Man Charged After Assaulting St. Clare’s Security Officer
A man is in the lockup after going after a security guard at St. Clare’s Hospital last night.
Police were called just before midnight after the 50-year-old assaulted a security officer.
The man was held by hospital security until police arrived. He was held to appear in court on a charge of assault.
Diesel and Home Heating Fuels Up, Gas Down Slightly
There’s little change in the price of gas, but other fuels are up this week.
Gas is down by less than half a cent, while diesel is up by just over 2 cents on the island and Labrador West.
Furnace oil is up by a little less than 2 cents. The price of stove oil increases by just over a cent and a half on the island and by about 2 cents in Lab West.
Barely any movement in the price of propane, which is down by less than half a cent.
Arrest Made Following Police Operation in Avondale
One person is in custody after an incident in Avondale that prompted a large RCMP presence.
Police issued a notice for residents to stay away from the area of Barry’s Island Road just after 8 p.m.
The order to stay away was lifted a couple hours later after one person was taken into custody.
No further details were provided, only to say there was no risk to public safety.
Earlier Story
An increased police presence is continuing on Barry’s Island Road in Avondale as the RCMP respond to an ongoing situation.
As a precaution, police have blocked access to the area while they continue their work. The RCMP is asking the public to avoid the area if possible.
There is no risk to public safety, and further updates will be provided as they become available.
RNC Arrests 17-Year-Old Suspect in Connection to Serious Assault on Curling Place in St. John’s
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary have arrested a wanted 17-year-old male in connection to an assault on Curling Place in St. John’s.
Police were on the scene midday Wednesday in the city centre following the alleged assault that sent a woman to hospital with serious injuries.
The woman and teen are believed to be known to one another.
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The RNC is searching for a 17-year-old suspect involved in what’s believed to have been a targeted assault at a home on Curling Place in St. John’s earlier today.
Police were called to the area just before lunch.
The suspect, who was carrying a backpack, was wearing a black fur-hooded jacket, a red sweater, blue pants and Timberland boots.
Anyone with information is asked to contact RNC.
Gander RCMP Arrest Two Men for Drug Trafficking and Weapons Charges After Vehicle Stop
Two men were arrested by Gander RCMP in the airport town yesterday after drugs were found in a vehicle.
Police pulled a vehicle over around 11:30 Tuesday morning after noticing that the registration had expired. Police noticed evidence of drugs in the vehicle, and the two occupants were arrested for possession of cocaine.
A quantity of cocaine, a weapon and other items were seized at that time.
Thirty-one-year-old Dylan Keats of Gander and 53-year-old Kirk Hunt of Glenwood were charged with one count of trafficking and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.
The pair was released to appear in court. Hunt is scheduled to appear on December 3rd, while Keats is set to return on December 10th.
Province Allocates $20 Million to Enhance Police Resources and Establish Joint Task Force
The provincial government is providing $20-million over the next two years to beef up police resources.
The money will be funnelled into five different areas.
First, a 10-member Joint Task Force Unit will be established, consisting of both RNC and RCMP members, to conduct “targeted weapon, drug, and contraband enforcement activities.”
Elsewhere, five new RCMP officers are being added in Happy Valley-Goose Bay – as was recommended in the recent safety review for the town, and 19 additional officers elsewhere in the province by 2026-27 – who will be allocated based on a review of resource requirements.
Money will also go toward leadership positions for the intimate partner violence unit and support for training and other equipment needed for the initiatives.
Ambulance Dispatched from Whitbourne in CBS Shooting says MHA for Topsail-Paradise
The MHA for Topsail-Paradise wants to know why an ambulance from Whitbourne ended up bringing a young shooting victim to hospital in St. John’s from CBS.
A 21-year-old man was shot in the back near Fowler’s Road last month.
The investigation continues, but the victim’s father took to VOCM Open Line indicating that he believed the incident was random.
Opposition critic Paul Dinn rose in the House of Assembly today to ask why an ambulance from Whitbourne was dispatched to take the man to hospital in St. John’s.
John Haggie responded in Health Minister John Hogan’s absence in the Legislature.
