Alberni Valley

Kayla Castellarin of the BC SPCA Alberni-Clayoquot Branch feeds Herby the cat some treats on his first birthday, Friday, Jan. 20, 2023. Staff decorated Herby’s living quarters for the occasion. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Herby the black cat seeks fur-ever home on Vancouver Island

Alberni-Clayoquot SPCA staff throw party for one-year old cat who has spent 70-plus days in care

 

Lucas Dewey’s photo of the MV Frances Barkley with Mount Arrowsmith in the background took first place in the Maritime Discovery Centre’s photo contest. (PHOTO COURTESY MARITIME DISCOVERY CENTRE)

Photos capture marine mystique of Port Alberni

Maritime Discovery Centre contest winners are currently on display

 

BC Housing won’t be renewing the Port Alberni Shelter Society’s contract to operate Our Home on Eighth shelter. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

BC Housing terminates contract with Port Alberni Shelter Society over shelter

Shelter will remain open, new operator will be chosen by March, BC Housing officials say

 

A fire investigator from Port Alberni Fire Department examines the aftermath of a Boxing Day fire at a home on Haslam Lane, Dec. 27, 2022. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Four people escape Boxing Day house fire in Port Alberni

Son starts fundraiser for mother, who lost everything in early-morning blaze

A fire investigator from Port Alberni Fire Department examines the aftermath of a Boxing Day fire at a home on Haslam Lane, Dec. 27, 2022. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
École Alberni Elementary School teachers Tammy Petrone and Sonia Organ wear tinsel as part of the teachers’ Christmas video, sung to Run-D.M.C.’s ‘Christmas in Hollis.’ (VIDEO SCREENSHOT)

Vancouver Island teachers’ Christmas video goes viral

École Alberni Elementary staff gets into the spirit with hip hop-inspired antics

École Alberni Elementary School teachers Tammy Petrone and Sonia Organ wear tinsel as part of the teachers’ Christmas video, sung to Run-D.M.C.’s ‘Christmas in Hollis.’ (VIDEO SCREENSHOT)
New B.C. Premier David Eby welcomes Mid Island-Pacific Rim MLA Josie Osborne into his cabinet as B.C. Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. (PROVINCE OF B.C. PHOTO)

Mid Island-Pacific Rim MLA gets new B.C. cabinet position under David Eby

Third spot on cabinet for Josie Osborne since she was elected in 2020

New B.C. Premier David Eby welcomes Mid Island-Pacific Rim MLA Josie Osborne into his cabinet as B.C. Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. (PROVINCE OF B.C. PHOTO)
Port Alberni RCMP are looking for Scott Andrew Bezanson of Port Alberni, who hasn’t been seen since Dec. 2, 2022. (RCMP PHOTO)

Port Alberni RCMP ask for help finding missing man

Scott Andrew Bezanson hasn’t been seen since Dec. 2, 2022

Port Alberni RCMP are looking for Scott Andrew Bezanson of Port Alberni, who hasn’t been seen since Dec. 2, 2022. (RCMP PHOTO)
Port Alberni artist Michael Wright builds up the base below his metal sculpture of a grey whale, placed on a berm on San Group property along Stamp Avenue. Wright has since added a green copper sea turtle, and is working on a full-sized basking shark. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Port Alberni artist Michael Wright finds unorthodox home for metal sculptures

San Group hopes to develop public art program for berm around its property

Port Alberni artist Michael Wright builds up the base below his metal sculpture of a grey whale, placed on a berm on San Group property along Stamp Avenue. Wright has since added a green copper sea turtle, and is working on a full-sized basking shark. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
The RBC Mobile Bank, which includes seating for customer service as well as an ATM at the back of the truck, has been set up in Port Alberni after a fire forced temporary closure of the RBC Royal Bank on Third Avenue. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

RBC in Port Alberni brings in mobile bank as branch recovers from fire

Main branch on Third Avenue is expected to re-open on Monday, Dec. 19

The RBC Mobile Bank, which includes seating for customer service as well as an ATM at the back of the truck, has been set up in Port Alberni after a fire forced temporary closure of the RBC Royal Bank on Third Avenue. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
School District 70-Pacific Rim’s head office is located in Port Alberni, B.C. (AV NEWS FILE PHOTO)

Vancouver Island teacher suspended for touching student during athletic demonstration

Teacher didn’t warn student or ask permission: BC Commissioner for Teacher Regulation

School District 70-Pacific Rim’s head office is located in Port Alberni, B.C. (AV NEWS FILE PHOTO)
Dalyn Fredrickson carts a giant orca up the stairs at the Alberni Valley Multiplex during the second period intermission of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs’ teddy bear toss game on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. <ins>Fredrickson had to wait until the final buzzer to throw his whale onto the ice as the ‘Dogs were shut out 5-0. </ins>(SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

