Prince Edward Island’s biggest hospital declared a partial Code Orange Friday night 'in response to several trauma patients being expected at the hospital,' shortly after the RCMP sent out alerts saying a major route was closed because of a 'serious multi-vehicle collision.'

With Prince Edward Islanders paying more for everything from groceries to gas to rent, new parents are confronting another problem. The cost of baby formula is soaring, and a shortage of supply means it’s also hard to find. 

The Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission will allow companies distributing furnace oil on P.E.I. to make a little more money per litre starting Jan. 5, 2024.

The proposal for an eight-storey apartment building for downtown Charlottetown wasn't compatible with the official plan, according to the city's manager of planning and development. 

The COVID-19 outbreak at Kings County Memorial Hospital in Montague has been declared over.  Health PEI is thanking staff for their dedication in managing and limiting the COVID-19 outbreak within the facility.  Visitors are encouraged to wear a mask inside the facility and to not visit if they are feeling ill.

After stopping two impaired drivers in a time span of less than 2 hours on Wednesday, PEI RCMP arrested two more impaired drivers on Thursday. 

Just before 9:30am on Thursday, an officer stopped a driver for speeding in Bonshaw.  The 34-year-old man failed a roadside screening test and was arrested for impaired driving by alcohol. 

Then, at about 6:15pm, East Prince RCMP responded to a single vehicle crash on Route 2 in Springfield. No one was injured, but the 44-year-old woman was arrested for impaired driving by alcohol. 

Both drivers are expected in court soon to answer to impaired driving charges.

Some reaction from the Opposition Liberals to the King PC Government’s fall fiscal update that was released on Wednesday. 

In that update, the Province predicted a $98.6 million deficit in 2023-2024, which is an increase of $1.0 million compared to the amount forecasted in the 2023 Operating Budget.

The Liberal Opposition says it is clear the Government is financing its spending by ballooning the provincial debt and ensuring future generations pay for their financial mismanagement. 

The Liberals point the the Rustico rink project in saying that the King Government’s priorities are misplaced, and the impact on the well-being of citizens is being ignored.

It will be cheaper for any Christmas shoppers to fill up on Friday. 

Summerside, P.E.I., is now getting energy from a large solar farm that will eventually provide about 21 megawatts of energy, or about 25 per cent of the electricity it takes to run the city of 15,000 people. 

Ten new affordable housing units are almost ready to welcome residents in Alberton 'with open arms,' says Ernie Hudson, minister of transportation and infrastructure.

PEI RCMP stopped two impaired drivers in just over two hours on Wednesday afternoon.  First, at about 3:00 p.m., an officer stopped a vehicle in Hunter River for speeding and the driver failed a roadside screening device for cannabis. Then, at about 4:20pm, East Prince RCMP responded to a collision between a dump truck and a car in Wellington. No one was injured but the driver of the car was given a breath demand to screen for alcohol. The driver refused to provide a sample, but a charge of failing to provide a breath sample carries a similar penalty as impaired driving.  Both drivers are facing court dates to answer to impaired driving related charges.

Karen Rose, Gary Scales and Paul Kiley are this year’s recipients of the highest honour in the field of law.

They are the Province’s most recent recipients of the King’s Counsel designation.   Deputy Premier and Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General Bloyce Thompson made the announcement.

The tradition of King’s Counsel, formerly known as Queen’s Counsel, dates back to the 16^th century and is to recognize exemplary lawyers for their contributions to the field of law, leadership, professionalism, as well as their public and social contributions.

Work will be underway this winter to help protect two popular stretches of coastline in western Prince Edward Island.

The province is now predicting a $98.6 million deficit, one million dollars more than anticipated in this year’s original operating budget. 

A woman who lost her home during post-tropical storm Fiona says the federal and provincial governments need to do more to help people whose lives have been impacted by climate change, including a better way of handling compensation claims.

New affordable housing units run by the Canadian Mental Health Association are nearly ready to welcome residents in Alberton, P.E.I.

