MACINNIS RUNNING FOR LIBERAL NOMINATION AGAINST JIM MCKENNA IN PICTOU CENTRE
Former Trenton Mayor Shannon MacInnis is announcing he plans to seek the Liberal Party nomination in the riding of Pictou Centre. The new premier is widely-expected to call an election this fall. Besides being elected Trenton’s mayor for two terms, MacInnis has also served as Chair of the District Planning Commission and the Pictou County Wellness Centre, and says he’ll make a good addition to what he expects to be another Liberal government at Province House. Shannon has been married for 26 years and all three of his children are currently students at St F-X. He has owned his own small business in New Glasgow for 30 years and has coached sports teams in the area for more than three decades. MacInnis will be going after that Liberal nomination against retired social worker and active community volunteer, Jim McKenna. Current Pictou Centre MLA Pat Dunn was first elected 15 years ago.
LOCAL M-P SAYS NOVA SCOTIA’S PANDEMIC SUCCESS IS FUELING A JOBS GAIN
It’s been apparent for months that the pandemic has actually been a bonus to large parts of the Nova Scotia economy. This morning brings news that the annual job creation comparison in this province is performing better than even the month-to-month numbers have been showing. Central Nova M-P Sean Frasier says if you compare how many jobs existed in Nova Scotia in January of last year, to January of this year you’ll be impressed. Fraser says there were 2800 more jobs to be counted in January of 2021 compared to January 2020. The latest month-to-month numbers are due out later this week, and should reveal if the good news on Nova Scotia jobs kept going in February. As Parliamentary Secretary to the Federal Finance Minister, Frasier tells our newsroom Nova Scotia is only one of only a handful of jurisdictions in all of North America to see an annual jobs bonus. He also says Nova Scotia’s current low COVID case-load, compared to regions that had our kind of success fighting the Spanish Flu pandemic a century ago, point the way to Nova Scotia’s economy continuing its bounce-back. (FILE PHOTO)
MISSING YOUNG PERSON FOUND IN PICTOU COUNTY
Pictou County RCMP were asking for help locating 16-year-old this morning, but she has since been found and is safe.
There’s sadness in the suburb of Hilden, south of Truro this morning. Two apartment occupants there lost their lives and 46 other tenants have been temporarily displaced by a weekend fire in a 22-unit apartment building. A second fire in the Truro area broke out in a Salmon River mini-home this morning (Monday), but a fire hall source tells us there are no serious injuries to report.
Premier Iain Rankin says he understands there are concerns with people aged 80 and over from Pictou County being told to drive to either Truro or Antigonish for their COVID vaccinations in the weeks ahead. Responding to our questions during Friday’s update along with Dr. Strang, the Premier said he has family in Antigonish, so he knows the 2-lane section of highway well. All three Pictou County Tory MLAs complained about the lack of COVID vaccination facilities not being set up closer to their own constituents in an open letter to Premier Rankin last week. The Premier says his people are doing their best to see what solutions are possible. Dr. Strang chimed in to say it’s early going on the pandemic front, and to urge “ a little patience. “
BOOKING SHOTS FOR PEOPLE 80 AND OLDER BEGINS FOR SELECT BIRTH DATES TODAY
Depending on the month you were born, the ability to book a new vaccination appointment for people aged 80 and older is underway this morning for the clinics that start running NEXT Monday March 15th, including in Truro and Antigonish. According to the province’s website, people can start booking appointments by phone (1-833-797-7772) or online as of 7 a.m, but today’s vaccination bookings are only if you were born between January and April. If you are 80 or over, and were born between from May through to the end of December, your booking availability is not until LATER THIS MONTH. The link for people born January 1st to April 30th, staring with today’s bookings is:
https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/book-your-vaccination-appointment/
COVID CASE COUNTS REMAIN STABLE
There are two cases of coronavirus in the latest provincial update. Both are in the Central Health Zone, and that means there are now 29 active infections across the province.
OIL AND GAS BY RAIL TO THE U-S QUESTIONED
The fierce debate over cross-border pipelines is putting more Canadian oil and gas on trains bounds for the United States. And experts say our neighbours to the south are not very well-equipped for the potential consequences. U-S safety observers say it would take an oil-by-rail calamity comparable to the Lac-Mégantic disaster near the border of Quebec and Northern Maine before Americans wake up to the dangers. That’s a disaster that left 47 people dead and completely levelled the town’s downtown business district.
DESMOND INQUIRY CONTINUES
The inquiry investigating why a former soldier killed three family members and himself in 2017 heard testimony Friday from an occupational therapist who said Lionel Desmond had trouble controlling his anxiety and anger. Julie Beauchesne was one of about 10 staff members at Ste. Anne’s Hospital in Montreal who provided treatment in 2016 to the former infantryman during an intensive, 11-week program that included group and individual therapy. Beauchesne echoed previous testimony from other health practitioners who testified that Desmond showed classic symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
LOCAL SPORTS
Playoff Hockey is underway in the Nova Scotia Junior Hockey in a huge way, as 15 goals were scored in Trenton Sunday night as the Pictou County Scotians outscored the Eskasoni Jr. Eagles 9-6 to take a 1-0 lead in their Best-of-Three Mini Series which continues in Eskasoni Tomorrow night (Tuesday) at 6:00 p.m.
The Pictou County Weeks Crushers have redeemed themselves after last week’s loss with a 6-3 win over the Valley Wildcats on their road trip to Berwick yesterday. Final shots on goal 33-29 in favour of Crushers. Congratulations to Kevin Mason named 1st star ⭐️ & Landon Sim named 2nd star ⭐️ ⭐️ of the game.
