Community grieves loss of family of six in rural Nova Scotia travel trailer fire
The Town of Amherst is grieving the loss of a family of six, including four children, whose bodies were discovered Sunday evening following a fire in a travel trailer. Officers were called to Mountain Road in Millvale, Sunday at around 6:30 p.m. and members reached the area half an hour later after travelling a back road to the location, RCMP Cpl. Chris Marshall said Monday. He said when the Mounties arrived, they discovered the bodies inside the nine-metre long trailer. Robert Sears said in an interview Monday that his 30-year-old son Robert Jorge Sears had died, along with his common law partner, Michelle Robertson, 28, and four children: Madison, 11, Robert Ryder, 8, Jaxson, 4, and Colin, 3. He said the family, who lived in Amherst, had been at the trailer for a short stay, and he was still awaiting information on what had happened. It will be up to the fire marshal’s office to establish the cause of the fire, but police say a preliminary investigation suggests it was not suspicious. The RCMP’s Marshall said the news has been devastating for all those in the area who knew the family. “It takes a toll on the community at large,” he said. “It’s a difficult circumstance and it’s tragic.” In Amherst, a memorial site with a large photograph of the family was set up Monday in a park. Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin, the local member of the provincial legislature, said the school attended by three of the children, Cumberland North Academy, has been hit hard by news of the deaths. She said the memorial “is especially needed where there are a lot of children in our community who will need help grieving through this.” (The Canadian Press)
Building heavily damaged by suspicious fire in Trenton
NGRP Photo of fire scene (submitted)
New Glasgow Regional Police and the Trenton Fire Department are investigating a suspicious fire on Main Street in Trenton. On Monday morning at about 1:45 am., they responded to a 911 call about a structure fire and their preliminary investigation found it to be suspicious. The investigation indicates that the fire started in the area of the southeast side of the basement area of the business/residence complex, causing extensive damage. No one was in the business/ residence complex and no injuries were reported. Emergency Health Services, Nova Scotia Power and Fire Departments from Abercrombie and Pictou Landing also attended. Police are asking for the public’s assistance if they have any information on this incident, please contact the New Glasgow Regional Police at (902) 752-1941 or Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or by a Secure Web Tips at www.crimesstoppers.ns.ca
Nova Scotia reports 73 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday update
On Monday, Nova Scotia reported 73 new cases of COVID-19 and 24 recoveries since last Friday. Health officials say 36 new cases are in the northern zone, and 32 of them involve contacts of previously reported infections. Officials say there is a large cluster of linked cases in the northern area involving people who are mostly unvaccinated. They say 31 new cases are in the central zone, where there are signs of community spread among unvaccinated people between the ages of 20 and 40. Four new cases are in the eastern zone, and two are in the western one. Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson and Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, will provide a COVID-19 update today, Sept. 14, at 3 p.m.
Nova Scotia’s health and wellness minister is speaking out against anti-vaccine protests at provincial hospitals. In a news release issued Monday, Michelle Thompson says she understands people have a right to protest, but hospitals are not the place to do it. She says health-care workers have been working hard throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and they should be able to go to work safely and without harassment.
Desmond inquiry: Nova Scotia firearms official testifies about better communication
Nova Scotia’s chief firearms officer says interprovincial communications between his colleagues have improved since a former soldier fatally shot his family and himself in 2017. John Parkin testified Monday at the provincial inquiry investigating the death of former infantryman Lionel Desmond, an Afghanistan war veteran diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder who was able to obtain a gun. The inquiry has heard there were delays and confusion over the exchange of firearms-related information between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick when Desmond had a number of run-ins with the law in both provinces. Parkin says changes have improved communications between firearms officials. (The Canadian Press)
Justin Trudeau, Erin O’Toole tied as election campaign hits final bend
A new poll shows a complete deadlock between Justin Trudeau’s Liberals and Erin O’Toole’s Conservatives with less than one week left in the federal election. The poll conducted by Leger in collaboration with The Canadian Press shows both parties tied with the support of 32 per cent of decided voters, with the NDP in third place with 20 per cent. A similar poll conducted two weeks ago had the Conservatives ahead with 34 per cent compared with 30 per cent for the Liberals and 24 per cent for the NDP. The polls cannot be given a margin of error because internet-based polls are not considered random samples. The leaders are back on the campaign trail today after spending yesterday sharpening their attacks, with O’Toole painting his opponent as privileged and entitled _ saying while Trudeau was “partying,” he was doing search-and-rescue missions in the military. Trudeau accused O’Toole of engaging in “personal attacks,” and insisted his own actions could not be compared to the Tory leader’s, even while arguing O’Toole has “proxies” in the anti-vaxxer movement, without providing concrete evidence. (The Canadian Press)
Pictou County Rugby Club claims the title of 2021 Rugby Nova Scotia Division 2 Champions
Facebook photo: @pictoucountyrugby
Congratulations to the Pictou County Rugby Club who defeated Charlottetown 31-12 on Saturday to claim the title of 2021 Rugby Nova Scotia Division 2 Champions!
