The schools along the coast are getting ready for the Christmas holiday.

Students will begin their Christmas holidays on December 22nd and will be back to school on January 4th, 2022.

Arlene Flowers is the principal for the Amos Comenius Memorial School in Hopedale.

She says that they will be having their concert different this year.

Weather permitting, the concert will be outside on December 15th and will be a sing-along for the students, teachers, and parents.

She also said that Santa Claus will also be invited.

In Postville, Carmine Sheppard is the principal for the B.L Morrison Memorial School.

She says they will be having their concert virtually with a date yet to be determined.

Dion Rideout is the principal for the J.C Erhardt Memorial School in Makkovik.

Rideout says they will be having their concert virtually this year with the students filming their performances.

He adds that there is one teacher putting it together.

Steve Brazil is the principal for the Northern Lights Academy in Rigolet.

He says that there is a tentative date for their concert.

Weather permitting, the concert will be outside with kindergarten to Grade 9.

“The students will be doing their performances in Inuktitut and English”, Brazil says.

The Canteen will also be open if anyone would like to buy some snacks.

The three Labrador Member of House of Assembly (MHA’s) are recommending changes to the provinces Air Ambulance System.

Independent MHA’s, Perry Trimper and Lela Evans and the NDP’s Jordon Brown are suggesting changes they say will enhance efficiency and reduce overall costs.

With Labrador having only part time coverage, private operators are having to respond to emergencies.

They say this can be changed by establishing a single entity of government to operate the entire organization, rather than the three currently overseeing it.

They also recommend a single authority for Air and Ground Ambulance within the same entity of government, as well as leasing a third KingAir 350 to be based in St. John’s, and hiring additional pilots and medical flight staff for Goose Bay to be available for full time response.

They are sharing their recommendations with Health Accord as part of the consultation process.

Torngat Fish Producers and its Board of Directors’ annual fall season meeting concluded last week.

Keith Watts is the General Manager.

He says the meeting went well and all board members attended.

The issues dealt with were financial statements, and Christmas Hampers donations.

Click here to hear Watts give you more details.

One of our OK Radio staff contacted each community freezers in each of the five Nunatsiavut communities to see what they have to offer.

In Postville, they have char, cod and salmon.

In Makkovik, they have char and cod fish.

In Hopedale, they have cod, chicken, fries and nuggets.

In the Nain community freezer, they have some char, seal, cod liver and ducks.

We will get Rigolet’s community freezer once it becomes available.

The Nunatsiavut Government is calling for participants for a Wood Energy Transfer Technology certification program that will be happening in Rigolet from January 24 to 30th, and February 7 to 13th, 2022.

The program is open to beneficiaries who can travel to Rigolet for those two one-week sessions. Accommodations and travel will be paid, and participants will be given per diems for food.

This training will help participants to become certified high efficiency Woodstove inspectors and installers.

If you have any questions or is interested in this program, please send your name, beneficiary number, employer and home community to jessica.winters@nunatsiavut.com, or call Nick Mercer at 709-899-0041.

The TaKuaKautik Food Bank will be having another giveaway on Thursday, December 16th, 2021.

They would like to have the giveaway a little earlier so that they can have it before the Christmas holidays.

It will be taking place at the warehouse from 6 to 8pm.

So, if you have food bank bags, please return them to the yellow container on the steps at the Warehouse.

If there’s anyone that would like to get a bag, can call Brenda Jararuse at the Nunatsiavut Government at 922-2942.

The first of the awards for MusicNL were handed out on the evening of Tuesday, November 30th at the industry reception in St. John’s, and 8 industry awards and two honorary awards were handed out.

Lynda Byrne was given the Unsung Hero Award, while Jim Paine received the Industry Builder Award.

VOCM’s Greg Smith was named the Media Person of the Year.

Showcases began with a show at the Rock House on George Street and all music awards will be presented at the gala on Saturday, December 4th, 2021.

The Event of the Year was presented by Canadian AV Inc- Spirit Song Festival.

Here are the Industry Awards Winners:

Graphic Artist of the Year Presented by Pattison Outdoor: Krista Power.

Industry Professional of the Year presented by CNA: Natasha Blackwood.

Media Person of the Year presented by Ray Agency: Greg Smith.

Music Educator of the Year presented by Long and McQuade: Adam Baxter.

Outstanding Company of the Year presented by Nosworthy Chapman: First Light.

Venue of the Year presented by George Street Association: The Ship Pub.

And Volunteer of the Year presented by The National Connector Program: Nick Tsui and Christopher Deacon.

We hope to get more information on the awards presented next week.

The Imappivut Marine Plan with Nunatsiavut Government recently held presentations in Nain and Makkovik.

Mary Denniston is the Environmental Protection Analyst.

She says they started in the year 2017 and went to each community in the last couple of years to interview people to help understand which areas and what kinds of things are important to people in Nunatsiavut around their own communities.

“I don’t see Imappivut as something that will stop happening,” she says, and that they’ll be updating the information as people want to share more.

Denniston adds that right now, they’re re-visiting communities to talk to the residents about things they’ve heard so far, and hopefully engage with people to help bring more interest.

Click here to find out more.

The Community Employment Enhancement program in Makkovik and Nain have got some applicants to get more hours to get their EI.

Barry Andersen is the AngajukKâk for the Inuit Community Government in Makkovik.

Andersen says that there are some people who’ve applied, and they are waiting on Service Canada to see if they will be approved.

Due to the guidelines made by Public Health, things have changed when it comes to projects around town such as helping elders, chop wood and more.

Joe Dicker is the AngajukKâk for Nain.

Dicker says that six people have applied to get their hours and applications are still open to apply for people getting their hours to get their EI.

They also applied to get some more funds from the government to get more hours for the applicants since 318 hours won’t be enough for all who’ve applied.

Labrador Group the Flummies win MusicNL Livetime Achievement Award.

The band shared traditional Labrador Songs and Culture for decades since 1978.

MusicNLs Celebration of Music Week is kicking off Today, Monday till Sunday, December 5. It’s a week of music, workshops, and awards- highlighted by the Livetime Achievement Award being awarded to a Labrador Band of four, for a second year in a row.

Their music is a mixture of accordion jigs and reels with some local favorites and other country sounding tracks. They recently released Brothers on the River their 10th studio album this year. Which is a dedication to Alton Best, who played with the group till he was 77 years old.

The groups win follows the Nain Moravian Church choir and Brassband Achievement Award in 2020.

On Saturday, November 27, Leander Baikie, lead of the Flummies says that’s a wonderful achievement and so glad to be recognized for our music after all these years in our province.