It used to be a joke in Ukraine, too. Katarina Gavrilyuk says the idea that Russia would invade her country wasn’t taken seriously — until it happened. Now, on the third anniversary of the war, she and other Ukrainians living in St. John’s say President Trump’s talk of making Canada the 51st state feels all too familiar.

Premier Andrew Furey spoke with Quebec Premier Francois Legault today to assure him that the Memorandum of Understanding signed on the Upper Churchill will not be affected by a change in leadership.

The premier surprised everyone on Tuesday by announcing his intention to step down from political life once a new party leader is chosen.

What that means for the work now underway to finalize a deal on the future expansion of the Upper Churchill and the development of Gull Island is in the hands of negotiators and lawyers, says Furey.

He assured Legault that they’ve set the negotiating team and the oversight committee, “and now it’s really a lot of heavy-lifting by the lawyers.”

A swimmer with Memorial University has broken another AUS record, this time in both the 50 m Freestyle and the 100 m Freestyle.

Chris Weeks of Mount Pearl broke the record at the AUS Championship Meet at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, totaling 21.87 seconds in the 50 m and 47.81 seconds in the 100 m.

Weeks is already on the record list for his 50 m butterfly, set back in November.

It was the second record MUN broke over the weekend, after Sara Pace broke an AUS record with her pole jump, landing at a record-breaking 3.3 m.

I’ll have your full forecast coming up on the news this evening starting at 5:30 PM.

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RCMP confirm there is an increased police presence at Pearce Junior High in Burin in relation to “online threats” that were made at the beginning of the month.

Police were informed of the threats last night.

An investigation is ongoing in consultation with the school.

There is no immediate risk to public safety.

Two drivers, one in North River and the other in Port aux Basques, were arrested by RCMP NL for impaired operation on Feb. 25.

At approximately 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Bay Roberts RCMP responded to a single-vehicle crash in North River.  A vehicle was stuck in a snow bank on North River Road.  Upon arrival, police observed signs of alcohol impairment and administered a roadside breath test on the driver, a 36-year-old man. The man failed the roadside breath test and was arrested for impaired operation.  At the detachment, the man provided further breath samples that were more than twice the legal limit.

Later that evening, shortly after 8:00 p.m., Channel-Port aux Basques RCMP were called to the Marine Atlantic Ferry Terminal in Port aux Basques to investigate a suspected impaired driver who was waiting to board the ferry. The driver, a 51-year-old man, failed a roadside breath test and was arrested for impaired operation. At the detachment, the man provided further breath samples that were more than three and a half times the legal limit.

Both drivers were released from custody and are set to appear in court at later dates to answer to charges of impaired operation. Both drivers received licence suspensions and the vehicles were seized and impounded.

A police investigation into reports of a seriously injured snowmobiler resulted in a Port au Port home being searched on Tuesday.

A bus shelter on Cornwall Avenue in St. John’s is no more after an SUV slammed into it over the lunch hour.

The vehicle struck the shelter and came to a stop when it struck a utility pole. Fortunately, there was no-one in the bus shelter, which was pushed off its concrete base and reduced to a pile of twisted metal.

The cause of the crash is under investigation.

A bus shelter in the west end of St. John’s was destroyed in a single-vehicle crash late Wednesday morning.

Emergency crews were called to the intersection of Cornwall Avenue and Glenview Terrace shortly before noon following the crash. The driver of an SUV traveling westbound on Cornwall Avenue lost control of the vehicle, crashing into the bus shelter. The force of the impact destroyed the shelter and sent broken glass flying more than thirty metres down the road. The SUV also sustained significant damage, after also striking a utility pole.

The driver of the car was assessed at the scene by paramedics, but was not taken to hospital. They reportedly suffered minor injuries, and were last seen speaking with police from the back of a police car. It was unknown if any charges were pending.

There was no one in or near the bus shelter at the time of the crash.

Personnel with Metrobus and with Newfoundland Power were summoned to the scene to assess damage. Traffic was slowed in the area for a while.

RCMP, warrant in hand, searched a home in Port au Port West yesterday as part of their ongoing investigation into an unusual incident that left a snowmobiler seriously injured.

