The provincial government is defending a land sale to the Crosbie Group as the PCs accuse the governing Liberals of corruption.

Opposition Leader Tony Wakeham is asking questions about a recent Order in Council that indicated government sold Crown land at Snow’s Lane in St. John’s to a private company for $5,000 an acre.

The 32 acres of land was sold to the Crosbie Group Limited just before Christmas for a total purchase price of $176,000, plus HST.

Wakeham calls that “ridiculous” and says the people of Newfoundland and Labrador deserve answers.

He compared the $5000 an acre paid to government by the Crosbie Group, to the $400,000 an acre spent by government on 54 acres of land at Kenmount Crossing -without a market evaluation.

Wakeham says a single building lot on Snow’s Lane has a market price averaging $180,000. He calls that proof of government “being fast and loose with taxpayers’ land and cash with no accountability whatsoever.”

VOCM News has reached out to the provincial government for response.

Big Brothers Big Sisters says they have exceeded targets for their 75 Doors campaign.

The initiative, launched last August is based on the idea is that each door represents a child waiting to be matched with a big brother or sister, and the funding challenges that come with that.

The organization says it costs $1,500 to make and support a match for one year.

Executive director Kelly Leach says they not only reached their goal of opening 75 doors, but they surpassed it, and as of today they have opened 86 doors.

Leach notes that they are “just getting started” and there are more doors to open.

The program was launched due to a significant increase in demand.

She says pre-pandemic they averaged 60 to 70 inquiries a year, but in the last few years they have been receiving between 140 and 170 per year.

The waitlist is down thanks to the campaign and volunteers coming forward, but even with 86 doors being opened they still have 60 kids waiting for their match, and there are even more going through the approval process to get on the list.

A dedicated businessman who is familiar to many in the capital city has passed away.

Joe Tulk of Tulk’s Glass & Key Shop passed away on Tuesday after a lengthy illness. He was 72.

Tulk, a talented locksmith, started his career working in his father’s convenience store and was a staple at Tulk’s Glass and Key Shop for close to 40 years, a job that was his “pride and joy.”

He was well known in sports circles as well – umpiring numerous softball games over the years.

Funeral details are yet to be announced.

“Today, we’re going after the money.”

And with that, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty added seven trans-national criminal organizations to the list of terrorist organizations under the Criminal Code of Canada.

It’s part of the federal government’s ongoing efforts to combat the production, trafficking and distribution of fentanyl in Canada. That includes an additional $1.3 billion dollars on border security, the appointment of a so-called ‘fentanyl czar’ and plans to ban fentanyl pre-cursors.

The measures are part of Canada’s response to increased drug enforcement measures demanded by the United States through threatened tariffs on Canadian goods.

The groups now listed include the Gulf Cartel, the Michoacan Family, MS-13, the United Cartels, TdA, the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco Cartel New Generation.

McGuinty says having organized crime groups like those announced today, listed as a terrorist organization, it allows law enforcement added tools in dismantling and disrupting their criminal activities in Canada.

“The Criminal Code prohibits certain actions in relation to terrorist groups, including those related to terrorist financing, travel, and recruitment. It is prohibited for any person in Canada as well as any Canadian abroad to knowingly deal with the property of a terrorist group.”

Production in the White Rose oil field in offshore Newfoundland and Labrador will resume in the coming days, while an expensive satellite project called the West White Rose project is on target for first oil in 2026.

RCMP have been called in to help Bell Aliant pinpoint the cause of the latest cut to its subsea fibre optic cable linking Cape Breton with the southwest coast of Newfoundland.

The cut, which had to have been done using cutting instruments, occurred on Christmas Eve, and was the second such incident on the Cabot Strait in a year. The first occurred on January 4th of 2024.

Network Director with Bell Aliant, David Joice, says fortunately the cut didn’t affect service to customers on either side of the Gulf as the company has a number of contingencies built into the system.

Joice says there’s nothing to suggest at this time that the cuts have been malicious in nature, but he says cutting a cable like that is not easy to do.

He says if an anchor got caught in the cable for instance, the cable would have to be lifted up from the seabed and then manually cut the cable using mechanical cutting tools. “It wouldn’t be easy to do,” says Joice.

