Jake Romphf

A class action suit has been certified against the former Saanich grocery store assistant manager who secretly filmed his naked coworkers in the bathroom, while the Red Barn grocery location is also named after being accused of a toxic and sexualized work environment. (Black Press Media file photo)

Lawsuit targets B.C. grocery store and man who secretly filmed naked co-workers

Plaintiffs accuse Red Barn location’s former management of enabling a misogynist workplace

A class action suit has been certified against the former Saanich grocery store assistant manager who secretly filmed his naked coworkers in the bathroom, while the Red Barn grocery location is also named after being accused of a toxic and sexualized work environment. (Black Press Media file photo)
The federal government and B.C. announced the Island Rail Corridor segment running through the Snaw-Naw-As First Nation will return to the community. (Photo by Mike Bonkowski for Island Corridor Foundation)

Canada, B.C. announce Island Rail Corridor lands being returned to First Nation

Snaw-Naw-As First Nation claimed their land was expropriated for rail services no longer in use

The federal government and B.C. announced the Island Rail Corridor segment running through the Snaw-Naw-As First Nation will return to the community. (Photo by Mike Bonkowski for Island Corridor Foundation)
A Fisheries and Oceans Canada boat practicing using their oikomi pipes to deter marine life during the fuel spill response to a sunken fishing boat on August 25, 2022. (Courtesy of NOAA Northwest Fishers Science Centre)

Coordinated response helped protect orcas during fuel spill off B.C. coast: NOAA

U.S. and Canadian agencies worked together to deter orcas from the affected areas

A Fisheries and Oceans Canada boat practicing using their oikomi pipes to deter marine life during the fuel spill response to a sunken fishing boat on August 25, 2022. (Courtesy of NOAA Northwest Fishers Science Centre)
Karly Nygaard-Petersen, a doctoral student at Royal Roads University, researched what role fun played in people’s uptake of e-scooters and micro-mobility options. (Courtesy of Karly Nygaard-Petersen)

E-scooter uptake highlights role of fun in transportation: Vancouver Island researcher

Royal Roads study looks into how cities can use commuter enjoyment in street adaptation decisions

Karly Nygaard-Petersen, a doctoral student at Royal Roads University, researched what role fun played in people’s uptake of e-scooters and micro-mobility options. (Courtesy of Karly Nygaard-Petersen)
A Southern Resident female orca leaps from the water while breaching in Puget Sound, west of Seattle. Females examined in a new study were capturing less prey and spent less time hunting than their male counterparts, contrary to previously understood gender behaviour among southern residents. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

Study finds endangered orcas hunting longer, catching less than northern B.C. counterparts

Possible hunting gender flip in Southern Resident killer whales as keystone females save energy

A Southern Resident female orca leaps from the water while breaching in Puget Sound, west of Seattle. Females examined in a new study were capturing less prey and spent less time hunting than their male counterparts, contrary to previously understood gender behaviour among southern residents. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
Unbuilders deconstruct a building on Fort Street in downtown Victoria in 2022. Crews are salvaging materials from the building as it’s torn down. Wood and other waste from construction and demolition are some of the main contributors to Hartland Landfill. (Katherine Engqvist/News Staff)

Almost half of what ends up in Vancouver Island landfill could’ve been diverted: CRD

Building and organic materials continue to be drivers of what ends up at Greater Victoria dump

Unbuilders deconstruct a building on Fort Street in downtown Victoria in 2022. Crews are salvaging materials from the building as it’s torn down. Wood and other waste from construction and demolition are some of the main contributors to Hartland Landfill. (Katherine Engqvist/News Staff)
Fairmont Empress’ Victoria Dyson, left, Destination Greater Victoria’s Paul Nursey, Colwood Coun. Dave Grove and Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce CEO Bruce Williams at the launch of the 2023 Greater Victoria Flower Count, which begins on March 8. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
Fairmont Empress’ Victoria Dyson, left, Destination Greater Victoria’s Paul Nursey, Colwood Coun. Dave Grove and Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce CEO Bruce Williams at the launch of the 2023 Greater Victoria Flower Count, which begins on March 8. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
The B.C. government brought in new regulations at the start of 2023 that expanded the list of items that can be recycled through blue bin and depot programs. Some are calling for more to be done in quelling the amount of single-use items making it to market. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Groups want plastic waste reduced at the source as B.C. expands recycling list

Environment minister says more single-use bans being looked at as more plastic regulations coming

The B.C. government brought in new regulations at the start of 2023 that expanded the list of items that can be recycled through blue bin and depot programs. Some are calling for more to be done in quelling the amount of single-use items making it to market. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
The federal government must state its intention for the future of the Vancouver Island Rail Corridor by mid-March. (Photo by Mike Bonkowski for Island Corridor Foundation)

Vote on future of Island rail corridor prompts First Nation board members to resign

Members sought non-rail uses after provincial report flags First Nations concerns

The federal government must state its intention for the future of the Vancouver Island Rail Corridor by mid-March. (Photo by Mike Bonkowski for Island Corridor Foundation)
A Victoria police officer’s notebook that was lost in late 2022 contained 50 names and 60 addresses relating to police actions or investigations. The contents were used to conduct an alleged crime in Saanich. (Black Press Media file photo)

