You can expect an increased police presence on Island roads for this New Year’s Eve.  PEI RCMP say they will have checkpoints set up and will be using roadside screening devices to detect and deter impaired drivers.   In the last two years, PEI RCMP roadside screening results led to 261 drivers being stopped and facing roadside suspensions, vehicle seizures and criminal code charges. PEI RCMP urge Islanders to plan ahead for a sober ride, and to report impaired drivers by calling 9-1-1.

New Year’s celebrations are planned across the Island.  In Charlottetown, there’s the Capital New Year celebrations at Founders’ Food Hall & Market on Tuesday.  To allow for the celebrations, Prince Street in Charlottetown will be closed below Water Street, including the east gate of the CADC Peakes Wharf parking lot, from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. Barricades will also be in place at a number of intersections beginning at 6:30 p.m. to assist police in directing traffic from the event site – and they include Water Street at Great George Street; Water Street at Prince Street; and Water Street at Hillsborough Street. The event will feature family activities from 4pm to 8pm with live entertainment and fireworks at 7pm.  Meanwhile, Summerside’s New Year’s festivities will see Bob Dewar Street closed from 12:00pm to 9:00pm Tuesday.  From 4pm to 6pm, there will be free play with bowling, skating and swimming at Credit Union Place; and pony rides and inflatables at the Summerside Dome.  Then, from 6:00pm to 7:45pm at the Dome, there will be DJs, a silent disco, snacks and bar service, laser tag, photo ops and surprises.  7:50pm is when the family Countdown Celebration begins at the Dome.

As 2024 comes to an end, we’re taking a look back at the stories that made headlines on Prince Edward Island over the past 365 days.

The P.E.I. Crafts Council has big plans for the building it's leased next door to its retail store on Water Street in Charlottetown. The goal is to create a place to train new craft makers and upgrade the skills of existing artisans. The space will also give artists like Renée Laprise (shown) a chance to be together under one roof. Nancy Russell dropped by the new space to have a look.

Reflecting on the past year, Premier Dennis King said 2024 was a strong year for Prince Edward Island in general. 

Summerset Manor in Summerside has declared the outbreak of Gastrointestinal Illness on its Horizon household over. However, Gable and Serenity households remain in outbreak status for Gastrointestinal Illness.

All visitors are being asked to follow the current infection control measures.

People in the small western P.E.I. town of Tignish wanting to celebrate New Year's Eve with a few drinks have a couple of options for a safe drive home — the mayor and MLA.

A study by two Nova Scotia universities is shedding light on loneliness.

Prince Edward Islanders can celebrate the new year a couple of days early after workers removed the four and added a fresh five to the big red year sign in downtown Charlottetown. CBC's Sheehan Desjardins spoke with Dawn Alan of Downtown Charlottetown Inc. about the sign's continuing popularity.

A lot of stories made waves on the Island this year. Here's a quiz that'll test your knowledge of just some of the many headlines throughout the last 12 months.

Some businesses on P.E.I. say the federal government's pause on requiring the HST to be charged has had little effect on sales, but the true test will come in the six weeks ahead as the shopping season slows down.

The Capital New Year celebrations at Founders’ Food Hall & Market on Tuesday will have some impact traffic with some road closures.  Prince Street will be closed below Water Street, including the east gate of the CADC Peakes Wharf parking lot, from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. Residents will be granted access. The CADC Peakes Wharf parking lot will be accessible at the west gate entrance at Peakes Quay (Great George Street) after 3 p.m.   Barricades will be in place at a number of intersections beginning at 6:30 p.m. to assist police in directing traffic from the event site – and they include Water Street at Great George Street (east side of the intersection); Water Street at Prince Street (west side of the intersection); and Water Street at Hillsborough Street.  Parking will be prohibited from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Prince Street below Water Street; and Stan MacPherson Way.

The City of Summerside is advising residents and visitors of a temporary road closure to accommodate the 2024 New Year’s Eve festivities.  Bob Dewar Street will be closed on Tuesday from 12:00pm to 9:00pm.  Motorists are being encouraged to plan alternate routes and allow for extra travel time during those hours. The City of Summerside New Year’s Eve Celebrations will see a number of activities from 4pm to 6pm, including free play with bowling, skating and swimming at Credit Union Place; pony rides and inflatables at the Summerside Dome.  Then, from 6:00pm to 7:45pm at the Dome, there will be DJs, a silent disco, snacks and bar service, laser tag, photo ops and surprises.  7:50pm is when the family Countdown Celebration begins at the Dome.

