Prince Edward Home’s Lupin Valley Household has declared an outbreak of the respiratory virus RSV. Residents of that household will be limited to one visitor at a time. Visitors will be asked to follow the current infection control measures, and visitors are reminded to not visit if they are experiencing any symptoms of respiratory illness.

The Kings County Memorial Hospital will be temporarily suspending emergency services on Saturdays, beginning January 11th, due to staffing challenges.   The Kings County Memorial Hospital Emergency Department is experiencing a shortage of staff at a time when demand for emergency services is increasing. Officials say pausing the services will allow Health PEI to stabilize the situation and continue to develop a long-term plan to ensure sustainable emergency care.  Three physicians will be working Monday through Friday in the Emergency Department to provide care while the Emergency Department is open.  The final emergency department Saturday shift will be Saturday, January 4th from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.   Health PEI will reassess the situation in April.

Joelle Bader is in her first season with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Girls Elite Academy, part of a national development centre that brings together the best players in the country. Bader is loving the experience, and wants to be a role model for other Islanders.

Dec. 25 and 26 are both statutory holidays on Prince Edward Island, meaning many businesses and services will be closed or on reduced hours. It’s best to call ahead if you’re thinking about venturing out anywhere this week. 

The Retail Council of Canada says store workers are seeing more and more abuse from customers, especially around the Christmas holidays.

Staff at a long-term care facility in Summerside, P.E.I., are trying to make the holidays as joyful as possible for residents despite an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness.

The ER at eastern P.E.I.'s Kings County Memorial Hospital will be open only Monday to Friday starting Jan. 11, 2025, due to what Health P.E.I. calls staffing challenges.

Quebec-based Lion Electric, which has made dozens of electric school buses for the P.E.I. government, is now in creditor protection. 

PEI Crime Stoppers recently presented its Law Enforcement Officers of the Year Awards.  Awards are presented for an RCMP officer of the year, Municipal Police officer of the year and Peace Officer of the year.  Constable Jamie Parsons received the RCMP Officer of the Year Award; Constable Mallory Metallic of Summerside Police Services was named Municipal Police Officer of the Year; and the Peace Officer of the Year Award went to Chief Sheriff George Doyle.

Islanders who want to quit smoking can now access nicotine replacement therapies and prescription smoking cessation medications directly from their local pharmacy.  The PEI Smoking Cessation Program, which is a provincial government initiative, covers 100 per cent of the cost of nicotine replacement therapy products such as gum, patches, lozenges and inhalers or specific prescription medications.   The expansion into pharmacies is aimed at helping more Islanders quit by offering treatments closer to home at community pharmacies.

Northumberland Ferries wraps up what has been a challenging 2024 sailing season on Monday.  It concludes this season’s service between Wood Islands and Caribou with three sailings on Monday – from Wood Islands at 7:00am and 10:00am, and from Caribou at 8:30am.

Children from Glen Stewart Primary School in Stratford, P.E.I., marched their way over to Andrews of Stratford this week, armed with gifts and songs for the seniors who call the residence home.

Starting next month, Prince Edward Island families who make less than $80,000 a year will receive up to $360 per child annually — or $30 per month — through the new P.E.I. Child Benefit. 

Mahone, a two-year-old, black, fluffy Newfoundland dog from Prince Edward Island, doesn't know that he and other canine blood donors have saved the lives of fellow pooches that have needed surgery, or have been poisoned. Mahone just does it for the treats.

ALMOST GO TIME – GET OUT AND GIT ‘R DONE!

PEI WEATHER

TEXT YOUR ANSWER TO 902-368-1720

Charlottetown Police say they used the E-watch camera system to locate two suspects recently after getting a report of two people going through vehicles in the area of Dresden Court and Hawthorn Avenue.  The E-watch cameras led police to the suspects in the area of Fitzroy Street and Esher Street, where they were arrested.  The initial investigation pointed officers to several other locations where similar offences had taken place.  A 42 year old Charlottetown woman has been charged with a single count of theft under $5000.   A 40 year old Charlottetown man has been charged with 6 counts of Theft under 5-thousand dollars; 5 counts of Breach of probation; and 2 counts of Trespass at Night.  Police remind residents to always keep vehicles locked and don’t leave valuables in vehicles.

Questions are swirling about how much gas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has left in the tank as Liberal leader.  Trudeau’s facing growing calls from within his party caucus to step down after Chrystia Freeland’s bombshell resignation as finance minister at the beginning of the week.  Trudeau shuffled his cabinet days later, saying his team is squarely focused on Canada-US relations ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration next month.  Trump has threatened massive tariffs on Canadian goods when he returns to the White House.

Canada Post has been making deliveries this weekend in select cities.  The postal service has processed its backlog of parcels from the month-long strike and is now trying to get more items to doors in time for Christmas.   But it says Canadians should still expect domestic package delays into the new year.  Thousands of workers went back on the job earlier this week after the labour board ordered an end to the strike — with no new agreement in sight for Canada Post and the union.

In the NHL on Saturday, some of the highlights include the Maple Leafs losing 6-3 to the Islanders; Montreal beat Detroit 5-1; and Boston downed Buffalo 3-1.

