The St. John's Morning Show

A new school in the Kenmount Terrace neighbourhood of St. John's is supposed to open in September of 2026. The province announced $50 million dollars for the school last fall, with classes from kindergarten to Grade 7.

But court documents obtained by CBC News show that a complex court battle is currently underway. Our Morning Show reporter Darrell Roberts breaks it down for us.

Just a few short months after stepping down as interim-leader of the provincial PCs, former MHA David Brazil announced he's going into federal politics. Brazil is seeking the nomination for the Conservative Party in St. John's East in the next federal election. To find out more, David Brazil joined us in the studio this morning.

Sometimes, the friends you meet in kindergarten are friends you will have for your entire life. For Janet Kelly - that is certainly her experience, as a graduate of Our Lady of Mercy Convent School in St. John's. The school operated from 1921 to 1992 in what is the present day site of the Gathering Place. Janet Kelly is a graduate of Our Lady of Mercy Convent School - the class of 1955. Hannah Finn is from the class of 1956 They have organized regular school reunions over the years.

The Northeast Avalon Memorial Gardens committee has been in charge of cemetery operations since 2022. That means from maintenance to grave markers, everything at the Flat Rock and Pouch Cove cemeteries are up to them. Now, they're asking for the community's help. CBC's Maddie Ryan spoke to board member Sonya Power to find out more.

For those who like it loud, a new music festival is coming to the province this summer. What started as a blog is now flying in bands from all over Eastern Canada. Greg Ravengrave started the HeavyNFLD blog in 2016, and now, he's a part of the province's first heavy metal festival. The CBC's Maddie Ryan talked to him about that journey.

In Newfoundland and Labrador, June is Seniors Month. It's a time to celebrate how seniors enrich our lives, and to mark the contributions that they make to our communities and the province as a whole. Elizabeth Siegel is the director of information and referral services with Seniors NL, and she joined us on the line this morning.

For weeks now, pro-Palestine students at Memorial University have been camping out on the St. John's campus. Now, several students are sleeping in the lobby of the Arts and Administration building --- and they're refusing to leave. The students say MUN administration is complicit in Israel's war in Gaza, and they won't leave until a series of demands are met. Acting associate VP academic Dennis Peters spoke with our Morning Show reporter Darrell Roberts about the protest.

The Little Green Thumbs program encourages young people to value their health, the environment, and their communities through participating in activities like classroom gardens. Morning show reporter Darrell Roberts visited a school in the west end of St. John's where a Little Green Thumbs event was underway, and spoke to some students about their experiences.

One organization is urging people to foster connections with seniors in their communities. It's part of a campaign for international loneliness awareness week. The CBC's Jessica Singer joined us live in studio to tell us more.

Artificial sweeteners are now widely used to replace dietary sugars, and to sweeten various foods and drinks. Specifically, we're considering the sugar substitute Xylitol. Recently, researchers published some of their findings in the European Heart Journal, and the results suggest a link between Xylitol and various cardiovascular risks. Our medical columnist Doctor Peter Lin joined us this morning to help fill out the picture.