Author: Ethan Bell

One dog has died and another is fighting for its life after a shooting in Sooke, British Columbia, on Sunday morning. The Sooke RCMP received a report just before noon on October 19 regarding two dogs shot on the 2500 block of Farmer Drive. CCTV footage captured the sound of gunfire at 11:46 a.m., showing one of the dogs collapsing on a neighbour’s driveway. Police later confirmed that one dog had died, while the other, named Rip, was rushed to a local veterinarian in critical condition. A GoFundMe page, started by the sister of the dogs’ owners, described the pets…

The District of Sooke has announced there will be no Tax Sale for 2025, as there are currently no properties with delinquent property taxes. A tax sale is a municipal public auction where properties with three consecutive years of unpaid taxes are sold to recover the outstanding balance, including penalties and interest. In Sooke, the planned Tax Sale for September 29 did not take place due to zero delinquent properties. Christina Moog, manager of communications and community relations for the district, explained that Sooke has not held a tax sale since 2018. The district credits its proactive tax collection approach…

A Sooke sports star is turning heads both in the lacrosse box and on the rugby field. Maren McKeown, who discovered lacrosse at the age of 10 after seeing a poster at Pearkes Recreation Centre, has steadily climbed the ranks to play at the highest levels. This August, McKeown played goalie for Team BC’s U22 women’s box lacrosse team at the Carol Patterson Trophy nationals in Halifax. It was a momentous opportunity to showcase her talent on a national stage. “It’s a big honour to play for Team BC, and I love being able to represent the Island and my…

The town of Sooke has come together to comfort a family grieving the loss of 13-year-old Isaiah, whose death earlier this month has left friends, neighbors, and relatives heartbroken. In the days following the tragedy, an online fundraising campaign has gathered widespread support. Donations have surpassed $8,000 in just three days, with hundreds of messages of sympathy offering comfort to the family. The campaign is dedicated to helping Isaiah’s parents, Amanda and John, along with his younger sister Amelia, as they cope with the difficult days ahead. The campaign page describes Isaiah as a bright and kind-hearted boy who had…

Thousands of Sooke residents experienced a sudden power outage on Wednesday evening, leaving homes and businesses without electricity for nearly two hours. The disruption was caused by a failure in a transmission circuit, according to local utility officials. Power was restored at 8:20 p.m., after about 8,000 customers had been affected since 6:06 p.m. The outage impacted multiple neighborhoods across the area, causing temporary disruptions for households, traffic signals, and local businesses. Officials said the outage covered a wide area. Some of the most affected locations included areas west of Sooke Road and north of Gatewood Road, north of Maple…

Sooke is making major progress on its long-awaited health centre and housing project. The District of Sooke announced on August 11 that it will partner with key organizations to improve access to health services and rental housing at 6651 Wadams Way. Catalyst Community Developments Society has been selected to develop the proposed six-storey mixed-use building. The project will include 80 rental apartments, with 30% priced at 20% below the market rate. In addition, the building will feature a health centre offering expanded medical services. Mayor Maja Tait said the project highlights collaboration to build strong, inclusive communities. She noted that…

A woman died after a serious crash on Sooke Road in Langford during the B.C. Day long weekend. The incident happened on Sunday, August 3, shortly after 4 p.m. and led to a full road closure for several hours. Police say the crash took place near the 2900-block of Sooke Road. Emergency services arrived at the scene around 4:10 p.m., responding to reports of a severe two-vehicle collision. According to witness statements, a grey 2008 Hyundai Elantra was heading westbound when it crossed the center line. It then hit a white 2019 Toyota Avalon traveling in the opposite direction. Despite…

People across parts of British Columbia are being warned about poor air quality as thick smoke from wildfires fills the sky. Many communities in the province are experiencing hazy conditions, prompting a fresh health advisory from officials. The Ministry of Environment issued a special air quality warning on August 4. The alert covers a wide area and is expected to last through the next 24 to 48 hours. Experts say the smoke can change quickly depending on wind and fire activity. Regions under the warning include the entire Okanagan Valley, Kamloops, the southern part of Cariboo (including Williams Lake), and…