Dinn says in an emergency, “minutes matter, seconds matter…this could have been a tragedy, why was there no ambulance in the area?” Haggie indicated that he’s happy to look into the incident and the details, but until then it is impossible and inappropriate to speculate on the floor of the House.
Province Proposes Amendments to Labour Standards Act for Extended Unpaid Leave
The provincial government has introduced proposed amendments to the Labour Standards Act to include additional unpaid leave for long-term illness, long-term injury and organ donation.
Leave provisions have also been updated for those who serve in the reserve.
Under the proposed amendments, workers will have access to up to 27 weeks of job protected leave per year for long-term illness, long-term injury, or organ donation, and 104 weeks if the illness or injury is as the result of a criminal offence.
If passed, the amendments will also update the reservist leave provision to align with protections in other provinces, allowing those in the reserve better access to training and development opportunities.
Minister responsible Lisa Dempster says if passed, the amendments will also update the reservist leave provision to align with protections in other provinces.
That will allow those in the reserve better access to training and development opportunities.
She says the new amendments will offer workers peace of mind if they have to take an extended period off work.
She cites as an example those who have just received a cancer diagnosis. She says the proposed changes will take that added worry off people so they can focus on their recovery.
Clarenville Caribous GM Criticizes Lack of Security Following Arena Altercation
The General Manager of the Clarenville Caribous is not condoning or excusing what happened during a game against the CeeBees in Harbour Grace, but says it could have been avoided had the proper security been in place.
Caribous defenceman Justin Pender has been barred from the Danny Cleary Arena in Harbour Grace indefinitely after the town council decided to take action following a violent altercation at the stadium on October 26th.
Pender had just been ejected from the game when he was taunted in the hallway by a group of CeeBees fans. Pender responded first by throwing his broken stick at the fans, and then going after one of them, repeatedly throwing punches at him.
The town of Harbour Grace runs the stadium and met yesterday to address the issue.
Pender, who received a three-game suspension from the league, was barred indefinitely from the Danny Cleary Arena, while the fan in question is also barred for several weeks.
Caribous General Manager Ivan Hapgood says the Caribous have no scheduled games at the arena for the rest of the season unless the two teams meet in the playoffs.
In the meantime, Hapgood says, it could all have been avoided had the proper security been in place.
He says security could have barred off areas of the arena, “which they’re supposed to have done” in accordance with conditions of the league.
Security was the “number one thing that went wrong” according to Hapgood who also points to fans who were standing on the glass, and going into the hallway and shouting at the player coming off the ice.
He also points to Pender, “who should have turned right and gone to the dressing room, instead of turning left and going down and engaging with the fans.”
ER Wait Times Over 8 Hours for Non-Urgent Cases in St. John’s
NL Health Services is working to improve the flow of patients through St. John’s ERs, but wait times are long, with many patients leaving before being seen by a doctor.
The number of patients who left ERs in St. John’s without being seen rose from 7.5 per cent in 2019-2020 to 12.5 per cent in 2023-2024.
The health authority acknowledges those figures reflect challenges faced by ER, but also underscores the importance of action being taken to improve access to care and reducing wait times.
According to NL Health Services, average wait times at the Health Sciences Centre from October 20th to the 26th show that patients triaged as Urgent waited an average of 6.5 hours to be seen, while Emergent cases had an average wait of 4.2 hours. Less Urgent cases also had an average wait of just over 6 hours, while Non Urgent patients waited an average of 8.4 hours.
The Health Authority says wait times are dependent on volume, human resource challenges and the number of primary care and family physicians available in the community as well as the number of patients in acute care and long-term care facilities which affects wait times for inpatient beds.
When beds in the ER are filled by patients who have been admitted to hospital but are waiting for space in the facilities, hallways serve as overflow.
NL Health Services is currently working on expanding the Health Sciences emergency department with a number of urgent care centres set to open next year. Meanwhile an ambulatory care centre is being developed in the former Costco location in the capital city’s east end which is set to open early in the new year. Those initiatives it is hoped will help to alleviate some of the pressures on the Health Sciences ER.
Judge Orders Belbin To Stand Trial for Mayor Avenue Murder
A young St. John’s man has been committed to stand trial for second-degree murder in the stabbing death of another man early last year.
