Courtenay / Comox Valley Record

The B.C. man who killed six members of a vacationing family in 1982 has once again been denied parole. David Ennis, formerly David Shearing, was denied full parole for the fourth time by the Parole Board of Canada. The decision was made on Aug. 19 and stated that Ennis’ risk of reoffending remains elevated.

Comox Valley RibFest 2026 has wrapped up after another successful weekend at Village Park in Cumberland. The three-day food and music festival, held August 21 to 23, drew over 10,000 visitors over the weekend, with proceeds supporting local and international Rotary initiatives. Friday’s media sauce challenge saw local media teams compete for bragging rights with their best secret barbecue sauce recipes. This year’s trophy went to 100.7 The Raven.

The Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) has downgraded some properties on evacuation order to alert, and some on evacuation alert to all clear, due to decreased threat from the Ainslie Creek wildfire. The fire, still burning out of control between Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon, Highway 8, and Highway 5, showed minimal growth over the past 24 hours. As of noon on Monday (Aug. 24) it was estimated at 67,722 hectares; only 15 hectares larger than on Sunday.

Tucked away from public view, beyond the limits of the B.C. legislature’s guided tours, lies one of the province’s best-kept hidden gems. Making your way through the maze-like halls of the government building, you can eventually find the legislative library.

Small swarms of cycling women bedecked in bright green, orange and yellow jerseys are among the 73 cyclists in the five-week Victoria Grandmothers 20th annual cycle tour. Most days one group or another can be seen across Greater Victoria – riding the trails to the Roost, ’round the coast, or out to Sooke Potholes. Among them is first-time participant Christine Gotzman, who has always loved riding, an activity that makes her feel ageless.

Mountains of muscle were on display at B.C. Strongman Provincials, which took over a corner of the Sevenoaks Shopping Centre parking lot on Aug. 15. Frank Lalonde, who was one of the event organizers, said the competition was a big success and led to many athletes setting new personal records. The competitors went toe-to-toe across five events, which included squats, stone to shoulder, overhead press, deadlifts, and shield carry.

The Town of Comox celebrated another successful Nautical Days Festival, which brought thousands of residents and visitors together on the August BC Day long weekend for events and activities at Comox Marina Park. This year’s festival introduced several new attractions, including an Artsphere community printmaking experience; photo opportunities with a mermaid and a pirate; a nautical costume competition; and a T-shirt design contest won by local artist Lilian (Lily) Sepulveda Navarro.

When you think of goats, you might picture cute, four-legged mischief-makers capable of eating just about anything in their path – from underwear left hanging on a clothesline to, according to one person, an entire couch. Fire service volunteers probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind. While tales of goats devouring unusual objects may be more myth than fact, there’s no denying their appetite can serve a useful purpose.

A small wildfire suspected to have been caused by a lightning strike is burning in Sooke Hills. Discovered Sunday, Aug. 23, the fire is located at Empress Mountain, within the Sea to Sea Regional Park. An update from the BC Wildfire Service Monday morning (Aug. 24), listed the fire as under control. The fire is not projected to spread beyond its current perimeter. BC Wildfire crews are responding to the wildfire listed as 0.009 hectares in size, with support from aviation crews.

The murder of a Vernon Secondary School graduate on the outskirts of Kamloops remains a mystery one year later. At approximately 4 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, Kamloops RCMP responded to a vehicle fire on Tranquille-Criss Creek Road, where the body of 25-year-old Kamloops resident Dillen Bain was located deceased inside the vehicle. Bain was a 2018 VSS grad. The vehicle, a black 2019 Volkswagen Golf, is believed to have been intentionally set on fire along the service road.