Jan 5 - Behind the Belfry conundrum

Good morning !

There’s been a COVID-19 outbreak on a second-floor unit of the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. That’s the second in three weeks.

As of yesterday, five cases have surfaced. Thankfully, all five people are experiencing mild effects, according to Island Health.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌧️ 10 / 3

Tomorrow: 🌦️ 8 / 3

Sunday: ⛅ 6 / 2

7-day forecast

NEWS

When a play isn’t just a play, against the backdrop of war

Sometimes timing and circumstance dictate that stagers of films and plays are put in a position to have to make difficult choices. Against the backdrop of the eruption of the Israel-Gaza war that has killed 30K Palestinians and 1,200 Israelis since Oct. 7, the Belfry has decided to pull the controversial play, The Runner, from its 2024 programming.

The play was written by Toronto-based playwright Christopher Morris and is a one-man piece about a member of ZAKA—an Israeli volunteer-based non-government rescue and recovery organization. It was slated to open at the Belfry this March.

In the wake of the decision, Morris said in a statement, that he is “saddened that people in Victoria—especially those with very divergent views and those traumatized by the atrocities in Israel and Gaza—will be denied the opportunity to come together in a theatre to explore their common humanity, share their grief and perhaps discover a flicker of solace and hope.”

In late Dec., a group of diverse citizens and the authors of Substack Sumud1948 voiced their concerns to the Belfry in an open letter about how the young Palestinian woman is portrayed throughout Morris’s script and argued that The Runner “effortlessly chronicles the historical collective suffering of Jewish people in a way that humanizes them and references their spirituality, while its Palestinian characters are given almost no redeeming qualities, no rich cultural heritage, no deep connection to the land for the audience to empathize with.”

Reporter Sidney Coles spoke to the authors of petitions to both keep and remove the play from the schedule. Read the full story here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

BC Transit service changes: West Shore Transit Network restructuring and routing adjustments for two buses are among transit changes beginning Mon.

Spongy moth aerial sprays will happen again this year to eradicate the invasive species in North Saanich, Belmont, Gorge-Tillicum, and Esquimalt.

Butchart Gardens to close from Jan. 22 to Feb. 4 to allow staff to rest after a busy holiday season. You can still catch the garden’s Christmas light display today and tomorrow.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

IIO clears VicPD in death of woman in James Bay

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC has cleared VicPD of wrongdoing in the death of a woman who fell from a balcony while officers were present in her hotel room.

The incident occurred on Nov. 3 when police received a late-morning 911 call concerning a woman who climbed over the railing of her ninth-floor balcony at The Oswego Hotel.

According to the IIO report, police arrived at the scene with trained negotiators, entered her hotel room, and attempted to communicate with the woman to coax her back inside. However, she didn’t respond, let go of the railing, and plunged to her death. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Ronald J. MacDonald, the IIO chief civilian director, reviewed video footage, witness statements, and police reports, determining police actions were not connected to the woman’s death. The IIO reviews all police-related incidents of death or injury, regardless of whether a complaint was filed.

TASTING VICTORIA RESTAURANT AWARDS

It’s that time of year again!

Do you love Victoria’s food scene? It’s time to give your favourite restaurants some love! The Tasting Victoria Best Restaurant Awards have started with the nomination phase. Click here to nominate your favourite restaurants!

We would love to hear your favourites in each category, from best date night spot to best cocktails, to hidden gems 💎, and more!

Nominations will only be open for a couple of weeks, so get started now! Then stay tuned for the next phase where you can vote for the best restaurants! We can't wait to see the results!

⭐️ Capital Picks

🌺 Early spring: Rhododendrons have already started to bloom near the Inner Harbour.

🥂 Enjoy bites and bevvies from more than 50 of Victoria’s favourite restaurants, breweries, and wineries at the Dine Around Launch Gala, happening January 25! Get tickets here.*

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

Oldest Chinese business in North America seeks new owner
The owners of Loy Sing Meat Market in Chinatown—which has been in business for 135 years—are retiring after operating the business for nearly 30 years. Chinese community members hope a new owner will preserve the legacy of the butcher shop, which has been continuously run since 1889. [CHEK] 

RidgeView Place’s property assessment faces appeal
The property’s value increased by 2.6%, to $36.4M from $35.5M despite the apartment building being vacant since April due to concerns over its structural integrity. [Times Colonist] Capital Daily reported in May the Langford building’s occupancy licence was revoked after it was revealed design flaws highlighted following a 2019 evacuation had not been repaired. 

New bus service to Tofino—but it leaves from Nanaimo
The Vancouver Island Connector and Tofino Bus on Wed., paused its Vic-Tofino run until May. But beginning Jan. 30, IslandLink will bus passengers between Nanaimo and Tofino, three times a week: Thurs., Sat., and Mon. [CHEK]

$27K+ already raised for injured Tour de Rock cyclist
Greg Stubbs, a 20-year ambulance service worker and 2018 Cops for Cancer rider, collided with a pedestrian on the Goose two days after Christmas. His serious injuries are not covered by ICBC because the 45-year-old single father of three sustained them on a trail in a collision that didn’t involve a vehicle. Here’s his GoFundMe page. [Times Colonist]

🤝 Now Hiring

Thinking of making your next career move? Let us help!

• Chef de Partie at Fairmont Empress

• Store Manager at Foot Locker

• Sales Supervisor (Mayfair Mall) at Eddie Bauer

• Management and Sales Trainee at Sherwin-Williams

• Corporate Controller - Hospitality at Westin Bear Mountain Resort & Spa

• Chief Cashier at Fairmont Empress

• Product Designer at Outway

Looking for more openings? See 40+ jobs open now on YYJobs.

Hiring? Post your job to have it featured here, and fill your opening fast!

🗓️ Things to do

🏒 Hockey Day in Canada. Victoria. Sat. Jan. 20. [Info]

🧛 Dracula: Part 2: The second part of the Dracula trilogy series will be performed at UVic’s Phoenix Theatre. Tonight at 7pm. [Info]

🏍️ Motorsports Spectacular: See monster trucks, motocross, and stunts at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre. Tonight at 7pm. Tomorrow at 1pm and 7pm. [Info]

🎸 Classic Rock Party Night: The Brice Tabish Band will play classic rock music at Hermann’s Upstairs. Today. Doors 7pm, show 8:30pm. [Info]

👠 Dinner & Drag: Enjoy dinner and watch drag performances hosted by Mina Mercury at Friends of Dorothy. Today. 5:30-8:30pm. [Info]

🎷 The West Coast Soul Collective: Listen to funk, soul, and rock music from local young musicians at Hermann’s Jazz Club. Tonight. Doors 5:30pm, show 7pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Thursday’s headlines: The most expensive properties; CRD asks to borrow $85M for housing; bear found under Duncan home, and more. [Jan. 4 Newsletter] 

Coho Ferry is out of service for annual maintenance until Feb. 7. 

In 1875, SS Pacific left Esquimalt with 275+ souls and $11M in gold but hit another ship and sank. [Vancouver Sun]

Police hit the jackpot outside View Royal’s casino, searching a suspicious vehicle and finding chequebooks and documents they say were stolen, along with tools they say were bought fraudulently. [RCMP]

First five-pin perfect game ever bowled by a woman in Nanaimo. [Nanaimo News Bulletin]

Strathcona Provincial Park: Last day of 2023. [Photo]

That’s it!

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