Shelley Walker is Queens County’s senior safety co-ordinator. (Rick Conrad)
Queens County could be getting a full-time seniors’ advocate by the end of the year.
At a recent regional council meeting, councillors voted to ask for a staff report on making the senior safety co-ordinator a full-time position with the Region of Queens.
Right now, that job is overseen by the non-profit Queens Care Society.
It is funded with a $25,000 grant from the Nova Scotia government, which is enough for three days a week. The society also receives $5,000 from the Region of Queens. The Queens District RCMP gives in-kind supports such as a cell phone and office space.
The society says it doesn’t have enough money to turn it into a full-time position. Shelley Walker is the current senior safety co-ordinator. There has been a part-time co-ordinator in the region since it was created more than 15 years ago.
The co-ordinator helps promote senior health, safety and independence, working with older residents to help them stay in their own homes. The co-ordinator helps with medical referrals, transportation, food insecurity and other concerns of seniors living on their own.
Representatives from the Queens Care Society appealed to councillors last week to make it a full-time position with the region.
Grant Webber, chairman of the society, told councillors that there’s great demand for the free service. But the current part-time position can help only about 7.5 per cent, or 250, of the 3,300 Queens County residents over 65.
He said other senior safety co-ordinators around the province are full time, supported by the province, municipalities or non-profit groups.
Webber asked that the region hire the co-ordinator on a full-time basis, covering benefits and expenses and providing office space.
“A part-time position is not enough to address the assistance and does not enable the co-ordinator to be proactive with education and check-in calls. All other co-ordinators in Nova Scotia are full time and either employed by the municipality or through foundations.
“We are hoping that the Region of Queens can also become the employer and provide the senior safety co-ordinator with the stability required to support seniors here in Queens County.”
Al Doucet, a member of the Queens Care Society, said Walker does a commendable job now for seniors in the region. He said she could do so much more as a full-time employee of the region.
“I’ve watched what Shelley does for this community,” he told councillors. “There’s all kinds of people that would do this, but I can tell you that Shelley does beyond what is needed.”
Councillors seemed receptive to the idea of bringing the position under the municipality’s umbrella.
Mayor Darlene Norman said the part-time position is funded until the end of the year, but that there is some uncertainty around whether it would continue after that.
Norman said the details would have to be worked out.
“I believe it is necessary that there be more investigation to determine who such a staffer would report to, is there a requirement to do a job posting, … salary range, things such as cars, all those things we would have to know to responsibly vote on those things.”
District 3 Coun. Maddie Charlton said she wanted to make sure that councillors got a staff report in time to make a decision about the position before the end of the year.
“I want to make sure that that position is protected and it’s not a bunch of frantic, going around trying to figure out last-minute, so I think we need some clear timing.”
Norman made a motion for staff to report by council’s first meeting in October on the municipality taking over responsibility for the senior safety program.
Queens District RCMP plan to step up patrols in North Queens after complaints of underage off-highway vehicle use. (RCMP NS Facebook page)
RCMP in Queens County are cracking down on underage ATV operators in North Queens.
Queens District RCMP officers will be stepping up patrols in the area after getting numerous reports from residents over the past several weeks of minors illegally operating off-highway vehicles at high speeds and often late at night.
RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Carlie McCann says it’s all about safety.
“Members are making sure that there are police officers who are out there in order to enforce these laws, but also to ensure that people are being safe,” McCann said in an interview Monday.
“The big reason that laws like this exist is to make sure that people are safe when they’re out operating their off-highway vehicles and using the trails in our communities. So the biggest reason is to make sure that we aren’t seeing peple doing things that are unsafe on their OHVs.”
McCann did not know how many calls the RCMP received or in which specific areas of North Queens this is happening.
“Any type of report like this is too many when it’s unsafe behaviour, like driving too fast and at night. The number of calls that have been received have been enough to promote some concern.”
RCMP say that Queens County has no designated roads or highways yet listed under the Nova Scotia Off-Highway Vehicles Act. And operators must have a valid driver’s licence and wear helmets. Children between the ages of 6 and 15 must be supervised by a parent or guardian.
“I think the biggest thing to remember is that you have to be thinking about safety all the time on things like this,” McCann said.
“It’s really important to use common sense, so making sure that all riders have helmets, making sure that people are using (the vehicles) safely and know how to use them properly, making sure that your vehicles are well maintained and making sure that you are having common sense when you’re picking areas you’re riding in and picking who’s going to be driving the vehicles.”
Under the Off-Highway Vehicles Act, offenders can be fined up to $2,000 and have their vehicle seized by RCMP.
More information about ultrasound reports is now available on the YourHealthNS app. (Communications Nova Scotia)
Nova Scotians can now see more information from their ultrasound reports on the YourHealthNS app.
Scans completed from Aug. 5 onward were available as of Monday. The report includes the body part examined, the reason for the scan, findings and a comparison with any previous ultrasounds.
Results will be available 14 days after the ultrasound.
The reports will add to the information like date, time and location of the scan currently available through the app. Images won’t be available, according to a news release from Nova Scotia Health.
In July, the province expanded access to the health records in the app to everybody across the province, who are 16 and older with a valid Nova Scotia health card.
More than 309,000 ultrasounds were performed in Nova Scotia in 2023.
The Region of Queens is holding an information session for prospective candidates in October’s municipal election. (Elections Nova Scotia Facebook)
The Region of Queens is planning an information session for anyone thinking of running for mayor or council in this fall’s municipal election.
The session is scheduled for Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Queens Place Emera Centre.
It will explain the process from now until after the election, including the nomination process, candidate requirements, electoral boundaries, position requirements (including time requirements and expectations for council members as well as compensation). Municipal officials will also answer questions.
To reserve a spot, call Angela Green, the region’s deputy returning officer, at 902-354-3453 or by email at agreen@regionofqueens.com .
Susan Letson is on the committee organizing the Medway Head Lighthouse Art and Craft Show and Sale, beginning Friday (Aug. 16) in Port Medway. (Rick Conrad)
Hundreds of Sarah Mitton fans cheered on the Olympian on Friday afternoon at the Astor Theatre in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)
It was a disappointing result for Brooklyn’s Sarah Mitton on Friday in the shot put at the Olympics in Paris, but for the hundreds gathered at the Astor Theatre in Liverpool, she’s still a hometown hero.
It was a boisterous crowd that cheered Mitton on at the live viewing party as she tried for Olympic gold in the shot put. People were decked out in red and white and waved Canadian flags. Every time Mitton showed up on the big screen, people erupted into cheers and applause.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t Mitton’s day.
