HOUSTON SAYS ENVIRONMENTAL APPROVALS IN PROVINCE TOO SECRETIVE
Photo Credit: Canadian Press
Provincial P-C Leader Tim Houston says the problem with environmental approvals in this province is that they’re too secretive. He points to the Owl’s Head issue, where local homeowners and environmentalists are up in arms. And he says at the opposite end of the scale has been Northern Pulp, where a secretive environmental approval process put the mill’s owners on the defensive, forcing it to close. Houston says an open environmental process with neutral third party experts would be a much better system.
Houston is also talking about telemedicine and computer facetime between older Nova Scotians and doctors as a way to cut waiting times for medical care. One of his ways to get seniors to be more computer-savvy for that would be to give high school students an extra credit for mentoring seniors on the easiest way to speak with their health care experts using a computer screen. Houston says health care has been a major issue for voters as he campaigns ahead of next month’s by-election in Truro and Bible Hill.
MAN HELPS UNCLE TO SAFETY AFTER HOUSE FIRE IN RIVER JOHN
An elderly man from Cape John Road in River John is lucky a nephew drove by his house Sunday evening and noticed flames shooting from the roof of his house. He helped his uncle safely escape the burning two-storey structure. The man in his 80s is staying with friends for now and is being helped by Canadian Red Cross volunteers with emergency supplies. The fire was reported around 10 o’clock Sunday night.
MERIGOMISH FIRE CHIEF WELCOMED BACK FROM “DOWN-UNDER”
Congratulations are due if you see Merigomish Fire Chief Paul Schnurr in your travels this week. He’s back home, after working as part of the Nova Scotia contingent that took on the fight against this year’s raging wildfires in Australia . His fellow fire fighters here in Pictou County want us to know that Paul represented his community with impressive knowledge, integrity and dedication during his time in Australia. They also say they’re proud and happy to have Fire Chief Paul Schnurr home safe after his world travels. Most of the Australian fires are now listed as “contained”, which means they’re not expected to spread further, but cannot be called completely out, until more rain falls in Australia. (Facebook photo)
Nova Scotia RCMP charged 63 drivers with impaired driving last month. 34 of those people were arrested for drinking while behind the wheel, while 27 are up on impaired charges caused by drugs. That’s one of the largest monthly numbers for people charged with drug-impairment, but alcohol still leads as the preferred method of driving illegally.
Despite the increase in drug use behind the wheel, the province is pushing ahead with more cannabis stores. New ones have been approved for Annapolis Royal, Berwick, Elmsdale, Glace Bay, Liverpool, Mahone Bay, Bedford (Mill Cove), Port Hawkesbury, Sydney Mines, Dartmouth (Tacoma Drive), Tantallon, Baddeck, Barrington Passage, and Tatamagouche. A request for proposals is expected to be issued for those new government cannabis outlets in April.
GROUPS ASK “WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT PICTOU COUNTY?”
Photo submitted: Left to right: Heidi Sinclair, Pictou County REN, Nicole LeBlanc, Healthy Pictou County, Cindy MacKinnon, DEANS, Jack Kyte, Pictou County Chamber of Commerce and Jamie Playfair Advocate Communications Group.
Work is well underway for a new ‘Welcome Home’ Guide for Pictou County thanks to community partnership, and contributions from the community. Healthy Pictou County, a doctor-led effort focused on attracting and retaining medical staff and students to the area, has partnered with the Pictou County Regional Enterprise Network, the Pictou County Chamber of Commerce and Destinations Eastern and Northumberland Shores (DEANS) to create a ‘Welcome Home’ Guide for anyone new to the area, which will be available both in print and online this summer. Those groups say it’ll be a fantastic tool for employers of all sizes to use not only to entice them here for work, but to familiarize people with PIctou County once they’re here. Sarah MacIntosh Wiseman with the Pictou County Enterprise Network calls it “a document for the community, from the community”, that’s accessible to anyone. The partners would also like your input using an online survey asking what you love most about Pictou County and would want others to know as well. The survey can be found by visiting healthypictoucounty.ca and finding the survey under ‘Why Pictou County’.