HERE’S TO A FRESH START IN 2025 and THANKS FOR BEING HERE IN 2024!

photo: Robbie Nordoff

PEI WEATHER

TODAY:  Sunny. Steady near 7°

TONIGHT:  A few clouds with some fog patches. Low -1°

TOMORROW:  Sunny but clouding over in the afternoon. High 4°

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It’s NEW YEARS EVE, EVE!

PEI WEATHER

TODAY:   Cloudy. Chance of drizzle or showers. High 7°

TONIGHT:  Chance of drizzle or showers this evening. Rain overnight. South East wind gusting to 50. Steady near 7°

TOMORROW: Clearing in the morning. Steady near 7°

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America is mourning the loss of Jimmy Carter, the longest-lived U-S president in American history, who died at his Georgia home on Sunday at the age of 100.

As reactions poured in from around the world, President Joe Biden said the world lost an “extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” — and he added that he lost a dear friend.

Biden cited Carter’s work to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil and human rights, promote free and fair elections and house the homeless as an example for others.

A state funeral for Carter has been scheduled for January 9th in Washington. 

An investigation is underway into a rough landing by an Air Canada Express flight that happened Saturday night at Halifax Stanfield International Airport.  An Air Canada spokesperson said a “suspected landing gear issue” left the plane unable to reach the terminal upon arrival from St. John’s.   Passengers and crew were safely off-loaded by bus and while earlier reports suggested there were some minor injuries, R-C-M-P confirmed on Sunday no one was injured.  

With 2024 coming to a close, Islanders and political leaders alike are looking back on the year in provincial politics. The year was “in some ways, uneventful,” the P.E.I. Liberal Party’s interim leader Hal Perry told CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin on Dec. 16. 

Many P.E.I. businesses and services will be closed on New Year's Day, after being open for reduced hours on Tuesday, Dec. 31.

Prince Edward Island's latest capital budget allocated $16.8 million over four years for phase one of a major project at the high school serving West Prince. This will be the first major renovation for Westisle since it opened in 1979. CBC's Sheehan Desjardins has more.

Health PEI says that the Emergency Department at Kings County Memorial Hospital will reopen Monday. 

It had been closed on Saturday due to lack of staffing.

The Emergency Department will be open as usual for regular hours Monday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.   

The Atlantic Liberal caucus is calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

A letter to Trudeau penned by Atlantic caucus chair and Nova Scotia M-P Kody Blois and dated December 23rd calls for Trudeau to step down while also calling for a national caucus meeting in early January so the Liberal M-Ps can discuss their next steps.

New Brunswick M-P Wayne Long shared the letter publicly on Facebook Sunday.

He’s been saying since the fall that Trudeau should step down.

A P.E.I. group wants litterbugs to clean up their act.

There was an incident last night at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport that grounded flights and had others re-routed to Moncton.

Airport officials say flight 2259 operated by Pal Airlines experienced a “suspected landing gear issue” during landing.

Once on the ground and unable to reach the terminal, the crew and all 73 passengers were off-loaded by bus.

Minor injuries were reported by Nova Scotia R-C-M-P and local paramedics.

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Odds are beginning to favour a federal election this winter after a statement from the New Democrats House Leader.  The NDP’s Peter Julian says his party will support an upcoming Conservative non-confidence motion, but only if it describes how the Liberals have “let Canadians down.”  

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has options should he decide that he will not lead the Liberals into the next election.  The longest option would be proroguing Parliament for breathing room without facing confidence votes which wouldn’t leave much runway for a leadership race.

Health PEI says a Gastrointestinal Illness outbreak has been declared on Gable household at Summerset Manor in Summerside.  That outbreak is in addition to outbreaks that had already been declared on the Manor’s Horizon and Serenity households.  As a result, residents on those households are being limited to one visitor at a time.

Visitors should stay away if they are not feeling well.

Linking P.E.I. seniors with programs that can help with things like care, home renovations or social isolation is a full-time job for two seniors navigators.

Some P.E.I. libraries are helping people quell any boredom over the holidays with binge boxes.

The countdown to the end of 2024 is in full swing!

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A man has non-life-threatening injuries after escaping a house fire in Marshfield, P.E.I., on Friday afternoon. The house was destroyed in the blaze.

Santa’s Angels has helped Santa deliver food boxes and gifts to hundreds of families across Prince Edward Island each December for the last two decades

The last few public viewings using the high-powered telescope in UPEI's observatory have drawn bigger crowds than usual. Organizer Megan Glover speculates it could include people whose interest was piqued by the rare solar eclipse last spring.