The incident played out in the Rabbittown area of the city on Feb. 7, 2023.
Police responded to the area of Newtown Road and Mayor Avenue following a report of a man who had sustained serious injuries and was in distress.
They arrived to find 22-year-old Seamus Secord fighting for his life outside his home. He was rushed to hospital but died a short time afterward.
Ten days later, 21-year-old Robert Belbin was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.
The details of what allegedly transpired before the killing were spelled out for a judge during the preliminary inquiry and remain banned from publication.
But after hearing and seeing it all for himself, Judge James Walsh ruled this morning there is enough evidence to warrant a murder trial.
The next step will be formal arraignment in Supreme Court.
It’s alleged Belbin committed the murder while he was on a release order linked to a string of shootings and firearms offences in the metro area over the past couple of years.
He remains in custody at HMP awaiting two separate trials on those charges, as well as arraignment for murder.
Canada, France Draft Plan to Rebuild Endangered 3Ps Cod Stocks
A rebuilding plan is in the works for 3Ps cod stocks that for the last 25 years have remained in the critical zone.
The primary reason researchers believe that the fish are not growing in either numbers or size is because of warming waters and a changing ecosystem.
Prey like capelin are not as plentiful, and some warmer water species are moving into the area, although their direct impact in terms of competition are not fully understood.
DFO stock assessment biologist Laura Wheeland says a rebuilding plan is being developed between Canadian and French officials to help build the stock.
“We undertook a series of long-term simulations to inform on what catch levels may support the rebuilding of the stock to meet those objectives and timelines that were defined in consultations” Wheeland told reporters yesterday.
What that means for future quotas, Wheeland can’t say.
“Any management decisions on Total Allowable Catch will only come after discussion with stakeholders as well as discussions with France, as this is a stock that’s shared between Canada and France.”
The FFAW meanwhile is reiterating its call for a ban of offshore draggers in the south coast fishery.
30 Per Cent of NLers Without Family Doctor: Poll
A new Narrative Research poll commissioned by the NL Medical Association shows that 30 per cent of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians asked do not have a family doctor.
The NLMA says based on the province’s population, that percentage represents approximately 163,000 people without a family doctor.
The association says a new report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information released on October 24th found that about 78 per cent of adults in Newfoundland and Labrador have access to a regular health care provider, the second lowest percentage among the ten provinces.
The Narrative Research poll specifically asked residents if they have a family doctor, and whether they have a family physician who they see regularly rather than walk-in clinics or other types of “episodic” care where a patient may see a different provider each visit.
Eighty per cent of participants on the Avalon Peninsula reported that they had a GP, but the number dropped to 67 per cent in eastern and central and 49 per cent in western and Labrador.
The poll was conducted by phone between October 3 and 7 among a random sample of 400 adults in the province. Overall results are accurate within plus or minus 4.9 percentage points 19 times out of 20.
Newfoundland Power Braces for Winter Amid Reliability Concerns
Newfoundland Power hosted a sit-down to brief media on its short and long-term initiatives yesterday.
But the conversation quickly turned to the immediate future, as in this winter, and the reliability of power.
More than 90 per cent of Newfoundland Power’s generation is purchased from Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.
That puts them mostly at the whim of Hydro’s assets, such as Muskrat Falls and the troubled Labrador Island Link, as well as the diesel-fired Holyrood Generating Station.
Newfoundland Power CEO Gary Murray said they’ll get an update soon from Hydro on recent repairs to the Link, or LIL.
But he said there are still questions about the future reliability of Muskrat Falls.
Not to mention the importance of keeping Holyrood up to snuff.
“Ya know, if the LIL fails, Holyrood is working, then we should be fine,” he said. “And I would say that’s the key factor for this winter as it was for last winter, was the availability of Holyrood to be there as a backstop.”
Newfoundland Power customers pay an average, all-in rate of 15.2 cents per kilowatt hour, which the company says is the lowest in Atlantic Canada.
Petten Questions Fit to Sit program, says N.L. seniors Lack Comfort, Respect
Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services’ Fit to Sit program is not fit for patients in the province, according to the opposition.
