City council expected to debate at this Tuesday's gathering regulating the signs that clutter secondary provincial highways within HRM. Take a drive out the Prospect Road and you'll see a perfect example of why such a move is necessary. There are wave after wave of signs advertising businesses, tourist locations or services provided. A staff report says signs there have more than doubled in the last three years. It's ugly. Council's considering signs like those offering directions used in other jurisdictions like PEI to indicate certain landmarks, tourist spots and eateries. It would be a good move.
Did you hear about the two cars clocked at speeds over 180 km/h the other day. The two cars were not only racing each other along the 104, blowing by an unmarked police car, but there were a total of 12 Halifax-area university students in the two vehicles. What idiots. The two drivers will pay a heavy price for their youthful antics. Not only were the cars seized, their drivers licenses were immediately suspended for a week. And after they're convicted, they'll be fined just over $2400 and have 6 points added to their license. Lesson learned the hard way.
Premier Darrell Dexter wouldn't get pinned down on when he might call a provincial election when I asked him on my radio show yesterday. But then, I really didn't expect he'd suddenly spill the beans. I do suspect however an election will be sooner than later, perhaps after the budget this spring. The premier actually doesn't have to go to the polls until the summer of 2014. There's a CRA poll in the works that should be out in a couple of weeks that could have some bearing on when we'll go to the polls.
Along with the new attack ad on Liberal leader Stephen McNeil, another hint an election is likely soon was the about-face yesterday when the premier announced the SPCA would now get a one-time $100,000 grant. Just a couple of weeks back the organizaton's request for the money was turned down. The SPCA had threatened to stop investigating animal abuse claims April 1st without the extra cash. Executive director Kristin Williams told me yesterday she's very pleased with the turnaround. The SPCA handles over a thousand animal abuse claims yearly.
The premier by the way doesn't call the attack ad on Stephen McNeil an attack ad, but a "contrast ad."
Jim O'Neil is trying to get the word out. He's not dead. As CTV's supper hour news tells it, criminal lawyer O'Neil got a phone call a week ago from the Amherst sheriff's department, glad to hear his voice because everyone thinks he's dead. You might imagine Jim was a little surprised to hear the news, but soon he began hearing it from others including family members. As best as he can determine the rumor began on Facebook even though he personally does not have a Facebook account. Apparently another lawyer in the area with a similar last name did die and that's how things got confused. So now Jim O'Neil wants to set the record straight. He's very much alive.
Have a great weekend. Get involved. And if you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.
Rick Howe