Police say a number of items were seized from a home on Front Road.

The search was conducted after a man fell from his snowmachine while riding in the area of Gravel’s Pond in Port au Port Friday afternoon.

Police later determined that the injuries suffered were not consistent with a fall from a snowmobile, and an investigation is underway into how the man got injured.

Anyone with information, or potential surveillance images, is asked to contact the RCMP’s Major Crimes Unit.

St. John’s city council is asking the provincial government for more leeway in procurement decisions, with the goal of avoiding U.S. products and services as President Donald Trump’s tariffs loom.

RCMP in Port aux Basques were called to the Marine Atlantic ferry terminal about a suspected impaired driver in the lineup to board the ferry.

The 51-year-old provided breath samples that were more than three and a half times the legal limit.

Meanwhile, RCMP in Bay Roberts arrested a 36-year-old man for impaired driving after responding to a report of a vehicle stuck in a snow bank in North River.

The driver failed a roadside breath test and was arrested at the scene. He later provided breath samples that were more than twice the legal limit.

Both drivers were released to appear in court at later dates. Both had their licences suspended and their vehicles seized.

The salvage operation at Lark Harbour is getting bigger in scope and more complicated, and it’s possible that the timeline in removing the grounded Baltic III cargo ship could extend into years.

The Coast Guard’s Bruce English says an inspection of the hull shows extensive cracks and holes, but the 1.7 million litres of heavy fuel and gas remains contained within the vessel.

The focus now is on removing that fuel from the vessel, and that means much of the cargo on board has to be removed first.

T&T Salvage is involved in the salvage operation.

English says discussions currently underway involve, among other things, road access to the site.

Photo via Canadian Coast Guard

“There is an existing road that goes out there to a couple of different locations, but it wouldn’t be enough to get tractor trailers out there,” so a proposal is being developed to address that. In terms of sea-side access, that comes at the mercy of the ocean conditions. There is a “whole crew” of salvagers on board the vessel today.

Once the fuel is removed, the focus will shift to removal of the vessel, but because of the damage to the hull, floating the ship is unlikely.

English says that could mean the vessel might have to be dismantled, a process that could take an extended period of time. A couple of staging areas have been set up as the operation continues. He says they’re consulting now with local harvesters who may be affected by the increased activity.

Submitted photo

Right now there are no fishing boats in Little Port says English, but “we understand there are a lot of them fishing out of that area…” and they’re looking at the possibility of setting up an alternate staging area.

A 22-year-old is without her license after getting caught driving almost 70 km/h over the speed limit yesterday.

RCMP caught the woman on the Trans-Canada Highway near Foxtrap going 171 km/h in a 100 km/h zone.

She’s now been ticketed, her license has been suspended, and her vehicle has been impounded.

A Dalhousie University political science professor says last night’s English language Liberal leadership debate was less a competition than a group of like-minded individuals expressing different priorities.

Lori Turnbull says while Carney’s leadership is looking more and more like a foregone conclusion, the other leadership hopefuls appear to be positioning themselves for various roles within the Liberal caucus.

Turnbull says she was impressed with Frank Baylis’ performance last night.

“He was well-informed, he’s got a plan, he rolled it out, I thought he was excellent,” says Turnbull of Baylis, “but, that’s not what these things are for…Carney’s got a whole machine going” and “he’s very likely to come out of this the winner.”

Photo via YouTube

Turnbull says Karina Gould also appears to be differentiating herself from the other leadership hopefuls, delivering a withering jab at Carney by suggesting, “you can’t bring a calculator to a knife fight.”

“I think Gould is positioning herself to be that voice of the left wing of the party,” says Turnbull, “in the event that it does become the Carney Liberal party,” similar to Sheila Copps’ role in the Chretien and Martin governments. “That kind of thing that kept the party balanced. I think that’s where she’s trying to wedge herself in. Her seat is not particularly safe either,” so raising her profile “is a good idea.”

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business says the concept of mutual recognition is one way to remove trade barriers between provinces.

Atlantic Vice President Louis-Philippe Gauthier says there’s “no question” that businesses face challenges when they have to deal with another province, such as around licensing, additional red tape, and additional costs.

