The fall lobster season in LFA 25 got underway Sunday with the setting of gear after being delayed several days because of poor weather conditions.  Trap setting day was supposed to be last Wednesday.  After a DFO weather call on Friday, it was decided that the season would open Sunday with the setting of gear, but there would be no fishing Sunday.  Lobster fishing in LFA 25 started as of 4:00am today.

Prince Edward Islanders are being advised to prepare for another hurricane season, even as some continue to deal with fallout from post-tropical storm Fiona last September.

After several delays, the Northumberland Strait fall lobster fishery began Sunday.

A 10-year-old comics fan from Summerside, P.E.I., has written and printed his own comic book, and he's making some good money out of it.

A big night for Scott Young as he drove both winners in the first two Gold Cup and Saucer Trials on Saturday night at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.   Funatthebeach and Young won Trial #1 in 1:50.4.  Also qualifying for the final were Roll ‘Em (Marc Campbell) and Twin B Tuffenuff (Gilles Barrieau).  The young was in the bike to guide Covered Bridge to the win in Trial #2 in 151.2. Also qualifying for the final were American History (Dale Spence) and Bee Two Bee (Jason Hughes).  Trial #3 is Monday night and Ocean 100 will have the live race call.

On Thursday at approximately 2:00pm, the Charlottetown Police Street Crime Unit arrested a man and woman on Euston Street following an investigation into street level drug trafficking in Charlottetown.

Officers seized a quantity of hydromorphone pills and cash.

A 51 year old Charlottetown man has been charged with Trafficking, while the woman was not charged.

Police say the man has been released from custody and will appear soon in Provincial Court.

There was a multi-vehicle collision on Route 2 in Milton Station on Saturday night.  The RCMP and Island EMS were among those who responded to the scene and Police advised shortly before 10:30pm that Route 2 was closed from Lower Malpeque Rd. to Warren Grove. Traffic on Route 7 was being diverted down Route 256. Shortly after 11:00pm the RCMP advised that Route 2 was reopened.  

The fall lobster fishery in the Northumberland Strait got underway Sunday.
Poor weather delayed the scheduled opening for Lobster Fishing Area 25, which for PEI stretches from North Cape to Victoria-by-the-Sea.  Traps were originally supposed to be set on Wednesday, but high winds kept boats tied up.  There is an agreement that there will be no lobster fishing Sunday —  just the setting of gear.  Lobster fishing will start Monday at 4am.

Safe Drivers P.E.I. is teaming up with the P.E.I.'s Net Zero Office to educate Islanders on electric vehicles. The goal is to encourage more people to use EVs to help reduce carbon emissions.

The first two Gold Cup and Saucer Trials are set for Saturday night at Red Shores Racetrack and Casino at the Charlottetown Driving Park.  Governor’s Plate winner Roll Em drew the rail in Trial #1.  Covered Bridge drew post position 1 for Trial #2.  Trial #3 goes on Monday night.  Ocean 100 will be airing the live race calls from the legendary Vance Cameron for trials, the Consolation and then the big race next Saturday.

A former PEI premier is set to sit as the chair for the advisory body looking for the next Supreme Court of Canada justice for the second time.  Wade MacLauchlan is set to be one of the eight-member independent advisory board that will provide Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with a short list of highly qualified candidates to replace outgoing Justice Russell Brown.  Brown announced his retirement in June, ending a probe by the Canadian Judicial Council into allegations of misconduct that emerged out of an event in Arizona.

Three of UPEI’s campus unions – The UPEI Faculty Association, CUPE 1870 representing support staff, and CUPE 501 representing campus police – have sent a letter to UPEI Interim President Dr. Greg Keefe, proposing to share the cost of hiring an independent lawyer to review the redactions to the Rubin Thomlinson Report. The report highlighted issues of discrimination, sexual harassment and violence at the university’s campus. In the letter, the unions highlight the importance of rebuilding the trust that has been lost in the aftermath of the report, and make it clear that they believe that an independent review of the redactions to the Report released in June is an important step in rebuilding that trust. The unions also state that they believe that an advisory panel created by the University to guide its response to the report should have access to an unredacted copy of the report, if they are to be able to provide appropriate advice and oversight.

