Sooke

A dark-eyed junco perched on a branch of a budding shrub. A record-setting 1,894 dark-eyed juncos were recorded in this year’s Christmas Bird Count in Sooke. (Alan B. Schroeder – Shutterstock.com)

Christmas Bird Count draws a crowd in Sooke

About 60 come out for annual event sponsored by Rocky Point Bird Observatory

A dark-eyed junco perched on a branch of a budding shrub. A record-setting 1,894 dark-eyed juncos were recorded in this year’s Christmas Bird Count in Sooke. (Alan B. Schroeder – Shutterstock.com)
Whiffin Spit in Sooke at sunset. Homeowners in Sooke saw their properties rise in value by an average of 11 per cent this year. (Adam Melnyk - Shutterstock.com)

Sooke home values rise by 11 per cent

Provincial average sits at 12 per cent

Whiffin Spit in Sooke at sunset. Homeowners in Sooke saw their properties rise in value by an average of 11 per cent this year. (Adam Melnyk - Shutterstock.com)
Sooke Lake Reservoir as pictured on Dec. 7. (Courtesy of CRD)

Sooke Lake reservoir levels recover with snowmelt

Levels had dipped below the five-year minimum but recovered with rain and snowmelt over Christmas

Sooke Lake Reservoir as pictured on Dec. 7. (Courtesy of CRD)
Sooke School District 62 is opening registration for the popular Nature Kindergarten program from Jan. 9 through 13. (Black Press Media file photo)

SD62 Nature Kindergarten registration opens Jan. 9

All interested parents must attend an info session on Jan. 5 or 7 in order to register

Sooke School District 62 is opening registration for the popular Nature Kindergarten program from Jan. 9 through 13. (Black Press Media file photo)
Lorelee Parker, Vancouver Island Regional Library manager for Sooke and Port Renfrew, was excited to see the opening of the new Sooke branch in June. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror) Lorelee Parker, Vancouver Island Regional Library manager for Sooke and Port Renfrew, was excited to see the opening of the new Sooke branch in June. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror)

YEAR IN REVIEW: Pandemic shadow followed Sooke into 2022

How does one begin to unpack a year like 2022 in Sooke?…

Lorelee Parker, Vancouver Island Regional Library manager for Sooke and Port Renfrew, was excited to see the opening of the new Sooke branch in June. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror) Lorelee Parker, Vancouver Island Regional Library manager for Sooke and Port Renfrew, was excited to see the opening of the new Sooke branch in June. (Kevin Laird - Sooke News Mirror)
Sooke School District board trustee Ravi Parmar takes a look back at 2022 and a look ahead at 2023. (Fikle - Black Press Media)

Sooke School Board’s priorities set for 2023

Education board chair Ravi Parmar looks back and ahead

Sooke School District board trustee Ravi Parmar takes a look back at 2022 and a look ahead at 2023. (Fikle - Black Press Media)
Members and the public are welcome to join Sooke Squares for a free afternoon of dancing on Jan. 10 at the Sooke Legion. The dancing begins at 2 p.m. (Metro-Creative photo)

Sooke Squares need new members

Put your best foot forward in new year

Members and the public are welcome to join Sooke Squares for a free afternoon of dancing on Jan. 10 at the Sooke Legion. The dancing begins at 2 p.m. (Metro-Creative photo)
LETTER SIG

Letter: Only affection and respect for accused priest

Re: Catholic church settles lawsuit around historical sex abuse of 10-year-old B.C.…

  • Dec 28, 2022
LETTER SIG
Sooke Fire Rescue Chief Ted Ruiter reflects on the year gone by and the one ahead. (File - Sooke News Mirror)

Sooke fire chief reflects on 2022

Ted Ruiter had a list of the department’s accomplishments

Sooke Fire Rescue Chief Ted Ruiter reflects on the year gone by and the one ahead. (File - Sooke News Mirror)
Sooke Region Communities Health Network and Sooke Seniors Activity Society have restarted the Sooke Seniors’ activity bus. (Shutterstock.com)

Sooke agencies merge to get seniors bus rolling

Trips begin in January with outings to the Victoria Health Fair and Victoria Art Gallery

