Happy Friday Halifax,

This morning I come to you with some shocking news, so you might want to sit down for it…

Did you know that children almost always grow up to be adults?

I know, right?! That means that things like emotional and behavioural issues, undiagnosed mental health illness and unprocessed trauma—if left untreated—might just follow them into adulthood. And those adults will become bosses and parents and softball coaches and maybe even psychotic, mass murdering dentists.

A 2021 study by the Murdoch Children’s Institute found that children with emotional and behavioural difficulties were at high risk of having ADHD or antisocial personality disorder in adulthood.

And guess what the best way is to make that less likely to happen?

Well, according to another study published in the National Library of Medicine, sustained, theory-based, multi-component intervention during the school grades can produce lasting changes in important indicators of adult health and functioning. Overall, results showed the promise of universal preventive intervention during school to improve meaningful life outcomes well into adulthood.

Prevention and intervention. Hmmm.

This may take a second for you to process because the Houston government has done (*checks blank piece of paper through bifocals*)—exactly nothing—to implement any kind of meaningful, trauma-informed preventative measures in schools to make sure that little Andy with the anger problems isn’t going to grow up to hit his wife and kids.

And being a kid—especially a teenager—is harder than it has ever been before. Earlier this week, I shared a story about how Kids Help Phone has seen a drastic a spike in messages from Maritime children and adolescents this summer, especially during the overnight hours.

Nova Scotia in particular saw a 24% jump in text messages to the free mental health service compared to the same time last year—leading one Nova Scotian doctor to say this is the most anxious generation ever raised.

Thank goodness for Jenny Kierstead and her daughter, Sophie. They tragically lost a loved one—Jenny’s sister, Lisa—in the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting. The loss left the family with unimaginable trauma, and Jenny watched Sophie struggle in the aftermath with little support available to help her heal.

So last year, they launched a a trauma-informed program called Resilient Youth, which offers tools to help kids deal with issues like anxiety, loneliness and pressures from social media. The pair held their first training sessions in Halifax earlier this month where more than 80 educators participated.

The larger-than-expected turnout sends a clear message: educators need—and want—help. And they’re not getting it from government initiatives like "Guys Work," a school program that feels like it was lifted straight out of 1986. It separates boys into a group to talk about their feelings about masculinity. The program has been panned by gender-based violence advocacy groups, and I wish I were making it up.

I’m so grateful to Jenny and Sophie for using their trauma to help equip educators with the tools they need to help kids, so they can intervene before those kids grow up to become, at best, emotionally stunted or, at worst, abusive adults.

Hug your kids nice and tight and tell them that Auntie Jules loves them so much!

Love and light!

– Jules

📷 @editorjulesl

Today: 🌧️ 21°

Tomorrow: 🌤️ 23°

Next Day: 🌤️ 26°

7-day forecast

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

Musicians across Atlantic Canada have been calling out the East Coast Music Association for late payments stemming from showcases during the East Coast Music Awards in Sydney this May.

Jake Ballard, a roots rock and blues musician based in Dartmouth, was one of several artists left unpaid until recently. He performed with his band at the Steel City Steakhouse in Sydney as part of an ECMA showcase on Saturday, May 23.

On June 19, he was notified that payments from the association were delayed as they awaited grant funding to be released by the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). Ballard was owed $575 for his band’s performance

The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer goes over the issues artists have been having with the East Coast Music Association.

👟 The Macdonald Bridge will be closed Sunday from 8am to 5:30pm to vehicles—the annual Natal Dat Harbour Hustle run across the bridge will start at 10am.

✈️ WestJet flight attendants issue a 72-hour strike notice as contract negotiations continue ahead of the long-weekend.

🛋️ Not every thought needs your attention. When your mind feels busy, ask yourself: Is this useful right now? If not, gently refocus on today.*

🏡 Seniors and their families are thinking ahead about a home’s long-term fit for aging in place. This free screening guide helps with the process.*

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🌳 Two Halifax-area parks run by two different volunteer and non-profit groups have decided to close their parks at dusk to prevent vandalism and safety issues.

🚐 A mobile unit that offers free skin cancer screenings to patients is coming to Nova Scotia this summer—the Mole Mobile, run by Melanoma Canada, is touring across Canada from May to October, making more than 130 stops in all 10 provinces.

👀 The Serious Incident Response Team (or SiRT) is now investigating an incident involving a 63-year-old woman being injured during an arrest by the Halifax detachment of the RCMP.

🪧 Two weeks into their strike, emergency dispatch workers across Nova Scotia are calling on their employer to return to the bargaining table—those on the picket lines say limited resources and low wages have taken their toll.

🛣️ Multiple Halifax fire stations responded to a multi-vehicle crash that occurred on Highway 102 eastbound on Wednesday—a vehicle lost control and went over the dividing median, into the opposite lane, collecting other vehicles, before landing on its side.

🥪 As Nova Scotia's school lunch program heads into its third year, some local businesses that make the food say they're expanding and hiring to supply some of the millions of meals offered to students—they say the program has economic benefits, in addition to feeding hungry students and their families.

