An eviscerating report into Newfoundland and Labrador's personal care homes found hundreds of incidents where residents were evicted, including some being refused re-admittance after needing emergency room visits.

The Fishers’ Loft in Port Rexton is anticipating a busy summer, as Canadians boycott U.S. travel and look to explore our own country, including Newfoundland and Labrador.

Artificial intelligence can’t do the dishes or the laundry, but it can replicate the writing style of just about any author, including those from Newfoundland and Labrador.

A second child died from measles in West Texas amidst an outbreak affecting multiple counties, with over 480 cases reported. The Lubbock Health Department is offering free MMR vaccine clinics to combat the highly infectious disease. In New Mexico, 54 cases and one death have been reported. (UPI)

UConn won its 12th national championship in women's basketball, led by Azzi Fudd's 24 points. Paige Bueckers contributes 17 points in her final game, ending a nine-year title drought. Bueckers, expected to be the top pick in the WNBA draft, overcame past injuries to help secure UConn's latest title. (AP)

Protests against the Trump administration's policies took place nationwide over the weekend. Millions participated in over 1,200 "Hands Off!" demonstrations organized by various groups criticized firing federal workers, cutting essential programs, and reducing protections for vulnerable people. (CBS News)

Severe weather persists in many areas of the U.S., with life-threatening conditions including flooding in Memphis, Tennessee and Little Rock, Arkansas, and tornado watches in Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. The outbreak has resulted in at least 18 deaths, including a 9-year-old swept away by floodwaters in Kentucky and a 5-year-old in Arkansas. (ABC News)

Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals broke the NHL goal record set by Wayne Gretzky with his 895th goal against New York Islanders. A ceremony with Gretzky present commemorated the milestone. Ovechkin credited team and fans, expressing gratitude. Drafted in 2004, Ovechkin consistently ranks among top scorers. (NBC News)

The local emergency room in Botwood has been a hot button issue in the last provincial elections. The Tories are once again raising the issue of reinstating 24 hour emergency care.

NTV’s Colleen Lewis has the story.

They have been trying to stop him from scoring goals for twenty years and still cannot figure it out. Records are made to be broken but it seems that Alex Ovechkin’s goal-scoring record will stand for a long, long time.

Ovechkin scored in the second period to overtake Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894 goals.

Gretzky noted in his speech at the game on Long Island Sunday afternoon that when he broke Gordie Howe’s record, they gave him a Rolls Royce.

Ovechkin began his speech this way “What a day, huh”

One of the more incredible elements of his career is that the Russian winger has had 14 seasons with 40 or more goals and this year, despite missing five weeks with a broken leg, is third in the NHL in goal scoring.

The Deer Lake Red Wings are the 2025 Herder Memorial champions after a win Saturday night.

A local financial advisor is calling the global changes taking place in response to U.S. trade tariffs “a monstrous opportunity” for Canada and the E.U. –  but all countries are now facing what he calls “a wake-up call” on energy policy.

Larry Short of Short Financial, a branch of iA Private Wealth, says while there are opportunities for new trade alliances, it will also require some hard decisions.

Germany, for instance, says Short, had moved away from nuclear power but suddenly had to turn to coal-fired power generation when Russia turned off the fuel taps.

In Canada, he says, it’s clear that we should have eliminated inter-provincial trade barriers “years ago.”

“We do need an east-west pipeline corridor for energy –  for electricity, for natural gas and for oil,” says Short. “That type of long-term infrastructure building (in Canada and countries like Germany) will benefit those countries. So it’s a bit of a wake-up call to say…here’s what we’re faced with, and here’s what we need to adjust to.”

The Atlantic lobster fishery got some welcome news this week, as we learned lobsters will not face U.S. tariffs. But there’s no sigh of relief from folks who depend on stability in the industry, says Geoff Irvine with the Lobster Council of Canada.

A local value-added seafood producer says the current economic climate under U.S. tariffs has proved very challenging for his business.

Danny Dumaresque of Labrador Gem Seafoods says half of his product has traditionally gone to the U.S. market, but “there’s no way to overcome a 25 per cent tariff.”

While the province’s seafood industry has managed to avoid the tariff, for now, continued threats and the uncertainty that it created has forced many producers to look elsewhere.

Dumaresque is now working on securing greater access to buyers in Spain, Italy, France and the U.K.

He says while Canadians “dodged a bullet” in the latest round of American reciprocal tariffs, “Trump is not going to change” which is why he’s working on diversifying his markets.

Dumaresque says there are 450 million people in the European Union who “eat four times as much seafood as we do in North America” and already know Newfoundland and Labrador’s reputation for high-quality seafood products.

