A single vehicle accident in Cedar has claimed the life of a Nanaimo man.

It happened shortly after 8:00 this morning on Gordon Road near the Duke Point Highway.

Cst. Gary O'brien with the Nanaimo RCMP says the traffic analysts and BC Coroners are on scene.

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RCMP is in the process of notifying next of kin.

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What started as vision for two Cowichan Tribes sisters has blossomed into a reality.

Sarah-Ann and Angelina Rice-Louis have organized a three-day Youth Empowerment Conference scheduled for May 23, 24, and 25th at the Island savings Centre.

The girls say the conference was born out of necessity, as many Tribes youth are dealing with dark feelings of suicide, and unfortunately, some have given into those feelings.

Ann-Marie Rice-Louis is the mother of the two girls who've organized the event. She hopes youth that are feeling lost will come to the free conference.

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The conference will feature inspirational First Nations speaker Earl Lambert.

Sarah-Ann and Angelina have built this conference from scratch, raising every dollar themselves through fundraising to bring Lambert to town.

They have almost achieved their goal, but still need a little support.

Ann-Marie says they are hoping the community might be able to put them over the top.

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They are looking for a possible donation of a room for Earl Lambert over the weekend, and if possible a few more cash donations to help with odds-and-ends associated with running the conference.

Spots are still available. To sign up or donate email Sarah-Ann at s.rice.louis@live.ca

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The BC Teachers’ Federation is ramping up its job action.  

BCTF President Jim Iker told a Vancouver news conference that, after extending an olive branch by backing away from a 10 year contract term with threats of wage cuts and other penalties if a deal wasn’t done by the end of the school year.  He also says the province is still asking for too much in the way of wage concessions.

“Teachers do not take job action of any kind lightly,” Iker says.  “As teachers, we care deeply about our students and their education, but with another round of brutal cuts looming, we need to act now… If this government is serious about labour peace they should offer teachers a fair deal and show some good faith. We will remain at the bargaining table. There are six days left before the first schools shut down. I encourage Christy Clark and Peter Fassbender to be in touch, move off their unreasonable demands, and empower BCPSEA to negotiate a fair deal.”

The rotating strikes are due to hit the Nanaimo-Ladysmith School District on May 27th, and the Cowichan Valley School District 79, May 29th.

The full list and the BCTF news release are available here.

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The majority of health care workers in B.C. have been without a contract since March 31, 2014, but that could change as soon as next week.

The multi-union Facilities Bargaining Association (FBA) representing 47,000 health care workers--including 550 in the Cowichan Valley-- has reached a tentative settlement with B.C.'s health employers.

It's believed the settlement will include a 5.5 per cent in general wage increases over the life of the agreement, limits contracting out, expands employment options and protects benefits.

FAB is recommending members ratify the agreement. Details of the will be distributed to union members next week.

The collective agreement includes workers in hospitals, residential care facilities, emergency health services, and logistics and supply operations at Cowichan District Hospital, Chemainus Health Care Centre, Cairnsmore and Cowichan Lodge

The five-year agreement was reached with the assistance of mediator Vince Ready.

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The Amber Alert for two missing sisters from Vulcan, Alberta has been cancelled.

With the assistance of public tips and information, police were able to locate them in Boston Bar, BC and all three were taken in police custody and care without issue.

“The girls are doing okay,” according to RCMP, and “investigators are working with the Ministry of Children and Family Development with respect to their care.”

The 48-year old mother Trina Meisel has been arrested in connection with two counts of Abduction.

Police had been searching for the trio since Monday.

BC RCMP investigators will continue to work with Major Crime investigators in southern Alberta with respect to their investigation.

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Suicide in our community has hit a crisis point--especially with one demographic in particular. In recent weeks, several Cowichan Tribes youth have made public attempts to end their life.

Sarah-Ann Rice-Louis, and her sister Angelina have taken it upon themselves to shed light on this very dark subject, and to help those who feel they are helpless.

The girls, along with their mother, have been able to create a three-day Youth Empowerment Conference set for the Island Savings Centre May 23-24-25.

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The conference will feature key-note speaker and First Nations inspirational leader Earl Lambert.

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Each day 50 people will be invited to take part in emotional discussions, intellectual reflections and spiritual acknowledgement with Lambert. Day-one is for school district youth; day-two is for the community, and day three is for youth workers and councilors.

Sarah-Ann and Angelina are using this Youth Empowerment Conference as a spring board to create more conversations and hopefully change.