Bell Aliant wasn’t notified that the cable had to be cut in either of the cases. Now that the cable is repaired, they’ve cut a trench in which the cable now lies, and had it covered over to try to prevent similar situations in future.

The Kids Eat Smart Foundation officially launched its provincial Feed the Kids fundraising campaign at A. P. Low Primary in Labrador west this morning.

The campaign is being sponsored by PAL Airlines.

Executive Director Celina Stoyles says they are experiencing an increase in the number of children availing of their program, and they need more money to deliver the program to 275 schools across the province.

PAL Airlines and Air Borealis will match every donation made between now and March 6th up to a total of $10,000 – kicking off the campaign with a $100,000 contribution going to Kids Eat Smart clubs at A. P. Low Primary in Lab City and Peacock Primary in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Donations can be made through Kids Eat Smart online or by calling 709-722-1996.

What started out as a simple pledge to stay fit has grown into a full-time love of powerlifting. The Lee family of Stephenville train five days a week — mom and her three kids. After just one year in the gym, the four family members have qualified to compete at the National Powerlifting Competition in Moose Jaw, Sask.

Over a dozen historians at Memorial University have written a letter imploring the provincial government not to go ahead with changes to the social studies curriculum in junior high.

The proposed changes, which are part of a broader plan to improve student engagement, would see the course become either modular or optional.

The changes were supposed to start rolling out in September, but government has since backtracked on that citing the need for more consultation.

The letter states that historians were “quite alarmed” when they reviewed what the changes would mean.

They say they are already concerned about the removal of history as a mandatory subject in schools as a whole, and they worry that further reductions will “erode the literacy of…students and their capacity to live as engaged citizens.”

Associate Professor Sébastien Rossignol believes that, given what is happening around the world right now, the teaching of history is needed now more than ever.

He says historical literacy is needed to understand the news and what is going on in the world.

Two men are facing cocaine trafficking charges following a traffic stop on the Trans Canada near St. Jude’s last night.

RCMP pulled a vehicle over just before midnight and officers noticed what appeared to be cocaine inside.

The occupants, 44-year-old Shannon Payne of Rocky Harbour and 45-year-old Stephen Goudie of Deer Lake were arrested and the vehicle was searched.

More than one kilogram of cocaine valued at approximately $35,000 was seized along with 100 cartons of contraband cigarettes ($10,000), a quantity of cash and other items consistent with drug trafficking.

Both Payne and Goudie have been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking in cocaine and possession of unstamped and contraband tobacco.

The Royal St John’s Regatta Committee, in collaboration with St. John’s Pride, has announced the introduction of the Open Crew category, starting this 2025 season.

Open Crews will be comprised of oarpersons determined by age only; gender will have no influence on the composition of a crew. Open Crews will compete in the short course and will be open to rowers who are registered in another category, thus permitting rowers the opportunity to be registered with a second crew. The Open Crew category will join the existing race categories as a registration option for rowers going forward.

“Other than our U14 category, this will be the first time in our history where an entire race category is blind to gender, meaning Open Crews will be comprised of rowers, regardless of gender or gender identity,” said Ashley Peach, President of the Royal St. John’s Regatta Committee. “We hope the Open Crew category will inspire friends, families and coworkers, regardless of their individual genders, to join together and create crews in the spirit of sport and fun.”

This is also an important moment in Royal St. John’s Regatta history as it will be the first time there is a registration option for individuals who identify as nonbinary.

“Sports bring people together, and the Open Crew category is a meaningful step toward greater inclusion in one of our province’s most cherished traditions,” said Eddy St. Coeur, Co-Chair External St. John’s Pride. “At a time when gender inclusivity is being challenged worldwide, the Royal St. John’s Regatta is setting an important example: everyone deserves a place on the water. As we prepare for upcoming meetings with Sport NL and the Department of Recreation, we look forward to working with other sports organizations to build even more inclusive policies, because sports are better when everyone is included.”

