Late yesterday afternoon, a Princeton Lane Dartmouth senior citizen answered a knock at his door. The 81 year old was greeted by two black males, described by police as in their late teens. They barged in, pointed a handgun in his face and forced him to the basement. He was pushed to the floor and the keys to his car stolen. The two teens then fled, stealing the man's car. It's described as a black, 2010 Buick Lacrosse with a small crack in the rear driver's side tail light. There's a Nova Scotia Veterans licence plate ADG84. Help police catch these jerks if you can. The senior suffered some scrapes and bruises but is otherwise fine.
Just a couple of weeks after adding Ryan White's 2010 murder in Mulgrave Park to a provincial rewards program, police caught a break. Two suspects in the shooting death were arrested in Hamilton yesterday. Whether the offer of a $150,000 reward had a role in the arrests isn't known, but at least we can scratch another off the long list of unsolved murders in this province.
Halifax auditor general Larry Munroe's second report on the cash for concerts scandal is raising questions about the city's relationship with Trade Centre Limited to the point where one councillor's demanding it end and another's suggesting police be called in. Munroe focused this report on the takeover by Trade Centre Limited of the Metro Centre box office. The deal was done without consultation, ie council didn't know about it. Under the arrangement, the city received 40 cents for every ticket sold. Who determined that figure Munroe wondered. And there didn't seem to be any official agreement for the takeover. Munroe told council's audit and finance committee yesterday he could find no formal documents on the transfer. Councillor Barry Dalrymple, after hearing Munroe's report, suggested it's time to break ties with TCL while Sue Uteck suggesting calling in police. Munroe's report raises many questions. For example, are HRM taxpayers out hundreds of thousands of dollars because of this suspicious transer? You can read Munroe's report online.
Gas prices went up in New Brunswick overnight 2.5 cents a litre. That's exactly what George Murphy of the Consumer Group for Fair Gas Prices predicted on my News 95.7 afternoon radio show yesterday. Nova Scotia's regulatory system adjusts its prices tonight and a similar increase is expected. We'd be paying just over $1.30 a litre if Murphy's prediction is right. He thinks that's as high as prices will go this summer, and indeed expects prices to start dropping again, perhaps even by next week. We'll see.
The forecast looks great for the next few days as Halifax hosts this year's Tall Ships event. It kicks off today and ends Monday with the Parade of Sail out Halifax Harbour. About two dozen ships are here for the festival. I recall taking in the very first Tall Ships week back in the early 80s. The waterfront was alive, packed with people with weather very much like we've had of late. I've covered a Parade of Sail, broadcasting it live as the ships sailed away led by the Bluenose. Bottom line, if you can, head down to the waterfront. You won't regret it.
Have a great day. Get involved. And if you're not outraged, you're ot paying attention.
Rick Howe