After three throws, Mitton did not make the cut for the final eight competitors. Her best throw was 17.48 metres in rainy and wet conditions.
Her third throw appeared to be close to the 20-metre mark, but she fouled out after losing her balance and stepping out of the throwing circle.
Mitton was a favourite going into the Olympics, after dominating most events this year. She won the World Athletics Indoor Championship in March and broke her own Canadian record three times. She also qualified easily for the Olympic final, with her first throw of 19.77 m.
Before the event, anticipation was building for the 250 people gathered at the Astor to watch Mitton compete live.
People travelled from around the South Shore and beyond to cheer her on.
Karen Hofrichter of Hubbards was there with her granddaughter Lily Lantz of Chester. Hofrichter and Lantz arrived an hour before the viewing party and snagged seats front row centre.
Lantz is a 14-year-old shot put athlete herself at Chester Area Middle School. She said she was at the Astor to cheer on her idol.
Hofrichter said the result wasn’t what they expected, but she’s confident Mitton will be back.
“Unfortunate. It was a tough day, tough with the weather, I think. Not everyone was doing their best. But you know what? We still love her. She gave it her all. And she can regroup and come back. We know she’s got it in her.”
Lantz said that the conditions didn’t help. Early on in the final round, another athlete slipped on the rainy surface and fell after her throw.
“I personally feel like (Mitton) might have gotten in her head after that one girl had slipped,” Lantz said.
“She tried her best and unfortunately lost her balance on that one throw, her good one out in the 20s. Which is OK, she tried her best and she’s gonna come back and she’s gonna hit harder.”
Ruth Anne Zwicker of Liverpool said despite the result, she’s still proud of what Mitton has accomplished.
“I’m so proud of Sarah. She’s worked so hard. My heart’s sad for her today because I know this isn’t where she wanted to be. But I’m excited that her mom (Bonnie) is there with her today. And proud to be a Canadian.”
Dave McKiel of Alberta was visiting his parents and watched Mitton compete.
“I know that the community is very proud of her and her efforts up to this point. It’s kind of disappointing that she didn’t advance today but she’ll receive a hero’s welcome the next time she’s back because everybody is super proud of her efforts.”
“The turnout and the crowd, you can tell the community loves her and supports her.”
German athlete Yemisi Ogunleye won gold in the event, with New Zealand’s Maddison-Lee Wesche taking silver and China’s Jiayuan Song capturing bronze.
Liverpool artist Jane Stevenson created this tribute to Sarah Mitton on Wednesday in the sand at Summerville Beach. (Jane Stevenson photo)
For most people, a day at the beach might involve some swimming or lounging on the sand.
For Jane Stevenson, a day at the beach involves creating a 120-by-60-foot piece of sand art as a tribute to Olympic shot putter Sarah Mitton.
The Liverpool artist’s creation on Summerville Beach featured an 85-foot Eiffel Tower with a Canadian flag in the middle and the Olympic rings at the base, with Paris 2024 on one side and “Go Sarah!” on the other.
“She’s a friend and she’s a marvellous person,” Stevenson says of Mitton, who is from Brooklyn.
“I’m enjoying drawing in the sand and I thought what a great thing to be able to do. So I started with the rings one day and I thought that’s not enough. So I stuck a little Eiffel Tower on it and looked at it at home and said that’s not good enough. So, four more tries and not succeeding. Finally, new strategies and a little more homework on the design, on the fifth try, it all came together.”
Stevenson created it in about two and a half hours late Wednesday afternoon.
“It’s gone far and wide, so that’s kind of cool. And lovely comments about it. So that’s really nice too. People really enjoyed the picture and the sentiment behind it. It was fun.
“That’s the most far-reaching anything I ever do will get. So that’s quite a compliment to have them want to do that with it. So I’m pleased with that, it’s more than I thought would happen with it.”
It was Stevenson’s fifth time trying to get her design down in the sand, after plotting it out precisely on paper.
“The first one went down on the sand on the 27th of July, so between then and yesterday I finally got it right.”
She and her husband Garth used a very long tape measure and a homemade compass to plot out the basic lines of the piece. And then she used a rake to fill in the detail of the Eiffel Tower and the Olympic rings.
Stevenson says that she used the drone only once as she was putting it together.
“Just eyed it. Did it by eye. My lines and my paper that I was going off of were really precise and then we really measured precisely this last time. I had my homework really well done on the fifth try. And then you can just can tell visually that it looks alright. It was math, and drawn lines.”
Stevenson has created eye-popping pieces of public art before, most recently for a Privateer Days parade float for the Mersey Rose Theatre Company. That featured a huge tea party set for the company’s upcoming production of Alice in Wonderland Jr. She’s also created displays for the Astor Theatre, including a life-sized Barbie doll package.
She’s done six or seven other beach art pieces this summer, but this one was the biggest and most complicated. She started at 4 in the afternoon near low tide and finished it around 6:30, racking up about 50,000 steps along the way.
“I thought I’d won the gold medal, the gold medal in the Olympic sand drawing. It was a very good feeling to get the result I wanted.
“This was fun to do. I really wanted it to work for Sarah. … Not bad for a day at the beach.”
She’s not sure if Mitton has seen it yet, but she knows her mother Bonnie has. Stevenson says she’ll be at home on Friday afternoon cheering on Mitton as she goes for gold.
Mitton qualified for the final on Thursday with her first throw, which was also the farthest in the field.
“On the edge of our seats. She’s looking pretty good. This morning it looked effortless for her. She qualified so easily. I have good feelings for her tomorrow. I think she’ll do well. She’s worked hard, she’s ready.”
Stevenson says she appreciates all the positive feedback she’s received on her beach sand tribute.
“Thank you to everybody who has commented on it. That means a lot as well that they have enjoyed it so. That’s made it even more worthwhile. And, go Sarah!”
Sarah Mitton of Brooklyn, Queens County, has qualified for the shot put final at the Paris 2024 Olympics. This is a photo from the World Athletics Indoor Championship in March where she won gold. (Sarah Mitton photo)
Brooklyn’s Sarah Mitton qualified for the shot put final at the 2024 Olympics in Paris this morning on her first throw.
The 28-year-old world indoor champion made it through to Friday’s final with a throw of 19.77 metres, which was the best of the qualifying round. The qualification standard is 19.15 m.
“That’s the way I like it,” Mitton told CBC Sports. “It’s a lot less stressful when you’re one and done.”
Mitton’s mother, Bonnie, was in the Stade de France to see her daughter go through to the final.
