Tenants of Port Pub, a 30-room, run-down nuisance property that is home to some of Port Alberni’s most underprivileged, woke to troubling news on Wednesday, May 29 – they had just a few short hours to pack what belongings they could and move out.
At 9:35 that morning the City of Port Alberni issued a statement detailing the events that led up to the latest evacuation of Port Pub.
By early May, Larry Johnson of Huu-ay-aht, who’s traditional name is Anii-tsa-chist, meaning keeper of the sea, had already seen the traditional signs that indicate the beginning of fishing season.
“The swallows that are flying around are indicators and the salmon berry bushes coming into bloom are also indicators,” said Johnson, who is the president of Nuu-chah-nulth Seafood and chairman for the Maa-nulth Fisheries committee.
“When you see lots of salmon berries blooming and lots of berries, it will be a good salmon year,” he said.
Summer 2024 is a month away but the entire Vancouver Island is already at Stage 2 drought conditions, according to the Province of British Columbia. This means that, effective May 17, Category 2 and 3 open burn fires are prohibited across the Coastal Fire Centre.
Open burn fires are no larger than two meters high and three meters wide. At this point, campfires under this size have not been prohibited.
In mid-May the remote community of Kyuquot welcomed students from all over School District 84 and beyond for a youth cultural sharing event. Guests from throughout Nuu-chah-nulth territory gathered in Kyuquot Elementary Secondary School’s gymnasium, and with smiles drawn across many faces, they eagerly awaited the students' performances.
The First Nations Health Authority has reported that they are investigating a cybersecurity incident. In a statement made May 22, FNHA said it became aware of unusual activity on its corporate network on May 13.
“We took immediate action to investigate this activity and intercepted an unauthorized entity who had gained access to our corporate network,” they stated.
FNHA went on to say that they immediately deployed countermeasures to block the unauthorized entity's access and prevent any further unauthorized activity.
A beautifully carved 12 ft totem pole was revealed on May 22 as the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation welcomed community members and students from Ray Watkins Elementary and Gold River Secondary School for a traditional awakening ceremony in front of their newly constructed and owned Baymont by Wyndham Hotel.
The rocks were hot enough to use by about 7:30 a.m. on the muggy May 15 morning at Esowista on Long Beach.
With confidence and ease, Tla-o-qui-aht canoe carver Joe Martin instructed about a dozen shovel-ready helpers to shuttle the 150 stones from the fire to the cedar canoe holding about four inches of salt water. Like stepping into a time machine, the distinct hissing sound of steam and enchanting scent of smoky cedar seemingly transported the group back to a different era.
This past May long weekend, Tseshaht Lightening hosted a basketball tournament of a caliber that the Alberni Valley has not seen in years, bringing hundreds of players and even more family members to gather around a game dear to Nuu-chah-nulth-aht.
“It runs deep in Port Alberni and in [the] Nuu-chah-nulth community,” said Earl Tatoosh, of Hupacasath and coach of the Cheiftains. “It's kind of been my love since I was six years old.”
The squeaks of sneakers on hardwood rang out over the May long weekend as B.C. basketball players came together in Port Alberni for the inaugural Ć̓išaaʔatḥ Lightning Tournament.
The three-day open hoop tourney saw 46 teams in five divisions play over 80 games spread out over five venues, with the finale taking place at Coulson’s Gym in the Alberni Athletic Hall on Sunday.
The orphaned killer whale calf that made her way out of a lagoon near Ehattesaht in April 2024 is being celebrated through art.
It was in late March when a Biggs Killer Whale and her two-year-old calf entered a shallow lagoon near Ehattesaht when the mother became stranded on a sandbar as the tide receded. Despite community efforts to save her, the mother drowned, her female calf lingered nearby.