The Nain Family Resource Centre are excited to offer Little Camp for the summer once again.

Sandra Dicker is the Program Coordinator.

She says the first day of Little Camp will take place tomorrow Tuesday, July 6 at 9:30am.

You can drop off your child ages 3-6, twice a week for 2 hours and this is free of cost.

It will be held every Tuesday and Thursday and will alternate each week between mornings from 9:30 to 11:30am, and the afternoons from 1 to 3 pm.

They are limited a maximum of 6 children as all other FRC programs.

Please call to reserve a spot for your child/ren at 922-2003.

There was a Youth Outdoor Survival gathering held recently in Goose-Bay.

Crystal Allen Webb is the Youth Outreach Worker with the Nain Department of Health and Social Development.

She says the goal was to have all youth from along the coast; 3 youth from Nain, 2 from Hopedale, 2 from Makkovik, and 1 from Rigolet that applied.

Allen-Webb also says that this was supposed to go ahead this past spring but to due bad ice conditions it had been postponed.

Stay tuned to our AtjiKangitut program to hear more from Allen-Webb on this outdoor gathering program.

Today Friday, July 2, Newfoundland and Labrador has one new confirmed case of COVID-19 since the last public advisory. Contact tracing by Public Health is underway and anyone considered a close contact has been advised to quarantine.

The one new confirmed case was reported Thursday, July 1 and is a male in the Eastern Health region between 40-49 years of age. The case is related to travel within Canada.

There have been two new recoveries in the province since the last public advisory.

On Thursday, July 1, there were two recoveries in the Eastern Health region, 1,372 people have recovered and no one in hospital due to COVID-19.

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

· Eastern Health – 3
· Central Health – 1
· Labrador-Grenfell Health – 0
· Western Health – 0

To date, 160,691 people have been tested.

Pride Month has been extended due to unforeseen circumstances within the DHSD Office in Nain.

Craig Wyatt is a Community Health Worker with DHSD who is also partnered with the mental health team.

He says they were unable to follow through with the actual June month to celebrate Pride.

Wyatt adds that anyone can participate in their activities such as decorate your window with pride colors, make or have a pride flag in your window, make rainbow foods such as a cake, cupcakes, cookies, etc.

There will be a Pride Walk on Wednesday, July 7th, 2021, starting at 6:30 meeting at the DHSD building.

Wyatt adds that there will also be prizes to be given out to those who complete 2 of 4 activities.

If you have any questions, you can contact Craig Wyatt at 922-2126 extension 225.

The Makkovik fish plant has been open for a few weeks which is an earlier start for this summer.

Angel Chaulk is the Clerk.

She says 7 landings with a total of 90,332 lbs of crab were caught.

5 different boats have landed so far this week, with more expected before the week is out.

Chaulk adds that they now have 25 employees working.

The Nunatsiavut Government is seeking proposals to develop 20-kilowatt solar projects in the communities of Nain, Hopedale, Postville and Rigolet. Once completed, the projects will produce nearly 70 megawatt hours of clean electricity a year and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions by over 60 tonnes – equivalent to displacing about 20,000 litres of diesel annually.

Jointly funded by Natural Resources Canada’s Indigenous Off-Diesel Initiative, as well as from a private sector donation from DECIEM Inc., the projects will be completed in partnership with the four Inuit Community Governments. The electricity produced will be used to help offset energy costs to operate community centres.

Two youth from each Labrador Inuit community will be recruited to undergo solar energy fundamentals training and given the opportunity to gain valuable work experience on the four installations.

“Building upon the success of the Makkovik 50-kilowatt solar project, the first commercial renewable energy installation in our region, once these four projects are completed all of our communities will be producing clean, renewable power, and our trained youth will be well positioned to lead Nunatsiavut’s sustainable energy sector moving forward,” notes Nunatsiavut President Johannes Lampe.

The open tender for the four projects, which are scheduled to be completed by the end of the year, closes on July 23.

The tender documents are available on the Nunatsiavut Government website at www.nunatsiavut.com.

Started yesterday, Thursday, July 1st, Newfoundlanders and Labradorians can reunite with loved ones living away and gather in larger numbers in restaurants, bars, and at weddings and other special occasions.

Step 1 of the province’s reopening plan is now in place with people from across Canada allowed to enter for non-essential travel for the first time since May of last year.

Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, outlined some of the changes to COVID restrictions during yesterday’s provincial briefing.

Up to 250 people are allowed for formal outdoor gatherings and 200 for formal indoor gatherings if physical distancing can be maintained.

Capacity restrictions are being lifted for retail stores as long as physical distancing can be maintained, and restaurants and lounges can open to 75 per cent capacity as long as distancing is maintained between tables. Self-serve buffets will remain closed.

If the province continues to meet its goals for vaccination—at least 80 per cent with their first dose and 50 per cent with their second dose—and maintains low case counts, Step 2 of its recovery plan could come into effect as early as August 15.

Nain RCMP responded to a report of suspected human remains that were found near Mugford Tickle, north of Nain, on June 27, 2021.

Shortly after midnight, police received the report that came from a group who had been camping in the area. Officers obtained the location coordinates of the remains and made arrangements to travel to the area.

On June 29, police attended the scene via helicopter with an archeologist from the Nunatsiavut Government and located the remains which were transported back to Nain. A search of the area was completed and no other remains were located.

Arrangements are being made to transport the remains to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for further investigation.

The investigation is continuing.

Gas prices are up today, but how much depends on where you live in the province.

Today’s pricing adjustment takes into account both the average benchmark price of fuels and also an increase in carbon taxes.

The regulated price of gas is up by 2.6 cents a litre in most parts of Labrador except Labrador West, while the price is up by 5.5 a litre everywhere else.

Diesel is up by 3.1 cents a litre in most of Labrador—except Labrador West—while it is up by 4.4 cents elsewhere.

Furnace and stove oils are up by just over a cent, while propane is up by 2.3 cents a litre.

New carbon taxes announced in March come into effect today, increasing from 6.63 cents a litre to 8.84 cents for gas and rising to 10.73 cents per litre for diesel.

Mark Brace of Bishop Falls is the owner of Ocean Floor Granite and he is hopeful that work will begin at Ten Mile Bay in the early fall.

Brace says that they still have to iron out some legal issues with the provincial government before work can begin.

He adds that there is a huge market for the anorthrasite all over the world, and that the labradorite floor tiles is a great demand.

There will be training opportunities for community members of Nain and on the Island as well.

He adds that they will appear in court again on July 7th, and he is optimistic that everything will be straightened out then.

Stay tuned to AtjiKangitut today when Brace gives you more details on Ten Mile Bay.