Aug 1 - Victorian filmmaker joins 'The Last of Us' crew

Good morning !

I hope we’re not going too sporty on you lately, but these are the Olympics.

If the women’s rugby sevens are a good story, what do you make of our women’s soccer team? Talk about character. These incredibly mentally tough athletes have made the quarterfinals despite being forced to play under the dampness of a drone scandal that rightfully cost their coaching staff, unfairly put their accomplishments into question, and oh yeah, dug them a six-point hole.

We start though, with a pair of uplifting stories related to Spectrum Community School in Saanich. One’s about an alumnus making TV, the other is about youngsters celebrating soccer & TV.

— Mark

Today’s approx. read time: 5 minutes

🌡️ Weather Forecast

Today: ☀️ 27 / 14  

Tomorrow: ☀️ 25 / 15

Saturday: ☀️ 26 / 14

7-day forecast

ARTS

Island-born cinematographer Jeff Zwicker joins hit TV show ‘The Last of Us’

If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of HBO’s much-celebrated post-apocalyptic The Last of Us, famously shot in Alberta. Well, they filmed some of it here on the Island, too. 

Based on a video game, the action/horror/sci-fi/ holy-cow-I-can’t-take-my eyes-off-the-screen thriller has amassed 82 awards. It’s a big deal.

And an Island boy has been recruited to the creative crew.

Jeff Zwicker grew up playing Spielberg on the streets of Victoria. His film work recently earned him a phone call that’s propelled him to the set of one of North America’s most-watched zombie horrors.

Zwicker is now a DP. That’s director of photography in Hollywood jargon. 
His aptitude for setting up the big picture has earned Zwicker praise south of the border, but you know what? He’s really happy the show has been shot in Nanaimo—because deep inside, this rising film star is an Island dude who loves his family.

Read Robyn Bell’s full story here.

⚠️ Capital Bulletin

Missing person: Crystal, 42, last seen in 200 block of Regina. [Saanich Police]

Air quality: Low risk today (3/10). Current smoke forecast.

Driving today? Check the current traffic situation via Google.

COMMUNITY

Saanich’s Spectrum High welcomes Wrexham AFC

Students got a chance to see a little TV and soccer magic last Fri., when reps from the Welsh professional football team swung by to give their school’s turf project a little kick.

Wrexham AFC has become a phenomenon via the American sports documentary television series Welcome to Wrexham, now in its fourth season on Disney+.

The footy team, owned by Vancouver superstar actor Ryan Reynolds and fellow thespian Rob McElhenney, is moving up the ranks, having secured a spot in League One (the third tier of English soccer) next season.

The visit was part of the club’s summer tour, which included a match against the Vancouver Whitecaps the following night that drew 34K+ to BC Place. Wrexham won the friendly 4-1 in the stadium’s first match played on natural turf.

Turf was at the root of the visit. Spectrum’s current field has some serious drainage issues and often floods, so the school is raising money through the Spectrum Turf Project, which is seven years in the making, and envisions two fields and an ice rink.

Spectrum recently received a huge—and anonymous—$2M donation and is about $1M away from its goal.

The players were getting ready for the match, but two of the program’s regulars, Humphrey Ker, the team’s executive director, and Wayne Jones, owner of The Turf Pub, featured in the docuseries, were part of the visiting contingent. 

Wrexham AFC’s tour sponsors, Johnsonville and Ninja gave cheques of $15K each. "By supporting the development of the new artificial turf field, they are not only promoting soccer but also fostering a sense of goodwill and community spirit,” said Mark deFrias, who helped organize the event.

SPONSORED BY VICTORIA FOUNDATION

Breaking records: $6.1 million to 252 non-profits and charities

A record amount of funding is being distributed through the Vital Stream of the Victoria Foundation’s Community Grants Program, with just over $6.194 million supporting 252 organizations in the capital region.

The funding will help meet the growing need for resources, as non-profits and charities continue to experience increasing demands from community members for their services.

“This record amount of funding through the Community Grants Program Vital Stream will help to strengthen philanthropic organizations to achieve their missions,” said Victoria Foundation CEO Sandra Richardson.

$1.3 million of this funding is being distributed locally from the Community Prosperity Fund, an investment from the Government of BC totaling $25 million for the province’s non-profit sector.

Click here for a full list of this year's grant recipients!

⭐️ Capital Picks

🏅 Follow your 🍁 athletes at the Summer Olympics. [Paris 2024]

⚾️ HarbourCats edge Edmonton 5-4, for 8th straight win.

🌱 Get free plants at Victoria’s Get Growing seedling distributions today at Yates Street Community Gardens (4-6pm) and Sat. in James Bay and North Park. [Info]

🏠 97 new homes for Saanich seniors. [BC gov’t.]