He says there have been “some areas of improvement” since the Canadian Free Trade Agreement was put in place in 2017, but the work is “tedious,” and at the rate things are moving, it would take “decades” to remove the barriers.

Gautier says that’s why he is recommending that provinces take a mutual recognition approach – which means that if a person or business is certified in one province, it is automatically recognized in other provinces.

He outlined what he called a “huge development” yesterday, in which Nova Scotia tabled legislation saying they would recognize another province’s rules as long as they were also recognized.

Gauthier says the legislation shows that it is do-able, despite what he calls years of provinces saying they have to do it “step-by-step.” He says Nova Scotia has “shown the path, and hopefully other governments will seize the opportunity.”

Three years on from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, many are waiting to see how the war could end – but the effect of U.S. President Donald Trump on how things proceed is creating “anxiety” among many.

That’s according to Bruce Lilly, who is with the Avalon chapter of the Ukrainian National Federation.

Lilly says people don’t know what they are going to get from day-to-day.

“So if you’re paying too close attention to what’s said on Thursday and you’re trying to figure out what’s about to happen, and then by Saturday a whole other headline from that government is now on the front page. So that unknowing of what’s going to happen, how things are going to shake out, whether Ukraine is going to be carved up or whether there’s going to be some sort of fair actual peace deal where its borders are respected, is a big question. So Ukrainians are in a period of waiting.”

St. John’s Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O’Leary wants to get the ball rolling on the city’s strategy in response to new, crippling tariffs by the U.S.

The flat 25 per cent tariffs are due to take effect next week, and could devastate business and government across the country.

O’Leary tabled a motion yesterday seeking a review of wherever the city can exclude U.S. goods and services.

It also seeks to shut down the city’s X (formerly Twitter) account and look at other options, of which there are many, noted Councillor Ophelia Ravencroft.

“There is always opportunity to shift. We at the city have a fantastic, proactive communications team who propagate information through multiple platforms and avenues and there lots of different ways to go about this. We do not need to rely on Twitter moving forward. But beyond that, I’d say this motion is incredibly important. I’d say I’m proud to support it but I wish you didn’t have to put it forward.”

The motion also calls for continued support of local business to diversity and strengthen the economy, and writing the Prime Minister to keep him apprised.

In response to a recent surge in crime and violence in the Conception Bay North region, the SPLASH Centre in Harbour Grace will hold a community meeting.

The meeting takes place today from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Harbour Grace Marina.

The event will host community leaders, health professionals, educators, and concerned citizens. Through an open dialogue, the aim is to come up with solutions to create a safer region.

It appears as though an unusual situation on Whitley Drive was finally resolved yesterday afternoon.

Members of the RNC’s tactical unit assisted Mount Pearl city workers in removing an aggressive dog from a home.

The dog had attacked and injured a person in the home on Monday, and city officials were unable to remove the animal because of its aggressive behaviour.

The animal was sedated and removed from the home and eventually had to be euthanized.

Environment Canada has issued coastal flood warnings for the Avalon Peninsula's south coast and Placentia Bay.

RCMP on the West Coast are continuing to investigate an incident that occurred last week in Port au Port that left a snowmobiler with serious injuries.

Police are seeking assistance from the public to identify anyone who may have been travelling through the area when the incident occurred at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

The RCMP responded to the report of an injured snowmobiler on Gravel’s Pond in Port au Port.  The operator of the snowmobile fell from the machine after it came to a stop and sustained serious injuries that do not appear to be consistent with the fall from the snowmobile. The cause of the injury sustained remains under investigation.

Today police are asking for the public’s assistance, looking to speak with anyone who travelled along the isthmus, an area commonly known as the gravels, in Port au Port between the hours of 3:57 p.m. to 4:05 p.m. on Friday. 

Motorists are asked to check for possible dashcam surveillance during that time and to provide the surveillance footage to police.

Anyone having information about the incident is asked to contact police at 709-643-2118.

The PC health critic is urging the government to take action after he was once again sent pictures of what he calls “disgraceful” conditions in their hospital room.

Photos sent to the party by a cardiac patient show what appears to be water damage, dirt, and mould in the shower area of their hospital room.