Many beach-goers in P.E.I. have likely seen moon snails before. But these sea creatures have a range of fascinating behaviours that may not be at all apparent behind their shells.

The P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture says there is increased interest from young people looking to pick up family farm operations.

Two women who signed non-disclosure agreements with UPEI a decade ago have been permanently released from their NDAs. But the school's faculty association says more information is needed.

Investigators at the Atlantic Veterinary College still don’t know what killed a juvenile great white shark found washed up on a P.E.I. beach this week, but they have ruled some things out.

Kensington Police are investigating an incident of counterfeit money being used in the town. Police say the metallic portrait in the transparent window represents a $10 bill but is being used on a counterfeit $100 bill. Kensington Police are urging businesses to be cautious during cash transactions. Anyone with information about the incidents is asked to contact Kensington Police Service at 902-836-4499 or Crime Stoppers.

There is a Special Weather Statement in effect for all of PEI with Environment Canada saying the province could see 20 to 40mm of rain in most areas through early Friday evening with heavy showers and thunderstorms.    Some areas in the heaviest of showers could see as much as 50mm of rain.  Environment Canada says heavy rainfall rates in excess of 20 mm per hour are possible on Friday. 

A weather call between DFO and PEI and New Brunswick representatives is being held Friday morning regarding the fall lobster fishery.  In that call they’re reviewing the forecast and discussing the earliest possible opening of Sunday or Monday.  Trap setting day was supposed to be this past Wednesday for LFA 25 off southern PEI from North Cape to Victoria-by-the-Sea.

Fuel prices were up across the board on Prince Edward Island Friday morning, contributing to significant increases in diesel and heating oil this month.

The Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission okayed an increase overnight of 2.0 cents per litre in the price of gasoline.  The price of furnace oil increased by 3.5 cents per litre, and the price of diesel went up by 3.5 cents per litre.  Adjustments in propane prices ranged from no change to an increase of 2.5 cents per litre.  Including taxes, pump prices for regular self-serve gasoline now range from 185.8 to 187.0 cents per litre.  Diesel now costs you between 202.9 to 204.0 cents per litre. The maximum price for furnace oil is 156.7 cents per litre.  Propane prices range from 79.8 to 82.6 cents per litre.

P.E.I.’s provincial government is proposing low- and high-density development in a 34-hectare parcel of land it owns in Hillsborough Park.

The possibility of heavy rain showers in thunderstorms Friday on P.E.I. has prompted a special weather statement from Environment Canada.

The RCMP is urging drivers to be more aware, slow down and give others space as they drive on one of P.E.I.'s busiest thoroughfares.

Some Island families said they're relieved after a former funeral home owner pleaded guilty to fraud charges Thursday.

P.E.I. holds some big events in the middle of August, including the Gold Cup & Saucer and Old Home Week. The CBC's Mikee Mutuc and Jane Robertson were asked to do a video about it. Here's the result.

The value of building permits issued on P.E.I. is way down and so are housing starts. The Construction Association of P.E.I. says a number of factors are coming together to cause the decline.

Rip currents are present in most parts of P.E.I. National Park Thursday, with surf conditions varying from moderate to dangerous.

Surf conditions at Greenwich Beach in the PEI National Park on Thursday are considered dangerous. To ensure visitor safety; entering the water is not recommended.

Rip currents are a hazard on Greenwich Beach and form when waves break near the shoreline, piling up water between the breaking waves and the beach.  One of the ways this water returns to sea is to form a rip current; a narrow stream of water moving swiftly away from shore. The danger is when swimmers become trapped in the rapid current and are swept offshore.

