The Tradition and Transition Among the Labrador Inuit Conference is taking place in St. John’s until tomorrow, October 26th, 2021.

Andrea Procter works with the Department of Archeology at Memorial University.

She says the Tradition and Transition among the Labrador Inuit Research Partnership has funded a lot of community-based projects to have people to get together to celebrate everything that has been going on for the last six years.

Procter adds that Belinda Webb has been the lead on this event and will have researchers such as President of ITK Natan Obed, Michelle Davies, Beverly Hunter, and many more who will be talking about their projects.

Click here to hear what Procter has to say about this final event.

Today, Friday, October 22, Newfoundland and Labrador has 30 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the last public advisory.

In the Eastern Health region:

· Twenty-two under 20 years of age;
· Four between 20-39 years of age; and
· One between 40-49 years of age.

There are 13 females and 14 males. Twenty-three cases are contacts of previous known cases, one case is related to international travel and three are under investigation.

In the Central Health region:

· One under 20 years of age;
· One between 60-69 years of age; and
· One 70 years of age and older.

There is one female and two males and all are contacts of previous known cases.

Contact tracing by Public Health is underway and anyone considered a close contact has been advised regarding quarantine according to current guidelines.

There have been 14 new recoveries, seven in the Eastern Health region, six in the Central Health region and one in the Western Health region and 1,844 people have recovered. There are four people in hospital because of COVID-19. There are no new presumptive positive cases in the province.

There are currently 62 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. The regional breakdown of the active cases is as follows:

· Eastern Health – 40
· Central Health – 17
· Labrador-Grenfell Health – 0
· Western Health – 5

To date, 327,666 tests have been administered.

The Board of Directors for AnânauKatiget Tumingit Regional Inuit Women’s Association invites nominations for one (1) Board Member to represent Nain for a 3-year term.

They are also looking for one board member from Makkovik for a two-year term.

Please contact Kim Campbell-McLean at 709-497-8100 or email executivedirector@labradorinuitwomen.com for a nomination form.

The deadline for nominations is Thursday, November 4th, 2021 at noon.

Halloween is just over a week away and public health officials are providing some tips to make sure kids end up with treats and not COVID.

Acting Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Rosann Seviour, says if someone is feeling ill, or is isolating for any reason, they should not give out treats or go trick-or-treating. She suggests putting a note out by the door to let kids and parents know to skip to the next house.

If someone chooses to give out treats, Seviour recommends using hand sanitizer and wearing a mask when answering the door.

She says to drop any treats directly into the child’s bag instead of asking them to pick their own from a bowl.

As for children who are out and about on Halloween, Seviour says the standard COVID protocols apply.

Children should wash or sanitize their hands before leaving, when they return home and before eating any treats. Masks need to be worn if trick-or-treating indoors, such as in apartment buildings. Further, she suggests parents go with their children to ensure they follow physical distancing protocols.

The Hopedale Recreation Department will be holding Halloween parties for all ages.

Danielle Pottle is the temporary Recreation Director with the ICG.

She says all parties will take place at the Nanuk Centre.

The first party will be held on Monday, October 25th for children who’s in preschool from 6 to 7:30pm.

Children from kindergarten to Grade 3’s party will be on Thursday, October 28th from 6 to 7:30pm.

On Friday, October 29th, the party for children from Grade 4 to 6 will be from 6 to 7:30pm.

Teens who are in Grade 7 to 12 will also have their party on Friday from 8 to 9:30pm.

And for adults, they will have their Halloween party on Saturday, October 30th from 7 to 9pm.

The Department of Health and Social Development in Nain and Hopedale have some Halloween Activities scheduled for this year.

Jane Merkuratsuk is the Community Health Worker for the Nain DHSD.

She says right now there is only one activity which is the ghost story telling.

It will be held on Tuesday, October 26th from 6:30 to 8:30pm at the Illusuak Cultural Centre.

It is required to have a proof of vaccination to enter the building.

Merkuratsuk adds that there might be more activities as Halloween gets closer.