The top-rated American and two-time world champion Chase Jackson did not make it to the final. She missed her first two attempts and threw 17.6 m on her third.
New Zealand’s Maddison-Lee Wesche was the second-best qualifier at 19.25 m and Germany’s Yemisi Ogunleye was third with a throw of 19.24 m.
The final is scheduled for Friday at 2:37 p.m.
The Astor Theatre in Liverpool is holding a watch party so that Mitton’s Queens County fans can watch the event live. That goes from 2 to 4 p.m. on Friday.
Region of Queens Mayor Darlene Norman will not be seeking another term in the October municipal election. (Rick Conrad)
Darlene Norman has made it official, announcing she won’t seek re-election as mayor of the Region of Queens.
“I have decided not to reoffer simply because these last four years have made me realize that it was one thing to be a councillor, it’s another thing to be the mayor,” she said in an interview Wednesday.
“When you are a councillor and you vote in a certain way at a meeting and the vote didn’t go your way, then it’s over and done. When you are the mayor and you vote at a council meeting for something that you feel is very important and you lose the vote, … as the mayor you still have to speak on behalf of council for the vote. And I am the type of personality that finds it very difficult to speak favorably about an issue that I think is so wrong.”
Norman’s decision to serve one term as mayor caps a 20-year career in municipal politics, which began in 2000 when she was elected councillor in District 1, which covers the area of Hunts Point, White Point, Port Mouton and Port Joli.
She served as councillor for the area until 2016 when she was defeated by current councillor Kevin Muise.
In 2020, she decided to run for mayor, beating incumbent David Dagley and two other challengers – Susan MacLeod and Brian Fralic.
Norman said she enjoyed her time as mayor.
“I really liked being the mayor, I liked helping people, I liked meeting people. But I just have a very difficult time when I have to as mayor speak on behalf of council and it’s a decision of which I disagreed. Other than that, being the mayor was wonderful.”
In a Facebook post on Tuesday announcing her decision, she said council has achieved many good things over the past four years. But she said there were other things she regrets.
One of those was not building a new library. The Thomas H. Raddall Library has to leave its leased premises in downtown Liverpool by the end of December. After many stops and starts, council couldn’t agree on a new permanent location, so they decided to put it, at least temporarily, in the Liverpool Business Development Centre on White Point Road.
“We could have built a lovely library, it would have been open by now. For one reason or another, things went sideways. Council couldn’t agree on a location.”
Another frustration for Norman over the past four years is the concentration of municipal resources in the Liverpool, Brooklyn and Milton areas. She says council needs to find a way to improve services in other areas of Queens County, such as north Queens and areas outside the so-called urban core of Liverpool.
“Our biggest assessment areas are in rural Queens. … I look around at north Queens, east and west, people are paying incredible tax dollars in those parts of the county, despite people in the town of Liverpool who think they’re paying the biggest tax dollars. I’m just finding it really difficult with the Region of Queens and trying to find a balance with specnding in rural as well as central.”
She said building new accessible washroom and change room facilities at Beach Meadows Beach was council’s way to try to spread some municipal dollars outside the Liverpool-Brooklyn-Milton core.
“Those are good things, those are really positive things for Queens. … There have been so many more benefits than disappointments.”
And even though the region still struggles with staffing shortages, she said she’s very proud of what municipal employees have been able to accomplish. She said the region has only two building inspectors and one planner, at a time when development is on the rise. And she said their bylaw enforcement division is also understaffed, while complaints increase.
“People are so quick to criticize the staff of the Region of Queens and I really wish that perhaps people like that could be the mayor for a week or a month and actually sit in my chair and get a good understanding of how much work they do, because our staff work hard.”
Norman said another reason she won’t be reoffering in October’s municipal election is the abuse she said she’s received on social media.
“The cruel, the unkind, the unjust things that are said. And all people have to do is pick up a phone and they’ll know that all those rumours aren’t true. I tend to bite my tongue and … almost cut off my fingers not to write back some things on some posts that I’ve read. But it’s just not what I was prepared for.
“And I just don’t want it anymore. I’m a really good sleeper and when I don’t sleep at night because of stuff at council or things going on, I have too many people my age dropping dead and I want to do positive things that have positive results and are not attached with any negativism.”
She says she’s not sure what she’ll do after October. But it will include spending more time with her young grandson in Shelburne. And she plans to volunteer in her community of Port Medway and work on some of her art projects.
“I’ll find something to do. … I’m interested in helping my community of Port Medway. … I’m artistic, I might just discover who I am again. But I want to get out and do something that I want to do that doesn’t have the stressors that being the mayor does.”
Regardless of some of that stress, she says she’s grateful for the opportunity to be mayor of the Region of Queens for the past four years.
“I’d just like to thank the people of Queens for poviding me this wonderful privilege to represent Queens County,” she says. “And it is a privilege. We are a wonderful county, we have some of the best people in the world. And we are very attractive to people around the world who want to live here. So let’s welcome newcomers, regardless of what country or what culture they are. Diversity is wonderful for us. It makes us stronger. Thanks to the people of Queens.
“And I’m here for a couple of more months if there’s anything anybody needs any help with.”
The municipal election is set for Oct. 19. Former teacher Terry Doucette and business consultant Scott Christian have already announced their campaigns for mayor. People have until Sept. 10 to file their nomination papers.
For the first time, voters in Queens will be able to make their choices by traditional ballot or by phone or online.
The Astor Theatre is holding a watch party next Friday, Aug. 9 for the shot put final of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Brooklyn’s Sarah Mitton is seen during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. (Photo by Mark Blinch/COC)
Sarah Mitton’s hometown fans are getting ready to cheer on the Brooklyn native as she goes for shot put gold in Paris.
The Region of Queens compiled a “Cheers from Home” video featuring community members rooting for her. And, the Astor Theatre has organized a watch party for the shot put final on Fri., Aug. 9 from 2 to 4 p.m. so that people can get together and root for the pride of Queens County.
The watch party is free for everyone.
Jerri Southcott, the Astor’s executive director, said the theatre held a similar viewing party for the Euro Cup.
“And we had a lot of people reach out to us in the commnity about ‘Could we all get together and cheer on our hometown hero?’ So we thought this would be a great opportunity to cheer on Sarah Mitton, really proud as a community to get behind her.”
Mitton will be competing in the qualification round the day before. The shot put final is set to begin on Friday at 2:37 p.m.
Mitton is the reigning world indoor champion and Canadian record holder. She also holds the title as throwing the best distance so far this year at 20.68 metres.
