Mainstreet Cape Breton

Mary Janet MacDonald from Port Hood has her own Facebook Show called "Tunes and Wooden Spoons."

The show began in the the early days of the pandemic, leading her to release a cookbook. Her cookbook is now on sale. There will be a release party on September 25th at the St Peters Parish Hall in Port Hood.

After worries of closing for good this past winter, the owner of the club, Barry Bernard, provides an update on their new home.

(AIRED SEPTEMBER 7, 2021) Today’s segment of the People’s School is taking inspiration from Nova Scotia Polish Heritage Month, which is September. In 2019 a request was made to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly to pass a resolution to designate every September as Nova Scotia Polish Heritage Month. That resolution was introduced by then Minister Derek Mombourquette and passed unanimously. So this September marks the second Nova Scotia Polish Heritage Month. Cape Breton University professor Tom Urbaniak joins to discuss.

Donna Morrissey was born in The Beaches, a small out port on the west coast of Newfoundland. Written six national best sellers and prize-winning novels — Kit's Law, Downhill Chance, Sylvanus Now, What They Wanted, The Deception of Livvy Higgs, and The Fortunate Brother — as well as one Gemini-nominated screenplay.

Pat Burns was well known all over CBRM. He was painter contractor, running his own business for many years. He was also an active community man, giving generously of his time to individuals and organizations that needed support. He passed away a year ago, August 17, 2020, but his legacy lives on. Today, the Regional Hospital announced, through his daughter, Cheryl Gallagher, and her siblings, Kim Luke, Todd Burns and Stanley Burns. Pat Burns left a donation of $200,000 to the Regional Hospital. $100,000 toward the neonatal intensive care unit and $100,000 toward Cape Breton’s new Cancer Centre. Daughter Cheryl Gallagher joined the show.

The Cape Breton Eagles will be sending a second jersey to the rafters of Centre 200. Sydney's own Chris Culligan will have his jersey retired. His jersey will be hung beside NHL goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. Culligan played 5 seasons for his hometown Eagles including one as captain. He still holds franchise records in points, games played, and playoff assists. Now he is an assistant coach with his junior team. The CBC's Brent Kelloway spoke to Culligan about the honor.

The Big Bake is a larger-than-life baking competition series with themed episodes. In each episode, three professional baking teams have five hours to design, bake and decorate a grand-scale cake creation based on a particular theme. Three Cape Bretoner's from Not Just Cakes will be featured in the Halloween special of the Big Bake.

Buffy MacNeil Boutilier is the Mi'Kmaw Education teacher at East Antigonish Education Centre. She has seen first hand the intergenerational trauma of the residential schools. Which is why earlier this year she decided to use music to start a dialogue. She wrote a song called "Somebody Pray" and she says it is a call for healing.

Buffy explains how her song is rooted in her own identity and in those who inspired her.

There is a new thrift store opened up on the Northside and it's owned by a teenage entrepreneur. A proceed from every sale will be donated to the Five Eleven Youth and Family Center in North Sydney. Liv Slaney is the 17 year old owner and she joined the show.

Cape Breton University has joined other campuses around the province including, NSCC in making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for students and staff this fall unless they are certified exempt. Further, there will be testing sites on campus for several weeks into the term. David Dingwall is the President of CBU and he joined us for a discussion.