Like many, I am susceptible to smoke and I dread this time of year when so many feel the need to light up wood-burning fireplaces and do so with little or no concern about the impact they have on their neighbours and local air quality.

I invite Saanich residents to join me in expressing gratitude to Saanich staff for their incredible work during this pandemic.

While I understand (but do not agree with) your complaint with respect to having to leave the enclosed vehicle decks of BC Ferries I take issue with the misconceptions and falsehoods you used to support your position.

This past Halloween was particularly distressful for me as fireworks were lobbed into my yard from a neighbouring yard.

While we dug shovels into the crushed rock to mark the official groundbreaking for our two new schools in West Langford, the overarching meaning for the event was the blessing of the land. Sooke School District is rich in local cultural history and, in the last decade, that includes land blessings for all of our new schools. We are honoured to have TB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™Sou-ke elder Shirley Alphonse bless the land in which we are so fortunate to build the schools.

Irresponsible dog owners only part of the problem

Reader says area unsanitary and vermin-infested

It was indicated in the Victoria B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ· that Carole James will receive a pension of approximately $82,000 a year, after serving 15 years in office. Andrew Weaver will receive a pension of approximately $31,000 per year after seven years in office.

Re: B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·˜ Taxpayer watchdog howls over outgoing MLA pension payouts .B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™ I was disappointed to read what was essentially a repeat of the CTF press release that was incomplete in that it failed to include the time when former MLAs are eligible to receive their pensions. Details may be found at: www.leg.bc.ca/learn-about-us/accountability/mla-remuneration-and-expenses .

A couple of weeks ago I sent a plea to the Victoria B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ· for information about the life of a brother of my maternal grandmother. He was named Frederick Lee and his wife was Eva. I have to say that from the time it was published in the online edition I began getting information about him almost straight away, including a suggestion to join a Facebook group called Old Victoria BC.