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Long-toed salamanders breed shortly after the ice comes off ponds. (Wiki-Common/Mark Thompson)

The Nature Nut

Rosamund Pojar

  • Apr 28, 2022
Long-toed salamanders breed shortly after the ice comes off ponds. (Wiki-Common/Mark Thompson)
Paula Gross, an educational assistant at Eric Langton elementary, created a display of hobbit houses made primarily from discarded objects, for the front display case at the school. (Colleen Flanagan/The News)

Hobbit house display created for Earth Day by Lower Mainland educational assistant

Paula Gross created the display using discarded objects and natural items

Paula Gross, an educational assistant at Eric Langton elementary, created a display of hobbit houses made primarily from discarded objects, for the front display case at the school. (Colleen Flanagan/The News)
A family of ducks crossed Lougheed Highway with the help of a good samaritan on Tuesday. (Monique Patton/Special to The News)

Good Samaritan helps family of ducks cross B.C. highway

Duckings follow mother duck navigating six lanes of traffic

A family of ducks crossed Lougheed Highway with the help of a good samaritan on Tuesday. (Monique Patton/Special to The News)
Lesser sandhill crane. (Wiki-Common)

The Nature Nut

Rosamund Pojar

  • Apr 21, 2022
Lesser sandhill crane. (Wiki-Common)
The workshops at Yunesit’in were set up in stations, where different aspects of the landscape and ecosystem were explored and incorporated into the mixed-media canvas pieces by participants. (Cindy Charleyboy photo)

Cariboo Art Beat workshops combine fire and art

Williams Lake workshops help build bridges between First Nations and government

The workshops at Yunesit’in were set up in stations, where different aspects of the landscape and ecosystem were explored and incorporated into the mixed-media canvas pieces by participants. (Cindy Charleyboy photo)
Oak Bay High students Kaelyn Bonner and Katherine Lee do preflight checks at the Victoria Flying Club, ahead of their discovery flight as part of the aviation and design program offered through the Greater Victoria School District. (Tom Aerts/Twitter)

Oak Bay student among those high on aviation possibilities

Greater Victoria School District helps kids fly with aviation and design program

Oak Bay High students Kaelyn Bonner and Katherine Lee do preflight checks at the Victoria Flying Club, ahead of their discovery flight as part of the aviation and design program offered through the Greater Victoria School District. (Tom Aerts/Twitter)
Ava Gambling sold her paintings to raise money to help Ukrainian people through the Canadian Red Cross. (Colleen Flanagan/The News)

8-year-old Lower Mainland resident sells paintings to help Ukrainians

Ava Gambling and her brother James, 4, raised more than $1,000

Ava Gambling sold her paintings to raise money to help Ukrainian people through the Canadian Red Cross. (Colleen Flanagan/The News)
White Rock resident Brita Doubroff says her Fidget Blanket was developed with kids with autism in mind, but it also gaining traction for adults with dementia. (Contributed photo)

B.C. woman creates ‘fidget blanket’ for autism, dementia

Brita Doubroff says product can also benefit caregivers

White Rock resident Brita Doubroff says her Fidget Blanket was developed with kids with autism in mind, but it also gaining traction for adults with dementia. (Contributed photo)
The Langley Cineplex will screen the movie, The Guide to support and raise funds for Ukraine relief efforts. (Langley Advance Times Files)

Special screening of Ukraine movie in Langley to support relief efforts

More than 30 Cineplex theatres across country to participate

The Langley Cineplex will screen the movie, The Guide to support and raise funds for Ukraine relief efforts. (Langley Advance Times Files)
Hailey Townsend is making and selling yellow-and-blue bracelets to help raise money for Ukraine. (Submitted photo)

Abbotsford girl raises $2,500 for Ukraine through homemade bracelet, bookmark sales

11-year-old has help from friend to collect donations for UNICEF emergency fund

Hailey Townsend is making and selling yellow-and-blue bracelets to help raise money for Ukraine. (Submitted photo)
Merritt at the Kelowna BC SPCA.

