CBC Newfoundland Morning

Legendary Hockey Night in Canada play-by-play man Bob Cole passed away this week in St. John's at the age of 90. As we remember him, we've delved into our archives and came up with him answering our "21 Questions" quiz some years ago, with the CBC's Leigh Anne Power.

Newfoundland and Labrador has lots of great historic buildings, but it can be hard for locals to get money to fix them up. The ‘Next Great Save’ competition gives Canadians a chance to nominate the historical places in their communities for a chance to win up to 50-thousand dollars in restoration money. Our Lady of Mercy Complex in Port au Port West has made it to the finals of the competition. Joanne Rose is one of the members of the board of directors.

For years, supporters of aquaculture in this province have offered all kinds of arguments that salmon farm escapees don't hurt wild fish stocks. But this week, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has published a new report saying that's not the case...specifically on the Conne River. The report says there are definite links between wild salmon decline there and the growth of fish farms on the south coast. Bill Montevecchi is a seabird biologist, but developed an interest in salmon because that's some of what his birds eat. He spoke about the report with CBC's Leigh Anne Power.

Todd Clements from Happy Valley-Goose Bay is having his reality TV moment - as a contestant on Big Brother Canada. Todd might not seem like your average reality show contestant, He admits his voice is a l-i-i-i-t-le bit monotone, but "The Toddinator"—as he's sometimes known--is definitely the talk of the town in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Todd's still in the Big Brother Canada House, so we can't talk to him right now, but his mother, Theresa Clements, took our phone call.

The aviation industry in Canada took a big hit during the pandemic. With everyone in isolation, smaller airports such as those in NL saw flights grounded and routes cancelled. But the president of the Canadian Airports Council says things are getting back to normal. Monette Pasher gave a presentation in Deer Lake on Wednesday about the state of aviation in Canada.

Provincial and federal governments in Canada are taking a lot of heat from voters about the cost of living. People who struggle with rising monthly bills tend to blame those they elected. But the problem actually goes a lot higher, says Lana Payne, president of the country's largest private sector union.

Thousands of people on social media have recently watched a video that features part of central Newfoundland. A new cooking trend? Some sweet puppies? Nope, It's Reg Wright, president and chief executive officer of Gander International Airport Authority, offering a dose of common sense to dispel myths and rumours about how easy it is to run an airport. Turns out, it's not as easy as standing back and welcoming passengers.

George Thorne and his wife, Margaret, often kept pets in their house in Grand Falls-Windsor. Margaret passed away six years ago, and George had a pet Shih Tzu for a while to keep him company. But when that dog passed away, George went to the Exploits Valley SPCA and adopted a cat named Nelly! The CBC;s Martin Jones paid them a visit.

Parks Canada is warning drivers in Gros Morne National Park that more caribou than usual are walking together on the roads throughout the park this spring. Caribou often head toward the coast and highways in search of vegetation, but people are seeing them in bigger herds than in previous years along Route 430. The CBC's Hillary Johnson spoke with Parks Canada Ecologist Darroch Whitaker.

Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services have new mobile crisis response teams: in Stephenville, Bay St. George and Bay St. George South. Melissa Roberts is the regional director of mental health and addictions with the organization.

High school graduates in Corner Brook are getting more and more nervous as graduation season approaches. If dresses and suits don't fit, they'll need an altered reality - and quick. Cue the experts, Poonam and Rohit Yadav, who run the alteration service Jasmin Boutique. CBC's Amy Feehan stopped by to see how they're keeping up with this bustling time of year.

Mountain bikers in Stephenville are getting fed up with ATVs and dirt bikes destroying their trails. Nigel Pike is a member of the local mountain biking group who maintains some of the trails in the area, and he says vandalism happens way too often.

It was a harrowing start to the weekend in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. On Friday night, a former ceramics shop was on fire. That fire spread to a nearby former air traffic control tower as well as an aircraft hangar that was being used to store outdoor vehicles. The building was also being used to store liquid oxygen, which set off several explosions. About two dozen people in the North Side area of town were evacuated from their homes. Monica Legge spoke on Friday night to Labrador Morning's Heidi Atter.

Friday night was one of fear and worry for many residents of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, as a fire on the North Side of the town forced the evacuation of homes on several streets in the area. George Andrews is the mayor of the community.

This year's theme for Earth Day is Plastics versus the Planet. From microplastics showing up in our food, to giant plastic islands floating in the ocean, the petroleum by-product is everywhere. Martin spoke with Francesca Kerton, a chemistry professor at Memorial University.