Sooke Region Communities Health Network and Sooke Seniors Activity Society have restarted the Sooke Seniors’ activity bus. (Shutterstock.com)
Gladys Vallee worked in a number of bookstores and saw overbought books can often end up in the landfill. (Courtesy of Terrier Books)

Eco-conscious online bookstore opens in Sooke

Terrier Books has a unique angle: they sell books that would otherwise be headed for the landfill

Gladys Vallee worked in a number of bookstores and saw overbought books can often end up in the landfill. (Courtesy of Terrier Books)
Investigators are asking for the public’s help in locating missing 38-year-old Melissa McDevitt, after she failed to board a flight from Victoria to Vancouver on Saturday (Dec. 10). (Courtesy Victoria Police Department)

Search for missing Victoria woman suspended

Melissa McDevitt was last seen in Sooke on Dec. 10

Investigators are asking for the public’s help in locating missing 38-year-old Melissa McDevitt, after she failed to board a flight from Victoria to Vancouver on Saturday (Dec. 10). (Courtesy Victoria Police Department)
Wolverines defeated Kwalikum Secondary School 66-34 to earn a spot in the finals for the Ladysmith Junior Boys Tournament. (Contributed - Trevor Bligh)

First-ever Junior A boys’ team fielded by Sooke high school

Basketball takes a big bounce in Sooke

Wolverines defeated Kwalikum Secondary School 66-34 to earn a spot in the finals for the Ladysmith Junior Boys Tournament. (Contributed - Trevor Bligh)
Meanwhile in Sooke members have raised $20,000 for a local food charity. (MIN/Facebook)

Sooke Facebook group raises $20,000 for food bank

‘I’m amazed by the generosity of people in this community’

Meanwhile in Sooke members have raised $20,000 for a local food charity. (MIN/Facebook)
John Muir Elementary School students Kahlan Thornton (left), Callie Watson, Sophia Smith, Konnor May, Weston Cole, and Carly Clare hold up envelopes with their prizes for the Sooke Legion’s Remembrance Day Poster and Literary Contest. School principal John Muir and Legion member Ken Levert stand behind the students with the trophy that goes to the school with the highest percentage of participation in the contest. (Rick Stiebel - Sooke News Mirror)

Sooke students salute veterans, soldiers

John Muir students take trophy for highest participation in Legion’s Remembrance Day contest

John Muir Elementary School students Kahlan Thornton (left), Callie Watson, Sophia Smith, Konnor May, Weston Cole, and Carly Clare hold up envelopes with their prizes for the Sooke Legion’s Remembrance Day Poster and Literary Contest. School principal John Muir and Legion member Ken Levert stand behind the students with the trophy that goes to the school with the highest percentage of participation in the contest. (Rick Stiebel - Sooke News Mirror)
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In Sooke, new Gillespie Road intersection opens on Thursday morning

The $85-million project to improve Highway 14 heading west into Sooke hits…

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Sooke bylaw change opens door to ‘economic diversity’

New law provides more uses for retail, office, health and personal services

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The new Vancouver Island Regional Library branch has won a merit honour by the Capital Region Commercial Building Awards. (File – Sooke News Mirror)

New Sooke library wins building award

VIRL facility earns honours in Capital Region Commercial Building Awards

The new Vancouver Island Regional Library branch has won a merit honour by the Capital Region Commercial Building Awards. (File – Sooke News Mirror)
Cathy Gouk of Cathy’s Corner Cafe prepares a Christmas meal. (File - Sooke News Mirror)

In Sooke, Cathy’s Corner Cafe offers free Christmas dinner for all

It’s an annual tradition for the restaurant and community

Cathy Gouk of Cathy’s Corner Cafe prepares a Christmas meal. (File - Sooke News Mirror)
Samantha Geiger says she’s been harassed in the street, had her house broken into multiple times and, on one occasion, was nearly run down by someone with a vehicle. (Courtesy of Samantha Geiger)

‘I needed permission from my rapist to talk’: Sooke woman says publication ban turned town against her

Samantha Geiger says the publication ban stopped her from defending herself

Samantha Geiger says she’s been harassed in the street, had her house broken into multiple times and, on one occasion, was nearly run down by someone with a vehicle. (Courtesy of Samantha Geiger)