Thinking Out Loud with Sheldon MacLeod

The RCMP say a young person from Wolfville died during flooding caused by heavy rains in the Annapolis Valley on Thursday, July 11th. Police didn’t release their name or gender, but they are believed to be a young teenager. RCMP were called at 7:40 p.m. by someone reporting that the teen was pulled into a water-filled ditch at a community park on Highland Avenue and disappeared under the rushing water. Police said a group of friend were playing at the park when the flash flooding occurred. The park, behind Acadia University’s Crowell Tower, includes play equipment, a soccer pitch and a skate park. Police say that as part of the efforts, the water drainage system was diverted. The youth was found dead at about 11:30 p.m. Details:

He has more than 20 companies and has been a fixture in the home renovation genre of television production over the years. Bryan Baeumler was recently in Halifax to meet with fans and to talk about balancing non-scripted television, personal relationships and a career in the trades. He took some time to discuss how it's happened, why blue collar work is so important and what it means to be a successful Canadian media personality.

Chris Kelades is 99.99 percent it will be his last professional fight. The 43-year old holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and will be entering the ring one last time this coming Saturday night in Dartmouth. For the last few years, the Greek Assassin (as he’s known) has been working as a commentator for Fight League Atlantic — a mixed martial arts promotional league based in Halifax. Ten years ago, Kelades was a last-minute call up for the card at an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event in Halifax. A fight he won in a unanimous decision. And the last time he fought in Nova Scotia. He also spent time fighting overseas in the M-1 Global before the pandemic put a halt to his fighting career. With a professional record of 15 wins and four losses, Kelades will be taking on PEI’s Morgan Rhynes in the main event at Zatzman Sports Complex in Dartmouth. This will be his first fight since 2019. Recently, he took time out of his training to speak with SaltWire’s Sheldon MacLeod.

In this episode, Sheldon MacLeod from SaltWire sits down with Troy Greencorn, Executive Director, and Steve McIntyre, Artistic Director, of the Stan Rogers Folk Festival. They delve into the festival's rich history, the introduction of the new roadshow, and the special celebration planned for Bruce Guthro. Explore the magic of Stanfest and its impact on the community of Canso, Nova Scotia July 25th-28th, 2024.

Does it have to be all or nothing when it comes to cell phone uss in the classroom? Dr. Simon Sherry is a clinical psychologist, a professor and a dad. And he takes on the pressing issue of cell phone and social media usage in schools. We delve into the pervasive impact of mobile devices on children's sleep, social relationships, and classroom learning. Dr. Sherry advocates for a ban in Atlantic provinces, while we also explore the nuances of policy, the potential benefits of technology, and the broader societal implications of the digital age.

It’s been almost a year since the devastating wildfires in Halifax and Shelburne Counties.  The Barrington Lake fire — the largest wildfire in recorded history of the province and the Tantallon fire — one of the most expensive. Kara McCurdy recently left her role as a Fire Prevention officer with Natural Resources and Renewables for a similar role with Halifax Fire and Emergency Services. She was also presented with the Lynn Orstad Award for preventing wildfire and advancing community resiliency. As she moves into her new role with HRFE, McCurdy discusses the FireSmart program and some of the lessons learned on protecting properties from wildfire risk. May 5th to 11th is Emergency Preparedness Week.  For more information visit Halifax.ca/EMO. 

As spring unfolds and the leaves come out, the risk of wildfires in Nova Scotia climbs. A year after the devastating wildfires, an independent report on the response was released by the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables. For more on the response and forest fire prevention, Jim Rudderham, Director for Fleet and Forest Protection was made available. He discusses the critical role of moisture levels, the Burnsafe Map, and how volunteer firefighters are stepping up to safeguard our natural resources. He also discusses the science behind burn restrictions and why burning is always restricted between 8am and 2pm during wildfire risk season. And in the end, it’s all about the collective effort needed from landowners and the community to prevent wildfires.

The idea was to talk with him about his upcoming cross-Canada jaunt with singer/songwriter Jann Arden. But I had to find out the origin story of this upcoming adventure called the “Will they or won’t they tour”.  It launches April 27th in Kitchener before coming to Halifax on the 29th, Moncton on the 30th and St. Johns on May 2nd. Rick Mercer shares what it’s like dividing his time between Newfoundland and Toronto and what to expect when he takes the stage with his friend Jann.

Tim German and his 2017 Hyundai Elantra have made a lot of trips around the Maritimes delivering blood products over the last seven years. And he shares his thoughts about his car, his work and how he has kept his car going long enough to "circle the world 19 times" and counting.

Nova Scotians are already stepping up to help their neighbours in huge ways. There are 6,000 volunteer firefighters and 1,200 ground search and rescuers across the province. And when Premier Tim Houston recently announced the formation of the Nova Scotia Guard, there were a lot of questions about who would be joining this new team and exactly what they would be doing.  Greg Jones is the President of the Fire Services Association of Nova Scotia. Along with discussing the possible roles for the newly named Guard, Chief Jones discusses recruitment and training challenges facing volunteer groups right now in Nova Scotia. Editor's Note — After this piece was produced, an invitation was received by the author for an online meeting with Premier Tim Houston on Sunday, April 14 at 7:15 p.m. to hear from volunteer first responders.