Meanwhile, provincial fisheries minister Gerry Byrne has launched a Seafood Marketing Support Program to help local companies expand into global markets.The program is being introduced to help identify, assess, target and develop new market opportunities in response to U.S. and Chinese tariffs.

Non-repayable funding of up to $100,000 is available to local businesses through a $5,750,000 seafood diversification fund.

Byrne says “it is absolutely essential that this threat never be a threat (to local producers) again. We can’t control what the White House or the President does…what we can do is diversify our markets.”

The Seafood Marketing Support Program will focus on:

• Market information and research
• Market development planning
• Adapting products and packaging for new markets
• Market development activities
• Marketing material and promotional tools

Examples of eligible activities include, but are not limited to:

• Re-development of packaging for new markets
• Participation in tradeshows/missions
• Market research
• Brand strategy development
• Advertising
• Export development planning

The first woman to be premier of Newfoundland and Labrador is looking back at her time in office as the province celebrates the 100th anniversary of women securing the right to vote and hold public office.

Kathy Dunderdale took office in December 2010, leading the PC Party following the resignation of Danny Williams.

Dunderdale received a standing ovation in the lobby of the Confederation Building last week during an event celebrating the centennial of women’s suffrage in the province.

Dunderdale indicates that the event was her first time inside the Confederation Building since her decision to resign as premier in January 2014.

She says she was aware of the significance of being the first female premier at the time, but back then, she was more focused on the role’s responsibilities.

She says she looks back at her time in the top job with “great affection” and a “better understanding of it now that (she) has had some distance from it.” She says she is proud of the work that she did and of the people she worked with.

The provincial government has approved seven new projects through the Green Transition Fund.

The government has announced $740,000 in funding.

The recipients of the funding are Ever Green Environmental Corporation, Fisheries and Marine Institute of Memorial University, Newfoundland Adventures Limited, Nunacor Development Corporation, Oceans Advance, Pedego Ebikes, and Qalipu Development Corporation.

To date, throughout the province, there have been 27 projects approved and 23 are currently under assessment by the department. 

The East Coast Music Association has announced the headline for the Kickoff Party.

The Irish Descendants and Newfoundland rock groups Mick Davis and Thin Love and With Violet will perform at the JAG Soundhouse in St. John’s on May 7 at 8:00 p.m.

he Irish Descendants played a pivotal role in introducing traditional Newfoundland music to a broader Canadian audience during the early 1990s, sharing the stage with other iconic bands like Great Big Sea. Their authentic renditions of timeless tunes from the East Coast, blended with an Irish twist, have made them a cherished part of Canada’s folk music scene. Their popularity soared to such heights that they were chosen as the official band for Newfoundland and Labrador’s 500th-anniversary celebrations, where they performed for Her Majesty the Queen.

Tickets are on sale now.

RCMP-RNC Joint Forces Operation West seized a quantity of cocaine, cash, and pills during a traffic stop in Corner Brook on Wednesday.

The driver of the vehicle, 45-year-old Sandra Callahan of Corner Brook, showed signs of alcohol impairment and refused to comply with a breath demand provided as part of an impaired driving investigation. An occupant of the vehicle, 25-year-old Bobby Sheppard of Deer Lake, resisted arrest and was found in breach of a probation order.

Inside the vehicle, officers located and seized approximately 1.5 ounces of cocaine, a large quantity of various pills, a quantity of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, cash and other items consistent with possession for the purpose of drug trafficking.

Callahan and Sheppard are charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. Callahan is additionally charged with refusal of a breath demand. Sheppard is charged with resisting arrest and breach of probation.

Two other individuals were released from custody and are set to appear in court at a later date. The investigation is continuing and more charges are possible.

North Sun Energy, which owns and operates the Orangestore brand, says they are “aggressively” looking at ways to diversify their business.

The company, which is a partnership between North Atlantic and Suncor’s Petro-Canada, recently celebrated a significant milestone with the expansion of Orangestore locations in the Halifax region of Nova Scotia.

President David Button agrees that they always need to be cognizant of the business climate, and as such they are looking at ways of diversifying their business model.

He says they are looking at doing car washes, as well as entering the quick-service restaurant business at some of their existing location.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says fees by Marine Atlantic “act as a tariff” for Newfoundland and Labrador, saying his government if elected, would lower the cost of using the ferry system.

The provincial government said last month that the fees imposed through Marine Atlantic act as a “barbed wire, chain-link gate,” to people of this province, adding that they will not participate in a Canada-wide free trade agreement.

In a one-on-one interview with VOCM News, Singh called it “unfair” to the people of this province.