Today is Earth Day, a time to reflect on our impact on the environment and consider ways to live more sustainably. Nancy Pearson of St. George's on the island's west coast of the Island is trying to clean up her community - one walk at a time. Every day, she goes for a walk and brings along a garbage bag to fill with all the litter and trash she sees along her way. Pearson has been doing this for years and started an Instagram account to document her travels and inspire others to do the same. The account, called "A Bag A Walk," now has over a thousand followers.

Team Canada; Olympics and Paralympics; athletes struggle to live and train on federal grants; Athletic Assistance Program; new money; Liberals announced an extra 35-million dollars over the next five years for elite athletes; Katarina Roxon of Kippens; hoping to make it to her fourth Paralympic Games; in Paris this summer;CBC's Leigh Anne Power.

Elks Canada has served across the country since 1912. They volunteer their time on their own projects and on those arranged by other people in their communities. This year, they've organized The NL Provincial Elks convention in Corner Brook. The two-day conference starts this evening, and the CBC's Hillary Johnson spoke with two members of Elks Canada.

There are 253 schools in the province, and the provincial government says more than half of them - 156 - have no school lunch program. In Tuesday's federal budget, the Liberal government confirmed it will spend a billion dollars in the next five years to feed more kids better food at school. Emily Doyle has a PhD in the study of Newfoundland and Labrador's school food program, and she has ideas about how that federal money should be put to work in this province. Doyle spoke with the CBC's Leigh Anne Power.

It’s a big day for Conne River. People in the community are rolling out the red carpet for the premiere of a new documentary called Forgotten Warriors, which makes its premiere in the community tonight. It takes a look at the hunger strike that happened in the 1980s against the provincial government and paved the way for a brighter future in Miawpukek. Chief Misel Joe led the nine-day protest. He and the CBC’s Jessica Singer were in the community for the big event.

When fewer and fewer young people were registering a few years for minor hockey, one of the reasons was the number of parents worried about concussions. Science has proven multiple hits to the head over time can lead to a brain condition called CTE. Those who suffer from it have many of the same symptoms as people with early-onset dementia. Scientist Adam Bartsch invented the "smart" mouthguard, which is now in use for all players in the World Rugby Association. He spoke with the CBC's Leigh Anne Power.

When Progressive Conservative Jim McKenna won the Fogo Island-Cape Freels by-election this week, it flipped a district that had been Liberal since it was created in 2015. McKenna took the district by more than a thousand votes over the Liberal candidate. He says important issues for rural voters, such as ferry service and the inshore fishery, have been ignored by the Furey government. To find out whether McKenna's election is a one-off, or could be an indication of more change to come, we reached political psychologist Amanda Bittner. at Memorial University.

If you think NL isn't able to provide enough of our own food in this province - you'd be wrong! That's according to a survey, conducted by the Community Food Producers Forum, on the topic of food production, It's called the "Where's The Food?" survey, and it looked at how much food is produced, and what types. Dan Rubin is the founding chair of the Community Food Producers Forum and one of the researchers behind the survey.

Young people who live outside of St. John's can find it hard to find the support they need. Many have to travel to the city to receive mental health care, housing support, and many other services that can be impossible to get in rural communities. Choices For Youth is a non-profit organization that gives young people access to those services as well as housing supports. The Newfoundland and Labrador government says 4.3 million dollars will fund the Choices for Youth hub project program. Jen Crowe is the senior director of strategy, fund development and external relations at Choices for Youth.

There's a new member of the House of Assembly this morning. A byelection was called for the district of Cape Freels-Fogo after the passing of MHA Derrick Bragg in January. Progressive Conservative candidate Jim McKenna was the winner.

In the last few years, we've heard a lot about measles outbreaks around the world. Anti-vaccine rhetoric is responsible for some of that, but some cases occur because people didn't get enough vaccine as children. Now health officials are seeing a rise in pertussis...whooping cough...cases. Dr. Janice Fitzgerald is the province's chief medical officer of health, and she spoke with CBC's Leigh Anne Power.

Students at Grenfell Campus, Memorial University in Corner Brook are still dealing with issues related to the cyberattack that happened in January of this year. Many students and professors have faced multiple problems with their internet connections and have had to find other ways to get by. Grenfell administration say they'll be offering a twenty-five dollar reimbursement for the internet service fee. Many students think this falls short. Grenfell Campus Student Union Academic Vice President Syed Saif Saedyei spoke with us.

