A local tech company says they are leading the world with the holographic technology they are developing.

Avalon Holographics recently received $1-million from the federal government to help push their NOVAC holographic display forward.

Founder Wally Haas says the technology, which at the moment is extremely expensive to create, consists of a 3×3 foot table with a 40-inch display size in which the hologram appears.

The easiest way to think about it, according to Haas, is that it “kind of looks like the star Wars chess table.”

He says the technology allows for “natural spatial awareness,” meaning people can see objects as if they are real.

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Haas says the first applications of the technology would be for “high consequence” scenarios.

He says they are looking at defense and medical markets. For example, he says doctors could use the technology to look at how they would treat a complex tumor.

Haas also predicts future uses at more of a consumer level.

At a consumer level, he says people could play videos games or watch live sports such as hockey.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced a new partnership with Australia on an early-warning radar system for Canada’s north.

The $6 billion system will help to detect incoming missiles and is expected to be up and running by 2029.

The Prime Minister, who is from the Northwest Territories, made the announcement in Iqaluit, Nunavut.

He says, “the Over the Horizon radar system will enable Canada to detect and respond to both air and maritime threats over our Arctic faster and from further away. It will most fundamentally keep all Canadians safe.”

Arctic sovereignty and security are growing concerns for many nations, including Canada, the United States, and regions like the E.U., and Carney says Canada cannot and should not look first to others to defend the nation.

It may be too mild for cross-country skiing in Gander, but the Airport Nordic Ski Club is proud to reveal its upgraded chalet. The hut now has washrooms, heated changerooms, a waxing room and a kitchen. Reporter Troy Turner took a tour inside.

A former RCMP officer in Corner Brook will avoid jail time, but will serve consecutive six-month sentences in the community.

A longtime advocate for marine safety in Newfoundland and Labrador says he wants to start a new mission: advocating for better lung safety in different industries.

A man accused of trying to kill a snowmobiler on the west coast of the island appeared in court for a bail hearing this afternoon.

Details have been scanty at best since the 26-year-old victim was knocked off his machine late afternoon on February 21st.

The man and another rider were crossing an isthmus known as the gravels in Port au Port when he was hit by something, causing serious injuries.

Police remained tight-lipped, only saying the injuries weren’t caused by falling off a snowmobile.

But four days later, they searched the home of Wayne Hynes in nearby Port au Port West, seizing evidence as part of the investigation.

Then this past Saturday, Hynes was arrested and charged with attempted murder “where a firearm is used in the commission of the offence,” the first confirmation of rumours that the victim may have been shot.

Hynes made his first court appearance by phone from the West Coast Correction Center in Stephenville on Sunday, and did the same again this afternoon for a bail hearing.

But that was postponed until Thursday to give defence counsel time to make a case for Hynes release as the matter works its way through the courts.

Twillingate RCMP are investigating after a failed attempt to steal an ATM from a business in Fairbank.

Police were first called to Dearing’s Automotive just before 5 a.m. last Friday.

They say surveillance captured images of a masked person arriving in a black 2010 GMC Sierra.

The suspect is said to have used the truck to smash the front end of the business.

They attempted to steal the ATM by towing it behind the vehicle, but were unsuccessful.

A short time later, the same truck was found on fire in the town of Summerford.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

RCMP in Twillingate are investigating a break, enter and attempted theft of an ATM after a truck drove into the front of Dearing’s Automotive on Friday, March. 14.

It was 5:00 a.m. on Friday when RCMP received a report of a break and enter in progress. Video surveillance captured a masked suspect on the property who arrived in a pickup truck. The suspect drove the truck into the front entrance of the building, attempting to steal an ATM by towing it.

The theft was unsuccessful, and the suspect fled the scene in the truck. Not long after, police received a report of a truck on fire in Summerford that matched the description of the vehicle involved in the break and enter.

The abandoned truck was extinguished by firefighters. The investigation is continuing. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

Premier Andrew Furey is in Japan as part of an effort to explore trade markets for Newfoundland and Labrador products.

The premier is meeting with executives of industry organizations and corporations representing the seafood, natural resources and critical mineral sectors.

The provincial government says the trade mission is part of the province’s ongoing efforts in response to U.S. tariffs and diversifying markets for products from Newfoundland and Labrador.