🪲 Concerns over dangerous tick-borne illnesses are higher than ever in Nova Scotia, alongside a rising number of reported diseases caused by tick bites—over a two-year period starting in 2023, the number of diagnosed cases for anaplasmosis doubled in Nova Scotia.

Get ready for side-splitting laughs, outrageous characters, audience participation, and jaw-dropping comedy as ventriloquist Michael Harrison brings his hit VENTASTIC show to Halifax.

Seen on America's Got Talent and beloved by audiences around the world, Harrison has entertained families everywhere from theatres to Disney stages for more than 20 years.

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

🗓 Crescendo Fest: Celebrate Black music, culture, and creativity at Crescendo Fest, a multi-day festival dedicated to showcasing the incredible talent of African Nova Scotian and Black artists from across Atlantic Canada. Through live performances, cultural events, workshops, and community gatherings, the festival creates space for emerging and established artists to connect with audiences and share their stories through music. | July 28 - Aug 1 | 

🗓 The Wave Invitational - The Maritime 55: The Wave Invitational brings a premier, full-scale hockey experience to Halifax, merging elite athletic competition with the vibrant energy and warm hospitality of Atlantic Canada’s best city. Designed as a true summer event experience, it offers players, families, and fans the perfect balance of world-class hockey and the very best of Halifax in peak summer. | July 29 - Aug 1 | 

🗓 Halifax Busker Festival: From musicians and fire breathers, to acrobats and magicians, the Busker Festival brings the best street performers in the world to Halifax. From the unique to the sublime, audience members will be taken on a ride of shock and awe, laughter and storytelling, fun and frivolity. | July 29 - Aug 3 | 

🗓 Sam Roberts Band: Sam Robert Band are hitting the road this summer with two nights at the Shore Club in Hubbards. | July 30 and 31 | 9:30pm | From $57 | 

🗓 Twisted Tea Presents Natal Day Block Party!: Natal Day weekend is getting a full block party takeover! Two nights of music, dancing, drinks, and nonstop party energy across The Dome, Neon Armadillo, UNKNWN, The Roxbury and Rox Live! Whether you’re kicking off the long weekend, gathering the crew, or looking for the place to be downtown, this is your Natal Day celebration destination. Expect big summer vibes, cold drinks, and the kind of weekend Halifax knows how to do right. | July 31 and Aug 1| 

🗓Jurassic Quest: Step into a prehistoric adventure with Jurassic Quest—an immersive, family-friendly exhibition featuring life-size animatronic dinosaurs, interactive exhibits, fossil digs, engaging activities that bring the Jurassic era to life, and let their creativity soar in our LEGO®-themed play zones.Perfect for all ages, it’s a roaring experience you won’t want to miss! | July 31-Aug 2 | From $37 |

Check out full schedule of Natal Day festivities.

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

➡️ The One Stork container vessel departed Halifax for Singapore at 2am.

➡️ The Vistula Maersk container vessel departs Halifax for Antwerp at 5am.

🚢➡️ The MSC Barbados container vessel arrives in Halifax from Sines at 6:15am and departs for Montreal at 5pm.

➡️ The Titus vehicle carrier departs Halifax for New York at 11:30am.

🚢➡️ The Atlantic Sky container vessel arrives in Halifax from Norfolk at 3:20pm and departs for Liverpool at 11pm.

➡️ The Nolhan Ava container vessel departs Halifax for Argentia at 6pm.

➡️ The Oceanex Sanderling container vessel departs Halifax for St. John’s at 6pm.

➡️ The Algoma Celebration bulk carrier departs Halifax for Baltimore at 8pm.

Opening this September, Nelson Residences features 78 brand-new studio to three-bedroom apartments at Spring Garden Road and South Park Street.🪻

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🍺 Gluten, meet your maker. Good Robot has gluten-reduced beers on tap and in-store at Robie Street & The Commons. Click for the full list.

🍴 Skettie & Ball Co.'s new Pizza Pocket delivers crispy, golden comfort packed with melty cheese, savoury fillings, and bold flavour. Making lunchtime seriously satisfying.

🌮 Fresh Latin flavours are just a click away. Order Salt + Sol online, skip the wait, and enjoy waterfront dining your way.

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👗 Long before Halifax Fashion Week became one of Atlantic Canada's largest fashion events, Solitha Shortte was producing runway shows driven by her determination, borrowed spaces and money from her own pay cheque. The founder and creative director of The House of Soli says she entered Nova Scotia's fashion industry not to compete with existing organizers, but to create opportunities she believed did not exist for many racialized designers, models and creatives. The Coast’s Warren D’Silva speaks with Shortte about Halifax Fashion Week, set for Aug 8-15.

🚧 Motorists can expect traffic disruptions on a busy Halifax road starting next week as the city begins Phase 2 of the Bayers Road Transit Priority Corridor project—construction will begin Tuesday and continue for about two years.

🧒 The mother of a toddler with autism is raising concerns about inclusivity at daycares after her daughter was dismissed by her child-care provider.

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