STABBING IN PRIESTVILLE HAS RCMP LOOKING FOR HELP
Pictou County RCMP are investigating an early-morning stabbing in a car on Connors Lane in Priestville just before 3 o’clock yesterday morning. (Wednesday) When police arrived, a 33-year-old man from Westville was located next to the vehicle with stab wounds. Then, at about 3:25 am, a second victim, who is a 30-year-old man from Trenton had made his way to New Glasgow Regional Police to report that he had also been stabbed. Both men were then rushed to the Aberdeen Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Police are looking to speak with anyone who knows about the crime. Pictou RCMP can be reached at 902-755-4141, or if you’d like to stay anonymous, contact Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or www.crimestoppers.ns.ca
U-K VARIANT OF COVID-19 ON THE INCREASE IN NOVA SCOTIA
Two additional cases of the UK variant of COVID-19 have been identified in Nova Scotia. The cases were initially reported last month in the Central Zone and their samples sent for variant testing at that time.
The National Lab just confirmed both cases yesterday. They isolated and recovered. The initial investigation did not determine a source for the infections but it now has been re-opened. The two cases and their close contacts are now about to be re-interviewed. Dr. Robert Strang says we’re asking people connected to these cases to be re-tested.
In addition, anyone present at Atlantic Photo Supply Halifax on Pepperell Street in Halifax between noon and 1:30 p.m. on January 20th or HomeSense Bayers Lake between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on January 22nd should book a COVID-19 test immediately. Public Health says, regardless of whether or not they have COVID-19 symptoms, those present at those locations on the named dates and times are required to self-isolate while waiting for their test result. These two new infections bring the total number of cases in Nova Scotia involving the UK variant to three.
Meanwhile, Nova Scotia has one new non-variant case of COVID-19 in the latest update, and it’s in the Central Zone. There are 9 confirmed cases of COVID across the province this morning, and one person remains in intensive care.
KENNEY TELLS CONSPIRACY THEORISTS TO “COME BACK TO PLANET REALITY”
Still on the topic of COVID, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is lashing out at conspiracy theorists for the second time in a week.
Kenney says he’s noticed two categories of people who oppose restrictions in response to the pandemic. He says QUOTE -“I think in one category, there are outright conspiracy theorists… These are people who imagine COVID is a hoax, or massively exaggerated, and on the extreme end, they believe this is all some kind of a globalist plot. “I’d ask those folks to come back to planet reality.” The Alberta Premier says the other category of people, who just want to get back to normal life are the people he empathizes with. (Bing Image)
GOING BACK TO THE MOVIES WILL BE POSSIBLE ON FRIDAY
Cineplex will reopen its theatres across the province tomorrow, featuring enchanted safety and cleaning measures and update social distancing procedures. Theatres will reopen at 50 per cent capacity to a maximum of 100 guests per auditorium, based on guidelines provided by public health authorities. Private movie nights will also be an option at select theatres across Nova Scotia that allows guests to book a private screening. At Cineplex here in New Glasgow, Friday’s first showtimes start at 6:00pm with movies – The Little Things and Wonder Woman 1984. See the full list of movies and showtimes at: cineplex.com
NOVA SCOTIA P-C LEADER PRESENTS MAJOR HEALTH PLAN
Provincial P-C leader Tim Houston is already out in front of incoming Premier Iain Rankin with a major new plan to reform health care and entice more doctors to work in Nova Scotia. Houston is calling the $127-million dollar plan “Hope for Health,” saying it aims to reduce surgery wait times and to return health decision making to the local level. The plan includes $31 million to help anyone without a family doctor access virtual care and to open hospital operating rooms around the clock, seven days a week, in order to clear the province’s surgery backlog. There is also $65 million to increase salaries for family physicians and to add medical residency seats for foreign-trained doctors.
NEW GLASGOW’S DEPUTY MAYOR RESPONDS TO SNOW-CLEARING COMPLAINTS
This week’s snowfall has prompted lots of criticism from New Glasgow homeowners over snow removal around schools. Sheri Thomas and other parents have been upset about snowplowing in those neighbourhoods, filling in already-shoveled driveways and improper sidewalk salting. Town of New Glasgow’s Deputy Mayor Fred El Haddad has issued a statement saying “The CAO has been notified and she will be following up with public works and will update. Town workers have been working tirelessly to get the roads and sidewalks back to normal but unfortunately, some mechanical failures and amount of snow put them behind schedule. Despite that, the Deputy Mayor says “sidewalks around school zones are a priority and we will work together to have better results.”
GAS, DIESEL PRICES BOTH UP IN NEW BRUNSWICK
The hit to our wallets continues at the gas pumps. Regular self-serve gas across the border is up by 2.8 cents this morning. New Brunswick diesel is up by 3.7 cents.
TODAY IS 211 DAY
Today – February 11 (2/11) is 211 day and this is the first year it will be marked across Canada. In October, as part of its COVID-19 response, the federal government provided funding to United Way Centraide Canada to expand the service into every corner of the country, including this province. 211 is a helpline that provides information on and referrals to community, social, and government programs and services and is the primary source of information and gateway to non-emergency social services that people need. (The United ay Pictou County has been providing updates on 211 Day on their social media platforms)
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the federal government will provide nearly $15 billion for public-transit projects across the country — although most of the money won’t arrive until later this decade. Trudeau says the promised $14.9 billion in new public-transit funding will be spread over eight years, and most of the money will start flowing in 2026. Pictou County’s new pilot project with a fixed route transit is slated to begin this spring.
You don’t often hear about airlines adding flights in the Atlantic Region during this pandemic, but that’s what discount carrier Flair Airlines says it’s about to do. Flair says it will start offering service to the Maritimes this spring and summer. Flair, which bills itself as Canada’s only independent low-fare airline, announced flights will begin May 1st from Halifax and Saint John, and to and from Charlottetown on June 4th. The airline says it’s also expanding to 8 other Canadian cities, as it expects pandemic conditions to improve in the late-spring and summer. Flair CEO Stephen Jones says “Providing affordable air travel within Canada is the first step in restarting travel and tourism.”
In Ottawa, Conservative leader Erin O’Toole has shuffled the faces in his caucus of official critics and moved Pierre Poilievre out of the high profile role of finance critic. It marks the first shuffle O’Toole has carried out since being elected the party’s leader last August.
Poilievre now becomes the party’s the critic for jobs and industry, a newly created role, with Ed Fast taking over as finance critic, where he’s expected to be called upon in upcoming face-offs with Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. The changes are partly a result of MPs Peter Kent and Cathy McLeod announcing they won’t run in the next election.
Cineplex will reopen its theatres across the province tomorrow, featuring enchanted safety and cleaning measures and update social distancing procedures. Theatres will reopen at 50 per cent capacity to a maximum of 100 guests per auditorium, based on guidelines provided by public health authorities. Private movie nights will also be an option at select theatres across Nova Scotia that allows guests to book a private screening. At Cineplex here in New Glasgow, Friday’s first showtimes start at 6:00pm with movies – The Little Things and Wonder Woman 1984. See the full list of movies and showtimes at: cineplex.com