“So we’re going to fight to lower the cost now. We need to make it easier. We have to bring down those burdens, bring down those costs, because it’s hurting the people of Newfoundland and Labrador, whether it’s bringing in goods or sending out goods. It’s an extra cost. So we’ve got to tackle that.”

It took a couple of hours but the RNC got the person they were looking for.

They tried to stop a vehicle in Conception Bay South early in the evening, but the driver sped off. Officers abandoned the pursuit as they recognized the woman who was driving. They later arrested the 29-year-old  and charged her with flight from police, dangerous driving and breach of court orders.

She was held to appear before a judge today.

A worker at the Delta Hotel was assaulted last evening by an intoxicated man.

Police say the incident happened over the supper hour at the downtown hotel. RNC charged the 34-year-old man with assault, breach of probation and breach of a release order.

He is in jail awaiting a court appearance.

A 24-year-old woman has lost her car after police discovered she had $11,000 in unpaid tickets.

Police pulled over the woman on Canada Drive yesterday afternoon just before 3:00. The woman was also found to have little documentation needed to drive.

She’s been ticketed for driving while suspended, driving without insurance and operating an uninsured vehicle.

For the first time in 20 years, the Herder is going back to Deer Lake.

The Red Wings took game four on Clarenville ice, clinching the best of seven in a sweep.

Drew Langdon scored the go-ahead goal in the middle period, helping his team to a 3-1 win over the Caribous.

The win now marks the third championship in their history, winning in 2001 and 2005.

The consumer carbon tax's demise has made its mark on gas prices across Newfoundland and Labrador, but that doesn't mean carbon pricing will disappear entirely.

Not much can hold St. Lawrence family back from enjoying the outdoors

Lydia Campbell, a legend of Labrador literature, has a new headstone. Campbell’s descendent, Mina Campbell, worked with Them Days magazine and the provincial department of Labrador Affairs to honour her great-great-grandmother’s final resting place.

Firefighters made quick work of a shed fire in Goulds on Saturday evening.

At about 10:00 p.m. fire crews from both the Goulds Volunteer Fire Department and St. John’s Regional Fire Department (SJRFD) were called to a home on Petty Harbour Road. SJRFD Platoon Chief Ed Sears said some residents of the home returned to the shed to find fire consuming an interior wall near a wood stove.

Firefighters made quick work of the fire, cutting holes to ensure all hot spots were extinguished. The fire caused significant damage to the shed, and smoke damage to its contents.

No injuries were reported.

Emergency crews have been kept busy on Saturday attending to multiple motor vehicle incidents in the metro region.

Shortly before 12:30 p.m. crews responded to a two-vehicle collision at the intersection of Columbus Drive and Thorburn Road. A collision between two SUV’s resulted in moderate damage to both vehicles. There were no serious injuries reported. Traffic lights were not functioning at the time of the collision due to a reported pole fire earlier in the day.

Roughly an hour later, at 1:30 p.m. emergency crews were called to two separate collisions at the intersection of Torbay Road and MacDonald Drive. A rear-end collision caused significant damage to a sedan after an SUV was rear-ended. Two other vehicles sustained moderate damage after they collided in the intersection in an unrelated incident.

There were also no serious injuries reported following two incidents in Mount Pearl. Shortly after 4:00 p.m. a rear-end collision on Mount Carson Avenue caused significant damage to at least one vehicle. A pickup truck was also extensively damaged after a single-vehicle crash that saw the vehicle leave the road on Commonwealth Avenue near Heavy Tree Road.

Food First NL has launched a new grant program to help non-profits purchase equipment for school food programs.

The organization is part of a coalition of similar groups from across Atlantic Canada.

They have been tasked with distributing $1-million in federal funding through the program.

As Food First NL CEO Josh Smee explains, the funding can be used by non-profits to purchase equipment that will help them with their programs.

He believes there will be good uptake with the initiative.

Smee says equipment for food-related programs can be expensive. He says it can help pay for several types of equipment, including kitchen items, food storage, and vehicles.

Applications are open until the end of day April 27th.

During his campaign stop in St. John's, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh said his government would recruit thousands of doctors, as well as support local fisherman and workers in the face of Trump's tariff threats. Despite low polling, Singh said there is no chance his party won't win an Atlantic seat in the upcoming election.

The province’s heavy civil industry can’t say enough about the government’s continued five-year road plan.

The Trump tariffs, however, are another story.

This year’s $300 million in funding for provincial highway construction projects was announced Thursday.

It’s part of the $1.4 billion over five years in improvements to provincial roads and highways announced in 2023.

