I’m not sure if El Jones is writing today or not. Honestly, I don’t know how she does all she does and pumps out a weekly column — it’s perfectly understandable that she needs to take a week off every now and then. But yesterday’s Morning File was on the short side, and a few things happened yesterday, so I’m adding an extra short post today. If El pops up with a column, I’ll post it later today.
1. Lafarge
“Nova Scotia Supreme Court Justice Denise Boudreau has rejected a motion from a citizens group opposed to burning tires for fuel at the Lafarge cement plant in Brookfield,” reports Jennifer Henderson:
The motion was that new evidence from a toxicology expert be admitted as part of a judicial review this March of Environment Minister Iain Rankin’s decision to approve the one year pilot project.
Click here to read “Judge rejects motion against Lafarge’s tire-burning plan.”
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2. Examineradio, episode #143
Maybe you’re for the latest version of the Willow Tree development; maybe you’re not.
Well, a lot has happened regarding this proposal for the corner of Robie Street and Quinpool Road, so we brought in reporters Jayde Tynes and Jacob Boon to walk us through it.
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Check out Erica Butler’s piece from earlier this week for more background.
Plus, we talk about Halifax not making the short list for Amazon HQ2, the future of tolls on the Cobequid Pass and the latest on the federal government’s attempt to deport Abdoul Abdi.
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3. Blue Mountain – Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness
“Surveyors have been working along a property line in the Hobsons Lake area behind Kearney Lake, raising speculation that Hobsons Lake is part of the land the city is buying for the proposed Blue Mountain – Birch Cove Lakes Wilderness Park,” I reported last month.
Sure enough, yesterday the city issued a press release confirming the purchase:
On January 18, the Halifax Regional Municipality purchased approximately 197 acres of lands to form part of a Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes Regional Park. This important acquisition marks the first parcel of land to be acquired by the municipality towards the creation of the regional park, which is proposed in the municipality’s Regional Plan.
Given the size of the parcel the city says it bought, the sale apparently includes both the 25-acre parcel nearest Collins Road and the south half (south of Black Duck Brook) of the adjoining parcel.
The city did not disclose the sale price, and the sale has yet to be recorded. As soon as I have that information, I’ll report it.
4. Elmwood Hotel
“Galaxy Properties is working with HRM’s heritage team to try and save the Elmwood, and it looks like it might actually happen,” reports Jacob Boon for The Coast.
5. Mr. Big
“The prosecution intends to drop the first-degree murder charge against a former Lunenburg County man accused of killing his mother,” reports Keith Corcoran for Lighthouse Now:
The Crown’s case against John Robert “Jack” Buckley crumbled January 19 in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Bridgewater when Justice Josh Arnold ruled pre-trial evidence pertaining to a so-called Mr. Big sting operation and an April 2016 caution statement Buckley gave to authorities were inadmissible.