Police continue to try and locate a Hants County man wanted on a province-wide arrest warrant.  47-year old Andrew Scott Barker is wanted and charged with Unlawful Confinement; Assault; Assault with a Weapon; Administer or Cause Drugs to be Taken; Uttering Threats; Robbery; and Theft of Motor Vehicle.  Barker is described as 5-foot-11, 170 lbs, with green eyes, short brown hair and a beard. On Tuesday night, Police in New Glasgow investigated a reported sighting of Barker in New Glasgow, which resulted in a shelter-in-place order being issued for a period of time.  Barker was not apprehended, but police say that the vehicle initially included as being associated to him, a red Fiat, was located and seized by investigators.  The RCMP continues to seek information from the public in order to locate Barker.  Barker may be armed. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Andrew Scott Barker is asked to refrain from approaching him and to call 911, Police or Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers.

A woman on income assistance says some Nova Scotians living in poverty need help purchasing air conditioning to help prevent illness.

Julie Leggett of New Glasgow says she managed to win an appeal last summer before the income assistance board to get funding for her unit.

However, that decision isn’t binding, and the Department of Social Development confirmed yesterday it’s not making provision of the units a part of its policy.

Leggett says the result is saddening because it’s likely to mean some people will become sick due to extreme heat — and that will end up costing the public health system money.

 

 

The Nova Scotia government says it is considering a larger role for the Mounties as the province restructures and modernizes its policing services.

Justice Minister Becky Druhan announced changes yesterday aimed at improving policing, resulting from a review launched in September 2023.

The review was announced about six months after the Mass Casualty Commission released a final report that was critical of the Mounties handling of the mass shooting in Nova Scotia that left 22 people dead in April 2020.

Other changes announced yesterday included creating community safety boards, recruiting more officers, and adding more resources for police in the field.

 

 

The provincial government has signed agreements with two universities overseas in an effort to bring family doctors to Nova Scotia.   Premier Tim Houston says the agreements are with the Lebanese American University in Beirut and the American University of Beirut.  Two doctors from the first university are expected to arrive in Nova Scotia during each year of a five-year agreement, while four doctors in total will arrive from the latter.  Participating doctors will be required to sign an agreement to work in Nova Scotia for three years in exchange for the cost coverage of medical school residency positions, licensing exams and relocation expenses.

 

 

Nova Scotia Power customers are being offered free credit monitoring in the aftermath of a cyberattack.  The private utility says it’s offering five years of the service to all past and current customers in response to the March cybersecurity breach.  That breach gave thieves access to personal data belonging to 280-thousand ratepayers.  The utility initially offered two free years of monitoring.