PICTOU COUNTY RCMP WARNING DRIVERS TO SLOW DOWN AROUND FLASHING LIGHTS
Pictou County RCMP are putting out a reminder for local drivers about the “Move Over – Slow Down” law that’s been in place on Nova Scotia roads and highways for more than ten years.
Emergency workers say some drivers are not slowing down or moving over when approaching emergency vehicles. The law that’s been in effect since May of 2010 mandates drivers to slow down to at least 60 kilometers per hour in these cases. If the posted speed limit where you encounter that emergency vehicle is below 60 km/h, the law says you need to be driving a speed that’s lower than that posted limit when emergency lights are flashing. The law applies to everything from police, fire and ambulance vehicles to tow trucks and motor vehicle inspectors. Local RCMP Corporal Natasha Farrell says if you don’t obey the law, the fines start at $350, and a judge can decide to boost those fines to a higher amount if it’s warranted.
NOVA SCOTIAN MINIMUM WAGE RISING IN APRIL
Nova Scotia’s minimum wage is increasing on April 1st. That means workers who earn minimum wage will receive $12.95 an hour starting on the first day of April this year. On that same day, the minimum wage on PEI will increase to $13.00 an hour.
CANADIAN-MADE COVID VACCINE BEGINS HUMAN TRIALS TODAY
A made-in-Canada vaccine to protect against COVID-19 is beginning its first human clinical trials today. Toronto-based Providence Therapeutics says three shots are being given to 60 adult volunteers.
Fifteen of those volunteers will receive a placebo, and 45 will get the vaccine, called
PTX-COVID19-B.
CEO Brad Sorenson says it’s the first time a vaccine designed and manufactured in Canada has begun clinical trials. Besides today’s clinical trials in Toronto, the company has bought a 20-thousand square foot site in Calgary to mass produce the vaccine by January of next year.
The vaccine is an mRNA vaccine — which triggers an immune response in the body. That’s similar to the Moderna coronavirus shot being given to people across Canada. (with files from CBC News)
HALIFAX DOCTOR WRONGLY ACCUSED CAN RETURN TO WORK
A Halifax doctor can start seeing patients again. That’s because Dr. David Barnett’s license suspension has been lifted after what the College of s and Surgeons calls a case of mistaken identity.
Dr. Barnett’s license was suspended in December, when he was arrested on child pornography charges. But in court yesterday, the crown complete dropped the case against Barnett. The College of Physicians and Surgeons says he had been wrongly accused by police, confused with a person with a similar name and email address in Ohio. One of his patients says the whole thing seemed unbelievable at the time, and it’ll be good to have Barnett back seeing Nova Scotia patients again.
HALIFAX-STANFIELD AIRPORT SAYS THERE’S COVID TROUBLE AHEAD
Halifax Stanfield Airport says its passenger count dropped last year to its lowest level in almost 50 years – another victim of the pandemic. The airport saw fewer than one-million people passing through its gates in 2020, marking the first time that number has been lower than a-million since 1972. By comparison, more than 4-million people were flying in and out of Stanfield in 2019. That has officials calling for Ottawa to inject some cash into the aviation sector before the pandemic crash becomes too much for the airport system to bear. What they’re looking for is a “national, science-based approach to re-starting air traffic. “ (Foursquare Photo – Stanfield Airport)
The Municipality of Pictou County wants people to know that its high-speed internet project is plodding along, but supplies for getting it built have been slow in coming because of pandemic delays. The first phase of the project to put high speed in Abercrombie, Lyons Brook, Green Hill and Granton areas involves building towers, along with the backbone fibre from Pictou to Truro, linking into the Halifax Internet Exchange. Pictou County also needs to make some changes to its own building. Despite the delays, the County still expects the entire local high-speed network to be complete within two years.
The number of COVID-19 cases being reported in the latest provincial update is at zero, as people in this province continue to show the rest of the country how to stay safe. Public Health says there are 15 active cases of the virus across the province, but no one is being treated for it in hospital. The latest list of possible exposure locations is found on this link. Potential COVID Exposures | Nova Scotia Health Authority (nshealth.ca)
The province is expanding the EDGE pilot program to New Glasgow and two other locations. It currently operates for people in Kentville and central Halifax as a peer-support and life skills program for people between the ages of 18 and 26 who are on income assistance or other types of public support. As it comes to Pictou County, the province says eligibility for the program is also expanding to include youth transitioning out of care as well as youth who might not have it yet, but could use income assistance, while also improving its delivery for African Nova Scotians in their late teens and 20s.
Pictou County Roots for Youth says due to Public Health restrictions, their in-person event originally scheduled for Feb 20th is no longer happening. But – the fundraiser will still go ahead, virtually. Each team decides where they walk, and when.
– You can walk together as a team in your community, or individually
– You’ll still get to be part of a national event that changes lives locally.
Sign up to fundraise and walk at http://cnoy.org (on both our events and news sections by visiting 941thebreeze.com
AFRICAN HERITAGE MONTH LAUNCHES TODAY AND NEXT WEEK
The Provincial Launch of African Heritage Month 2021 takes place at 10 o’clock this morning. (Tuesday) The virtual event is organized by the Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs and hosted by the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia. The Town of New Glasgow African Heritage Month Launch will take place virtually next week, on Tuesday, Feb 2nd, at 12pm on Facebook. Stay tuned for more details.
Central Nova MP Sean Fraser has announced a grant of $42,500 for the Pictou County Regional Enterprise Network as they work to identify labour market shortages and draw skilled workers into Pictou County, where a number of companies can’t find the properly-skilled people they need to fill their job openings. The group also works closely with local businesses to connect them with immigration programs that target skilled labour. Fraser says Ottawa’s investment is meant to support the local immigration pilot program. The province is matching that contribution. The group is also asking local businesses to fill out an online survey to get a better sense of the challenges, successes, and opportunities employers are facing in recruiting skilled employees here at home. To learn more, visit their website: www.Pictoucounty.com
