The story of Otus the Western screech owl reinforces the impact we humans have on wildlife.

Warning! A giant hogweed plant has been found growing in the Comox Valley in a garden on Third Street in Courtenay.

The law says that a municipality may regulate speed by enacting a bylaw and placing signs to limit the speeds of vehicles on municipal streets. The courts will accept estimates of speed from both police officers and the general public where the witness is credible and has knowledge and experience that would allow them to guage speed.

You probably keep a close eye on your regular income, RRSP and other personal investments, but what about the investment and health benefits plans sponsored by your employer? They provide valuable insurance coverage and an important source of retirement income — but do you really know enough about them — what you are and are not covered for; if there are gaps in your coverage that need to be filled; or even if you are paying for coverage you may not need?

When a vehicle is in yaw, it is rotating around a vertical axis through its center of mass. The marks left on the pavement can be used to calculate a car's speed.

Each one of us experiences grief and loss in unique and individual way. Grief is sometimes described as a number of stages that we progress through, and this may be true for many people, but it is not always experienced in this way. Regardless, individuals often experience a host of confusing and challenging thoughts and feelings that can be difficult to cope with at times.

Talking to your transportation company and accommodation provider well in advance is probably the most important thing you can do (and of course reading this column!) to make travel as a senior or with a senior easier.

In a few short weeks, your child or grandchild may be heading off to university or college for the first time. An education can be expensive — and that RESP you started so many years ago is about to pay off.

A few people have told me they have not seen many honey bees this year. We did not see many either … early on ... Thankfully, the honey bees did show up in the garden eventually, on the heels of a few warmer days. With an addition … a species I had never seen before. A Russian honey bee.

The shorelines along the east coast of Vancouver Island, from Parksville to Campbell River and including the Comox Valley, are home to one of the most easily recognized shorebirds, the great blue heron.