On today’s show:

• It’s International Kissing Day, which has got to be one of the best ways to make it through a Monday! Unless you are not seeing anyone, and then it’s just all those annoying PDAs..
• Take your mind off your troubles and eat some food that’s probably not the best for you on Fried Chicken Day. Unless you’re vegetarian, of course.
• We are all starting to appreciate all the people who work online, so the fact that it’s both Virtually Hug a Virtual Assistant Day and Take Your Webmaster To Lunch Day seems suddenly more appropriate than ever. But aren’t most of us virtual assistants now?
• And finally, it’s Umbrella Cover Day. I’m sure this will ignite a thousand debates about the usefulness of a pouch for your umbrella (to protect it against what, exactly?), but at least that seems like a less politically-charged conversation than most we’re having this days… Although it does involve the weather, peripherally..
• Both the Fredericton Arts Alliance and The City of Fredericton are starting their artists-in-residence programs for this summer this week, although the FAA one is entirely virtual, and the city’s program is a mix of virtual and in-person. I’ll see who I can get a chance to talk to this summer!
• The Charlotte Street Arts Centre is going to host Peter Hansen this week for a LIVE & IN PERSON event. They’ve taken considerable precautions to make sure its a safe event, so check it out! Doors open at 7pm, show goes until 9pm, and tickets are $15 at the door. See the Facebook event for more details.
• We could all use a good laugh these days, and The Cap is inviting you to join them for a few. They originally booked a Comedy Night on July 15, but that event SOLD OUT quickly. They have now added Comedy Night 2 on July 16, where you’ll be able to headliner Jimmy MacKinley and locals Paul Lewis, Anthony Bryan, Maggie Estey. The nights will be hosted by Matt Richardson. Tickets (still available!) for the second night are at https://bit.ly/CapComedy2 . Please note: tickets are sold per table, and you will be seated & served as per our return to live event protocols.
• This weekend, TNB Presents a Heist Pride Takeover on Zoom! DJ! Drag Performances! Dancing! Lip Sync Roulette! Costumes! Prizes! Join us for a Takeover Party in a Zoom room and find some Queer community within your distancing! Starts on Sunday at 7pm. See the Facebook event for more details.
• Today, I looked back to the summer of 2016, when I learned a thing or six from Rachel Watters about watercolour painting. Also, before I got to see a surprising and moving modern play called Bone Cage in 2018, I sat down with TUNB’s Len Falkenstein, Alex Pannier and Devin Rockwall.

News today:

• Over the weekend, New Brunswick reported no new cases of COVID-19 for its 12th day in a row.
• With lower than usual rainfall and higher temperatures still to come, New Brunswickers are being encouraged to conserve water.
• A St. Stephen man faces attempted murder charges after assaulting an older man on Canada Day.
• A Canadian Forces Reserves member from Manitoba faces 22 criminal charges after breaching the gate at Rideau Hall in Ottawa.
• Saint John Mayor Don Darling hopes to make racism a punishable offence when he raises a motion to city council tonight.
• CN Rail announced it would invest 20 million dollars in the province over the next year to refurbish its local infrastructure.
• And American rapper Kanye West announced he will run in this year’s presidential election against Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

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On today’s show:

• It’s Air Conditioning Appreciation Day. … I really think they should make it the whole month.
• Remember that the Boyce Farmer’s Market is open again in it’s Phase 1, and the Food Market At The Ex is now open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and growing.
• The Saint John String Quartet will be playing at The Tipsy Muse Cafe this Saturday night! All the normal social distancing rules apply, so tickets are sold in bundles of 2, 3 or 4. The Saint John String Quartet have worked together for more than 30 years. During this time the Saint John String Quartet has toured Canada, the United States, Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and China. In 2008 the SJSQ received New Brunswick Day Merit Award. The Quartet performs in a regular chamber music series in Saint John, Moncton and Fredericton, and as core members of Symphony New Brunswick. As musicians-in-residence at UNB Saint John, they perform a lunchtime series and provide workshops for the community. As teachers, they mentor countless students privately and are long time faculty with the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra. 
• Time to get to the drive-in! The Delta Drive-in features “School of Rock” this weekend! This Friday and Saturday from 7:30pm each night. *TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED TOGETHER FOR EVERYONE IN VEHICLE*Snag one of the 58 parking spots at Fredericton’s newest drive-in dinner theatre, where you’ll be treated to dinner by Stmr.36 BBQ and Social and a movie under the stars. Tickets include drive-in-dinner and a movie, $25 per adult and $15 per child.To comply with social distancing, we currently have 58 parking spots available per showing. The Drive-In will run every weekend this summer, with all tickets sold via Eventbrite in advance.

