The Labrador Friendship Centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay has a new program for students to get ready for school in the fall.

Patti Maloney is the Community Outreach Worker.

Families with low income can register to the Back to School Program.

The program provides backpacks and school supplies that are listed on school websites.

The materials will comply with the school lists as closely as possible and they don’t provide footwear.

The deadline to apply for this program is Friday, August 28th.

To register your child or children, you can call Patti Maloney at 896-8302 ext. 205

There’s only a month to go before Newfoundland and Labrador’s big experiment with children and COVID-19 takes hold.

Teachers are noticing many contradictions in the back-to-school plan outlined by the government a few weeks ago, and have yet to see sufficient resources to enable physical distancing in the classroom.

The government set the parameters but is leaving it up to the school boards and schools to work out the specifics.

NLTA president, Dean Ingram says the extra $20 million for technology was a good first step but more resources are needed to meet cleaning, distancing and protocols.

He says the Minister’s mention of 350 additional resources being put in place in the school system were put there as part of the Education Plan, not to deal with COVID-19.

The NLTA has launched an online petition calling on the provincial government to ensure that schools are safe for the return of students in September.

August is Child Develop month and all DHSD activities are virtual online activities.

Kim Andersen is the Team Leader for the DHSD in Makkovik.

She says each week they’re targeting different age groups of children.

Any children age 12 and under who would like to put their name in for the bag, are asked to call in by Thursday, August 13th, and bags will be available for pick up on Monday, the 17th.

On Friday, August 14th, ages 12 and under can drop by the DHSD office for a cold treat like popsicles or a freezie from 1-4pm.

On the week of 17-21, they are planning to have a Teddy Bear picnic with a choice to have it inside or outside and another activity called Parents and Tots for ages two and under.

They will also be planning to have a bike rodeo by the DHSD and RCMP.

On the last week of 24-28, they will be having back to school activities each day for school aged children.

For more information on their monthly activities, you can check out their DHSD Facebook page or call the Makkovik DHSD at 923-2340.

The federal government is changing some of the guidelines for Employment Insurance.

Effective immediately, a minimum unemployment rate of 13.1 per cent will be applied temporarily for all EI economic regions across Canada.

When people begin transitioning off the CERB back to EI regular benefits at the end of this month, those living in EI regions with an unemployment rate lower than 13.1 per cent will have their benefits calculated on the basis of the 13.1 percent rate.

Those living in regions with a higher unemployment rate will have their benefits calculated using the actual rate for that region.

This is the first in a series of steps to be announced in the coming weeks.

Story courtesy of VOCM.

There is one new case of COVID-19 in Newfoundland and Labrador, moving the province’s total caseload to 268.

According to a government press release, the new case is a male in the Eastern Health region between 20 and 39 years old.

The man is a close contact of the existing case reported Friday. That case involved a woman who had flown from Toronto to St. John’s as part of filming for the Hudson & Rex television series.

In a statement to CBC News, producer Paul Pope said contact tracing determined a cast member of Hudson & Rex has tested positive for the virus.

“This cast member was the only person who was in close contact with the individual who tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, August 7. This incident is contained and both individuals have been self-quarantining and will continue to do so for the full 14 days,” Pope said in the statement.

“Production will resume shooting today (Monday, August 10). The Hudson & Rex team is working closely with the Newfoundland and Labrador Department of Health and Community Services and Health Canada to ensure all necessary steps are taken to keep everyone safe.”

The Department of Health said contact tracing is underway. Everyone considered a close contact is being advised to quarantine.

“As the individual was a close contact of the existing case, he has been self-isolating,” the department’s press release said.

The Department of Health also told CBC News the man has a travel exemption to work in Newfoundland and Labrador, and has been in the province “for some time,” but did not say how long.

In a further update, a spokesperson for Shaftesbury — the show’s production company — said no Hudson & Rex personnel are considered close contacts with Monday’s case.

“He has not travelled in any Hudson & Rex vehicle, been on set, or had any contact with any Hudson & Rex personnel since his exposure,” the statement reads.

The province now has two active cases.

So far, 27,050 people have been tested for coronavirus since March, including 144 since Sunday.

In total, 263 people have recovered. Three people have died from the virus.

Story courtesy of CBC Newfoundland & Labrador.

“Reflections from Them Days: A Residential School Memoir from Nunatsiavut” as told by Nellie Winters.

When Nellie Winters was 11 years old, she was sent to attend the Nain Boarding School, a residential school 400 km from her home.

In this memoir, she recalls life before residential school, her experiences at the school, and what it was like to come home.

Accompanied by the author’s original illustrations, this moving, often funny memoir sheds light on the experiences of Inuit residential school survivors in Labrador.

Nellie Winters is an elder from Okak Bay living in Makkovik, Nunatsiavut.

She is a respected artist whose work is commissioned and exhibited by galleries, museums, and private collections in Canada and around the world.

Winters is widely respected as an elder, knowledge holder, translator, author, and educator.

Click here to hear what Winters has to say about her new book.

Last Saturday, August 8, the provinces teachers union launched an online petition calling on the provincial government to ensure that schools are safe for the return of students in September.

The Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers Association (NLTA) says class sizes are have increased, and the 2008 teacher allocation model needs to be reviewed as per a cabinet directive made 2011.

A ‘soft cap’ was instituted by the government allowing classrooms to exceed caps established in 2008.

The teachers union says students, including those with special and complex needs, are being placed in bigger classes.

The outcome says the union, is an increase in student absenteeism and incidents of classroom violence.

The union says the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children recommended last week that “smaller class sizes should be a priority” as it will help with physical distancing and reduce the potential spread of COVID-19.

Courtesy VOCM news.

This year marks 15th Annual George Lane Memorial Dart Tournament in Hopedale.

Jill Nitsman is one of the coordinators for the tournament.

She says that since the pandemic occurred, the dart tournament has been postponed and will be held from August 14th-17th.

The fee is $80 per team, $20 per player and the deadline to apply is August 14th at 5pm.

The team must consist of four players, with two males and two females.

The tournament will be held at the Nanuk Centre.

The 1st place prize will be $2,000, 2nd place $1000, and 3rd place $500.

There will also be trophies for various categories.

Nitsman says due to the pandemic, they can only allow 16 players at a time into the Nanuk centre.

The Amaguk will be serving dinner and supper with delivery and menus will be available to view at the Nanuk Center.

To register your teams, you can contact Jill Nitsman by calling 709-933-3316 or email her at nitsmanjill@yahoo.ca.

Yesterday, Sunday, August 9, Newfoundland and Labrador has no new confirmed cases of COVID-19. The province currently has one active case.

263 people have recovered from the virus.

To date, 26,906 people have been tested.

In Alert Level 2, individuals should continue to practice good infection prevention and control practices.

Daily preventative actions can help to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

For the most up-to-date information related to COVID-19, please visit www.gov.nl.ca/covid-19.

This week marks the second last week for the Seniors Summer Program in Nain.

Keryn Andersen is the Program Coordinator.

She says the seniors can participate in these activities and their name will be entered into the summer end draw for a grocery hamper valued at $250.

Andersen says the seniors’ van is available for rides and seniors must wear a mask in the van at all times.

The number to call the seniors’ van is 922-2944.

Each activity takes place at the Jeremias Sillitt Centre from 1-3pm.

She says the seniors will be doing some story telling today.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, there will be a crokinole tournament.

On Wednesday, August 12, seniors will be doing some baking.

On Thursday, will be merchandise bingo.

And on Friday, the seniors will be doing some Olden Days Picture viewing.

For more information, you can contact the program coordinator, Keryn Andersen at 922-2691.