PC Health critic Barry Petten first raised concerns about the program in the House of Assembly on Tuesday.
The PCs learned about the program, which has been used for the last year, through access to information.
According to the documents, the program has been used in metro for the last year as aa way to expedite ambulance turnaround times at facilities in offload delay.
Essentially, paramedics use a flow chart to determine which patients can be transferred to the triage area of the ER.
Petten worries the program is leading to seniors being put in uncomfortable chairs while waiting for extended periods to see a doctor.
Health minister John Hogan says in terms of hospital protocols, the Fit to Sit program is par for the course.
“it basically is just standard triage process” says Hogan.
Petten has heard stories of seniors being transported to hospital by ambulance, and left in “uncomfortable” wheelchairs “for 18 to 24 hours.”
Petten argues that there’s “no compassion in the healthcare system.” He says seniors should be offered a comfortable chair and shown the respect they deserve.
Government Considering Changes to Sick Note Requirements
The provincial government is considering changes to sick note requirements in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Finance Minister Siobhan Coady indicated as such in the House of Assembly on Tuesday.
The Canadian Medical Association, and the NLMA, are calling for an end to sick note requirements for short-term absences from work, arguing that it is clogging up the system and resulting in greater wait times for people to be seen.
NDP Leader Jim Dinn questioned government about if they plan to make legislative changes to sick note requirements.
Coady says the topic is under “active” review and analysis, and government “will be coming forward soon” with a decision.
Clarenville Hockey Player Indefinitely Banned from Arena After Violent Encounter With Fan
Clarenville Caribous defenceman Justin Pender is barred from entering the Danny Cleary Arena in Harbour Grace “indefinitely” after a shocking and violent off-ice confrontation with a CeeBees fan.
Surveillance video in the hallway outside the locker rooms show Pender, who had just been ejected from a chippy contest between the Caribous and CeeBees, throwing his broken stick at a group of CeeBees fans.
Most of the fans scatter, but one stands his ground, and that’s when Pender threw punches at the fan.
The facility is run by the town and Mayor Don Coombs says council decided that the event warranted decisive action. The fan is also barred from the stadium for several weeks.
Coombs says the town is not calling police, that’s something they’ll leave to those involved.
Coombs already told the Caribous general manager that they will not be getting the police involved.
Questions have also been raised about security. Coombs says security is provided by the CeeBees, but he’s not sure what difference that might have made.
He believes it was a matter between the fan and the player, and he’s not sure security would have made a difference.
Mysterious Blobs Found in Placentia Bay Man-Made, says MUN Prof
A chemistry professor at Memorial University and his students have confirmed that gooey blobs that started to wash up on beaches in Placentia Bay last month are man-made.
Chris Kozak of MUN’s Chemistry Department put his students on the case and it turns out that the sticky blobs contain polyvinyl acetate, which is a type of glue – something like carpenter’s glue or white glue.
“This stuff is definitely a much more potent, concentrated version of it” says Kozak. “There’s probably something else in there as well.”
The mystery doesn’t end there however, where the stuff came from and why is not yet known.
“Now that I have an idea as to what its chemical make up is, now I’m trying to figure out where this would be used in such a large scale. I think it has something to do with some heavy industry that’s happening in here either shipping or fishing.” He says besides being used as an adhesive, it can also potentially be used as a coagulant for oil spills.”
The bottom line says Kozak is the material amounts to plastic pollution and has no place in the environment.
Impaired Driver Charged After Crashing Truck into Pole
A man who crashed his vehicle into a pole outside a metro gas station now has a date with the court.
RNC were called to the Ultramar on Elizabeth Avenue just before 2:30 this morning after a truck rammed into a nearby pole.
The 36-year-old man showed signs of impairment and was taken to the detachment where he provided breath samples over twice the legal limit.
He was released to appear in court at a later date. His license was revoked and the truck was impounded.
Donald Trump Elected 47th President of United States
Donald Trump has officially punched his ticket back to the White House.
Trump was named the winner after claiming victory in the battleground state of Wisconsin.
The former President was also successful in taking battleground states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina and continues to lead in Michigan, Nevada and Arizona.
