The Chief Public Health Office says there are many bugs and illnesses making people sick on the Island right now.

The RCMP is asking that anyone with information that may assist in a search operation being conducted near the Confederation Bridge to contact their local police.  On Friday at 3:00 a.m., RCMP received a report of a man who jumped from the Confederation Bridge.  The Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Centre, New London Fire Department, PEI Ground Search and Rescue, Town of Borden-Carleton, RCMP Boats, and RCMP Air Services have all been engaged in the search effort.  Police say it is now considered a recovery operation and the identity of the man has yet to be confirmed.

The RCMP successfully executed two unrelated arrest warrants on Wednesday in West Prince.  A 29-year-old man, who was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for parole violations, was apprehended in St. Louis.  The man has been returned to Correctional Service Canada for the completion of his sentence.  In a separate matter, a 28-year-old man was arrested in Alma on a warrant for dangerous driving and flight from police. His next court appearance will be December 18th in Summerside Provincial Court.

Islanders have once again stepped up to Make The Season Kind. While the CBC campaign to help Island food banks has officially wrapped up, the need is only growing. CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin checks in with Mike MacDonald, executive director of The Upper Room Food Bank and Soup Kitchen.

With some P.E.I. patients expecting to wait two years for an appointment to get a magnetic resonance imaging scan, the Atlantic Veterinary College has stepped forward to say it's open to sharing its MRI machine. 

The P.E.I. RCMP say they are working with the coast guard and other first responders as they work to recover the body of a person who jumped from the Confederation Bridge Friday morning.

The Town of Stratford is offering homeowners a rebate of up to $2,000 to upgrade their sump pumps so the outflow doesn’t enter the sewer system. The rebate program also includes a battery backup system for those who participate.

PEI RCMP have stopped 12 impaired drivers this week, including 2 on Wednesday.  On Wednesday night at about 8:00 p.m., RCMP received a 9-1-1 call reporting an erratic driver in Newton PEI.  Police located the driver in Kinkora and arrested a 61-year-old man for impaired driving by alcohol. Police say the Ontario man provided breath samples that were 2.5 times the legal limit.  Just after 12-noon on Wednesday, RCMP were conducting a checkpoint in Stanchel when a vehicle came through with the smell inside of fresh burnt cannabis.  A 41-year-old Prince County woman failed a roadside test and was given a blood demand.

The Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission has approved an increase of 3.0 cents per litre overnight in the price of regular gasoline.  The price of furnace oil went up by 1.0 cent per litre, while the price of diesel increased by 2.0 cents per litre.  Including taxes, pump prices for regular self-serve gasoline now range from 160.3 to 161.5 cents per litre.  Diesel costs between 181.8 and 183.0 cents per litre.  The maximum price for furnace oil is 120.8 cents per litre.  Propane price adjustments ranged from no change to an increase of 1.0 cent per litre.  Propane prices now sit between 86.2 and 87.0 cents per litre.

In Court in Georgetown on Thursday, a 61-year old man was given a $750 fine and 10-year weapons prohibition after entering a guilty plea to unsafe storage of a firearm, in a case that’s connected to the December 2023 shooting death of 17-year old Tyson MacDonald.  The man cannot be named due to a publication ban.  Thursday’s sentence followed a joint recommendation from the Crown and defence. 

Two years after post-tropical storm Fiona demolished thousands of trees on Prince Edward Island, residents on the North Shore worry that the tattered debris still sitting in the forests could be a massive fire hazard.

Former NHLer Forbes Kennedy shared stories and laughs with two friends and fellow Flyers alumni Al MacAdam and Joe Watson in Charlottetown recently. It was part of a new program called Alumni House Calls. Former members of the NHL team visit other alumni who can’t travel to team events anymore. It was a special time for everyone that took part.

Canada's Mark Arendz continued his winning ways to open the Para biathlon World Cup season on Thursday, claiming gold in the men's standing 7.5-kilometre sprint in Vuokatti, Finland.

Former Charlottetown Guardian editor Gary MacDougall speaks with CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin about his first retirement project: a 400-page book about Tyne Valley, P.E.I.

The food bank in Montague is raising alarm bells about its long-term sustainability, as some former donors become food bank users themselves.

Alberton mayor Brian Poirier has resigned after just over a year in office, saying he felt he had 'lost confidence' of three of the town's councillors.

While shoppers and diners in P.E.I. will get some relief at the checkout starting this weekend, small businesses on the Island may bear the brunt of a two-month tax holiday. 

The father of a teenager who pleaded guilty to killing Tyson MacDonald in 2023 has been handed a $750-fine and a 10-year weapons prohibition after himself pleading guilty to unsafe storage of a firearm in connection with the case.

The Irish singer-songwriter will headline the third music and culinary event, held in the North Shore community of Cavendish.

