In reference to the chicken coop in Witless Bay owned by Gideon Barker and Jaclyn Humphries…
Police asking for help with cabin break-in investigation
On November 15, at approximately 11:00 a.m., Ferryland RCMP received a report of a cabin break-in on Old Witless Bay Line.
Bay Bulls gets permission to postpone by-election until New Year
It was a fairly short meeting with a very busy agenda as Bay Bulls council disposed of a boat load of business earlier this month.
Witless Bay council treads carefully with MOU requests
The Town of Witless Bay expects to receive a formal request next month from the regional fire department to arrange the purchase of a new tanker truck.
Firing back: Luby and Tucker explain their side of BBBAA dispute
Bay Bulls councillors Evelyn Tucker and Joan Luby are firing back at the head of the BBBAA for statements they feel questioned their ability to understand financial statements and their support for the regional recreation group.
Status of mysterious land bid in doubt
A mysterious application to purchase crown land near the Old Witless Bay Line has some residents feeling left in the dark as they become increasingly frustrated with the lack of a formal public process to air their concerns.
Stella Maris graduating class makes a little history in Portugal Cove South
The 2018 graduating class at Stella Maris Academy in Trepassey made a little history in the Town of Portugal Cove South last month as it was the very first time a Stella Maris graduation event was ever held in the Town.
No, no, and again no, Witless Bay man told by Appeal Board
It was three strikes you’re out for a man from Witless Bay who appeared before the Eastern Newfoundland Regional Appeal Board last month. Well-known council critic and former council candidate Edward Vickers appeared three times before the board in one day last month, losing one appeal he had launched himself against the Town and two others in which he represented other residents in unrelated cases.
BBBAA's dispute with councillors nears the boiling point
A showdown was nearing this evening between the Bay Bulls to Bauline Athletic Association and two councillors with the Town of Bay Bulls just as the volunteer recreation group is on the verge of extending its operating agreements with Bay Bulls and Witless Bay.
Holyrood Council Wants Answers On Muskrat Falls Mitigation
Holyrood council has batted around the idea for some time as to what to do about the looming rate increases to power bills facing its residents once Muskrat Falls comes onstream. On Tuesday, council voted to send a letter to Harbour Main MHA Betty Parsons asking how the province intends to mitigate the financial burden on residents, particularly senior citizens and low income earners.
The motion was tendered by councillor Roger Moyette.
“A lot of people are starting to complain and starting to wonder how they’re going to adjust their budget based on the hikes,” said Moyette. “What I would like to see is someone from the government actually have a plan in place to help people who are on fixed incomes because right now, as far as I can see, they’ve talked about a plan, but they haven’t shown a plan yet. This motion asks Betty Parsley how the provincial government plans on helping the residents of Newfoundland and Labrador with these hikes, because some people just really can’t afford it. So, it would be nice to see the government step in and actually present a plan rather than talk about a plan.”
Mayor Gary Goobie, who earlier this fall presented council with a proposal on at least one idea the province might use to soften the blow of Muskrat Falls - by nationalizing Newfoundland Power and rolling it into Nalcor, said he supported Moyette’s motion.
Obviously this has been ongoing now for quite a while,” said Goobie of the concern in the community about electricity costs. “The latest figures I think is that the province, through rate mitigation, is going to have to come up with around $400 million a year. That’s a significant amount of money. There are many people out there who are pretty concerned. I’ve spoken to many seniors, as I’m sure many of you have, who are living on fixed incomes and a lot of them are actually scared. They’re scared of what could happen if their light bills go up. You’re talking medications and general living expenses and if their light bills are impacted in a negative way it will have an adverse impact on them, not only seniors but single mothers trying to raise children, families with mortgages. It’s going to have an impact on the province as a whole.”
Deputy Mayor Curtis Buckle, who participated in the meeting by teleconference, agreed with much of what Goobie had to say. “At the end of the day, people just can’t afford it,” Buckle said. “People are hurting and this is going to make them hurt even harder.”