  730PM Gates Open – *Tickets must be printed and given to gate attendant to enter* – Dinner is delivered 30 min after parked

  8:30PM- Grab your Starbucks and movie treats at The Grove Cafe located in hotel lobby

  915PM (Dusk)- Movie starts

  *If hotel management decides to cancel the Drive-in, ticket holders will be notified and refunds will be issued immediately via Eventbrite*

  *No individual refunds unless Drive-In date is cancelled by management*

  TICKETS:

  July 3: https://bit.ly/3d9j5JB
  July 4: https://bit.ly/30OjuPh

• Today, I’m looking back at 2015. I spoke to Dr Gregory Hemming about Local Prosperity and finding ways for sustainability in our backyard. I also spoke to Sarah Beth Shiplett about improvisation and a show in 2015 with Joel Leblanc.

News Update:

• A new management plan for Shediac Bay Watershed is expected to be completed by the province’s technical working group this year.
• The police officer who shot and killed an Indigenous woman in Edmundston last month is back on the job.
• As travellers make their way through traffic to other Atlantic provinces, the New Brunswick RCMP is asking people to drive more carefully.
• Moosehead Breweries in Saint John is saying goodbye to its advertising on Facebook and Instagram this month.
• The Maritime Junior hockey league announced yesterday its 12 member teams are preparing to hit the ice again this fall.
• And a man has been arrested after an incident at Rideau Hall in Ottawa yesterday morning.

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On today’s show:

• It’s UFO Day… So, personally, I’d like to welcome our alien friends, but they should probably keep two metres away, just to be safer (for them).
• It’s also I Forgot Day. I’m sure we’ve all forgotten something, so it’s a sorta amnesty day for forgiveness. Unless you’ve forgotten that I forgot something, and then we’re definitely even.
• We need to talk about change. Tonight, join El Jones and Alma Brooks for Defund and reallocate: a community discussion on the police. What does defunding the police mean? Why is the defunding the police important? How does it work? These questions and more will be part of the discussion taking place tonight, July 2 at 7pm. See the Facebook event for full connection details.
• Glad for the recent announcement that NotaBle Acts will be proceeding in some form this fall, I decided to revisit a discussion with Kat Hall, Greg Everett and Len Falkenstein from 2018 on a feature from that year’s production.
• I also felt like I needed the proper kind of blues, and brought out an interview with Richie Young from last year, where he talked about (and performed about) his new album, Turn Back On Your Radio.

News updates:

• Starting tonight at midnight, residents will be allowed to bubble with our neighbouring Atlantic Canadian provinces. There are three active cases in zone five, with two in intensive care.
• Starting July 13, all Service New Brunswick locations will have reopened for business.
• Air Canada announced Tuesday it would discontinue 14 flight routes across Atlantic Canada, including two from the Fredericton airport.
• Codiac RCMP is looking into the disappearance of a young girl from Moncton.
• West District RCMP is looking for help in their investigation of a series of fires last week in northern New Brunswick.
• After several successful skiing seasons, the general manager of Poley Mountain’s ski resort is retiring.
• Cineplex announced Tuesday it would reopen three of its New Brunswick locations in Saint John, Fredericton and Dieppe.

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On today’s show:

