The provincial government says it is investing two-million dollars to transform the performing arts centre in Pictou into a new cultural hub.

It says the deCoste Centre for Arts and Creativity will be expanded to include a new, modern library, a fully renovated theatre, visual arts exhibition facilities and meeting space for community groups.

The province says the new centre is expected to draw 30 to 50 per cent more patrons and have a multimillion-dollar impact on downtown businesses.

The federal government is contributing six-million dollars to the project, and the local government and community donors will provide more than one-million.

 

 

Police are continuing their investigation into the weekend’s tragic crash on Hwy. 104 near Priestville that left four people dead.

It happened late Sunday night on a divided highway, as an S-U-V and car collided.

The car’s driver, a 51-year-old Halifax man, was pronounced dead at the scene on Highway 104.

Three Halifax men in the S-U-V died, while a 51-year-old passenger is in hospital with life-threatening injuries.

A collision reconstructionist has ben assisting in the investigation.

 

 

Nova Scotia MLAs have voted unanimously in support of a bill blocking their  pending pay raise of 12.6 per cent.

The bill also cuts the premier’s salary by more than $11,000.

The pay increase was a binding recommendation made by an independent panel, but Premier Tim Houston recalled the legislature for a summer sitting that saw amendments introduced to block the pay raise.

Premier Houston has said that it’s not appropriate for MLAs to get a pay raise while Nova Scotians struggle with the rising cost of living.

 

 

Nova Scotia’s health authority says it’s working to address increased demand for COVID-19 rapid test kits at community distribution sites.

It says more than 233-thousand rapid tests were distributed to community partners last month — an increase of nearly 34-thousand over June.

The health authority says rapid tests have been delivered to the main branches of public libraries but there have been some delays in getting tests to regional libraries.

It recommends that households have a box of rapid tests on hand in case COVID-19 symptoms develop, but says Nova Scotians are no longer advised to test if they are asymptomatic.

 

 

As of Tuesday, Nova Scotians who live in rural areas that are difficult to connect online can apply for a one-time rebate of up to one-thousand dollars to acquire satellite internet.

People can check their eligibility for the program by entering their address on the Develop Nova Scotia website.

The new rebate program is initially being made available to about 3700 homes and businesses where connection to the internet is not currently possible.

The rebate is to cover the cost of acquiring and installing the Starlink network’s hardware.