The NL provincial government approved World Energy GH2's amended environmental assessment last week. That means the company's proposed mega project to produce hydrogen from wind energy generated on the Port au Port Peninsula and Codroy Valley will go ahead. But even after the company had done more work on that assessment, as the government demanded, some people were still concerned about the plans. Claudelle Devoe is a tourism operator in the Codroy Valley and a member of the citizen's group Codroy Valley United.

Crab harvesters have a deal for their catch this morning. The crab season was supposed to start last week, but boats have been tied up due to the dispute about prices. Late Sunday, a deal was announced between the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union and the Association of Seafood Producers. John Efford Jr. has had a lot to say in recent weeks about the dispute. He's taken a leadership role in this spring's protests, which is reminding a lot of people of his dad, former federal fisheries minister John Efford.

After a little more than a week's delay, the snow crab season in the province will begin. The Fish, Food & Allied Workers union announced last evening that it has reached a deal with the Association of Seafood Producers for this year's fishery. It happened just before fish harvesters were supposed to head back to Confederation Building in protest. Greg Pretty is the president of the FFAW.

NL's crab fishery was slated to start this past Saturday, but most harvesters across the province have kept their boats tied up at the wharf That's because they are demanding a better price than what they're being offered now The delay is having an impact on other people employed in the fishery, including plant workers. Craig Pardy is the Member of the House of Assembly for Bonavista and the opposition critic for fisheries.

The Grand Falls-Windsor community kitchen helps thousands of people every year. The group provides hot meals for people who can't afford groceries. They'll deliver firewood to people who need it and visit seniors who find it difficult to leave their homes. This week, all their hard work was undone when thieves broke in and stole the food they were planning to serve this month. Laurie Ballard is the community kitchen's executive director, and she spoke with the CBC's Troy Turner.

The Journey Project is touring NL with an exhibit of survivor-created photography. It's the third PhotoVoice project that includes images created by survivors of sexual violence and intimate partner violence from across the province. This year's collection is called TRANSFORMation: A Photo Journey. Ashley MacDonald is a legal navigator with The Journey Project and an organizer of the PhotoVoice project. Martin spoke with her at the Arts and Culture Centre in Grand Falls-Windsor.

44 years ago today, Terry Fox dipped his artificial leg into the Atlantic Ocean and started his Marathon of Hope in St. John's, to raise money and awareness for cancer research. On Thursday, students at C.C. Loughlin Elementary in Corner Brook had a special visitor - Terry's brother, Fred Fox - who told them all about the late hero.

The Vatican says gender-affirming surgery and surrogacy are serious violations of "human dignity" that reject God's plan for human life. That's part of its new 20-page doctrine called "Infinite Dignity," which it issued this week. Pope Francis approved the declaration last month and ordered it to be published. Gemma Hickey is the president of the global human rights organization, Ending Clergy Abuse.

NL's Housing Minister, Fred Hutton was at Vine Place Community Centre in Corner Brook on Wednesday to give details about the recent provincial budget announcement for housing. Over the next two years, the province will tear down and and rebuild 32 vacant homes in the city, while building an extra 18 units. CBC’s Amy Feehan was there and spoke with Mayor Jim Parsons and the Vine Place Community Centre’s Executive Director Mike Kearley about the housing project.

An apology is one thing, but now the NDP wants to see action. Last week, provincial Justice Minister John Hogan was in the spotlight for comments he made in March about the treatment of sexual assault survivors in the criminal justice system. Hogan had said it was "impossible" for lawyers to re-traumatize sexual assault victims in the courtroom. He was responding to a petition presented by New Democratic Party MHA Lela Evans, asking for changes in how lawyers interact with witnesses in sexual assault cases. Minister Hogan has since apologized for his comments and has acknowledged that aspects of the justice system – including lawyers' behavior – can cause additional harm to survivors. The NDP says it wants to see the Minister use his position to make changes to the system, and Evans spoke with us.

The provincial government has given the official go-ahead for the massive wind-to-electricity-to-hydrogen proposal for western Newfoundland, The plan includes the construction of more than 300 huge wind turbines, as tall as 200 metres each. We heard three perspectives. Provincial Environment Minister Bernard Davis (0:25 mark) delivered the news yesterday, releasing World Energy GH2 from further environmental assessment. John Risley (3:05), the chair of World Energy GH2 says the decision was necessary to solidify NL's position as a global leader in renewable green energy production. Then, Nick Mercer (3:28), an expert on renewable energy and an executive of Envirowatch NL, weighed in on the government's decision.