“This is a particularly poignant addition as the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador marks 2025 as the “Year of Sport”, said Keith White, Vice President & Captain of the Course of the Royal St. John’s Regatta Committee. “The Open Crew category is an exciting opportunity to expand our sport and allow crews the flexibility of building a team regardless of its teammates’ genders. We look forward to welcoming new rowers and seeing the return of experienced rowers as we launch the Open Crew category this coming season”.

The Royal St. John’s Regatta is the oldest continuing organized sporting event in North America, with 2025 marking the organizations’ 207th anniversary.

After fire at the Paradise town depot, Mayor Dan Bobbett says town hall will be closed for the next several months but they’re working to resume in-person services in temporary locations.

Two men, 44-year-old Shannon Payne of Rocky Harbour and 45-year-old Stephen Goudie of Deer Lake, were arrested by Deer Lake RCMP at a traffic stop that was conducted last night.  Police located and seized a quantity of cocaine, cash and contraband tobacco.

Shortly before midnight on Wednesday, Feb. 19, police stopped a vehicle on the Trans-Canada Highway near St. Jude’s. Officers observed suspected cocaine inside the vehicle, arrested both vehicle occupants, Payne and Goudie, and conducted a search. 

The following items were seized:

• More than 1 kg of cocaine (approximate value of $35,000)
• 100 cartons of contraband cigarettes (approximate value of $10,000)
• A quantity of cash
• Other items consistent with possession for the purpose of drug trafficking.

Both men appear in court today, charged with the following criminal offences:

• Possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine – Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
• Possession of unstamped tobacco – Excise Act, 2001.
• Possession of contraband tobacco – Revenue Administration Act

The provincial government is advising the public of fraudulent information circulating on social media that appears to suggest that Premier Andrew Furey is endorsing a cryptocurrency scheme.

The false information is contained in an article which is made to look like the Toronto Star, and uses images from an interview Heather Gillis of CBC did with the premier on the repatriation of the Unknown Soldier.

The article is complete fiction. It includes fake quotes and fraudulent information which suggest that the premier is endorsing cryptocurrency as an “effort to boost consumer confidence.”

The provincial government is encouraging the public to identify scams and stay safe online by knowing what to look for.

A first responder who was at Toronto Pearson on Monday awaiting the arrival of a friend, ended up jumping into action when a Delta Air Lines flight struck the runway on landing, caught fire and flipped over.

Mike Nolan, Chief of Emergency Services with Renfrew Country in Ontario says he saw the black smoke on the runway and immediately texted his friend to alert him to the situation and see if he was alright.

Nolan told the Tim Powers Show on VOCM, that minutes later his friend responded.

“I said Pete, looks like somebody crashed on the runway, everything alright? and he said about two minutes’ later by text, he said ‘that’s my plane, standing out in the middle of the runway, I got blood running down my head, and I don’t know what to do.'”

Nolan called Peel Region paramedics describing what he just watched happen, and proceeded to the area where paramedics would bring patients, to help out where he could.

“At that point the paramedics were just starting to pour in, the helicopters were just starting to land, and all the incident commanders on the paramedic teams were figuring out who was really hurt, who was hurt and who was dazed and confused.” Nolan offered his help, and to his credit, says Nolan, his buddy Pete also helped out.

A one-day trial has been set for a former St. John’s lawyer facing child pornography charges.

Fifty-five-year-old Michael Drover is accused of making and possessing child pornography, as well as secretly watching or recording minors while they were naked.

At the time, in 2023, he was involved with running a café on MUN’s St. John’s campus.

Last October, his lawyer entered not guilty pleas on his behalf but there have been delays since then.

Then yesterday, a more definitive trial date was set for March 7.

Drover was disbarred in 2017 for misuse of clients’ money to the tune of almost $400,000.

There is a fraudulent advertisement circulating on social media that claims the Premier is endorsing a cryptocurrency scheme.

The Provincial Government is advising that neither the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador nor the Premier, are in any way involved with promoting or endorsing any cryptocurrency scheme.

Disinformation can be hard to spot. These tips and tools can help you figure out if something you see online is true or not.

