Thurs. July 13 - More support for young migrants

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning !

Today we look at counselling funding for young migrants, updates on Highway 4, and a marmot love story for the ages. We also get to know Victoria musician Kele Fleming, whose new music has taken her in a fresh direction. She’ll be performing at the Oak Bay Summer Concert series tonight at Willows Beach alongside other local performers. As someone who grew up near Willows Beach, I’m thrilled that this beautiful spot is being utilized for these live shows. We’re curious to know if any of you have checked out these summertime concerts!

— Robyn

🌤️ Today's weather: Mainly sunny. High 21C / low 12C.

🌫️ Air quality: Low risk (2/10), light smoke expected.

NEWS

Kele Fleming redefines her sound with latest remixes

Growing up in the Comox Valley, Kele Fleming began writing music at 13—now in her 50s, Fleming says she’s creating her best work yet.

When she released her album The Song I’ll Write for My Whole Life in early 2020, she was excited to tour and promote that work. Unfortunately, the pandemic had other plans.

Like many of us, Fleming put her goals for 2020 on hold—but she used it as an opportunity to grow her network, one that has launched her into a new phase of her music career.

“I could have gotten really depressed or disappointed but I thought, you know, there’s still music and people still wanted to listen to music,” says Fleming. “It was my pandemic silver lining.”

Fleming began doing a weekly music livestream called Music Mondays, a tradition she’s kept going to this day. Through online communities and outreach, she was connecting with DJs who could remix her music.

Several producers jumped at the opportunity, and suddenly this folk rocker found herself becoming an indie darling in an entirely different genre—electronic dance music. Her songs are now streamed worldwide, reaching a whole new generation of listeners.

Read more about Kele Fleming’s latest releases and check out her performance at Willows Beach tonight at 6pm.

Capital Bulletin

⛴️ New ferry stamps features Spirit of British Columbia: The Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen ferry is one of five vessels highlighted in Canada Post’s showcase of the country’s marine heritage.

🛏️ Magnolia Hotel & Spa named #7 best city hotel: Travel + Leisure readers voted the hotel among Canada’s best.

🚧 Highway 4’s full reopening delayed a month: Rock scaling work starts July 17 and is expected to take until mid-August to complete.

NEWS

Victoria counselling centre receives funding for youth migrant services for the first time

For the first four years of its existence, the Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees (VICCIR) had no funding.

Counsellors and interpreters worked free of charge at the Victoria-based organization, launched in 2015 to provide mental health services to immigrants and refugees of all ages on Vancouver Island.

In June, British Columbia’s Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions announced funding that will help VICCIR expand its services. The organization will receive $375,000 over three years to support its low-cost provision of mental health services to migrant children and youth.

“This is really the first time that the ministry has offered this amount of money to serve children, which we are absolutely delighted about,” said Adrienne Carter, director of services at VICCIR.

Learn more about the centre’s efforts to support young newcomers as BC welcomes its highest number of immigrants in 60 years.

SPONSORED BY THE ROOT CELLAR

Locally grown goodness from your locally owned green grocer.

Time spent gathered around the table is what connects us as people, families, and communities. Step into one of the two Root Cellar markets here in Victoria to experience it, including their second location in Cook Street Village.

Both markets offer Vancouver Island’s largest selection of locally grown, organic, and conventional produce, as well as full-service butchers, delis, artisanal grocery, and more. Poised at the intersection of Victoria’s urban and agricultural regions, their McKenzie Corner flagship, founded in 2008, is also home to the Potting Shed, a boutique florist and beloved garden centre.

Cultivating a strong appreciation of fresh local food and sustainable food systems in the community is a responsibility the award winning Root Cellar takes seriously.

Discover it for yourself at The Root Cellar.

Capital Picks

🎙️ Summer concert at Willows Beach: Tonight’s outdoor concert will feature performances from Kele Fleming, R.Mason, and Sail Cassady. 6-8pm.

🎸 Little Social at The Duke Saloon: Dance to live music with tracks from every decade, starting chronologically from 1920. 7pm.