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It’s a day that holds great significance for Iranians. Ahead of Thursday’s celebration, which aligns with the spring equinox, the local Iranian community gathered at Memorial University in St. John’s. CBC spoke with organizer Maryam Hajheidari.

The sexual assault trial for a Roman Catholic priest has been postponed until late summer.

Fifty-year-old Thomas Offong was charged more than a year ago following an investigation by Holyrood RCMP.

The incident is alleged to have occurred in November of 2023 in Avondale, involving a woman whose name is banned from publication.

The one-day trial was scheduled to start this morning in provincial court in St. John’s. But the judge was informed that the Crown attorney on the case could not proceed due to a medical issue.

With that, a new trial date was set for August 15th.

Offong has served in Avondale, Colliers, Conception Harbour and Burin, but also the Grand Falls-Windsor area.

The Bishop of Grand Falls has urged people to let the court process play out before rushing to judgement in the case.

Offong has been relieved of his duties pending the outcome.

A Memorial University criminologist says any possible reform of the RCMP would take time.

The federal government released a report this week highlighting the RCMP’s capacity to address the threats posed by the changing and serious nature of crime and to focus on the most serious forms of criminal activity.

Among the last things, Justin Trudeau pushed for in his last days as Prime Minister was to emphasize the need to reform the RCMP.

The report indicates that Canada should modernize the RCMP as “a world class, intelligence-led federal policing organization.”

MUN criminologist Dr. Adrienne Peters told the Tim Powers Show on VOCM that reforming the RCMP is a process that will take time.

“It’s not something that’s going to happen overnight,” says Peters. “It’s going to take a lot of consulting with a lot of groups outside the RCMP of course because they’re going to have to think about who the…work and responsibilities are going to fall on if they shift from the kind of contractual and federal level to just that federal level.”

The provincial government is signalling its intention to expand access to fertility services locally, in what it hopes will help eliminate the need to travel outside the province for IVF treatment.

One-time funding of up to $20,000 is now available for in-vitro fertilization, up from previous funding of $5,000 per IVF cycle up to a maximum of three cycles.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health has begun consultations to create a plan to establish IVF services in Newfoundland and Labrador. That process may require legislative changes, certain procurement and infrastructure requirements, and associated staffing.

The province says since 2021, 230 people have been available for the IVF subsidy program at a cost of $2.1 million.

The preliminary inquiry has been set for a woman accused of killing a man with her car.

The shocking incident occurred mid-afternoon on August 16th of last year, where Mount Royal Avenue meets Golf Avenue in St. John’s.

A grey Honda Civic, allegedly driven by a 36-year-old woman, struck the victim, a 41-year-old man, then drove away, leaving him on the road with serious injuries.

Police have said the pair knew each other.

The woman was first charged with attempted murder, but that was upgraded to second-degree murder when the man died in hospital a week later.

She’s also charged with failing to stop after an accident resulting in death and dangerous driving causing death.

The identity of the woman, who has since been released on conditions, is banned from publication to protect the identities of minors indirectly involved.

Three days have been set aside in August for the preliminary inquiry, after which a judge will decide if there’s enough evidence for trial.

The inflation rate rose to 2.6 per cent across Canada in February, according to the latest numbers released by Stats Canada today.

However, the numbers show that had the tax holiday – which ended in mid-February – not been taken into account, inflation would have risen to 3 per cent last month.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, inflation rose to 1.2 per cent from 0.8 per cent the previous month, while in St. John’s inflation rose to 1.1 per cent in February from 0.8 per cent in January.

Newfoundland and Labrador Fisheries Minister Gerry Byrne says efforts to diversify to markets beyond the United States have been successful at Seafood Expo North America in Boston, but isn't ready to share exactly where provincial products could be going.

It was five years ago today that this province declared a public health emergency regarding the state of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was the beginning of restrictions on the way people socialize, shop, travel and gather in this province.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald ordered gyms and other fitness facilities, bars and arenas to close and have no gatherings of over 50 people.

Restaurants stayed open under strict guidelines at the time, but fines threatened $500 to $2,500 or even prison time for residents and penalties of $5,000 to $50,000 for businesses.

At the time, the province had three confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus.

As of March 8th of this year, there were just two hospitalizations in this province due to COVID-19.