The Town of Lark Harbour is advising residents, and visiting curiosity-seekers that the area around the wharf in Little Port will be restricted to essential workers directly involved in the assessment and salvage of the Baltic III.

The massive cargo ship ran aground in Cedar Cove on the weekend and the ship’s owner has called in a private salvage company to check the hull for leaks and damage before they proceed with attempts to remove the ship from the rocks.

Photo via Canadian Coast Guard

The town understands that the situation is drawing a lot of interest, but workers need to be able to do their work without being impeded.
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Vehicles, snowmachines and hikers are all prohibited from the area for the time being.

The Town of Lark Harbour is reminding residents and visitors alike that the wharf in Little Port is restricted to essential personnel only.

People have been visiting the area since the MSC Baltic III went aground in Cedar Cove over the weekend.

For the safety and security of those working to salvage the vessel, people are asked to refrain from visiting the area.

RCMP are commending two provincial snow plow operators for going above and beyond in helping to rescue the occupants of two vehicles stuck in the snow in treacherous conditions on Monday.

Police say one vehicle with three people on board became stuck in the Wreckhouse area Monday morning.

When the driver opened the door to assess the situation they were in, hurricane-force winds of up to 150 km/h blew the door off the vehicle, leaving the occupants at risk of blowing over an embankment.

Another driver also found themselves stuck, partially off the highway in white-out conditions.

RCMP say first responders were unable to get to the scene because of the extreme storm conditions – that’s where provincial snow plow operators jumped into action, locating the stranded travelers and bringing them to safety.

The prices of most fuels are up across Newfoundland and Labrador Thursday, as the Public Utilities Board continues a gradual increase in the base price of gasoline, diesel, furnace oil and propane.

A River Watch remains in place in Badger due to high water levels on the Exploits River. River Road and Beothuk Street are blocked to public access.

Officials continue to monitor the river daily.

The town has had daily conversations and updates with the Water Resource Management Division and Emergency Services Division.

Anyone who requires assistance can call the Town Office at (709) 539-2406.

Rising water levels on the mighty Exploits River has caused town officials in Badger to set up a River Watch to keep an eye on floodwaters.

Mayor Dennis Butt says four households had to be evacuated on Monday and the residents have not yet been able to return to their homes after water started encroaching on River Road and Beothuck Street.

Butt says while the situation has eased somewhat, the ice and water levels remain a serious concern.

He says while water levels have dropped, but they remain at levels that are “too high for our liking” and still pose a threat to low-lying areas of town.

Butt says a River Watch has been established, and will remain in place for the time being to monitor the river and keep a close eye on any changes.

He says that River Watch will remain in place until they determine that it’s safe to discontinue.

The Kids Eat Smart Foundation will launch a new provincial fundraising campaign called Feed the Kids – One Breakfast at a Time today.   

A significant gift announcement will be made by PAL Airlines to the Foundation during the event today at 9:30 a.m. at A.P. Low Primary School in Labrador City.

The Principal at A.P. Low Primary School Candace Goulding, Executive Director of the Kids Eat Smart Foundation Celina Stoyles, and Vice President of Commercial Operations at PAL Airlines Ashlynn Burry will speak at the event. 

A serial sex offender accused of disturbing acts at Her Majesty’s Penitentiary is back before the courts for a bail hearing.

Thirty-three-year-old Stephen Hopkins was due in provincial court yesterday but his case was postponed until this morning.

He faces three counts of wilfully committing indecent acts with intent to insult or offend, in the presence of HMP staff and others.

Hopkins is accused of similar offences in March of 2023, and four times last June, all at HMP.

Last year, he was sentenced to six and a half years in prison and declared a long-term offender after being convicted of sexually assaulting a teenager, in addition to previous sex offences.

At the time he avoided dangerous offender status, which would’ve resulted in an indefinite prison sentence.

A blast of old man winter will get the weekend off to a messy start for parts of eastern Newfoundland.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for St. John’s and a winter storm warning is out for the southeastern Avalon.

Meteorologist Wanda Batten says the metro area will see the bulk of the snowfall with 10 to 20 cm possible once the system moves in over the lunch hour Friday.