Kitten sisters Merritt and Hope rescued from feral cat colony in Prince Rupert, now in Kelowna

Merritt needs to have her eye removed

Merritt at the Kelowna BC SPCA.
Martyka Sutor, her partner Steven, son Arlo and newborn daughter Maia pose for a photo with firefighters from Surrey’s Hall 17. (Contributed photo)

‘There was no stopping her’: Firefighters deliver baby in B.C. couple’s home

‘It was a day we will never forget’ says South Surrey mother

Martyka Sutor, her partner Steven, son Arlo and newborn daughter Maia pose for a photo with firefighters from Surrey’s Hall 17. (Contributed photo)
Bear wearing a life jacket to get ready for a kayak ride (Kris Stewart)

The cat comes back: Kelowna woman cloning pet

About $50,000 to clone adventurous cat

Bear wearing a life jacket to get ready for a kayak ride (Kris Stewart)
Catherine getting ready for the next round of chemo, with her three kids for support. (GoFundMe/Special to The News)

B.C. family in need of support after mother’s stage 4 breast cancer diagnosis

Seek funds to cover treatment and care for their three autism-diagnosed kids

Catherine getting ready for the next round of chemo, with her three kids for support. (GoFundMe/Special to The News)
Steve Nicklen, one of the individuals who supports migrant farm workers, repairing bikes at his home in Maple Ridge. (Special to The News)

Volunteers to donate 200 bikes to migrant farm workers impacted by B.C. flooding

Seek help repairing bikes in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows

Steve Nicklen, one of the individuals who supports migrant farm workers, repairing bikes at his home in Maple Ridge. (Special to The News)
Sutter Rowse, 8, cuddles with Hazel, the cat, at the Williams Lake BCSPCA who he raised $850 toward the cost of her surgery. (Leslie Rowse photo)

8-year-old Williams Lake boy, mom raise $850 for injured, abandoned cat’s surgery

“I don’t know why, but I just love cats,” said Sutter Rowse

Sutter Rowse, 8, cuddles with Hazel, the cat, at the Williams Lake BCSPCA who he raised $850 toward the cost of her surgery. (Leslie Rowse photo)
As others don pink t-shirts for anti-bullying day (Feb. 23), swimmers across British Columbia – including White Rock Wave members Bill Blair, Debbie Dunn and Cindy Yoc – are wearing pink caps as part of an initiative set up by Swim BC. (Contributed photo)

Sea of pink at B.C. pool a tribute to kindness, compassion during anti-bullying week

Swim BC offered pink swim caps to teams across the province for annual initiative

As others don pink t-shirts for anti-bullying day (Feb. 23), swimmers across British Columbia – including White Rock Wave members Bill Blair, Debbie Dunn and Cindy Yoc – are wearing pink caps as part of an initiative set up by Swim BC. (Contributed photo)
Benny Hanson, who turned 90 on Feb. 1, 2022, is a pump operator with the Celista Fire Department. (Celista Fire Department image)

90-year-old B.C. firefighter has always been one to keep busy

Benny Hanson said his philosophy was ‘change jobs every four years’

Benny Hanson, who turned 90 on Feb. 1, 2022, is a pump operator with the Celista Fire Department. (Celista Fire Department image)
The development of the printing press in the 1400s led to the creation of books and other printed materials for the public to read. This file photo shows the first edition of the Alberni Valley News rolling through the press at the Black Press printing plant in Ladysmith. (Alberni Valley News file photo)

QUIZ: Celebrating the joy of reading

Family Literacy Day in Canada is held each year on Jan. 27.

The development of the printing press in the 1400s led to the creation of books and other printed materials for the public to read. This file photo shows the first edition of the Alberni Valley News rolling through the press at the Black Press printing plant in Ladysmith. (Alberni Valley News file photo)
Canadian astronaut Cmdr. Chris Hadfield relaxes before launch, ahead of a past trip to the International Space Station. He spoke to Black Press Media this week about his time at Royal Roads Military College. (Courtesy Cmdr. Chris Hadfield)

B.C. university ‘renames’ stairway after alumni Chris Hadfield

‘For me it all started there, just up the hill from Hatley Castle,’ Canadian astronaut says

Canadian astronaut Cmdr. Chris Hadfield relaxes before launch, ahead of a past trip to the International Space Station. He spoke to Black Press Media this week about his time at Royal Roads Military College. (Courtesy Cmdr. Chris Hadfield)