A new study evaluating the costs of the possible extension of the aging Holyrood Generating Station shows that keeping the facility open beyond 2030 will cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

The Hatch report on the Holyrood plant shows that the cost of extending the life of the facility to 2030 is greater than originally forecast due to inflationary pressures.

The capital costs for 2025-2030 have increased by more than $44 million compared to the original 2022 Life Extension Condition Assessment.

It was hoped that the development of Muskrat Falls would have replaced reliance on the Holyrood generating facility.But, with the reliability of the Labrador Island Link still in question, there is a possibility that Holyrood’s life might need to be extended to 2035.

NL Hydro says contingency planning is essential, particularly during a time of global uncertainty, and Hatch conducted the latest study for NL Hydro at the request of the Public Utilities Board. Hydro says it’s important to understand any potential impact if Holyrood is required beyond 2030.  

The utility says it will continue to manage the system to reduce reliance on Holyrood until “new sources of supply” have been integrated into the system.

The Coalition of Persons with Disabilities is looking for an update on the status of a promise made years ago to establish a disability advocate in Newfoundland and Labrador.

COD-NL was promised a disability advocate in 2020, but despite two separate mandate letters since then to create an office, Executive Director Nancy Reid says there’s been no movement to that end.

She says the most recent update came following a statutory review of the offices of the House of Assembly when it was suggested that ‘complex needs’ be considered within the office of the Senior’s Advocate.

That, says Reid, is not good enough. “We don’t believe that to be an appropriate place for a disability advocate…and we’ve said so to the minister responsible on many occasions.”

In the meantime, says Reid, the needs of people living with disabilities are going unanswered.

She says there are systemic problems with programs and policies set up in the province that are affecting people and must be addressed by a disability advocate.

The widening gap between the Canadian dollar and the U.S. greenback has some business in this province feeling the pinch.

Jonathan Earle from The Outfitters in St. John’s says new price lists delivered include higher costs for some goods – with suppliers blaming the low Canadian dollar.

The Canadian dollar dropped to .69 cents on the U.S. dollar due to an uncertain market caused by a trade war between the U.S. and Canada.

There could be a reprieve from even greater cost increases caused by tariffs, says Earle as he expects some suppliers to absorb the costs in the meantime.

“We’ve seen a couple of revised price lists. We’re dealing with probably hundreds of companies, but some of the larger ones have put out some revised price lists.”

“The exchange rate, that’s really driving (increases) so far from what we’ve heard. And we’ve had some vendors who’ve said, ‘listen, we’re going to absorb some of these tariffs at first’. And as we’ve seen, it’s a very fluid situation. Every day it seems to change, every week.”

The 2025 edition of the Francophonie Meetings is underway in St. John’s.

The annual event celebrates the French language and culture through several activities that are open to all.

The Association Communautaire Francophone de St. Jean is hosting events from March 17 to 22.

All activities take place at the CSC des Grands Vents in St. John’s and are free.

Sharing Our Cultures, a celebration of the variety of cultural backgrounds of students in Newfoundland and Labrador, is set for March 23rd to the 26th at The Rooms in St. John’s.

More than 100 students from across the province will share presentations about their cultural heritage under the theme “One World-Many Stories.”

A number of performances are also scheduled by Alex Taylor, Adrian House, the Chinese Lion Dancers and the Ukrainian Kids.

A similar event is set for this Wednesday at the Lawrence O’Brian Centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

Just before 2:00 a.m. this morning the RNC observed a male who was known to police, walking in the downtown area.

The male was failing to abide by his release order to remain within his residence between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m.

As a result, the 39-year-old male was arrested and held for a court appearance.

A 66-year-old man from Port au Port West, accused of attempted murder, is scheduled to appear in court today on the charge.

Harold Wayne Hynes was charged with attempted murder after a snowmobiler was seriously injured while crossing Gravels Pond in Port au Port West last month.

Initially, it was believed that the snowmobiler was injured after falling from his machine, but an investigation was launched after the man’s injuries were not consistent with those of a fall.

Late last month, police searched a home on Front Road where a number of items were seized as part of the investigation. One person was detained for a brief period, but no charges were laid at the time.

Hynes was arrested on Sunday and appeared in provincial court yesterday via teleconference on one count of attempted murder.

While RCMP won’t say how the snowmobiler suffered the injuries, the charge as it appears on the court docket reads “attempting to commit murder where a firearm is used in the commission of the offence.”

