Students from Sydney’s Sherwood Park Education centre made a fine showing yesterday at the FIRST LEGO Robotics league at Acadia University.
The SPEC Blazers took top honours in the Robot Design Programming competition, and took second place in the field competition in a close, final round decision.
Coach Brian Lawrence also took home the award for outstanding rookie coach.
The challenge was part of Acadia Robotics’ 14th annual Robot Programming competition.

A Dutch Brook woman has been ordered to complete a two-year conditional sentence followed by a two-year probation period on charges in connection with a home invasion last July in Sydney Mines.
34 year-old Ashley Nicole Keagan pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful entry, assault and breaching a court order.
She also pleaded guilty to three counts of theft relating to retail outlets in Glace Bay, Antigonish and Marion Bridge.
Keagan had previously entered guilty pleas to the charges but during her sentencing hearing in 2018, she requested to change her plea which resulted in her defence attorney being granted a request to be removed as counsel.
Two other lawyers also found themselves in conflict before a third lawyer received the case and negotiated a plea arrangement.
Keagan, Mary Jolene Gillard, Michael Cory Forrest and his brother, David Angus Forrest, were all charged in connection with the home invasion. Gillard received a one-year conditional sentence while Michael Forrest was sentenced to an eight-year federal prison term and David Forrest received a six-year sentence.

The 2019 Scotties Tournament of Hearts kicks off today at Centre 200.
The national women’s curling championship will run throughout the week and features the top women curlers in the country.
Sixteen teams will compete for the chance to represent Canada at the 2019 World Championship in Denmark.
The tournament will be headlined by defending champion Jennifer Jones, representing Team Canada at the event, and 2017 Scotties champion Rachel Homan.
The action kicks off with Jill Brothers leading Team Nova Scotia into the first draw against British Columbia at 2:30 this afternoon.

The provincial government says Nova Scotia welcomed more immigrants last year than ever before.

A total of 5,970 new permanent residents came to Nova Scotia in 2018.

That beats the record set in 2016 of 5,485.

More than 65 per cent of the permanent resident landings were approved through provincial economic programs and the Atlantic Immigration Pilot.

The government says Nova Scotia has the highest retention rate of newcomers in the region at 71 per cent.

The price of gas went up by more than forecast, overnight.

Gas costs 3.5 cents a litre more this morning and now goes for a minimum of $1.06.2 cents in Cape Breton.

The price of diesel jumped by 1.2 cents and diesel now goes for a minimum of $1.22.2 cents a litre on the Island.