Listen to Tantramar Report for the following stories:
The story behind Sackville’s veterans memorial banners
For the past two months, 126 banners honouring Sackville’s veterans have been hanging from light poles throughout town. The commemorative banners are the work of a local volunteer, who for the past seven years has been collecting stories and images from veterans’ families to help them honour their loved ones. On Tantramar Report, we speak with that volunteer, Garth Zwicker, to hear the story behind the Remembrance project. For the web story, click here.
MacAskill honoured as Youth Citizen of the Year
Tantramar Regional High school student Quinn MacAskill has been named 2021 Youth Citizen of the Year by the Sackville town council. At their meeting Monday, Mayor Shawn Mesheau praised MacAskill’s passion for tackling the climate crisis by organizing youth climate strikes before the pandemic, and working with the Mayors Roundtable on Climate Change.
Council axes skateboard park study
Also at their meeting Monday, Sackville town council rejected a proposal for a feasibility study to look at options for a new concrete skatepark in Sackville. Councillors Matt Estabrooks, Michael Tower, Bruce Phinney and Mayor Shawn Mesheau axed the proposal, with councillors Andrew Black, Bill Evans, and Sabine Dietz voting in favour. More on this story here.
Rapid test kit pick up sites today in Port Elgin and Moncton
Rapid test kits available in Port Elgin today, from 10am to 2:30pm or until supplies run out. The Horizon van will be parked at Centennial Park on Shemogue Road. Kits are also available in Moncton each weekday from 1pm to 6pm at 380 MacNaughton Avenue.
Man charged with murder in Amherst
A 33-year-old Amherst man has been charged with murder in relation to a fatal shooting that occurred in Amherst on Monday. Joseph Thomas Hartson was charged with shooting and killing Jerry Jordan Morrissey of Amherst. Amherst Police Chief Dwayne Pike said the incident is “heart-breaking for all of those involved.” The Amherst major crime unit continues to actively investigate the incident, with assistance from Nova Scotia RCMP forensic identification services.
COVID-19 update: community spread in Amherst
The province announced 52 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, with 27 of them in Zone 1. Twenty-three of the Zone 1 cases are under investigation and four cases are contacts of previously confirmed cases.
For the first time this month, testing numbers were back up to over 1000 tests. 1304 tests were completed provincewide, with 433 completed in Zone 1. That number does not include rapid tests.
Nova Scotia officials say they have identified community spread in the Amherst area, and an outbreak at a Pugwash long term care home is growing, with 17 residents and 2 staff members now testing positive.
The outbreak is connected to a multi-day faith-based gathering in Cumberland County in late October which was attended by about 100 people.
The Gospel Light Baptist Church in Amherst hosted such an event, called Bordertown Campmeeting, but CHMA has yet to confirm if that is the event in question. We have also reached out to both New Brunswick and Nova Scotia public health officials to determine if some of the clusters originating from the October event are being found in this province.
Nova Scotia’s daily new cases have been on the rise recently, with the province reporting 56 new cases Tuesday, and 281 active cases in the province. In the Cumberland Health region, there are 49 active cases, with 6 new cases reported yesterday. Cumberland has seen 66 new cases reported since November 1.
Legion Remembrance Day plans
The Sackville Legion has announced it will not be having its usual Remembrance Day ceremony this year due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. Instead, the Legion will host a ceremony similar to last year, and is asking that anyone in the general public wishing to leave a wreath, cross, or poppy do so after that ceremony. Tomorrow, the Colour Party will march from the Legion to the Cenotaph at 10:50AM. All wreathes and crosses will be placed at the Cenotaph by Legion Executive members ahead of time.