FEMALE NATIONAL HOCKEY TEAM SETTING UP CAMP IN PICTOU COUNTY
Photo credit: HHOF
Pictou County will host a National Women’s Hockey Team before the World Championships in April. Team Germany will be spending the week of March 23 to 29 in Pictou County as it prepares for the 2020 International Women’s World Championship. That’s an annual tournament consisting of the world’s top 10 women’s hockey countries. The 2020 Women’s World Championship tournament will be played at the Scotiabank Centre in Halifax and the Rath Eastlink Community Centre in Truro from March 31 to April 10, 2020. During its time in the area, Team Germany will practice out of the Pictou County Wellness Centre once a day from 10 a.m. to Noon. Practices will be open to spectators. An exhibition game will be held on March 25 and possibly March 27. A more detailed schedule of events and volunteer opportunities will be available in the first week of March. Tickets for the IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship can be ordered here.
SPORTS:
The Fundy Highland Subway Selects PeeWee AA’s climbed 4 points in the standings with 3 undefeated games over the long weekend.
Game #1 was held at the RBC Centre in Dartmouth on Saturday facing Metro West Force Inferno and ended with a 1-1 tie. Reese Murray scored with an assist from Ella Fitt. Alana Palmer held tight between the pipes.
Game’s 2 and 3 were held at the Hector Arena in Pictou on Sunday and Monday respectively. Game #2 had the Selects facing Valley Wild. The Selects were down 1-0 after 2 with less than 4 minutes left in the game when they scored 3 quick goals within 60 seconds to get the 3-1 win. Scoring for the Selects were Karlee Rose, Hailey Taylor and Murray with assists added by Murray, Sidney Keay and Mya MacDonald. Kenli Ross had the win in nets. In game #3 facing Metro West Force Rebels, Avery Henderson got the first gaol with an assist by Sophie Hatchard and Murray added an unassisted goal for a 2-2 final. Palmer was in nets for her second game of the weekend.
The Westville Miners Bantam C Team are the 2020 Apple Capital Classic Bantam C Champions!
They played in the Apple Capital Classic hosted in Berwick this past weekend. The team went undefeated through 5 games, claiming the Championship banner on Saturday evening. It was a great weekend of hockey with the team advancing to Semi Finals after an over time / shoot out win. The Pictou County Minor Hockey Association says they are very proud of the team!
Shout out to the Pictou County Mariners Swim Team who finished first place at the AA Winter Champs Swim Meet at Dalhousie this weekend!
Every swimmer achieved personal bests times, and contributed points to the total overall secure. Luke MacLean, Owen Chabassol, Blayse Stevenson and Jenna MacLeod were all top aggregate winners in their age categories! Congrats Mariners!!
MHL:
Last night the Weeks Jr A Crushers took down the Valley Wildcats 3-0. That game had everything, including over 200 penalty minutes and a goalie fight in the 3rd period alone!
The Crushers are off until tomorrow night. That’s when they travel to Truro and tangle with the Bearcats.
NSMMHL:
The Weeks Major Midgets defeated the Dartmouth Steele Subaru Sunday in Dartmouth by a score of 3-2.. Game 5 in that series with Dartmouth goes Friday night at the Pictou County Wellness Center – beginning at 7:30. They’re looking to get a loud crowd out to keep the series going , since the series is currently tied at 2 games apiece.
FREE SKATING COMING UP AT THORBURN RINK
The Thorburn Fire Department in recognition of its 60th Anniversary this year, invites you to enjoy a family skate on them at the Thorburn Rink, on the following dates, Sat. Feb 22nd, 2:30 – 3:30, The following Saturday, Feb 29th, 5:40 – 6:40, and the last skate of the year Sun Mar 8, 5:00 – 6:00.
NHL:
The Panthers defeated the Sharks 5-3.
The Flames burnt the Ducks 6-4.
The Coyotes took down the Islanders 2-1.
The Golden Knights defeated the Capitals 3-2.
The Lightning took down the Avalanche in OT, 4-3.
