Dec 9 - For sale: Iron meteorite, age 4.5 billion

Good morning !

Welcome to another week! Today we open with news about how you can see (and buy, if you want to spend the cost of a condo on a rock) one of BC’s largest and rarest meteorites.

Plus: Updates on the provincially imposed local school safety plan process, and your answers to our truck parade poll.

— Cam

Today’s approx. read time: 6 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌧️ 7 / 4

Tomorrow: ☁️ 7 / 4

Wednesday: 🌧️ 8 / 4

7-day forecast

NEWS

An iron meteorite—the largest found in BC—is up for auction

The family that found it in the now-derelict remote coastal town of Ocean Falls in the 1960s is finally selling an older-than-Earth space rock. It's starting at $240K at local auction house Lunds and it is projected to fetch at least $500k.

Few meteorites have been found in BC due to the hilly & forested terrain, expert Dennis Crabtree with the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory told CHEK. Similarly, Christopher Herd, U of A's meteorite curator, told the Times Colonist that in the flat and farm-heavy terrain of the prairies, more meteorites are recovered.

This is the largest one to be found, and the only iron one. Lunds will display it today & tomorrow.

A meteoroid is typically a small space rock that has broken off a chunk of a larger asteroid and falls to Earth. When it comes to still-floating asteroids, it was just over one year ago that two space-loving locals had the honour of becoming two asteroids’ namesakes.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Mostly cloudy this week, with drizzle expected today and showers starting Weds. night.

Traffic advisories and road work notices for Saanich this week. [Details]

Victoria Royals lost to Rockets on Sat. (4-2) and Sun. (4-1).

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

Province rejects SD61 safety plan & assigns $55K special advisor

Education Minister Lisa Beare said the safety plan the Greater Victoria School District submitted last month was inadequate and cited a “breakdown in relationships and communications” with police, First Nations, and other stakeholders. SD61 must now pay $55k for assigned special adviser Kevin Godden, a former Abbotsford district superintendent, to help create a new plan by Jan. 6.

The board said it expects SD61 to “fully and immediately” cooperate and that a working group must meet over the holidays to satisfy the “extremely short timeframe” imposed by BC. The original demand for a safety plan came in Sept. via a rare administrative order by Beare’s predecessor Rachna Singh.

Beare said last week that if she is unsatisfied with the new plan or the cooperation with the adviser, she is “willing to take any step necessary” that is “available to me under the School Act." This opens the door to early dismissal of the board, whose members each received 16,000+ votes from locals two years ago.

Conflict began with 2023 vote to end school police liaison (SPLO) program

After a consultation process, the unanimous board had concerns about the 16% of survey respondents who were uncomfortable with SPLOs; the broader research on racial disparities in experiences with police in schools; and ultimately the lack of oversight/accountability, clear objectives, or measurable standards for the local programs. BC’s Human Rights Commissioner had also argued that putting police in schools should require evidence that they provide a crucial role that other roles can’t.

The decision removed Oak Bay, Saanich, and RCMP officers; VicPD had already redeployed its liaison officers in 2019 to frontline work, and they only occasionally attended schools. Chief Del Manak now says VicPD wants to send officers back to the program, though he acknowledged “concerns [and] room for improvement.” Police, and now the minister, have claimed that youth gang recruitment has risen since the change, but local youth policing data collected by CHEK did not substantiate that claim.

Esquimalt and Songhees criticized lack of communication

The chiefs said last week that, in a “deep failure,” the school board didn’t adequately include them in consultations on both the original change and the new plan. The board responded that deadlines had limited the depth of communication, and that it would meet with the Nations on comms policies and collaborate with the Indigenous Education Advisory Council (IEAC).

Earlier this year Capital Daily looked at some of the key questions and concerns about the program and its removal.

NEWS

Poll: Did you catch the Truck Light Parade?

A few hundred of you responded to say that you did, with most intentionally going to see the parade in person.

“I honestly believe this was the best I have seen,” one in-person watcher told us. “My husband used to participate. I am always overcome with emotion by the dedication, work involved and joy the drivers and their teams put into the event.”

There was plenty of praise in the poll comments for the truckers’ effort and the beauty of the lights. Some described watching the parade for 15 or even nearly 20 years, while others were new to the festivities: “Our 4 year old grandson was amazed, waved at every truck, with a big smile. He loved it all.”

Others were less enthused, writing that “the noise freaks the cat out worse than fireworks” or criticizing the heavy-vehicle procession as “a gaudy display” and wasteful.

