First significant snowfall of the season is getting set to roll into Nova Scotia later today

The first significant snowfall of the season is getting set to roll into the province later today, continuing into Thursday.  Snowfall warnings have been issued for all of Nova Scotia, with heavy snow expected to start this afternoon across southwestern parts of the province before spreading northeast tonight.  The highest accumulations will occur along the Atlantic coast, with up to 30 cm over inland areas of Shelburne, Queens, and Lunenburg counties.  Environment Canada says strong northeasterly winds will likely produce blowing snow as temperatures fall during the night.  According to the national weather service, heavy snow will begin around midnight in Pictou County with 5 to 10 cm tonight, followed by another 10 to 15 cm into tomorrow afternoon.

 

Canadian Red Cross helps local family after fire Monday night in New Glasgow 

Three people have been forced from their home by a fire that damaged an older two-storey house in New Glasgow.  A couple and their a teenaged son have been helped by Canadian Red Cross volunteers with a place to stay and purchases like food, clothing and some other basic items.  There were no injuries from the fire on Norma Street, reported around 7 p.m. Monday.

 

Province to implement new booster recommendations from NACI

A growing number of Nova Scotians will soon become eligible to receive a COVID-19 booster shot.  Specific dates for have yet to be announced, but the plan is to expand eligibility to include those who are 60 and older, and then work backward in descending age groups.  The province also plans to allow all front-line health-care workers, including dentists and pharmacists, to schedule a booster dose regardless of the interval between their first two doses  As well, the province will increase the minimum interval between first and second doses from 28 days to eight weeks, but any second dose appointments currently scheduled on a 28-day interval will be honoured.

 

Public Health Mobile Unit providing COVID-19 testing at St. FX University this week

The Public Health Mobile Unit will be in Antigonish today and Thursday to offer free PCR COVID-19 testing to all ages.

Testing is free and available to anyone who:

• is experiencing symptoms
• has no symptoms (asymptomatic)
• has been to a potential exposure site, or
• is a close contact of a positive case of COVID-19.

The Public Health Mobile Unit will be available for booked appointments and drop-ins at: St. FX University – Keating Centre (1100 Convocation Blvd, Antigonish)  Today from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.. Thursday, December 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Rapid antigen take-home tests will be available for pick-up – supply limited.

With the recent increase in cases of COVID-19 in the community, as a precautionary measure, Nova Scotia Health will open the Antigonish COVID-19 Testing Centre to asymptomatic testing for community members who do not have symptoms.  Classes were cancelled Tuesday by St. Francis Xavier University due to a COVID-19 breakout at the university. Twelve cases at the campus have been confirmed and health officials are expecting there will be more cases.   As officials investigate the cases, chief public health officer Dr. Robert Strang says they are looking at a number of social events that were held over the past week with the university’s annual X-ring ceremony.

 

Premier thanks frontline workers and civil servants for response to vaccine mandate

Photo credit: CBC

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston offered some praise Tuesday for frontline workers and civil servants for how they’ve responded to the province’s vaccine mandate. More than 99 per cent of front-line workers and civil servants have had at least one dose of a vaccine. Houston adds that Nova Scotia’s health care system has not seen a widespread impact since the Nov. 30 vaccine deadline.

 

Christmas break will be a little longer for Nova Scotia’s students

Photo credit: Communications N.S.

Premier Tim Houston announced during his COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday that the holiday break for Nova Scotia students will be a little longer than originally planned. School will now resume for students on January 6th.  Houston also urged parents of young kids aged  5 and up to book appointments for COVID vaccines as soon as possible.  He says that many of the COVID-19 cases we’re now seeing are in unvaccinated children. Dr. Robert Strang says almost 45 per cent of the 65,000 who fall in the 5-to-11 age group either already have an appointment booked or have already had their first dose.

 

Northern Pulp Environmental Assessment Process Begins

Northern Pulp’s plan to reopen its idled kraft pulp mill was formally registered by the province Tuesday — officially starting the environmental review process. The provincial Environment Department will release the terms of reference needed to properly assess the company’s estimated 350-million dollar proposal on December 21st. Mill owner Paper Excellence says its latest plan to re-open the mill would see treated effluent discharged into Pictou harbour, although the exact discharge point has not been determined. The mill was mothballed in January 2020 after the province banned it from dumping effluent near the Pictou Landing Mi’kmaq community.

 

N.S. raised borrowing by more than $1 billion to cover COVID-19 costs: auditor

Nova Scotia’s auditor general says the province approved $1.1 billion in added borrowing during 2020-21 to cover the capital and relief costs of the COVID-19 pandemic. Auditor general Kim Adair’s financial report published Tuesday also notes that with reduced tax revenues, the province fell into a $342-million deficit in 2020-21, a significant drop from the $55-million surplus originally budgeted. As well, provincial GDP dropped in 2020, down 2.2 per cent as opposed to the increase of 2.4 per cent forecast in the provincial budget. Adair says the province’s financial picture is understandable due to the ongoing pandemic, but the government needs a long-term recovery plan to dig itself out of its current economic position. She also says the pandemic highlighted the need for bolstered cybersecurity measures amid high demand for remote access of government networks from public service employees. She says, however, the province has failed to finalize rules to govern cybersecurity or implement cybersecurity training for all government workers. (The Canadian Press)

 

Air Show Atlantic heading to Debert in Summer 2022

Photo credit: airshowatlantic.ca

It was announced Tuesday that Air Show Atlantic 2022 will be held in Debert August 27 and 28.  It will be a full weekend production after two years of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers say the two years of waiting and learning have given them the opportunity to adapt the Show to the new realities.  The event will follow all health and safety protocols as they hope to provide traditional festival-style access to the grounds, with static aircraft and ground displays as well as drive-in options for those looking to watch the show with minimal contact with large crowds.