TRUDEAU TO ANNOUNCE VACCINE PRODUCTION IN CANADA
It appears Ottawa is about to announce that we’ll soon have made in Canada vaccines available from a National Research Council facility in Montreal sooner – rather than later. Prime Minister Trudeau is expected to announce today a deal with Novavax to produce its new COVID-19 vaccine at the city’s new bio-manufacturing facility . That will mean a Made-in-Canada solution to the vaccine shortage. The labs in Montreal are expected to produce about two-million doses a month once they’re operational. (Canadian Press)
SCHOOLS CLOSED FOR THE DAY
All schools are closed today across Pictou, Colchester, East Hants and Cumberland Counties. That also applies to the NS Community College campus here in Pictou County, and also at the NSCC campuses in Truro and Cumberland County. (if you have virtual classes at the NSCC, those will continue)
RAIN AND SNOW IN STORE FOR TODAY, OFFICIAL RAINFALL WARNING ISSUED
Snow, freezing rain and lots of rain are a bad combination for power crews, as they remain on emergency alert this morning. Officials say if winds are gusting above 80 km/h, crews will make an on-site assessment of whether to stand down for safety. Work to restore any outages will resume as soon as it is safe. Just tune into our airwave and online signal to hear the latest on the storm.
WOMAN ARRESTED AFTER TRUCK HITS A POLE ON NORTH PROVOST STREET
A local woman is up on drunk driving charges after a black 2017 Dodge Ram Truck struck a power pole on North Provost Street at 9 o’clock last night. She’s a 50-year-old woman Pictou County and the official charge is impaired driving. Her black truck was towed from the scene. Police tell us the accused driver was not physically injured, and she has now been released to appear at Provincial Court in Pictou at a later date.
PICTOU COUNTY COUNCIL NOTES, BROOKVILLE ROAD, PICKLEBALL FOR LITTLE HARBOUR AMONG ITEMS GETTING ATTENTION MONDAY NIGHT
The County of Pictou has voted to send an official letter to provincial Transportation officials after receiving a petition from Brookville Road residents over crumbling pavement and lack of proper gravelling in that part of MacLellan’s Brook. The petition laments the lack of proper maintenance on the road, so County Councillors overwhelmingly agree they need to directly intervene on behalf of the homeowners to get proper paving and gravelling in place.
Meanwhile, an add-on was suggested at last night’s council meeting to extend the deadline for community groups to get their community hall and other facility renovations done with County of Pictou money. March of 2022 has been suggested by County administrators as a date worth studying.
Also at Pictou County Council Monday night, a group of Pickleball Supporters from Little Harbour and area gave a resounding description of how the game brings communities together. That, as they lament that its popularity has outgrown their one indoor court at the community centre. They’ve gone from a dozen players in the fall of 2019 to a major expansion since then. The group of 16 members of the main committee has now formed sub-committees and aims to copy the game’s success in Arisaig, by building a 3-court facility in Little Harbour. They hope to do that with backing from councillors as they apply for a series of municipal, provincial and federal grants in order to build their fully-accessible facility. The total cost of the project is pegged at $150,000, with one-third of that coming from the community. They’re looking for at least $25,000 from County Council. Pickleball is described as a cross between tennis, badminton and table tennis, and is now so popular that it has a national association. (Bing Images file photo)
FIRE CALL IN SCOTSBURN MONDAY NIGHT
Scotsburn Fire Crews had a structure fire call on their hands last night, but Fire Chief Tim Van Veen says it was a vacant house that had been empty for at least 15 years or more. He tells us the call came in about 10:15 and with the house being empty, there are no injuries to report.
There’s one new case of COVID-19 in Nova Scotia from the latest update. Public Health says the patient infected is in the Western Zone is a close contact of a previous case.
There are ten active cases remaining in the province, with two people in hospital, including one being treated in ICU.
YARMOUTH MAYOR REACTS TO CAT FERRY CANCELLATION
Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood says she’s disappointed that the ferry to Maine won’t be sailing again this summer, but she says this is the right decision, and we have to put peoples’ health and safety first. Tourism officials says they know that there’s a pent-up demand for travel once the pandemic lifts, and they’re staying in touch with people in the U-S market to make sure they’re ready for what’s expected to be a huge influx of visitors from the States, once it’s safe to travel again.
Shubenacadie Sam is turning to technology to help predict the arrival of spring today. Nova Scotians are invited to celebrate Groundhog Day virtually this year and watch the prediction on social media. Shubenacadie Sam will emerge from his burrow at Shubenacadie Wildlife Park with his spring forecast at 8 a.m.
Nominations are now open for the 2021 Sobey Art Award, the most generous honour for contemporary Canadian visual artists aged 40 and under. Jointly administered by the Sobey Art Foundation (SAF) and the National Gallery of Canada (NGC), the Award celebrates the careers of emerging Canadian artists through financial support and recognition. Following modifications to last year’s Award structure in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the SAF and the NGC are pleased to announce that the 2021 shortlisted artists will be presented at an exhibition at the NGC this fall. Rob Sobey chairs the Sobey Art Foundation and says the financial help is meant to help Canadian artists do their best.
The 2021 award structure will be:
- $100,000 to the overall winner
- $25,000 to each of the four other shortlisted finalists
- $10,000 to each of the 20 long-listed finalists
The Town of New Glasgow is inviting us to join their virtual launch of African Heritage Month today at 12 noon. The ceremony will include a proclamation-signing, unveiling of the Heritage Month poster, remarks from guest speakers, and entertainment. That entire event will be held online.
If you live here, Town Hall decision-makers in New Glasgow want your advice on their upcoming 4-year-plan. The first step of the plan is launching an online survey. That’ll be followed by public consultation and one-on-one conversations (following all the COVID-19 protocols), PLUS an online platform where people will be able to share their ideas. The survey has launched on the Town’s website and social media channels. Hard copies will be available at Town Hall and at the New Glasgow Public Library. To access the survey and share it online, please use this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NewGlasgow_IDP_10
The survey will run until February 14th.
Sustainable Marine Energy has launched what it’s describing as Canada’s first floating tidal energy array near the mouth of the Bay of Fundy. The bigger, second-generation platform is being launched after the Nova Scotia company started testing a smaller but similar catamaran-style platform near Brier Island in 2018.
It will be towed later this year to the Minas Passage, between Cape Split and Parrsboro. That’s where it will be permanently installed to generate electricity from the world’s highest tides. Sustainable Marine says the project will eventually include two other platforms and produce enough power to supply three-thousand homes.
Also, a note to Salt Springs listeners, getting special recognition at Pictou County Council last night as home to the very first Womens’ Institute in Nova Scotia. As a result, Womens’ Institute Week will be celebrated in Pictou County from February 14th to the 21st. The Salt Springs Womens’ Institute was set up 108 years ago, in 1913.