Some folks planned to attend but simply didn’t make it out due to the rain.

Others caught more than they planned after getting stuck due to it—one person got “a very fine & unexpected Christmas surprise” after being suddenly trapped on Veterans Memorial among flashing lights, honking horns, and motorcycling police.

Another reader “saw the parade at the beginning on Fairfield and then trying to get from the south to the north I watched it again going through downtown Victoria [when I] got stuck on the south side. 😆 ”

If you took photos of particularly impressive trucks, or Santa floats at the previous parade, send them in and we may run a few this week. 

SPONSORED BY VICTORIA CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC

A Christmas tradition you can't miss

Daniel Lapp’s Home for Christmas returns to the Royal Theatre on Dec. 18 and 19, at 7:30pm. Featuring the BC Fiddle Orchestra, Joy of Life Choir, and special guests Jill Barber and Grant Lawrence. Sponsored by Peninsula Co-op. Tickets are nearly sold out—secure yours today before they’re gone!

⭐️ Capital Picks

🤴🏽 The Little Prince comes to life in a magical opera! Perfect for families, with $15 Youth Tickets available. Don’t miss this unforgettable journey, February 19–25.*

🦉 How do owls get weighed? At the MARS rescue centre, towel-wrapped and talons-up. [Instagram photos] 

🚴This is the best metric to improve if you want to live longer. Measure and track your cardiovascular fitness level with a VO2 max test. Now at Tall Tree Health.*

🧈 Halloumi mint scone recipe: ‘Tis the season for baking treats. [Tasting Victoria] 

⚖ Protect your rights and dispute your driving prohibition with the help of a knowledgeable lawyer. Contact Acumen Law Corporation today to start your defence.*

*Sponsored Listing

🗞️ In Other News

No reduced sentence for Oak Bay murder of daughters on Christmas 2017 
Andrew Berry was sentenced in 2019 to life without parole for 22 years for the second-degree murder of his young kids. He lost an appeal in 2022 and has now been denied a sentence reduction; his lawyer had argued his 22 years were longer than typically given for similar offences. [Times Colonist]

Langford-based national women’s rugby team finished 5th in South Africa 
In the latest international Sevens tournament, the locals on Team Canada opened with a comfortable win over Brazil but lost to Australia—relegating them to Day 2’s competition for 5th place. On Sunday, the locals beat both Great Britain and Japan to claim that consolation prize as they wind down what has been their most successful year ever—thanks to an Olympic silver in the summer. [Rugby Canada]

Mistrial in Comox Valley case after defence-prosecution romance revealed 
A new sexual assault trial has been ordered for a man convicted a year ago; he filed for one after finding out his lawyer's paralegal was dating the prosecutor, and that this had been concealed from him and not disclosed to the court. [CBC]

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🗓️ Things to do

🎞 This week at the Vic Theatre: Acclaimed animated animal film Flow, holiday favourites (yes, including Die Hard), Friday the 13th on Friday the 13th, and more. [Schedule]

📽 This week at the Roxy: Iconic Japanese family film My Neighbour Totoro. [Showtimes]

🎬 This week at Cinecenta: Environmental restoration docs Native Seeds and Singing Back the Buffalo; Claymation curiosity Memoir of a Snail. [Calendar]

📯 46th annual Tuba Christmas in Market Square is on Saturday.

🗓️ Find more holiday events in local municipalities in our roundup here.

👓 Buddy’s Holly Jolly Christmas: A holiday tribute to Buddy Holly, with Zachary Stevenson and Chicago’s The Lovettes. Tonight at McPherson Playhouse at 7:30pm.

🎶 Sounds of Season from the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy. Christmas music today & tomorrow at the Royal Theatre.

🎼🎼Find more holiday concerts in our roundup here.

👀 In Case You Missed It

An orca wore a fish on its head: Is an ‘80s whale trend hip again? [Sunday newsletter]

Christmas dinner will be served at these Victoria restaurants this month. [Tasting Victoria]

The “brightest champion” of local tech is mourned by industry peers. [Vic Tech Journal]

Watch the Truck Light Parade on CHEK’s broadcast.

Taylor Swift wraps Eras tour with Vancouver shows that prompted extra ferry sailings. Soon UVic will begin teaching a course on the pop megastar.

Saturday news: Village Green tenants fear they’ll be out on street. Truck parade returns. Town crier retires. [Dec. 7]

35 years since the École Polytechnique massacre: The 14 slain women were commemorated this past weekend.