Please note, the Pictou Fire Department, along with several other departments are responding to a fire at Poppy’s store on Water Street, as a result the street has been blocked off to traffic. Please use alternative route until further notice. More details to come.
Two European seafood businesses are buying Facebook ads and posting warnings in online seafood forums. They’re fuming, claiming they lost money to a Nova Scotia seafood company headed up by a man in the Annapolis Valley. Two firms say Oceanic Superfoods, run by David Brandal of New Minas, cheated them out of more than $30,000 when his company didn’t deliver the product they ordered.
“Nobody should ever do any business with David Brandal,” is the post from Willem Sodderland. He’s the founder of an Amsterdam company that makes pasta, wraps and imitation bacon from seaweed. He tells CBC that he and another seafood company from Denmark started the communications campaign so that nobody else would get ripped off. Brandal admits there have been problems with the orders by both companies, but he denies that anyone has been ripped off. He’s planning to make good on his debts to these companies. Despite that, a small claims court here in Nova Scotia has issued a judgment against Brandal and the company he owns, Oceanic Superfoods for $21,299.35.
Three men in their 30’s have been charged with conspiracy to traffic cocaine in the Shubenacadie area in both Colchester and Hants Counties. That follows a seven-month investigation led by Enfield RCMP. Police searched three homes and a business starting last Thursday, and wrapping up on Saturday. As a result, they seized cocaine, cash, firearms, and vehicles. 32-year-old Stephen Guy Lively of Shubenacadie, 35-year-old Shawn Kenneth Banfield of Lantz, and 36-year-old Adrian Russell Nibby of Mill Village have been arrested so far. RCMP tell us more charges are expected.
One of Nova Scotia’s fastest growing areas wants to expand even faster. But Environment Minister Margaret Miller says more information is needed before a decision can be made on the Elmsdale Business Park’s environmental assessment. The project would expand the existing business park by around 124 hectares to meet service requirements from new commercial development.
The application states access roads and land will be cleared and developed as lots are sold, starting near the existing park and expanding southwest toward Dartmouth.
In her decision earlier this month, Miller says the proponent must provide information regarding storm water management, wetlands, and birds.
Once submitted to the department, Miller will have 50 days to render her decision.
A commission looking to redraw Nova Scotia’s electoral map is expected to issue its final report today. Its interim report in November called for the restoration of four electoral districts aimed at improving representation for black and Acadian voters. Those districts include the largely Acadian ridings of Clare, Argyle, and Richmond, and the predominantly black riding of Preston.
They were eliminated in 2012 when Darrell Dexter’s NDP government decided there was a shortage of actual voters in each district.
The changes led to a successful court challenge by the province’s Acadian community and there are expected to be 4 different choices when today’s report is made public.
Alberta’s NDP leader is hopeful momentum is moving toward her party in the waning days of what has been a nasty provincial election campaign. Notley is feeling a shift. She says really feeling good on the ground and is certainly seeing that there’s a lot of volatility, a lot of movement. Notley was in Edmonton for a rally last night before returning to Calgary — a key battleground this morning. The rival United Conservatives are focusing their final campaign push in Edmonton. Election day is Tuesday.
Mazda is recalling more than 200,000 Mazda 3 compact cars in both Canada and the U.S. The company says it’s because the windshield wipers can stop working. The Mazda recall covers cars from the model years 2016 through 2018. The Japanese automaker has traced the problem to metal deposits that can cause a wiper relay to stick. When that happens, Mazda is worried that could end up knocking out the wipers during a storm, creating poor visibility. It says it has no reports of crashes or injuries due to the problem. The federal government says the recall affects more than 51,000 vehicles currently on the road in Canada. It says owners can take their vehicle to their local dealers to have that windshield wiper control module replaced.
Two people from Inverness have been charged with cocaine trafficking. Police seized cocaine from a home in the Cape Breton community on Saturday. They also seized a cutting agent, cash, and drug paraphernalia. Twenty-three-year-old Terrance Anthony Harper and 19-year-old Janelle Anne Larade are each charged with possession of cocaine and unsafe storage of a firearm.
Harper faces a judge in Port Hawkesbury this morning, while Larade is due in court at a later date.
21 year old Scott Langille will be running in his first Boston Marathon today. A member of Pictou County Athletics, Langille ran for the Holland College Hurricanes Track Team and volunteers to help coach the NNEC Track Team. David Hood of Stellarton will also be running in this year’s marathon. Hood, who has run before in this event, is the Chief operating officer at the Pictou County Wellness Centre.
More info on the marathon here: https://www.baa.org/
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is road-testing a new series of campaign statements for this fall’s election. Trudeau has begun lumping Federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer in with Ontario Premier Doug Ford and other right-wing politicians who regularly deny climate change, vilify immigrants and tolerate white nationalists. In a 25-minute speech to supporters in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga that mentioned Ford as much as it did Scheer, Trudeau criticized the recently released Ontario budget and warned how it could be reflected on the federal stage. Ford, says Trudeau “announced his first budget loaded with to services for farmers, for seniors, for post-secondary students, for Indigenous peoples, and for children who rely on social services, which the Prime Minister calls a “shame.” He says Canadians can expect much of the same on a national basis if Sheer ever gets elected, since he and Ford are cut from the same cloth. Trudeau claims Scheer is planning cuts to the Canada Child Benefit, the National Housing Strategy, Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan benefits. Trudeau told the crowd that contrary to Scheer, the first thing his government did upon getting elected in 2015 was to increase taxes for the wealthiest one per cent of Canadians and cut taxes for the middle class. “You want to talk about ‘for the people,’ that’s ‘for the people,'” Trudeau said, as he mocked Doug Ford’s often used political catchphrase.