• Today is Social Media Day, so took a long, hard look at the way you use it, and then swear off it for a day…
• It’s also Meteor Watch Day. That used to seem amusing, but then 2020 happened, so… EYES TO THE SKIES!
• Of course, tomorrow is Canada Day, but it’s also Second Half Of The Year Day. So, it’s all downhill from here in 2020.
• A reminder that as of June 29, transit has increased capacity (to 50%) and more runs, but masks will be required. However, remember that transit will not be operating on Canada Day.
• This is the last day of the Cultural Expressions Festival, which has gone virtual and presented spotlights of several cultures. Tonight, it features a Living Library, where you can talk to people from around the world who’ve come here about their experiences.
• Canada Day Celebrations are entirely virtual this year, but will feature performances by several musicians, as well as Science East, the Calithumpians and the Filipino-Canadian CommUnity of New Brunswick, among others. There are no planned fireworks this year.
• If the rain holds off on Canada Day, there are plans to invite people to Carleton Park for a live yoga session. (If it does rain, it will virtual, so you can’t use that excuse…)
• The Create at Home Series of the UNB Art Centre‘s Design Works Wednesday goes live at 10am! This week, it’s time to create Crazy Collage People.
• In June, as hundreds of people across New Brunswick rallied for Black Lives Matter, Chantel Moore, a member of Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, and Rodney Levi, a member of Metepenagiag First Nation, were killed by the police in New Brunswick. Join online for a conversation with spoken word poet, educator, journalist and activist El Jones and Wolastoqiyik clan mother Alma Brooks on the police killings and defunding the police. What does defunding the police mean? Why is defunding the police important? How does it work? This event is organized by Solidarité Fredericton and is supported by the Wolastoq Grand Council, Mayworks Fredericton and the NB Media Co-op 
• As promised, we revisit my interview with Michael de Adder about his 2017 collection of political cartoons called You Might Be A Canadian If…
• I also revisit a 2019 artist-in-residence interview with Sarah Petite about encaustic painting.

News:

• Yesterday marked six days since New Brunswick’s Public Health authority reported a new case of COVID-19.
• Hunters and anglers now have more options when it comes to buying hunting and fishing licences.
• The senate committee on reconciliation from St. Thomas University is sharing a new resource to celebrate the school’s indigenous community.
• Oromocto RCMP is asking for the public’s help to identify suspects after a break-in at a local McDonalds.
• Lameque RCMP is looking into a suspicious fire on Miscou Island.
• Victims of violence can now end their leases early after changes to the residential tenancies act.
• And the COVID-19 pandemic is not stopping Fredericton from celebrating Canada day.

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On today’s show:

• I didn’t get a chance to mention it, but today was Please Take My Children To Work Day. Seems like something many people need more than ever..
• It was also World Industrial Design Day. Enjoy your slowmo boho promo!
• It’s almost Canada Day, and while nothing will be normal right away, there are a few things to know:
  • City Hall and other administrative offices will be closed on Canada Day, and transit will not be running.
  • Garbage and recycling collection will occur, but the routine schedules may not be, so please put everything outside by 7am.
  • Canada Day celebrations will be virtual, with performances running from 10am to 10pm. Check out the full schedule online.
  • Join with others in Carleton Park on Canada Day for a 60 minute outdoor yoga class! (Although if it rains, it will be online.)
  • And the Design Works Wednesday activity for this week is Crazy Collage People!
• While we many not be gathering in dark rooms just yet, but it looks like we’re going to have some theatre back this year! Notable Acts is calling for actors to put on a form of its annual new play/new playwright festival. Herbert The Cow Productions and Nasty Shadows Theatre Company are partnering up to bring The Fifth Wall this fall, billed as “Fredericton’s first (and hopefully NOT annual) social distancing show”.
• The Cultural Expression Festival is continuing this week with cultural spotlights on Iran and the Phillippines, and a Living Library!
• Today I looked back to 2014 to listen to Josh from Kuato talk about The Great Upheaval, and I paired it with the song Battle of Blood Creek from that album.
• We also listened to my 2014 interview with political cartoonist Michael deAdder, on the publication of his collection entitled You Might Be From New Brunswick If….

News:

• Yesterday marked five days since New Brunswick’s Public Health authority reported a new case of COVID-19.
• Applications for provincial and federal student loans opened as of midnight last night.
• After a full crown land closure over the past week, the Department of Natural Resources has lifted all restrictions.
• Campbellton RCMP is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing woman from Dalhousie.
  A man from Saint Ignace is facing drug trafficking charges after police executed a search warrant at A home on Gallant Street.
• The owner of Boom! Nightclub announced on social media it will shut down.
• And after four years without one, the Village of Gagetown had its maiden voyage for its brand new river ferry yesterday.

