Over $2.3 million dollars was raised for the Janeway Children’s Hospital this weekend.

The Annual Janeway Telethon came in just shy of it’s $2.5 million dollar goal.

A sizable donation was made by Walmart Canada, which helped raise $400,000 for the cause, a total of $2,376,558 was raised.

The money will go towards advancing new-born care, as well as updating equipment for neurosurgery.

The Telethon was live on VOCM and Greg Smith was among the hosts of the annual telethon.

Many are continuing to express shock at the sudden passing of George Murphy on Saturday night.

The 58-year-old former MHA, cab driver, energy watchdog and business manager for Jiffy Cabs died Saturday night of a heart attack at his home in Seal Cove.

Messages of condolences for Murphy’s family have spanned all ages and walks of life, including the premier and opposition members of the House of Assembly.

But it was Mooney Newell, owner of rival Newfound Cabs, who spoke for most.

He says it was just shocking to hear the news Sunday morning, having just seen Murphy driving on Thursday. “You don’t know when your time is coming, do ya?”

Murphy was best known for his weekly fuel price predictions as spokesperson for the Consumer Group for Fair Gas Prices.

He served as NDP MHA for the former district of St. John’s East from 2011 to 2015, before running for the Liberals in the 2019 and 2021 elections.

Condolences to the family George Murphy from the OK Society.

The Labrador Marine Inc. would like to remind everyone that the 2021 Freight and Passenger Operations for the Labrador Coastal Service is tentatively expected to commence with the first departure of Kamutik W from Goose Bay is set for Sunday, June 13th.

Freight acceptance at Goose Bay is started today Monday, June 7.

The Reservation Office will be open on Tuesday, May 25, 2021.

The office hours from Monday to Wednesday’s will be from 8am – 5pm, Thursdays from 8am – 7pm, on Fridays from 8am – 5pm, and will be closed on Saturdays and Sundays.

Freight shipped will be forwarded to Coastal Communities on a “first in, first out” basis. Oldest freight will move first with priority on food and general supply for the communities served.

Reservation Agents are taking calls, toll-free at 1-855-896-2262.

Torngat Fish Producers Cooperative and its board members finished their annual community meetings last week.

Keith Watts is the General Manager.

He says they elected board members for each of the communities in Rigolet, Postville, Makkovik and Postville, and delegates for their Annual General Meeting will be in Nain on Monday, June 21, 2021.

Stay tuned to AtjiKangitut today to hear Watts give you more details about the meetings.

Today (Friday, June 4), Newfoundland and Labrador has two new confirmed cases of COVID-19. Contact tracing by Public Health is underway and anyone considered a close contact has been advised to quarantine.

The first new confirmed case is a female in the Western Health region between 40-49 years of age. The case is a contact of a previous case. This case is connected to the cluster in the Western Health region.

The second new confirmed case is a male in the Western Health region between 40-49 years of age. The case is under investigation.

There are 12 new recoveries, ten in the Central Health region and two in the Western Health region and 1,252 people have recovered. There is one person in hospital due to COVID-19.

There are 80 active cases of COVID-19 in the province. The regional breakdown of the 80 active cases is as follows:

· Eastern Health – 12
· Central Health – 34
· Labrador-Grenfell Health – 0
· Western Health – 34

To date, 149,322 people have been tested.

On Tuesday, June 1st the Youth Centre held an embroidery program for youth.

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

Allen-Webb held the program and Nicola Berke was the instructor.

Berke says she was taught how to do embroidery from her mother and her grandmother.

We will hear more from Berke later on today at 3:30pm.

The Jens Haven Primary held their very first KinderStart Sessions of 2020-2021 on April 23, 2021.

Because of the big number of students, they had two sessions, one for in the morning group from 10-11:30am and one group in the afternoon from 1:15-2:45pm.

There was a total of 4 sessions for this KinderStart year, and they were all held two weeks apart.

Today is the final session for the KinderStart Students. The times and groups are same as for the first session held.

Please remember that snacks must be Peanut and Tree Nut Free.

If you have any questions, please call the Primary School at 922-1270.

One of our OKâlaKatiget radio staff contacted most of the organizations in Nain for their summer hours, that starts on Monday, June 7 this year.

The Nunatsiavut Government’s office summer hours will be from 8:30am to 4pm.

The Department of Health and Social Development’s summer hours will be from 8:30am to 4pm.

The OKâlaKatiget Society’s TV department summer hours will be from 9am to 4:30pm, and the Radio Department’s hours will be from 9am to 4pm.

The Nain Inuit Community Government’s summer hours will be from 8:30am to 4pm, and the Municipal Services Department Garage hours are from 8 am to 4:30pm.

The Recreation Department summer hours from Sunday to Thursday will be from 2 to 5pm and 6 to 9:30pm, and on Friday and Saturday hours will be from 2 to 5pm and 7 to 10:30pm.

The housing construction season is coming close once again.

Torngat Regional Housing Association is not sure when work will start, according to their Coordinator, William Lucy.

He says so far, TRHA will construct a new duplex and two houses in Nain.

In Hopedale, a new duplex, and one home in Rigolet.

Lucy says the last new house they constructed in Rigolet last year should be completed in two weeks after the electricity is installed.

We will have more coverage from TRHA mid June.

The Nunatsiavut Government Assembly will have its next sitting next week in Hopedale.

Marlene Winters Wheeler is the speaker of the Assembly.

Winters Wheeler says that the agenda will be very light with sessions starting on Tuesday and wrapping up on Wednesday.

There will be discussions about the food supplement cards and a bill for the constitutional change for elections regarding the timing of elections.

There is also a request for proposals from artists to create a unique ballot box for the assembly.

We will be speaking with Speaker Marlene Winters Wheeler later in the AtjiKangitut program to find out more.