Tag Archives: Health
'Pray and stay' vigil at Parksville church filling the gap of cold weather shelter
NANAIMO - A Parksville church is filling the need for a cold weather shelter in the Oceanside area as work is done behind the scenes for a more permanent and suitable location. St. Anne's Church, whic...
Dec 09, 2019 Pews at St. Anne church were transformed into beds for the less fortunate in the Oceanside region over the weekend and will continue to do so this season. (Adam Fras/Facebook)
Baby bed program expanding to help babies sleep soundly
NANAIMO - An effort to give babies a safe place to sleep is expanding across Vancouver Island. Island Health's baby bed program is now offered throughout central and northern Vancouver Island. It was ...
Dec 05, 2019 Baby beds include the sturdy carboard box, mattress, sheets and a onesie for children. (Island Health)
Law-abiding man turned heavy crack cocaine user sentenced for terrifying rampage
NANAIMO - A middle-age man with no prior criminal history spiraled out of control due to a crack cocaine addiction, leading to a shocking crime spree in Parksville. Robert Douglas Lightle, 45, receive...
Dec 04, 2019 Allsbrook Rd. in Parksville, where Robert Douglas Lightle, 45, went on a shocking rampage after excessive crack cocaine use. (Google Earth)
Section of Blueback Stairs to be replaced, beach access temporarily closed
NANAIMO - Crews are busy replacing a portion of the stairs leading to the bottom of popular Blueback Beach in Nanaimo's north end. Al Britton, the City's manager of parks operations, expected the stai...
Dec 03, 2019 The in-ground stairs at the top of the Blueback Beach access point will be removed in exchange for an above-ground wooden staircase. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)
Saskatchewan chief disappointed at lack of long-term help to stop suicides
REGINA - The chief of a northern Saskatchewan First Nation says he is disappointed at the lack of long-term help from the provincial and federal governments to deal with what he says&nb...
Nov 28, 2019 (Submitted photo/The Canadian Press)
Island Health takes over Nanaimo Seniors Village due to serious concerns
NANAIMO - Island Health has been forced to step in and take control of a Nanaimo seniors home due to an "unprecedented" number of issues.Nanaimo Seniors Village will now be overseen by seniors care ad...
Nov 27, 2019 The Nanaimo Seniors Village on Uplands Rd. is now run by Island Health, not the company Retirement Concepts, amid concerns of neglect and poor staffing. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)
35-bed emergency shelter reopens as Nanaimo homelessness crisis worsens
NANAIMO - More doors have opened for Nanaimo's homeless as the weather takes a turn for the worse. The 35-bed shelter in St. Peters Hall has re-opened for the second year, starting Monday, Nov. 25. It...
Nov 25, 2019 A 35-bed shelter in St. Peters Hall has re-opened for its second year as the homelessness crisis in Nanaimo worsens. (Spencer Sterritt/NanaimoNewsNOW)
New Nanaimo program helping curb high youth crime rates
NANAIMO - A special 12-week program is helping volatile Nanaimo youth open up, better themselves and comprehend the damaging consequences of their violent actions. The Real Talk program is run through...
Nov 22, 2019 The Real Talk program works to bring down barriers to youth crime and create an open and emotionally frank space for young men to talk. (Shutterstock)
Nanaimo's juvenile violent crime rate rises, far exceeds similar cities
NANAIMO - Area youth are increasingly being left adrift and alone in a negative world, which leads to them entering a world of crime. The recently unveiled Vital Signs report, which collects and prese...
Nov 21, 2019 Nanaimo's juvenile violent crime rate is significantly higher than other similar demographics.
Oceanside region bracing for pending senior tsunami
PARKSVILLE - Oceanside is preparing for a massive influx of senior citizens over the next twenty years.A local area profile conducted by Island Health showed approximately 7,500 residents over 75 year...
Nov 20, 2019 Oceanside is readying supports and services for a seniors population that is projected to double in the next twenty years (Island Health)