She captured the gold at the World Athletics Indoor Championship in March, where she beat her own Canadian record, twice. She beat it again two months later at a meet in Pennsylvania.
Southcott says she’s excited to have the community cheer on Mitton at the Astor.
“We’ll have concessions open and we’ll get the community together. I think everybody is going to be on the edge of their seats. Some of us, me included, will be the first time watching shot put, so that’s interesting. Really, really proud of her.”
And to help get ready for the watch party at the Astor, you can pick up a signed copy of a Sarah Mitton print from Queens Place Emera Centre.
Queens Place is selling a limited number of the autographed prints for $10 each. Proceeds will go to the Region of Queens Recreation for All program, which helps those in lower incomes participate in the municipality’s fitness facilities and programs.
Southcott is expecting a good turnout next Friday.
“We had a number of people reach out and say, ‘Wow, what a great idea.’ And really hoping to see a good strong support in the community to come out and cheer her on. It’s nice to be together.”
Nova Scotia Public Works Minister and Queens MLA Kim Masland announces cell service upgrades on Wednesday in Greenfield with Service Nova Scotia Minister Colton LeBlanc. (Rick Conrad)
It’s going to take a couple of years, but residents of Greenfield are finally getting cell service.
The Nova Scotia government is building 27 new telecommunication towers in unserved areas around the province at a cost of $18.6 million.
Public Works Minister and Queens MLA Kim Masland made the announcement on Wednesday at the Greenfield Fire Hall in north Queens.
She was joined by Colton LeBlanc, minister of Service Nova Scotia, municipal politicians and representatives from Build Nova Scotia and Rogers.
Masland said reliable cell service is a necessity and a matter of safety.
“We are adding to what is already the largest investment ever in cellular infrastructure by a provincial government. We are investing an additional $18.6 million to build 27 new provincially owned telecommunication towers.”
Last October, the province launched the $47.3-million Cellular for Nova Scotia Program. The province also announced $3.3 million last year to build four trunked mobile radio towers, which first responders use for emergency communication. The new funding brings the total investment to $69.2 million.
The province is also partnering with Rogers to upgrade infrastructure at 27 existing sites and connect them to the Rogers network.
“This will significantly improve connectivity for Nova Scotians over the next two years,” Masland said. “It’s what our province needs to keep pace with technology and population growth while improving safety in rural communities.”
The overall program is expected to connect more than 12,000 unserved civic addresses, which represents about 62 per cent of the more than 20,000 identified in a 2022 Cell Gap Study. It will also connect 562 kilometres of unserved primary roadways, or 56 per cent of the 1,010 kilometres of the unserved roadways.
The first four towers will be up by spring 2025, with the remaining new and upgraded sites ready between summer 2025 and spring 2027.
Some areas of the province, like Greenfield, are cellular dead zones. Residents and businesses have to rely on landlines or Wi-Fi calling.
The Greenfield work is expected to be completed by fall of 2026.
Fire Chief Moyal Conrad called it a “game changer” for rural fire departments.
“The public is going to be so much more protected with cell service in rural areas and with us being able to do our job easier and better,” he told reporters after the announcement.
Conrad said improvements to the mobile trunked radio network will also help departments like his serve their communities better.
“That trunk radio that’s what we do all our communications on. … All vital information goes across that. The Nova Scotia government is giving us (volunteer fire departments) all new radios this year, that’s another $100 million they’re sticking out there for us.
“This is very, very, very good news.”
Conrad said the lack of reliable cell service also affects recruitment efforts, at a time when it’s tough enough for rural departments to find volunteers.
“If you signed up today to be a fireman and you never got to a call, you’re not going to be very interested in coming. So the cell service, we’ll be able to put out more information. People will be able to know when there’s a call and they’re going to be able to respond.”
Region of Queens Mayor Darlene Norman said the municipality had been putting money aside in a special reserve fund to build their own tower for Greenfield, or to try to partner with the neighbouring Municipality of the District of Lunenburg.
“This is absolutely amazing, not only for Queens but for all rural counties, all rural places that do not have cell coverage which is so very, very vital.”
Masland told reporters that it’s taken a while to address lack of cell service in some areas because of the difficulty in doing the work in many rural areas of the province. She likened it to climbing Mount Everest.
“This is just the beginning. We’re working concurrently, not waiting to make sure that we can keep climbing. This is going to take time. We are finally a government that has put its teeth into this problem and we’re going to solve it.
“We’ll get these 27 up and like I said, we’re not stopping, we’re going to continue to climb to the top and we’re going to make sure that Nova Scotians have the cellular service they deserve.”
The 27 new towers will be added to the more than 60 the province already owns. Under its agreement with Rogers, the government is pitching in 80 per cent of the cost, while Rogers will pick up the remaining 20 per cent or about $3.7 million.
The ultimate goal is to have 99 per cent coverage for basic voice call service and up to 85 per cent coverage for high-definition service for things like high-quality audio or video, internet browsing, email and streaming.
Masland said the province will also be applying to the federal government for help with some of the cost.
In a letter to members of the Astor Theatre Society, the board said Southcott is resigning for personal reasons.
In an interview on Tuesday, Southcott told QCCR she didn’t want to go into details. But she said she decided to return to her career with the federal government.
“At this point, it’s a personal decision and it’s the right one for my family and me right now.”
Before she took the Astor job, Southcott worked in communications for Health Canada and with other federal departments. And before that, she worked as a journalist with CBC and Advocate Media.
Southcott said that did not play a part in her decision to leave.
“I have a real passion for the organization, for the Astor Theatre. I see a lot of potential and hope there is somebody who will take over and realize its potential.”
John Simmonds, chairman of the Astor Theatre Society, said Southcott did a lot of great things in her short time as executive director.
“She’s been a stalwart and accomplished some significant things with grants and operations and community outreach and contact. So we’re very sad to see her go.
“Jerri was very much happy in her job. She loved what she was doing and she saw the contributions and she had the support, for the most part, of the board. But I think she decided maybe this is a better route for (her) to go.”
Simmonds said the board hasn’t decided yet when or if it will search for a new executive director. It’s been difficult for the theatre to find and hang on to one.
When Southcott was hired, it had been four years since the Astor had had a full-time executive director. Jean Robinson-Dexter filled in on an interim basis at various times since September 2020.
In May 2023, the theatre thought it had found a new manager, but that person decided not to take the job after all. Another search resulted in the hiring of Lesli Chandler, who began the job in July 2023 but resigned that September.
“We’re going to regroup,” Simmonds said. “We’re going to do some fundamental thinking, both staff and board, to determine what our best next approach should be.
