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šŸ—žļø Letterkenny star hits Halifax

Plus, gunfire at Africville reunion, Dartmouth residents report violence at homeless encampment and entrepreneurship is often a necessity for the trans community.

Oh hi Halifax,

Welp, despite the coachā€™s best efforts, the Canadian womenā€™s soccer team isnā€™t out of the fight to defend their Olympic gold medal. With their head coach bannedā€”check In Other News for more on dronegateā€”the team headed into Sundayā€™s match against hosts France at the bottom of the table withā€¦minus 3 points. It was also announced by Canadaā€™s ministry of sports that they will withhold funding as a result of the scandal. Needless to say, the pre-game vibes cannot have been great in the Team Canada camp.

The vibes, however, were great at the watch party on Argyle Street hosted by the Halifax Tides womenā€™s pro team. Two huge screens and a booming sound system had patios packed as the beer flowed. There was also the cutest little baby Canada fan, although Iā€™m pretty sure she had no idea where she was. The players must have felt that good energy because they pulled off a truly unbelievable late win!

But enough about that because in the MOST important Olympics news, our city-al (like national, but for a city) treasure Ellie Black helped Canada qualify for the gymnastics team final and secured herself a spot in the all-around final. If she can lead Canada to the podium, Iā€™d like to formally propose we change Natal Day to Ellie Black Day and then support her on a mayoral run where instead of debating her opponents, she just demoralizes them via arm wrestle.

Actually, can we just do that anyway? šŸ¤øā€ā™€ļø

ā€“ Julie

šŸŒ”ļø Traffic & Weather

Today: šŸŒ¦ļø 25Ā°

Tomorrow: šŸŒ¤ļø 27Ā°

Next Day: šŸŒ¤ļø 28Ā°

šŸš— Driving, biking or busing today? Check out the current traffic conditions and ongoing road closures.

ARTS + CULTURE

 Letterkennyā€™s K. Trevor Wilson and friends hitting up Halifaxā€™s Spatz Theatre

šŸ“ø Credit: Shawn McPherson

K. Trevor Wilson, known for playing the lovable observationist Squirrely Dan in Letterkenny, is coming to Halifax.

Stopping into the Spatz Theatre on Sep. 20, the show is a part of his K. Trevor Wilson and Friends cross-country tour, featuring a whole host of Canadian comics.

His Halifax stop will feature Albertan comic Clare Belford, Canadian comedy vet Todd Graham and PEI star Dan Hendricken. The tour is supported by Comedy Records and Sirius XM Comedy Club.

Wilson has been doing stand-up comedy way before his time on Letterkenny. In 2012, he received the Irwin Baker Homegrown award at the Just For Laughs festival, and was also named Canadaā€™s best male stand-up at the 2015 Canadian Comedy Awards.

Heā€™s filmed a special for Netflix, released two comedy albumsā€”SexCop FirePenis and Sorry! (A Canadian Album)ā€”and has even acted as a judge on Roast Battles Canada

However, this will be Wilsonā€™s first soft-seat theatre tour that heā€™s headlined himself, and while the lineup will be changing throughout its three-month run, each show will be a night of non-stop laughs.

šŸ¤” Need To Know

āš ļø Health Canada is advising the public to stop using various multivitamins and supplements from several brands, because the products may contain metal fibres that could injure peopleā€™s digestive system.

šŸ„ At Purple Cow Internet we think you'll love our No Bull $60 internet. Join the herd to take advantage of our 30-day money-back guarantee!*

šŸšØ Nova Scotia RCMP are encouraging organizations that collect donations to empty donation bins regularly after two volunteer-run museums were targeted by thieves over the past week.

šŸŽ­ Twelfth Night opens this Friday night at Shakespeare by the Sea! Join us in Point Pleasant Park until September 1st. Get your seats TODAY!*

*Sponsored Post

NEWS

Entrepreneurship not a decision, but a necessity for many in trans community

šŸ“ø Credit: Julie Lawrence / The Coast

When it comes to all things financial planning, Laura Whiteland, CFP, CIM knows what sheā€™s doing. Right off, you can tell by all the letters after her name.

She has worked as an investment advisor and portfolio manager, with securities licensing including derivatives and optionsā€”which is some of the highest certification you can attain in the investment industry. She has also worked with multiple large Halifax financial institutions in various roles, and has experience with personal and business lending, banking and mortgages.

And until she was 25, she presented as a white man.

Unsurprisinglyā€”with cis white men a dime a dozen in the world of big financeā€”business was good. But when she transitioned, that sturdy professional acceptance and room for growth she had enjoyed crumbled beneath her.

ā€œI burned my career to the ground and nobody wanted me,ā€ said Whiteland. ā€œThere was a resounding no, so I realized that if I wanted to do what I was good at and what I know how to do, I was going to have to do it myself.ā€

And thatā€™s exactly what she did. 

Whiteland founded Inclusive Financial Planning, with the mission of making financial advice accessible to everyone. She says that a lot of the work that she does is for folksā€”like herselfā€”who donā€™t fit into traditional systems. They donā€™t have millions to invest in a mutual fund, so they donā€™t fit into the standard matrix of profitability.

ā€œI want to make financial planning accessible and that means not making the most money possible on every transaction,ā€ said Whiteland. ā€œIā€™m trying to help people make a living doing what theyā€™re best at.ā€

For herā€”and many in the trans communityā€”entrepreneurship was not a decision, but a necessity.

Whiteland was one of two panelists at last Thursdayā€™s SURGE Networking: Pride in Entrepreneurship eventā€”hosted by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce at The Prince George Hotel. The event was dedicated to celebrating Pride and empowering 2SLGBTQ+ entrepreneurs and professionals to thrive in their businesses.

