Judge perturned about absent jurors
By MNN. Last updated: 2013-05-22 08:33:00
The chief justice of the provincial Supreme Court is tired of people ignoring jury duty...and thinks it's time for a serious civics lesson.
Chief Justice Joseph Kennedy says 95 people failed to attend jury selection for a trial yesterday...40% of those who received jury notices. Kennedy told sheriffs to give the 95 summonses to appear before him to explain why they were absent and he told the sheriffs to tell those people to bring their toothbrushes with them. Two other judges recently complained about the same juror absenteeism but they just ordered fines between $50 and $200.
Justice Kennedy said it's a duty to participate in a trial but not everyone understands that...that a trial by a jury of one's peers is central to this democracy. He criticized those Canadians who aren't willing to participate despite its faults, apparently referring to what's been going on in Ottawa.
Electrocution at Bayer's Lake
By MNN. Last updated: 2013-05-22 08:31:03
An electrician was killed yesterday in the Bayer's Lake Business Park.
The 39 year old man, whose name has not been released, was working at the back of a building at 210 Chain Lake Drive that houses a number of stores when something went wrong. The Labour Department's occupational health and safety people are also investigating.
Police I-D crash victim
By MNN. Last updated: 2013-05-22 08:30:37
RCMP have identified the woman who was killed in a head-on crash Monday on the Forest Hills extension.
55 year old Judith Kennedy of Porters Lake lost control of her car and veered into the path of an on-coming pickup. The 72 year old Cole Harbour man driving it suffered minor injuries. The Mounties don't anticipate any charges.
Mouth-taping incident in Bedford school investigated
By MNN. Last updated: 2013-05-22 08:30:12
Police and the School Board are investigating an allegation that a student's mouth was taped shut last week at Bedford South School. The Education Department says the board notified it about the incident which is alledged to have happened during an after school program. The minister Ramona Jennex has asked the board to keep her informed on the investigation. The employee in question is off work until that investigation is complete.
No more jail time in Bridgewater shooting incident
By MNN. Last updated: 2013-05-22 08:29:38
A Bridgewater man won't be spending any more time in jail after a shooting incident which resulted in the lockdown of two schools there in January.
37 year old Sheldon Earl Bowers got a 12 month conditional sentence...the first six months under house arrest...then under curfew and other conditions. He got credit for the time he has spent in custody since the incident.
Bowers' sister called police concerned he might shoot their father. He fired at least two shots from a .22 calibre rifle in the garage of the home. That prompted police to order two schools nearby to lock their doors and keep students inside until the matter was resolved.
New pest in a Valley orchard
By MNN. Last updated: 2013-05-22 08:29:00
Federal food safety officials have placed an apple orchard near Kentville under quarantine after the detection of a destructive pest for the first time in North America.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says it has found an infestation of apple proliferation phytoplasma, or A-P-P, in one orchard...but didn't identify which one. The agency says A-P-P is found throughout Europe and is considered one of the most critical diseases for apple trees. The affected trees were imported to the Valley from the U.S. in 2008. They're also testing the trees there.
The disease causes reduced growth of trees and smaller fruit which is less sweet...but it is not a health threat to humans or animals.
Dartmouth home invasion
By MNN. Last updated: 2013-05-22 08:28:37
Police are looking for two men after a home invasion in Dartmouth yesterday afternoon. Two men got into an apartment on Jackson Road through an unlocked door and threatened the two people inside absconding with a number of items. Police don't believe it was a random robbery. Nobody was hurt.
Anti-bullying advocate wants to be an MLA
By MNN. Last updated: 2013-05-22 08:28:16
A prominent anti-bullying advocate is seeking the Conservative nomination in the provincial riding of Fairview-Clayton Park.
Travis Price started Pink Shirt Day about six years ago at his high school in the Valley to support a student who was bullied for wearing a pink shit to school. Now pink shirt day has become a national and even international thing. Price says he wants to try to make a difference in the legislature for children and families who have been the targets of bullies.
Liberal Patricia Arab and New Democrat Abad Khan will also be running in Fairview-Clayton Park when the election is called.
Retired bureaucrats want their COLA
By MNN. Last updated: 2013-05-22 08:27:46
Retired provincial civil servants are being encouraged to mount an intensive lobbying campaign to get the inflation indexing back on their pensions. Bernie LaRusic, local 8 president of the Nova Scotia Government Retirees Association, says his group wants retirees to send letters and to talk to politicians.
The Association's provincial president Bernie Conrad says the time has come for retired civil servants to rise up and demand the index be returned. It was removed in the 2010 budget. Conrad wants at least a provision to allow those who retired under the old rules, who were getting the COLAs prior to the change, to continue to receive cost of living increases.
Liberals claim Tories are hindering investigation into Duffy scandal
By MNN. Last updated: 2013-05-22 08:27:16
Conservative senators blocked a Liberal effort to send the Mike Duffy expense scandal to police for investigation.
Liberal Senate Leader James Cowan argued last night that the same committee which initially approved Duffy's expenses no longer has credibility with Canadians and should not reopening the investigation...that the police should take over. He said the first report about Duffy was whitewashed. Cowan questioned whether that committee can do its work without political interference from outside like the Prime Minister's Office.
Senate Speaker Noel Kinsella ruled Cowan's bid out of order and said the committee could always refer the matter to the police later.
SPORTS
By MNN. Last updated: 2013-05-22 08:24:09
The Mooseheads were hot at the Memorial Cup beating the London Knights 9-2. Martin Frk had a hat trick and an assist and Darcy Ashley also scored twice and had an assist for the Moose who are now 2+1. Today's game between Portland and Saskatoon decides who gets into the final. If the Winterhawks win, the Mooseheads go straight to Sunday's championship game. If the Blades win, they go to the final and the herd plays in a semi final.
NHL playoffs...The Bruins won their third straight against the Rangers 2-1 in their Eastern Conference semi-final. Out west, the Sharks beat the Kings 2-1 to tie their series at two game apiece.
Baseball action...the Blue Jays lost a 4-3 decision to the Rays in Toronto. The White Sox beat the Red Sox 3-1 in Chicago.
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