BCHL: Alberni Valley Bulldogs shut out during teddy toss game

Fans threw their stuffies on ice at the end of the game

Dalyn Fredrickson carts a giant orca up the stairs at the Alberni Valley Multiplex during the second period intermission of the Alberni Valley Bulldogs’ teddy bear toss game on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022. <ins>Fredrickson had to wait until the final buzzer to throw his whale onto the ice as the ‘Dogs were shut out 5-0. </ins>(SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
Fire crews and the RCMP respond to a fire in the ATM vestibule at the Royal Bank on Third Avenue, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. (JERRY FEVENS/ Special to the AV News)

Fire at Royal Bank in Port Alberni starts in little library

A bystander flagged down firefighters already in area, prompting fast response

Fire crews and the RCMP respond to a fire in the ATM vestibule at the Royal Bank on Third Avenue, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. (JERRY FEVENS/ Special to the AV News)
The MV Frances Barkley ties up at Lady Rose Marine Services in this undated file photo. SUSAN QUINN PHOTO

Lady Rose Marine drops fees or charity to sail to Bamfield in December

Company asks for donations to Salvation Army, hospice instead; Budget Rental issues challenge too

The MV Frances Barkley ties up at Lady Rose Marine Services in this undated file photo. SUSAN QUINN PHOTO
The sun sets behind the Somass River at Victoria Quay in Port Alberni. (Elena Rardon / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)

Port Alberni continues to shatter heat records—in October

Century-old records fall away as mid-Island city sees temperatures in upper 20s Celsius

The sun sets behind the Somass River at Victoria Quay in Port Alberni. (Elena Rardon / ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS)
Robbie Jai, left, unit chief for the Parksville Ambulance Station, presents Ed Francoeur, centre, and Tyler Ruel of Port Alberni with Vital Links awards for saving golfer Fred Fredrickson after he collapsed at Alberni Golf Course on Sept. 13, 2020. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Port Alberni golfers honoured with Vital Link awards for reviving man on course

Ed Francoeur, Tyler Ruel saved fellow golfer after he went into cardiac arrest in 2020

Robbie Jai, left, unit chief for the Parksville Ambulance Station, presents Ed Francoeur, centre, and Tyler Ruel of Port Alberni with Vital Links awards for saving golfer Fred Fredrickson after he collapsed at Alberni Golf Course on Sept. 13, 2020. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
A hiker who suffered injuries while on Mount Arrowsmith’s Judge’s Route trail is rescued due to the combined efforts of Alberni Valley and Arrowsmith volunteer rescuers. (PHOTO COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY RESCUE SQUAD)

Volunteers rescue hiker in medical distress from Mount Arrowsmith

Multiple agencies involved in complicated retrieval from Judges Route

A hiker who suffered injuries while on Mount Arrowsmith’s Judge’s Route trail is rescued due to the combined efforts of Alberni Valley and Arrowsmith volunteer rescuers. (PHOTO COURTESY ALBERNI VALLEY RESCUE SQUAD)
Firefighters attend the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation Memorial Ceremony in Ottawa. (PHOTO COURTESY PA FIRE DEPARTMENT)

Trio of Alberni Valley firefighters who died of job-related causes honoured in Ottawa

Canadian Firefighters Memorial took place on Sept. 11, 2022

Firefighters attend the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation Memorial Ceremony in Ottawa. (PHOTO COURTESY PA FIRE DEPARTMENT)
A stream of water from the Harbour Chieftain fireboat can be seen as crews fight a fire aboard a 35-foot aluminum work vessel in the Alberni Harbour on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. (PHOTO COURTESY JOANNA STANGOWITZ)

Man forced to jump into Alberni Harbour after boat explodes

Black smoke, flames were visible for kilometres

A stream of water from the Harbour Chieftain fireboat can be seen as crews fight a fire aboard a 35-foot aluminum work vessel in the Alberni Harbour on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. (PHOTO COURTESY JOANNA STANGOWITZ)
Tom Wall and his daughter Emma have been riding in the Port Alberni Toy Run together since Emma was five years old. They will take Wall’s Spyder on the 2022 run, Sept. 17. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)

Longtime volunteer Tom Wall ‘lives and breathes’ Port Alberni Toy Run

Annual motorcycle event kicks off at noon Saturday, Sept. 17 at Little Qualicum Falls

Tom Wall and his daughter Emma have been riding in the Port Alberni Toy Run together since Emma was five years old. They will take Wall’s Spyder on the 2022 run, Sept. 17. (SUSAN QUINN/ Alberni Valley News)
First responders from BC EHS, Port Alberni Fire Department and Alberni Valley Rescue Squad retrieve a woman who had fallen around 30 metres at Stamp River Provincial Park on Monday, Sept. 5, 2022. (ALBERNI VALLEY RESCUE SQUAD PHOTO)

Tourist airlifted to hospital after falling 40 feet down embankment at Stamp River Provincial Park

Rope rescue teams from Port Alberni, Qualicum Beach extricate woman from bank by Stamp Falls

First responders from BC EHS, Port Alberni Fire Department and Alberni Valley Rescue Squad retrieve a woman who had fallen around 30 metres at Stamp River Provincial Park on Monday, Sept. 5, 2022. (ALBERNI VALLEY RESCUE SQUAD PHOTO)