Trump and VP-elect JD Vance greeting supporters in West Palm Beach.
Kamala Harris secured victories in key Democratic states, but the Republicans began to widen the lead as more polls began to close across the United States.
The Republican party has also claimed control of the Senate, flipping some Democratic seats.
The call was made around 5:30 eastern time, but Trump declared victory during a speech to supporters in West Palm Beach just after 2:30 a.m.
“We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible,” said Trump. “It is now clear that we achieved the most incredible political—look what happened! Is this crazy?”
Earlier Story
Donald Trump is on the brink of a return to the White House.
The former president needs just 3 electoral votes to secure a projected victory.
Trump was successful in winning the electoral vote in Republican strongholds like Florida, but also took battleground states of Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina.
He is currently leading in other battlegrounds, including Michigan and Wisconsin.
Kamala Harris secured victories in key Democratic states, but the Republicans began to widen the lead as more polls began to close across the United States.
The Republican party has also claimed control of the Senate, flipping some Democratic seats.
Trump and VP Candidate JD Vance greeting supporters in West Palm Beach.
Trump declared victory during a speech to supporters in West Palm Beach just after 2:30 eastern time.
“We overcame obstacles that nobody thought possible,” said Trump. “It is now clear that we achieved the most incredible political—look what happened! Is this crazy?”
Greg Noseworthy Wins St. John’s Ward 3 Seat
Greg Noseworthy has emerged victorious from among a slate of five candidates running to represent Ward 3 on St. John’s city council.
Noseworthy garnered 1940 votes, representing 42.7 per cent of the ballots cast.
Walter Harding came in second with 958.
The byelection was called to fill the vacancy left after former councillor Jamie Korab to run in the provincial byelection.
He says he’s been hearing from residents at the door and is ready to work on the issues at hand.
“There’s a number of things. Big things, of course, are seniors issues, traffic concerns, speeding,” he said.
“There’s a lot of localized issues. I heard a lot of that at the doors and chatting with folks and I’m really looking forward to working with the good people to tackle those issues.”
Man Charged After Assault with Weapon at Deer Lake Apartment Complex
A 41-year-old man was arrested and charged after a frightening incident at an apartment complex in Deer Lake early Monday morning.
RCMP say a tenant of the complex on Sixth Avenue heard noises in a neighbouring apartment and was assaulted with a weapon when they went over to investigate.
The victim’s injuries were not life-threatening.
RCMP say Jason Deering was arrested a short time later at a home on Williams Avenue in Deer Lake. He’s been charged with break and enter with intent and assault with a weapon.
He’s set to appear in court at a later date.
The investigation continues.
Government Halts Plan to Convert Single Rooms to Doubles at Corner Brook Long Term Care Facility
The provincial government has axed its plans to convert fifteen single rooms at the Corner Brook Long Term Care Facility to double occupancy.
The idea was first announced over a week ago amid concerns of overcrowding at Western Memorial Hospital.
Premier Andrew Furey revealed that the idea was being scrapped when responding to a question from PC Leader Tony Wakeham in the House of Assembly.
Wakeham referenced comments from the Seniors Advocate, who “adamantly opposes” the conversion, and asked the Premier if he will stop the plans.
Furey responded by saying the intent was never to force seniors into double occupancy but rather to give the option for people who may want to avail of it. However, Furey says they have heard the feedback and “we are today going to put a stop to that.”
Meanwhile, Health Minister John Hogan has doubled down on the need for flexibility for seniors when it comes to the idea of double occupancy.
In response to Opposition questions in the House of Assembly, Hogan indicated that, as they learned through COVID, some seniors prefer to have the company of a long-term partner or sibling to combat loneliness.
“I said that there might be seniors, and it’s important to have flexibility, that may want to be in a room with someone else. Like, I don’t know, their husband or wife, personally I like sending time with my wife” Hogan told the House to great laughter and applause.
“For people who don’t want to do that, that’s fine too, all I’m saying was that there’s flexibility, it’s not one or the other, it’s both.”
Expansion Promotes More Gathering, Transitioning to Stable Lives, Housing
A number of stakeholders celebrated completion of an expansion of The Gathering Place in downtown St. John’s today.
