The Healthcare Foundation is working with NL Health Services to implement robotic-assisted surgery in the health care system.

The system is known as the dual-console Da Vinci Xi robotic assisted surgical system, and it is being touted as something that will transform the way surgical procedures are done in the province.

The system is already being used in a training capacity at the Health Sciences, and the foundation has launched an $8-million campaign to go toward its purchase and training for staff – for which over half the money has already been raised.

Rugged Rock Media Photo

The foundation says Da Vinci will support over 500 complex surgeries per year, reducing the need for people to travel outside the province. Dr. Angela Bussey, one of the surgeons who has been advocating for it, says the new method can also help with shorter recovery times, fewer complications, and reduced post-op pain.

“Envision the deepest, darkest place that you could go and put a grain of sand there or a little piece of corn and be like, get that for me. You could never do it with your hands, but with the Da Vinci, you can do that. And think about that being a very small amount of cancer or other disease that someone needs to get rid of. And we’re able to do that. So I think that the impact of this device just continues to go on and on.”

A resident of Kenmount Terrace is raising concern that access the neighbourhood once enjoyed to the surrounding countryside and local trail network is being cut off for good.

Stephen Hinchey says he’s lived across from the Lady Anderson access point- a wide gap between the existing houses – since 2012.

He says hundreds of local residents have accessed the area’s trail network through that gap for years, but they’re now shocked and saddened that the spaces are now being filled in with two building lots.

Google Earth image.

He says heavy equipment moved into the area Monday and started digging, and it’s his understanding that the city of St. John’s has no provisions to preserve a pedestrian access lane in the area.

Hinchey says residents are concerned that they’re going to lose their access. He says one of the building lots is oversized, 58 feet instead of 50 feet, and there is space there to maintain access, but he’s spoken with Councillor Tom Davis and messaged others on council and it appears as though there are no provisions to preserve a laneway, even though there is enough space to do so.

The town of Stephenville says it is not responsible for any ongoing financial obligations to the Dymond International Airport related to an agreement that terminated in June of 2023.

The town is offering the clarification in light of recent public statements made by the facility’s owner, Carl Dymond.

This comes as the airport, which was recently downgraded to an aerodrome by NAV Canada, continues to sit idle, and owner Carl Dymond navigates a number of serious financial and legal issues in the courts.

The town says that any prior financial commitments related to the airport have all been fulfilled.

In a release issued to VOCM News, the town says it entered into an agreement with the Stephenville Airport Corporation in March of 2023. At that time, the town agreed to match pre-occupation payments to be made by World Energy GH2 to the airport to the tune of $32,500 a month.

That was to be paid to the airport corporation until World Energy GH2’s occupation date, and their move to paying the market rent rate on occupation or until the agreement was cancelled by either party.

A clause in the agreement allowed for it to be terminated within 30 days’ written notice, and on May 19th 2023, the town issued notice to the Stephenville Airport Corporation, ending the agreement.

As of June 18th of 2023, the matching contribution amount of $32,500 per month was no longer payable or applicable. The town says there is absolutely no obligation by it to continue with that payment, and the town is not responsible for any ongoing financial obligations to Stephenville Dymond International. It’s also “strongly” suggesting that Carl Dymond clarify “any misstatements made” related to the town’s obligations.

A vacant home downtown St. John’s was extensively damaged by fire overnight while an adjoining vacant structure also incurred damage.

The fire broke out at about midnight on Livingstone Street and Goodview St.

A passing RNC patrol car noticed smoke coming from the house just after midnight, and summoned St. John’s Regional, who were on the scene for several hours.

Registration will open on April 2 for the spring 2025 Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshop.

Priority will be given to new applicants who apply to register between April 2 and 4. This year’s event will be held at Burry Heights on Salmonier Line on May 23 to 25.

The workshop is an opportunity for women to learn skills that enhance and encourage participation in outdoor activities. 

Courses include firearm and archery basics, outdoor cooking, fishing basics, preserving wild foods, orienteering, hiking and backpacking, chainsaw safety, and wildlife photography. 