This is the second time in the last year that Barry Petten has gone public with images he has received from patients. Photos from last year showed what appeared to be garbage behind a patient’s bedside table, as well as rodent droppings and traps.Speaking on VOCM Open Line with Paddy Daly, Petten said the conditions are “not good enough.”

He says people are going to the hospital to deal with serious illnesses, and the conditions are “not good enough.”

VOCM News has reached out to NL Health Services for a response.

Meanwhile, minister after minister said they were shocked by the news, and they looked it.

Deputy Premier Siobhan Coady and Minister Pam Parsons said they were summoned to a caucus meeting shortly before the big announcement, but had no idea what was coming.

Both Coady and Parsons put Furey among the best, if not THEE best premier of this province.

Minister Responsible for Women and Gender Equality Pam Parsons (File photo)

Parsons said his leadership has had a profound impact on all of caucus and beyond.

“I’m very shocked and I am heartbroken today,” she said. “And I think there’s going to be a lot of sad hearts across Newfoundland and Labrador, maybe even Canada, because he’s shown some outstanding leadership, not just on the provincial stage, as we know what we’re facing from the U.S., we’ve seen him be a leader on the national stage here in Canada.”

Furey and Deputy Premier Siobhan Coady during the launch of this province on the London Stock Exchange in 2023. (File photo)

Asked who might succeed Furey, Coady said it was simply too soon.

“This is brand new to all of us,” said Coady. “So whether Pam or others or myself think about leadership into the future, let’s let that sit for a few minutes and make some decisions as we move forward.”

Opposition Reacts

NDP Leader Jim Dinn (File/VOCM News)

NDP Leader Jim Dinn says news that premier Andrew Furey is stepping down was a “shocker” and “totally unexpected.”

Dinn heard the news while over in Germany, attending the Aspen Germany’s Laboratories of Democracy Initiative.

He acknowledges comments from the premier saying that he never intended to be a career politician, noting that he had a list of things he wanted to accomplish.

Premier Furey embraces his son following the announcement of his resignation. (VOCM News)

Dinn also notes the strain that political life can have on one’s family, and that’s something he can appreciate, noting that Furey has a young family.

He says says PEI Premier Dennis King stepped down last week for similar reasons, so “it was a shock and in many ways it wasn’t a shock.”

PC Leader Tony Wakeham (File/VOCM News)

Meanwhile, PC Leader Tony Wakeham is recognizing Furey for his commitment to the province, and wished him and his family the best in their next chapter.

Wakeham says while they may not have always agreed, he has “respect (for) anyone who takes on the responsibility of leading our great province.”

Breen Thanks Furey During Council Meeting

St. John’s Mayor Danny Breen (File photo)

The mayor of St. John’s said if Furey was going for shock value, it worked.

Reacting to the news during yesterday’s council meeting, Danny Breen said government’s loss is health care’s gain.

“I know that he’s choosing to go back to his career (as a surgeon),” he said. “And even though that’s a loss as premier of the province, it’s certainly an addition as a fine doctor in our province, so thank you to Dr. Furey and his family for your time as premier.”

A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING is in effect from this evening until midnight for the following areas:

• Southern Coastline of the Avalon Peninsula
• Eastern and Northern Shorelines of Placentia Bay (including Ragged Islands)
• Western Shoreline of Placentia Bay

This warning is in effect for parts of the coast due to the following hazard(s): Moderate storm surge. Higher than normal water levels. Flooding is possible along the coastline. The water levels will be highest near high tide, which will occur between 5:30 PM and 7:30 PM this evening.

Winds are expected to be stronger in St. Mary’s Bay than in Placentia Bay, which will generate higher waves adding a small risk of damage to coastal infrastructure on top of the risk of flooding from storm surge.

These warnings are issued when water levels pose a flooding threat to coastal areas.

A SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT is in effect from near 4 AM to near 9 AM Thursday morning, due to the potential of MINOR COASTAL FLOODING for the following areas:

• St. John’s & vicinity
• Avalon Peninsula North
• Clarenville & vicinity
• Bonavista Peninsula
• Terra Nova
• Bonavista North
• Bay of Exploits

Low barometric pressure will coincide with high astronomical tide and moderate waves to produce elevated water levels. Minor coastal flooding is possible along the shorelines from Notre Dame Bay to Conception Bay.