Hynes remains in custody pending today’s court appearance.

Roads across the Island and bare and wet. In areas of fog, on the Avalon Peninsula and south coast, visibility is reduced.

Across Labrador, roads are partly ice covered with slushy patches. Travel is not recommended from Pinware to the Quebec Border.

The Flanders is on a load an go service this morning and the MV Beaumont Hamel is out of service due to an overnight emergency. Other ferries are on time.

Flights are on time in St. John’s, Gander, and Deer Lake.

Applications are now open to staff the provincial government’s so-called Boston Office.

The office will be located in the Consulate General of Canada to the United States in Boston, with applications now open for the position of Senior Program Assistant.

The goal is to “strengthen and maintain mutually beneficial economic ties”—a concept that was originally brought forward long before the Trump administration was re-elected to office in Washington and the bitter trade war that has ensued.

It was hoped that the Boston Office would help to secure markets for NL seafood products in New England and beyond, but many are questioning its purpose and viability in light of current economic tensions and a shift to markets other than the United States.

The premier has defended the move, indicating that having a presence in Boston is more important now, than ever.

Furey underscored why he believes the office is important while answering questions from the opposition in the House of Assembly last week.

He says it is important to have advocacy, and try to “influence the sphere of the president.”

(File photo.)

Independent member Paul Lane calls plans to open the office in the face of a bitter trade war hypocritical.

He says it would be different if the office was already up and running and playing a pivotal role in maintaining seafood markets in New England, and then suggesting that it be shut down.

“The bottom line,” says Lane, “is that we never had it to begin with. So now we’re going to spend taxpayers money on opening up an office, that never existed before, during a time when the United States doesn’t want to do fair trade with our country and with our province.” “It makes absolutely zero sense” says Lane, “and it’s hypocritical at best.”

The City of Corner Brook is considering the possibility of starting a community market and is seeking input from the public.

The City has launched a survey to collect feedback. The survey is open to everyone, from members of the general public to craftspeople, producers, artists and anyone else who could take advantage.

The survey, which should only take a few minutes to complete, is available at https://form.jotform.com/250496359861267.

Feedback will be accepted until March 30.

An online fundraising effort has been launched to help a family who lost everything in a house fire in Torbay last Friday evening.

The house was destroyed, leaving the family without a home, and just the clothes on their backs.

Nobody was at the home at the time, but a pet has been reported missing since the fire broke out.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

A local distillery is hopeful that the tariff war that saw the removal of U.S. products from liquor store shelves will open up some opportunities for one of its specialty products.

Peter Wilkins of the Newfoundland Distillery in Clarke’s Beach says while NLC orders for their products have increased, it’s hard to say how that will affect overall sales.

The company has a number of products including gin and whiskey, but Wilkins says the void they’re hoping to fill is coffee liqueur.

He says most coffee liqueurs are made in the United States, so he’s hopeful they can benefit by selling more of their coffee liqueur.

An arrest warrant has been issued for 43-year-old Samantha Piercey of Glovertown. Piercey is known to frequent St. John’s. She failed to attend a recent court date in Clarenville in relation to charges of causing a disturbance and theft under $5000.00.

The investigation is continuing.

Anyone with any information about the current location of Piercey is asked to contact Clarenville RCMP at 709-466-3211 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

The number of influenza cases in Newfoundland and Labrador has soared.

Information for the most recent reporting period, which ran from March 2-8, indicates that one person has died from influenza. There are 61 people in hospital with 10 in the ICU.

(Influenza Dashboard)

In total, there were 181 cases of influenza during the last reporting period, well above the five year average for the same week at 36.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald recently acknowledged that the province has seen a spike in cases, and is hopeful that the number of cases has peaked and that they will soon be on the decline.

Despite the recent arrival of a new family doctor, health care on the Baie Verte Peninsula relies heavily on virtual care. Residents are frustrated and anxious.

Keeping the aging Holyrood Thermal Generating Station open just five years beyond its potential 2030 retirement date would cost Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro more than $700 million. 

At the St. John’s Curling Club, hundreds of curlers pack the ice every day, and the phone is ringing off the hook. So in a province that loves curling — and is home to one of the world’s best teams — why aren’t there more places to curl?

