMP continue to investigate a fraud case that saw a North Saanich senior lose $88,000.

Vancouver Island man in his 80s loses $88,000 to cyberfraud

Another fraud sees Sidney senior lose $7,000 to man pretending to be grandson

Sidney/North Saanich RCMP continue to investigate a fraud case that saw a North Saanich senior lose $88,000.
Singer Ken Lavigne will perform by live-stream from Tidemark Theatre in Campbell River on Feb. 7, starting at 7:30, playing romantic ballads and love songs. (Ken Lavigne/Submitted)

Get into the mood for Valentine’s Day with Vancouver Island’s Ken Lavigne

Singer will perform romantic ballads and love songs by livestream from Campbell River on Feb. 7

Singer Ken Lavigne will perform by live-stream from Tidemark Theatre in Campbell River on Feb. 7, starting at 7:30, playing romantic ballads and love songs. (Ken Lavigne/Submitted)