There are quite a lot of issues that was dealt with at the House of Assembly in St. John’s in the past few weeks.

Randy Edmunds is the Member of House of Assembly (MHA) for Torngat Mountains District.

Ok radio was fortunate to speak with Edmunds when he dropped by in our studio on Monday during his travels.

He says the issues that he was working on during the meetings at the House are, establishing winter trails extension, proposals for Medical Air Services for Medivac flights, more funds for Community Enhancement Programs, and a new airstrip for Nain.

Edmunds also talks about the end of the MV Astron and the MV Northern Ranger, passenger and freight services, and a new vessel coming to serve the North Coast Communities next summer.

To hear MHA Edmunds discuss more details on these issues, click HERE.

The Career class of Jens Haven Memorial School organized a Christmas Fair this past weekend Saturday, Dec. 15th. Tables were rented from various local artists, fundraising groups and community members.

The Career class sold hot chocolate and tickets on gift baskets. The winner of the gift baskets were Christine Dicker and Simone Kohlmeister.

All proceeds from the table rentals, hot chocolate and gift baskets were donated to Moravian Church with a total of $340 donated.

The graduating class had a Grad Cafe where they sold food and beverages. They also sold tickets on a skor cake. The winner of the cake was Christine Tuglavina. The graduating class fundraised a total of $845 from the event.

OK radio contacted the communities to see what they have to offer in their community freezers.

In Hopedale, they have Moose Meat and Char in their freezer.

In Postville, they also have Moose Meat and Char.

In Makkovik, they have Char and Polar bear Meat to offer in their community.

And in Rigolet, they have Red Berries, Squash Berries, Bake Apples, Char, Moose Meat, Corn Cod and Cod Fillets.

And the Nain Community Freezer has Char, Seal Meat and 900lbs of Moose Meat.

Each year before the holidays, on behalf of their many clients, PAL airlines celebrates the spirit of generosity giving back to the communities they serve.

This year they will donate $25,000 to local organizations that will directly benefit from the contribution and will support the betterment of the respective communities.

In keeping with previous years, five deserving organizations have been selected with each receiving $5,000 to support programs and development.

For its seventh year of this initiative, PAL airlines is proud to announce they will be donating to the following organizations. Cheque presentations will be made on the following days and we invite media to attend:

Comptoir Alimentaire in Sept-Iles, Uni Aide Foundation in Blanc-Sablon, Canadian Red Cross in Corner Brook all received their donation yesterday December 18 2018.

The Salvation Army Labrador West Corporations will receive their donation at the Wabush airport today, December 19 at 2pm.

And Mokami Status of Women Council will receive their donation at the Goose Bay Airport tomorrow, December 20, 2018.

Fireworks can be entertaining during the holiday season, but it is important to remember that they are not toys; they are explosive devices and must be used correctly to avoid fire. If you intend to light fireworks during the holiday season, take the following precautions to help ensure a safe and enjoyable show:

• Only use fireworks outdoors in a clear, open area in an approved location designated by a community, city or fire department;
• Monitor wind strength and direction to ensure fireworks do not impact buildings, vehicles, overhead obstructions, or dry brush/grass;
• Respect your neighbours and their properties;
• Be aware of the impact fireworks can have on family pets. Advise neighbours with pets that you intend to use fireworks so that they can be certain that their pets are secure at home with windows and curtains closed;
• Ensure all spectators, especially children, are at least 20 metres away from the fireworks;
• Only adults (18 years or over) should handle fireworks. No one that is impaired by alcohol or drugs should ever handle fireworks;
• Never allow children to handle, play with, or light fireworks; even sparklers burn at a high enough temperature to ignite clothing or burn flesh and the sparks can injure the eyes;
• Carefully read the instructions on each individual firework package ahead of time;
• Always have water ready if you are using fireworks;
• Wear eye protection and non-flammable clothing when lighting fireworks;
• Always light ground-based fireworks from a sturdy, level surface. Grass is not suitable;
• Always bury aerial fireworks to half their length either in the ground or in a large bucket filled with soil or sand;
• To prevent a spark from setting off fireworks prematurely, ensure extra fireworks are stored and covered a safe distance away from those being lit;
• Dispose of soaked fireworks in an outdoor, fire-resistant garbage can away from buildings and flammable materials; and
• Wait 30 minutes before attempting to pick up misfired fireworks and never attempt to re-light them. After retrieving them, soak them in water along with used fireworks.

The Nain Nigivik Centre under DHSD, along with DHSD Mental Wellness Department are looking for Youth ages 16-25 in doing a wooding program for December 18 today and again on the 20th for elders and families in need and also guides to help the youth to teach them wooding skills.

They will also be doing other activities such as hunting, fishing and gathering later on this winter.

If you would like to take part in wooding or being a guide, please call Rutie Lampe at 922-2126 ex. 231 or Shelley Dicker at 922-2968.

The Tradition and Transition are still looking for help creating a logo or a visual to be used on all (printed and digital) materials associated with the OkKak 1918 commemoration activities in the coming months.

They are accepting original artwork from Nunatsiavut beneficiaries in a painting, sketch, or a photograph.

Any entries will be brought to the OkKak 1918 Commemoration Committee for consideration.

The selected artist will receive $250.

The deadline for the submission was on Nov. 30th, but has been extended to Monday, Dec. 31st, 2018.

We know there are many great artists in Labrador, so please spread the word to your friends who you think should enter a design, and send it to traditionandtransition@mun.ca.

It’s that time of the year when students from the North Coast Schools are gearing up to entertain the communities with their Christmas Concerts.

We contacted each of the schools from Nunatsiavut.

The communities of Hopedale, Makkovik, and Rigolet have already held their Christmas concerts.

The Jens Haven Memorial School will hold their Christmas Concert on Wednesday, December 19th. As in previous years, Grades K-4 will have theirs in the afternoon at 1:30pm. And in the evening, the grades 5-12 in Nain will hold their concert at 7pm.

BL Morrison students in Postville will be having their Christmas concert on Thursday, December 20th at 6:30pm at the gym.

All schools along the coast will also be closing for the holidays on Dec. 21st and will re-open on Jan. 7th, 2019.

The TaKuaKautik food bank in Nain is opening to the community this Thursday December 20th 2018. It will start at 6-8pm. TaKuaKautik food bank will have their first distribution at the Nigivik Centre.

Households must place an order ahead of time to be sure they can pick up a bag of food.

To place an order you can call the toll free number at 709-700-4739 and leave a message or you can go on facebook and go on their page “TaKuaKautik- Nain food bank” and leave an inbox.

Intake forms can be filled ahead of time and dropped off when picking up your bag or filled at the Nigivik Centre on December 20th with the help of a volunteer.

Intake forms are available and can be picked up from the Nunatsiavut Government admin building porch, at the clinic, from family connections worker at DHSD, Crystal Allen.

If there are any people and elders that have no means of phone or facebook, you can go to the Nigivik Centre and the volunteers will help you there.

For the first pick up of food, any orders need to be in by Thursday December 20th at 12pm noon, and must be picked up between 6pm and 8pm on Thursday December 20th.

The Moose Meat that was harvested in Grose Morne, on the Island will be distributed to the north coast communities this week.

Todd Broomfield is the Deputy Minister of Land and Resources for Nunatsiavut government.

He says the Moose Meat is stored in Goose Bay.

Broomfield says if the other communities request for some moose meat, they will send it to the communities as soon as possible.