Batten says it’ll be a nasty afternoon and evening with heavy snowfall and strong winds gusting to 80 km/h along the coast. Lesser amounts are expected for western Avalon, but blowing snow will be a problem due to blustery winds.

Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services has issued a request for proposals for a technical advisor to guide the Provincial Government on the planning and design of the substance use treatment centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

The 10-bed centre will improve access to services for individuals seeking withdrawal management, substance use rehabilitation and recovery services closer to home, reducing the stress on clients and caregivers of travelling outside the zone for services. 

The centre will deliver culturally appropriate care and will include 10 beds providing services for withdrawal management, rehabilitation and recovery/sober living, an opioid dependency treatment hub, a managed alcohol program hub, community/day programming, including group space, and peer support.

The successful proponent will be required to develop an RFP package for a leased space that meets the needs of the developed concept design, oversee commissioning services, and provide contract administration services throughout the design, construction, and commissioning stage of the project.

A 36-year-old man has been charged after being arrested following an overnight break-in this week in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

RCMP were contacted after an alarm was set off at a local business around 3:00 Tuesday morning.

Officers found fresh footprints in the snow and police dog Phox picked up the trail. Police apprehended Kieran Pardy a short time later hiding in nearby bushes.

He was arrested and appeared in court yesterday on two counts of break and enter and breach of probation.

Across the Island, the price of gas in most areas increases by up to 0.2 cents per litre. In fuel zones 4a and 7b, gas decreased by 0.3 cents. Diesel on the Island went up 2.9 cents. Furnace oil heating fuel increased by 2.47 cents and propane heating fuel jumped by 2.7 cents.

In Labrador, gasoline motor fuel in Zones 13 and 13a decreased by 1.0 cents while diesel in Zones 13 and 13a increased by 1.7 cents. Stove oil heating fuel in Zones 13 and 13a increased by 2.29 cents and propane in all Labrador zones increased by 2.7 cents.

The Board’s next regularly scheduled price adjustment is on Thursday, February 27.

A local lawyer has filed a class action lawsuit with the Supreme Court on behalf of passengers of a commercial flight that made a hard landing at Halifax in late December after part of the landing gear failed on touch down.

Stephen Barnes of Bob Buckingham Law says given the technical nature of investigations into airplane crashes and the length of time it takes for reports to be generated, he believes it will be some time before significant progress is made.

(TSB photo)

He says once the parties have been served with copies of the proposed Class Action Statement of Claim, they will begin preparing their application to ask the Court to certify the action as a class proceeding.

Anyone who was a passenger on Air Canada Flight A2259 from St. John’s to Halifax on December 28th is asked to complete the registration form on a website set up for the class action.

It costs more to fill up on diesel and home heating fuels this morning.

Diesel on the island is up nearly 3 cents per litre. Furnace oil increases by 2 and a half cents.

There’s virtually no change to the price of gas, which is down by 0.3 cents.

Propane is up by less than 3 cents.

In Labrador West, gas is down by a cent. Diesel increases by less than two cents.

The price of stove oil increases by just over 2 cents. Propane costs roughly 3 cents more.

Recently obtained documents reveal longstanding disrepair at the N.L. Youth Centre in Whitbourne. Recent emails show concerns about youth and staff safety, as the centre struggles with capacity issues.

After a record year, St. John’s-based Black Panel Press publisher Andrew Benteau says the company’s future plans have been derailed after Diamond Comic Distributors, the world’s largest English comic book distributor, declared bankruptcy.

Growing up in Nigeria, Isaac Adejuwon didn’t celebrate Black History Month. As Adejuwon tells CBC Radio’s The Signal, he wants to recognize the contributions of his Black ancestors beyond them enduring slavery. The St. John’s software founder wants to remember and honour Black innovators.