Volunteers, staff, donors and government officials were on hand to mark the milestone of completing the Mercy House supportive and transitional living space, as well as O’Callaghan’s Haven emergency shelter.
Mercy House, located in the former Mercy Convent, will feature 52 supportive and transitional living spaces, providing not only a safe place to stay for those experiencing homelessness, but also access to other supports designed to help break the cycle and move forward with securing more stable housing.
O’Callaghan’s Haven, named after key donor and Order of Newfoundland and Labrador recipient Patrick O’Callaghan, will include a 40-bed emergency shelter replacing the current 30-bed temporary shelter at The Gathering Place.
The province provided $2 million to The Gathering Place for the expansion. That money, in addition to $5.9 million from the feds’ Rapid Housing Funding and other donations, supported the renovations to help serve more people in St. John’s and the surrounding area.
The province is also currently providing about $3.5 million in operating funding to The Gathering Place, including an increase of $1.5 million announced in Budget 2024 to ensure it can continue to provide critical services to a vulnerable population.
South Coast Cod Remain in Critical Zone With Modest Outlook: DFO
The most recent assessment of 3Ps cod off the province’s south coast shows that the stock remains in the critical zone where it’s been since 2000.
DFO biologist Laura Wheeland says the stock is currently 50 per cent below the limit reference point, which marks the boundary between the cautious and critical zones.
She says while there is potential for a small increase in the stock over the next couple of years, estimates show it will only reach 63 per cent of the limit reference point.
Fish that are six years or older are 40 per cent smaller than they were in the mid 1980s, and environmental changes caused by warming waters is likely to blame, according to the assessment.
Wheeland says anecdotal evidence also points to fewer capelin for cod to feed on. She says they’re also seeing more warm-water species, such as silver hake, moving into the region, but whether or not they’re competing with cod for food remains to be seen.
“At this point there’s no indication that these species are directly competing with cod. They’re in warmer, deeper waters and are feeding on different resources,” she said. “So this increase that we’re seeing in silver hake is really a symptom of the warming waters.”
Scientists are recommending the maximum total allowable catch be set at 1,251 tonnes for 2025, but participants in the industry will have an opportunity for input before the Groundfish Advisory Committee makes its final decision.
Meanwhile, the FFAW remains concerned about the stock’s future and the impact of offshore draggers on its recovery.
The union is reiterating its call for a ban on factory trawlers on all cod fisheries around the province, citing the “continued and lasting damage caused by draggers” on pre-spawning stocks.
The union also continues to highlight the impact of a growing grey seal population on cod in 3Ps, which extends from Cape St. Mary’s to just west of Burgeo Bank, over the St. Pierre Bank and most of Green Bank.
Inshore council member Lorretta Ward of Southeast Bight says “more should be done to assess the impacts” of that predation.
(File photo via FFAW)
School Zone Speeder Allegedly Impaired With Kids in Car: RNC
A man has been charged with impaired driving after speeding through a school zone in Mount Pearl this morning.
Police say the 40-year-old man was already suspended from driving when he was clocked doing 92 km/hr along Ruth Avenue during the 8 a.m. rush hour.
What’s more, they say there were children in his vehicle at the time.
Police pulled the man over in a parking lot where a demand for a breath sample was made but refused.
The suspect was charged with impaired driving and refusing the breathalyzer. His vehicle was seized and he was also issued tickets for speeding and driving while suspended.
The man, who was not named by police, was released to appear in provincial court at a later date.
Harbour Grace Bans Player and Fan After Violent Incident at Danny Cleary Arena
The Harbour Grace town council is barring Clarenville Caribous player Justin Pender from entering the Danny Cleary arena for an indefinite period following a violent off-ice confrontation between Pender and a Cee Bees fan at the Danny Cleary arena.
The fan involved is also barred from entering the facility for the next few weeks.
Pender, a defenceman on the Clarenville Caribous, had just been ejected from a chippy game against the Conception Bay CeeBees on October 26th when some fans approached him in the hallway leading to the locker room.
Pender was handed a three-game suspension by the league.