It is designed for individuals 18 years and older and a $295-registration fee covers all meals, accommodations and courses.

A St. John’s theatre is hoping to fill a local gap for budding teenage thespians.

The Majestic Theatre launched its new Young People’s Company at their refurbished downtown location Wednesday afternoon.

They’re looking to hire youth for summer jobs, dabbling in everything from acting to tech positions and even box office management.

The age range for now is 16-23, with casting details set to appear on the Majestic socials next week.

That will be followed by employment offers for the summer.

Managing director Krysta Rudofsky and artistic director Dan Lasby were on hand for yesterday’s launch.

Lasby couldn’t say enough about the opportunity this presents for youth, adding that getting involved was a no-brainer for him.

“We have a couple of companies that do a really good job with the younger group, and then we have a couple of companies that are really great for those continuing on in their artistic life, but there’s a bit of a gap there,” he said. “And so as we were talking through that, Krysta decided as the Majestic, we have this great space that we can offer, we have these resources we can support this with, would you be interested in coming along and helping me on this journey, and I said for sure.”

The Majestic hopes to support the program through ticket sales alone to the eventual performances.

Anyone with interest or questions about the Young People’s Company can email [email protected].

The province now has a new publicly available research tool which enables access to the historical statutes of Newfoundland and Labrador.  

It was designed by the Legislative Library and contains full text of consolidations and annual volumes of statutes from 1833 to 1970. It is also used for searches by title keyword or date.

 The Legislative Library has also upgraded and enhanced features of existing electronic indexes to increase ease of use and accessibility, including the Library’s catalogue, commissions and inquiries, and tabled documents.

Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services says everything it buys is under the microscope as it looks for alternatives to U.S. products, but that it can't come at the cost of affecting patients.

RNC have arrested a woman and charged her with assault in relation to an incident on George Street in February.

Police were called around 3:00 in the morning Sunday, February 16th after a woman suffered minor physical injuries as the result of an altercation with another woman.

Police arrested a 22-year-old St. John’s woman and charged her with assault. She was released from custody on conditions pending a court appearance May 8th.

Local restaurants in St. John's say they're losing money using delivery apps. They say drivers are constantly making mistakes that they have to pay for, and apps take a high commission rate. Now, they're encouraging customers to buy directly from them.

Newfoundland and Labrador craft breweries Landwash Brewery and Yellowbelly Brewery are releasing patriotic beverages in response to threats to Canada’s sovereignty from the U.S.

The St. John’s Board of Trade is holding an event today focusing on economic issues.

The event will look at some of the biggest issues affecting businesses including US tariffs, shifts in the energy sector, and strategies for economic growth.

Goldy Hyder, the CEO of the Business Council of Canada, and Premier Andrew Furey will be speaking at the event.

It gets underway just before 1p.m. at the JAG Soundhouse.

Dollar Tree has agreed to sell its Family Dollar division for over $1 billion to Brigade Capital Management and Macellum Capital Management. The sale aims to maximize value for Dollar Tree shareholders and position Family Dollar for future success and growth. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025. (UPI)

The Supreme Court upheld a Biden administration regulation on "ghost guns," requiring serial numbers, background checks, and age verification for purchasing kits online. The 7-2 decision found that current gun laws allow regulation of these untraceable firearms, which have been increasingly linked to crime. (AP News)

Prince Harry has resigned as a patron of the charity Sentebale, which he co-founded in 2006 to support children in southern Africa affected by HIV/AIDS. His departure, along with co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, came amid the resignation of five trustees due to an internal dispute regarding the charity's mission. (CBS News)

A case of measles was confirmed in a person who traveled on an Amtrak train to Washington, D.C., potentially exposing others at various locations. DC Health is working to notify individuals who may have been in contact with the infected person, particularly those who are unvaccinated or lack immunity to measles. (ABC News)

Senate Republicans are reconsidering including a debt ceiling increase in a large party-line bill to advance President Trump’s agenda. There has been a shift, as the Congressional Budget Office has projected that the deadline for lawmakers to act on the debt ceiling or risk default on U.S. obligations this summer. (NBC News)

St. John’s council has renewed what’s become a popular summer attraction in one of the city’s most historic hideaways.

