🗞 Leave Halifax and go to Neptune

Good morning!

How about we start the morning off with some Halifax-inspired Tuesday trivia:

– Alyssa

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: ❄️ 0°

Tomorrow: 🌥 -6°

Next Day: ⛅️ 4°

7-day forecast

🚗 Driving today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.

MUSIC

Halifax singer-songwriter Mat Elliott’s debut single is a dream-synth trip

Take the laid-back, bassline-riding funk of Tom Misch and sprinkle in a little psychedelic dreamwave for good measure: That’s the feeling you’ll get from Mat Elliott’s new single, “Two Years.” It’s a precursor to the Halifax-based singer-songwriter’s debut EP, South Endings, set for release in April.

A project Elliott describes to The Coast as “a lot of stuff in my head that was just kind of rolling around in there,” South Endings sees the Truro-raised artist reflect on “a couple of hard breakups” while experimenting with guitar grooves, dreamy synth solos and piano arrangements that’ll pluck you out of a Halifax winter and onto the outer rings of Neptune.

Coast reporter Martin Bauman catches up with Elliott to talk about the new EP.

🤔 Need to know

🧑‍🎓 Canada has announced a 2-year cap on study permits for international students, with plans to approve 35% fewer students in 2024 compared to 2023.

🔥 A tent fire broke out at Grand Parade yesterday due to a propane appliance, leaving one individual injured. In response, a new temporary shelter has been opened at the Multi-Purpose Centre of the Halifax Forum. 

💰 The province has announced more assistance for the families of children with autism. Families can now apply for financial aid of up to $3,000 through the new one-time program Autism Family Support Fund, to help cover costs relating to care.

*Sponsored Post

🗞️ In Other News

⚰️ Looking to be environmentally friendly until the very end? Check out this group of basket weavers in Antigonish creating biodegradable willow caskets. 

🧒 Families still waiting for answers regarding the province’s stance on eliminating daycare waitlist fees. 

🚨 Police are investigating after shots were fired at a vehicle in Darmouth early Saturday morning. 

🧠 New research from the Alzheimer Society is projecting a 273% increase in dementia cases by 2050 within Indigenous communities, due to a lack of support services. 

🦠 Here’s how long COVID-19 is affecting Nova Scotians. 

🔎 An investigation is underway after an Alan Syliboy painting and guitars were stolen from a Highway 201 residence. 

📄 The Lionel Desmond fatality inquiry is set to release its report on January 31.

SPONSORED BY DINE AROUND

Eat out this February. Or order in. With specially-priced menus from great Halifax restaurants, there’s no reason to cook!

With special menus priced at $10, $20, $30, $40, $50 or $60 now’s the time to celebrate Halifax’s innovative culinary scene!

🗓️ Things To Do

Looking for something to do this week? Check out these Coast picks:

🗓 Live Music: Salt + Ash has a must-see lineup of live music acts this week. Stop by and listen to tunes from local artists Jesse Patrick and Mike Dalton while also enjoying some local brews at happy hour prices | Jan. 26 & 27 | 10:30pm | Free cover

🗓 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead: Tickets are now on sale for Neptune Theatre’s newest comedy, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Gear up for a night of discovering the meaning of death and existentialism | Jan. 30-Feb. 25 | 2pm & 7:30pm | $42 - $100.60

🗓 Ice Festival: The annual Downtown Dartmouth Ice Festival kicks off this week. Enjoy some local winter fun like attending an ice carving workshop, live music, street curling and more | Jan. 26-28 | 9am-10:30pm | Free

Find more Halifax events in The Coast listings

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

Your weekly pasta fix: Chanoey’s Pasta has you covered with its Sausage Crumble Rośe special: fettuccine mixed with garlic butter, Italian sausage, sweet peppers, mushrooms, cream, tomato sauce and parmesan

A coffee lover's dream: Stop by The Middle Spoon Desserterie & Bar and order its Espresso Martini Tasting Flight: Creamy maple, chocolate orange and toasted marshmallow, classic and vanilla cinnamon and whiskey.

🛍️ Shop Talk

Call for vendors: The Nearly Spring Market and the next Marquee Market are looking for vendors for their markets happening the Feb. 10 weekend. 

Closed for repairs: Red Knot Bakery will be closed this week to deal with water damages caused by a flood. 

Coffee & Soccer: The Grounds Cafe, a love child between the soccer Wanderers and Drift Coffee has opened in the Wanderers Fan Shop. Support local and absorb some Halifax sports history at the same time.

👀 In Case You Missed It

• Exxon is taking its shareholders to court. The shareholders are going to put forward a motion at a meeting in the spring, asking Exxon to limit profits to save the planet. Exxon is trying to block the motion to save human life on this planet as that would "diminish the company’s existing business."

• The Cape Breton castle that was listed for $1 million has been sold to an Ontario woman looking to make her retirement dreams come true.

That’s it!

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