Excitement mounted as Faye Hoare and Andrea Robertson pried open a box that had been buried long in the past. A room full of eager on-lookers waited as the contents of a time capsule from the old Aberdeen Hospital Nurses Residence’s, buried in 1958, were resurrected for all to see. “It is very emotional,” says Hoare, the president of the Aberdeen Hospital Alumni. “More so for me because I am [...]

NEW GLASGOW – Maritime Steel and Foundry owner Abbas Jafarnia says he welcomes support from the Pictou County Chamber of Commerce to help revitalize the venerable plant as a business entity in Pictou County. “We believe the foundry operations complement the other steel and metal fabrication businesses in the County and would create skilled job opportunities to retain employees and attract newcomers to our community,” chamber president Bruce Herron said [...]

More often than not, seeing a movie on a subject you are well informed of can often be disappointing when things are out of place, or details are overlooked leading to a terrible let down. Raymond Gregory was pleasantly surprised when he went to see The War Horse at the movie theatre in New Glasgow. A history buff for the past 40 years, Gregory has studied all things pertaining to [...]

Brittany Pye knows that inactivity in youth is increasing, and she’d like to do something to change that. That’s one of the reasons she chose to get involved with the Pictou County Wellness Centre Youth Committee. She believes that the Wellness Centre will be a factor in turning around that trend for young people in the area, and she wants to get as many young people using the facility as [...]

ALMA – Students at Northumberland Regional High School have been spending time recently creating artwork to mark African Heritage Month. Five students are part of a dance troupe that has recorded video numbers they have choreographed for the project. “It’s a group project called Out of Africa,” says Sarah Cooke. Other dancers include Hannah Harrison, Sean MacIsaac, Kati Marcott and Morgan Sangster. The dance takes the form of a dispersal, [...]

Alain Bosse is living the dream. Dubbed the Kilted Chef, Bosse travels the world promoting the very best in Atlantic Canadian seafood – in particular mussels and lobster – and has set sails once again on a mission to educate. Bosse departed for the Mid West – Michigan and Ohio – to share his knowledge and culinary expertise. This trip was funded through the Atlantic Canadian Opportunities Agency and was [...]

The Pictou County Wellness Centre Community Campaign team recently unveiled their ‘Seats for Schools’ program aimed at recognizing students and schools in Pictou County for participating in and promoting healthy initiatives. To qualify to have their name on a seat, schools must participate or organize an activity that educates and engages people or promotes health and wellness in their school or community or that supports a third-party healthy initiative, for [...]

North Nova Education Centre students are bringing the dark and troublesome streets of 19th century France to Pictou County. More than 55 players will be performing Les Miserables as the school’s annual drama presentation and students as young as Grade 3 are involved. Directed by teachers Joel Pratt and Janice Alcorn, Les Miserables details the struggles of lead character Jean Val Jean as he is portrayed in Victor Hugo’s novel [...]

The Town of New Glasgow can now be found on one of the world’s most popular social networking sites. New Glasgow officially joined Facebook on November 23, 2011. By “liking” the official page, residents and visitors can receive the latest updates in town events, performances at Glasgow Square Theatre, games at John Brother MacDonald Stadium, news releases, photos and more. The page is also visible to those without Facebook accounts [...]

NEW GLASGOW – The Chignecto-Central Regional School Board’s library services is initiating a teen reader’s choice award. The new award program invited students in Grades 7 to 12 to nominate their favourite book for the award, read the top 10 nominated books, and then vote for their favourite in the top 10 to be recognized as the 2011-12 CCRSB teen reader’s choice award. The 10 finalists were determined and announced [...]

STELLARTON – A new certificate adorns Stellarton Legion Branch 28 after presentations Feb. 16 at the branch to mark the 80th year of its charter. Zone Six Commander Bill White presented the certificate on behalf of the Nova Scotia-Nunavut Command to first vice-president Clarence Gerrior, congratulating the branch on its 80 years of service. A view was also shared of the branch’s original charter, which dates from when the branch [...]

The Northumberland Fisheries Museum hopes to begin building its main pavilion later this year, if funding can be lined up for the project. Museum board vice-president Gary Nowlan says federal money is in place, pending municipal funding. Nowlan says he has a verbal agreement from the Town of Pictou after having asked for a $15,000 share. He attended Pictou County Municipal Council’s committee-of-the-whole recently to request the same amount. But [...]