The Wharf at Quidi Vidi, in the heart of The Gut, was approved for another two years during yesterday’s council meeting.

It consists of five food trucks, an ice cream shop, a kiosk for food and beer, a tent, picnic tables and bathrooms.

And while the setup has been drawing tourists by the droves, some locals have been put off by the added traffic and parking woes.

Council noted operators Long Harbour Holdings continue to work with residents on solutions to those problems.

Meanwhile, Mayor Danny Breen dreams of the day when regular traffic is no longer allowed down there.

“Perhaps some accessible parking spaces and taxi drop-off zones,” he said. “But it’s truly a beautiful place; it’s one of the gems of the city, and I think that move would just make it that much better for everybody.”

The Wharf at Quidi Vidi will operate seven days a week from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. for the food trucks and tent, and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. for the ice-cream shop, from May to September this year and next.

In February, all 20 crew members of the MSC Baltic III were rescued after the cargo ship became grounded. The ship is still there, and the CBC’s Leila Beaudoin got a closer look at the Canadian Coast Guard’s operation to protect the ecosystem and remove the vessel.

Yet another area of low pressure will bring rain and snow across the Island and southern Labrador on Thursday. The heaviest snow will fly over central and western Newfoundland, while rain will fall in the southeast. The weather improves late Thursday night as the low departs. Get more details in Wednesday’s forecast from the NTV Evening News Hour!

Robotic-assisted surgery could soon be offered in Newfoundland and Labrador. Doctors say it will be a game-changer for patients and surgeons in the province.

NTV’s Beth Penney has more.

The province’s nurses union is once again calling for more to be done to protect their members against workplace violence, harassment and injuries. As NTV’s Ryan Harding reports, this time, the call is going out to anyone who will listen.

It’s been six weeks since the grounding of a large cargo ship near Lark Habour and crews continue to work on removing it. 

It’s a complex salvage job, but today, an update on the progress. NTV’s Jodi Cooke has this report.

Police say another dangerous drug is making the rounds in this province and is responsible for at least one recent death on the Northeast Avalon. NTV’s Marykate O’Neill has the details. 

A group of women in central Newfoundland say they've rediscovered their passion for figure skating and competition by coming together to form an adult skating team.

Plans to introduce robot-assisted surgery tools to Newfoundland and Labrador's health-care system were unveiled to the public on Wednesday, and the Health Care Foundation says it's already over halfway toward its fundraising goal to make it a reality.

The provincial government says it has a “constructive working relationship” with Memorial University, but it won’t agree to increase MUN’s funding as the university stares down a nearly $9-million deficit.

Last week, a coalition of nearly 20 unions and campus associations called on the province to step in and increase MUN’s funding.

In a statement to VOCM News, the department of education says they pump $400-million in to the institution every year, representing over 70 per cent of MUN’s operating revenue.

The province calls that among the largest sums of provincial funding provided to a public university in the country.

Government says MUN is an autonomous organization, and as such it is responsible for operational decisions related to salaries and infrastructure.

That said, government indicates it will continue to speak with MUN regarding the issues it is facing.

Water was pouring from the ceiling when staff at the Pleasantville branch of the Royal Canadian Legion arrived for work on Monday. Branch president Mark Brown says the building will be closed until further notice, a blow to Legion finances and the many users of the space. Brown gave the CBC’s Zach Goudie a look at the damage.

The Northpine Foundation is investing up to $2 million in a St. John's shelter and health centre, but the foundation's executive director says they must hit targets for helping get people secure housing.

Two of the most serious sexual violence cases in the province were called in neighboring St. John’s courtrooms this morning.

The cases may be unrelated but the allegations are disturbingly similar, involving the violent sexual exploitation of dozens of vulnerable youth on the Northeast Avalon Peninsula.

