Fraser Valley Current

⛈️ High 27C Good morning, The Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival wrapped up its ninth year on a high note — but organizers are now asking the community for help to make sure the 10th anniversary looks the same. The festival's two free days are at risk without more support, and a fundraising campaign has just launched to protect them. – Emily Keep local journalism alive by supporting The Current. Become a Current Insider member today and help bring local stories to life.

The Fort Langley Jazz & Arts Festival wrapped up its ninth edition last month to strong attendance and enthusiastic crowds — but organizers are now turning their attention to a financial challenge that could change what the festival looks like in future years. The festival is launching a community fundraising campaign called 10 Years of Music: Securing Accessible Programming for the Future, aimed at protecting the two days of free programming that have become central to the event's identity.

🌦️ High 25C Good morning, Federal funding is coming to one of Abbotsford's busiest corridors — $7 million toward widening and improving Fraser Highway between Mt. Lehman Road and Station Road. More than 30,000 vehicles use the stretch every day, and the upgrades have been a long time coming. – Emily Keep local journalism alive by supporting The Current. Become a Current Insider member today and help bring local stories to life.

🌤️ High 26C Good morning, Back in March, an Abbotsford woman named Sylvia Gillis and her dog Max barely escaped with their lives when her fifth-wheel RV exploded at Aloha RV Park. Max stayed by her side as the flames closed in, suffering burns before running off in a panic — neighbours found him and rushed him to an emergency vet. Now we know what caused the explosion: rodents had chewed through electrical wires and a gas hose, leaking propane into the trailer for weeks.

In March, an Abbotsford woman and her dog were nearly killed when her fifth-wheel RV exploded at Aloha RV Park. An investigation from Technical Safety BC recently determined the cause of the fiery emergency: rodents. According to the report from TSBC, the rodents had chewed through electrical wires and a section of the gas hose attached to the RV’s kitchen area, causing low-pressure propane to slowly leak into the trailer.

☀️ High 27C Good morning, Worth keeping an eye on air quality this weekend — conditions have been variable across the Fraser Valley due to wildfire smoke, so check the Air Quality Health Index before heading out. Wine lovers will be hoping things clear up well before the Fraser Valley Wine Collective's Summer Sampler at Chapter Estates on August 22. We sat down with Bobbi-Rhea Mackie from the Collective to talk about why she thinks the Fraser Valley deserves a bigger seat at the BC wine table.

The Okanagan gets most of the attention when people talk about BC wine. Bobbi-Rhea Mackie thinks the Fraser Valley deserves a closer look — and she's working to make the case. Mackie is the director of business development at the Fraser Valley Wine Collective, an organization bringing together local wineries, producers, and hospitality businesses to build a more cohesive wine culture in the region.

Hanna Budny, owner of The Offy in District 1881. (Credit: Havens House Photographic) A conversation with Hanna Budny rarely stays on one subject for long. A fig becomes an ecosystem. A restaurant becomes a school. A move to Chilliwack becomes a lesson in presence. A relationship that has ended becomes an opportunity to think about love without reducing it to success or failure. The connections might initially seem unexpected, but Budny sees them everywhere.

🌤️ High 28C Good morning, Abbotsford Agrifair opens today at Exhibition Park — stop by for pig races, the RCMP Musical Ride, a demolition derby, and more through Sunday. If the fair isn't your thing, there's also a free outdoor movie at Cultus Lake tonight and live music at Greendale Acres tomorrow. – Emily Keep local journalism alive by supporting The Current. Become a Current Insider member today and help bring local stories to life.

When Langley City residents head to the polls on October 17, they'll be asked to share their views on two proposed community facility expansions alongside their regular election ballot.