If you are caught in a rip current, stay calm, attract attention and conserve energy.  Tread water as waves can assist you back to shore.

If that doesn’t work; swim parallel to shore out of the current-toward the breaking waves.

On Wednesday night, Maritime Electric members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1928 voted in favour of ratifying a tentative agreement that was reached on Tuesday. With the assistance of a government-appointed conciliator, Maritime Electric and the union representatives recently met for two days and negotiated a final contract that avoids a strike and any disruption of service.

UPEI Board of Governors Chair Shannon MacDonald has announced that the University has permanently released Dr. Wendy Carroll and Erin Casey from the Non-Disclosure Agreements that had been signed with the University.  The two brought forward allegations of sexual harassment in 2012–2013 against the former President and eventually took those complaints to the PEI Human Rights Commission before reaching an agreement and signing the NDAs. Chair MacDonald says making amends to those who have been harmed is one of the ways the University is accepting accountability since the release of the Rubin Thomlinson report which highlighted issues of discrimination, sexual harassment and violence at the university’s campus. MacDonald says the University will not prevent Carroll and Casey from having their voices heard and from sharing their stories, if they choose to do so.  The Chair says the Board believes it is the right thing to do, and is in keeping with the intent of PEI’s new Non-Disclosure Agreements Act. The two have also reached out and agreed to meet with Chair MacDonald, along with the University’s Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Officer. 

With the new school year approaching, Charlottetown Police are warning about rental scams.   These types of scams happen year-round, but scam advertisements do appear to increase in July and August when students start seeking lodging.

Police suggest that when you’re seeking a rental on social media, be aware of common signs that the ad may be a scam such as they don’t want to meet you; they pressure you to move in quickly without seeing the property; they ask you to send a deposit before seeing the property; the price may be too good; the listing has typos and poor grammar; or there is no tenant screening process.

Over the past week there have been two separate collisions, each involving four cars, on the Hillsborough Bridge. The RCMP say the collisions appear to have common factors including speed, lack of attention, and cars travelling too close together.  On Friday, and again on Tuesday, Hillsborough Bridge traffic was very high, especially during the morning and evening commute times. Police say that once across the bridge, there are multiple lanes that can require extra attention from motorists. The RCMP adds that with a greater population in the area, combined with increased traffic during the summer months, the bridge becomes a major thoroughfare.  So, RCMP remind all drivers to always pay attention, and keep a safe distance from the car in front of you.

ResourceAbilities is looking for youth and young adults to submit great ideas to their new grant program, called The DiverseAbility Project. One such idea has turned into a ball for seniors that two sisters are planning.

Young adults on P.E.I. are having a harder time going solo than their counterparts in any other Canadian province, data from Statistics Canada suggests.

Post-tropical storm Fiona downed nearly every tree on Steven Jackson's 1.4-hectare property in Stanhope, leading to more than $150,000 in cleanup costs.

Magdalen Islands ferry passengers have been stuck on board ever since the ship arrived in port in northeastern P.E.I. early Wednesday morning.

The Salvation Army is once again distributing school supplies to children across the Maritimes. On average, parents spend over $100 on back-to-school provisions per child. This includes backpacks, clothing, school supplies and more. For many families this is simply not feasible, and some children are left with no choice but to go without. As part of The Salvation Army’s national back-to-school campaign, The Salvation Army Ministry located in Charlottetown will be collecting and distributing school supplies for high school students, as well as backpacks for all ages. You can drop off school supplies at 158 Fitzroy Street, Charlottetown. Donations will be accepted until August 24th.  

The RCMP says it received 9 reports of vehicle windows being smashed and items stolen from vehicles parked near Island beaches during the day and early evenings. From July 16 to August 7, reports of broken windows and thefts from vehicles were reported at Cabot Beach, Thunder Cove, Cousins Shore, Cape Tryon, Darnley, and Brackley Beach. Items that have been stolen include electronics, wallets, purses, and credit cards.