The water levels will be highest early Thursday morning. Most significant near high tide. High tide will occur between 4:30 AM and 8:30 AM.

The following schools are closed all day:
Brian Peckford Primary
Cape John Collegiate
Copper Ridge Academy
Dorset Collegiate
Green Bay South Academy
Hampden Academy
Indian River Academy
Indian River High School
M.S.B. Regional Academy
Main River Academy
Phoenix Academy
St. Peter’s Academy (Westport)
Valmont Academy

The following schools are closed for the morning with an update to follow regarding afternoon classes:
New World Island Academy
Riverwood Academy
Victoria Academy

Flooding will be a concern today as heavy rain pounds parts of the south coast and the Avalon.

Rainfall warnings are in effect with anywhere from 30 to 50 mm expected, paired with strong gusts of up to 100 km/h for parts of the coast.

Environment Canada meteorologist Justin Boudreau says the exception to that is the Placentia Bay area where a coastal flood warning has been issued with amounts up to 80 mm possible.

Parts of central and western Newfoundland are only in for some light precipitation today, but that’ll be followed by a shot of winter right off the back.

About 15 to 20 cm is expected in those areas, with the possibility of more for local areas. Winds will pick up this evening causing blowing snow.

Boudreau says the tide will be high for the southern Avalon and Notre Dame Bay for the next day or so with a storm surge warning in effect.

As the low moves away from the island and the new moon tomorrow, water levels are expected to be high in those coastal areas.

Roads are currently bare across most of the Island. There is some reduced visibility due to the rain that is currently falling. On the Great Northern Peninsula, roads are snow-covered.

In Labrador, roads are partly snow-covered with icy patches and drifting snow.

Marine Atlantic has cancelled the North Sydney to Port aux Basques crossing for this morning and anticipates impacts to tonight’s crossings. The MV Flanders is on an enhanced load and go service. The MV Sound of Islay is out of service. There could be more derry delays as the day goes on.

At the St. John’s and Deer Lake Airports, PAL Airlines Flight 902 is delayed. Flights are on time in Gander.

Due to anticipated adverse weather conditions, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador has rescheduled the open house for high school students at all 19 Employment Centres to Thursday, February 27, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

On Thursday, high school students are invited to attend an open house at all 19 Employment Centres across the province.

Students will have the opportunity to learn about the services available to support their career goals, including summer job opportunities, youth entrepreneurship support, resume writing assistance, interview preparation, career planning and development, and information on skilled trades and apprenticeships.

The event will feature a guided tour, interactive activities, a presentation on available services and complimentary food and drink.

Newfoundland Power is encouraging people to reach out if they are having trouble paying their monthly bills.

Social media has erupted in recent weeks with posts from frustrated customers who have seen a spike in their bills.

Director of Stakeholder Relations and Communications Glenda Power says it is “critical” for people who may be struggling to make payments to reach out to them.

She says their team my have solutions for people—such as setting up a payment plan. She also suggests people look into an equal payment plan—that’s where people pay a fixed rate based on their last year of usage.

Premier Andrew Furey will attend the 2025 East Coast Music Awards press conference today.

The event will take place at 11:00 a.m. at The Rock House in St. John’s.

At the conference, there will be an announcement on this year’s nominees and this year’s host and performing artists.

The East Coast Music Association is set to announce the nominees for this year’s awards.

Newfoundland and Labrador is hosting this year’s awards gala.

This morning’s event at the Rock House on George Street will also provide details on activities planned for ECMA Music Week, scheduled for May 7-11.

Today’s announcement, set for 11 a.m., will be livestreamed on the ECMA’s website.

Premier Andrew Furey says while ongoing tension with the United States wasn’t a factor in his decision to leave politics, it did influence the timing of his decision.

Furey shocked the province yesterday by announcing his intention to drop out of the political sphere once a new leader is chosen.

The threat of tariffs from the United States has cast a shadow of economic uncertainty over the entire country in recent months.

Furey joined a delegation of Canadian premiers in Washington earlier this month to impress on U.S. decision-makers the impact tariffs would have on Americans and Canadians alike. Despite that effort, U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that 25 per cent tariffs are coming next week.