A company owned by P.E.I. developer Tim Banks has applied to purchase a controversial waterfront property still under construction on the Island's north shore.

The P.E.I. government is testing the use of flashing blue LED lights, in combination with the usual amber-coloured ones, on a handful of its snowplows this winter.

Plans for an apartment building in downtown Charlottetown that have been in the works for almost three years have been shelved once again.

More than 30 years after a gunman rampaged through Montreal’s École Polytechnique killing 14 women, gender-based violence still haunts communities across Canada, including P.E.I.

Prince Edward Islanders' satisfaction with the Dennis King government is still strong, despite seeing a drop from three months ago, new polling numbers suggest. 

Jack Frost Winterfest is returning to Charlottetown in 2024, and it’s not just one but two weekends of frosty fun. The Winterfest is set for the Family Day Long Weekend, from February 16-19, and then there will be a bonus weekend from February 23-25.  Over both weekends, the Nordic site at Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park at Brookvale will transform into Snowtopia, Jack Frost Winterfest’s new outdoor activity zone will offer lots of activities from tube runs and snow painting to ice sculpting and live music. Guests can enjoy busker performances, an obstacle course, and the charm of horse-drawn sleigh rides. Exclusive to the Family Day Weekend, the Delta Prince Edward by Marriott will be home to Frosty Funland indoor entertainment with inflatable castles, interactive games, carnival activities and live children’s shows. Swift Kick, the renowned Taylor Swift Tribute Band, takes the Frosty Stage on Friday, February 16 at Frosty Funland and Friday, February 23 at Seaport Snow Globe.

The PEI Division of the Canadian Mental Health Association, together with the provincial government, is holding the grand opening Wednesday of its commercial modular housing project in Alberton. The project has received a forgivable loan of $2 million and $1.4 million in annual operating loan grants over the next 10 years from the PEI Housing Corporation enabling CMHA PEI to expand housing supports in Alberton. This is CMHA PEI’s second commercial modular housing project. The first project at 203 Fitzroy Street in Charlottetown, was completed in November 2022. The Alberton project is a two-storey building and it consists of six studio units and four one bedrooms, two of which will be accessible. The new housing will be for individuals receiving assistance through CMHA’s mental health programming within the community. 

Members of the PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women will host their annual Charlottetown Memorial Service today to mark Canada’s National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. The Memorial Service will take place from 12:00 noon to 1:00pm. The 2023-2024 theme of the Purple Ribbon Campaign Against Violence Against Women is “Healing Gender-Based Violence ~ begins here.”   Candles will be lit in remembrance of the fourteen women murdered in the Montreal Massacre of 1989 and each of the ten Island women murdered since that year. 

The Public Schools Branch Board of Trustees has announced the appointment of Tracy Beaulieu as the new director of the Public Schools Branch.  Beaulieu has served as the acting director since August and is the successful candidate of a public competition carried out by the board of trustees.   Beaulieu’s career in the PEI public school system spans more than 25 years where she held various positions including classroom teacher; administrator; and administrator support leader, directly supporting principals working across PEI.  She holds a Bachelor of Education from UPEI and a Masters of Literacy from Mount Saint Vincent University.

About a month after Western Hospital in Alberton was hit by an outbreak of MRSA, it’s been declared over.  Health PEI had advised of the outbreak on November 8th, and it’s now thanking staff for their dedication in managing and limiting the MRSA outbreak within the facility.

Visitors are encouraged to wear a mask inside the facility and to not visit if they are feeling ill.

This year, the decorating of the Lieutenant Governor's residence was done by a pair of women from West Prince. We stopped by to hear a bit more about the process and get a sneak peek at the decorations.

An international study and testing program that looks at the academic performance of 15-year-olds ranks both Canadian and Prince Edward Island students among the top 30 when compared to other jurisdictions.

The Cavendish Beach Sommo Festival will be returning next year, but in mid-September instead of mid-July.

An official with the rural municipality of Murray Harbour says a councillor who posted a controversial message on a signboard on his property has missed the deadline to apologize and pay a fine over the matter.

