Good morning Halifax, you handsome SOB,

September continues to give me anxiety even though I’m 2(5) years out of high school. There’s something in the crispy air that makes me think of homework, tests, (not) making friends and—horror of horrors—organized fun.

I remember in elementary school, I used to pack up my new pencil case with gorgeous gel pens, put crisp looseleaf in my new binders, label my dividers and place it all in my new backpack. I’d then have my mom iron a fresh uniform and hang it beside said back pack. I’d then stare at the whole thing in abject horror because—like all funny millennial alcoholics—I was bullied very badly in most of my school years. September meant bracing for another year of being terrorized by true heathens at the Catholic all-girls school that shall not be named.

But as one kind reader pointed out—”I don’t want to read about Julie!!” And she’s right, this isn’t about me. It’s about the poor children of Cape Breton and Newfoundland who are experiencing Hilroy erasure.

That’s right. The classic scribbler company flunked geography big time by accidentally leaving Cape Breton and Newfoundland off the map on the cover of their notebooks.

Hilroy has apologized for the mistake and have halted production while they correct the error in the artwork. I honestly can’t believe they bother re-creating the artwork every year. This thing literally hasn’t changed in a millennia. If it ain’t broke and all that.

Wait…

Has Trump gotten to Hilroy? Soon the whole map of Canada will be gone, piece by piece! Is Hilroy a sleeper cell spy? This feels a little too convenient if you ask me.

And while we’re on the topic of back-to-school, I’m sure you or your kids are looking for some dope new threads on a budget. A gorgeous reader reached out to me and wanted me to let you guys know that while many of us are under the impression that Value Village helps charities with our donations to the store, it is actually a non-profit corporation on the U.S. stock market—meaning profits go mostly to the stock holders. This is no bueno.

But rest assured, if you still want to pop some tags and only have twenty dollars in your pocket, Mission Mart is f-ing awesome! Mission Mart is a registered non-profit and 100% of the proceeds go to charities lead by the Seafarers Mission in Halifax.

So take your donations to Mission Mart and buy your new fits there too!

Love and light!

– Jules

📷 @editorjulesl

Today: 🌦️ 20°

Tomorrow: 🌧️ 19°

Next Day: 🌧️ 17°

7-day forecast

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

MLA for Pictou West Marco MacLeod has officially offered his resignation as Nova Scotia’s energy minister following weeks of criticism regarding rap songs he was featured in.

On Wednesday night, the premier’s office issued a news release stating premier Tim Houston accepted his resignation as minister. According to the release, this came after “several weeks of meeting with women’s advocacy organizations.”

Frank Magazine first broke the story on Marco MacLeod’s music last month, where his rap lyrics contained misogynistic language such as calling women “hoes” and “sluts”. The songs also feature MacLeod rapping extensively about his supposed drug use: “Snoop Dogg in my lungs, Charlie Sheen in my nostrils,” etc.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer delves into the controversy that led MacLeod to resign as Nova Scotia’s energy minister.

⛽ The federal government has extended its excise tax cut on gasoline and diesel until Jan. 31, 2027—the tax break, which saves Canadians 10 cents per litre on regular gasoline and four cents on a litre of diesel, was set to expire on Labour Day.

🏛️ As Nova Scotia’s legislature prepares to reconvene for the fall session, affordability is on every politician’s mind—no matter which party you are speaking to.

👐🏽 Live Art Dance partners with Prismatic to present “Paratopias”, an alternate dance reality that celebrates an inclusive and diverse world. Get your tickets today!*

🎭 FRINGE AFTER DARK! Surprise performances, comedy, and DJs take over Stardust (1688 Barrington) September 3 and 4, from 11PM to 1AM*

*sponsored

Taste your way through Chef Pamela A. LeonForde’s story during an evening of Afro-Caribbean and globally inspired vegan dishes, storytelling and music at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. The founder of Café Caye Mangé will guide guests on a culinary journey shaped by migration, culture and community, with each dish reflecting the places, people and traditions that have influenced her life.

