Toaster for Sale

For sale: Hamilton Beach 4 slice toaster – good shape works well. $10.00.

Huy ch q’a / Thank you

Doug Fenton

dfenton12@gmail.com

250.804.6480

Free Loveseat

We are having to part with our beloved little loveseat due to lack of space. In good used condition and very comfortable, but with a few cat scratches. Please see pictures on the blog.
We were going to take it to the thrift next week but thought someone could use it on island. We can deliver.

Anaïs & Travis
250 416 0674
info@anaisgerber.com

Seeking House Sitting / Short-term Rental Accommodation in Victoria

If anyone needs a condo/house sitter or short-term renter in Victoria from Monday January 6 until approximately February 9 please let me know. I will be going to school for one month and am looking to house sit or rent somewhere in/near to Victoria city centre.

I can be reached any time at:

Email:  randison48@gmail.com   

American cell:  1-941-744-6928

Thank you, Rebecca Andison

Globe & Mail: Saturdays

Interested in subscribing to only the Saturday edition of the Globe and Mail newspaper? 

Contact Vicki for details: 250-246-9126

TIRRA Solid Waste: Looking for committee to Review Terms of Reference

At the TIRRA General Meeting in October 2019, a strategic review of the Solid Waste and Recycle Facility was proposed. This was an informal suggestion that such a review would be appropriate based on TIRRA's accountability as an employer, as a tax based service and as set out on the 2017 Terms of Reference (TOR) posted on thetisisland.net. 

The document to be posted is a simplified version of the TOR (not yet approved by committee): TIRRA wishes to extend an invitation to community members who have a keen interest in reviewing this document in a group setting: gathering workplace and workflow ideas from staff, volunteers and the community.

This may also be a good working group to start conversations about a future community composting program.

Please express interest via email to Wendy Hinsperger at tirra@thetisisland.net

Wendy Hinsperger

TIRRA President

Junior Firefighter Program

The Thetis Island Fire Dept. invites residents from 15 to 18 years old to join the TIVFD Junior FF program, with parental or guardian permission.  

You will train along side of our volunteer fire fighters and gain valuable skills and experience.  

Having this experience will greatly assist you when applying for scholarships, and graduation credits have been earned by past Junior members.  

Please contact Fire Chief Jeannine Caldbeck at chief11@telus.net

Community Days

The community has been granted the use of Heneage House one day a week.

In January, it will be open from 1-4pm, with tea in the library, on Sundays 5th, 19th and 26th.

Soup du Jour is on Wednesday, January 15.

The library attendant will accept your donations to cover operation costs.

Join friends and neighbours for tea and a fireside chat this Sunday. Everyone is welcome.

For Sale: Razor Electric Dirt Bike

500W 36V, electric dirt bike.  Rated max 30km/hr and max 65kg load.  Probably good for 6-10 year old.  Lightly used… good, clean, fun!  $250. 

Contact Ron 250 252 0099 or ron_bannister@telus.net

Free: A Futon Couch.

Easy to operate and it is in great shape.

It’s just in the way and needs a new home.

Will deliver.

Call or text

250 701 1595

Kerr

The Reason Behind The Restrictions

Many islanders do not understand the reasons behind the Smoke Control/Venting Index for outdoor burn piles.  The Smoke control venting index has nothing to do with how wet or dry the forest is.  It has everything to do with how much smoke particulate you and your neighbours would be breathing.  The daily Smoke Control Forecast contains predictions of the Ventilation Index, a measure of atmospheric turbulence and low level winds.  Open burning is the largest source of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution in BC. Fine particulates released into the air can impact health and contribute to poor air quality in communities.  

If you decide to ignore the Provincial regulations and light your burn pile on a day that smoke will stay low to the ground and not mix at the correct height, you are putting yourself and community at risk for both short and long term respiratory problems.  There are several residents now on Thetis, including children, that already suffer from very serious respiratory disease and absolutely need your cooperation with the regulations.

Please check the Venting Index daily (after the daily 7:30 am update) before you light up your yard waste pile.  Your neighbours need you to understand that your burn pile smoke is dangerous to health and needs to meet the venting index standard for mixing height etc.  Smoke particles will not dissipate readily if the Index is POOR or FAIR.  Generally, even on a GOOD atmospheric ventilation day, after sunset the Index drops to POOR.  (This is why burn piles must be extinguished by evening.)  There is a link to an interactive map of the daily Venting Index on the TIVFD website or just Google “Venting Index”.  

Thank you,

Thetis Island Fire Dept.

Update on CIBC Scam

In last Saturday's Espokes we reported receiving calls allegedly from CIBC giving us verification numbers we had not requested.  This is an update on the scam.

After reporting the fake calls to CIBC, we checked our accounts. Graeme's CIBC VISA account showed four PayPal transactions pending, totalling $700, that were fraudulent.  Reporting this to CIBC Fraud Dept on Sunday, they immediately froze our VISA and bank chequing accounts, told us to visit the local branch, and to get the computer used for online banking "cleaned" to eliminate any potential viruses.  With the accounts frozen, we could not check our accounts online any more.  We changed our PayPal password. On Monday, we visited CIBC to open a new chequing account and found in addition to the fraudulent charges on VISA on Dec 27& 28, a charge of over $3800 against our line of credit on Dec 30, and suspicious credits from PayPal of a few cents on our chequing and savings accounts.  CIBC told us this is a phishing ruse to get a connection to our bank accounts through PayPal and typically charges against the account follow. We closed all our CIBC accounts and opened new ones, and cancelled our PayPal account. 

CIBC cancelled all fraudulent transactions, so we did not lose any money.  However, we lost our grandfathered chequing account and the new one is potentially a bit more expensive.

Things To Look for to Avoid this Scam

1)  A call from your bank giving a verification number that was not requested.

2) Immediately change all passwords

3) Keep checking all accounts for activity you have not initiated

4) Small deposits from PayPal are a warning sign

5) If the above reveals suspicious activity, close all accounts and open new ones

6) Report the scam to your bank, Equifax and TransUnion Credit Agencies and have security alerts placed on your files. 

Equifax 1-866-828-5961  

TransUnion 800-663-9980

7) If you actually lost any money, involve the RCMP.  We didn't need to. 

Let's hope this is the end of it.

Shelfords

FREE WASHER & DRYER AVAILABLE

Must take both.

Justine Smart

604-414-5927