A Facebook page has been set up for those interested in signing up.  It can be found by searching "Youth empowerment conference May 23,24,25 2014" on Facebook

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Official Opposition Critic for Aboriginal Affairs MP Jean Crowder is not expecting any big action from the Federal Conservatives following a UN report on the state of aboriginals in Canada.

James Anaya -- the UN’s Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples says in the report, overall there appears to be high levels of distrust among indigenous peoples toward government at both the federal and provincial levels…

Crowder says the report highlights several reasons for that.

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And while the report is damming in many areas, it also suggest Canada has made improvements, but still has a long way to go to better the overall quality of life for aboriginals.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt says the report will be reviewed and the government will decide how to best address the recommendations.

Crowder holds little hope in those words, calling it a typical response by government.

Over1.4 million of Canada’s overall population of approximately 32.9 million or 4.3 per cent is indigenous.

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The prep-work for the next round of Malahat safety improvements is underway. Darren Englund is a regional project manager with the Ministry Of Transportation he said crews have started with tree removal and ground excavating^.

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Englund said the work will carry through the summer and into the fall--possibly even the winter.

The Ministry is hoping to have the majority of work done--that's widening and median barriers installed from Shawnigan Lake Road north to the Malahat summit -- by the winter.

Englund said they will have special speed limits set.

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In previous year's safety improvements on the Malahat have brought complaints from motorists and local businesses, especially regarding delays and speed limits, but Englund said they have a plan to reduce the effects of the work.

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The latest work is part of a 15-million dollar project to widen the road and install 2.3 km of median barriers from Shawnigan Lake Road north to the Malahat summit.

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The Search for 35-year old Rodney Mackinnon has resumed. Lake Cowichan RCMP suspended the search Wednesday to follow up on a tip Mackinnon had been spotted; that tip proved to be false.

Tina Philips from Cowichan Search and Rescue said teams are now moving to a stage two "grid" search of the area where Mackinnon's vehicle was found.

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The search efforts have received a boost as Search and Rescue teams from Nanaimo, Ladysmith, Metchosin, Jaun de Fuca and Saanich have joined in.

Mackinnon was last May 1st.

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The Municipality of North Cowichan will be adding chlorine to the water supply in the Maple Bay area.  This is required to safeguard the water supply as they have detected a low grade bacterial count.

On the municipality website it states  "there is no immediate health risk at this time, and users can continue to use water for all purposes."

Also, starting Monday, May 12, North Cowichan will be doing routine chlorination of the entire South End water system.

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The Town of Lake Cowichan is hoping create a marketing strategy to attract more business to the community. As part of the revitalization efforts, several business owners in the town are coming together to build a committee similar to the one that was successful in attracting doctors to the community.

Monday night at Jakes on the Lake the Mayor will chair a discussion to further these efforts. It's believed tonight the members of this committee will be named and the work on a marketing strategy will begin.

The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m.

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Getting families hooked on fishing will be the goal this weekend at Art Mann Park for the Quamichan Stewards 4th Annual Fishing Derby.

Bring your rods, lawn chairs or boats and for a $5.00 registration fee you could be in line for prizes and the opportunity to enjoy the great fishing at Quamichan Lake.

The local fishing community is reporting five-pound trout being caught out of the lake regularly.

On the shore, derby spectators and participants can take part in activities including the Freshwater Fisheries Society’s Learn to Fish program, kid’s activities with the Cowichan Land Trust and a barbeque
hosted by the Rotary Club of Duncan.

The Quamichan Watershed Stewardship Society (Quamichan Stewards) is a non-profit society and registered charity that was formed in the spring of 2006 to respond to the continuously declining health of Quamichan Lake.
After two years of initial research and investigation it was able to move forward to prepare a Watershed Management Plan. In June of 2010 they held a very successful Community Forum with the BC Lake Stewardship Society that drew over 400 people to the Cowichan Valley. They have also created a recreational access strategy for the Quamichan watershed and are working with the Municipality of North Cowichan to improve recreational opportunities.

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Friends and neighbours are rallying around the victim of Monday's mobile home fire in Shawnigan.

Kirsten Wahl has known the victim, Jim Angus, for more than a year. Wahl and her husband have begun the process of setting up an account for him at the Mill Bay Island Savings so he can get back up on his feet.

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No one was injured in the fire, but the mobile home was all but destroyed in the blaze.

Wahl says they are also looking for donations of basic supplies to help out. The donations can be dropped off at the Shawnigan Mobile Home Park on Wallbank Road.

The post Community rallies around fire victim appeared first on My Cowichan Valley Now.

Developmental plans for a portion of Echo Heights took a step forward.

North Cowichan council passed the first two readings of a bylaw that would allow for 20 per cent residential development while preserving 80 per cent of the ecological area as parkland.