Canada has many attractions - hockey, friendly citizens, beautiful landscapes, moose and, of course, maple syrup. Not only is maple syrup a Canadian symbol, but the sap also has many uses. The time window for maple tree tapping can vary each year, but spring is the season to bust out the taps and buckets.Our outdoor columnist, Charlie White, took up tree-tapping last year and has all the tips for us in the latest edition of Chase the Seasons with Charlie.

The Change Islands Heritage Committee has been working hard for the past year and a half, providing programs, workshops, and events to local residents. The group was formed to keep the community's history and its traditional skills and knowledge alive. Paula Flood is Change Island's mayor and the heritage committee's co-founder and she spoke with the CBC's Hillary Johnson.

Going back to school to get your high school diploma can be a major life decision. Sure, it'll likely have an incredibly positive impact, but it's still a stressful choice. The Discovery Centre has been offering the Adult Basic Education (ABE) program in this province since 1993. Right now, they're hosting a Facebook Live series aimed at easing some of the anxieties of going back to school. Jennifer Murrin is an admissions officer with the Centre.

Meghan Allen is a recent ABE graduate, currently enrolled in the pharmacy tech program at Keyin College.

People from all over the province are heading to Gander to catch this evening's total eclipse of the sun. The town is right in the middle of the "path of totality" and was expected to have some of the best views of the event. In case the sky is clear enough for a good view, optometrist Sarah Hutchings explained how to watch the eclipse safely.

On Thursday's show, NL Justice Minister John Hogan said he’s sorry for comments he made last month, regarding how survivors of sexual assault are treated in the criminal justice system. At the time, he said it was “impossible” for lawyers to re-traumatize sexual assault survivors in the court system. Hogan walked that statement back yesterday, saying in part that he was drawing on his own time spent in courtrooms as a lawyer.

Former Crown Attorney Mike Murray spent 25 years as a lawyer with the crown, before retiring last year.

The Canadian Dental Care Plan is set to launch on May 1. The federal program is designed to ease financial barriers to people who want to get dental care. Anyone over the age of 70 can apply. Nicole Kielly is a dental hygienist who works independently in NL. She also volunteers with public outreach for the Newfoundland and Labrador Dental Hygienist Association.

In a couple of weeks, voters in Fogo Island-Cape Freels district will go to the polls in a byelection to replace the late Derrick Bragg. Sometime after that, Baie Verte-Green Bay electors will choose a successor to retired MHA Brian Warr. Running elections and byelections isn't cheap, so donors will play a big role in supporting the candidates. But in this province, there are no limits on corporate or union donations, and Democracy Watch says that's a problem. Duff Conacher is a director with the democracy watchdog.He spoke with the CBC's Leigh Anne Power.

Benoit First Nation was scheduled to unveil carved wooden statues of their founding mother and father, Desiree and Michael Benoit today. The celebration was planned for the Mi’kmaw Centre in Degrau. Chief Jasen Benwah of Benoit First Nation spoke with us.

A Newfoundland woman is not pleased with the lack of accommodations available for her pet rescue dog on a Marine Atlantic ferry in late March. Danielle Irvine of St. John's set out to drive to Montreal, and she took her mild-mannered, seventy-five-pound husky/retriever mix, Whylie Coyote, in the car. The dog had experienced a lot of trauma before Irvine adopted him. He is still overly anxious and needs medication to calm him on long drives. Their trip to the mainland hit a roadblock once they finally left Port Aux Basques on the ferry. Irvine spoke with CBC producer David Newell. We also spoke with Marine Atlantic spokesperson Darrell Mercer.

In music, a "transition" links one section of a song to another. In real life, most of us face lots of transitions, and "Transitions" is the title of musician Kellie Loder's latest album. Loder is touring in support of the new songs this month, and Bernice Hillier spoke with them earlier this week.

A provincial women's organization is raising concerns about comments by Justice Minister John Hogan in the House of Assembly on March 6. NDP MHA Lela Evans presented a petition that called for a review of the K-12 school curriculum, to address gaps in learning about consent and gender-based violence. Hogan responded by addressing concerns that lawyers in a trial can re-traumatize victims of sexual assault. He said, in part: "It's a very serious issue and the lawyers in this province are not retraumatizing sexual assault victims, whether it's a Crown or a legal aid or a private lawyer in this province. It's not the way it works. It's actually impossible for it to happen." We spoke with Paula Sheppard, executive director of the Corner Brook Status of Women Council and with Minister Hogan.