Trudeau wrapped it up by saying Scheer conveniently fails to call out alt-right conspiracy theories, he fought against a non-binding motion to denounce Islamophobia. And, says Trudeau, Andrew Scheer has proudly spoken at the same rallies as white nationalists. Is that someone who will govern for all Canadians?” he asked the crowd. ” I don’t think so.”
Nova Scotians will have the next 12 to 18 months to avail themselves of planning and education materials when it comes to organ donation changes. The legislature has unanimously passed legislation that presumes automatic consent for organ donation. But it won’t become law until the public consultation period runs out within a year and a half. The change makes Nova Scotia the first jurisdiction in North America to pass an opt out law. But it won’t be officially proclaimed until people get a chance to become informed, and health care workers are trained on exactly how it’ll work.
Cape Breton is putting out a call to artisans and artists help to spread the word about a short-term residency program being offered in partnership with Parks Canada. Cape Breton’s Centre for Craft & Design, in collaboration with Parks Canada wants people to know about a new four-day residency program called Ground Rules, in the spectacular Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Fifteen Nova Scotia artists with diverse backgrounds will explore new ideas inspired by the natural landscapes of the Highlands, while interacting with scientists, park interpreters and creative leaders. Ground Rules is a residency retreat for artists, allowing them to explore new ways of working within their artistic medium and connect to their heritage. The program also includes an exhibition component which will put that art in display next year.
The deadline for applications is May 1st of this year. The residency program runs from June 10th to 14th, with overnight stays in the Cheticamp area of the national park.
PICTOU COUNTY SPORTS
Congratulations to the Pictou County Midget A Crushers, they defeated the South Shore Lumberjacks 6-2 at the Day of Champions in Truro this weekend to win the Championship.
The TASA Ducks defeated the Bantam A Crushers 9-2 to win the Bantam A Championship.
The PeeWee A Crushers dropped one to the Yarmouth Mariners, 9-2. With that Win, the Mariners are your PeeWee A Champions.
Big congrats go out to the Fundy-Highland Colchester Cyclones on capturing the Female Atom A provincial championship with a 5-0 victory over the Metro East Inferno Red.
The Pictou County Bantam AA Crushers captured a silver medal at the provincial championships in Yarmouth this past weekend. The Crushers advanced to the championship game with an exciting 4-3 OT win over Glace Bay. The win sent Pictou County to the title game where they faced the Halifax Hawks. The Crushers battled hard but came out on the wrong end of a 3-1 score. Lane Lochead picked up the lone Crusher goal. Logan Crosby was named tournament MVP and leading scorer. The Crushers successful season ended with a 44-10-3 record.
Women’s Hockey:
It was Bronze for Team Canada at the IIHF Women’s World Hockey Championship,
They lost their semi-final game to Finland 4-2, they would go on to beat Russia 7-0 in the Bronze Medal game.
Tiger Woods made another big comeback yesterday, winning his 5th title at The Masters.
Congratulations to Pictou County Invasion’s U-14 Team Penton, for winning gold at the Volleyball NS provincials over the weekend. Their photo posted above shows L-R Avery MacDonald, Rylan Biron, Kate Bethell, Jessa McKeil, Lauren Crawford, Olivia Marks, Maya MacDonald, Sarah Gunn, Rory MacDonald and Jesse Maxner. Coaches are Josh Penton and Maddie MacDonald. Four U14 teams competed from Pictou County.
Pictou County U12 girls lightning also won the gold in the Cape Breton classic this weekend!
The ball season is still young, but David Price was spectacular last night against the Orioles as the Red Sox pulled out a 4-0 win.
The Rays scored 5 runs in the 8th inning, that alone was enough to beat the Jays. But they decided to score more anyway, 8-4 Rays final.
NHL:
Last night,
The New York Islanders picked up a huge 4-1 win in Pittsburgh to take a strangle-hold of that series 3-0.
The Blue Jackets are shocking the world, they picked up a huge W yesterday to take one step closer to sweeping the Lightning. They won 3-1 and lead the best of 7, 3-0.
The Winnipeg Jets needed a big win and they got one, 6-3 over the Blues. St Louis still leads that series 2-1.
The Golden Knights took a 2-1 series lead over the Sharks, defeating them 6-3.
Tonight,
The Bruins are headed to Toronto with the series tied 1-1. That game begins at 8.
The Capitals are looking to take control of their series against the Hurricanes, game 3 begins tonight at 8, the Capitals hold a 2-0 lead.
The Predators are going to Texas to face the Dallas Stars, that series is all even Stevens at 1-1.
Calgary and Colorado is also all even up, game 3 is tonight at 11.
