ALL SCHOOLS OPEN….BUSES RUNNING ON PAVEMENT
School buses are travelling on paved roads only today in Pictou, Colchester and East Hants. (Friday)
GAS PRICES UP SLIGHTLY
Gas and diesel prices are up this week. Regular self-serve gas sits at 99.2 cents, up by 2.3 cents a litre overnight. Diesel increased by 1.9 cents. Your best price for diesel is now 99.6 cents per litre in the local pricing zone.
SIRT RULES ON KILLING OF PORTAPIQUE SHOOTER
The Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) will not lay charges against any of the officers involved in the fatal shooting of the Portapique killer from last spring.
After killings across three counties, a manhunt was undertaken by the RCMP in the East Hants area and the suspect was found at the Enfield Big Stop with a pistol in a stolen vehicle. Investigators say the suspect was shot multiple times and killed by officers when he raised the pistol at them.
SiRT says “it was reasonable for the officers to conclude their lives were in danger and the use of their firearms to shoot the suspect was justified. “ (Canadian Press)
MORE COVID CASES IN NOVA SCOTIA
Public Health is reporting 6 new cases of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia.
Two of the cases are in the Western Zone. The one new case reported in the Northern Zone is also a close contact of a previously reported case.
Officials say there are 50 active cases of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia this hour, but no one is receiving treatment in hospital. That’s the lowest number of treatable cases in several weeks, but Dr. Robert Strang says we can only keep it that way by following this week’s version of distancing and maximum gathering rules for all of us.
VACCINE POLL SHOWS IT’S A POPULAR CHOICE
A new poll from Narrative Research shows most people in our region plan to get the COVID-19 vaccine when it’s available to them.
More than 2700 Atlantic Canadians were included in the survey.
It finds that 81 per cent of people across the four provinces intend to get the vaccine. That result is up by two per cent compared with a similar poll back in September.
VIOLA’S WAY GETTING GREAT REVIEWS
Viola’s Way Art Installation Chair Henderson Paris says people have been positive about how it’s changed the face of downtown New Glasgow.
You’ll find it on the former Roseland Theatre, where In 1946, Viola Desmond was forced to leave that facility by police and her story has since earned international attention as the beginning of the end for Nova Scotian bigotry.
The art installation features creative work from across the Atlantic Region depicting Desmond’s civil rights story. The final touch was the metal film reel, added this year to help represent the flow of the story.
FINANCE MINISTER SAYS DEFICIT IS TEMPORARY
Pandemic-related costs continue to play havoc with Nova Scotia finances. Finance Minister Karen Casey is forecasting a $778.8-million deficit for the fiscal year that ends March 31t. Casey says that’s $74 million smaller than the deficit that was projected in July but is also more than $800-million higher than the projected provincial surplus back in the summer.
The minister says the government increased spending within ten departments by almost $300-million – and most of that has been spent on the pandemic. (File Photo)
MAN WARRANTED ON PROVINCE-WIDE WARRANT
A province-wide warrant has been issued for the arrest of a Bridgewater man, Chad Ashley Beals.
Police say the 46-year-old man is wanted on charges in Queens County including false pretences greater than $5,000 and fraud less than $5,000.
He is described as being black, standing 6 feet tall and weighing 243 pounds with brown eyes and black hair.
RCMP are warning people not to approach Beals if he is seen.
Anyone who comes into contact with Chad Ashley Beals is asked to contact Queens District RCMP or Crime Stoppers.
MORE TWISTS AND TURNS IN SECOND-DEGREE MURDER TRIAL
A Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge has rejected the Crown’s application to remove the defence lawyer for a man facing a new trial on second-degree murder. Justice Denise Boudreau has ruled that Randy Riley can keep Trevor McGuigan as his lawyer.
The reasons motivating the judge’s decision — and the Crown’s application — are under a publication ban to protect Riley’s right to a fair trial.
Last month, the Supreme Court of Canada ordered a new trial for Riley, who was convicted in 2018 of killing 27-year-old Donald Chad Smith back in 2010. Smith was found with a gunshot wound to the upper right side of his body, with his red pizza delivery bag nearby.
Riley has been in jail since he was arrested more than 7 years ago.
SCALLOP FISHERMEN HELPING IN WAKE OF DIGBY COUNTY TRAGEDY
The industry group that represents Bay of Fundy scallop fishing families has started raising money to help people left behind by the six fishermen who were lost Tuesday when their boat sank in rough weather.
Alain d’Entremont is president of the Full Bay Scallop Association in Yarmouth, and says the association’s members have already donated $60,000. The 15-metre Chief William Saulis was dragging for scallops when it sank amid three-metre waves near Delap’s Cove this week.