Through food, storytelling and music, guests will discover how meals can carry stories of identity, belonging, and home. This is an opportunity to experience the rich connections between culture and cuisine while gathering around the table in the spirit of community.

Get your tickets here. Limited spots left!

The Halifax Fringe Festival is an essential event for the city's arts scene.

Not only is the Fringe an opportunity for rarely-shown and independent works to take the stage. It's also a chance for the Halifax theatre community to show what they've got to a national and international audience. It could also be your chance to see national and international acts and shows that have never been performed in Halifax before now.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer goes over every single Halifax Fringe Festival performance this year, as well as where and when you can see them.

⚖️ A man who reportedly preached homophobic comments from a speaker outside a Halifax library is being denied compensation after he alleged police wrongfully arrested him and violated his Charter rights.

🚨 Police arrested two youths for allegedly assaulting a Halifax Transit bus driver at a Lower Sackville terminal last week—a group of youths allegedly tried to fight with the bus driver, threw rocks at the bus and tried to stop it from leaving the terminal.

💸 On Wednesday the federal government announced 27 Nova Scotian companies will receive $14.1M in combined funding from the Regional Tariff Response Initiative—the $1.5B program is part of a $7.5B federal package designed to help Canadian businesses deal with the impacts of U.S. trade policy.

🏘️ Families will start moving into dozens of new affordable homes in Dartmouth’s Mount Hope Village this week—the YWCA Halifax announced it has recently purchased 57 new townhomes in the development, housing about 200 people.

🇨🇦 Mark Carney still believes the United States and Canada can reach a “mutually beneficial” trade deal, but first Donald Trump and his administration need to show Canadians some respect and get serious about negotiations.

🥶 Nearly 8,000 applications that were denied for a home heating rebate this past winter would have met the criteria in years gone by—advocates say the situation shows Nova Scotians are struggling with the high cost of living and the government is not responding adequately.

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

🗓 TOQUE - Live: Formed over ten years ago playing Canadian Classic Rock, TOQUE has been entertaining Rock fans across Canada and are now hitting Halifax for the First time. Toque also has new original music out now as part of their growing catalogue available on all platforms. | Sept 5 | 8pm | From $43 | 

🗓 Kids Fringe: Supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, Halifax Public Libraries, and the IWK Foundation, Kids Fringe brings together theatre, music, dance, circus, improv, and interactive performances created especially for young audiences and their families. | Sept 6-13 | 

🗓 Halifax Wanderers Soccer: Come cheer on the home team as they take on Cavalry FC at the Wanderers Grounds. | Sept 7 | 4pm | $32.80 |

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

🚢 The Algoscotia tanker arrived in Halifax from Corner Brook at 3:10am.

🚢➡️ The Norwegian Jewel cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 6am and departs at 1pm.

🚢➡️ The Norwegian Escape cruise vessel arrives in Halifax at 9:45am and departs at 10pm.

🚢 The Nolhan Ava container vessel arrives in Halifax from St. Pierre at 11:15am.

➡️ The Algoluna tanker departs Halifax for Nanticoke at 1pm.

🚢 The Morning Lena vehicle carrier arrives in Halifax from Southampton at 6:25pm.

🥪 Great sandwiches start with great bread. Public builds every sandwich on their naturally fermented Country Loaf, baked fresh daily.

🌅 Skip the line and head straight to the flavour. Order Salt + Sol online, pick up your favourites, and enjoy them on the Halifax waterfront.

🐐We highly recommend adding a drizzle of hot honey to your Goat Bread at The Stubborn Goat for the perfect sweet, spicy, and savoury bite!

*sponsored

🐈 Erik the Red served as the unofficial rodent control officer on the CSS Acadia for about 15 years on the Halifax waterfront before sadly passing away in 2017—and now the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic has erected (hehe) a life-size statue of Erik to commemorate his hard work, dedication and service.

🫟 An 18-year-old man who police call a “prolific graffiti tagger” is now facing more than 50 mischief charges—officers executed a search warrant at a Halifax residence last Friday in relation to multiple graffiti incidents that primarily happened in the city.

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