The RCMP says it has charged a Kings County man with Attempted Murder.   Kings District RCMP, with the assistance of the RCMP Major Crime Unit, say they have charged 25-year-old Owen Daniel MacDonald of Albion Cross after a person known to him was seriously assaulted.   RCMP are releasing very few details as the investigation may be subject to a publication ban.  Police say they learned of an incident that occurred on November 28th that sent the victim of an assault to hospital. After several days of investigation, police made an arrest and have charged MacDonald with Attempted murder; Aggravated assault; Assault causing bodily harm; Dangerous driving causing bodily harm; and Dangerous driving.  He was held in custody and is to appear in court today in Georgetown. 

A 25-year-old eastern P.E.I. man has been charged with attempted murder and RCMP are releasing few details as the investigation may be subject to a publication ban, according to a news release sent out Thursday morning.

Thursday means the weekend is near!

PEI WEATHER

TEXT YOUR ANSWERS TO 902-368-1720

The weather conditions Thursday are resulting in some issues for travellers.  There are traffic restrictions in effect on the Confederation Bridge because of the strong winds.  They went into effect about 4:15am as winds have been gusting over 100kh in the Strait at times.  Northumberland Ferries has cancelled the 7:00am and 10:00am sailings from Wood Islands, and the 8:30am and 11:45am crossings from Caribou.  The ferry company will monitor the conditions and make an announcement regarding the status of sailings scheduled for the afternoon.

A new project is aiming to raise $50,000 to buy portable Wi-Fi hotspots that Islanders can borrow from the library in Charlottetown for free, letting them sign into the internet wirelessly from remote locations.

A watershed protection group on Prince Edward Island has 100,000 trees to plant as part of the federal 2 Billion Trees Program, meant to bring Canada closer to net zero by 2050. The program is attracting interest from landowners who lost trees during post-tropical storm Fiona. Nancy Russell headed to eastern P.E.I. to find out more.

From producing specialty metal products to charitable fundraising, some businesses and organizations on P.E.I. are in a bind as the Canada Post strike nears the end of its fourth week. 

Canadian financial institutions are lowering their prime lending rates to match the half percentage point decrease Wednesday from the Bank of Canada.  All of the Big Six banks said Wednesday that they’re lowering their prime rate to 5.45 per cent, effective Thursday.  Bank prime rates help determine the cost of things like variable-rate mortgages and lines of credit while fixed mortgage rates are influenced more by the bond market.  Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canadians should expect a slower pace of cuts moving forward.

Charlottetown Police are investigating a hit and run vehicle/pedestrian collision that happened on Wednesday, December 4th.  Police say that a small, dark colored sedan was traveling westbound on Richard Drive and struck a pedestrian from behind while they were walking westbound on the right side of the road.  The pedestrian, a 54-year old Charlottetown man, suffered serious injuries and was taken to the QEH.  Police say the collision occurred on the east side of the Richard Drive / Doncaster Avenue intersection, and the vehicle would have sustained some noticeable damage to its front end.   Police believe the vehicle may be a Toyota Corolla, possibly a 2007 to 2012 model.  Police are asking anyone who may have information, witnessed the collision, or that may have video to contact Charlottetown Police or contact PEI Crime Stoppers.

AquaBounty Technologies has announced that the Company will wind down its hatchery operations in Bay Fortune.  In September, AquaBounty announced that it was looking for a buyer for its operation in Rollo Bay, and planned to hold onto its facility in Bay Fortune.  But AquaBounty issued a news release Wednesday indicating it will immediately begin to wind down its Bay Fortune operation, its only remaining operating farm, including the culling of all remaining fish and a reduction of substantially all personnel over the course of the next several weeks.

Northumberland Ferries has cancelled some crossings on Thursday because of the weather forecast.  It has cancelled both the 7:00am and 10:00am crossings from Wood Islands, and the 8:30am and 11:45am sailings from Caribou.  Northumberland Ferries will keep an eye on the conditions and provide an update on the afternoon sailings.

Stars for Life has secured a new building to house its Day Program Services.  Located in the West Royalty Industrial Park, the centralized space will allow Stars For Life to expand its services, providing tailored environments for learning, skill-building and community engagement.  But significant renovations are needed, so Stars For Life is launching a Capital Campaign.

Stars for Life has already raised 50% of the estimated $3 million required for the project through years of dedicated fundraising efforts.

For more information about the Capital Campaign and make a donation, you can go to https://www.starsforlife.com

Organizers behind the Sommo Festival and tourism industry officials on P.E.I. say the event’s move to September in 2024 gave the province’s tourism economy a boost during the early-autumn shoulder season.

The acceptable grounds for a workplace compensation claim on P.E.I. will include psychological harm from harassment as of Jan. 1, 2025. That's something Lisa Donovan has been advocating for since her husband's death was linked to workplace bullying in 2013. Donovan joined CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin to talk about the upcoming changes.

Charlottetown police are asking people to help them find a driver who hit a pedestrian in the Sherwood area the evening of Wednesday, Dec. 4, and didn't stay on the scene. 

With the Canadian postal strike now in its fourth week, some helper elves in P.E.I. are working hard to make sure Santa Claus gets children’s letters in time for Christmas. 