Surveillance video shows the fans engaging with Pender from a distance as he walks up the hallway. Pender responds by throwing part of his broken stick at the scattering fans.
One of the fans stays put, and the video shows Pender throwing punches repeatedly at the fan.
Mayor Don Coombs understands that there is talk of other events surrounding the incident, but he has to stick with what was caught on camera. He says taunting is a part of the game, but in this case, things went too far.
“It shouldn’t go in the stands,” Coombs told Tim Powers on VOCM. “We all get some taunting; that happens to good players, it happens to bad players but, you have to learn to control that.”
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The Harbour Grace town council is gathering this afternoon to determine their next course of action following a violent off-ice confrontation between a player on the Clarenville Caribous and a Cee Bees fan at the Danny Cleary arena.
Mayor Don Coombs says there will be consequences, but he won’t say at this time what exactly council is considering.
Justin Pender, a defenceman on the Clarenville Caribous, had just been ejected from a chippy game against the Conception Bay CeeBees on October 26th when some fans approached him in the hallway leading to the locker room.
Surveillance video shows the fans engaging with Pender from a distance as he walks up the hallway. Pender responds by throwing part of his broken stick at the fans who scatter.
One of the fans stays put, and the video shows Pender throwing punches repeatedly at the fan.
Mayor Don Coombs says the arena is run by the town, but in the absence of a stadium manager, action is being taken by the town council to deal with the matter. There will be repercussions says Coombs.
Coombs will announce council’s decision this afternoon on the Tim Powers Show on VOCM.
Seniors’ Advocate Opposes Move to Convert Single Rooms to Doubles in LTC Homes
The province’s Seniors’ Advocate adamantly opposes the conversion of single occupancy rooms in long-term care homes to double occupancy.
Susan Walsh was responding to a shortage of long term beds in the western region, resulting in plans to convert 15 single occupancy rooms at the Corner Brook Long-Term Care Centre to double.
She says any reduction in the availability of single occupancy rooms in long-term care homes is “a regressive policy approach.”
The Seniors’ Advocate says there are countless research findings documenting the positive impact of living in a single room with a private bathroom including privacy, dignity and infection control as well as patient safety.
Health Minister John Hogan defended the move when questioned in the House of Assembly yesterday.
“It’s not that they will have to go in rooms with double occupancy, they will be given the option to be in a room with another person. As we heard during COVID, if you’re a senior, it can be very lonely times, and you may very well want someone in your room with you. You may very well want your husband or your wife or your partner, you may vert well want your sister, you may very well want your friend, and I think it’s incumbent on us as a government to provide people options rather than dictate ‘you’re going to go in that single room whether you like it or not.'”
Walsh is encouraging Minister Hogan to use the Health Accord, the Seniors’ Advocate’s report ‘What Golden Years?’ and the pending long term care and personal care home review to help inform decisions when it comes to long-term care.
Furey Withholds Opinion on Tax Cut for New Homes Until Impact is Clear
Premier Andrew Furey is reserving his thoughts for now on a request from the federal Conservatives to cut provincial sales taxes on new homes under $1-million.
Pierre Poilievre has committed to removing the federal portion of the tax, and has written a letter to all premiers asking them to do the same.
Furey, who hadn’t yet read the letter when asked about it, says the letter is an “opposition suggestion” and not a government policy.
Furey wants to know the impact such a move would have on municipalities. As he understands it, it could also mean the elimination of the housing accelerator fund.
He says they are happy to entertain the idea, but it is “too premature” to comment on Poilievre’s suggestion.
Veterinarian Warns of Strain on Services as Pet Demand Surges in Labrador
A veterinarian in Labrador says she’s stretched thin amidst a shortage of vets.
Dr. Rebecca Jackson says an increase in desire for pets has left her working to serve more animals than ever before.
She says there are only two licensed vets in all of the Big Land, and there seems to be little reprieve from the universities.
Jackson calls it more than she can deal with.
“We deal with a lot more walk-ins now than we ever did, but it’s a lot of people waiting for their appointments several hours sometimes before I can get to them because something else has walked in the door,” she said.
“So it’s difficult when you’re one person to try and treat everybody. And the busier you are and the more you’re doing, the more customer service drops.”
