🗞 School support workers 'need help now'

Morning Halifax,

I have this grey Carleton Ravens soccer t-shirt from 2007 that has gaping holes in the cuffs and back of the neck and the silkscreening has pretty much peeled off and every time I wear it, I feel mildly ashamed. 

But it turns out, that shame is wasted because apparently, I am now IN STYLE wearing the tattered garbage shirt! That’s right, it’s called “underconsumption core” and it is taking social media by storm. Youths are showing off their 12-year-old water bottles, sweaters from high school with patched holes and dish rags made from cut-up t-shirts.

Experts say this trend of under-consumption is essentially a rebrand of minimalism and I’m totally here for it because—as we already learned—we’re in a “we-cession” so it’s perfect timing for new stuff to be uncool because none of us can buy any.

So I invite you to maximize the shit out of the Beaver Canoe sweatshirt you purchased as a teen with your head held high because you’re hella cool now.

With love and light,

– Julie

🌡️ Traffic & Weather

Today: 🌦️ 24°

Tomorrow: ☀️ 23°

Next Day: ☀️ 21°

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.

MUSIC

Last chance for you to vote for Music Nova Scotia’s Entertainer of the Year

Nova Scotia Music Week is fast approaching, as is the closing date for voting on this year’s awards: this Thursday, Aug. 22.

Happening from Nov. 7-10 in Wolfville, Nova Scotia Music Week will see musicians and industry professionals from around the province gather to celebrate all they’ve accomplished over the last year—and there’s a lot to be proud of.

Leading the nominations is the “salt-pop” princess Maggie Andrew, who is up for four awards following the release of her debut EP, Day Job. Tied with her in nominations is award-winning folk artist Daniel James McFayden, who finished out last year with a five-track EP filled with intricate instrumentation, Songs to Show Your Friends.

While only Music Nova Scotia members can vote for the general categories, everyone is free to vote for the Entertainer of the Year category. Festival wristbands are still available for purchase from the Nova Scotia Music Week website, as are delegate passes to gain access to several special events, including mixers and conference sessions.

If you’re a Music Nova Scotia member, make sure to get your votes in before Thursday through their website. A full list of the nominees is available on our website.

🤔 Need To Know

💙 The search continues today for a missing 26-year-old woman who was kayaking Sunday on a lake in Halifax—police say her cellphone, kayak and life-jacket have been located by ground search and rescue teams.

🇨🇦 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.*

🛒 A Dalhousie professor says Nova Scotia could have empty shelves at local grocery stores “within days”  if a railway strike happens this week.

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY NEPTUNE THEATRE

Dear Rita must close Sunday August 25th

We're in the final countdown for Dear Rita.

This show has been a joyful celebration of all things Rita MacNeil, Cape Breton and Nova Scotia, and we're sad to see it end. We've got limited tickets left this week, so before sure book in for one of our last 6 performances.

You do NOT want to miss this one. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll leave having learned something about this incredible woman.

EDUCATION

'We need help now' say support workers about school violence report

The first day of school is fast approaching for students and educators alike. This is why the union representing 5,000 school support workers essential to everyday learning—the Canadian Union of Public Employees—is demanding action from the provincial government to make their workplaces safe to return to.

On Thursday, Aug. 15, CUPE Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia School Board Council of Unions—which represents all eight provincial education sector locals at the bargaining table—held a press conference in downtown Halifax to release a worker-led review of the problem of violence in schools, called Safe Staff, Safe Schools.

“We want parents and families and the public to know the reality of the issue and the scope of violence in our schools every day,” said CUPE NS president Nan McFadgen at Thursday’s press conference. Support workers include teaching assistants, custodians, bus drivers, early childhood educators, librarians and secretaries who interact with students daily. They have been raising the issue of violence at their work for years—and they see nothing being done to address it.

The Coast’s education reporter Lauren Phillips has more on what CUPE says the province needs to do to make support workers feel safe returning to school.

🗞️ In Other News

🚔 Police shot and killed three large dogs after the animals attacked a woman in Fairview Tuesday morning—the woman was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

💍 Police are investigating a robbery at the Halifax Shopping Centre where a man broke into Peoples Jewellery, stole merchandise and used a spray irritant on a security guard before fleeing the area in a white panel van.

⚖️ Université Sainte-Anne is being sued by a student who alleges she was sexually assaulted on campus—the school is denying allegations that it failed to protect the woman from physical and emotional harm.

