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. 

Springdale RCMP is investigating a suspicious fire that occurred on a residential property on Ocean Drive in Triton on March 18. At approximately 7:45 a.m. on Monday, police received the report. Upon police arrival, the house was fully engulfed in flames. The blaze was extinguished by firefighters.

The investigation is continuing.

Anyone having information about the fire or those responsible are asked to contact Springdale RCMP at 709-673-3864. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers: 1-800-222-8477.

FFAW President Dwan Street is taking several positives away from the Boston Seafood show earlier this week.

Many stakeholders have underscored the importance of attending the event, even with heightened trade tensions with the United States, because of the diversity of vendors at the event.

Street says, perhaps surprisingly, there wasn’t much talk of tariffs at the show.

She expected there to be a “negative cloud” hanging over the event, but that wasn’t the case – she only heard the word “tariff” a handful of times over the course of three days. “I’m taking that as a positive, ” says Street, who notes that there seems to still be “a really strong appetite” for Newfoundland and Labrador’s product.

Gander businesses adapt to changing winters; ensuring products available for every seasons

The Liberal Party of Canada lined up two new candidates in Newfoundland and Labrador yesterday. Tom Osborne won the nominate vote for Cape Spear, and Don Bradshaw was acclaimed as the candidate for the Long Range Mountains.

The executive director of a facility in St. John’s which is a weekend ritual for thousands says it’s more than just a farmer’s market.

The bells rang this morning at 9:00 to open the market on the heels of close to $400,000 in funding from the provincial government over the next three years to diversify revenue streams and build partnerships.

Some 300 businesses operate out of the Freshwater Road building. With 200,000 visitors each year, executive director Pam Anstey says the potential is enormous.

(She says they have a unique and flexible facility that can host a wide range of events from large to small – up to 700 people. They also have a rentable commercial kitchen. Anstey says the money from government will help them move even further as a hub for small business and community events.

Some of the residents at Alderwood Retirement Centre in Witless Bay remember voting in favour of Confederation. Amid all the political unrest with our American neighbours, the proud Canadians gathered for a show of patriotism.

Former federal minister and outgoing MP Seamus O’Regan has joined Stewart McKelvey as a senior business advisor.

O’Regan, who represented St. John’s South-Mount Pearl, held several ministerial roles during his time in office, including Minister of Labour, Natural Resources, and Indigenous Services. He announced in 2024 that he would not seek re-election.

Before entering politics, O’Regan was a journalist and served in various roles with the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. At Stewart McKelvey, he will provide strategic advice to clients in areas such as natural resources, Indigenous relations, and public policy.

Three people are vying to replace O’Regan: former provincial minister Tom Osborne for the Liberals, Corey Curtis for the Conservatives and Mike Peach of the Animal Protection Party of Canada. There have been no other confirmed candidates for other parties.

Mount Pearl has announced that nominations are now open for the 35th annual Focus on Youth Awards.

The awards are an opportunity to showcase young individuals who have demonstrated excellence in arts, sports, volunteerism, science, and more.

Nominations will be accepted until April 4. Awards will be presented at the Glacier Arena on May 14

Awards are presented in the categories of Youth of the Year, Youth in Service Award, Youth Volunteer of the Year, Youth Athlete of the Year, Youth Sports Team of the Year, Youth Group of the Year, Performing Arts Recognition – Group, Performing Arts Recognition – Individual, Youth Visual Arts Award, Youth STEM Award, and Youth Literary Arts Award.