Thirty-four-year-old Markus Hicks and 64-year-old Tony Humby were both arrested and charged in 2023. Humby and his co-accused, 84-year-old Bruce Escott, were arrested in April of that year.

Hicks was a Paradise teacher and volleyball coach when he was picked up and jailed in September. He faces more than 200 charges, accused of using dozens of fake names on social media, both male and female, to lure mostly youth to his home for sex over the past decade.

Police allege he went by names like Maria Winchester, Brittany Campbell, Isabella Ricci and Corinne Smith, concealing his identify during the sex acts at his home.

Hicks has been in custody at Bishop’s Falls since his arrest, appearing by video as lawyers continue to finalize what’s expected to be a plea deal by mid-April.

Bruce Escott is shown on video last month at the Bishop’s Falls Correctional Centre. (VOCM News)

Humby, meanwhile, was on track for a similar resolution earlier this month, until new information thrust the case into closed hearings to determine its admissibility.

Those arguments, which can’t be reported, are expected to continue for the rest of this week.

Humby faces more than 70 sexual violence charges. Escott has already been sentenced to 13 years in prison.

Meanwhile, the specter of so-called Jordan timelines hangs over both provincial court cases which, by law, are supposed to be concluded within 18 months of charges being laid.

The defence has said delays won’t be an issue in the Hicks matter, but it remains to be seen in the Humby case.

The court can also exercise some flexibility with those timelines in more complex cases.

The RNC has arrested a female in connection with a report of an assault in St. John’s.

On Sunday, Feb. 16, shortly after 3 a.m., the RNC received a report of an assault that had occurred on George Street. Investigating officers determined that a female had sustained minor physical injuries following an interaction with another female.

Following an investigation, a 22-year-old female from St. John’s was arrested and charged with assault. The accused was released from custody on conditions and is scheduled to appear in provincial court on May 8.

Police have laid new charges against a 66-year-old man previously charged with attempted murder following the death of a snowmobiler in Port au Port.

RNC are searching for a woman reported missing from the St. John’s area.

Police say 40-year-old Romaine Keefe is described as 5 feet 4 inches tall and 225 bounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

She was last seen around 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 22nd in the area of Cochrane Street. There is no available description of the clothes she was wearing at the time.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the RNC by calling 709-729-8000 or Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-222-8477

St. John’s council has cleared the way for a new 10-storey apartment building on the former YMCA and Max Athletics site.

They signed off on changes yesterday for what will be one of the tallest residential structures in the city, alongside Kenna’s Hill.

A two-storey parking garage was part of the original plans by developer KMK Capital in 2023, but that was removed from the final draft.

Instead, they sought parking relief for six of the 117 spaces required, which council took in stride and approved.

But KMK also wanted an exemption for so-called stepbacks, which narrow the upper storeys to reduce impact on neighbours.

A commissioner cited the city’s new Envision regulations in recommending against the exemption.

But Councillor Maggie Burton noted that plan was authored before the housing crisis, and in this case would be unfair for the developer.

“I think that this site is not sensitive enough to require the stepback requirement, which would likely kill the project due to the amount of money it would take to fit out the building in the strange shape … ,” she said. “I believe the developer that this is an undue burden and I believe the research and jurisdictional scans that they’ve done to show us that other municipalities don’t work this way.”)

Not all councilors were okay with the exemption, with Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O’Leary and Councilor Tom Davis opposed.

The existing building at 34 New Cove Road will be demolished before the new one goes up, but no timeline has been provided.

More charges have been laid against a man accused of attempting to murder a snowmobiler near Port au Port on March 17th.

RCMP say 66-year-old Wayne Hynes of Port au Port West was charged with attempted murder after a man, who was driving a snowmobile on Gravel’s Pond, suffered life-threatening injuries.

RCMP say as part of their continuing investigation, Hynes is now facing additional charges of using a firearm in the commission of a criminal offence, careless use of a firearm, pointing a firearm, discharging a firearm with intent to endanger the life of a person, assault with a weapon and aggravated assault.

