Tuesday, January 14, 2025
January 14, 2025

Southern Gulf Islands news

Blaze claims Jones Road trailer

A south-end blaze destroyed a fifth-wheel trailer home Tuesday night, officials said, and while an investigation is ongoing, there were no injuries, and foul...

Road gives way under excavator

An excavator was temporarily stuck at an undignified angle on Salt Spring’s busiest road Wednesday, Jan. 8, after the ground gave way beneath it...

Rare ocular cancer experience full of surprises

It was back in 2017 when Steve Lynch first noticed a little spot on the white part (the sclera) of his right eye. “It wasn’t...

‘Typical’ Gulf Islands residential assessment tips to $857,000

Keen property owners got an early peek at their new provincial assessments well before ringing in the new year –– and while most noted...

Washout closes part of Blackburn Road

Heavy rain overwhelmed a culvert on Salt Spring’s Blackburn Road just above the transfer station, washing away the earth beneath the roadway and leading...

Gulf Islands life

Fun Robbie Burns night on tap

By MICHELLE GRANT President, SSI Scottish Country Dance Club It's hard to believe that our annual celebration of the well-known Scottish bard Robbie Burns is...

First Restorative Dialogue Circle set for Jan. 10

SUBMITTED BY RESTORATIVE JUSTICE SALT SPRING In collaboration with ASK Salt Spring, we warmly invite you to participate in our monthly Restorative Dialogue Circles. These...

Community-building sees results

Part of the Driftwood's Looking Back/Looking Forward series of retrospective pieces submitted by local organizations and published in the Jan. 1 issue of the...

Island Pathways reports on busy 2024

By ROBIN JENKINSON and PETER MEYER This year held many great events and projects to advance safer walking and cycling pathways on Salt Spring Island. From a...

Arts & Entertainment

Blue Rodeo: Lost Together screens Jan. 22

BY STEVE MARTINDALE For Salt Spring Film Festival Society Fans of Jim Cuddy won’t want to miss the award-winning new documentary Blue Rodeo: Lost Together screening...

Baroque ensemble and fiddler team up

BY KIRSTEN BOLTON For ArtSpring Freshly back from the holidays, ArtSpring Presents’ first January performance is the always popular Victoria Baroque with a much-anticipated matinee concert...

2024 a banner year for ArtSpring

BY KIRSTEN BOLTON For ArtSpring In a year full of milestones to celebrate, challenges to tackle and opportunities to connect, the highlight of 2024 at ArtSpring...

Photo of the Week

Subtitle

Vesuvius Beach Polar Bear swimmers make a big splash on New Year’s Day.  

Photo by John Denniston

Do you have a photo you’d like to submit for Photo of the Week? Send it with caption information to news@gulfislandsdriftwood.com. 

Opinion

Letters to the editor – Jan. 8, 2025

Conflicts of interest Salt Spring’s leading promoters of mass development certainly remind us who they are and what they stand for, shoulder-to-shoulder in last week’s Driftwood.  Trustee...

Big issues can be tackled when islanders talk face to face

By BRYAN YOUNG Amid the merry babble of voices at our Christmas party a couple weeks back, a few of us independently came to the same conclusion: something has really gelled within Transition Salt Spring (TSS)’s board, staff and volunteers...

Editorial: Opt funding increase needed

A critical cog in Salt Spring’s already stressed healthcare service wheel is under threat. The island’s Options for Sexual Health clinic (a.k.a. “Opt”) is among...

Weather

Salt Spring Island
broken clouds
1.9 ° C
2 °
1 °
96 %
0.3kmh
68 %
Tue
3 °
Wed
4 °
Thu
5 °
Fri
4 °
Sat
2 °

Obituaries

Timothy Charles O’Connor

June 25, 1960 – December 25, 2024 Tim was born in Saskatoon to his mother Willma Popham and father Charles (Pete) O’Connor, and moved with...

LAVENDER, Patricia Ann (nee Traynor)

Major Patricia Ann Lavender nee Traynor (Pat) passed away peacefully at Veterans Memorial Lodge in Victoria BC on December 3, 2024 at the age...

More news

CRD/LCC cap off busy year

By GARY HOLMAN SSI Electoral Area director, and EARL ROOK SSILCC chair The Capital Regional District (CRD) and Salt Spring Local Community Commission (LCC) were busy in 2024. The...

Island’s Opt Clinic faces closure due to rising costs

A sexual and reproductive health clinic on Salt Spring could join dozens of others across B.C. facing closure, organizers say, unless the province comes...

Tree chipping available Jan. 5

Salt Spring Island Fire Rescue (SSIFR) is once again offering its Christmas tree chipping service. On Sunday, Jan. 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.,...

NSSWD eyes federal funds for Maxwell plant

Trustees and staff at Salt Spring’s largest water district may have a path toward a seemingly improbable zero per cent tax increase in 2026,...

Search sparked for northern hall site

The year 2026 may seem a little like the distant future, but Salt Spring’s fire district is already looking past that expected completion date for...

Quinsam crew rescues sailor

Crofton-bound ferry passengers got front-row seats to a surprise marine rescue last week, as crew members from MV Quinsam diverted to assist a small...

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