The Canadian Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation at UPEI has delivered a sweeping set of recommendations to the provincial government on how to protect P.E.I.'s coastline.

A retired Roman Catholic priest has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to four counts of sexual exploitation of a teenage boy on P.E.I. in the 1990s.

Prince District RCMP arrested a 47-year-old Edmonton, Alberta man and 40-year-old PEI woman on Monday at a traffic checkpoint in Borden Carleton.

Police arrested the driver of a Jaguar that was stolen from Toronto, Ontario, in October 2022.  The passenger ran off but after a short foot pursuit they were arrested and 0.5kg of cocaine was seized.

The man is facing charges of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, possession of property obtained by crime over $5000, resisting arrest and breach of probation.

The woman is facing charges of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime over $5000.

The Canadian Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation at UPEI provided its Interim Coastal Policy Recommendations Report to government this week.  Environment, Energy and Climate Action Minister Steven Myers says he commissioned the research earlier this year when he ordered a moratorium on new development in the buffer zone. Myers says the report makes it clear that the province is not in a position to lift the shoreline protection order until it can develop localized shoreline management solutions.  The report recommends the development of shoreline management plans for PEI’s 17 regional coastal areas; helping coastal residents learn about their risk, responsibilities and how to protect their properties; developing an interim planning policy for coastal development; expanding the environmental buffer zone based on changing conditions; and developing enhanced penalties for violating the Environmental Protection Act, including requiring the coastline to be restored if damaged.

The latest survey by Narrative Research shows that satisfaction with the PC Government of Premier Dennis King remains strong, although it has declined.  Currently, at 66 percent, two-thirds of Islanders are satisfied with Premier King’s government, which is down from 74% in August.  This latest survey shows that 30 percent of Islanders are dissatisfied, which is up from 22%.  

Among decided voters, the Progressive Conservatives have 56 percent support, compared with 53% in August.  The Green Party has 18 percent support, down from August’s 22 percent, and the Liberal Party has 17 percent support, down from 18 percent in August.  The NDP remained at 6 percent support.   

PC leader Dennis King is the preferred choice for Premier of 49 percent of Islanders.

Murray River, P.E.I. has elected a new mayor and council. 

Three people are facing criminal charges after separate driving related incidents in Summerside over the weekend.

The first incident happened shortly after 8pm Friday as Summerside Police stopped a vehicle in the Granville St. area for having an expired license plate. Police arrested the driver, a 31-year old Summerside woman, because she was under a Canada-wide driving prohibition. 

At about 2am Sunday, Summerside Police were dispatched to Duke St. where a vehicle collided with a utility pole.  The driver, a 21-year old Summerside area woman, failed a roadside screening device test and later provided breath samples that were over twice the legal limit.

Then, at about 7:30pm Sunday, police got a report of a two vehicle, head-on collision on Heather Moyse Drive.  When they arrived on-scene, one of the drivers showed signs of being impaired by alcohol.  A 52-year old Summerside man provided breath samples that showed him to be over twice the legal limit.

Residents in Murray River voted Monday in an election after four of six councillors had resigned over the past year. Tom Scott was elected Mayor, garnering 75 votes to Paige Hart’s 24.  There were seven candidates for six councillor positions, and winning election were Tanya Campbell, Shawn Dawson, Karri Ferguson, Michael Franklin, Marvin MacLeod and Kelly Scott.  

A Canadian Mental Health Association official in PEI says the recently launched toll-free, 9-8-8 suicide prevention helpline is an extra piece of support for people who may not feel comfortable talking over the phone.

Julia Ramsay says it will reduce a lot of barriers as Islanders can now call or text the national 9-8-8 mental health crisis phone line at anytime of the day without paying a cent.
It allows Islanders to contact a social worker or nurse through text messages if they need help.