This year’s Boston Seafood Show has been dominated by talk of tariffs. As NTV’s Beth Penney tells us, there is good news for one seafood company owner from this province, hoping to break into new markets. 

The Transportation Safety Board released its report on the Elite Navigator, the fishing vessel that caught fire and sank off the northeast coast of the island last July.

As NTV’s Marykate O’Neill tells us, looking back the seven crew members who had to abandon ship do feel very lucky. 

One of the province’s most important cultural events is at risk of cancellation because of financial challenges. The Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival is looking for support from the community and government as it faces an uncertain future.

Tonight in NTV’s Silver Linings, the Vera Perlin Society received a donation worthy of a pot of gold. It will help support individuals with intellectual disabilities gain meaningful employment. Here’s NTV’s Beth Penney. 

The Women’s Junior A Hockey League is in its very first playoff season. The newly-formed league offers competitive play for women on the Avalon Peninsula between the ages of 18 and 24. More than 120 young women are registered.

O’Reilly’s Pub in downtown St. John’s starts selling tickets for St. Patrick’s Day months prior. Owner Brenda O’Reilly says the Irish culture, food and music feels familiar to many Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

The Benevolent Irish Society says it will be renting space at the Knights of Columbus after closing the chapter at its Harvey Road hall over the weekend.

The Society held its final St. Patrick’s Day event at the hall on Saturday after occupying the space for the last quarter century.

While BIS President Bob Gillard says there was some initial trepidation, he notes that it’s not the first time that the society has embraced change in its 219-year history.

The BIS was based in a building on Queen’s Road from 1880 to 1999; “so leaving a facility and moving on is not new.”

As for what’s next, Gillard says they will be hosting events out of the Knights of Columbus on St. Clare Avenue.

He says they will be renting space at the facility on a per-event basis.

More than a month after a transport truck went over an embankment near Swift Current, N.L., a resident of the community says she's frustrated the cleanup of the crash site has stalled.

The RCMP has issued an arrest warrant for a 43-year-old Glovertown woman.

Police say Samantha Piercey is known to frequent St. John’s. She failed to attend a recent court date in Clarenville on charges of causing a disturbance and theft under $5000.

Anyone with information on the current whereabouts of Samantha Piercey is asked to contact Clarenville RCMP.

A 66-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after a snowmobiler was seriously injured while crossing an area near Port au Port West last month.

Initially, it was believed that the snowmobiler was injured after falling from his machine, but the police investigation soon revealed otherwise.

RCMP won’t say how the snowmobiler suffered the injuries he received at this time. However, the charge, as it appears on the court docket, reads “attempting to commit murder where a firearm is used in the commission of the offence.”

Harold Wayne Hynes of Port au Port West was arrested on Sunday and appeared in provincial court this morning via teleconference on one count of attempted murder.

Hynes was remanded to custody pending his next appearance in court tomorrow.

A woman who owns a Newfoundland Pony with a rare condition is trying to raise enough money to get the animal to PEI for treatment.

Sandra Piercey and her husband Cliff Devoe had had their ranch in Codroy Valley for about 10 years.

About a month ago Nellie the Newfoundland Pony became ill, and Piercey says it was discovered that the animal has a rare condition, known as guttural pouch mycosis, which can cause heavy bleeding from the nose of a horse.

As Piercey explains, there is a procedure to correct the condition, but it can’t be done in this province.

She needs to get Nellie to the vet school in PEI for a surgery.

She says the estimated cost of travel to and from PEI, and the surgery is between $12,000 and $15,000.

Piercey says Nellie is in stable condition currently, but time is of the essence, “because if she bleeds again, she may bleed out and die,” she said.

Through a GoFundMe account, over $5,000 has been raised so far.

A 66-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after an incident in Port au Port West last month left a snowmobiler with life-threatening injuries.

The RCMP arrested Wayne Harold Hynes of Port au Port West on Sunday. At around 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 21, Bay St. George RCMP responded to a 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.

As part of the investigation, police determined the level of injury to the snowmobiler was not as a result of the fall from the snowmobile. On Feb. 25, the RCMP executed a search warrant at Hynes’s residence and seized a number of items.

Hynes was arrested yesterday at his home without incident and was held in police custody overnight.  He appeared in provincial court today, via teleconference, and was charged with attempted murder and was remanded into custody. His next court appearance takes place March 18.

The investigation is continuing.