“Our staff is very loyal and committed to doing what they need to do to get us through this. … We can take the time with a clear head and sort out what the best future for the Astor might be and how to prepare for that future, whether it be staffing or organizational change.”
Simmonds said that Southcott has committed to do what she can before she leaves to ensure the transition is smooth. And he said regardless of what happens, the board wants to make sure the Astor continues to serve the community.
A 24-year-old Sable River man is in hospital with life-threatening injuries after fleeing an RCMP checkpoint early Saturday morning. (File photo from RCMP NS Facebook page)
An early-morning checkpoint and a flight from police have left a 24-year-old Sable River man in hospital with life-threatening injuries.
About 1 a.m on Saturday morning, Queens District RCMP officers had a checkpoint set up on Milton Road near Liverpool. A Volkswagen Golf approached and then made an abrupt U-turn to head north on Highway 8.
According to a news release, an RCMP officer immediately left the scene to try to stop the Golf.
RCMP spokesman Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay told QCCR on Monday that the cruiser was not involved in the crash. The officer found the car off the road and on its roof.
Along with the driver who was sent to hospital with life-threatening injuries, the car’s passenger was also injured. She is a 25-year-old woman from East Green Harbour. Her injuries were not life-threatening.
Cpl. Tremblay did not have an update Monday on their conditions.
“Our officers will do checkpoints at random times throughout the day. From my experience, 1 a.m. is not abnormal. We often do checkponts through the night to conduct traffic enforcement such as impaired drivers that might be out there,” he said in an intervew.
“Oftentimes, there could be many reasons why someone may conduct a U-turn before a checkpoint. It could be a legitimate reason, but it could also be a reason because the person could be impaired, it could be because they don’t have a drivers licence, it could be because they’re wanted. And oftentimes our officers will then get in their vehicle and try to pull over the vehicle that proceeds with the U-turn.”
Cpl. Tremblay did not know exactly where on the Milton Road the checkpoint was set up.
Highway 8 was closed for several hours, while a collision reconstructionist visited the scene.
Cpl. Tremblay says officers continue to investigate.
“The investigation remains ongoing. That could involve criminal charges such as flight from police. The same goes for any impairment level. Our officers would be looking to obtain search warrants or warrants to seize any blood … just to determine if the person was impaired at the time of the crash or not.”
The ER at South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater will be open.
Patients of Queens Family Health can access the same-day clinic, depending on provider availability, by calling 902-354-3322.
A mobile primary care clinic is scheduled to be at Queens General on Tuesday (July 30) from 1 to 4 p.m., Wednesday (July 31) from 1 to 4 p.m. and on Thursday (Aug. 1) from 9 a.m. to noon.
Nova Scotia Health staff are calling people on the need-a-family-practice registry to make sure they still need a primary care provider. (Pixabay)
A group of 40 student recruits has started calling Nova Scotians to see if they still need a family doctor.
And with more than 160,000 people across Nova Scotia on the need-a-family-practice registry, it’s going to be a busy summer.
Noella Whelan, the senior director of the primary care and chronic disease management network for Nova Scotia Health, is heading up the project.
She said the department did a similar telephone campaign last summer, when more than 152,000 were on the list. That resulted in more than 21,000 people identified who could be struck from the waitlist. It also resulted in 6,000 people being assigned a primary care provider.
“Our systems are not automated so it relies on the individuals that put their name on the list to take their names off the list,” she told QCCR.
“This is a more proactive mechanism for us to reach out to individuals and determine if they have already been connected to a primary care practice in Nova Scotia. And so often we do find that there are individuals that have been connected to a primary care provider who are still on the list.”
Whelan said they doubled the number of temporary staff making calls this summer, from 20 last year. She said there are about 10 other permanent Nova Scotia Health employees on the project in supervisory and co-ordinator roles. Hiring the student recruits will cost about $532,000, according to a Nova Scotia Health spokeswoman.
“We have heard from patients and families the concern about where to go for care,” Whelan said. “So we want to make sure we’re connecting with folks to understand, do they need a primary care provider? Do we have their contact information so that when we reach out to them do we have accurate information? … Out of the campaign last summer there were a number of tools developed to help individuals understand where to go for care. We just want to make sure that those that are waiting know where to access care.”
Operators will also be confirming with people whether their doctor has retired. Whelan says the department doesn’t always know if a general practitioner has retired.
“We want to make sure we’ve confirmed that and are able to then connect them to a primary care provider when one becomes available.”
Whelan says the project will also give Nova Scotia Health a chance to tell people where else they can access care while they wait for a doctor or nurse practitioner. Staff will also remind people to fill out the health questionnaire on the need-a-family-practice registration site. People can also use that form to remove themselves from the registry.
“I think it is money well spent. Certainly we’ve heard from the public, from patients’ families that they want a more direct contact with the system to understand how to navigate services.”
Calls will show up as either unknown name and number or from a blocked caller.
Staff won’t ask for any personal information besides the last four digits of your Nova Scotia health card and your birth date.
They will also ask for confirmation of your phone number and physical and email addresses.
“If they do receive a call and they are not able to respond, if we have their email on file, we’ll send them an email, and say, ‘We’ve attempted to call you, please call us back. Or we’ll make a call at this time during the next day or so.’ That way, Nova Scotians will know this is a legitimate initiative.”
Whelan said in the first week of calls, they haven’t had many people refuse to answer to give information.
“The students are just in a week or so of calls, so most folks are engaging in conversation and able to verify it is Nova Scotia Health calling. We certainly do have a few (refusals), but we expect that anyway.”
Nova Scotia Health will be calling people over the next several weeks to verify that they’re still looking for a primary care provider. (Pixabay)
If you’re one of the 1,100 people in Queens County still looking for a primary care provider, you may be getting a call from Nova Scotia Health.
Officials will be phoning people on the need-a-family-practice registry over the next several weeks to confirm whether they’re still looking for a doctor or nurse practitioner.
According to a release from Nova Scotia Health, people will be called from either a blocked number, one they don’t recognize or an unknown name and number.
Staff won’t ask you to provide any personal information besides the last four digits of your Nova Scotia health card and your birth date.
They will also ask for confirmation of your phone number and physical and email addresses.
According to the news release, this is so that the department can contact people when a doctor or nurse practitioner is available to take new patients.
Health staff will also be calling people who added their name to the list because their provider told them they’d be retiring. This is to confirm whether their doctor retired.
