Jessica Laing is a news reporter for Acadia Broadcasting who graduated from the journalism program at Humber College (now known as Humber Polytechnic). She is based in the Port Hawkesbury area of Nova Scotia and is an award-winning photographer. Contact Jessica at LaingJ@radioabl.ca.
The Port Hawkesbury Community Manager is excited they’re starting back up after receiving some donations from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Civic Centre.
Michele Tabensky says they can’t do the program without your support which allows them to donate leftover produce to those in need.
“We know like so many people are enjoying the program and it’s so important to be able to have nutritionally fresh produce, at great prices available to everyone in the community. Square Roots is for everyone. It’s not income based,” expressed Tabensky.
“It’s so that everyone can have fresh nutritious produce at great prices. And we’re not only helping our community members. We [are] also helping the farmers by selling this excess produce that, if not sold, would just get turned back into compost.”
Square Roots markets in Guysborough and D’Escousse will also be returning on Saturday, March 21.
A retired RCMP Officer has plead not‑guilty to three charges of sexual assault, according to the province’s public prosecution service.
The Province’s Police Watchdog, Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) charged Sergeant Darrell W. Johnson for occurrences that allegedly happened between 2016 to 2025.
They say the incidents reportedly occurred while he was a RCMP officer and after his retirement.
He is now scheduled to appear in Port Hawkesbury Provincial Court on April 9 for a hearing to set the trial date for the sexual assault charges.
On October 4, 2025, he faced two additional charges for failing to comply with a condition, which has a trial scheduled in Port Hawkesbury Provincial Court on June 18.
Hundreds of students across Nova Scotia took part in a coordinated walkout on Wednesday morning to protest cuts in the provincial budget.
It started at 10 a.m., with demonstrations planned at schools and according to posts on social media, action was motivated by concerns over cuts affecting education, arts programming and scholarship funding.
In several communities, students also organized marches to local MLA offices to raise their concerns directly with elected officials.
Liverpool students raise concerns over arts and scholarship cuts
In Liverpool, around 100 students walked out of Liverpool Regional High School and marched through town.
Students first stopped outside Queens MLA Kim Masland’s constituency office before continuing to the Astor Theatre where local student band Life and Colour performed.
Students gather outside the Astor Theatre in Liverpool during a walkout protesting elements of the provincial budget, including concerns about arts funding and scholarships. (Evan Taylor photo)
Students gather outside the Astor Theatre in Liverpool during a walkout protesting elements of the provincial budget, including concerns about arts funding and scholarships. (Evan Taylor photo)
Students at the rally raised concerns about cuts affecting scholarships, grants and arts programming, saying those supports are especially important in smaller rural communities where families may have fewer financial resources.
A student holds a sign during a walkout in Liverpool as part of a province-wide protest over the Nova Scotia budget. (Evan Taylor photo)
Astor Theatre executive director Velta Vilkmanis said it was encouraging to see young people organizing around issues that affect them and this was a great way to express anger.
“For them to come out and actually organize this kind of a thing… I think it’s incredible,” Vilkmanis said. “A lot of these kids perform on our open mic stage. They participate in our clubs,” she said.
Halifax JL Isley high schooler’s take to streets of Spryfield
JL Ilsley High School students marched down Herring Cove Road toward the busy intersection near the Spryfield Shopping Centre, drawing attention from passing drivers—many of whom honked in support.
Acadia News spoke with several students who took part in the protest. Many said they were concerned about cuts to arts programming, the impact on student mental health, and the loss of independence tied to transportation changes.
Nora Pickrem had tears in her eyes when said arts give life meaning.
“I know that the arts have saved like more people than I can count including myself,” she says as cars pass, honking in support.
Despite feeling discouraged by the government’s decisions, the group says they have no plans to stop speaking out.
Port Hawkesbury students rallied against cuts to arts and culture
Nearly 100 students from Strait Area Education Recreation Centre (SAERC) came together to protest recent cuts to arts, culture, bursaries and scholarships on Wednesday morning.
Grade 11 students Shayla Spencer and Miranda MacRae were two of the organizers of the walkout from classes.
Organizers of SAREC Student Rally – Shayla Spencer & Miranda MacRae. Credit: Jessica Laing / Acadia Broadcasting
“The first thing that raised warning bells for me was when I found out the bursaries and scholarships, a lot of them were defunded or partially defunded, which really threw off my course for postsecondary,” shared Spencer.
