A 19-year-old man charged in connection with last week’s protest involving Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston has been released on $5,000 bail. The Lawrencetown man appeared in Kentville provincial court Wednesday and was ordered to remain under house arrest. RCMP allege he climbed onto a vehicle carrying the premier and smashed its windshield during a protest outside Acadia University in Wolfville on July 15. He’s due back in court in September. 

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Nova Scotia’s police watchdog is investigating a fatal single-vehicle crash in Antigonish County. RCMP say an officer attempted to stop a vehicle on Cape Jack Road in Havre Boucher late Saturday night as part of an impaired driving initiative. Police say the driver fled, but the officer ended the attempted stop in the interest of public safety. A short time later, the vehicle was found crashed in a ditch. The 19-year-old Havre Boucher man, who was alone in the vehicle, died at the scene. The Serious Incident Response Team is now investigating and is asking anyone with information to come forward.

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Canada’s overall inflation rate may be cooling, but grocery prices are still putting pressure on shoppers. New numbers from Statistics Canada show the biggest month-to-month increase at the grocery store last month came from chicken thighs, with prices rising more than eight per cent from May to June. Experts say high beef prices are pushing more Canadians toward chicken as a cheaper protein option, increasing demand and driving up costs. While some produce prices have dropped, shoppers continue to feel the pinch when it comes to affordable meal options.

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The IWK Health Centre is getting nearly 10 million dollars from the federal government to expand mental health supports for youth across Nova Scotia. The funding will help add staff and extend services at Anchor Youth Spaces, which offer free drop-in mental health support and other programs for young people. Three locations are already open, with more on the way. For Pictou County, an Anchor Youth Space is planned to open in New Glasgow in 2027. IWK officials say the additional funding will make it easier for youth and families to access care when they need it most.