The Heavy Civil Association of Newfoundland and Labrador applauds the certainty that a five-year blueprint provides for planning purposes.

However, executive director Kris Mulcahy says the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s tariffs is a stressor for his industry.

“Equipment is a big one,” he said. “If someone has to get a truck from the States, even if it’s sourced from Canada — some of those parts have to come across the border — that’s a big thing that’s going to have a big impact if people are making new orders for equipment, I think.”

The province announced approvals though the Harvester Enterprise Loan Program, which was launched in July 2024. It expands support for independent fish harvesters and positions the sector for future success.

To date, the Innovation and Business Investment Corporation (IBIC) has approved the following under the program:

• $3.11 million in loan guarantees
• $474,000 in down payment loans
• $269,000 in interest rebates

The Harvester Enterprise Loan Program supports the development of the province’s independent fish harvesting industry through loan guarantees, down-payment loans and interest rebates to fish harvesters.

Qualified harvesters applying for a loan with an eligible financial institution that will be guaranteed by the Provincial Government may be eligible to receive a down-payment loan through the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology, as well an interest rebate to reduce financing costs associated with the loan from the financial institution.

Harvesters interested in applying for the program should complete an application form available on the Harvester Enterprise Loan Program website and contact their local financial institution to inquire about obtaining a loan to be guaranteed by the Provincial Government. The financial institution will subsequently coordinate the application with the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology regarding the loan guarantee, and the department will coordinate with the harvester directly regarding the down-payment loan and interest rebate.

The program represents an investment of up to $10 million towards the down-payment loans and up to $5 million for the interest rebates. Approvals will be based on budget availability and applications will be reviewed on a first come, first served basis.

The program offers increased loan guarantees of up to $2 million for license acquisition, $3 million for vessel-only related items, and $4 million for combining of enterprises. Guaranteed loans are negotiated between the harvester and their financial institution, and must comply with certain conditions, such as a limit on the interest being charged to the harvester.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is investigating a report of shots fired in the capital city’s east end over the lunch hour today.

Police received the call around 12:30 this afternoon and cordoned-off a property at the corner of Virginia Place and Newfoundland Drive with police tape.

RNC say the suspect, or suspects, left the scene in a vehicle before police arrived.

In incident is believed to be targeted. Police have not said whether there were any injuries.

Photo submitted

NL Health Services, in partnership with Compass One Healthcare, Community Connections Housing Coalition, Placentia Chamber of Commerce and other community partners pleased to announce the expansion of the Meals on Wheels program to Placentia.

“NL Health Services is pleased to provide access to nutritious, freshly prepared meals which is an essential part of supporting individuals to live independently and with dignity,” said Debbie Walsh, vice president and chief operating officer, Eastern-Rural zone. “The Meals on Wheels program provides seniors and those in need with healthy, dietitian-approved meals delivered directly to their homes, promoting food security and aging in place.”

The Meals on Wheels program offers freshly prepared, easy-to-heat meals designed for seniors, individuals recovering from illness and those with limited mobility. Orders will be taken starting the week of April 28, 2025, with the first deliveries beginning the week of May 5, 2025.

Applications for the program are now open and can be completed via phone by calling (709) 227-0003.

“The introduction of Steamplicity plates into a Meals on Wheels program marks a significant step forward in enhancing meal quality, safety, and choice for our clients,” said Greg Bayne, Regional Vice President for Compass One Healthcare. “This innovative approach not only ensures meals retain their nutritional value and flavour but also offers the flexibility for individuals to enjoy their meals when it best suits them.”

A local personal care home operator believes the AG’s recent performance audit on personal care homes has tarred all operators with the same unflattering brush.

Former provincial cabinet minister Paul Oram, who owns and operates a number of personal care homes, takes exception to the notion that there is no oversight of personal care operators.

Oram told VOCM Open Line with Paddy Daly that they see Central Health zone representatives “every single day.”

He says quarterly reports are conducted, and “there are file cabinets in every home” that contain documents on meetings that take place every single quarter and contain quarterly reports. “When it comes to staffing, every single month, our managers have to do up a list of the number of residents we have, what their levels of care are, and the number of staff we had on each day.”

Oram admits staffing can be challenging at times. He cites a recent Norwalk virus outbreak that knocked out half his staff, but he’s amazed at how his staff still manage to step up when there’s a need.

He’s had staff go to work in Glovertown from Gander and vice versa. And if they’re really in a pinch, their managers will even go in to work.

The course is set for the 2025 edition of Targa Newfoundland with 25 teams registered so far. Targa 2025 is scheduled from Sept. 11-18.