🍩 Bakers wanted! Habitat for Humanity Victoria’s 16th Annual Gingerbread Showcase. [Info]

🗞️ In Other News

Downtown drayage demonstration: truck rally expected today
Truckers are not happy with BC’s proposed regulations for transporting goods over short distances using different modes of shipping, such as ocean freight and air freight—drayage. The Port Transportation Association says if implemented in Nov., the changes would hurt small businesses, threaten the supply chain, and lead to inflation. Expect trucks near the legislature from 10 in the morning until three this afternoon. [CFAX]

If Vic councillors get pay increase, it’ll take ‘em 2 years to see it
When city councillors voted themselves a 25% raise, it more than raised a few eyebrows, so the council set up a three-member task force to recommend how to proceed. The trio suggests making the mayor’s salary match those of other Canadian capital city mayors, and setting councillor salaries at 45% of that salary instead of the current 40%. It would mean an extra $6K for councillors, increasing their pay to just under $59K. [Times Colonist]

American man guilty of trying to jet ski 181 kilos of meth onto Island
The 67-year-old was convicted last Fri., three years after he attempted to use the personal watercraft to smuggle duffle bags of methamphetamine and fentanyl powder. Police said he bought the drugs in California and planned to use the watercraft and a raft to get them across the border and onto the Island. But duffel bags filled with drugs kept turning up along Port Angeles beaches, drawing the FBI’s attention. [CTV]

North Saanich house fire draws crews from 3 municipalities
Smoke was first seen billowing from a neighbourhood on Lochside near Cy Hampson Park at approximately 2pm yesterday. Teams from North Saanich, Central Saanich, and Sidney responded and shut down Lochside in both directions. Ambulances and a FortisBC vehicle could be seen nearby, but CHEK reports gas was not involved. [CHEK]

🗓️ Things to do

🎶 Pacific Opera Victoria: A Summer Festival of Music. Pacific Opera singers will be in parks and surprise public spaces for five days with concerts and free Pop-Up Opera events. Today-Aug. 5. Various venues. [Info]

🎵 Music in the Park. Head to Kelly Road in Colwood for a performance by The Men in Black. Herm Williams Park. Tomorrow. 5:30pm-7:30pm. [Info]

🎻 The Victoria Symphony presents the Pacific Baroque Orchestra’s production of the Monteverdi Vespers of 1610. Christ Church Cathedral. Tomorrow. 7:30pm. [Info]

🕺Brat Summer. MODO LIVE & Programme presents Charli XCX Dance Party. Brat Summer is here angels! Wicket Hall. Tomorrow. 10pm. [Info]

💃 Viva! Latin Fest. A Latin-American cultural event that features live music, dance, food, cultural activities, and more. Centennial Square. Sat-Sun. [Info]

🎻 Raven Baroque: Victoria’s Baroque Music Group plays Bach, Corelli, Boccherini, Vivaldi and more in this BC Day concert on the reservoir on Mt. Tolmie. Aug. 5. 1:30pm-3:30pm. [Info]

🎼 Open Air Festival: Victoria Symphony and Pacific Opera Victoria put on this summer festival of music at the Butchart Gardens. Tonight at 8pm and Cameron Bandshell on Sat. at 6pm. [Info] 

🎶 Wonderment: Catch these performances in Victoria public parks and nighttime ticketed programming. Performers include Mixmaster Morris, Synkro, Softcoresoft, and more. Tomorrow to Mon. Various times and locations. [Info]

📖 Summer Stories in the Park: Listen to children’s stories from BC authors followed by an activity at Saxe Point Park. Today. 10am-11:30am. [Info]

🎤 Anne Martina. Catch this pop performance as part of the Fort Common Music Series at 1017 Blanshard. Today. 12pm-1pm. [Info]  

😂 Comedy: OK Dope and Foxy Box Girls Night: An evening of stand-up comedy featuring some of BC’s best female comedians. The Mint. Today. Doors at 7pm. Show at 8pm. [Info]

🎶 Beach tunes: Head to Willows Beach for the Oak Bay Summer Concerts in the Park series featuring Elise Boulanger and opening act Kele Fleming. Today. 6-8pm [Info]

🎶 Pallmer with Charis Tazumi: Chamber-pop project Pallmer will perform with local singer-songwriter Charis Tazumi at Caffe Fantastico. Today. 6:30pm. [Info]

🎙️Whistler’s Ryan Harris: Catch the indie-folk musician at Victoria Event Centre. Today. 8-10:30pm. [Info]

👀 In Case You Missed It

Wednesday’s headlines: Langford athletes steal silver in Paris; Sooke wildfire no longer out of control; BC toxic death numbers down; And more. [July 31]

Advocates and council face off over park sheltering. [Capital Daily]

Housing targets set at 3,200 for View Royal, Colwood, North Saanich, and North Cowichan. [CHEK]

The painted pianos of Oak Bay. [CHEK video]

Magnifique! Canadian women shock in soccer. [COC]

That’s it!

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