🏗️ A new report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business says nearly 70% of Canadian small businesses are experiencing disruptions in some form, including taking a financial hit from construction projects within the last five years.

🚨 A 28-year-old man from Beechville has been charged with attempted murder after a stabbing on the weekend.

🏛️ A man who says he suffers from chronic and worsening mental health issues is among those launching a court challenge of the federal government’s assisted dying law—which excludes people suffering solely from a mental disorder.

SPONSORED BY DOWNTOWN HALIFAX

Summer Shopping in Downtown Halifax

Downtown Halifax is home to a variety of retail experiences, from unique local shops to big name stores. 

Whether you're on the hunt for something special or just browsing with your besties, let this list of retail experiences help you plan your shopping adventure in Downtown Halifax.

SPONSORED BY HALIFAX TRANSIT

Transit Fare Increase

New Halifax Transit fares will take effect on September 1. Please note that September monthly passes with new pricing will be available for purchase at retailers and on HFXGO as of August 20, 2024.

🗓️ Things To Do

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

🗓 Shakespeare By The Sea presents Alice in the Wonderland: Eat Me! Drink Me! The smash hit original SBTS Musical based on Lewis Carroll's classic story is back! Grab your friends and the whole family and fall down the rabbit hole with us this summer! This 80-minute romp features a wildly inventive script and wonderfully musical score that will have you laughing and singing along with a curious young girl named Alice, and an even curiouser cast of characters of Queens, Cards, White Rabbits, Mad Hatters and Cheshire Cats. | July 6-Aug 31 | Starting at $10

🗓 Eastern Shore Pride Festival: Come celebrate with a community of leaders and allies who work together to foster, encourage and model diversity, equity and inclusion on the Eastern Shore. The festival includes drag shows,  markets, yoga, music and much more. | Aug 17-25 

🗓 2024 WASZP North American Championship: Get ready to witness top-tier sailing talent from across North America converge on our shores for a spectacular event filled with speed, skill and camaraderie. The WASZP class—that’s “wasp”—is renowned for its exhilarating foiling action, and we are privileged to be chosen as the host venue for this prestigious championship. | Aug 20-25  

🗓 Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour: The Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour is returning to the Courts at Salter on the Halifax Waterfront. 32 teams, 5 days, 80 action-packed games. It’s the beach party of the summer! | Aug 21-25 | $15

🗓 Halifax Wanderers Home Game: Come cheer on the home team as take on Atlético Ottawa at the Wanderers Grounds | Aug 24 | 3pm | From $29

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

⚓️ What’s In The Harbour

🛳️ The Oceanex Sanderling cargo ship arrives in Halifax from St. John’s at 7:20am.

➡️ The Algoscotia oil tanker leaves Halifax for Corner Brook at 2pm.

🛳️➡️ The Atlantic Sea container ship arrives in Halifax from Norfolk at 5:20am and leaves for Liverpool at 5pm.

🛳️➡️ The One Cygnus container ship arrives in Halifax from Singapore at 11:45am and leaves for New York at 11pm.

🍴 Where To Eat & Drink

🍩 Last chance for romance! The Pink Lemonade donut from Total Donut Solutions is leaving at the end of August, so get one while you still can.

🥢 Try a true Japanese delicacy at Doraku Dartmouth with fresh sea urchin all the way from Nemuro, Hokkaido—known for its freshness and rich flavour.

👀 In Case You Missed It

👟 Marooned bus stops. Access roads with no sidewalks. Pedestrians forced to walk alongside moving traffic. Safety advocate Martyn Williams is a witness to all of this as he documents the lack of pedestrian infrastructure throughout Halifax that puts people’s lives at risk daily. Martyn Williams has been highlighting sidewalk issues across the city on his social media page, Safe Kjipuktuk. He also sends emails to the city and relevant businesses regarding poor pedestrian infrastructure. The Coast’s Brendyn Creamer spoke with Williams about his advocacy and the need for better pedestrian infrastructure in Halifax.

🌺 The Black to the Roots artist residency has officially begun. Six artists were recently selected to curate a group show in a pair of community gardens at Dalhousie University, with the resulting works to be exhibited this October. Both gardens are active growing spaces, allowing artists to rethink the gallery setting and extend community engagement with the works. The Coast’s Lauren Phillips has more on the six artists that will display their work in October for Black to the Roots.

That’s it!

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