Targa Newfoundland starts and ends in St. John’s, and covers about 2000 kilometres of roads across the island. Drivers will hug the rolling, rugged coastline and speed through the streets of charming towns and outports that will welcome you with open arms.

The first rally stages will be held along the Irish Loop in Witless Bay, Bay Bulls, Burnt Cove and Bauline East. The next stages are in the Placentia Bay area, which was once the French capital of the region, along the Cape Shore from Point Verde to St. Bride’s, Sanctuary and Cape St. Mary’s. Teams then head to Gander where they’ll race through the streets of the famous airport town.

From there, the rally winds through the central Newfoundland towns and outports along Notre Dame Bay from Glenwood to Leading Tickles including Pleasantview, Point Leamington and Glover’s Harbour before heading to Appleton.

The next leg follows the Road to the Beaches along Eastport Peninsula on Bonavista Bay through the communities of Eastport, Happy Adventure, Salvage, Burnside, and Port Blandford.

Random Island in Trinity Bay will host multiple stages through the outports of Weybridge, Hickman’s Harbour, Lower Lance Cove and Petley.

On the final day of competition in the scenic Conception Bay area, teams will race through Conception Harbour, Colliers, Marysvale, Turk’s Gut, and Georgetown before the finale through the narrow streets of historic Brigus.

A Paradise man’s bank account just got a whole lot chunkier thanks to a Set for Life win through Atlantic Lottery.

Richard Simms says he was on his lunch break at work when he remembered he had a scratch ticket stuck in his visor that he hadn’t scratched yet.

When he checked it, Simms was left “in total shock” to see that it was a winner.

Simms and his wife, Elora, opted to take the lump sum payment of $675,000, which they say will be used to buy their first home and take some family vacations.

Simms is the second Set for Life top prize winner in Newfoundland and Labrador so far this year. Daniel Beason from Colinet won the same prize in February.

The annual Deer Lake Strawberry Festival will take place this year from July 18-20.

The festival this year will coincide with the Town of Deer Lake’s 75th Birthday. 

The band lineup will be announced soon.

The Deer Lake Strawberry Festival is one of the longest ongoing festivals in the province featuring a wide variety of activities.

The NDP announced a plan during a campaign visit to the St. John’s region today to ensure that every Canadian has access to a family doctor by 2030.

It’s estimated that 20 per cent of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians do not have a General Practitioner for their primary health care.

Leader Jagmeet Singh said one of his measures would be to increase the Canadian Health Transfer to the provinces by one per cent. The money would have to be used to increase access to health care by training and hiring more doctors. The funding would not be a blank cheque though, in order to qualify, a province would have to meet conditions.

About 7,500 physicians would be needed in order achieve his objective but with his plan, Leader Singh said it can happen.

He says there are an estimated 15,000 physicians in Canada that are trained, with the only barrier being they cannot get residency in Canada.

“We also have to train more people in our country and look at having more primary care centres,” he said.

The NDP is trailing in the polls but Singh is confident that Mary Shortall will reclaim St. John’s East.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Saturday that an NDP government would improve access to family doctors by opening more residency spots for internationally trained physicians living in Canada, and boost federal health transfers by one per cent to provinces and territories that can 'guarantee' access to doctors.

More than a decade after Mamu Tshishkutamashutau Innu Education took over the school system in Sheshatshiu and Natuashish, attendance numbers and graduation rates have dramatically increased. For its contribution to the community, the school board and its teachers are being honoured by the Innu Nteimun Music Festival.

It was a bittersweet occasion at an art-focused business in Paradise Friday, as a community paid tribute to a young boy who passed away last November, while another family was given a new lease on life.

Friday would have been Jake Anstey’s 12th birthday, and mom Lisa and stepfather Doug used the occasion to help another family in need.

Their wheelchair accessible van, donated by Bursey’s Bus Service and Get Messy NL, has been passed on to mom Sabrina and daughter Avery Reid.

Nicknamed “Chewy” after the Star Wars character, the van will help Avery meet her medical and daily needs.

Lisa Hodder says the donation was a beautiful way to celebrate Jake’s life and carry on his legacy.

“He’s in heaven – it’s his first heavenly birthday,” said Lisa. “We held onto the van for a while because we couldn’t bear the thought of it leaving our driveway but when we thought about what Jake would want, he would want another child to have it and the freedom that it presents.”

Avery’s mom, Sabrina, describes it as like winning the lottery.

Sabrina says the van will bring them freedom, which they do not have right now.

“I can’t take her many places on my own anymore but now we will be able to go where we want to go, and one of the first places will be Rainbow Riders to set her up with some horses.”