Author

Jolene Rudisuela

Jolene is a reporter who loves long-form, in-depth stories. She is a generalist reporter based in Victoria, and speaks both English and French. She graduated from Mount Royal University with a degree in journalism and came out of the program with two national awards for her work on a multimedia story about a Calgary mobile home park. Being from Alberta, she got her first taste of Island life while working as a reporter with the Comox Valley Record, where she covered everything from aquaculture to the overdose crisis to Cumberland village council. She later spent a year as a copy editor with Pagemasters North America, working with clients like the Toronto Star and the Winnipeg Free Press. She is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists, and her honours and awards include the CAJ Student Award of Excellence in 2018, Best Multimedia Production from Emerge Media Awards in 2018, and she was a finalist for the Multimedia Story of the Year from Associated Collegiate Press Awards in 2018.

COVID-19

COVID cases surge in Victoria temporary housing—but residents and staff say they have only ‘whispers and rumours’ for information

One housing worker says facilities aren’t prepared for outbreaks. The province, meanwhile, has released no information

Healthcare

BC’s surgery wait times are still rising, while a Victoria company says private facilities have a part to play

Private care has been touted as a solution to surgery wait times. But some say it could be at the cost of public health care

Know Your Neighbour

A couple fought for their right to marry 20 years ago. Now, Alzheimer's is a different kind of fight.

Diana Denny and Robin Roberts are working through an unproven method of dealing with the disease, focusing on its root causes

Indigenous

How Indigenous-led organizations are rebuilding connection to language and culture

Indigenous students find success in culturally-relevant programs. A Nanaimo organization is working to make sure that success continues.

History

Why Victoria’s English is nearly gone

Generations of born-and-raised Victorians spoke like they were from England, but this local accent is nearly extinct

Crime

After Kamloops, the search for Vancouver Island graves takes on new intensity. Why did it take so long?

An Indigenous-led fundraiser has raised more than five times its goal to help First Nations find answers and healing

Policing

More people go missing in BC than anywhere else in Canada. No one knows why

Police don’t track missing-persons cases by race, but on Red Dress Day, a Vancouver Island Indigenous leader says that’s not acceptable

Health

Raids and an eviction notice won't be the end of Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club

Members rely on the club’s low-cost, high-THC products, but they say to meet the requirements of the Cannabis Act would be to dismantle the organization