SCAMMERS MAKING THEIR WINTER ROUNDS, SAY LOCAL POLICE
New Glasgow and other police agencies across the province are warning of phone scammers renewing their methods this week, so be on your guard. In one of the scams, people usually get a phone call early in the day, telling them that there are unusual charges on their credit card. In other cases, there’s a series of phone calls telling you that you owe money to the Canada Revenue Agency or that there are issues with your Social Insurance Number. Constable Ken MacDonald says all of these are scams during the cold winter months come as criminals ramp things up to get their hands on your personal information. Your best bet is to hang up and call your bank or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 – or contact Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre’s website at https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/index-eng.htm
ATLANTIC WATERS VERY LOW ON ICE THIS YEAR, SNOWFALL AMOUNTS LOW TOO
Ice and snow haven’t really been a huge issue to far this winter, and the numbers are quite astounding. As far as ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, it’s down by about 50% as we officially enter the month of February. And snowfall is down to 40 % of normal here in Northern Nova Scotia and the Annapolis Valley. At Halifax, snowfall so far this winter is at 69% of normal. But in Yarmouth, they’ve only received about 29 % of their normal snowfall amount so far this winter. There is a snow and rain event on the horizon for Tuesday, but a lot of rain in its wake might reduce snowfall amounts significantly. Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement focusing mainly on high winds and heavy rain on Tuesday night and Wednesday. Full details can be found by tuning us in on your radio or internet device. (Image from Environment Canada)
COVID numbers are low across Nova Scotia again in the latest update, with no new cases reported and only 10 active cases. However, two Nova Scotians are now hospitalized by COVID, and one of those people is in intensive care.
LIBERAL LEADERSHIP VOTING BEGINS TODAY
Members of the provincial Liberal party already have the ability to vote for the person who’ll become the next Premier of this province. That voting began at 8 o’clock this morning and lasts all week. Last night produced a farewell speech for outgoing Premier Stephen McNeil and some electioneering from the three men vying to become his replacement. All three candidates are younger than McNeil, with Labi Kousoulis being 49. Iain Rankin is the youngest, at 37 years old and Randy Delorey is 42. The name of the winner will be announced Saturday evening, shortly after 6 o’clock. The cut-off time for voting is 3 o’clock Saturday afternoon.
The provincial government says it’s having success in cutting red tape more small business owners. It says the bureaucracy reductions in the past year will save business operators more than $16 million in time and money. The office of regulatory affairs says its actual target was about $10 million.
The controversy over a doctor relocating her office in Sydney to a residential part of the city is showing no signs of going away. Dr. Margaret Fraser wants to move her family practice to a residential neighbourhood from the Cape Breton Regional Hospital. But CBRM planning staff say that’s not allowed and it could set a precedent.
So Dr. Fraser is asking them to change the rules so that she can open a practice closer to her patients and other members of the community. Fraser says more patients could walk to their appointments, saving on parking fees and getting some exercise. It’s now made its way into the council chambers, and patients on the both sides of the issue are taking up the cause.
RCMP ASKED TO LAUNCH PROBE OF HERITAGE BUILDING’S DEMISE
A rare set of circumstances has sprung up around a more than 250-year-old heritage property in the Annapolis Valley. Kings South MLA Keith Irving says the Communities, Culture and Heritage Department has decided to ask RCMP to launch an official investigation into December’s demolition of Reid House in Avonport. Reid House was built in the 1760’s, and as a provincial heritage property, anybody demolishing it would need special permission from the province. That wasn’t given, so RCMP will investigate and forward any information along to the Crown, to see if charges should be laid.
What business school teaches in four years, Jacob Faithfull says he learned in four months. The Alberta man from the Frog Lake First Nation says he’s worked through several headaches that come with starting a business during a pandemic. And that means he and his colleagues will soon be opening the first mask manufacturing plant on a Canadian reserve that is fully owned and operated by Indigenous people. Faithfull tells the Canadian Press they’re going to start making their own masks in Frog Lake on February 22nd. Frog Lake First Nation is run by a band government about 200 kilometres northeast of Edmonton.
