FAMILIES RELIEVED AS CREW RESCUED FROM SCALLOP VESSEL SOUTH OF YARMOUTH – UPDATED **
The Atlantic Destiny’s crewmembers are all back on dry land today after their boat caught fire twice off the coast of Yarmouth overnight. Some of the 32 crewmembers were left on board earlier to help keep the powerless vessel afloat amid flooding. But they’re now off the boat and have safely joined their shipmates, while in touch with some very relieved family members. That, after being rescued this morning by teams from 14 Wing at CFB Greenwood and military help from U-S. The owner of the scallop vessel says he’s not sure if the ship can be salvaged. (Photo – Transportation Safety Board)
COMMUNITY HEALTH BOARDS TO HAND OUT CHEQUES FOR LOCAL PROJECTS
The 10 Community Health Boards (CHBs) in the Northern Zone are doling out nearly $163,000 from their Wellness Fund for local projects across Pictou, Colchester, Cumberland and East Hants. Dominic Boyd co-chairs the Pictou West Community Board and says their priorities are mental wellness, healthy active lifestyles, thriving communities and community engagement. Examples of projects getting some of that cash this year include school food projects, community music nights, physical activity programs and supports for young people deemed to be at-risk. (For a full list of CHB project funding recipients, see the bottom of this page)
DESPITE PANDEMIC, CANADA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH CONTINUES TO BE STRONG
The total of all goods and services produced in Canada, otherwise known as our “gross domestic product” or GDP began a steady recovery at the end of last year, with a fourth-quarter growth rate of 9.6 per cent. Since then, economic activity has steadily grown even better, which is definitely reflected in the 7-thousand full and part- time jobs created in Nova Scotia for January, and record real estate sales across this province over the past year.
MAJOR CHANGES AND ANNOUNCEMENTS REGARDING COVID IN NOVA SCOTIA
Dr. Robert Strang says as the time between each dose of the two-dose vaccines for COVID is increased by federal authorities, more people can be immunized at a faster pace. In other words, he’s pretty certain that science will be proven and authorized by Ottawa later today, so that more people can be immunized quickly. B-C and PEI have already opted for the system that means people can safely wait up to 4 months between the first shot and the second inoculation.
Nova Scotia is about to get offered 13,000 doses of the Astra-Zeneca vaccine. The offer is in from Ottawa, and the province needs to give a reply by (tomorrow) Thursday. If the vaccines are coming, Dr. Robert Strang says they’ll have to be used up in a matter of weeks, so a cohesive plan will need to be in place. Tory Leader Tim Houston says the province cannot afford to turn down something that’s so badly needed.
Dr. Robert Strang says 20,000 Nova Scotians have stepped up to be tested since last week’s sizeable spike in Coronavirus cases. He says the possibility of an easily-transmissable COVID variant shows that was the right thing to do. The latest news is that there are 7 COVID variant cases on the list this week. There is one case of the original Coronavirus in the Northern Zone to report in the latest update.
Each Monday for the next few weeks, more people will be added to the list of Nova Scotians who can book their vaccinations, so Dr. Strang says if you’re an older person who isn’t already booked, there are several more weeks to get signed up to be inoculated. In addition, four pharmacies in Shelburne, Halifax, Port Hawkesbury and Springhill will be contacting people who are age 80 and over as a part of a series of test clinics. That’s intended to pave the way for a much larger vaccine roll-out in pharmacies during April.
DOLLY GETS HER VACCINE, AND CHANGES LYRICS TO “JOLENE” TO CELEBRATE
Dolly Parton has written hundreds of songs over her decades-long career and it turns out her tune “Jolene” is just the right one for getting her COVID-19 vaccine. Before receiving her shot yesterday, the actor, singer and humanitarian tweeted “I even changed one of my songs to fit the occasion. It goes, ‘Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I’m begging of you please don’t hesitate’” The Grammy-winning legend turned 75 this year. In 2020, she donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, for coronavirus research. (Twitter photo)
ED BOWDEN AWARD GOES TO PICTOU COUNTY RAINBOW COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION
The 11th annual Ed Bowden Community Wellness Award is going to the Pictou County Rainbow Community Association, for their Parent Support Group. The award was created by Pictou West and Central and as well as the East Pictou Community Health Boards (CHBs) in consultation with family members, in memory of Ed Bowden who devoted his career to improving Pictou County’s physical and mental health.
Michelle Bowden, who is Ed’s daughter says her family “is honored to present the award to the Parent Support Group of the Pictou County Rainbow Community Association.” She says stigma and discrimination continues to be experienced by LGBT, Two-Spirited and affiliated community members in Canada, with their children often more at risk of decreased socialization along with risks connected to mental and physical health issues.
The Pictou County Rainbow Community Association is a non-profit organization that aims to provide a social support network and advocacy for the local Rainbow community.
SIRT RULES IN ONSLOW-BELMONT FIRE HALL SHOOTING CASE DURING CHASE FOR PORTAPIQUE KILLER LAST APRIL
SIRT has announced that 2 Mounties involved with shooting toward a fellow RCMP officer suspected of being the Portapique killer dressed in similar clothing at a fire hall near Truro last April will not be charged. Officials with the Onslow-Belmont Fire Brigade are not overly pleased with the ruling from the head of the Serious Incident Response Team, but say they’ll continue with their duties and serve their community as they always have.
RANKIN ANNOUNCES COVID SMALL BUSINESS FUND
Premier Iain Rankin has announced a $7-million dollar fund to help businesses cover their property taxes during the COVID 19 restrictions. Qualifying businesses can choose a rebate of $1,000 or 50 per cent of the commercial property taxes paid for the final six months of the 2020-21 tax year. Nearly 3,300 businesses are eligible, including dine-in restaurants and drinking establishments; gym and fitness establishments; hair salons and barber shops, spas, nail and tattoo salons. Full details are expected to be posted online by March 15th. (Cdn Press Photo)
A frightening incident one week ago today on the eastern outskirts of Dartmouth. (Feb 24th) As a result, a man is due in court on March 30th on charges that include attempted murder and assault with a weapon. In what’s described as a road-rage incident, RCMP say the victim was driving in that Dartmouth suburb when a red car tried to pass and then pulled alongside him, with the driver making physical gestures to threaten the victim. The 49-year-old driver then pulled into a parking lot, and when he approached the man in the red car making the threats, police say the accused drove straight into the victim and took off. The man from Lawrencetown suffered non life-threatening injuries. The Mounties have arrested John Alexander Garnier a short time later. Besides attempted murder, the list of charges against Garnier also includes breaking a probation order.
SPRING CAMPING RESERVATIONS ONLY ABOUT A MONTH AWAY FOR PROVINCIAL PARKS
Here’s a sign of spring. You can start making reservations to camp in a Nova Scotia provincial parks beginning April 6th, 7th and 8th. The province says a schedule of when campgrounds open their reservations is posted on the new provincial parks website. There are 20 camping parks, and 130 day-use parks across the province, and most will open on the May long weekend, with the rest starting to staff their facilities in June. If COVID interferes with this timetable, provincial authorities say they’ll be giving us plenty of advance notice.
COMMUNITY HEALTH BOARD PROJECTS APPROVED FOR PICTOU COUNTY THIS YEAR