Two people died after a midair collision between a Cessna 172S and Lancair 360 MK II near Arizona's Marana Regional Airport. The crash led to a post-impact fire and the airport's closure for investigation. (ABC)

KFC is relocating its corporate HQ from Kentucky to Texas, specifically to Plano. The move is expected to accommodate about 100 KFC workers within six months, with remote employees given 18 months to transition. (UPI)

Apple has launched the iPhone 16e, an enhanced and pricier version of its budget phone, with improved AI capabilities, a battery, and camera. Priced at $600, it aims to attract a wider audience and is available for pre-order. (AP)

Some raw pet food in Oregon and Washington made by Wild Coast Pet Foods is being recalled after two cats contracted bird flu and had to be euthanized. The virus was found in both the cats and the food samples. (CBS)

Pope Francis, hospitalized for pneumonia, is in stable condition with a slight improvement in blood tests. Despite being ill, he has resumed some of his duties, including meeting with the Italian Prime Minister. (NBC)

A joint council representing communities along the Southern Shore is calling for better cell service, citing safety and economic fallout as a result of notoriously spotty reception. NTV’s Ryan Harding reports.

After some tense moments this week with ice jams on the rivers surrounding Badger, emergency personnel continue to monitor the situation today.

NTV’s Colleen Lewis has the latest.

A salvage team is now on board the cargo ship MSC Baltic after it ran aground on the west coast.

They’re assessing damage and formulating a plan to eventually remove the vessel from Cedar Cove. So far, there’s no evidence of environmental impact. NTV’s Beth Penney reports.

A junior high school student says she's breathing a sigh of relief following the province's decision to pause changes to curriculum that would allow students to partially opt out of courses like social studies.

Whiteout conditions and maximum wind gusts of 154 km/h meant severe danger in the Wreckhouse area of western Newfoundland on Monday, but police are thanking provincial snow plow operators for their actions that potentially saved lives.

Following a report of a suspected impaired driver yesterday, a 76-year-old man was arrested for impaired operation by Baie Verte RCMP.

At approximately 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, police received a report of a suspected impaired driver in Baie Verte. Police located the described vehicle a short time after the report and conducted a traffic stop. The driver showed signs of alcohol impairment and failed a roadside breath test. At the detachment, the man provided further breath samples that were above the legal limit.

The driver was released from custody and is set to appear in court at a later date to answer to charges of impaired operation.  The man’s licence was suspended and the vehicle was seized and impounded.

A new addiction treatment facility scheduled to open on the Avalon Peninsula later this year.

The Vida Nova Recovery Centre, located on Southwest Pond, Salmonier Line, will open in June of this year.

Director Mark Lane says it will be located on the former Lavrock Centre site.

He says he had an attachment to the location going back decades, and after it closed, he started talking with the Kirby family about what could be done with it.

Lane says because of lived experience with addiction in both families they thought they could help compliment programs that exist in the system in Corner Brook and Harbour Grace.

He says they are saving a “beautiful facility” and picking away at the “exhaustive” list of people seeking help with their addictions at the same time.

Lane says unlike other private centres across the nation, they are going to track and publish their outcomes to better understand the efficacy of the program.

He says they want to provide a continuum of care to understand duration of sobriety, how long it takes to get back to work, and how long it takes to reunite people with their families.

An area of low pressure will pass southeast of the Avalon Peninsula Friday afternoon and evening. The exact track of this low remains uncertain, which means forecast confidence in snowfall isn’t as high as it usually would be in this time frame.

The Environment and Climate Change Canada Weather Office in Gander has issued a Special Weather Statement for Friday for the following areas:

• The Avalon Peninsula Southeast
• The Avalon Peninsula Southwest
• The Avalon Peninsula North
• St. John’s and vicinity

Snow is expected to begin around midday Friday and persist into the evening. Fresh snowfall, combined with strong north to northeast winds will cause reduced visilbity in blowing snow, especially over exposed areas.

According to the weather statement, the ECCC NL Weather Office in Gander states that 10 to 20 cm is in the forecast, with higher amounts over southeastern areas of the Avalon Peninsula. There is some uncertainty in the storm’s track, which could result in higher totals if the storm moves a bit closer to the Island. The opposite holds as well. This detail should become clear in the next 24 to 36 hours.

On top of that, maximum wind gusts will be 60 to 80 km/h, strongest along the coast.

Similar storms in the past have caused hazardous driving, cancellation of scheduled activities and disruptions to transportation services.

Forecast updates to come.