However, Mayor Jon Lefebure said nothing is set in stone.

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Lefebure said they will be presenting the plan to the public again before the bylaw makes its way to council for third reading.

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The Echo Heights saga has been ongoing for the better part of 8-years, and various proposals have been discussed by different councils.  Lefebure said it’s this council’s decision to finally put the issue to bed.

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In celebration of Earth Day, The Cowichan Land Trust and the Grade 2 class of Ecole Mt. Prevost Elementary planted over 50 sword ferns in the riparian area alongside the Cowichan Valley Trail bridge over Bings Creek.

The work is part of a larger project that has seen streamside restoration completed along Bings Creek and a tributary of Averill Creek.

“Involving the community and partnering with local land owners is very valuable to these projects. It gives our community a sense of pride. These children will be able to bring their families for a walk on the trail and tell them, I planted that!” said Kai Rietzel, Executive Director of the Cowichan Land Trust.

The Land Trust has been completing this work as part of the Friends of Cowichan Creeks program. Through the Friends of Cowichan Creeks program, they are working to monitor, protect, and enhance local streams by facilitating the work of streamkeeper groups.

If you’d like to get involved or learn more about the project, contact Kai at the Cowichan Land Trust by phone (250) 746-0227 or email:info@cowichanlandtrust.ca.

This project acknowledges the financial support of the Province of British Columbia, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans - Recreational Fisheries Conservation Partnerships Program and RBC Blue Water Project.

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The Cowichan Aboriginal Festival of Film and Art will celebrate their 10^th anniversary this week.

Louise McMurray festival director said over that time the festival has grown into a globally recognized event.

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The festival kicks off April 22, with a Coast Salish Welcome Dinner at the Quwutsun Cultural Centre.

McMurray said this will be the public’s first chance to experience this year’s theme which is Four Nations-Four Directions.

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That theme carries over throughout the five-day festival.

The festival art show: Four Nations-Four Directions has been set up in the lobby of the Cowichan Aquatic Centre. Films will be shown at three different venues: VIU lecture hall; Cowichan Theater; Island Savings Centre boardroom.

Click the link for more information of the festival http://aff.cowichan.net/

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BC Ferries has released the March 2014 Ferry Traffic Report.

The Chemainus-Thetis-Penelakut (Route 20) saw a slight bump in vehicle traffic of 1.68 per cent; however, Keith Rush, Thetis-Penelakut Chair of the Ferry Advisory Committee said the numbers were down for foot traffic.

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Rush said he expected that trend to continue into the future.

The Ferry Advisory Committee Chair for Saltspring Island, Harold Swierenga said the numbers are down more than he thought they would be, and he admits part of the reason for that would be the Easter long weekend being in April.

But, he said much of the dip in ridership has to do with the fare increases that took effect April 1st.

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Swirenga said the underlying problem will be that people will get used to not using the ferries as much as they had been.

On April 28, 2014 ferry service cuts will be introduced including the Chemainus-Thetis-Penelakut and Crofton-Vesuvius routes.

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The old Chemainus fire hall will be torn down to make way for a new library.

For 16-years Neighbourhood House has worked out of the old fire hall providing services for Cowichan's most vulnerable.

Arlene Robinson, chair of steering committee at Neighbourhood House said the Municipality of North Cowichan approved a plan that would help the volunteer based organization re-locate to a temporary location.

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The plan for temporary housing covers rental costs for 4 years and up to $20,000 for moving and renovations. The move will be completed by December 31st.

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Robinson said they'll be asking for help renovating the new space once they begin the move in September.

The post North Cowichan approves plan to move Neighbourhood House appeared first on My Cowichan Valley Now.

Deadline is fast approaching for Canadians to submit their taxes.

But, have no fear. If you're one of the thousands that find they need help this time of year, Canada Revenue Agency have set up volunteer tax clinics around the country.

Fiona He spokesperson for CRA says they have clinics set up in Duncan, Ladysmith, Lake Cowichan, Chemainus and Saltspring.

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Tax deadline is April 30, 2014.

Community Volunteer Income Tax Program.

Chemainus - http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/vlntr/clncs/chemainus-bc-eng.html

Duncan - http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/vlntr/clncs/duncan-bc-eng.html

Ladysmith - http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/vlntr/clncs/ladysmith-bc-eng.html

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The 51-year old First Nations woman missing since Saturday has been located.

North Cowichan-Duncan RCMP said Julianna Thorne is safe and sound.

Throne, a resident of Stonehaven Place, had family and friends worried after she left the care facility without informing staff.

RCMP is thanking the public for their assistance.

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