More Temporary ER Closures Expected at Northside General

Written by Bobby Nock. Posted in Local News

The Emergency Department at the Northside General Hospital in North Sydney remains closed until further notice because of a broken water pipe.   The Cape Breton District Health Authority says repairs and cleanup are currently underway at the hospital.   Meanwhile, an announcement on more closures at the Northside Emergency Department is expected today.   District spokesperson Erin Forsey says there will be a series of closures next month because of a shortage of nurses.   The district’s Northside Family Physicians representative, Dr. Bernie MacInstosh says he was told the Emergency Department will be closed every night in December.

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Crown Witness on Stand Again Today at Landry Trial

Written by Bobby Nock. Posted in Local News

The defence will continue to cross-examine the Crown’s key witness at the second-degree murder trial of Joseph James Landry in Port Hawkesbury, today.   67 year-old Landry is the first of four people to go to trial in the death of 43-year Phillip Boudreau.   The Crown says Boudreau died after a violent altercation with the crew on the Twin Maggies fishing boat in June of last year.   Yesterday, Twin Maggies deck hand Craig Landry, who is a third cousin of the accused, gave his version of events on that morning.   Landry says the Twin Maggies came across Boudreau and thought he was tampering with their lobster traps.   Landry went on to say the accused shot at Boudreau’s boat with a shot gun and injured Boudreau in the leg.   He adds Boudreau’s boat was rammed by the Twin Maggies and he was then dragged out to sea where the accused tied an anchor to Boudreau and dropped him overboard.   Boudreau’s body has never been found.

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Charges Pending After Near-Miss With Train

Written by Bobby Nock. Posted in Local News

Regional Police say charges are pending against a 28-year old New Waterford man who was nearly hit by a train while driving his motorcycle on the tracks, yesterday.   The man says his dirt bike got stuck in the tracks as he trying to escape an approaching train near Emerald Street in New Waterford just before 3:00 in the afternoon.   He then dropped the bike and ran as the train went on to hit it.   Regional Police say the man was very lucky to escape uninjured.   Police spokesperson Desiree Vassallo says it’s against the law to be on the train tracks and charges are in the works.

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Child Poverty Rate in CB One of the Highest in Canada

Written by Bobby Nock. Posted in Local News

Cape Breton has one of the highest child poverty rates in the country, according to figures released today.   The numbers show that just under 33 percent of children on the Island live in poverty compared with 22.2 per cent on the Mainland and19 per cent across the country.   Cape Breton’s child poverty rate is just below Nunavut, where 33.5 per cent of kids live in poverty.   The figures are contained in child and family poverty reports released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and Campaign 2000.   The reports compare the most recent numbers on child poverty rates from 2012 with those in 1989, when the House of Commons vowed to eliminate child poverty by the year 2000.   The reports show child poverty rates in the province have increased by nearly 23 percent in that 25 year period.

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Landry Murder Trial Set To Resume, Today

Written by Bobby Nock. Posted in Local News

The second degree murder trial of Joseph James Landry resumes in Port Hawkesbury court, today, after a break in the proceedings since last Tuesday.   67 year-old Landry is the first of four people to go to trial in the death of 43-year Phillip Boudreau.   The Crown says Boudreau died after a violent altercation with the crew on the Twin Maggies fishing boat in June of last year.   The trial will continue today without the jury present for a hearing on the admissibility of evidence.   The Crown is expected to call its key witness, Twin Maggies deck hand Craig Landry to testify, this week.   Landry was originally also facing a count of second degree murder in the case but had the charge downgraded to being an accessory after changing his statement to police.

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