The registry hasn’t been updated since June 1. According to CBC News, opposition politicians this week accused the government of withholding up-to-date numbers on how many people still need a doctor or nurse practitioner.
As of June 1, 160,234 Nova Scotians were still on the registry. About 10 per cent of Queens County residents are still looking for a primary care provider. That compares to about 23 per cent of the population in the Bridgewater area.
QCCR will have an interview on Friday with Noella Whalen, the senior director of the primary care and chronic disease management network with Nova Scotia Health. Whalen is leading the project.
Candidate information packages for the Oct. 19 municipal election are now available at Region of Queens offices. (Elections Nova Scotia Facebook)
If you want to run for Region of Queens mayor or council in October, information packages for candidates are now available at the region’s administration building on White Point Road.
The offices are open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
To run for council or mayor, you must be a resident of Queens County as of March 9.
The deadline to file your nomination papers is Sept. 10, though you can file the paperwork seven business days before the deadline, beginning Aug. 29.
There are two advance polls: Oct. 12 and 15, with Election Day on Oct. 19.
This year, for the first time, voters will have three ways to cast their ballots – in person, by phone or online.
For more information, contact returning officer Ian Kent at ikent@regionofqueens.com or 902-646-1033.
Region of Queens Coun. David Brown says he’s not seeking re-election in October partly because he’s frustrated by some of the abusive comments he’s received in the past four years. This photo was taken when he launched his first election campaign in 2020. (David Brown councillor Facebook page)
When David Brown ran for Region of Queens council for the first time in 2020, he wanted to try to make things better for the people in his district.
Brown represents District 6, the areas around Port Medway, Mill Village, Greenfield and Labelle.
He was ready to work hard and bring his constituents’ issues to the council table. What he wasn’t prepared for, though, were some of the abusive comments he would receive after he was elected.
“It’s online, it’s in person, it’s all the way across the spectrum in dealings with people,” Brown told QCCR.
“It just seems like after Covid, everybody was angry and they found people that thought the same way as them online and it became an echo chamber, that they feel they can say whatever they want because you’re a public figure. And really, that’s not the way to treat your friends, your family, your neighbours, people in your community that have just put their name out and step up and try to do the best for people.”
Brown has had enough and has decided not to reoffer in October’s municipal election. Some other council members have said privately that they’re also frustrated by some of the online abuse.
“I think people have legitimate concerns and they should absolutely voice those concerns. But when people start voicing those concerns is that politicans are corrupt because they didn’t decide the way they wanted to or they’re lining their pockets or we’re criminals and we should be thrown in jail. That’s not voicing your opinion, that’s anger and those are attacks. If somebody disagrees, I’m wholeheartedly in favour of people voicing their disagreements. It’s the tone of the disagreements and the way they voice them now, I’m just not interested in putting up with for another four years.”
It’s a familiar story for politicians around the province and at all levels of government. Amanda McDougall-Merrill, the mayor of Cape Breton Regional Municipality, has said that she won’t seek re-election partly because of threats she received as mayor.
And RCMP announced this week charges against two Alberta men for posting threats on YouTube and X or Twitter about Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.
Brown says he hasn’t been threatened. But he’s still frustrated by the tone of some of the disparaging feedback he’s received.
“Maybe others don’t find the same thing but I found that it seems the harder you try to work, it seems like you’re upsetting people. As councillors we have to try to do the most good for the most people. But that means that some people are going to be unhappy but those people are very vocal and will attack now just because they didn’t get their way. And that’s really just not the way it should be.”
Robert Huish, an associate professor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, has studied civic and political engagement.
He says abusive and threatening comments rose exponentially after Donald Trump was elected U.S. president in 2016. And because the U.S. has such an influence on political and popular culture, Huish says that flavour of political vitriol has bled to other countries.
But he says toxicity has been a fixture in political discourse dating back to the 19th century.
“It’s something that is like a crescendo that we’re seeing right now,” Huish says.
“It’s coming to this big climax of political culture that seems to be producing and reproducing hatred through discourse and engagement rather than try to find something about a rules-based order and listening and those compromises that are so important in governance.
“The more that we’ve normalized the ability to describe and caricature people through derogatory or offensive names and stereotypes and the more that becomes common, the more it’s ultimately reproduced.”
He said social media is a great tool for politicians to engage with voters. But it’s also made it easier for people to attack politicians personally.
“Any sort of politics, especially municipal, it’s about engagement. And engagement is fostered on the ability to listen, respond, debate, discuss. And if we’re seeing the only feedback that’s getting the attention of politicians at the municipal level is this really heated vitriol then it really puts any politician in a position to not respond effectively to the issue at hand but try to deflect from whatever character attack is coming in.
“And now it begins to unfold into what can be called a democracy deficit, because it’s as if those who are holding the seeds o governance are just going to be attacked for being there, rather being pressured for change or to hear community concerns.”
Huish said putting pressure on politicians is a good thing. But personal attacks actually work against making our politics better. And he says they may be losing their effectiveness as people get tired of the lashing out.
“You can’t make people do something, but you can certainly put certain behaviour out of fashion quickly. And this might be getting to be too tired because it’s ineffective to try to have political engagement along these terms.”
For now, though, it’s pushing people like David Brown out of politics.
Region of Queens councillors Jack Fancy, David Brown and Vicki Amirault have declared their intentions for October’s municipal election. (Rick Conrad)
With less than three months to go before October’s municipal election, incumbents and former councillors in Queens County are declaring their intentions.
So far, three of the seven sitting councillors have said they won’t run again. Three others have declared they will run again.
District 1 Coun. Kevin Muise could not be reached. And Mayor Darlene Norman hasn’t yet announced her plans.
District 6 Coun. David Brown is one of the councillors who won’t be reoffering. District 2 Coun. Ralph Gidney and District 7 Coun. Carl Hawkes are the others. Gidney’s area will be changed to District 3. Former councillor Susan MacLeod, who placed second in the 2020 mayor’s race, will be running to replace Gidney.
Brown told QCCR that he feels he’s done what he can for his constituents. He represents the areas around Port Medway, Mill Village, Greenfield and Labelle. A newcomer to municipal politics in the 2020 election, he beat Jason Croft by about 130 votes.
“I feel like I’ve accomplished as much as I can accomplish in council and I’m not really happy with the process, so I’m looking at different avenues for moving on,” he said. “I just feel like we’re a municipal council, but we don’t govern like a municipal council. We still govern like a town council.
“It seems like everything we do is centred around Brooklyn, Liverpool and Milton and any time we try to get anything done outside of that core, it’s a struggle.”