“The guy’s cracked.”

He told reporters yesterday that once it became clear that a resolution to the tariff threat wasn’t in the offing, it freed him and his family to decide that now is the time.

Furey says if he knew everything would be over on March 1st or April 4th, it would have influenced their timelines, but “the guy’s cracked.” Furey characterizes US President Donald Trump as “erratic” and “confusing,” which is why the Canadian response should be “calm, cool, measured, balanced, but responsive standing up to this bully, an erratic bully.”

Meanwhile, Furey says he will not be throwing his support behind any one candidate who puts their name in the leadership race.

He believes it is “problematic” for an outgoing leader to put their support behind another person coming in.

A political scientist says Premier Andrew Furey's resignation serves as a bombshell in provincial politics that might be felt across the rest of Canada.

The Labrador South Health Centre in Forteau no longer has a doctor on site, for an unknown period of time, while a doctor is recruited. It has Dorman Fowler worried for his son's life, as he regularly requires urgent medical care.

Theo Pinksen absolutely loves the Montreal Canadiens. So imagine the six-year-old’s excitement when he got the chance to skate alongside his favourite players and stand at centre ice for the national anthem in Montreal.

Southwest Airlines flight 2504 narrowly avoided a collision with a private business jet at Chicago's Midway Airport when the airliner's pilots aborted the landing to fly about 250 feet above the taxiing jet. The taxiing jet mistakenly crossed the runway where the Southwest flight was cleared to land. No injuries were reported, and the FAA is investigating. (UPI)

Apple shareholders rejected a proposal to end the company's diversity, equity, and inclusion program, supported by Apple's board as unnecessary. CEO Tim Cook emphasized that Apple does not have inclusion quotas and values diversity in its hiring process, stating the Inclusion & Diversity initiative is crucial to its culture. (UPI)

More than 20 civil service employees resigned from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, stating they refused to dismantle critical public services. The employees, including engineers and data scientists, cited their oath to uphold the Constitution and their concerns over unqualified personnel leading efforts to reduce the federal government. (AP)

Millions of retired public employees will see increased Social Security benefits sooner than expected, with retroactive payments starting immediately. The Social Security Fairness Act, signed by former President Joe Biden, eliminates restrictions on public pension recipients collecting full benefits. The act will provide full benefits to eligible recipients. (CBS News)

Lawmakers in nine states, including Michigan, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota are introducing measures challenging same-sex marriage rights. State Rep. Josh Schriver in Michigan introduced a resolution urging the Supreme Court to overturn the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, citing conflicts with the sanctity of marriage. (NBC News)

It has been 25 years since MUN’s last women’s volleyball championship. After upsetting Dalhousie last weekend, the Sea-Hawks have a chance to make history this weekend in Nova Scotia. Here’s NTV’s Mark Dwyer.

The Miss Achievement Newfoundland and Labrador leadership program provides thousands of dollars in scholarships each year. This year’s event is taking place April 10-12. NTV’s Amanda Mews is in your community, with the reigning Miss Achievement NL.

Today’s surprise announcement has left everyone wondering what happens next, with U.S. tariffs expected to take effect in less than 10 days. Andrew Furey is calling for stability

 but now the province will have to find a new leader in this uncertain era.  NTV’s Jodi Cooke has the story.

The premier’s announcement came as a surprise to everyone, including his own caucus members. NTVs Bailey Howard has more on their reaction, and whether any of them may run for the Liberal leadership.

Members of the Opposition were not in attendance for today’s snap resignation announcement. Some were even out of the country – not expecting a major political. NTV’s Beth Penney has the details.

More charges have been laid against Tony Humby who is already facing a long list of charges of sex-related crimes against young men and boys. NTV’s Marykate O’Neill has the details. 

The RCMP are asking for the public’s help after a man on snowmobile was taken to hospital. Police say the man’s injuries are not consistent with his snowmobile accident.
NTV’s Becky Daley is in Port au Port and has the latest.

Parts of the Burin Peninsula and southern Avalon Peninsula could see as much as 80 millimetres of rain over the course of Wednesday, which could lead to flooding across parts of Newfoundland.