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COLUMN: New ‘development’ is a surprise to Sooke mayor

This week's column in the Sooke News Mirror takes a look at what's been happening in Sooke; for better or worse.

Wednesday morning musings and meditations:

A secret unveiled … Mayor Maja Tait had a secret to tell at Sooke District council last week, and it appears it was weeks  – if not years – in the making.

The announcement: the mayor is pregnant.

Visitors to the council chambers gallery were surprised by the news, but perhaps no one was more surprised than Tait and her husband, Alex.

“It’s something you hoped for and it never really happened,” Tait said after the meeting.

“We’re totally delighted. It’s really exciting,” she said.

Tait plans to take a leave of absence from her job, but not her mayoralty duties.

She hopes to take the first few months off from council and then return to work as a politician.

And baby Tait will come along with mom on her daily duties.

“I’m assuming my baby is going to be well-behaved, brilliant, go to sleep on time and not be fussy,” Tait laughs.

“We’ll see how it unfolds.”

Tait’s bundle of joy is expected around Dec. 7.

FROM FARM TO … As District of Sooke awaits word from the Agricultural Land Commission on whether a parking lot and trail can be used on agricultural land along Sooke River Road, it’s good to remember that the ALC has been good to our region in the past.

The Sooke Region Museum and Muir Family Cemetery were both on agricultural land and given the blessing for other uses by the commission.

WORKS OF ART … Glass artist Susan Isaac is making a name for herself in art circles.

The Sooke artist is in two juried art shows this month: the Sooke Fine Arts Show and the Destination Victoria Art Show at Coast Collective. Issac joins a long list of local artists who got the double honour.

NEAR MISS … Last week we told you about army reservist Sgt. Tatyana Danylyshyn, a former Sooke resident, who was named the best “reservist riflemen” in the world at an international competition.

Despite sharpshooting her way to the highest score in the prestigious Queen’s Medal competition, Danylyshyn came away empty-handed.

She scored an impressive 1,012 points, but this year the Queen’s Medal was awarded to British Cpl. Johnny Moore.

The reason? Foreign nationals can’t win the competition they are invited to compete “on an honours-only basis”

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Kevin Laird is editor of the Sooke News Mirror. He can reached by email at klaird@blackpress.ca or by phone at 250-642-5752.