June 23 - Verdict in Yates Street murder trial

Good morning !

Did you catch the full moon the other night? A full moon in June is often called a “strawberry moon” but this one was extra special—it coincided with the solstice, making for a night that was not only very short but also very bright. If you caught a photo, send it in and we'll be happy to share it.

— Cam

Today’s approx. read time: 4 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: 🌦️ 18 / 10

Tomorrow: ☀️ 19 / 11

Day after: ⛅ 20 / 12

7-day forecast

NEWS

Guilty verdict in murder trial over 2022 stabbing outside Yates bar

The death of John Dickinson, 30, on March 1, 2022, was second-degree murder, a jury concluded this past week. Mohamed Omar, now 29, stabbed Dickinson twice in the chest after the two quarreled inside Lucky Bar and then fought outside on Yates.

The jury heard that Dickinson got Omar thrown out of the bar by bouncers, after the two argued for an unknown reason, then shortly afterward came outside and charged Omar in the street. In a 911 call, Omar reported that he had stabbed a man who tried to fight him; he called it self-defence, and gave his identifying information.

Prosecutors argued this month that the two stab wounds went beyond what was needed for self-defence. Omar, meanwhile, strangely did not offer a substantive defence at the trial, bringing no witnesses and barely interacting with the Crown's witnesses.

Second-degree murder—indicating intent to kill, but not premeditation—carries a minimum of no parole for 10 years. A sentencing date is not yet set, and Omar indicated that he may appeal the verdict.

Dickinson, originally from St. Catharines, Ont., was described by his sister in a memorial post as “a hard working man” who “would give you the shirt off his back.”

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Weather next week: Expect both sunny and rainy days.

Whiffin Spit Trail closed for maintenance on Mon. [7am-4pm]

HarbourCats 8 Bells 10 in Sat. baseball game.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

NEWS

JazzFest celebrates 40 years of jazzing up local summers

The local music festival is the longest continuously running one in the region—having kept the show going virtually when the pandemic began. It kicked off on Friday, and today delivers a second full afternoon of free programming at the Cameron Bandshell in Beacon Hill Park.

Ziggy Alberts plays today at the Royal Theatre, and throughout this week there will be shows at the Royal, the McPherson, Wicket Hall, Hermann's Jazz, and Fathom Lounge in the Hotel Grand Pacific. Also look for workshops at Archie Browning, free pop-up shows at Ship Point, and a shift toward adding more outdoor music in Esquimalt (more on that later this week).

See the full schedule here.

Performances today in Beacon Hill include:

• Owen Chow Quintet: The award winning trumpet player kicks things off at noon.

• Calico: Independent folk rock band. 1:15pm. [Info]

• Ashley Wey Quartet: The Victoria-based pianist will be joined by saxophonist Ryan Oliver, bassist Louis Rudner, and drummer Jeff Shoup. 2:30pm. [Info]

• Mary Ancheta Quartet: Vancouver-based composer and keyboardist. 3:45pm. [Info]

• Mazacote: Juno-nominated six-piece world music band will perform during JazzFest. 5pm. [Info]

Then, at the Royal Theatre, Ziggy Alberts (an Australian singer and guitarist) will bring his New Love tour with opener Garrett Kato. 7:30pm. [Info]

The shows will continue until June 30, right before Pride and Canada Day festivities.

NEWS

6 Victoria restaurants on new list of Canada's best outdoor dining

From being nicknamed the “Garden City” to being surrounded by endless coastline, it is no secret that Greater Victoria is home to many beautiful views ideal for enjoying with dinner and a glass of something cold.

There are 6 of these views featured in the new list of Top 100 Restaurants for Outdoor Dining in Canada, compiled by OpenTable. Restaurants were chosen based on over a million customer reviews made on the online restaurant reservation platform.

Unsurprisingly, half of the local selections look out onto the Inner Harbour. But there are also appearances from the Selkirk Waterway (Glo), the historic old Saanich Municipal Hall (Med Grill), and the Butchart Gardens (The Dining Room).

Learn more about the local selections (and see some photos of their coveted patio views) at Tasting Victoria.

⭐️ Capital Picks

🐝🕷 The last dance between a bee & a crab spider in Sidney. [Photo]

🦃🐤🐤 Turkeys and their babies are out and about right now in Shawnigan. [Facebook]

🎺 The sights of SkaFest: Friday's festivities summarized in this supercut.

vicskareggaefest

View more on Instagram

🤝 Now hiring: Community Engagement Consultant at Sooke Region Museum & Visitor Centre.

🗞️ In Other News

Vic High students visit Legislature seeking school solar panels
Panels have been added to other local schools recently, but were not part of the nine-figure Vic High retrofit. [Times Colonist]

Orphaned Tofino otter getting round-the-clock care in Vancouver
The pup was found in critical condition on Tuesday and is too young to swim, dive, hunt, or regulate its body temperature. [CBC]

Whale freed from tangle in 2022 returns—with a calf
“Slits” had a mouth tangled in steel wire and was dragging fishing equipment near Texada. Since being released, the humpback has given birth and was sighted June 4 near San Juan. [Times Colonist] Humpback have rebounded in the Salish Sea over the last half-century, but tanglings remain a risk.

UVic swim coach retires after 41 years
Peter Vizsolyi, who is also a local physician, has led the Vikes to 470 national titles and medals, with swimmers going on to the Olympics/Paralympics 19 times. He is in the Greater Victoria Sports Hall of Fame for his work with the 1994 Commonwealth Games. Longtime assistant Ryan Clouston now takes over. [Vikes]

🗓️ Things to do

🌍 AfriCa Fest in Centennial Square concludes today with more music, delicious food, art, vendors, and more. 11am-8pm.

🏴‍☠️ Pirates of Penzance semi-staged local production this weekend & next. [Tickets]

🎸 Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival’s final day at Ship Point: Murray & The New Victorians headline, with more music from Kyle Smith, Jory Kinjo & The Relays, Apollo Suns, and Rebel Selector. Today. 2-10pm. [Info]

🎼 Pride concert at the Victoria Conservatory of Music. The Big IDEA show today will celebrate 2SLGBTQIA+ musicians, composers, and others. 2:30-4:30pm. Free / pay what you can. [Info]

🍱 Picnic in the Plaza brings artisans, food, and music to Diana Krall Plaza in downtown Nanaimo today. 3-9pm.

👀 In Case You Missed It

Bus fares will go up 20% next April in Victoria Transit. [Sat. newsletter]

Will life get harder for orcas due to increased TMX tanker traffic? [LJI / Capital Daily]

Missing person: Brooke-Lynn Williamson, 27, last seen June 3 near PKOLS. [VicPD]

New Banfield Dock is open to Gorge swimmers. [Bird’s eye view]

Shaping Sooke’s budget. Have your say. Survey now open.

Almost no BC peaches expected this summer. [Tyee]

That’s it!

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