NFL action on Saturday saw Kansas City beat Houston 27-19, and Baltimore dump Pittsburgh 34-17.

There’s live harness racing today with a rescheduled program at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.  The 13-dash program has a 12:30 P.M. opening post time.

Saturday’s Scoreboard

NHL

Ottawa 5 Vancouver 4 (OT)

Edmonton 3 San Jose 2 (OT)

N.Y. Islanders 6 Toronto 3

Calgary 6 Chicago 4

Montreal 5 Detroit 1

Winnipeg 5 Minnesota 0

Nashville 3 Los Angeles 2

Boston 3 Buffalo 1

Philadelphia 5 Columbus 4 (OT)

New Jersey 3 Pittsburgh 0

Vegas 6 Seattle 2

—

PWHL

Montreal 4 Toronto 3 (OT)

—

AHL

Toronto 7 Hershey 3

Belleville 5 Springfield 2

Tucson 4 Abbotsford 2

Charlotte 6 Bridgeport 2

Colorado 5 San Diego 3

WB/Scranton 7 Lehigh Valley 2

Texas 4 Milwaukee 0

Hartford 4 Providence 2

Chicago 4 Iowa 1

Bakersfield 4 San Jose 2

Ontario 4 Coachella Valley 2

—

NBA

L.A. Lakers 103 Sacramento 99

Detroit 133 Phoenix 125

Orlando 121 Miami 114

Memphis 128 Atlanta 112

Utah 105 Brooklyn 94

Boston 123 Chicago 98

Cleveland 126 Philadelphia 99

New York 104 New Orleans 93

Milwaukee 112 Washington 101

Golden State 113 Minnesota 103

Dallas 113 L.A. Clippers 97

San Antonio 114 Portland 94

—

NFL

Kansas City 27 Houston 19

Baltimore 34 Pittsburgh 17

—

NLL

Saskatchewan 14 Rochester 12

Colorado 19 Halifax 14

Georgia 11 San Diego 8

In the kitchen at the Lower Montague Women's Institute, volunteers with the Down East Food Collective regularly get together to prepare and cook more than 100 servings of freshly made sauces and pasta for Montague's community fridge.

2:50pm – PEI RCMP says road conditions are very poor right now. Visibility is low and several cars have gone off the road. The Mounties suggest that if you have to go out, to check ahead and stay safe.

2:00pm – Maritime Electric reports that 702 customers are currently without power.  There’s a power outage in West Prince in an area from Tyne Valley up to Freeland.

Residents of Prince Edward Island woke up to their first significant snowfall Saturday morning with more expected throughout the day.

On December 18th, 2024, Stratford RCMP received a complaint from a local business of stolen power tools valued at over $1500. RCMP later arrested a 31-year-old man and seized the tools, cocaine and methamphetamine in the process.

On December 20th, 2024, the Queens District RCMP, with the assistance of the RCMP Major Crime Unit and the RCMP Provincial General Investigation Section arrested a 31-year-old man in Cornwall for possession of property obtained by crime and trafficking property obtained by crime in connection to the stolen tools. In the process of the arrest, police seized stolen power tools, and small quantities of cocaine, and methamphetamine. The man will appear in Provincial Court on February 3rd, 2025, to answer charges concerning this ongoing investigation.

Summerset Manor in Summerside has declared an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness. That’s in addition to the gastrointestinal outbreaks already declared at Summerset Manor’s Family household and Friends household.

Residents of those households are being limited to one visitor at a time.

All visitors are asked to follow the current infection control measures and stay away if feeling unwell.

A single-vehicle crash in Elmsdale Thursday afternoon led to the arrest of a 22-year-old man in connection with a stolen vehicle.  It was about 1:00 p.m. when West Prince RCMP responded to a report of a single-vehicle crash in which a car struck a pole.  Police arrived to find that the vehicle had been stolen, and the driver ran off.  Police say they located him a short distance away and he was treated for minor injuries and arrested. He’s been released on conditions and will appear in Summerside Provincial Court on February 5th.

 Charlottetown Police say tips from the public have led to the arrest of a suspect in a hit and run investigation.  A 54-year old Charlottetown man suffered serious injuries when he was struck in the vehicle/pedestrian collision December 4th in Sherwood On Thursday, Charlottetown Police followed up on a recent tip which led to the arrest of an 18 year old Charlottetown man and the seizure of a vehicle.  The man has been charged with Failure to Remain at the Scene of an Accident Causing Bodily Harm.  He has been released from custody and will appear in Provincial Court in January.

Summerside's council voted earlier this week to repeal the city's taxi bylaw, deeming it 'redundant.' The mayor says the move should open the door to different ways of getting around.

Many stories dominated the news cycle on Prince Edward Island this year. To break down some of the big headlines, Sally Pitt and Paul MacNeill joined CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin.

The federal agency created to boost economic development in Atlantic Canada is chasing dozens of bad loans worth millions of dollars. Court documents show ACOA is seeking money from a variety of P.E.I. businesses in multiple fields.

