The Jens Haven Memorial 4-12 School held their Family Literacy Day this morning.

Juanita Skanes is the Assistant principal, high school teacher.

She says this year’s theme for Family Literacy Day is “Celebrate Your Heritage”.

Skanes says they are encouraging students, staff and families to wear traditional clothing and/or jewelry, Wear something that celebrates your culture.

She adds that the students in the Primary school will be having their “family literacy day” this afternoon at 2pm.

Click here to hear more on the JHMS “Family Literacy Day”.

The Labrador Winter Games are typically held every three years in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

It was scheduled originally to take place in March 2022, but due to COVID-19, it was postponed to this year.

So, it will be held from March 12-18 of this year.

There will be a $5.00 per day entry fee to enter into the venues to watch the following events during the 2023 Labrador Winter Games.

This is to assist with costs associated with the facilitation of the events and monitoring spectator numbers in the building to be compliant with the Fire Code.

Also, if you are interested in volunteering for the 2023 Labrador Winter Games, you can check out their website to access their online registration form.

You will need a photo of yourself in JPG format. The photo should be a clear, head & shoulders shot with an uncluttered background. A selfie is fine.

To register as a volunteer or for more information, you can visit the website at labradorwintergames.ca.

Standing in the St. John’s Community Market last Thursday, the heads of First Food NL laid out its annual report and how the group plans to move forward in the face of raising food costs.

CEO, John Smee said the provinces food insecurity is not a problem that community organizations can solve.

This is a problem government’s need to take real seriously, and so part of that is keeping it in the public conversation and keep recognizing that people are going hungry in the province. Every Day.

Speaking to about 70 members of the public and stakeholder, Smee also announced the groups new mission.

“Our new vision is a N & L where everyone can eat with dignity and joy and added I think that has helped focus our minds as a team on what we need to do to make that dreams happen,” he said.

Earlier last month, Food First N.L said that will be shutting down it’s community helpline, because the advocacy organization is not being able to keep with demands. “The helpline itself just can’t work with the level of demand that we are seeing,” Smee said.

The other piece is that we are hoping to advocate as loud as we can for the large-scale relief that is what is needed to lift that demand.

Over a daylong event that included Food First NL staff speaking directly to individuals about the work they do, along with food skills workshops, Smee stressed that access to food is human rights. “A lot of the work that we have been doing for 20 years, really comes in under advancing the right to food,” Smee said.

The Provincial Government is monitoring the situation students at MUN School of Nursing very closely.

The final semester for about 70 nurses students is in jeopardy due to the MUNFA strike.

Those students are in the middle of completing their clinical, and if the strike drags on, that could mean a delayed graduation and a delay in staring the jobs many of them have already lined up.

Premier, Andrew Furey said government is looking at potential measures available, while also recognizing that a collective bargaining process is underway.

He wouldn’t specify what specific measures they are looking at, but did say that they are looking at all instruments available to ensure that nurses have access to education and career that they have trained for.

Student, Madison Bailey said a prolonged strike would have financial implications for students who are allowed to have other jobs during clinicals, which are unpaid.

She said students really need to start working on Monday, May 1st. Outside of that, they are seeing first-hand the challenges facing health care system and they wish to be part of the solution.

Famed and furry forecasters of spring are set to make their predictions this morning.

It’s Groundhog Day, and as folklore goes, a groundhog will emerge from its burrow and if it does not see its shadow, then spring is just around the corner, while if it does and retreats, then we can expect six more weeks of winter.

Celebrity groundhog Shubenacadie Sam kicked off Canada’s first prediction shortly after sunrise over Nova Scotia, followed later by Ontario’s Wiarton Willie.

Shubenacadie Sam, Nova Scotia’s most famous groundhog, apparently saw her shadow this morning as she emerged from a snow-covered enclosure at a wildlife park north of Halifax.

Just after 8 am local time, the door to Sam’s pint-sized barn was opened, and she slowly backed out into the cold.

So according to Sam, she is predicting six more weeks of winter.

The Operator training with SmartICE in Nain finished yesterday and the team still need to travel to the other communities to help with their training.

Rex Holwell Jr. is the Manager for the Nunatsiavut Operations.

He says weather permitting, when training is done, they will be able to run in all five Nunatsiavut communities.

Holwell adds they have a new community coordinator that will help around with projects.

Click here to hear more updates with SmartICE with Holwell Jr.

The Recreation Department in Nain have posted their recreation and CYN activities for February.

All sports and activities will be at the Jeremias Sillitt Community Centre.

Today, there’s Afterschool program for children ages 5-7 from 3 to 5pm. They’ll be playing pass the parcel, beanbag toss, snowman target and freeze dance. Card games will start at 7pm followed by men’s volleyball at 8 until 9:45pm.

On Sunday, February 5 will be women’s volleyball from 2 to 5pm, and merchandise bingo for women 16 years and older. Players must bring $1 to play bonus and an item.

On Mondays, there’s card games at 7pm, with badminton starting at 8 until 9:45pm.

Women’s volleyball is on Tuesdays as well, starting at 8pm.

Wednesdays is card games at 7pm followed by men’s volleyball at 8pm.

Senior’s bingo is on Thursdays starting at 1:30pm, followed by ball hockey starting 8pm.

Coed volleyball will be on Fridays starting at 7pm, with men’s volleyball at 9pm.

For Saturdays, men’s volleyball is at 2pm, and ball hockey for anyone ages 13 and up at 7pm.

On February 14 will be the Valentine’s supper at 5pm, people must have a spot reserved. No activities will be on Sunday, February 19 due to a holiday.

For more information, you can call the JS Community Centre at 922-2690 or 922-2691.

Memorial University is holding a meeting in relation to the strike at the town hall as of 1pm today. The purpose is to share information with, and answer questions from employees whose work is continuing during the strike.

President, Vianne Timmons will be joined by several vice-presidents, including those responsible for Grenfell in Corner Brook and the Marine Institute.

The online forum began at 1pm, and was limited to 1,000 participants.

First Light in St. John’s provides programs and services rooted in the revitalization, strengthening and celebration of Indigenous cultures and languages.

Have you caught their email about programs? If not, join their mailing list and get ready to plan your month with them.

February is packed with exciting events and informative arts, workshops that you won’t want to miss.

You can register now at firstlight.ca/programs-calen.

John Haggie, Education Minister said he’s stepping away from his roles as MHA and Education Minister to deal with a health problem.

He broke the news on his Twitter Account last Tuesday morning saying, “I will be taking some time off to deal with a health concern. My Constituency will remain open.”

“Thank you for your understanding and support at this time,” he said.

Haggie had previously taken some time off in August 2020 deal with an unspecified medical procedure. He was the province’s health minister from 2015 – 2022, when he swapped portfolios with Osborne and became education minister.

Haggie originally from Manchester, moved to Canada in the early 1990’s. He made his career as a surgeon before jumping into politics in 2015, becoming MHA for the Gander region.

He helped lead the province through the early days of the pandemic alongside Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Janice Fitzgerald, and then Premier Dwight Ball.

Haggie is the second cabinet minister to take a leave of absence for medical reasons this month. On January 9, House leader and Tourism Minister, Steve Crocker stepped away to recover from an emergency surgery. Sarah Stoodley is covering his ministerial role, while John Hogan took over as House leader.

Interim PC Leader, David Brazil also took a leave of absence after suffering a near-fatal heart attack in October.