Environment Canada has issued a Special Weather Statement for Nova Scotia, advising of significant rainfall and strong winds that are expected on Saturday.

The province could see upwards of 50 to 80 mm in rainfall, with some areas possibly getting even more rain.

That rainfall will be combined with maximum southerly wind gusts of 70 km/h, except 90 over eastern Nova Scotia.

 

 

Gasoline prices rose overnight in Nova Scotia, while diesel prices went down.

Gas prices increased by 2.6 cents per litre, putting the minimum pump price for regular self-serve gasoline at 162.9 cents per litre locally.

Diesel prices decreased by 3.5 cents per litre, leaving the minimum pump price for diesel at 200.4 cents per litre in the local area.

 

 

Word Thursday from Ottawa that it has acquired an interim replacement for the MV Holiday Island Ferry for ferry service between Nova Scotia and PEI.

The federal government has awarded a contract to purchase a Norwegian ferry, the MV Fanafjord,  for $38.56 million.  It will replace the MV Holiday Island until a new ferry is built and ready for service.

The MV Holiday Island was knocked out of service permanently by a fire in its engine room in July 2022.

This past summer, while in PEI, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that Ottawa was in negotiations to acquire the MV Fanafjord, and now it’s official.

The MV Fanafjord is  expected to enter into service next spring.

A newly-built ferry is expected to be completed and ready for service in 2028.

 

 

Nova Scotia’s prosecution service says it will proceed with a new trial for a former children’s hospital C-E-O, after Canada’s top court refused to hear its appeal of a ruling that quashed her fraud conviction.

As is customary, the Supreme Court of Canada did not explain its decision yesterday to deny leave to appeal the case involving Tracy Kitch, former chief executive of the I-W-K Health Centre, in Halifax.

There’s no immediate word from officials on when the case will return to court.

The Nova Scotia Court of Appeal called for a new trial in March, saying the trial judge failed to adequately explain the reasons behind his decision to convict Kitch in February 2022, for allegedly billing 47-thousand dollars in personal expenses to the hospital.

 

 

A sports note, in the Maritime Junior Hockey league, the Pictou County Weeks Crushers beat the Amherst Ramblers 5-3.