A seldom used venue could be a focal point in downtown Pictou, Camille Davidson says. Davidson, who operates the Stone Soup Café with her husband Barry Randle, says the Palace Theatre has vastly underutilized potential. “This needs to be used more,” she said after co-hosting Mardi Gras in the venerable venue. “Pictou has a jewel and they don’t realize it. The more we can bring people to Pictou, the better [...]

A New Glasgow man has been appointed as the new Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. The appointment Brig.-Gen. John James Grant was announced today, Feb. 16, by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. “General Grant is an accomplished businessman, community volunteer and a proud member of Canada’s military,” said Premier Darrell Dexter. “He has represented Nova Scotia proudly throughout his career and his life in Pictou County. His service to Canada will [...]

February 14 was not all sunshine and hearts for a Pictou County man. Chris Falconer, 29, had his parole revoked by the Parole Board of Canada after being arrested Nov. 9 for a parole violation. Falconer was serving a life sentence after being convicted in the murder of a cab driver in Heathbell in 1998. He was granted full parole in May 2011, but was picked up by New Glasgow [...]

Braeshore area residents have made their feelings known regarding the future installation of a wind turbine in their back yards. A drive through the area would tip anyone off with a number of ‘no wind turbine’ signs posted along the route. On Friday Susan Moland, along with residents of Braeshore, presented Charlie Parker, Pictou West MLA and Energy minister, with a petition comprised of more than 200 signatures against wind [...]

Trying to find nearly $3 million to cut from the Chignecto-Central Regional School Board’s next budget diverts the board from its mission to achieve successful outcomes from its students, Jamie Stevens says. The school board’s New Glasgow representative says he disputes Education Minister Ramona Jennex’s claims that the cuts put students and learning first while recognizing continued declining student enrolments. Jennex announced Friday that the province’s school boards will be [...]

“Lies, lies, lies,” was chanted by a group of individuals standing in the cold to protest what is going on in their back yards. The protesters are all residents of the Hillside area who say they are tired of living in fear of what the fly ash from the Nova Scotia Power Generating Plant in Trenton is doing not only to their belongings, but their health. Peter Boyles of the [...]

PICTOU – The deCoste Centre is encouraging talented local youth in the community to participate in the Sound of Youth music competition the centre is hosting this spring. Niki Veniot is among those who have been invited by her peers – Holly Mathias and Sara Watters – to take part. “I’ll probably do it,” Veniot said. “The program they’re putting on seems to be top-notch.” Local musician David Pos, who [...]

New Glasgow’s new branding ‘flourish’ seems to have inspired people to flock to the area. According to Census Canada, it is the only town in the county to see an increase in their population between the 2006 census and the 2011 census. Canada as a whole saw the largest population increase in all of the G8 nations with a 5.9 per cent increase, due mostly to increased fertility and non-permanent [...]

The Samson Trail is moving full speed ahead in the race for Greatest Places in Canada. The former train track turned fitness trail was sitting at 352 votes as of Friday and the Town of New Glasgow is asking for your help in pushing it to the number one spot in Canada. Voting takes place online at http://www.cip-icu.ca/greatplaces/en/place or via the Town of New Glasgow Facebook page and voting can [...]

The Westside Community Centre’s fate may be up in the air. A long-standing recreational and community gathering spot for years, the centre came under the ownership of the Town of New Glasgow in April 2011. It is run by a board of directors, however, the poor condition of the building has recently come to light making its future uncertain. The town sent a letter to residents of the west side [...]

The Pictou County arts community is moving to the forefront. Mary MacDonald, Pictou native and MFA candidate at OCAD University in Toronto, has been working over the past few months to make contact with local artists in the area to help them come together and work collaboratively. MacDonald initially held a ‘speed-dating’ event for local artists in November where they met and discussed needs and issues. She is returning February [...]

ALMA – Northumberland Regional High School’s drama club has decided to go back to the future. A cast of nearly 20 people, including director John Jennings, is rehearsing for a repeat performance of Alma Matters, a musical which was first performed to mark the school’s opening in 2003. It’s scheduled to run Feb. 23 to 25. It was written by students who attended NRHS during its first year under the [...]

LISMORE – The 15th annual Lismore Wintertime Revue Dinner Theatre has been scheduled for March 9 to 11 at the Lismore Community Centre. The revue has become noted as an achievement for a small rural community due to the enormous passion and talent displayed by its cast of local residents. More than surviving the test of time, the dinner theatre has thrived, while the cast continues to play to sold-out [...]