Robert Barron

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The new community policing office has opened in the basement of the Chemainus Visitor Centre. (File photo)

Community policing office in Chemainus opens

Office will be open three days a week

The new community policing office has opened in the basement of the Chemainus Visitor Centre. (File photo)
Vilavan and David Richardson are the owners of Sap Siam Bistro, a new Thai restaurant that is opening next week on Station Street in Duncan. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

Business notes: Thai restaurant Sap Siam Bistro opens soon in Duncan

The latest from the Cowichan Valley business community

Vilavan and David Richardson are the owners of Sap Siam Bistro, a new Thai restaurant that is opening next week on Station Street in Duncan. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
Duncan’s Nick Woywitka (left) is hosting Yevhen Shepotilyn, a refugee from the war in Ukraine, at his home and has offered him a job at his development company. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

Ukrainian refugee finds home in Cowichan Valley

Yevhen Shepotilynk from Mariupol, one of hardest hit areas

Duncan’s Nick Woywitka (left) is hosting Yevhen Shepotilyn, a refugee from the war in Ukraine, at his home and has offered him a job at his development company. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
Duncan’s Nick Woywitka (left) is hosting Yevhen Shepotilyn, a refugee from the war in Ukraine, at his home and has offered him a job at his development company. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

PHOTOS: Ukrainian refugee finds home in Cowichan Valley

Yevhen Shepotilynk from Mariupol, one of hardest hit areas

Duncan’s Nick Woywitka (left) is hosting Yevhen Shepotilyn, a refugee from the war in Ukraine, at his home and has offered him a job at his development company. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
Bureaucratic red tape at the Municipality of North Cowichan is threatening the establishment of a recovery centre for woman at the former St. Joseph’s School site in Chemainus. (File photo)

Red tape threatens new Chemainus recovery centre for women

Centre planned at the former St. Joseph’s School site in Chemainus

Bureaucratic red tape at the Municipality of North Cowichan is threatening the establishment of a recovery centre for woman at the former St. Joseph’s School site in Chemainus. (File photo)
Ben Maartman, the CVRD’s director for North Oyster/Diamond, wants the district to investigate other processes to build its annual budgets. (File photo)

CVRD to review its budget-building processes

Directors looking to explore options

Ben Maartman, the CVRD’s director for North Oyster/Diamond, wants the district to investigate other processes to build its annual budgets. (File photo)
North Cowichan increases taxes 2.89% in 2022. (File photo)

North Cowichan taxpayers facing 2.89% tax increase in 2022

Average home will see an increase of $83.05

North Cowichan increases taxes 2.89% in 2022. (File photo)
North Cowichan Mayor Al Siebring has been successful in his efforts to have other local governments on the Island join the municipality in sending their spare firefighting equipment to Ukraine. (File photo)

Local governments answer Cowichan mayor’s call for firefighting equipment for Ukraine

Other organizations offer help to ship it

North Cowichan Mayor Al Siebring has been successful in his efforts to have other local governments on the Island join the municipality in sending their spare firefighting equipment to Ukraine. (File photo)
Larry Stevenson, CEO of the Island Corridor Foundation, is still optimistic Vancouver Island’s rail corridor will be resurrected. (Robert Barron/Citizen)

Deadline looms to resurrect Island’s rail corridor, but ICF optimistic

Larry Stevenson says work can be done for between $350-$400 million

Larry Stevenson, CEO of the Island Corridor Foundation, is still optimistic Vancouver Island’s rail corridor will be resurrected. (Robert Barron/Citizen)
Eliza Hawkins, from Chemainus, is warning residents to keep their doors locked to prevent burglary. (Submitted photo)

Chemainus woman warns about burglar

Eliza Hawkins says people should keep their doors locked

Eliza Hawkins, from Chemainus, is warning residents to keep their doors locked to prevent burglary. (Submitted photo)
CVRD will be looking for input from the public in May on introducing three-stream curb-side collection in its electoral areas. (File photo)