Residents of Murray Harbour say a new monument will serve as a tribute to people from the community who lost their lives at sea — and an important reminder of the dangers for those who continue to take the risk of going out on the water. 

Health PEI says that the Emergency Department at Kings County Memorial Hospital will be closed on Saturday (December 28th), due to lack of staffing.

The Emergency Department will be open as usual for regular hours on Monday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Anyone with emergency medical needs should call 9-1-1.

As P.E.I.’s provincial ski park begins another season, those hitting the slopes say they’re not taking snow on the slopes for granted, especially as wintry days become less frequent. 

Health P.E.I. says the emergency department at Kings County Memorial Hospital in Montague will be closed Saturday due to a lack of staffing.

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly travelled to Florida Thursday to talk border security and trade with incoming U-S president Donald Trump.

This comes as Indian law enforcement agencies say they’re investigating alleged links between dozens of Canadian colleges and two “entities” in Mumbai accused of illegally ferrying international students through Canada to the U-S.

Trump has threatened to slap a 25 per cent tariff on both Canada and Mexico once he takes office over the flow of illegal migrants and illicit drugs from those countries into the U-S. 

Canada’s top doctor has her eye on H-5-N-1 bird flu for the new year.  It’s an emerging virus carried by wild birds that had its first human case in Canada this year and has been on the rise globally.   At the same time, Dr. Theresa Tam is closely monitoring measles– a virus that was eliminated in this country more than two decades ago– but is making an accelerated resurgence.  There have been close to 170 measles cases in Canada in 2024, compared to 59 cases last year.

Health PEI says an outbreak of Norovirus has been declared on Serenity Household at Summerset Manor in Summerside.  Horizon household at Summerset Manor is already the site of a gastrointestinal illness outbreak.  Residents on Serenity and Horizon households are being limited to one visitor at a time.  All visitors will be asked to follow the current infection control measures. 

The Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission has announced that there is no change this week in the prices of regular gasoline, premium gasoline, furnace oil or diesel.  Propane price adjustments range from no change at all to a decrease of 1.0 cent per litre.  Including taxes, pump prices for regular self-serve gasoline still range from 163.2 to 164.3 cents per litre.  Diesel costs 185.8 to 187.0 cents per litre, and the maximum price for furnace oil is 126.5 cents per litre.  Propane prices now range from 85.7 to 86.4 cents per litre.

With her party holding no seats, Prince Edward Island’s NDP leader spent the year in a unique position, looking in at the legislative assembly from outside. 

OH BOY – WE HAD A LOT OF FUN OVER CHRISTMAS AND HOPE YOU DID TOO!

PEI WEATHER

TODAY: Clearing this afternoon. High 1°

TONIGHT: A few clouds. Low -9°

TOMORROW: Sun and cloud. High 0° – cold windchill of -13° in the morning

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Janine Gosbee has been trying to give away a vintage upright piano, but hasn't had any takers. She's finding out the heavy old beauties are simply not wanted anymore.

For Green Party interim leader Karla Bernard, 2024 was a 'wild year' in P.E.I. politics. 

Waste not when it comes to packaging materials you could recycle instead of tossing this year. Read on for a listing of what Island Waste Watch wants to you to sort out after Christmas.

A soccer player from P.E.I. is training with some of the best young women in the country. Joelle Bader, 16, is in her first season with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy.

For the past couple of years, two neighbours in Charlottetown have waged a friendly war to see who could come up with the most elaborate display of Christmas decorations. CBC's Connor Lamont visited the neighbourhood to check out how the battle shaped up this year.

Canada Post says Canadians should expect domestic package delays into the new year.  It’s already processed its backlog of parcels from the month-long strike by thousands of workers and expected a significant portion of them to be delivered before Christmas.  The postal service even delivered packages over the weekend in select cities in an effort to get more items at doors in time for the holidays.  And Monday, it started to accept new international mail. 

PEI RCMP, together with some other police agencies, set up checkpoints across the province last Friday and checked thousands of drivers – stopping 7 impaired drivers.   PEI RCMP Traffic Services alone arrested six impaired drivers with check points in Morell, Avondale, Caledonia, Vernon Bridge, and Fort Augustus. Queens District stopped the 7th impaired driver.  RCMP ask that, if you see a driver who could be impaired, call 9-1-1 and provide a description of the vehicle and driver, a license plate number, and the direction the vehicle is travelling.