🗞️ Ricky to rock Habitat House Party

Good morning Halifax,

The slight crispiness in the air and the first fall of leaves gives me a Pavlovian back-to-school anxiety response no matter how many years removed I am from the whole thing. I hope that you and/or your kids get a great start to the new school year though!

And parents, if you’re going to document the big first day, please note that taking photos on your phone is now over, so please don’t humiliate your kids by doing so. Instead, dig out your hot pink digital camera (should be nestled in the back of the junk drawer next to your hot pink Motorola Razr). The pics taken on your digital camera apparently “captures a vibe” that you can’t get on the clean images taken on your iPhone. And I mean, who can argue with that?

A professor at Western University says the digicam is just the latest in a long line of out-of-date technology to capture the youth zeitgeist—joining vinyl, disposable cameras and Polaroids.

The other day my 14-year-old niece told me it would be “so cool” if Spotify had a playlist where you had no idea which song was going to come on next and I was like: ”The radio. You’re describing the radio.” 📻

Have a great day out there!

– Julie

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: ☀️ 18°

Tomorrow: ☀️ 21°

Next Day: ☀️ 24°

7-day forecast

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

💨 Here is Halifax’s Air Quality Index and the smoke report.

ARTS + CULTURE

2024 Fringe Fest is getting weird

Unrestrained from any means of censorship, the Fringe Festival stages are a place where artists can put on whatever they’ve been working on, no matter the content. Over 11 days, Wednesday Aug. 28 through Sunday Sep. 8, Haligonians will be presented with theatre plays, musical performances, circus acts, comedy routines and more.

Not sure where to start? Let us be your guide. The Coast has you covered with a rundown of all of the shows at this year’s edition.

Plus, check out thecoast.ca for a daily update on what you can do and see!

🤔 Need To Know

⏰ A programming note from Coast headquarters: Today's edition of the City Hall Insider Newsletter is delayed. Instead of getting it around 10:30am, watch your inbox later today or possibly even Wednesday.

⛺ An independent review of actions taken by the HRM and police during evictions of homeless encampments that turned violent in 2021 says both parties made mistakes in their handling of the incident and need to apologize.

🇨🇦 Explore A History Exposed: The Enslavement of Black People in Canada, a new myth-busting exhibition that reveals a history many Canadians don’t know about.*

📱 Nova Scotia’s new cell phone rules—which will take effect when students return to school this week—has most educators, students and parents feeling optimistic.

👧 Build lifelong friendships and opportunities for growth by volunteering with Girl Guides. It's worth your time. Join today.*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY QUEENSBORO

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Let Queensboro show you the secret of their 45-year success. Let them do what they love and put your logo on a custom-embroidered polo or hat for just $4.95, including logo setup and embroidery.

Welcome to your new partner for custom logo apparel & promotional products. Trust the Queen for just $4.95.

Help Queensboro Lose Money

ARTS + CULTURE

What you need to know about Habitat for Humanity’s Huge House Party

The second annual Habitat for Humanity Huge House Party is scheduled to go down on Friday, Sep. 20, and there’s plenty to be excited about.

The event raises money for Habitat for Humanity Nova Scotia, which is currently in the process of constructing two homes and has several other projects planned for next year. As of writing, they are more halfway to their $150,000 goal at just over $82,000.

The party is a casual affair with finger foods, live music, raffles, an auction and arcade games, and there will even be an opportunity to grab a few photos with the one and only Robb Wells, who will be coming to the party as his beloved Trailer Park Boys persona, Ricky. The party is being hosted at the Steele Wheels Motor Museum in Bayers Lake.

“[We’re] really just trying to embrace the house party feel and provide some really excellent entertainment and a great opportunity for folks to connect and network and support our cause,” says Vanessa Jones, director of fund development and communications with the non-profit. 

A certain JUNO-award-winning Nova Scotian hip hop artist will be performing at the party, as well as well-known party band Shameless and international DJ and producer Karate Kactus, who will be bringing a blend of pop music from the ‘80s, ‘90s and 2000s.

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer speaks with Jones about what partygoers can expect from the big bash.

🗞️ In Other News

✏️ Local organizations are struggling to keep up with the demand for back-to-school supplies with some saying they have even maxed out their waiting list already.

