An increasingly popular social media trend is raising concerns for police.

Today, RCMP NL cautioned the public against sharing personal information of themselves or their children in online groups in order to participate in gift exchanges.

A number of groups have recently been created promoting anonymous gift exchanges where persons who join the group provide personal information about themselves, including their name, home address and favourite things as suggestions of potential gifts. In some cases, participants are sharing names and ages of children. Some groups offer gifts of wine, treats and bath products, delivered by anonymous “wine ninjas”.

The RCMP strongly advises against the sharing of personal information in these groups, especially information on children.

While many of these groups are well-intentioned and the activity is not illegal, one should not assume that every person has good intentions.

Providing personal information about children specifically runs the risk of opening up communications between online predators and children.

Please use caution and common sense when taking part in such activities.

As of yesterday, it was 11 straight days with no new cases of COVID-19 in the province.

Health officials say the provincial total remains at 260.

Three people are in hospital due to the virus, one person is in intensive care.

To date, 249 people have recovered. There are currently 8 active cases in the province.

By region, there are 242 cases in Eastern Health, eight cases in Central Health, six cases in Labrador-Grenfell Health and four cases in Western Health.

10,676 people have been tested, 53 people have been tested since Saturday’s update.

Health officials are reminding the public to continue adhering to public health measures put in place by Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald.

Lela Evans, MHA for Torngat Mountains District, had this update from Bell Aliant on her Facebook status this morning, regarding the upgrade of the broadband internet on the North Coast:

The following is an update from Bell Aliant on the Broadband updates:

Phone/Internet update for the North Coast.

According to Bell Aliant they will be continuing with the upgrades today on the north coast.

Nain and Hopedale will be experience brief outages.

There will be a brief outage in Nain and Voisey’s Bay this morning.

There is a planned outage scheduled for Hopedale this afternoon.

We will provide updates once available.

The 2020 Polar bear harvest started in Nunatsiavut on February 2nd.

Todd Broomfield is the Director of Renewable Resources.

He says right now there are 11 polar bears harvested on the north coast.

Click here to find out more information about this years 2020 Polar bear harvest.

The Federal Government provided financial supports to all the regions of Canada.

Yvonne Jones is the MP for Labrador.

She says the financial supports are to help people who are struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click here to hear part 2 when MP Jones talks more about the financial support programs.

The federal government is bringing in new boating regulations, effective June 1st, to protect northern regions, including Labrador.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement yesterday.

No pleasure craft will be permitted in the Arctic or in coastal waters off northern Quebec and Labrador.

The ban does not include boats used for essential fishing and hunting, or for local community use.

Meanwhile, some national parks will partially reopen in June to allow people to use the trails, but many of the facilities will remain off limits.

Schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year for K-12 students in Newfoundland and Labrador, the education minister confirmed Friday.

In a statement, Brian Warr said that while in-school instruction has been cancelled for the remaining six weeks of the year, parents and students are encouraged to keep learning at home under the guidance of teachers.

A plan is in the works for September, Warr said, which will include various options, depending on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic at that point in time.

“The pandemic has created a situation that none of us would ever have anticipated and jurisdictions all over the world are adapting. I would like to thank teachers, the districts and all of our partners in education for their efforts over the past weeks,” Warr said.

“We all remain focused on creating opportunities for continued learning and helping our students during this very unusual time. Meanwhile, we are looking ahead, working with the school districts and public health on a comprehensive plan for education for September.”

The new plan for the fall will include appropriate physical distancing measures, disinfecting requirements, and provisions for busing and lunches, among other things, government said.

Friday’s confirmation that K-12 schools will stay closed does not come as a surprise, as Premier Dwight Ball said on Wednesday that the province’s focus was turning to the next school year.

“I think we can see where this is going, and with the unknown of what September will look like in the K-12 system it’s important we get those plans in place,” Ball said.

In the meantime, students can continue to work online and improve their grades before report cards are issued with final marks in the week of June 22.

The Newfoundland and Labrador English School District said it has already distributed 2,500 laptops and iPads and has 1,500 more that are currently being sent out to students.
The district has also arranged access to the internet for about 270 students who didn’t have prior access at home.

Public health officials have expanded COVID-19 testing criteria to include any two of a new and longer list of symptoms.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says the list includes the usual fever or chills, cough, sore throat, and headache, and some new symptoms not previously included in the testing criteria.

Including painful swallowing, runny nose, unexplained loss of appetite, diarrhea, and small red or purple spots on your hands or feet. Anyone with two or more of those symptoms is asked to contact 811 for further direction.

No new cases have been reported in the province again yesterday.

It’s been a week since the last new cases have been reported.

There are a total of 261 cases reported in the province, 248 of which have recovered and 10,275 people have been tested for virus to date.

As many of you know, Saturday, May 16th was supposed to be prom/grad day at Jens Haven Memorial School.

Even though we are not permitted to gather and celebrate as we normally would, we can still congratulate our graduates.

On Saturday, we have a few things planned and next month we’ll do some more.

COVID-19 might have restricted our prom celebrations but it can’t stop us from honouring our graduates and showing them how proud we are of them – all while practicing social distancing, of course.

So, on Saturday, we’re asking the whole community to share in the celebration.

As Kristie Holwell has invited you, please make some decorations for your door, window, house or yard. Use whatever you have – balloons, paint, signs – in whatever colour.

Just show the grads that you’re thinking of them.

We’re also planning social distancing congratulatory visits to each grad’s house on Saturday morning- so grads and families, be ready.

This is just for grads and school representatives.

Grad visits should be over by 12 noon; that’s when we need you, our community, to help us make some noise in giant cheer to celebrate our grads.

Bang a pot, beat a drum, honks a goose call, blow a trumpet – do whatever you can do to blast some noise in honour of our grads.

Saturday won’t be the grad we usually have, but we can still make it special for the Class of 2020.

Hopefully, when restrictions permit, we’ll be able to celebrate together.

Students and recent graduates can begin applying for the Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB) today Friday, May 15th, 2020.

That program was announced a couple weeks ago and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau released further details yesterday.
Applications go through the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) website.

According to the Government of Canada, the benefit provides $1,250.00 per four week period, or $2000.00 if you have dependants or disability.

You cannot apply if you already applied for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) or for Employment Insurance (EI).

You can contact CESB at 1-800-996–2099.