He said he wasn’t criticizing his fellow councillors or municipal staff. And he didn’t want to provide examples of some of the struggles he’s had.
But he said he feels the Liverpool area is over-represented on council, with five councillors who have some part of their district in Liverpool, Milton or Brooklyn. With the redrawn boundaries, that’s down to four.
“Whoever goes into council from rural areas is just going to have to fight harder to try to get their areas recognized. Maybe if councilors coming in from Liverpool, Brooklyn, Milton, realize that they’re not funding 100 per cent of the cost of what happens in Queens County, but they’re expecting 100 per cent of the expenditures that are happening in Queens County, it’s not a fair and equitable solution for anybody.”
Brown said he was also frustrated with some of the criticism he’s received online and in person since he became councillor. He said he welcomes feedback from constituents, but he said sometimes it goes too far.
“There’s a lot of anger with people, in the public. They seem to think that because you’re a public figure they can say whatever they want to you. And council is not a high-paid position to put up with the amount of hours and the abuse that we’ve been taking from some people. So I’m just not interested in doing another four years of that.”
“I’m happy with what I did. I think council has done the best job that they could for the most people. It’s just most of the work is done in the centre of town and that frustrates me.”
District 3 Coun. Maddie Charlton will be trying for a second term. She joins District 4 Coun. Vicki Amirault and District 5 Coun. Jack Fancy, who have announced they will seek re-election.
Because of the boundary changes, Charlton will be running in District 2 this time. But it’s essentially the same area as she represents now in District 3, with the addition of part of White Point Road.
Amirault will still run in District 4, but her area now includes Danesville and East Port Medway. It also has less of Brooklyn.
And Fancy, who represents the Milton area, has said he plans to run in District 7, which is where he grew up. That area includes much of north Queens, including Caledonia and Kejimkujik National Park.
In 2020, Charlton made history at age 29 as the youngest person elected to Region of Queens council.
She told QCCR that she’s enjoyed her past four years in municipal politics.
“Although it has certainly come with challenges,” she said.
“I have certainly learned a lot over these last four years and I really think that younger representation at the council table is important.”
Along with bringing a more youthful perspective, she says she’s proud she’s been able to advocate for better access to council meetings for the public. She pushed for a regular evening meeting to make it easier for people to attend, as well as the upgrades necessary to livestream meetings.
Charlton says she believes that council’s communication with the public has improved.
“That was one of things that as a resident before I ran was something that was really obvious there was a bit of a disconnect there. There certainly have been improvements. And those are some that I’m really proud of as well. Besides the standing evening council meetings, I championed audio and video upgrades because people couldn’t hear when they tuned into the meetings. And I think it’s really important that residents can do that and access those meetings and listen to those meetings if they can’t be in the room. So I would say that’s still not perfect. But I think it has gotten better.”
Charlton said that communication breakdowns were partially responsible for the controversies over a new library.
“I would say that we need to slow down before we speed up. … We hit the gas too fast and different information was evolving over cost and I think if we would have just slowed down, we could have pieced things together in a more sensible way to then confidently make a plan that we could endorse going forward.”
David Brown says he regrets that council didn’t commit to a new library. They decided instead to move the library, at least temporarily, to the business development centre on White Point Road.
“I would have liked to have seen a library built. Having an actual brick and mortar standalone library built and not having that happen and the way the process worked out was one of my biggest frustrations in the last term.”
Charlton says that if she’s re-elected, she’d like to advocate for more youth programming and recreational opportunities. And she says she hopes other young women take a crack at council this time around.
Brown says he’s not sure what he’ll do next, but he’s going to enjoy his free time. His advice for people who want to run for council? Do your homework and be prepared to stick up for your district.
“Just to be prepared it’s not going to be the happy smiley place that you think it’s going to be,” he says.
“You’re in for a fight every day. If you want to get your area recognized and you want an equitable amount of expenditures for all areas of the county, it’s not going to go smoothly. There’s a fight involved with it. There’s a lot of argument. You have to do your research, know the policies, know what you want going in and know what your consittunts want going in because you’re representing those constituents, you’re not representing your own personal interests. … You have to know what all those constituents want so you can make the best decision for the most people.”
The municipal election is Oct. 19. This year, for the first time, Queens County voters will be able to vote in person or online.
The emergency department at Queens General Hospital in Liverpool will be closed at various times this weekend. (Communications Nova Scotia)
The emergency department at Queens General Hospital in Liverpool will be on limited hours for the weekend and early next week.
It will be closed on Friday, Saturday (July 20), Sunday (July 21), Monday (July 22) and Tuesday (July 23) at 1:30 p.m. each day and reopen at 8 a.m. the next day.
For example, it will reopen on Saturday at 8 a.m., but close again at 1:30 a.m. and reopen Sunday at 8 a.m.
The ER at South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater will be open.
Nova Scotia Health says that anybody experiencing a medical emergency should call 911.
Patients of the Queens Family Health same-day clinic can call 902-354-3322 to book an appointment through the week for new and emerging health problems, depending on provider availability.
You can also talk to a nurse for general health advice by calling 811, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Region of Queens councillors have approved an extra $33,272 in work at Hillsview Acres to prepare for elevator upgrades at the facility. (Facebook)
UPDATED 3:55 p.m. Friday
It’s going to cost a little more to upgrade the elevator at a nursing home in north Queens.
Region of Queens councillors held a special meeting on Wednesday to approve an extra $33,272 for electrical and alarm panel work at Hillsview Acres in Greenfield.
The region owns and operates the 29-bed long-term care home.
Joanne Veinotte, the region’s director of corporate services, told councillors that in 2022, the contractor responsible for maintaining and inspecting the elevator told staff “that it was nearing its end of life. Should something happen to the elevator we would not be able to replace it in a timely manner.”
Council had already approved $86,250 in their 2023/24 capital budget for the work on the facility’s elevator.
But when the elevator contractor, TK Elevator, visited Hillsview in the spring, workers found that the existing alarm panel and supporting electrical components needed to be upgraded to accommodate the work on the electrical components of the elevator.
The extra costs break down as follows:
Alarm panel upgrade – $21,913
Basement changes to accommodate new access – $2,077
Electrical work to install new panel $7,914.50
Veinotte told councillors that the elevator contractor is due to be at the facility in the second week of August to do the work.
“All of the panel work has to be done before they come which is why we had this sense of urgency to come and ask for council’s approval for this unbudgeted expense.”
Councillors voted unanimously to approve the extra cost and to fund it from the Hillsview Acres reserve fund, which sits at more than $800,000.