CVRD looks for public input on doing more waste collection in electoral areas

Engagement process begins in May

CVRD will be looking for input from the public in May on introducing three-stream curb-side collection in its electoral areas. (File photo)
The CVRD has decided not to ban fireworks at this time, but will consult with municipalities and First Nations in the region to develop a regional approach to the controversial issue. (File photo)

CVRD won’t ban fireworks; at least not yet

District will invite municipalities and First Nations to participate in discussions

The CVRD has decided not to ban fireworks at this time, but will consult with municipalities and First Nations in the region to develop a regional approach to the controversial issue. (File photo)
CVRD to discuss a number of options on the controversial use of fireworks in the district at a meeting this week. (File photo)

CVRD considers curtailing use of fireworks, or banning them altogether

Community split on the issue

CVRD to discuss a number of options on the controversial use of fireworks in the district at a meeting this week. (File photo)
Alison Nicholson, the Cowichan Valley Regional District’s director for Cowichan Station/Sahtlam/Glenora, wants to remove barriers that keep young people from running for office in CVRD elections. (File photo)

CVRD director wants more young people to run for office

Alison Nicholson wants district to remove barriers for young politicians

Alison Nicholson, the Cowichan Valley Regional District’s director for Cowichan Station/Sahtlam/Glenora, wants to remove barriers that keep young people from running for office in CVRD elections. (File photo)
North Cowichan Coun. Debra Toporowski voted in favour of a new bill that proposes to change Canada’s drug laws. (File photo)

North Cowichan adds support for changes to Canada’s drug laws

But two council members raised objections to Bill-216

North Cowichan Coun. Debra Toporowski voted in favour of a new bill that proposes to change Canada’s drug laws. (File photo)
Snow fell in Lake Cowichan on the weekend of April 9-10, 2022, as the cool spring weather continues. (Kathryn Swan photo)

Cooler than normal Vancouver Island spring expected to continue into May

Forecast calls for much of the same as Islanders have been seeing

Snow fell in Lake Cowichan on the weekend of April 9-10, 2022, as the cool spring weather continues. (Kathryn Swan photo)
A letter sent to the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth (pictured) by North Cowichan and seven other municipalities on the south Island asking that the planned downloading of RCMP E-Comm 9-1-1 dispatch charges to them has been successful. (File photo)

9-1-1 cost download to 8 Vancouver Island municipalities deferred until at least 2025

North Cowichan, Colwood, Ladysmith, Langford, North Saanich, Sidney, Sooke, and View Royal affected

A letter sent to the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth (pictured) by North Cowichan and seven other municipalities on the south Island asking that the planned downloading of RCMP E-Comm 9-1-1 dispatch charges to them has been successful. (File photo)
Community group calls for an end of commercial anchorages in southern Gulf Islands area. (File photo)

Community groups call for end of anchorages in local waters

There are 33 commercial anchorages in southern Gulf Islands waters

Community group calls for an end of commercial anchorages in southern Gulf Islands area. (File photo)
North Cowichan Mayor Al Siebring is calling on municipalities across the Island and B.C. to donate any extra firefighting equipment they may have to help firefighters in Odessa, Ukraine. (File photo)

Siebring looks to help fill firefighting needs in Ukraine

North Cowichan mayor calls on municipalities to donate equipment

North Cowichan Mayor Al Siebring is calling on municipalities across the Island and B.C. to donate any extra firefighting equipment they may have to help firefighters in Odessa, Ukraine. (File photo)
The CVRD has set its tax increase for 2022 at 4.09 per cent. (Cowichan Valley Citizen file photo)

CVRD property owners will see an average 4.09% tax increase in 2022

Budget adopted March 23, a week before the March 31 deadline

The CVRD has set its tax increase for 2022 at 4.09 per cent. (Cowichan Valley Citizen file photo)