Hynes remains in custody pending his next court appearance on Monday, March 31st.

Additional charges have been laid by RCMP NL’s Major Crime Unit (MCU) against 66-year-old Wayne Harold Hynes of Port au Port West.

Hynes was charged with attempted murder on March 17 in relation to an incident that occurred in Port au Port on February 21. A snowmobiler was shot while traveling across Gravel’s Pond and was left with life-threatening injuries.

In continuing with the investigation, yesterday, police laid the following additional criminal charges against Hynes:

• Using a firearm in the commission of a criminal offence
• Careless use of a firearm
• Pointing a firearm
• Discharging a firearm with intent to endanger the life of an individual
• Assault with a weapon
• Aggravated assault

Hynes remains in custody at this time. His next court appearance is March 31.

The investigation is continuing.

The leader of the province’s NDP is chiming in on a recent VOCM Question of the Day which shows an overwhelming majority of respondents support the removal of the HST from light and power bills.

Newfoundland Power customers were shocked last month when power bills came in considerably higher than expected.

The bills appeared to be so out of whack that the PUB asked the utility to review its billing processes and report back. Newfoundland Power defended the higher than usual bills, saying they were the result of colder temperatures, increased billing days and high winds.

Yesterday’s VOCM Question of the Day asked whether government should consider removing the HST from light and power bills. The tax adds another 15 per cent to each and every power bill. Ninety-six percent of those who responded said yes.

NDP Leader Jim Dinn told VOCM Open Line with Paddy Daly that government rejected a private member’s motion brought forward by the NDP asking that the provincial portion of the HST from all forms of home heating.

“Unfortunately” says Dinn, “the only people who voted in favour of our motion happened to be Jordon (Brown) and me.” He says at the time, government indicated that it wasn’t possible because the HST is a federal matter and the province is tied to it. “Yet we saw a three-month HST holiday…in the early part of time year, so I believe anything is possible.”

The federal election is underway and voters in Newfoundland will have noticed that some ridings have changed boundaries and names.

St. John’s South-Mount Pearl is now known as Cape Spear, the Coast of Bays-Central-Notre Dame is now simply Central Newfoundland, and Bonavista-Burin-Trinity is now Terra Nova-The Peninsulas.

Every ten years electoral boundaries are reviewed, and some boundaries have also shifted this year, as the result of changes made by the Electoral Boundaries Commission.

The number of ridings in the province remains the same at seven.

Francoise Enguehard says voters will be able to check to see in which riding they will be casting their ballot by going online.

She says voters can check at www.elections.ca by entering their postal code. Otherwise election cards outlining your riding and where you need to go to cast your ballot will be distributed through Canada Post in the coming days.

A young St. John’s performer will be featured on American Idol this weekend.

Twenty-four-year-old Will Carter has been playing music since he was able to walk.

Carter applied to compete on the show and after a series of Zoom calls, he got the invitation to travel to New York to show off for judges on the American Idol stage including well-known stars like Lionel Ritchie and Carrie Underwood.

He admitted on VOCM Open Line with Paddy Daly to some nerves during the experience.

“Going into that room is definitely nerve-wrecking” says Carter, “you’ve got some big, heavy hitters in the industry listening to you sing which…definitely took a lot of courage to do.”

Carter calls it a great opportunity that he hopes will open some doors and was a great experience in playing under pressure.

The show airs this Sunday at 9:30 Newfoundland time on ABC.

The RNC is searching for missing person, Romaine Keefe, reported missing from St. John’s.

The 40-year-old female is described as being approximately 5’4” tall, and 225 lbs, with brown hair and brown eyes. Keefe was last seen on March 22 at 1 p.m. in the area of Cochrane Street. There is no clothing description available.

Anyone with information pertaining to the whereabouts of Keefe is asked to contact the RNC at 709-729-8000. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

They say churches are more than just bricks and mortar, and one minister has taken that to a whole new level.

