by Katie Ingram

Headlines

• The Donair Cupcake made its debut for National Donair Day at Susie’s Shortbreads. In an interview with CBC News, Susie’s baker, Porsche Hughes called the creation “an interesting sweet and salty.” The cupcakes were made by mixing donair meat with vanilla cake batter and mixing donair sauce with buttercream frosting. Candied donair meat was sprinkled on top.
• The HRM marked the 101st anniversary of the Halifax Explosion on Dec 6, with ceremonies in Halifax and Dartmouth. While speakers spoke heroism and resilience, attendees talked with the Chronicle Herald about why they attended the ceremony, despite the explosion happening so long ago. One attendee is quoted as saying, “if we don’t remember and pass it along to others, it will be lost.”
• The HRM’s Environment and Sustainability Standing Committee voted in favour of a single-use plastic bag ban, starting July 1. According to various new outlets, this went against a staff recommendation of a voluntary ban. However, the full ban will still need to be approved by council before it goes into effect.
• The Women’s Community Space marked the 29th anniversary of the Montreal Massacre with a film screening and discussion on Dec. 6. In an article from The Signal, organizers noted this was only the second time the film, Polytechnique, was shown as part of their vigil. It was done to show people “if we don’t talk about it and if we don’t see it in the reality that it is, we can easily miss the point,” said Susanne Litke.
• The Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children Restorative Inquiry released an interim report on Friday. Global News said the system, that was “overlaid with overt and systematic racism,” wasn’t able to properly care for the children it was tasked to. A final report from the inquiry is expected to be released in March.
• Instead of finding a new location for its dated Mumford Terminal Halifax Transit is looking to update its existing one, according to Global News. At cost of $15.4 million, the proposed remodel is expected to increase the number of passengers and buses served.

Sports

• Halifax Hurricanes Basketball
  • Dec. 9: Moncton Magic at Hurricanes, 2 p.m. Scotiabank Centre
  • Dec. 13: Hurricanes at Cape Breton Highlanders,  10 a.m, Centre 200
  • Dec. 14: Hurricanes at Moncton Magic, 7 p.m., Avenir Centre

• Halifax Mooseheads Hockey
  • Dec. 9: Mooseheads at Charlottetown Islanders, 3 p.m., Eastlink Centre
  • Dec. 12: Cape Breton Screaming Eagles at Mooseheads, 7 p.m., Scotiabank Centre
  • Dec. 14: Moncton Wildcats at Mooseheads, 7 p.m., Scotiabank Centre
  • Dec 15: Charlottetown Islanders at Mooseheads 7 p.m., Scotiabank Centre
• University
  • Nothing scheduled

Arts

• Neptune Theatre
  • Dec. 9: Dickens A Christmas Carol, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
  • Dec. 11: Dickens A Christmas Carol, 7:30 p.m.
  • Dec. 12: Dickens A Christmas Carol, 7:30 p.m.
  • Dec. 13: Dickens A Christmas Carol, 7:30 p.m.
  • Dec. 14: Dickens A Christmas Carol, 7:30 p.m.
  • Dec. 15: Dickens A Christmas Carol, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
• Symphony Nova Scotia at the Rebecca Cohn
  • Dec. 9: The Nutcracker, 2 p.m.
  • Dec 13:  The Nutcracker, 4 p.m.
  • Dec 14: The Nutcracker, 7:30 p.m.
  • Dec. 15: The Nutcracker, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.  

Traffic/Construction Advisories

• Bicentennial Highway
  • Blasting will be taking place Monday to Friday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in until March 21, 2019. It will be done in 10-minute intervals, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. between Highway 102’s Exit 2A and 1D and Highway 103’s Exit 2A and 1B.
• Highway 103
  • Blasting will take place Monday to Friday, between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. and 1 p.m and 3 p.m.
  • Blasting will take place between Exits 5 and 5A. Traffic might be stopped for 20-minute in both directions and is expected to end mid-December.
• Highway 102
  • Repaving and widening are being done between Exit 4C and 5. Traffic will be reduced to one lane until Dec. 21.
• Transit
  • Route 60 will be on detour from 5:40pm until 6:45pm on Dec. 9 due to the Eastern Passage Holiday Parade. 

Select Community Events

• Dec. 9
  • Eastern Passage Light Up Holiday Parade, 6 p.m.
  • Newcomer Women and Children’s Market, Veith House, 12 p.m.
  • Hammonds Plains Tree Lighting, Hammonds Plains Community Centre, 3 p.m.
  • Christmas at Cole Harbour Heritage Farm, 4 p.m.
  • Halifax Jazz Festival Presents Swing into the Holidays, Spatz Theatre, 7.pm.
• Dec. 10
  • Carols in the Cathedral, 7:30 p.m, Cathedral of All Saints
  • Musquodoboit Valley Holiday Social, 4:30 p.m., Musquodoboit Valley Community Centre
• Dec. 11
  • Wee Wild Ones at the Museum of Natural History,  10 a.m.
  • Board Room Trivia : Christmas Trivia in Halifax, Board Game Room Café, 6 p.m.
  • Bounty: The Greatest Sea Story of Them All by Geoff D’Eon, Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, 7 p.m.
• Dec. 12
  • Christmas Concert: Singer Songwriter Bill Jardine, 6:30 p.m., Captain William Spry Public Library
  • DIY Workshop: Raw Chocolate, 6:30 p.m., Tantallon Public Library
• Dec. 13
  • Annual Yule Ball, 6 p.m., Halifax Central Library
  • Gay Ol’ Christmas Comedy Show, 7 p.m. The Seahorse Tavern
• Dec. 14
  • Celtic Christmas Show, Alderney Landing, 7:30 p.m.
  • Musical Holiday Performance: Tidal Harmony, 1 p.m. – Sheet Harbour Public Library
• Dec. 15
  • Pier 21 Holiday Family Fun Day, 10 a.m.,
  • Building with Gingerbread, 2 p.m. Sackville Public Library
  • The Halifax Oval season opening. Skate times: 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 4 p.m and 6 p.m.

Friendly Reminder

• Halifax Regional Council will meet at the Marriott Harbourfront this week due to the ongoing construction in council chambers at City Hall. The Halifax and West Community Council, Harbour East-Marine Drive Community Council and North West Community Council will also meet at the Marriott.