News Highlights for Southwest New Brunswick: September 1-8, 2020

As New Brunswick makes plans for students to safely return to school, the staff and students at Campobello Island Consolated School are concerned they won't get to compete along with the rest of the province in inter-scholastic sports. Once the seasonal ferry ends its services at the end of September, islanders will only be able to cross into the rest of the province via a bridge through Lubec, Maine, and only for essential services. 

"Traveling for sports isn't considered an essential service, and I'm concerned our kids will miss out on the opportunity to play in competitive sports without a ferry to connect Campobello to mainland New Brunswick," says Daphne Carten, Principal of CICS.

Carten doesn't expect other schools to travel to Campobello this year, but she believes her students should have the opportunity to compete against other schools in sports just like any other school in the province. 

When Blaine Higgs, leader of New Brunswick's Progressive Conservative Party, was recently in St. Andrews for a tourism announcement, he said funding to extend the seasonal ferry might be a possibility if the island will be negatively affected by a lack of ferry service. Extending the ferry would not only allow Campobello Island students the opportunity to play sports, it would also extend what has otherwise been a healthy tourism season for the island. The seasonal ferry is scheduled to end operation at the end of September. 

With New Brunswickers heading to the polls on September 14th for a general election, the issue of the Campobello Island ferry is already a hot election topic in the St. Croix riding. In order for voters to get to know their candidates better, CHCO will be broadcasting a Meet Candidates night with all five St. Croix candidates this Friday at 7pm. St. Stephen's Brad McKinney of the NDPs is the latest candidate to join the roster. The event will be held at the Garcelon Civic Centre with no audience. Those without access to cable will be able to watch the event streamed on CHCO's YouTube and Facebook pages.

Finally, the 14 students in Campobello Island Consolidate School's grade 11 class of 2020 didn't get to celebrate prom as planned this year due to COVID-19 restrictions. With just a week before starting their senior year, the island helped make their prom plans a reality by holding an outdoor celebration for the now grad class of CICS in a tent near the Head Harbour Light Station.