A Friday night fire in Nanaimo has left a family homeless. More than 20 firefighters battled the blaze for six hours. Shorty before midnight, the cedar wood house at 3021 Jameson Rd. erupted in flames and by the time the fire department arrived it was fully engulfed, investigators say.

Re: 'Activist is glad to be recognized; Abortionist will get an Order of Canada for work to change health-care laws ' (Daily News, July 3). I think that the Order of Canada was rightly issued to Dr. Henry Morgentaler for his selfless work for humanity.

Jennifer Ballegeer has never been assaulted, beaten or robbed in downtown Nanaimo at night. But she is scared of the area when darkness falls. "I'm scared of running into (drunk) people (outside of) bars," said the 21-year-old, who won't walk alone.

So there it is in print -- in a national paper no less -- for all to see: The suggestion that we're an island of underachievers. Now, should we take the attack by a National Post letter-writer lying down?

LONDON - Venus Williams survived a fierce onslaught from Serena Williams to win her fifth Wimbledon singles title on Saturday, finally subduing her younger sister 7-5 6-4.

Major record labels, bleeding financially from ever-declining sales, don't have time to wait. They need hits quicker than quick, and if your band doesn't produce, you're on the unemployment line.

Here are our picks for this year's Emmy nominations in the six major categories of best comedy, best drama and lead actor and actress in comedy and drama respectively. Expect a lot of love for Mad Men and Pushing Daisies. And, yes, Boston Legal is likely to be nominated once again.

Chris Noth is out, and Jeff Goldblum is in, at Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Goldblum will split lead-actor time with Vincent D'Onofrio, as Noth has done the last two years.

Entertainment Weekly's Michael Ausiello reports that 90210 alum Shannen Doherty is in talks to reprise her role as Brenda Walsh on the spinoff and since Jennie Garth and Tori Spelling are already on board, it can mean only one thing: catfight.

The media -- particularly the CBC -- are making such a hullabaloo over China you could be forgiven for thinking they've only just discovered the place.

Huey Lewis' newly unveiled Pineapple Express theme song has us flush with movie nostalgia, and thinking of a purer, simpler time -- a golden era when movie producers and pop stars could put aside their differences and/or raging blow habits to come together and create songs that would directly reference summer blockbusters for no apparent reason other than to rake in a few extra bucks and make it ...

His movies may tank. Expectations of his bankable gross may send bean-counters into a tizzy. But for all the ups and downs that have marked Will Smith's 18-year career, he's still jiggy with the masses. The man will never be called "box office poison"-- Hancock or not.

It's situation critical for the Nanaimo Senior A Timbermen. Their playoff chances are starting to slip away in the Western Lacrosse Association but they will receive a boost tonight if they can defeat the Coquitlam Adanacs at the Coquitlam Rec Centre.

There's still plenty of work to come but the Vancouver Island Raiders are looking good at training camp in Duncan. The two-time defending B.C. Football Conference champions continue training camp today and Sunday at McAdam Park in Duncan.

Nanaimo's Mike Stefan teed off his goal to play Canada's top 100 golf courses seven years ago. This summer he hopes to hit the halfway mark. Stefan, athletics events co-ordinator for the Malaspina Mariners, got the idea after perusing through a 2000 edition of ScoreGolf magazine.

The Nanaimo junior Timbermen continued to show they can play with the big boys of the B.C. Junior A Lacrosse League, but the wins just aren't coming. Nanaimo hung tough before dropping a 9-7 decision to the first-place Victoria Shamrocks Friday at the Nanaimo Ice Centre.

Nanaimo's Jeff and Grant Vickers are beaming with Canadian pride, and for good reason. Not only do they get to play for Team Canada at the fourth World University Baseball Games in the Czech Republic later this month, they'll do so together as the only catchers on the squad.

Re: 'Activist is glad to be recognized; Abortionist will get an Order of Canada for work to change health-care laws ' (Daily News, July 3). It is unfortunate that the appointment of Dr. Henry Morgentaler to the Order of Canada has renewed the abortion debate.

We need good citizens to stand up and keep careful watch over our elected officials to make sure they always act in the best interests of our citizens.

Nanaimo-Alberni MP James Lunney is opposed to Dr. Henry Morgentaler receiving the Order of Canada. He said in a statement Friday that the appointment of Morgentaler to the Order of Canada has "debased the award and diminishes the honour for others who deserved such recognition."