A 70 year old Charlottetown man has been charged with Arson and an impaired driving is pending after an incident early Sunday morning.  It was about 2am when Charlottetown Police responded to a call of an SUV on fire on the Norwood Road.  Police tried unsuccessfully to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher, but the Charlottetown Fire Department arrived soon after and put out the blaze. There was no one in the vehicle and there were no injuries.  Through evidence discovered in their investigation, Police were able to identify a suspect and by using E-Watch video surveillance they came up with a vehicle related to the incident.  A short time later, that vehicle was spotted traveling on Haviland Street.   A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was arrested without incident.  

The P.E.I. Native Council runs a men’s shelter on Winter Street in Summerside. It has been pretty much at capacity since it opened last spring, says Chris Clay, the council's housing co-ordinator.

The union representing P.E.I.'s school bus drivers says capacity is becoming a growing concern, especially in the Charlottetown area. 

Developer Tim Banks is suing the Environmental Coalition of P.E.I. and three other defendants over what his court filings describe as a conspiracy to 'impede and confound' his efforts to develop or sell land he owns adjacent to a P.E.I. National Park site at Greenwich.

Craig Taggart has been a member of the ski patrol for 30 years, and is a familiar sight for anyone who frequents Mark Arendz Provincial Ski Park in Brookvale.

Residents of Murray River are casting their votes in the town’s election Monday, with the mayor's job and five councillor positions at stake. 

Prince Edward Islanders in need of emergency mental health support can now access the new national 988 phone line to get it 24/7.

Volunteers at the Souris Lions Club say there's been an increase in people who need a helping hand in the last few decades, and the club has had to work harder to meet that need.

Now teaching on Vancouver Island, Lucas Olscamp got the chance to travel to Dubai as one of five finalists for the Burjeel Holdings Oxford Saïd Climate Change Challenge.

The Fredericton Caps went to overtime to edge the Charlottetown Knights, 3-2 in Major U18 hockey.  Owen MacPherson and Declan MacLauchlan scored for the Knights who are 3 points back of first place Moncton.

No Plan Intended took the featured 14th race at Red Shores in Charlottetown on Sunday for driver Mike McGuigan in 1.55/4.  Marc Campbell drove three winners and leads the track with 136.   Jason Hughes drove two and is second with 129.  He’s also a win away from 2,000 race wins for his career.

Holland College ended the first half in basketball with a split at UNB Saint John.  The Women’s Canes won 86-49 led by Lauren Armstrong with 24 points and 9 rebounds. The Canes are 5-5.  UNB won the men’s game, 85-62. Bryce Corless led Holland College with 12 points. The Canes are 3-7.  

SCOREBOARD

Sunday’s Scoreboard

NHL

Boston 3 Columbus 1

Los Angeles 4 Colorado 1

Minnesota 4 Chicago 1

N.Y. Rangers 6 San Jose 5

Nashville 2 Buffalo 1

—

AHL

Manitoba 3 Rockford 1

Calgary 7 Henderson 4

Utica 7 Cleveland 6

Providence 3 Lehigh Valley 1

Chicago 5 San Diego 3

—

NFL

Green Bay 27 Kansas City 19

San Francisco 42 Philadelphia 19

Detroit 33 New Orleans 28

Houston 22 Denver 17

Arizona 24 Pittsburgh 10

Atlanta 13 N.Y. Jets 8

Indianapolis 31 Tennessee 28 (OT)

L.A. Chargers 6 New England 0

Miami 45 Washington 15

Tampa Bay 21 Carolina 18

L.A. Rams 36 Cleveland 19

* * * * * * * * * *

Monday’s Games

(All times Eastern)

NHL

Dallas at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

Seattle at Montreal, 7:30 p.m.

Carolina at Winnipeg, 7:30 p.m.

Washington at Arizona, 9 p.m.

St. Louis at Vegas, 10 p.m.

—

NBA

In-Season Tournament Quarterfinals

Boston at Indiana, 7:30 p.m.

New Orleans at Sacramento, 10 p.m.

—

NFL

Cincinnati at Jacksonville, 8:15 p.m.

—

(The Canadian Press)