Austin Westphal

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The 12-and-a-half metre totem pole carved by about 160 inmates which stands outside the Vancouver Island Regional Corrections Centre in Saanich. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Inmates say totem pole they helped carve at B.C. jail a catalyst for remarkable change

About 160 at Vancouver Island Regional Corrections Centre participated in first-of-its-kind project

The 12-and-a-half metre totem pole carved by about 160 inmates which stands outside the Vancouver Island Regional Corrections Centre in Saanich. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
The crew of the Strait Sentinel deploys a sweep system used to collect oil off the ocean’s surface. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Simulated oil spill off B.C. coast tests marine response

Crews from the Western Canada Marine Response Corporation deployed as part of biannual exercise

The crew of the Strait Sentinel deploys a sweep system used to collect oil off the ocean’s surface. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Safe supply advocates hold a rally outside the B.C. Ministry of Health in downtown Victoria April 14. The day marks seven years since the province declared the overdose public health emergency. (Austin Westphal/News Staff) Safe supply advocates hold a rally outside the B.C. Ministry of Health in downtown Victoria April 14. The day marks seven years since the province declared the overdose public health emergency. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

B.C. safe supply advocates rally to mark 7 years of toxic drug crisis

More than 11,300 British Columbians have died from toxic drug deaths since 2016

Safe supply advocates hold a rally outside the B.C. Ministry of Health in downtown Victoria April 14. The day marks seven years since the province declared the overdose public health emergency. (Austin Westphal/News Staff) Safe supply advocates hold a rally outside the B.C. Ministry of Health in downtown Victoria April 14. The day marks seven years since the province declared the overdose public health emergency. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
The 209-metre Sapphire Princess, operated by Princess Cruise Lines, docks at Ogden Point April 11. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

‘Economic boom’: Sapphire Princess docks in Victoria as first ship of B.C. cruise season

More than 300 ships expected in B.C. waters, bringing up to a million visitors

The 209-metre Sapphire Princess, operated by Princess Cruise Lines, docks at Ogden Point April 11. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Members of Victoria’s Chinese diaspora community lay flowers and light incense in celebration of Qingming at the Chinese Cemetery at Harling Point in Oak Bay April 5. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

‘They paved the way for us’: Chinese community honours others at Island cemetery

Qingming event held at historic cemetery at Harling Point in Victoria

Members of Victoria’s Chinese diaspora community lay flowers and light incense in celebration of Qingming at the Chinese Cemetery at Harling Point in Oak Bay April 5. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Program manager Ben Whitby shows a similar type of buoy-based wave data collection platform to the one that will be deployed in the waters off Yuquot at the University of Victoria’s Pacific Regional Institute for Marine Energy Discovery (PRIMED) lab in North Saanich March 3. (Austin Westphal/News Staff) Program manager Ben Whitby shows a similar type of buoy-based wave data collection platform to the one that will be deployed in the waters off Yuquot at the University of Victoria’s Pacific Regional Institute for Marine Energy Discovery (PRIMED) lab in North Saanich March 3. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

UVic researchers help bring First Nation back to Nootka Island with wave power

Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation looks towards renewable energy microgrid to power future community

Program manager Ben Whitby shows a similar type of buoy-based wave data collection platform to the one that will be deployed in the waters off Yuquot at the University of Victoria’s Pacific Regional Institute for Marine Energy Discovery (PRIMED) lab in North Saanich March 3. (Austin Westphal/News Staff) Program manager Ben Whitby shows a similar type of buoy-based wave data collection platform to the one that will be deployed in the waters off Yuquot at the University of Victoria’s Pacific Regional Institute for Marine Energy Discovery (PRIMED) lab in North Saanich March 3. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Patricia Barkaskas, strategic advisor to the dean for the National Centre for Indigenous Laws, speaks at the site of the future National Centre for Indigenous Laws building at the University of Victoria Thursday (March 9). (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Construction underway in B.C. for Canada’s first National Centre for Indigenous Laws

University of Victoria facility to host degrees in Canadian Common Law, Indigenous legal orders

Patricia Barkaskas, strategic advisor to the dean for the National Centre for Indigenous Laws, speaks at the site of the future National Centre for Indigenous Laws building at the University of Victoria Thursday (March 9). (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Firefighters from all across the province march along Menzies Street to the south lawn of the legislature in Victoria to honour those who died in the line of duty Monday (March 6). (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

PHOTOS: B.C. firefighters honour fallen colleagues with cancer warning

The same gear that’s supposed to protect first responders is also killing them due to cancer, says firefighter

Firefighters from all across the province march along Menzies Street to the south lawn of the legislature in Victoria to honour those who died in the line of duty Monday (March 6). (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Sara Ellison looks at a basket star while snorkelling off the coast of northern Vancouver Island. (Courtesy Sara Ellison)

UVic astronomer writes ultimate Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands snorkelling guide

Snorkelling Adventures Around Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands hits shelves March 11

Sara Ellison looks at a basket star while snorkelling off the coast of northern Vancouver Island. (Courtesy Sara Ellison)
Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth announces B.C.’s $150-million investment to fund upgrades to province’s 911 emergency communication system during a press conference at a fire hall in the Vancouver Island community of Saanich. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

