Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered forces into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine. A long-feared Russian invasion of Ukraine appears to be imminent, if not already underway. A vaguely worded decree signed by Putin doesn’t say if troops are on the move. It says the order is an effort to “maintain peace.” It appears to dash the slim remaining hopes of averting a major conflict in Europe.
The Emergencies Act has been passed in the House of Commons. The motion to confirm the declaration of emergency powers passed by a vote of 185-to-151, with the New Democrats voting in favour alongside the minority Liberal government. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invoked the Act last week in a bid to end blockades in Ottawa and at several border crossings. N-D-P Leader Jagmeet Singh has said he’d withdraw support as soon as it decides the measures are no longer necessary, including if remaining convoy members stopped lingering in Ottawa and near border crossings.
A public inquiry is set to begin today in Halifax, almost two years after a gunman disguised as a Mountie shot and killed 22 people in rural Nova Scotia. The federal-provincial inquiry is expected to hear opening statements from the three commissioners leading the proceedings. A panel discussion is also scheduled on mental health and wellness. It will acknowledge how the multiple murders on April 18th and 19th, 2020 had a painful ripple effect across Canada.
Nova Scotia R-C-M-P say autopsies have been completed on a woman and three children who died in a house fire in the South Shore community of Auburndale over the weekend. Police say the remains of a 33-year-old woman, an 11-year-old child, a 9-year-old child and an 8-year-old child, were located in the home, while a 36-year-old man and a four-year-old boy managed to escape. The Mounties say the provincial Fire Marshal’s Office continues to investigate the cause of the fire, while evidence and information gathered so far indicates the fire is not suspicious.
Libraries in New Glasgow, River John and Westville are sites for providing virtual health care. Those three library branches now have spaces for residents to use VirtualCareNS, which is the program that virtually brings patients together with a family doctor or nurse practitioner. Residents can also use the spaces for virtual appointments with specialists. It’s one-year pilot program.
New Glasgow Regional Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect in a theft investigation. Last Wednesday night at 6:45 p.m., a woman went into the Atlantic Superstore on Westville Road in New Glasgow and left the store with a quantity of store merchandise. The woman is described as white with blonde-brown hair, wearing blue jeans, long dark coat and pink toque. Police have released a couple pictures of the suspect and we’ve posted them on our news page.
New Glasgow Regional Police charged five impaired drivers over the weekend in New Glasgow. Nobody was injured in any of the incidents. The five drivers were later released and will soon be appearing in Provincial Court in Pictou.
United Way of Pictou County has announced that its 2021 Annual Campaign has raised more than $388,000. All of the funds will be re-invested back into vital local community programs and services in Pictou County.
In the Maritime Junior Hockey League, the South Shore Lumberjacks beat the Pictou County Weeks Crushers 3-2.