B.C. police apologize after personal info in lost notebook falls into criminal hands

Victoria officer’s notebook lost for five days, contained 50 addresses plus 60 names

A Victoria police officer’s notebook that was lost in late 2022 contained 50 names and 60 addresses relating to police actions or investigations. The contents were used to conduct an alleged crime in Saanich. (Black Press Media file photo)
A totem pole is removed and lowered from the Royal B.C. Museum on Feb. 13 as Nuxalk Nation members and others watch on. The totem pole is being repatriated to the Bella Coola territory, its original home before it was taken. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

PHOTOS: Nuxalk chief ‘teary-eyed’ as totem pole removed from Royal B.C. Museum

Sacred item’s return to Bella Coola will help bring back their stories, says hereditary chief

A totem pole is removed and lowered from the Royal B.C. Museum on Feb. 13 as Nuxalk Nation members and others watch on. The totem pole is being repatriated to the Bella Coola territory, its original home before it was taken. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
Tundra and Gary Allen are shown in the film Part of the Pack, airing Feb. 10 at the Victoria Film Festival. (Photo: Isabelle Groc)

B.C.-shot film explores complexity of wolf-human interactions

Part of the Pack explores the challenges of domesticating the wild

Tundra and Gary Allen are shown in the film Part of the Pack, airing Feb. 10 at the Victoria Film Festival. (Photo: Isabelle Groc)
More will needs to be done to prepare Victoria’s infrastructure for the impacts of climate change, a new report finds. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Victoria slashes 2007 GHG levels by a quarter, still not prepared for climate change

Road transportation still the largest pollution source, natural gas use challenges targets

More will needs to be done to prepare Victoria’s infrastructure for the impacts of climate change, a new report finds. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
The federal government must state its intention for the future of the Vancouver Island Rail Corridor by mid-March. (Photo by Mike Bonkowski for Island Corridor Foundation)

‘Strategically important’: Feds weighing $431M Vancouver Island Rail Corridor future

Rail return could be Island’s needed transportation alternative: corridor foundation

The federal government must state its intention for the future of the Vancouver Island Rail Corridor by mid-March. (Photo by Mike Bonkowski for Island Corridor Foundation)
Diego Maffia, an Oak Bay Secondary Alum, led the Vikes men’s basketball team as they swept Thompson Rivers University on Jan. 27 and 28. (Courtesy of the University of Victoria Vikes)

Vikes retake top spot nationally as men’s basketball season winds down

UVic’s sweep of Thompson Rivers helps vault them bank into the one-seed

Diego Maffia, an Oak Bay Secondary Alum, led the Vikes men’s basketball team as they swept Thompson Rivers University on Jan. 27 and 28. (Courtesy of the University of Victoria Vikes)
The College of Massage Therapists of B.C. has handed a 25-year ban to a Saanich massage therapist who secretly videoed women undressing. (Unsplash photo)

25-year ban for former B.C. massage therapist who secretly recorded women disrobing

Gilles-Phillipe Lavoie set up a cell phone to video his patients prior to a massage

The College of Massage Therapists of B.C. has handed a 25-year ban to a Saanich massage therapist who secretly videoed women undressing. (Unsplash photo)
RCMP major crimes Superintendent Sanjaya Wijayakoom speaks during a press conference where the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit released its investigation findings into the June 28, 2022, Saanich bank shootout. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Brothers aimed to kill police, didn’t expect to survive Saanich bank shootout

22-year-old Cowichan Valley brothers were killed in the June 2022 gunbattle outside BMO branch

RCMP major crimes Superintendent Sanjaya Wijayakoom speaks during a press conference where the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit released its investigation findings into the June 28, 2022, Saanich bank shootout. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
The Victoria area saw average adjusted housing prices rise by 2.3 per cent while Canada saw a 12 per cent decline from 2021 to 2022, the Canadian Real Estate Association said on Jan. 16. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Greater Victoria housing prices rise in 2022 despite Canada seeing a decline

Local real estate officials talk about region’s sales, supply and housing forecast

The Victoria area saw average adjusted housing prices rise by 2.3 per cent while Canada saw a 12 per cent decline from 2021 to 2022, the Canadian Real Estate Association said on Jan. 16. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
The Trial Islands Ecological Reserve off Oak Bay was the first designated Key Biodiversity Area in all of Canada. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)

Important south Vancouver Island biodiversity sites highlighted on world stage

Greater Victoria’s Trial Islands, Fort Rodd touted as key biodiversity areas at UN conference

The Trial Islands Ecological Reserve off Oak Bay was the first designated Key Biodiversity Area in all of Canada. (Jake Romphf/News Staff)
Zachary Armitage was sentenced to life in jail on Jan. 11 for the first-degree murder of a 60-year-old Metchosin father in 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)

Second escaped inmate who murdered Metchosin man sentenced to life in jail

Family haunted by how Martin Payne’s last moments were marked by horror

Zachary Armitage was sentenced to life in jail on Jan. 11 for the first-degree murder of a 60-year-old Metchosin father in 2019. (Correctional Service of Canada/Facebook)