🎹 Rachel Beck at Butchart Gardens: The vocalist will perform tonight on the open-air stage, 8pm.

🥁 Kelby MacNayr’s Blue Note Repertory All-Stars: The drummer will be joined at Hermann’s Jazz Club today by trumpeter Miguelito Valdez, saxophonist Roy Styffe, pianist Tony Genge, and bassist Peter Douse to play the music of Art Blakey, 5:30pm.

🎸 Logan Staats at Victoria Event Centre: As a part of Festival Afloat, the Mohawk singer-songwriter will perform today in a benefit concert for Heiltsuk Nation, 7:30pm.

🎤 Live music at Upstairs: Tonight's concert will include performances by Base Collective, Sarah Osbourne & The Magic Buttons, and SHALE. 8pm-midnight.

💗 Donations to Cool Aid are currently being matched until July 31.

📽️ Cinecenta this week: The theatre at UVic presents Blackberry, the acclaimed and outrageous fictionalization of the Canadian device’s rise and fall. 5 and 7:20pm on Friday and Saturday.

💧 Talk to Waterworks Irrigation for custom irrigation systems, water features or landscape lighting to enhance your outside living space. Learn more and get a free estimate. Quotes provided within 48 hours!*

🩺 Great Healthcare made easy. For growing kids, and moms and dads. Sprout’s specialized team ensures your family stays healthy, happy, and ready to conquer summer adventures.*

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In Other News

🦀 A solution to Island’s invasive crabs: just eat them?
European green crabs have been an aggressive invasive species on the Island for decades, preying on shellfish. Conservation efforts have included deep freezing them and throwing them away, but now some propose they should be eaten instead. Fisheries and Oceans Canada currently does not allow commercial fisheries to sell the crabs as food, but recreational and Indigenous harvesting is permitted. [CBC]

❤️ Marmot travels long distance looking for love
In search of a new mate, Camas, a three-year-old marmot, set out on a nearly 40km journey to Errington. The Marmot Recovery Foundation (MRF) found the lonely alpine ground squirrel a little underweight, but in good health. Thankfully, Camas didn’t stay single for long—he’s since been paired with a female, and the couple will be moved to Strathcona to boost numbers in existing colonies. [CTV]

🌳 UVic researchers will receive $180K for urban tree solution to heat waves 
The Pacific Institute for Climate Solution (PICS) will give funding over three years for research into how trees can be used in urban planning to reduce temperatures. The project’s results will contribute to policy and guideline development in Vancouver. In Victoria, tree canopies cover 28% of the city's total landmass, and unlike in some cities are spread equitably across the region.

🔥 Another fire in same part of Victoria—this time, two Mercedes
Victoria Fire has been making repeated visits to an area just north of downtown. Last month an early-morning fire ripped through Ricky’s All Day Grill at Burnside Road and Douglas. This time it was a car fire a little south of that area, at Three Point Motors on Government. Watch the video here.

SPONSORED BY BLUE BRIDGE THEATRE

Blue Bridge Theatre presents: The Last 5 Years

This innovatively constructed American hit musical by Tony award-winning composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown takes a look at the joys, heartaches, losses, and victories in a marriage over a five-year period. Directed by Julie McIsaac, and starring Seth Bosky and Cheyenne Scott.

Running August 1-13 at The Roxy Theatre. Get tickets now!

In Case You Missed It

📰 Wednesday’s headlines: New 21-storey tower development approved, Greater Victoria social services organizations get $5.5M, nurses rally over staffing shortages, and more. [July 12]

🐾 Cougar seen near PKOLS: Two separate sightings were reported on Monday and Tuesday. Residents are asked to report additional sightings to Saanich Police. 

🏥 Elizabeth May hospitalized: May’s husband cited a large workload and marathon voting sessions as factors that caused her hospitalization for several days for fatigue. [CBC].

💉 Fall COVID boosters recommended: The National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends a fall dose of a new formulation of the vaccine for those whose latest dose was more than six months ago.