Massachusetts-based AquaBounty has announced it is shutting down its genetically engineered salmon hatchery in Bay Fortune, P.E.I., with 'several senior management members' leaving the company in the face of a cash crisis.

YAY! Happy Hump Day all over again!

PEI WEATHER

TODAY:   Drizzle ending this morning then rain starting this afternoon. High 9

TONIGHT:  Rain ending this evening. Wind South gusting to 70 this evening. Rising to 12 overnight.

TOMORROW:  Periods of rain in the morning ending in the afternoon. Winds Gusting to 70. Falling to 5 in the afternoon.

LATE BUS REPORT

Bus # 71 driven by Diana Leger and serving Sherwood Elementary, Stonepark Intermediate and Charlottetown Rural is running 30 minutes late.

Bus #423  driven by Sarah Chambers to Mt Stewart running 1 hour late

Bus #406 driven by Mary O’Donnell to Vernon River School 45 minutes late.

ANSWER: EGG NOG!

Request your favourite Christmas Song with a dedication for a minimum $25 donation to Toys for Tots on December 18th!

Birthdays for Wednesday, December 11th – CLICK HERE TO SEND ONE

The City of Charlottetown is attempting to mend its relationship with Elections P.E.I.

At about 5:20 pm on Saturday, Summerside Police responded to a call about a possible impaired driver. Officers located the vehicle on MacEwen Road and conducted a traffic stop.  The driver, a 46-year old Summerside area man was arrested at the scene and later provided two breath samples which police say were determined to be more than twice the legal limit. The man is facing impaired charges and a driving suspension was issued.

The Bank of Canada will make its final interest rate announcement for the year Wednesday after four cuts to its policy interest rate so far in 2024.  Those cuts include a half-percentage point cut in October to bring the central bank’s key interest rate down to 3.75 per cent.  Financial markets and forecasters are betting on another jumbo interest rate cut to bring the rate down to 3.25 per cent.

A lack of staffing has reduced the number of MRIs that P.E.I. conducts, leading to even longer wait times for a test and possible diagnosis.

Wearing T-shirts with his face on them, staff and students of Belfast Consolidated celebrated John Munro as P.E.I.'s principal of the year. The award is especially meaningful because the school was almost closed in 2017. Munro says he's just a reflection of what a great community Belfast is. Nancy Russell was there as he received his award.

Premier Dennis King and Canada’s other premiers will meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Wednesday to talk tariffs.  It comes two weeks after they last met to discuss how to respond to U-S president-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 25 per cent tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico when he takes office next month.  The federal government reportedly promised to present a plan to the premiers for their approach to negotiations with Trump and his officials.  News of the first ministers’ meeting came on Tuesday, the same day that Trump tauntingly took to social media to say it was a pleasure to dine with — quote — “Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada.”  It’s a nod to a joke Trump made at a dinner last month in Florida that he might make Canada the 51st U-S state.

Premier Dennis King released a statement on Tuesday for Human Rights Day.  King says the day is an important reminder of the values of equality, dignity, and respect that all people should be afforded.  He says all Islanders are encouraged to reject discrimination and work together to build a more inclusive and equitable community for all.  The Premier’s statement notes that human rights play a crucial role in addressing discrimination and inequality.

Music PEI has announced the nominees for the 2025 Music PEI Awards. This year, Dylan Menzie and Vishtèn Connexions lead the pack with six nominations each, followed by Hikado with five, and both Absolute Losers and Richard Wood with four nominations apiece. Public voting for two fan-favorite categories—Ocean 100 and Hot 105.5 Entertainer of the Year and Maritime Electric Music Video of the Year— is open now and runs until January 3rd, 2025. Fans are encouraged to support their favorite nominees by casting their votes online.  Pop Music PEI Week will take place from March 4th-8th, 2025, with events across the Island celebrating PEI’s music scene. This year’s festival promises unforgettable performances, inspiring stories, and the long-awaited awards ceremony honoring the best in Island music.

Marlene Chapman, who fishes out of Murray Harbour, graduated from UPEI last week with a master's degree in Island Studies. She recently completed her thesis on climate adaptation in the P.E.I. lobster fishery, and shares some of her findings with CBC News: Compass host Louise Martin.

Todd Joseph Gallant was arrested earlier this year, with Charlottetown Police saying DNA evidence collected at the crime scene in 1988 pointed to him. Now his lawyer plans to challenge that evidence.

The nominations are out for the 2025 Music P.E.I. Awards, with winners to be announced during P.E.I. Music Week in March.

YAY! Happy Hump Day all over again!

PEI WEATHER

TODAY:   

TONIGHT:  

TOMORROW:  

TEXT YOUR ANSWERS TO 902-368-1720

Request your favourite Christmas Song with a dedication for a minimum $25 donation to Toys for Tots on December 18th!

Birthday’s for Wednesday, December 11th 

Plans for the new $54-million school in Abram-Village also include an Acadian and francophone arts and culture centre, a public library and a daycare.