She said she got involved because the proposed cuts impact her, her family and her classmates directly in an extremely negative way.
“We are hoping for Tim Houston to rethink his budget cuts and takes most of them back. Although he did take some back the other day, it’s not nearly enough compensation that what we deserve as students,” expressed MacRae.
She shared that their message to the government is that their budget cuts affect real people, and real people have voices and they will speak up.
Impacts continue from the power outage at the Victoria General (VG) campus of the QEII in Halifax.
The outage happened early Saturday morning disrupting some services.
In an update at 8 p.m., Sunday, Nova Scotia Health (NSH) says although full power has been restored, they are working on the electrical system supporting the Centennial Building, with some operating rooms that remain closed.
“Clinical leaders have met to add operating room capacity at the Halifax Infirmary (HI) site and prioritize and redistribute or reschedule cases booked for the VG, HI and Dartmouth General Monday,” says NSH.
If your surgery is able to be rescheduled or be in a different location, you will be notified.
Most outpatient care and treatment at the VG will continue on Monday.
Updates will be provided if impacts continue through to Tuesday and beyond.
February 3 is Take a Cruise Day and the Atlantic Canada Cruise Association (ACCA) is celebrating their 30th anniversary.
They support the responsible growth of cruise tourism through marketing, business development, and community-focused destination stewardship.
The Association has many partnerships including with ports, tourism organizations, cruise lines, the four provincial governments, Parks Canada and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA).
A 2023 study by Tourism Economics for Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) reported $402 million of economic output and 2,100 local jobs were supported by cruise activity.
Carnival Venezia kicks off the summer cruise season at Port Saint John with over 4,000 guests arriving on June 20.
With 10 overnight visits, largely from Royal Caribbean International, the port will enjoy visitor engagement and tourism.
The passenger experience remains a priority as new waterfront development enhancements continue to take shape.
Canadians can look forward to finding Internet and cellphone services availability across the country.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is looking to improve connectivity by making service providers, technologies, and speeds available in each area public.
This will allow you to compare options and make informed decisions, while supporting future investments to improve connectivity.
There will be a public consultation to help service providers, governments, public safety organizations, and Canadians know where coverage is strong and where improvements are needed.
You can provide your feedback on services until March 16 by:
• filling out the online form, • writing to the Secretary General, CRTC, Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0N2, or • sending a fax to 819-994-0218.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) uses data collected from service providers to update their National Broadband Map.
The National Non-Smoking Week takes place Sunday, January 18 to Saturday, January 24 across Canada.
The Canadian Cancer Society says this annual campaign since 1977, educates Canadians on the health effects of smoking and supports them to quit.
The Society says tobacco is the leading preventable cause of disease and death which kills 46,000 Canadians each year, including about 30 per cent of all cancer deaths.
There are 3.6 million people in Canada smoke which is 11 per cent of the population, according to a 2024 Canadian Community Health Survey.
That number is down substantially from 50 per cent of Canadians who smoked in 1965.
The goal of the Society is to achieve under 5 per cent tobacco users by 2035.
They say there’s also a tremendous concern about youth becoming addicted to e-cigarettes.
According to a 2023 Canadian Student Alcohol and Drugs Survey, a growing major concern is 27 per cent of grade 12 students are vaping in Canada,
Direct health care costs from tobacco in Canada total $5.4 billion per year.
Provinces and territories are expected to collectively receive $24.7 billion in funds from the 2025 tobacco lawsuit settlement over time, which provides the opportunity to strengthen the government’s tobacco control strategies.
Environment Canada has issued a new special weather statement for across southern New Brunswick.
They say mixed precipitation of snow, ice pellets and freezing rain continues until Monday morning.
Up to 5 to 10 cm of snow is possible.
It will transition to ice pellets and freezing rain.
Areas affected include Fundy, Grand Manan, and Coastal Charlotte County, Kent County, Kouchibouguac, Moncton and Southeast NB, Saint John and County, Sussex, Kennebecasis Valley and Kings County.
Accumulations of snow and ice could create slippery and hazardous travel and walking conditions.
It is advised to adjust your travel plans to avoid being out during the most adverse conditions.
You can continue to monitor alerts and forecasts made by Environment Canada for updates.