Reverend James Spencer of St. Mary’s Anglican Church in Clarenville created a Lego replica of the churches, a labour of love that took him a little over a year.

Spencer says he’s always had an interest in Lego and decided to give the church a try.

He says some of the Lego blocks were hard to find, and many of them had to be shipped in from away.

“The whole reason why I built this was, basically, the church is, it’s a beautiful building, and I love being able to work in it,” he said.

“The main inspiration for building this was as a thank you to the wonderful people of my parish. They are a fantastic group, since I’ve been here, I’ve been here a year and a half now, and I did this basically for them.”

Reverend Spencer also completed a similar Lego model of his church in Burgoyne’s Cove, and each set is on display in their corresponding churches.

The RNC is warning the public of the presence of a synthetic opioid, Protonitazine, which is being distributed on the illicit market. Through a toxicology report connected to a recent sudden death on the Northeast Avalon, the RNC has confirmed the presence of the synthetic opioid that is three times more potent than fentanyl, which is known to have fatal effects in minute doses.

This investigation has determined that Protonitazine was obtained on the illicit market, sold as Dilaudid. The pill form of Protonitazine appears almost identical to a Dilaudid pill.

The RNC is advising drug users to use extreme caution when using illicit drugs given there are no controls in place to confirm the validity of the content of  the substances.

Jodie Ashini says an Innu painting permanently installed in the lobby of the Confederation Building holds particular significance to her family. That’s because it was her uncle Patrick Nuke’s last creation. Ashini told the CBC’s Mark Quinn what it means to have her community represented there.

Police are warning about the presence of Protonitazine in pills being sold as Dilaudid on the streets of the northeast Avalon.

The RNC is warning about the presence of a new, and dangerous, synthetic opioid in the community.

RNC Cst. James Cadigan says the Constabulary was notified this week of a sudden death in the metro region related to exposure to the drug.

“The toxicology report did indicate the presence of protonitazene, which is a synthetic opioid, said to be three times more potent than fentanyl which we know to have fatal effects in minute doses.”

Cadigan says the RNC has received multiple reports in the past 12 months alone of different synthetic opioids now present in illicit drugs in the community.

“We learned that this protonitazene substance was being sold as a dilaudid,” in the illicit market says Cadigan. “So, it appears to be a dilaudid pill. For anyone buying a pill on the street level, in the illicit market, it goes to show you cannot put any faith in what you’re truly receiving in return.”

The RNC is stressing the importance of having a Naloxone kit on hand if you consume illicit drugs because in many cases, it’s difficult to know what you’re really getting.

The FFAW is taking aim at Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson after DFO cut crab quotas in Zone 3K on the eve of a federal election.

Harvesters had held a protest in Grand Falls-Windsor Friday calling for “fair quotas” in Zone 3K off the northeast coast of Newfoundland.

“Minister Joanne Thompson has demonstrated a profound failure in leadership today in her first act as fisheries minister, leaving 3K harvesters waiting for a full day and late into the evening without communication or resolution,” the FFAW posted on its web site Friday.

“Late this evening, FFAW-Unifor finally received confirmation from DFO Deputy Minister Annette Gibbons regarding the 3K snow crab TAC: a 25% reduction for offshore and a 20% reduction for inshore. These cuts are wholly unacceptable to fish harvesters, as they are fundamentally misaligned with the ecological realities of the region.

“Minister Thompson’s decision to delegate the responsibility of her first significant policy action reflects a deplorable lack of respect for fish harvesters whose livelihoods rely upon her competency.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to call a federal election Sunday. Thompson will be seeking re-election for the Liberals in St. John’s East, where she will be facing Conservative candidate David Brazil and NDP candidate Mary Shortall.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has released the quotas for the 2025 snow crab fishery, and while the numbers are up overall, some regions have been hard hit.

It's quiet, but there is still lots of energy in Isle aux Morts. Every year, during a few days in February, there is a deep expression of love, not just for St. Valentine, but for the community and a great Canadian game — hockey. This year marked the 10th annual Isle aux Morts Winter Classic.