More than 200 protesters came out to Province House Tuesday night to support a K-12 school in Souris. Souris Consolidated Home and School member Shelley Keenan called on Education Minister Alan McIsaac to “stand up and make this government accountable to your promises.” She suggest the government work with the federal Department of Canadian Heritage to make the school a monument and legacy to future generations. She was also concerned about levels of radon in the school. “Any risk of lung cancer to children is too much of a risk,” she said. “The people of eastern Kings are feeling a sense of betrayal,” Souris High ...

New Perth business owner George Branton says his hands have been tied for about a year with a planned expansion which is on hold until construction begins on the new $1.7 million roundabout at Pooles Corner. The property in question is at the Pooles Corner intersection next to Kaylee Hall where Mr Branton plans to set up a new component of his existing business, The Real George’s Deck & Recovery. ...

The former Generation XX building in Montague, abandoned since 2007 and in disrepair, is in the process of being sold to new owners who have started cleaning up the property. Trevor and Kim Hicken will purchase the 3,000-square foot facility from previous owners D P Murphy Inc, who put the building up for sale in 2008. The deteriorating state of the building was discussed this past winter when a resident filed an unsightly premises complaint with the Town of Montague. The individual said one wall had mould while another was covered with graffiti, and pigeons were housed in holes on the ...

Styrofoam isn’t biodegradable and broken buoys strewn across some Island beaches aren’t going to blend into the landscape like broken traps and glass that turn into driftwood and beach glass. Ryan Cain, a former Cardigan resident, said if no one does anything about it the problem will remain and only get worse. Mr Cain, who currently lives in Edmonton, Alberta said he recently walked along the shore at South Degros Marsh Road and found the number of broken buoys and plastic netting disturbing. “Of all the waste that comes up on the beaches the Styrofoam is the worst because it breaks apart,” Mr ...

Island Abbey Foods, owned by Montague native John Rowe Jr, has received $550,000 in grants and loans from the province to help the company move into a larger space at the new Bio-Commons Research Park in Charlottetown this summer. The company, which produces the popular Honibe dried honey product available in thousands of retail outlets across North America, is currently located across the street from the Bio-Commons, in the West Royalty Business Park. A spokesperson from the Department of Innovation said the provincial funding for “the move and fit-up of the new facilities” includes a $200,000 grant as well as a $350,000 ...

Supporters of the dialysis unit at Souris Hospital will protest its planned closure at Province House next week. All Islanders are invited to attend, PEI Dialysis Patient Support Group spokesperson David MacDonald said. “It seems this sitting of the legislature the thing to do is go visit the politicians.” Premier Robert Ghiz recently announced a delay to those plans, but Mr MacDonald said that’s not enough. “We’re waiting for the status quo, we’re not waiting for a delay.” The group has tagged the change the “Dewar Dialysis Disaster” in reference to Health PEI CEO Keith Dewar. “We’re not going to find Mr Dewar (at Province House) ...

The Town of Georgetown’s Victoria Day Tea was marked by the appearance of three former residents of the Capital of Kings County, including, from left, Sister Carmelita Soloman, 97, Patricia Brooke, 74, and Estelle Bolger, who is Mrs Brooke’s mother and Sister Carmelita’s cousin and is 102 years of age. Mrs Bolger, born a Soloman in Georgetown, is well-known for having been the first female barber on PEI when she was only 16 years old and followed in her father Frank’s footsteps. After the Second World War, she moved to Summerside and married Lenie Bolger, and remained a hairdresser until ...

Six year-old Connor Chaisson of Souris is delighted to get his hands on a cupcake at the CN Park in Souris Monday. Doling out the treats is Patty Rose, town administrative assistant. More than 400 people descended on the park for a community picnic, held on Victoria Day. The town used a Jubilee grant to foot the bill for free picnic lunches, packed in reusable cooler bags, for everyone. Le comité acadien et francophone de l’Est (CAFE) sponsored a variety of events for children and entertainment was provided by Borderline. Events coordinator Joeanne Roche said the hope is to inspire ...

You may have noticed dear reader, that you rarely see horsemen/women from east of Charlottetown represented in any great numbers on the executives of the various PEI harness racing associations. Oh sure, they have a director here and there, but not too many get invited to those restricted meetings, that decide things like classification, purses, race dates etc. Those are usually run from within that famous10 mile golden circle around the city and further west. However, the folks from down east have surely made their presence felt where it counts – on the race track. Take last Thursday night for instance at the ‘Charlottetown Driving Park.’ It was the first mid-week card of the year and out of 12 dashes, local horses and their connections won seven. The most notable was the top class win by Jason Hughes with Don MacRae’s Blue Star Outlaw in 1:57. Not to be outdone, Kenny Arsenault captured the featured trot, with Bert Honkoop’s BJ Eldorado in 2:02.4.

Island woodlands are alive with birds and their songs. While year-round avian residents such as juncos are already raising their young, many migrants are just now building their nests and singing up a storm. All in all, it is a great time for a walk in the woods. On Saturday, May 26, the public is invited to breakfast at the Sir Andrew Macphail Homestead in Orwell and then to take a closer look at Island birds along the trails. The Macphail Homestead will be open at 7am to serve a free “early bird” breakfast. Join other birders beside the fireplace in ...