It's a unique opportunity for a Hong Kong-based artist to immerse themselves in the life, culture and art of Fogo Island. Its called The Fog and Mist Residency and is the brainchild of Fogo Island Arts, The Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto and Para Site, a contemporary art centre in Hong Kong. Kitty Scott is the curator and strategic advisor for Fogo Islands Arts.

A Newfoundland seniors support organization is feeling disappointed and somewhat confused in the wake of the provincial budget. Budget 2024 touts "unprecedented measures to support the health and well-being of seniors" There's a ten million dollar Seniors' Well-Being Plan as one cornerstone, but Mohamed Abdallah of Connections for Seniors there's been little information about it from government.

A building in Corner Brook that has a fair bit of history will likely get a new look in the near future. The old City TV repair shop on Old Humber Road is up for sale. It's a structure that's been vacant for decades, and has been a reminder of a bygone era, as the old "City TV Service" sign remained in the window for many years. Wayne Park is the realtor for the property.

Christina Perry is speaking out about the terrifying experience of being caught in a landslide this week. She was driving along Riverside Drive in Corner Brook just before midnight on Tuesday. Without warning, rocks and mud violently surged across the road, propelling the truck ahead of Perry into the Humber River.

On Monday, April 8th one of the rarest events in our natural world will happen - and much of this province will have a front-row seat for the show. That's because at around 5 pm that day, there will be a total solar eclipse. It's something that we won't get a chance to see for another 50 years. Hilding Neilson is assistant professor in the department of physics and physical oceanography at Memorial University. Kathryn White is the Special Projects Coordinator for the Harris Centre at Grenfell Campus of Memorial.

If you want to witness some top-tier hockey talent, Corner Brook is one place to do that this coming weekend. The Under-18 triple-A female Atlantic Championship is taking place. The tournament features players at the highest level of minor hockey from across Atlantic Canada. For organizers, this event has been a long time coming.

City crews and emergency personnel are still monitoring the scene of a landslide overnight that led to a dramatic rescue. The landslide on Riverside Drive impacted some vehicles. Todd Flynn is director of protective services.

He served his time, but because of the nature of Matthew O'Quinn's violent crimes against women he is supposed to be following a strict set of conditions after his prison release. That's not happening. So he's back in jail, once again arrested for breaking the rules of his release. How does this keep happening in a system set up to protect the public? CBC's Cherie Wheeler has been digging into the O'Quinn case.

A woman in western Newfoundland says she's just thankful to still be here, after the ground literally shifted under her feet a few days ago. Crystal MacDonald was inside the house she was renting in Lark Harbour when Friday's rainstorm led to a landslide that knocked the house off its foundation. MacDonald, her partner Mike Childs, and her 3-year-old daughter had only moved into the house about a month ago. MacDonald was in the house when the landslide happened.

People from this province are usually proud to be from here. And there was a time when most people considered themselves Newfoundlanders and Labradorians first, and Canadians second. That's something that Shannon Conway knows a lot about. Partly because she's a Newfoundlander herself, but also in her role with the Gorsebrook Research Institute for Atlantic Canadian Studies. 

A lot of people in this province don’t remember a time before confederation, and that is especially true for the children of Newfoundland and Labrador. But what do some of the youngest people of our province know about confederation and how do they feel about being Canadian? CBC’s Amy Feehan headed over to Pasadena Place to get some answers. 

Monday is the 75th anniversary of confederation, a pivotal moment in the history of Newfoundland. It took a lot of work to get to, whether you agreed with it or not! In the year leading up to confederation, delegates from Newfoundland and Canada spent months negotiating the terms under which the two countries would unite. In the end, they agreed on fifty Terms of Union. Some became obsolete within the decade, but a few are still influencing society today. So, on the platinum anniversary of Confederation with Canada, reporter Leigh Anne Power takes a look back at the terms and their relevance.

There are a lot of different, and sometimes complicated, views around confederation. There's no doubt that Newfoundland and Labrador gained a lot by joining Canada but for many, there were things lost, too. The multi-disciplinary group Opera on the Avalon has spent the last two years looking at Confederation from all angles. It's created a moving project called 75 x 75 which kicked off this weekend. Cheryl Hickman is the general and artistic director.

Joey Smallwood's hope that no one would doubt the success of Confederation in the future. But, 75 years later, that's not the consensus. For Mi'kmaw and other Indigenous people in this province, the Terms of Union between Newfoundland and Canada did not mention them at all. That's in spite of the fact that census data from as early as 1921 show that there were people on the island who identified as Mi'kmaw. Calvin White is a Mi'kmaw elder in Flat Bay. He was 6 years old at the time of Confederation, and has helped lead the struggle of Newfoundland Mi'kmaw to seek recognition as an adult.