šŸ—žļø In Other News

šŸšØ Halifax police say five people are in hospitalā€”with one believed to be in life-threatening conditionā€”after two men exchanged gunfire in the crowd at a popular annual festival highlighting the history of Africville.

šŸ„ A union representing health-care workers says a plan to cut hundreds of parking spots at the Halifax Infirmaryā€”and encouraging staff to carpool or take public transitā€”does not consider the needs of those who work all hours of the day or live outside the city.

ā›ŗ Residents of a Dartmouth neighbourhood say a homeless encampment is the source of recent acts of violence, including reports that an elderly man was attacked with a baseball bat.

āš½ FIFA came down hard on Canada Soccer for a drone spying scandal, deducting six points from the Canadian women's team at the Paris Gamesā€”a decision Canada Soccer is trying to find ways to appeal.

šŸ›¬ The Stanfield International Airport received federal funding to open an international connections facility in 2025, which will allow international passengers to change to domestic flights on the same floor, instead of having to exit customs and collect their baggage.

šŸŽ A community advocate says a real estate deal with Sobeys that limits who can sell groceries on Gottingen Street has limited the historically Black neighbourhoodā€™s access to affordable, nutritious food. 

šŸ„ˆ17-year-old swimmer Summer McIntosh won Canadaā€™s first medal at the Paris Olympics on Saturdayā€”a silver in the 400-metre freestyle.

šŸ“° Toronto-based Postmedia Network announced plans to buy ā€œcertain businessesā€ belonging to SaltWire and The Halifax Herald Ltd.ā€”the two insolvent media companies behind Atlantic Canadaā€™s biggest chain of newspapers.

šŸŒˆ The owners of Rumoursā€”a new queer bar on Lower Water Streetā€”say the opening weeks have been ā€œnothing less than magical,ā€, adding they did $30K in sales last Saturday alone.

šŸ—“ļø Things To Do

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

šŸ—“ Improv Drop-Ins: Check out Spontaneity Improv Co.ā€™s drop-in improv jams, play games, work on your skills and have fun. These classes will run every Monday evening starting today. | July 29 | 7:00pm | $15

šŸ—“ Tuesday Night Tunesā€”Serena Wu: Experience the exceptional raw talent from this Halifax-based multilingual singer-songwriter. Her music is pop-driven and her songs are powerfully relatable, driven by emotional lyrics combined with upbeat percussion and catchy melodies. | July 30 | 6:30pm | Free

šŸ—“ Dear Rita Presented by Neptune Theatre: A musical celebration of Rita MacNeilā€”the iconic Canadian storyteller who invited us to see ourselves in her music. Rita herself said her life story is ā€œsomething you could pretty well put anyone into. Itā€™s about one person, but so many of us could be there.ā€ Cape Breton playwright Lindsay Kyte was chosen by Ritaā€™s son, Wade Langham, to develop this show, featuring a cast of six and band, and new, re-imagined arrangements of Ritaā€™s music by PEI composer/musician Mike Ross. | July 30-Aug 25 | $33 and up

šŸ—“ BuskerFest 2024: With stages at the Halifax Seaport, Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, Sackville Landing, Foundation Wharf and Dartmouthā€™s Alderney Landing, the 38th edition of Buskers will provide locals and visitors alike with exciting and unique entertainment. | July 31-Aug 5 | PWYC

šŸ—“ Freedom Narrativesā€”Emancipation Day Art Celebration: Celebrate Emancipation Day with a dynamic showcase featuring acclaimed artists and writers. This inspiring event will feature an array of spoken word performances, film screenings and art presentations, each reflecting the rich cultural heritage and resilient spirit of the African Nova Scotian community and beyond. Engage with the artists in an enlightening Q&A panel, fostering meaningful discussions about freedom, identity, and creative expression. | Aug 1 | 6:00pm | Free

Have an event to share? Let us know at [email protected].

āš“ļø Whatā€™s In The Harbour

šŸ›³ļøāž”ļø The CMA CGM Osiris container ship arrives in Halifax from Colombo at 5:15am, and is scheduled to leave for New York at 3:30pm.

šŸ“ Where To Eat & Drink

šŸ‘ Donā€™t be sheepish! Try the Lamb Croquettes at Black Sheep: braised lamb leg and potato, pea and mint puree, chippy sauce, fermented radish, pickled onion.

šŸŸ New restaurant alert! The latest addition to the Bertossi Groupā€™s portfolio of restaurants is called Water Polo. The sea-to-table restaurant is opening any day now on the waterfront!

šŸ‘€ In Case You Missed It

ā›ŗ Last Tuesday at 4pm, Students for the Liberation of Palestineā€”the SLPKā€”held a press conference with faculty supporters and student union presidents in an administrative building behind the student encampment at Dalhousie University. At 5pm, SLPK members began asking for help from rally-goers in holding the doors open to the Henry Hicks Building as they stayed inside. The Coastā€™s education reporter Lauren Phillips has more on this story, as students vow to stay put despite the university cutting power to the encampment.

šŸš² Thanks to Liberal member of Parliament Andy Fillmore talking to some of his constituents about municipal politics, a recent Transportation Standing Committee meeting started with a lot of public speakers talking about the cityā€™s ongoing water main replacement around Coburg Road. Part of this work includes building a mixed-use pathway on Coburg, because it will save the city a lot of money and is in line with multiple strategic plans. Fillmore also wrote a letter to the committee asking them to reconsider this fiscally responsible municipal infrastructure building. The Coastā€™s Matt Stickland was at the meeting and has more on the Coburg Road infrastructure issue.

Thatā€™s it!

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