The Falls in Milton under construction on the banks of the Mersey River. (Rick Conrad photo)
The Region of Queens is going to pay the builder of an apartment building on the Mersey River in Milton to connect to the municipal sewer system.
Councillors voted at their meeting last week to compensate Eric and Dawn Fry, the owners of The Falls in Milton at 314 Highway 8 for the costs of running a sewer line from their new 15-unit apartment complex.
That would be for a lateral connection, the section of pipe that connects a private property to the municipal collection system. Ownership and maintenance of the lateral on private property are the owner’s responsibility.
The municipality’s sewer system bylaw states that “all costs associated with the installation, connection, maintenance or repair” of a building connection to the sewer system are the responsibility of the owner.
But because the connection for this property is across the road, the municipality would be on the hook for the work of at least $50,000, according to a staff report.
Adam Grant, director of engineering and public works, says past practice has been for the municipality to pay for the portion of the lateral that would have to cross a road.
Mayor Darlene Norman said the bylaw isn’t as cut and dried as it seems.
“The bylaw is grey,” she said in a recent interview.
“And when we look at what we’ve been doing up until now, the homeowner or developer or anyone is simply told to put their pipe out to the road. And then the region connects to our lateral that’s running. And that’s what that developer was told. When he did his site plan and his permits, he was told and approved to run his pipe directly out to the No. 8 highway which is what he did.
“Now it’s been determined by staff that … the cost to connect him to our lateral because it’s on the other side of the road which was never discussed with them, it’s $50,000-plus because it’s provincial highway, it’s permits, it’s all those items.”
So, municipal staff have been working with the owners to run a pipe on the property parallel to Highway 8 into a manhole at the edge of the property. That would connect the building to the municipal system.
That option would cost up to $27,500, according to the staff report. The developer would do the work and be compensated by the municipality.
“To suddenly say to a person that you have all their approvals in place, they’ve done what they’re told and then to say, ‘Oh, by the way, there’s another $50,000 price tag that you have to pick up,’ that’s a little unfair,” Norman said.
“You can’t tell someone to do something and then a year or two later, say, ‘Oh, maybe we shouldn’t have told you that.’ So the region will pick up the cost of running it to the manhole cover.”
Councillors voted in August 2022 to sell the former Garika Park to the Frys. And in October of that year, councillors also rezoned the land to allow the Frys to go ahead with their development.
Geared toward seniors, the three-storey building is slated for an October opening.
Melanie and Bruce Inglis organized Queens Hockey Fights Cancer on Saturday at Queens Place Emera Centre in Liverpool. It has raised more than $16,000 so far for cancer research. (Rick Conrad photo)
A charity hockey game in Liverpool on the weekend raised more than $16,000 for cancer research.
Queens Hockey Fights Cancer was hosted by Memories Cafe & Eatery and Inglis Kassouf Financial Solutions at Queens Place Emera Centre on Saturday.
It was organized by Bruce and Melanie Inglis of Liverpool, who own Memories and Inglis Kassouf.
“Cancer is close to everybody one way or another and for us this year, it’s been pretty challenging with some various people that we know that are fighting different kinds of cancer at different ages in life,” Bruce Inglis said Monday. “It was a case where we thought we could make it so the community could show them how much they care.”
“We are always great at doing hockey game fundraisers,” Melanie Inglis said. “We’ve done several so we knew that would be a good one for us. We did a silent auction, with the help of Karleigh Huskins who was terrific at getting a lot of businesses to chip in.”
They also raised money through donations from individuals and businesses, a 50/50 draw and admission to the game on Saturday. The winner of the 50/50 draw, Danny Whynot, donated the pot back to the cause.
The Inglises say they’re thrilled with the result.
“A final tally isn’t done yet, but we are a little over $16,000 right now,” Melanie says. “I think it surpassed our expectations for sure.”
“I think we knew that the community would come together,” Bruce says. “We knew that we would do $5,000, hoped that we would do ($10,000). But anything above 10 I think is pretty remarkable.”
The hockey game featured the under-18 Queens County Midget Cougars going up against another group of players who suited up for the Inglis Kassouf All-Stars.
Admission was $10 and about 300 people showed up to watch the all-stars win the game in overtime on a goal by 14-year-old Eric Hanley.
The Inglises said the big tally is even more special given the relatively small population of the area.
“It was a nice crowd,” Bruce says. “And that’s on a busy Saturday in the summer when there’s lots going on. There were a lot of people who did send donations, and saying, ‘Sorry we can’t be there’.”
“We’re thrilled,” Melanie says. “It’s fantastic to have the community rally together behind us to support the people that we love in the community.”
The couple organized the event in honour of a couple of friends going through their own battle with cancer.
Jack Stephenson is a student athlete at Bates College in Maine. He spent part of his childhood in Queens County. The son of Jay and Renee Stephenson is currently undergoing treatment for sarcoma.
Anthony MacDiarmid of Liverpool is also battling cancer. A longtime supporter of hockey and community causes, he coached the all-stars to victory.
An X-ray technician is seen in this photo. X-ray reports will soon be available through the YourHealthNS app. (Communications Nova Scotia / File)
X-ray results will soon be available through the YourHealthNS app.
Nova Scotians will be able to see any X-rays done from July 15 onward. The results will be on the app 14 days after the scan.
The report includes findings from the X-ray, a comparison with any previous X-rays, the patient’s history and a summary. Images won’t be available.
“This is just the beginning as we plan to make more records and information available that will help Nova Scotians take a more active role in their health care, ” Health and Wellness Minister Michelle Thompson said Monday in a news release.
Earlier this month, the Nova Scotia government expanded access to health records through the app to everybody in the province 16 and over with a valid health card.
That was after a three-month pilot project involving more than 13,000 patients at six clinics, including Queens Family Health in Liverpool.
The X-ray reports will be in addition to the other information available on the app, including lab and some test results, hospital and health visits, medications and immunizations.
More than 600,000 X-rays were performed in Nova Scotia in 2023.
The emergency department at Queens General Hospital in Liverpool will be closed at certain times this week.
It closed at 1:30 p.m. on Monday and will reopen Tuesday at 8 a.m. It will close again on Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. and reopen Wednesday at 8 a.m.
Patients of Queens Family Health can call 902-354-3322 to access the same-day clinic, depending on provider availability.
The ER at South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater will be open.
As of June 1, 1,100 people in Queens County, about 10 per cent of the population, were still without a doctor or nurse practitioner. In Bridgewater, 6,382 people were on the waitlist. That’s almost 23 per cent of their population.
