Wolf Depner

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A cat died in this house fire in Sidney afternoon. The fire started on the house’s deck and spread from that point. Sidney Volunteer Fire Department Chief Brett Mikkelsen said the permanent presence of crews at the Community Safety Building prevented worse damage. (Photo courtesy of Clayton Firth)

UPDATED: Investigation underway into Sidney house fire that killed cat

Official says fire started on deck and damage to the house could have been worse

A cat died in this house fire in Sidney afternoon. The fire started on the house’s deck and spread from that point. Sidney Volunteer Fire Department Chief Brett Mikkelsen said the permanent presence of crews at the Community Safety Building prevented worse damage. (Photo courtesy of Clayton Firth)
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)
A 5-2 majority of Sidney councillors voted against trimming the 2021 draft budget off $30,000 earmarked in part for the search of pickleball specific courts in Sidney. (Black Press Media File)

Sidney serves up $30,000 toward search for, design of pickleball courts

Coun. Scott Garnett urges action as majority defeats motion to strike funding from budget

A 5-2 majority of Sidney councillors voted against trimming the 2021 draft budget off $30,000 earmarked in part for the search of pickleball specific courts in Sidney. (Black Press Media File)
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)
Recent comments from officials representing Washington State Ferries (WSF) offer a case of bad-news, good-news for the future of the ferry connecting Sidney with the United States. (Black Press Media File)

Sidney-to-Anacortes ferry suspended until fall 2021

WSF has no plans to cut service in long-run

Recent comments from officials representing Washington State Ferries (WSF) offer a case of bad-news, good-news for the future of the ferry connecting Sidney with the United States. (Black Press Media File)
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)
Ellen Connell says she is not a quitter but is now looking for a way forward after closing Sidney Hot Yoga on Jan. 31. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Sidney yoga studio folds against backdrop of COVID-19 pandemic

Closure of business holds larger lesson for other businesses

Ellen Connell says she is not a quitter but is now looking for a way forward after closing Sidney Hot Yoga on Jan. 31. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
A new report finds a provincial tax designed to curb speculation and improve housing affordability “may not be having a large impact on turning empty homes into affordable or rental housing stock” in North Saanich. (Black Press Media File)

Report finds speculation tax not working in North Saanich as intended

North Saanich wants to be ‘allocated’ a share of revenues raised in the district

A new report finds a provincial tax designed to curb speculation and improve housing affordability “may not be having a large impact on turning empty homes into affordable or rental housing stock” in North Saanich. (Black Press Media File)
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)

Sidney, North Saanich youth involved in ‘non-consensual sharing’ of intimate images

Sidney / North Saanich RCMP dealt with case using ‘alternative processes’

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)
Patti Haney, who lives in Thetis Heights, Sunday made this snow bunny in honour of Valentine’s Day for her granddaughter Caelin, who lives on B.C.’s Mainland. (Photo Courtesy of Patti Haney)

Photo Gallery: Greater Victoria sparkles in the snow with fun and creativity

Snowfall on Saturday and Sunday becomes a canvass for all ages

Patti Haney, who lives in Thetis Heights, Sunday made this snow bunny in honour of Valentine’s Day for her granddaughter Caelin, who lives on B.C.’s Mainland. (Photo Courtesy of Patti Haney)
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.
According to Statistics Canada, Greater Victoria’s unemployment rate dropped to five per cent in January 2021 (Black Press Media File)

Unemployment in Greater Victoria continues to drop

Regional unemployment dropped to five per cent in January 2021 as provincial and national rates rose

According to Statistics Canada, Greater Victoria’s unemployment rate dropped to five per cent in January 2021 (Black Press Media File)
Al Kohut, owner of the New Photographers Gallery, stands by one of the images of Jupiter that are part of the Stirring Imaginations show currently displaying at the Sidney gallery. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

Sidney gallery offers out-of-the-world views of Jupiter

Stirring Imaginations highlights Jupiter’s complex hydrogen and helium cloud systems

Al Kohut, owner of the New Photographers Gallery, stands by one of the images of Jupiter that are part of the Stirring Imaginations show currently displaying at the Sidney gallery. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
Audiences across the Saanich Peninsula are mourning Jim Ramsay, who played at senior facilities across the region. He died on Jan. 20 of natural causes. (Linda Michaluk/Submitted)

Saanich Peninsula mourns Piano Man Jim Ramsay

Ramsay played to audiences across region for the sheer joy of it

Audiences across the Saanich Peninsula are mourning Jim Ramsay, who played at senior facilities across the region. He died on Jan. 20 of natural causes. (Linda Michaluk/Submitted)
Sidney, along with North Saanich, has seen an increse in individuals sleeping in vehicles. (Black Press Media File).

Sidney, North Saanich record uptick in people living in vehicles

Individuals sleeping in vehicles linked to homelessness, housing affordability issues

Sidney, along with North Saanich, has seen an increse in individuals sleeping in vehicles. (Black Press Media File).
The general growth of pickleball across North America has caused inevitable frictions with other sports and in the case of North Saanich, residents near the courts concerned about noise. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)

North Saanich looks into locking up pickleball courts after hours

Neighbour concerned about noise coming from courts questions idea

The general growth of pickleball across North America has caused inevitable frictions with other sports and in the case of North Saanich, residents near the courts concerned about noise. (Wolf Depner/News Staff)
This picture shows Liza Glynn after Steve Ward had transferred her from her bed to her powered wheelchair, using an electric lift hanging from a rail on the ceiling. Ward has been one of Glynn’s two care-givers for five years. (Photo Courtesy of Liza Glynn)

Vancouver Island woman finds freedom through care-giver

Steve Ward recognized for his role in caring for Liza Glynn who has MS

This picture shows Liza Glynn after Steve Ward had transferred her from her bed to her powered wheelchair, using an electric lift hanging from a rail on the ceiling. Ward has been one of Glynn’s two care-givers for five years. (Photo Courtesy of Liza Glynn)
A vehicle driving around 100 km/h nearly hit a pedestrian on East Saanich Road on Jan. 27. Central Saanich Police Services are looking for witnesses to the incident. (Central Saanich Police Services/Submitted)

Driver nearly hits pedestrian travelling 100 km/h through Central Saanich

Witnesses asked to contact Central Saanich police after driver fails to stop

A vehicle driving around 100 km/h nearly hit a pedestrian on East Saanich Road on Jan. 27. Central Saanich Police Services are looking for witnesses to the incident. (Central Saanich Police Services/Submitted)