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On today’s show:

• I ran out of time to tell you, but today is Women in Engineering Day, Public Service Day and Let It Go Day. So clearly, it means it’s time to leave your old prejudices behind, celebrate and support girls who want to go into engineering, and to remember that the people in public service are people trying to do their best in a time when none of us is really sure about what that is.
• I revisited a very old interview and a relatively new album. I brought out my 2013 interview with Jessica Rhaye on the occasion of her then-new release Far Gone Lullabies, and paired it with tracks from the current release, her album with The Ramshackle Parade covering Bob Dylan songs called Just Like A Woman: Songs of Bob Dylan. We heard One More Cup Of Coffee and Ring Them Bells.
• We also heard my visit with Beth Bird & Dustin Forbes, who were working together to create shadow puppet theatre in the Barracks last summer. Seems like ages ago, but I’m looking forward to visiting artists in residence again — next summer.
• Transit will grow again in Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton, but masks will be required
  The transit systems in these three cities have come together to create a unified operational plan to allow more passengers to take the bus during the continuance of the pandemic. To ensure safety, they are going to have a few rules in place, however:
  • Masks will be required, with exceptions for children under 2 and those with medical conditions that exempt them (as per the recommendations of the Chief Medical Officer of Health of NB).
  • Seating will be increased, but limited to no more than 50% capacity. Social distancing will be necessary, so spacing will be indicated.
  • Seats directly behind the driver remain off-limits. The driver needs to be protected, because they have the largest possible exposure time.
  • Mask use will be monitored. So long as we all play along, they can grow more service over time.
  • Passengers are encouraged to bring and use hand sanitizer.

News:

• New Brunswick Public Health reported no new cases of COVID-19 yesterday afternoon.
• It will be the luck of the draw for New Brunswickers wanting to access a popular spot for salmon fishing this summer.
• The Department of Natural Resources closed all crown land across the province on Friday after extremely dry weather conditions.
• The COVID-19 pandemic is not stopping the City of Fredericton from hosting summer recreation activities.
• The Codiac RCMP is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing boy from Moncton.
• Ottawa has signed an agreement with 15 indigenous communities across Atlantic Canada today to transfer water and wastewater services to the AFNWA.
• And Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued a statement this morning on National Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism.

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On today’s show:

• Today, it’s a look back to a visit by a delightful Montreal band, Inland Island, who I spoke to in 2017. They were on a tour, and told me about their innovative and fun video. We’ll also hear Rake and Family from their current album at the time.
• And we also checked in with photographer Sarah Sarty to talk about an exhibit from 2017.
• To cap things off, a summer song of sorts, My Black Ram‘s debut album from last year: Sweet Time.

News:

• Public Health reported one new case of COVID-19 over the weekend.
• With summer on the way and construction season in full swing, transportation minister Bill Oliver is reminding motorists to slow down.
• The Beaverbrook Art Gallery announced Friday it would remain closed until late 2021.
• The City of Fredericton has announced some new rules transit users must follow by next week.
• A 45-year-old man from Boundary Creek is dead after two vehicles collided into each other on highway two near Dumfries.
• According to Statistics Canada, New Brunswick took a financial hit of about 375 million dollars during March and April.
• And a researcher from the University of Manchester says COVID-19 patients might be able to control symptoms with longer sleep.

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On today’s show:

• The heat makes it perfect to celebrate Sauntering Day and act like a role model of relaxation with Garfield the Cat Day. It also happens to be Take Back The Lunch Break Day and Martini Day, so at least some of you might combine those celebrations, too..
• But most importantly, it’s Juneteenth. In the United States, this day commemorates the end of slavery, not just in principal, but in the public declarations that swept across Texas and the rest of the states and provided real action and change. The celebration has grown over the years, and this year, might be more important than ever before. While I’m not that familiar with it, and it is primarily an American celebration, it feels important to take a moment to celebrate, reflect and consider how racism has affected our society, and how we can work to eliminate it.
• FOOD MARKET AT THE EX SET TO OPEN JUNE 26
  After the sudden closure of the Northside Market, several food vendors were left scrambling for a new place to set up shop.
  