For the past 72 years, adult theatre companies in Newfoundland and Labrador have gathered for a competitive drama festival. This year, seven groups — from Labrador West to St. John's — will converge in Gander during Easter week for the Annual Provincial Drama Festival. CBC's Hillary Johnson spoke with husband-and-wife duo Randy and Lynn Sooley. Lynn is the president of Gander's theatre group, Avion Players, and Randy is the co-chair of this year's event.

The Wreckhouse area of the TCH has seen its share of high winds already this year. At least two tractor trailers have blown over there just this month. Last week, Frank Aucoin, a Codroy Valley senior, told us there should be a barricade at peak wind gusts to stop traffic until winds die down. We spoke with Stan Reid and Curtis Cutler, commercial truckers whose travels take them through the Wreckhouse.

Some people consider themselves dog or cat people, while others love smaller furry friends. Sarah Hedges of Grand Falls-Windsor has been running Central Small Animal Rescue out of her home for nearly five years. Unfortunately, she had to make the hard decision to close temporarily, due to high costs and lack of space. Hedges spoke with Newfoundland Morning's Amy Feehan.

Colorectal cancer - you might think of it as an older person's disease, but it's not: More than 24 thousand Canadians will be diagnosed with the disease this year, and it's the second deadliest cancer in Canada. This is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and Kay Short has a story to tell about battling colorectal cancer. She's known to most people in Corner Brook as "Dean Catherine," from the Anglican cathedral there, and she spoke with Bernice Hillier.

It's been almost three months since the cybersecurity breach at Grenfell Campus, Memorial University in Corner Brook. The initial investigation found out that ransomware was used in the attack. and no data was compromised. But things haven't been put back to normal, and the workflow for students and professors has been changed a lot. The CBC's Colleen Connors spoke with professor and Memorial University Faculty Association member Gerard Curtis for an update.

On today's show, we had another in a series of panel discussions on the issue of housing insecurity in this province. We heard from Brian Button, Percy Farwell and Dale Colbourne, the mayors of Port aux Basques, Gander and St. Lunaire-Griquet, respectively.

Some bad news for people who like to laugh - or make people laugh. Earlier this month, the Just For Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal was cancelled. Comedians all over the country are grieving the loss of the iconic festival. But how do comedians in THIS province feel about it? Jarrod Farrell is from Marystown and is fairly new to the comedy scene. CBC’s Amy Feehan spoke with him about the Newfoundland comedy community and what the cancellation of Just For Laughs means to him.

We recently spoke with housing researcher and consultant Hope Jamieson. They had prepared a report on housing insecurity in this province - with a focus on rural communities. What does housing insecurity and homelessness look like in smaller, rural communities in Newfoundland and Labrador, at what's being done to address the problem at the municipal level? Amy Coady is president of Municipalities NL and a councillor for the Town of Grand Falls Windsor, Jim Parsons is the mayor of the City of Corner Brook, and Cheryl Gardner is the Economic Development and Special Projects Co-ordinator for the Town of Fogo Island.

It's been eight months since the province's registered nurses and nurse practitioners signed their collective agreement. Despite negotiations, they have yet to receive all of the benefits. The CBC's Alex Kennedy spoke with Yvette Coffey, President of the Registered Nurses' Union Newfoundland & Labrador.

It's not uncommon for people to pay more than a thousand dollars a month for a one-bedroom apartment in this province. Rents have been rising fast since the pandemic began, and more and people have no place to stay. Last week's provincial budget set aside 36 million dollars over four years to build 100 new homes. Paula Sheppard is co-chair of the Community Coalition on Housing and Homelessness in Corner Brook.

Last week's provincial budget covered a lot of ground. In our coverage so far, we've heard from provincial politicians, unions and analysts. This morning, three rural mayors were on the line to talk about their impressions. Della DeMoss is mayor of Roddickton-Bide Arm on the Great Northern Peninsula, Krista Freake is mayor of Lewisporte in Central Newfoundland, and Chalsie Kook-Marche is mayor of Port au Port West-Aguathuna-Felix Cove on the Port au Port Peninsula.

The Deer Lake Red Wings are on a winning streak this hockey season. The team came out on top of the Central-West Senior Hockey League with a 6-5 win against the Grand Falls-Windsor Cataracts on Friday night. The win sends the Wings to their second straight Herder Memorial final series, where they'll face the St. John's Caps for provincial senior hockey glory. Darren Langdon is their coach.