B.C. eyes $150M spend for 911 upgrades, including texting

Upgrades to provide new options for British Columbians to reach emergency services

Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth announces B.C.’s $150-million investment to fund upgrades to province’s 911 emergency communication system during a press conference at a fire hall in the Vancouver Island community of Saanich. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Whistle Buoy master brewer Matt West-Patrick (left) and Isaiah Archer are brewing a new batch with an AI-generated recipe. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Can I pour you a cold Robo Beer? B.C. brewery uses AI to craft its latest brew

Victoria’s Whistle Buoy Brewing’s new hazy pale ale recipe developed with ChatGPT

Whistle Buoy master brewer Matt West-Patrick (left) and Isaiah Archer are brewing a new batch with an AI-generated recipe. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Nathaniel Stoffelsma enjoys a swim with his 11 and eight-year-old sons, Alex (left) and Jens, at Panorama Recreation Centre in North Saanich. (Courtesy Nathaniel Stoffelsma)

Vancouver Island dad swims 1,000 metres a day to honour son’s cancer battle

Nathaniel Stoffelsma’s overall goal is to do this for 365 days, donate money to charity

Nathaniel Stoffelsma enjoys a swim with his 11 and eight-year-old sons, Alex (left) and Jens, at Panorama Recreation Centre in North Saanich. (Courtesy Nathaniel Stoffelsma)
Black Press Media reporter Austin Westphal scopes the firearms on display at the Victoria Police Department to weed the real from the fake during a VicPd show and tell Feb. 9. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

‘Like clockwork’: VicPD says fake guns almost as common as the real thing

Victoria police officers seize average of 8 firearms per month in 2022

Black Press Media reporter Austin Westphal scopes the firearms on display at the Victoria Police Department to weed the real from the fake during a VicPd show and tell Feb. 9. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)
Saanich councillor Teale Phelps Bondaroff is pushing to make higher-income earners pay more for traffic violations. (Black Press Media file photo)

Make ‘ultra-wealthy’ speeders pay bigger fines: B.C. official

District of Saanich councillor wants fines to work as a proper deterrant, no matter people’s means

Saanich councillor Teale Phelps Bondaroff is pushing to make higher-income earners pay more for traffic violations. (Black Press Media file photo)
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) shows decreased functional connectivity in the human brain after exposure to traffic pollution. (Courtesy UBC Faculty of Medicine)

Traffic pollution can impair brain function, say B.C. researchers

Groundbreaking UVic and UBC study finds even brief exposures have adverse effects on human brain

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) shows decreased functional connectivity in the human brain after exposure to traffic pollution. (Courtesy UBC Faculty of Medicine)
Martin Ouellet (left, front), Sonya Marchand, Scott Rose, Jennifer, Jen Bolster (left, back), Nicolas D’Anjou and Chris Millar attend the BC Emergency Health Services’ Vital Link Award presentation on Sunday (Jan. 15) afternoon. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

Vancouver Island trio recognized for saving friend’s life after sudden cardiac arrest

Three receive Vital Link Award for life-saving emergency medical response

Martin Ouellet (left, front), Sonya Marchand, Scott Rose, Jennifer, Jen Bolster (left, back), Nicolas D’Anjou and Chris Millar attend the BC Emergency Health Services’ Vital Link Award presentation on Sunday (Jan. 15) afternoon. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
A Boeing 737 MAX taxis down the runway at Victoria International Airport as it prepares to take off on Thursday, Dec. 15. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)

YYJ’s holiday heroes work around the clock to keep planes safe

Christmas is just another day at the office for the folks at Victoria International Airport

A Boeing 737 MAX taxis down the runway at Victoria International Airport as it prepares to take off on Thursday, Dec. 15. (Austin Westphal/News Staff)
Luna, a five-year-old bull mastiff-golden retriever cross, survived seven days trapped on a narrow ledge high above the waters of Finlayson Arm. (Courtesy Saryta Schaerer)

Courageous B.C. canine survives seven days stuck on ledge after fall from cliff

Luna reunited with her owner following a harrowing rescue

Luna, a five-year-old bull mastiff-golden retriever cross, survived seven days trapped on a narrow ledge high above the waters of Finlayson Arm. (Courtesy Saryta Schaerer)
Tristan Tarnowski, ORCASat team member and UVic engineering student, during assembly of the UVic satellite. (Courtesy ORCASat)

Mission accomplished: UVic satellite reaches International Space Station

ORCASat to measure how earth’s atmosphere affects light

Tristan Tarnowski, ORCASat team member and UVic engineering student, during assembly of the UVic satellite. (Courtesy ORCASat)
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. has cleared law enforcement officers of any wrongdoing after a Feb. 21 incident that left a Saanich man dead. (Black Press Media file photo)

Watchdog absolves police after Island man fatally shoots himself with a crossbow

IIO finds no wrongdoing after investigation into February police encounter in Saanich

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. has cleared law enforcement officers of any wrongdoing after a Feb. 21 incident that left a Saanich man dead. (Black Press Media file photo)