WESTVILLE CHRISTMAS PARADE CANCELLED BY PANDEMIC

The Westville Fire Department is out with some bad news.  Hot on the heels of the Christmas Parade being cancelled in Halifax, this year’s parade of lights in Westville is being cancelled because of the pandemic.  The 22^nd annual event was slated to take place on December 5^th, but this year’s parade is being cancelled by the pandemic.

 

A FILL-UP COSTS LESS IN NEW BRUNSWICK THIS WEEK

With the world price of oil down by more than $2 a barrel yesterday, New Brunswick gas prices are 1.2 cents a litre cheaper today.  Diesel prices in that province are down by 1.4 cents per litre.

 

DESMOND INQUIRY DELAYED AGAIN

 

Lawyers taking part in an inquiry investigating why former soldier Lionel Desmond killed his family and himself in 2017 say hearings won’t resume until next year, a delay they say is difficult to comprehend. The lawyers say the original plan was to move the hearings from Guysborough to a larger venue in nearby Port Hawkesbury in September, to accommodate physical distancing protocols, but unforeseen circumstances forced a further delay until November.

Tara Miller, who represents one of Desmond’s sisters, says she was told this week the inquiry won’t resume until next year because the provincial Justice Department has yet to approve the change in location.

 

HOUSTON AND TORIES WANT TO SET UP SEPARATE MENTAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Nova Scotia P-C’s say it’s time we had a separate department for mental health.  Leader Tim Houston says if his party forms the next provincial government, it would have its own budget, minister and people in need would be able to call 9-8-8 to access the system 24 hours a day.  Houston also wants to boost the budget for mental health in this province by $100-million a year.

 

EASIER TO GET A COVID TEST HERE SOON

Online booking for COVID-19 testing is now available for any Nova Scotian looking for a primary test in the Central Health Zone.   Premier McNeil says it should only take about 10 minutes to book your appointment, so reduced waiting times should be the result. Online booking is expected to be available in the Northern, Western and Eastern Health Zones by the second week of November.

NEW DETAILS ON QUEBEC CONTRACTOR AT HALIFAX SHIPYARDS – NO NEW NS COVID CASES

More details on the work stoppage at Irving Shipyards this week, which has since ended.  It’s now confirmed that it was a sub-contractor from Quebec working at the Halifax facility that caused Nova Scotia workers to walk off the job over fears based on Quebec leading the country in COVID infections.  Dr. Robert Strang says the workplace rules around COVID have now been made clear to the Irving Group. There were no new infections announced by the health department in yesterday’s provincial update. But this morning, there are five ongoing infections.  There are also some new rules to follow for safer, pandemic trick or treating this weekend, and those are available on provincial websites.

STRANG COMMENTS ON CUBA TRAVEL BUBBLE

Dr. Robert Strang is suggesting people should reconsider non-essential foreign trips while the COVID-19 pandemic rages worldwide.
Strang has been responded to this week’s reports about a Halifax-based travel agency offering two weeklong trips to Cuba reserved exclusively for residents of Atlantic Canada.  Federal law stipulates that Canadians who leave the country need to quarantine for 14 days upon their return; And Atlantic residents are also in that category when re-entering the Atlantic Bubble.

And while Strang is stopping short of saying people can’t travel, he says the safest and wisest choice is for Nova Scotians to stay home and support local restaurants and hotels.

He says the second wave of COVID-19 is expected to last for at least the next two to three months.  PEI”s Medical Health officer also says the Cuban trips don’t sound like a good idea.

 

TRUMP’S SON IN LAW BRAGS ABOUT “TAKING BACK CONTROL” FROM PANDEMIC DOCTORS

President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner boasted in mid-April about how the President had cut out the doctors and scientists advising him on the unfolding coronavirus pandemic, comments that came as more than 40,000 Americans already had died from the virus, which was ravaging New York City at the time.  Recordings of that conversation were made by legendary journalist Bob Woodward, whose work prompted the resignation of former President Richard Nixon in the Watergate scandal. The national COVID death count in the States has since risen to more than 225,000 people. Also in that interview, Kushner bragged to Woodward that Trump was taking control over the pandemic back from the medical community, which many Americans say has been a dismal failure. Trump’s White House put out a press release yesterday saying he had put an end to the pandemic, but later in the day, they later had to backtrack on that mistake.

 

WOMAN WANTED ON ARREST WARRANT

A province-wide arrest warrant has been issued for 33-year-old Lynnisha Downey. RCMP say Downey is facing charges of robbery and assault causing bodily harm in relation to incidents in North Preston.

She is described as African-Nova Scotian,  standing 5’1″ tall and 135 lbs with black hair and brown eyes.