They've set a date. Nearly 17 years after it was first announced, the new regional hospital for western Newfoundland will finally open on June 2. It will be a proud and exciting day for many who've been involved in the project. The new Western Memorial Regional Hospital will replace the old facility, which opened in the 1970s, although part of the building dates back to 1950. The new hospital, we are told, has a "noticeable patient focus" in its design. Hilda Bellows is a project manager with NL Health Services and is responsible for Move Day plans. Paulette Morgan is the senior director of hospital clinical services with NL Health Services.

The fishery has been the biggest story in the province this week. Hundreds of harvesters have been protesting in St. John's, shutting down the House of Assembly and facing down police. They want a free enterprise system, which eliminates processing quotas, creates new plant licenses, and allows companies outside NL to buy their catches. But, if quotas are lifted and outside buyers take crab away, plant workers want to know where THEY stand. Doretta Strickland is a crab plant worker in Triton.

We heard a lot of information about the provincial budget this morning, but what do people think about the numbers? Is enough being done to offset the cost of living? CBC's Amy Feehan hit the streets of Corner Brook on Thursday to get some reactions.

It was a day later than originally planned, but the provincial budget was delivered yesterday. The event had been postponed due to the tense protests on Wednesday by fish harvesters outside the Confederation Building in St. John's. Despite a court injunction delivered on Wednesday, protesters returned the next day and were met by police officers in riot gear. In response, the provincial NDP announced they would NOT be going into the House of Assembly and attending the budget announcement, out of respect for the protesters. We spoke with NDP leader Jim Dinn.

On Thursday, a big crowd of fish harvesters from all over western Newfoundland and the Northern Peninsula gathered outside the Sir Richard Squires Building in Corner Brook, demanding what their union is calling a 'free enterprise' system in the industry. The demonstration came a day after fish harvesters blocked the entrances to the Confederation Building in St.John's. The CBC's Colleen Connors spoke with fish harvesters Roger Joyce from Fox Island River and Ernest Decker from Rocky Harbour at the Corner Brook event.

Fish harvesters in this province say they want a 'free enterprise' system, which would mean lifting processing caps, allowing outside buyers and granting new processing licences here at home. Yesterday, hundreds of angry harvesters gathered outside the Confederation Building in St. John's to voice those demands. Things got heated as police tried to help workers into their offices on what was supposed to be budget day. In the end, the provincial government won a court injunction against the protesters, but not before two people - a police officer and a protester - were taken away by ambulance. Tony Wakeham is the leader of the PC party in this province and MHA for Stephenville - Port au Port, and he says the situation should never have happened.

The head of the province's Cancer Care Program can't guarantee that cancer patients will be able to get radiation therapy in Corner Brook as soon as the new regional hospital opens. The new hospital is set to open this summer, and it WILL have the equipment to offer radiation therapy. But the health authority has not yet recruited a radiation oncologist, and it is still advertising for two radiation oncology positions. Dr. Teri Stuckless is the clinical chief of the provincial Cancer Care Program of NL Health Services.

It was a chaotic day at the provincial legislature yesterday. hundreds of fish harvesters blocked the entrances to Confederation Building, barring public servants from entering and delaying the tabling of the 2024 budget. So, how did we get here? CBC Reporter Darrell Roberts talked to us about it, Jason Spingle, secretary-treasurer of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers Union, spoke about the protests, the court injunction, and more.

The provincial government was embarrassed and scrambling for answers earlier this year, when the Globe and Mail wrote about how much it spends on travel nurses. In 2023, it paid out more than thirty-six million dollars over just five months. That's why the provincial registered nurses' union wants to expand a pilot project started in Labrador in 2022. It "borrows" local nurses from other locations and uses them to fill the gap for short periods at a time. Yvette Coffey is president of the Registered Nurses' Union Newfoundland and Labrador, and she spoke with the CBC's Leigh Anne Power.

Last December, the provincial department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture closed the Rocky Brook Road Bridge to all traffic. The bridge is located about 13 kilometres north of Badger - about 300 meters from the TCH.

The closure came after property owners in the area expressed concerns about the structural safety of the bridge. Now residents are wondering what's next for a bridge they say is essential to not only access their homes and cottages. Gary Noseworthy is the chair of the Rocky Brook Bridge Committee.