Health P.E.I. has negotiated a contract with a private clinic in Moncton, N.B., to increase access to MRI scans for some Prince Edward Island patients, says agency CEO Melanie Fraser. 

Strategic Holdings Inc. is facing four charges while its president, 32-year-old Nathan Kember, faces seven.

It's getting harder to find an apartment on Prince Edward Island, according to new data released by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation this week. 

Peter Bevan-Baker, the Green Party’s energy critic, says the utility’s plan to expand its power generation on the Island by investing in things like diesel-powered generators is shortsighted. 

An 18-year-old man from Charlottetown has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run involving a pedestrian in the city earlier this month. 

Prince Edward Islanders can expect nearly 25 cm of snow and wind gusts of up to 80 km/h this weekend, says Environment Canada. 

The home known as Green Gables, which served as the inspiration for novelist L.M. Montgomery, is undergoing a major renovation: its roof will be replaced for the first time since 1997. The work, which is complicated because of the building's historical significance, is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Gas, furnace oil and diesel prices all increased overnight.  The Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission approved an increase of 2.5 cents per litre in the price of regular gasoline, while the price of furnace oil rose by 5.5 cents per litre, and the price of diesel went up by 3.5 cents per litre.  Including taxes, pump prices for regular self-serve gasoline now range from 163.2 to 164.3 cents per litre.  Diesel goed for 185.8 to 187.0 cents per litre.  The maximum price for furnace oil is 126.5 cents per litre.

The province is taking a number of initiatives in its efforts to build stronger ties with the United States of America going into 2025.  Those initiatives include the naming of a special Cabinet Committee on U.S. Relations; a Team PEI mission to the United States early in 2025; and an advertising campaign that will be launched in key northeastern U.S. markets to promote products exported from PEI to highlight the potential impacts tariffs could have on the trade relationship.  

The United States is Prince Edward Island’s top trading partner, with exports totalling $1.7 billion dollars per year, nearly 80% of PEI’s total exports.

Environment Canada has continued the Special Weather Statement for PEI, saying the Island could see 15 cm or possibly more of snow from tonight through Saturday night with winds gusting northeasterly 70 to 80 km/h.  Broken down, we could see 5cm of snow tonight, and another 10cm on Saturday with those strong winds causing blowing snow with poor visibility and poor driving conditions.

Some post-secondary students on Prince Edward Island say they struggle to find part-time and full-time employment during or after their studies.

A five-year-old Jersey named Delphie was crowned grand champion at this year's Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, the seventh such champion from P.E.I. It was just another honour for the cow owned by Blair and Jaime Weeks of Pleasant Valley. The Island's agriculture minister, a past winner at the Royal, says the Island punches above its weight when it comes to dairy cows. Nancy Russell introduces us to Delphie.

Premier Dennis King sits down with CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin in the final year-end interview with leaders of P.E.I.'s political parties.

A proposed Nordic spa project in the Chelton Beach area of P.E.I. will be 40 per cent smaller than first planned, its developer told those who gathered in Summerside Wednesday night for a final public meeting on whether approval should be granted.

Police say they have seized 1.5 kilograms of what is believed to be methamphetamine and 40 grams of suspected cocaine from a residence in Anglo Tignish, along with cash, weapons and a vehicle. 

IT’S THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL TODAY!

PEI WEATHER

Special Weather Statement still in effect for tomorrow night into Saturday with significant snowfall expected for Queens and Kings counties.

ANSWER: JINGLE BELLS!

Environment Canada's special weather statement for this weekend now includes all three counties on Prince Edward Island. 

A new report released this week shows growth in PEI’s health care workforce, particularly when it comes to nurse practitioners and family physicians.  The Canadian Institute for Health Information says the province’s supply of nurse practitioners per 10-thousand population grew from 7.6 in 2014 to 37.5 in 2023 – a growth rate more than twice the national average.   The data shows that PEI’s family physician supply grew by 6.3 per cent in 2021, 4.1 per cent in 2022, and 5.8 per cent in 2023. In contrast, national growth saw increases of only 1.4 per cent in 2021, 1.8 per cent in 2022, and a decline of 0.1 per cent in 2023

Maritime Electric is looking to IRAC for approval to purchase equipment at a price tag of $427-million — equipment it says it needs to generate more power locally.  With the growing population and electrification, and the uncertainty that comes with purchasing power from other provinces, Maritime Electric wants to generate more power on-island.  To do that, it wants to buy a combustion turbine, a battery for energy storage, and internal combustion engines.  Last year, the company experienced a new system peak load of 359 megawatts, and it believes buying this equipment for local generation will be more the more cost-effective approach.  The cost would be passed on to customers, with a phased-in approach.

Justin Trudeau’s path to stay on as prime minister appears to be narrowing.  His inner circle has begun laying out his options after Chrystia Freeland’s bombshell resignation earlier this week heightened calls for him to step down.  One of the options he’s been presented is proroguing Parliament to allow a Liberal leadership race to happen.  Still, Trudeau has a few weeks to decide on his next move before M-Ps return to the House of Commons on January 27th after their holiday break.