🏥 Despite complaints from provincial leaders over decreasing federal contributions to health spending, an analysis of 20 years of health funding data shows that federal transfers have mostly outpaced increases to provincial health budgets.

🦢 As the summer comes to an end, HRM is looking to “re-naturalize” lakes and beaches to ward off geese and birds—preventing contamination from high bacteria levels.

👟 A Halifax man will set off Monday in an attempt to break a PEI record—running the length of the Island in less than 46 hours, 26 minutes. 

📰 The CEO of Postmedia says layoffs at Saltwire Inc. are necessary because the properties were facing bankruptcy—and his company’s purchase prevented a “terrible tragedy and travesty” for the region.

🪡 Marie Webb—a Halifax woman with Down syndrome—has been working with a team at NSCAD to bring her latest designs to one of the world’s biggest fashion events.

👷‍♀️ A new report on the province’s compensation program for injured workers says the system is the only one in Canada that is not fully funded—and more work is needed to help people return to work.

SPONSORED BY NOVA SCOTIA FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE

Meet Your Farmer on Open Farm Day

Visitors can explore working farms, meet the farmers who grow our food, and participate in educational activities for the whole family! Each participating farm will offer its own unique experiences such as farm tours, kids activities, demonstrations and conversations with local farmers. Plan your adventure.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Sean Paul—The Greatest Tour 2024 : A true ambassador of dancehall music, his voice has become a personification of the genre. As recording artist, songwriter and producer, Sean Paul continues to make an immense contribution to the culture, garnering a global audience and consistently filling venues in over 120 countries and counting. | Sep 4 |  8pm | From $49

🗓 Charm Offensive With Jim Jefferies & Jimmy Car: These two comedy heavyweights team up for a night that’s sure to bring big laughs. | Sep 5 |  7:30pm | $59.75

🗓 Graeme Patterson—Strange Birds: The sculptures in this innovative show are also the settings for both a projected animation and a virtual reality environment. Celebrate the opening and be among the first to experience this immersive multimedia exhibition!  | Sep 6 |  6pm

🗓 Christina Martin Premiere Storm with Band and String Quartet: This premiere performance will feature Christina's band and a string quartet, creating an unforgettable live experience. The concert will be filmed, enhanced by projection and lighting design by local artist MacKenzie Cornfield and incorporate stunning album imagery by Nicole Aline Legault. | Sep 6 |  7pm | $29.32

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🛳️➡️ The MSC Sena container ship arrives in Halifax from Montreal at 6:15am and leaves for London at 5pm.

🛳️➡️ The Norwegian Gem cruise ship arrives in Halifax at 8am and leaves for Canadian seas at 5pm.

🛳️➡️ The Silver Shadow cruise ship arrives in Halifax at 8am and leaves for Canadian seas at 7pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍰 Sweet, tangy and topped with a touch of elegance. Meet the Pavlova from Water Polo: passionfruit curd, fresh raspberries, tossed pistachios.

🌭 New late night snack alert! Buck Ugly’s Bacon and Cheese Dawg with Fries satisfies the craving for only $6.

👀 In Case You Missed It

🏆 Two things I did not expect to have happened as I rolled up to The Craig Gallery in Alderney Landing this week: to walk a red carpet and to receive an award (albeit one I gave myself). But that’s the experience everyone will get at Celine Gabrielle’s new art show, “I’M A WINNER/LOSER BABY”—a playful installation that challenges our conception of success and how that ties to our identity and sense of self. The Coast’s award-winning Julie Lawrence—visited The Craig to check out the show and talk with artist Celine Gabrielle about her inspiration behind this super cool and innovative new work.

🏫 At the beginning of August, Peter Day began his two-year term as the new president of the Nova Scotia Teachers’ Union, which represents over 10,000 active members. These are public school teachers from Pre-Primary through to Grade 12, and special education teachers. The Coast’s education reporter Lauren Phillips spoke with Day about what his focus is for the new school year, and why he thinks it’s going to start without enough teachers.

🚨 Two more people have been charged in connection with the murder of 16 year-old Ahmad Maher Al Marrach in April outside of the Halifax Shopping Centre.

⚖️ The trial of a Halifax-area pediatric dentist—charged with physically assaulting children through his practice over a 50-year period—is still scheduled to proceed this fall despite a last-minute change in lawyers.

That’s it!

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