A Codroy Valley man is raising concerns about the number of big rigs blowing over in the Wreckhouse area and the danger to other drivers. At least twice this month alone, transport trucks have tipped over at Wreckhouse and blocked the Trans Canada Highway. Frank Aucoin says the provincial transportation department could do more to ensure safety.

The minimum wage in this province is set to hit $15.60 on April 1. However, some policy experts say it should be $20 an hour to cover the cost of living here. That's just one of the recommendations the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives published this week. Russell Williams is an Associate Professor of Political Science at Memorial University and one of the authors of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives recommendations.

Imagine you are sitting behind your computer, and suddenly, your heart rate elevates and you feel the sensation of dread is sinking in as you realize you just fell for an online scam. For Newfoundland Morning Producer Hillary Johnson, the realization occurred after purchasing a vanity on Facebook. She shared her experience after falling for a scam, and explores how social media is fueling these scams.

The provincial government has agreed to buy additional power from Corner Brook Pulp and Paper Ltd, with the hopes of stabilizing the struggling newsprint mill. But the company that owns the mill, Kruger, is not saying how much the deal is worth, how much power the government will get, or what Kruger hopes to do with the cash. The CBC's Colleen Connors spoke with Roman Gallo, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Kruger Pulp and Paper.

Accordion player Mike Symmonds of Conche is used to celebrations, but a gathering last week took him by surprise. That's because it was in HIS honour. Symmonds is 76 years old and he's been playing accordion for more than 60 years. He's performed at garden parties, weddings, birthdays, cruiseship visits, you name it.

Symmonds and Mary Foley, a Conche resident who organized the special gathering, spoke with Bernice Hillier.

You can celebrate your birthday any way you like, and a woman from Fleur de Lys has decided she will spend time walking on HER birthday this week. Millie Walsh is doing it for a cause that's dear to her heart. A longtime community volunteer in Fleur de Lys, on the Baie Verte Peninsula, she's decided to spend part of her 65th birthday on Wednesday by walking 20 kilometres to raise money for the Dorset Museum Interpretation Centre.

Anticipate construction, potential road closures and traffic delays for the foreseeable future! Over $32 million in government support will be provided for various road improvements in Newfoundland and Labrador, benefitting 27 municipalities. CBC's Colleen Connors spoke with John Abbott, the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, at Friday's announcement.

A man who fought to get radiation therapy at the new regional hospital in Corner Brook says he's disheartened.

That's because the province's health authority still hasn't recruited a radiation oncologist, just months before the hospital is supposed to open. Gerald Parsons was co-chair of a hospital action committee that lobbied for improved services at the new hospital.

Fishermen from across Newfoundland have spent the last week calling for free enterprise in this province's fishery, which would give them more control over where they can sell their catch and how much they can sell it for. The CBC's Leigh Anne Power was live at a Monday morning protest in Gander, where fisherman Tammy Elliott spoke about the need for change.

The company doing wind testing on the Port au Port Peninsula says it's disappointed by vandalism at one of its sites. In late February, someone damaged solar panels and windows at the World Energy GH2 site, near the community of Mainland. The RCMP called it "intentional property damage," and they note that it's the second time the company has been struck by vandals. In January, 2023, heavy equipment owned by a contractor working for World Energy GH2 was damaged. CEO Sean Leet spoke with the CBC's Arlette Lazarenko.

“We cannot solve a problem we do not understand, so the goal of this work is to build that understanding.”

That, more or less, is the premise of a recent research project titled “Pull Together: Addressing Housing Insecurity in Newfoundland and Labrador”. The report came out this week, and researchers want to understand how big a problem housing insecurity is in rural parts of the province. Housing researcher and consultant Hope Jamieson prepared it for Choices for Youth and Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador.

The province's heritage foundation is recognizing five women who have made a mark on this province in one way or another. Heritage NL has designated the women under their Provincial Historic Commemorations Program. In some places in North America, March is observed as Women's History Month, But it's always a good time to talk about how women in our province have contributed. Lisa Daly is board chair for Heritage NL.

RCMP are trying to find out who damaged equipment at a wind-testing site on the Port au Port Peninsula.The vandalism happened in late February. Corporal Jolene Garland is media relations officer with the RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador..

ICYMI: A virtual reality project from Newfoundland and Labrador was featured this month in one of the largest technology and entertainment festivals in the world. Local tech startup Six Nineteen exhibited two of its VR projects at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas. 340-thousand people attended last year. Chelsea O’Hara is co-founder of Six Nineteen, and Andrea Cooper is a St. John’s artist and creator.