If anyone has any questions or concerns, you can call Jane Merkuratsuk or Craig Wyatt at 922-2126.

Jennifer Michelin is the Community Health worker for the Rigolet DHSD.

She says partnered with the Native Spirit Youth Centre and the Recreation Department, all Halloween parties will be on Friday, October 29th.

Children from kindergarten to Grade 3 will be from 3 to 5pm, for Grades 4 to 6 at 6pm, and for Grade 7 to 12 will start at 7:30pm.

Pam Campbell is also the Mental Health and Addictions Worker for Rigolet DHSD.

She says partnered with the RCMP; they will have a pumpkin contest.

Campbell adds that the pumpkins are on the way on the Kamutik W.

But once they arrive, they will give them away to families and will then hold a virtual pumpkin carvings contest.

The date for the contest is yet to be determined.

The projected impacted climate change is among the focuses of this year’s Vital Signs report and it shows Labrador will see the most dramatic changes through to the end of the 21st Century.

The projected change in the average daily temperatures expected to warm by nearly 13 degrees on the Ungava Peninsula at the northern tip of Labrador.

Even in Central and Southern Labrador the projected winter temperature increase is projected to be 7-9 degrees.

In Nain, average winter temperatures are expected to change from about -15 to- 5 in the year 2021. Summer temperatures are projected to rise from 10 close to 15 degrees.

When it comes to projected changes in precipitation, the Island is expected to see the greatest increase in daily winter precipitation at over just 1 minute.

The MHA for Torngat Mountains District, Lela Evans has introduced a petition in the House of Assembly asking Government to declare a climate emergency.

She has cited a recent Scientific American magazine article stating that this time to acknowledge that mankind is living in a climate emergency. And is a serious situation that requires immediate action and likened it to a person calling 911 because they’re house is on fire.

She says “we need immediate action to start the process to stop and reverse the climate change, if we do not do that now and declare a climate emergency, by the time the fire truck shows up, the house will burn down.”

The petition calls to declare climate emergency to the government and establish a task force on decreasing the effects of the crisis and consider the climate in all policy and decision making.

Today is the last day for one of Nain DHSD’s long-time staff members.

Rutie Lampe is the Mental Health and Addictions worker.

She says she will be starting a new job at the Nunatsiavut Government.

Lampe says she is sad and excited to start her new position after working with the LIHC/DHSD for 26 years.

Click here to hear more from Lampe on her new position with Nunatsiavut Government.

On behalf of the OK Society, we would like to thank you for all that you’ve done over the years, congratulations on your new job, and good luck.

Effective October 22nd, all guests of the dining room of the Atsanik Hotel are required to show vaccination record.

It is not required when availing of our takeout services.

The vaccination record is also required for entry into the bar.

We are able to keep a record that your QR code was previously verified, so that you do not need to show it every time you avail of our services. You are also able to withdraw your consent at any time to keep your name on our records.

You may come to the hotel between 8am to 6pm to get your name added to the record if you wish to do so.

In some instances, we may require photo ID as well.

Newfoundland and Labrador’s vaccine passport system comes into effect tomorrow, and the province has announced some changes to how the system will work in practice.

The changes come as part of the ID requirement to accompany the passport.

Haggie says ID requirements for those 18 and younger will remain the same, but for those over the age of 18, the rules become a bit looser.

He says there are two options: Someone can present one photo ID or two pieces of plain ID—both need to have the person’s name and at least one needs the person’s date of birth.

As well, the province has added staff at MCP offices across the province as people try to get their vaccine passports.

Backlogs have been created as people with lost or expired cards attempt to get them renewed so that they can access their QR codes.

According to Haggie, the backlogs have shown that people have let their cards lapse in numbers that government “didn’t appreciate.” He says someone’s vaccine record will suffice until a code is received.

Meanwhile, nine new cases of COVID-19 were announced in the province yesterday leaving 46 active cases. There is no update scheduled for today as the next figures are expected to be released on Friday.