47th annual Pictou County Christmas Fund Telethon raises over $62,000
The Pictou County Christmas Fund Telethon was held over the weekend and organizers say the event was a success, raising over $62,000 for local food banks. The event, which was paused in 2020 returned to the deCoste Centre on Sunday and featured virtual performances from around the county. Pledges can be honoured at local banks, Credit Union, or the offices of the Pictou Advocate, Big Brothers Big Sisters, or Atlantic Insurance. Anyone needing assistance with Christmas dinner this year can call the Pictou East Food Bank (starting December 1st) Monday, Wednesday, or Friday 8:30am-11:30am at: (902) 755-2906. Pictou West Food Bank clients can pick up Christmas Hampers at the Pictou Food Bank on December 20th or December 21st between 12-4pm. Anyone needing assistance this holiday season in the Pictou West area who are not clients of Pictou West Food Bank, can contact Debbie to reserve a hamper: 902-485-1997 (please call by December 15th).
N.S. reports 28 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday
COVID-19 case data from the weekend for Nova Scotia will be released today. On Friday, the province reported 28 new cases of COVID-19 and 25 recoveries. As of Friday, Nova Scotia had 172 active cases of COVID-19. Of those, 14 people were in hospital, including five in ICU.
More Nova Scotian children under the age of 12 will receive free COVID-19 rapid tests kits in efforts to detect COVID-19 cases early. The province says bout 80,000 rapid test kits were distributed to children in pre-primary to Grade 6 in Nova Scotia’s public school system earlier in the school year as part of the pilot program, called Test to Protect Kids. Within the next few weeks, private schools, licensed and unlicensed day cares, families with children at home, and homeschooling families with children ages 3 to 11 will be offered nose swab testing kits as part of an expansion of the program. Each package will contain four take-home rapid COVID-19 tests with a set of instructions on how to complete the test. Local pick-up spots will be announced this week and communicated directly to private schools, licensed and unlicensed day care, families with children at home, and homeschooling families with children ages 3 to 11. Schools will provide parents and guardians more information about the expansion of the program this week.
Canada has recorded its first two known infections of the Omicron variant. Both cases were found in the Ottawa area in people who had recently been in Nigeria. Ottawa Public Health is now conducting contact and case management. The patients are self-isolating, while the province is testing all eligible positive COVID-19 samples to determine their variant. The federal health minister said Ottawa is continuing to assess the situation. The federal government recently banned visitors from seven countries in southern Africa, including Namibia and Zimbabwe. Nigeria is not among them.
N.S. Health Outreach Vaccine Clinics in Northern Zone this week
Nova Scotia Health Outreach Vaccine Clinics will be touring the Northern Zone this week to help support with regards to vaccine availability. The clinics will be providing drop-ins for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to anyone age 12+ for their first or second dose at: Toney River Community Hall (4854 Highway 6, Toney River), Tuesday, Nov. 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Debert Fire Hall (34 Carter Road, Debert), Thursday, Dec. 2 from 1 to 6 p.m.
New Glasgow Regional Police issue report of lost police issued Magazine and Ammunition
NGRP photo (submitted)
New Glasgow Regional Police say a police-issued magazine with ammunition is missing. A press release issued this morning says police “continue to conduct an extensive search.” Possession of the police issued magazine and ammunition by a member of the public is prohibited under law. New Glasgow Regional Police is asking anyone who has located or has any information on this lost police issued magazine and ammunition is asked to contact New Glasgow Regional Police at 902-752-1941. Should callers wish to remain anonymous, they can also call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), text TIP202 + your message to CRIMES (274637) or by secure online tips at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca
RCMP warn of recent phone scam
RCMP in Nova Scotia are warning of a recent scam. Last week, a man received a call from someone saying they were from a well-known company. The caller said the tech support the man had paid for was no longer being offered as they were shutting down the department. The man had made a purchase from this company back in March and believed it to be a legitimate call. After an online application for a refund, the caller transferred the man to another caller to complete the refund. They asked for remote access to his computer and to his bank account before depositing $2000 in error instead of the $300 refund. The caller then directed the man to withdraw the extra $1700 and directed the man to a specific location to deposit the money in a bitcoin machine. After the deposit, the caller told the man that the transaction did go through and asked him to go to a grocery store to purchase gift cards. A family member intercepted and told the man this was a scam.
Pictou County Transit gears up for grand launch tonight
Pictou County Transit will be hosting its official grand launch today at Summer Street Industries on Park Street in New Glasgow. It’s a celebration of the launch of transit services in New Glasgow and Stellarton, and the event begins at 6:30pm.
Sports note:
In NS U18 AAA Female action, Northern Subway Selects blanked the HFX Western Capitals 3-0 on Sunday in Bedford.