Police are asking people not to approach Downey if they see her, and anyone with information asked to get in touch with Halifax RCMP or Crime Stoppers.   (RCMP Photo)

 

New Glasgow Police and Partners Offer Halloween Safety Tips

New Glasgow Regional Police officers and police throughout Pictou County will be out on patrol throughout the communities, patrolling our streets during Halloween. The police will not be alone, ghosts and goblins will also be out going door to door in search of treats.

In order, to keep our kids extra safe this Halloween, police and the Nova Scotia Government have teamed up to provide safety tips during Halloween during COVID-19.

‘Halloween will continue to be a fun filled event, as long as safety remains a priority, especially during Covid-19,” said Constable Ken Macdonald.

Safety tips for parents and kids

• Kids should trick-or-treat in groups or with parents/guardians. If older kids go alone, designate areas for them to stay within, and set a time limit. 
• Walk on well-lit streets and avoid alleys or dark areas. Avoid houses that do not have lights on.
• Watch for traffic when you cross the street.
• Ensure that you can see through a mask or makeup so the trick or treater can cross the street safety.
• Encourage your children to choose light-colored costumes or costumes with reflective strips.  These costumes are easier for drivers to see.
• Check the candy your child brings home – throw out anything that is opened, suspicious, or home-made by someone you don’t know and trust.

 

Homeowners

 

• Turn on your home light on to let children know they’re welcome and turn your light on when you are finished dishing out candy.
• Remove obstacles from yards and clear a path to the doorway.

 

Driving responsibly

 

• Drive with extra caution when driving in residential neighborhoods. 
• Drive slowly.
• Drive with lights on.

 

Safety Tips during COVID-19.

Trick-or-treating

Take precautions when you’re trick-or-treating:

• don’t go trick-or-treating if you’re feeling unwell, have any COVID-19 symptomsor are self-isolating
• keep a physical distance of 2 metres (6 feet) from other trick-or-treaters, including when getting treats and passing other groups on the street
• go trick-or-treating with people from your household or with your close social group of up to 10 people
• try trick-or-treating in outdoor spaces
• wear a maskif you’re trick-or-treating indoors and follow gathering limits
• avoid ringing doorbells (gently knock on the door)
• don’t trick-or-treat at a place that’s not well lit
• don’t trick-or-treat at a place that has a ‘not participating in trick-or-treating this year’ sign
• keep conversations short and don’t shout or sing for candy
• don’t take treats from a self-serve bowl or container
• wash your hands often, especially before putting on or taking off a mask and touching high touch surfaces
• take hand sanitizer with you trick-or-treating (with at least 60% alcohol)
• wash your hands as soon as you get home from trick-or-treating
• follow hand washing guidelinesbefore and after handling and eating your treats (you don’t need to clean, disinfect or quarantine treats)

 

Handing out treats

Keep trick-or-treaters safe when you’re handing out treats:

• don’t participate in any Halloween activities, including handing out treats if you’re feeling unwell, have any COVID-19 symptomsor are self-isolating
• make sure your treats are pre-packaged
• if you’re not participating in trick-or-treating turn off your lights, take down decorations and put up a sign indicating you’re not participating in trick-or-treating this year
• hand out treats from your porch, driveway, front yard or at the front door, if possible
• if you can’t hand out treats from outside then clean and disinfectdoorbells, handrails and door handles often
• have 1 person from your household give out treats
• wash your handsoften throughout the evening with soap and water or use hand sanitizer (with at least 60% alcohol)
• don’t have children take treats from a self-serve bowl or container
• use tongs or other utensils to hand out treats or put them on a table
• wear a maskwhen you can’t keep a physical distance of 2 metres (6 feet) from others
• don’t ask trick-or-treaters to sing or shout for their treats

 

Halloween parties

Celebrate Halloween safely, including Halloween gatherings for children instead of trick-or-treating:

• don’t host or go to a Halloween party if you or someone in your household is feeling unwell, have any COVID-19 symptomsor are self-isolating
• don’t invite guests who are feeling unwell, have any COVID-19 symptomsor are self-isolating
• celebrate with family and friends from your close social group of 10
• keep gatherings small and within the gathering limitsfor close social groups, community events and events run by a recognized business (parties at a home have a gathering limit of 10 people)
• make informed choices about who and how to interact with people (consider age, occupation and health conditions) before attending or hosting a Halloween party
• follow Public Health advice to stay safe, help reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and protect others
• wear a maskin most indoor public spaces (don’t replace your non-medical mask with a Halloween costume mask)
• choose costumes that allow a non-medical maskto be worn underneath – make sure you can see and breathe comfortably
• only serve food and beverages if physical distancing and hand washing guidelinesare followed
• have 1 person serve food and beverages (avoid self-serve and buffets) or have pre-packaged single serving food
• don’t share food, beverages or serving utensils
• follow cough and sneeze guidelinesand clean common surfaces often