  It looks like the newest place is going to be at the Ex! The Capital Exhibition Grounds, with a wave of closures of events caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, has worked to create a brand-new grab-and-go food market in it’s parking lot. 10 buildings are in place, going through the process of inspection, and will house food vendors starting on June 26th, barring any unexpected problems. Currently scheduled to be available is food from: Tan Bueno (Mexican), Cook Wi A Cook (Jamaican), Zensations (vegetarian), Dan’s Sausages, J’s Asian Kitchen, Street Greek, Country Fried, Syrian Delights, The Korean Kitchen and Big John’s Spiral Potatoes. The market will plan to run on Fridays from 11am to 7pm, Saturdays from 9am to 4pm, and on Sundays from 10am to 4pm. They also promise to have a very environmentally friendly market, with no single-use plastics and recyclable containers.
• The latest Revelation from the UNB Art Centre opens on Friday at 5pm: Dark Knight, featuring works by Burton Glendenning, Chris Giles, Julie MacIntyre, Alex Colvile, Roger Smith (interview on website) and Catherine Hale; and Memento Mori featuring the works of Cliff Turner, Jessie Babin, Cathy Ross, Susan Patterson, Karen Ruet, and Peter Powning.
• The Tipsy Muse welcomes you back for live, in-person music with their Mellow Yellow Concert Series. These shows will come with the necessary precautions in order to maintain social distancing, including: a limit of 25 people; no tables; patrons will order with text from their seats; customers will buy tickets in bubbles of 2 to 4. For all shows, doors will open by 6pm, and the shows kick off sharp at 7pm. First show is scheduled for Friday, June 19 with Colin Fowlie, and then on Saturday, June 20 with The Tortoise, The Hare and the Millionaire.
• We’re a far distance from being able to enjoy all our performances in person, and some of the digital offerings allow us to connect with musicians from all over. This week’s Living Rooms Concert Series continues on Sunday, starting at 5:30pm with Ian MacDonald, followed by Beige Shelter, C A Jackson and Lynne Hanson. Join the stream on the Roots & Soul Music Promotions Facebook page, or with The East, The Cap, or Grimross Brewing Company. See the Facebook event for more details.

News:

• New Brunswick Public Health reported no new cases of COVID-19 yesterday afternoon.
• After a tennis match debate in the legislature, provincial leaders voted against bill 11 yesterday afternoon.
• Two men are dead after a single-vehicle crash in Quispamsis on Wednesday night.
• A man from Dieppe has been arrested after police seized over 100,000 illegal cigarettes on Wednesday.
• RCMP in Hampton have their suspicions about a structure fire at a camp in Bay View. 
• Residents looking to beat the heat at the Mactaquac Beach today are out of luck — the province has issued a no swim advisory at the famous spot.
• St. Thomas University announced further information about the upcoming fall semester during a town hall yesterday afternoon.
• And a commencement speech that is sure to bring some nostalgia to the Class of 2020 is going viral on TikTok.

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On this episode:

• While it was International Picnic Day and Go Fishing Day, it was clearly a day for avoiding the outside altogether. Good news! You can celebrate International Sushi Day.
• It was also International Panic Day, but with everything that’s already going on, we can probably skip that one and focus on being more calm.
• Do you remember what time of year it is? You can be forgiven for forgetting, but normally around now we’d be considering some wonderful gatherings like the Cultural Expressions Festival. Well, good news: they have gone online with the festival, and are extended from June 18 to July 1. I sat down with Gerry Brom of the CEF in 2017 to talk about the festival. In that year, they were aligning with the Canada 150 celebrations, and decided to celebrate all cultures together. Normally, they choose a specific culture to highlight, and for 2020 they have chosen Latin American culture. So, join in, celebrate the multicultural diversity our country has. Visit their website for more information.
• Solo Chicken Productions has a track record of supporting diverse theatre, and I revisited my interview with Lisa Ann Ross about A Record of Us in 2016. This year, SCP is once again supporting the Plain Site Theatre Festival. The festival’s final form is likely to be digital this year, but they are accepting submissions immediately for LGBTQIA2+ plays to produce as readings and discuss in workshops this fall, and be full productions in 2021. The deadline for submissions is August 1, 2020.

News:

• New Brunswick Public Health confirmed one new case of COVID-19 in Campbellton’s zone five region yesterday afternoon.
• A legislative committee is going forward with a proposal making vaccinations mandatory for children in public schools. 
• A 68-year-old woman from Miramichi is dead after a two-vehicle collision in Glenwood.
• The death of a 42-year-old man from Ontario has been ruled as an accident, according to Codiac RCMP.
• The City of Fredericton will revitalize and replenish the tree canopy and green space at the government house grounds.
• Public Health says residents should remain cautious if they work outside in the hotter weather.
• And Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has come under fire after calling Bloc Quebecois MP Alain Therrien a racist.

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