The Confederation Bridge put traffic restrictions in place Wednesday because of high winds.  Highsided vehicles are among those not allowed to cross.  The winds in the Strait have been as high as 108kh.  Bridge restrictions were put into place just after 6:00am.  

Due to strong winds, Northumberland Ferries has cancelled sailings of the MV Saaremaa from Wood Islands at 8:30am and 12:00pm and Caribou at 7:00am and 10:15am.  All other departures will go ahead as scheduled.

With winds in the Northumberland Strait gusting over 100 km/h, ferry crossings have been cancelled, Confederation Bridge has restricted traffic, and the start of the fall lobster fishery has been delayed.

New mandate letters made public this week outline the tasks P.E.I. Premier Dennis King has laid out for his cabinet ministers over the course of their current terms.

An endangered white shark was found dead along P.E.I.'s north shore. CBC's Nicola MacLeod walks us through what we know.

Officials with the centre in downtown Charlottetown say the new team will enforce restrictions, help de-escalate tense situations, and keep people not allowed to be on the premises off the site as well as neighbouring properties.

Premier Dennis King has announced changes to senior management within Government, which he says are to deliver on priorities outlined in Ministerial Mandate letters that were released on Tuesday.

The changes that take effect in the coming weeks include:

• Jamie Aiken to serve as Clerk of Executive Council and Secretary to Cabinet;
• Christopher Gillis as Deputy Clerk of Executive Council, Deputy Secretary to Cabinet, and Deputy Minister of Priorities and Intergovernmental Affairs;
• Stefanie Corbett is Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Trade and Chief Executive Officer for Finance PEI;
• Erin McGrath-Gaudet to serve as Deputy Minister of Education & Early Years;
• Natalie Mitton becomes Deputy Minister of Workforce, Advanced Learning and Population;
• Brian Matheson to serve as Deputy Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure;
• Gordon MacFadyen is Deputy Minister of Agriculture.
• Norbert Carpenter to serve as Deputy Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Action;
• Dan Campbell as Chief Executive Officer of the Workers Compensation Board of PEI;
• Cheryl Paynter to serve as Chief Executive Officer of the Housing Corporation; and
• Brad Colwill as the Chief Executive Officer of Innovation PEI.

Also of note — Bethany MacLeod will be joining Holland College in the coming weeks as Special Advisor to the President of the College and Pam Trainor will be joining UPEI providing strategic support to the Board of Governors.

The RCMP says a building at the Montague RCMP Detachment was intentionally rammed three times on Tuesday at 12:30pm by a 32-year-old Kings County man in a pick-up truck.  There was significant damage done to the building.  Police located the man in the Detachment parking lot where he was arrested without incident.

Queens District RCMP responded to a collision between a pick-up truck and a cyclist in Warren Grove on Monday.  It happened shortly before 3:00pm.  The 76-year-old man on the bicycle was seriously injured and taken to hospital, and then he was later airlifted to Halifax for treatment.  North River Fire Department, Island EMS and an RCMP collision reconstructionist attended the scene.

A 32-year-old Kings County man allegedly rammed a small building at the RCMP detachment in Montague, P.E.I., with a pickup truck at lunchtime on Tuesday, causing severe damage to the structure.

A 76-year-old cyclist was seriously injured after a collision with a pickup truck in Warren Grove, P.E.I.

Once again, the province will provide free school supplies to all students from kindergarten to Grade 9 in the public-school system.   Education Minister Natalie Jameson says the back-to-school season can be a stressful and expensive time for many families, and providing free school supplies is a positive initiative that gives students equitable access to essential supplies and takes some of the financial burden away from families.  The province is providing more than $980-thousand to the school authorities to purchase school supplies for the 2023/24 school year. Students will still need to bring their own indoor shoes, backpacks, lunch bags, and in some cases calculators and headphones.