Imagine walking into a barn and instead of hearing random clucks and squawks, you're privy to a conversation about likes, dislikes, and even emotional states. This isn't a scene from a children's book; it's the reality that researchers at Dalhousie University are uncovering through the power of artificial intelligence. The idea for this conversation came from a news release titled: Fowl language: Dalhousie University researcher uses AI to crack the code of clucks and unravel chicken chatter secrets, opening the door to an improved quality of life. Suresh Neethirajan is an associate professor and the University Research Chair in Digital Livestock Farming in Dalhousie's Faculty of Computer Science. In this conversation, he explains how he is applying artificial intelligence to chicken sounds from more than 30 poultry farms across North America and Europe, including birds with Avian flu and a wide range of health conditions. Using sophisticated machine learning algorithms, he has translated chickens' nonsensical sounds to specific words, like "Danger!" and "Fox!" For instance, he can now understand expressions of distress or a need for help in diseased chickens, much like a human saying, "I have to go to the hospital." Humourist Bill Carr posted a piece highlighting the ethical questions this raises and Dr. Neethirajan addresses some of them in this conversation.

The Nova Scotia Government has pumped the brakes on a controversial policy affecting the wine industry. This is a look at the back story and the politics involved when doing an about-face amidst wide-spread criticism.

Some people may not remember the 2006 JUNO Awards in Halifax. But the event is gearing up to bring hundreds of performers and hours of music to dozens of venues across the city later this month. Allegra Swanson is  the Chair of the 2024 Halifax JUNO Host Committee and is also the Executive Director of Music Nova Scotia. She takes us through the nomination process, the selection of winners, and the special moments that honour the artists we've lost. There’s more in this conversation about Wavemakers and JUNOFest as well as the big award gala hosted by Nelly Furtado and Maestro Fresh Wes.

Does switching the clock twice a year bug you? If so, you can blame — in part — entomologist George Vernon Hudson. In 1895, the New Zealand scientist presented a paper proposing a two-hour shift forward in the summer, switching it back in the fall. His reasoning? He was frustrated that it got dark so early in the summer that it was interfering with his bug collecting. History has been much more kind to him than the Royal Society that he presented to. They mocked him, some members saying that proposal was both confusing and unnecessary. And a lot of people these days are feeling the same way about Daylight Saving Time and switching the clocks twice a year.

The provincial government has left Nova Scotia property owners to rely on their own instincts and better judgments when it comes to protecting coastal property. Environment Minister Tim Halman introduced the government’s plan for coastal resiliency, The Future of Nova Scotia’s Coastline this week. The Progressive Conservative say the plan will protect people, homes and nature from climate change along Nova Scotia’s 13,000 kilometres of coastline by introducing 15 actions for property owners, municipalities and the province to take to make coastal homes, communities and natural areas safer. The plan supplants the Coastal Protection Act that passed with full support of all Nova Scotia political parties in 2019 but was never proclaimed. In this podcast, we hear from Carolyn Bolivar-Getson from the NS Federation of Municipalities and Marla MacLeod from the Ecology Action Centre along with Minister Halman.

It wasn’t the first time a provincial politician switched political stripes in Nova Scotia — and it likely won’t be the last. But it was rather surprising when Premier Tim Houston announced Brendan Maguire (Halifax-Atlantic) would also be joining the Executive Council as a member of his cabinet. The former Liberal MLA has been highly critical of the Progressive Conservatives since they took office. And now he says he’ll have a chance to make a difference from the Government side of the house. What does it all mean? That’s what we explore in this conversation with Dalhousie University Professor Dr. Lori Turnbull.

Lisa MacIsaac, a Juno-nominated Nova Scotia musician and member of Madison Violet is about to embark on the 'Small of My Heart' songwriter circle tour. This series of shows, spanning from February to May 2024, is more than just a concert—it's a movement celebrating award-winning women and non-binary artists and advancing their place within the Canadian music industry. Lisa shares her experiences in songwriter circles, both as a participant and now as a host. She describes these gatherings as magical events where artists share songs and stories, drawing inspiration from one another in a live, dynamic environment. This is all about the unique energy of these circles, and how each show is different, influenced by the artists' interactions and the audience's feedback.https://bansheeco.ca/

Have you ever stopped to think about whether your life's path is carved by destiny or shaped by chance? This is the central question posed by the extraordinary play, 'The Gift', presented by Brookes Diamond Productions and starring Robert Lamar. 'The Gift' is not a typical stage play. It's an interactive experiment that urges the audience to engage, to challenge their preconceived notions, and to participate in a journey of self-discovery. As playwright and director Ron Ulrich explains, the play is a series of experiments that question whether our lives are governed by fate or happenstance. The audience is not just watching a story unfold; they are part of the story, potentially influencing its outcome. The world debut is currently running at Halifax’s St. Andrew’s Church Hall.

Have you ever stumbled upon a dream you didn't know you had? That's exactly what happened to Elaine Knight when her niece sent her a link to a castle for sale in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Elaine shares the remarkable story of how she went from seeking a simple property to own a castle, which she plans to transform into a vibrant community space.

Former talk show host Rick Howe, a well-known voice and personality in Halifax radio broadcasting, has died. He was 69. His death was reported Thursday morning on CityNews 95.7, which Howe retired from in 2021. Howe had been battling cancer, which had forced him to retire just short of marking 50 years behind the microphone. This is a conversation with long-time broadcaster and former colleague JC Douglas about the legacy and impact of Rick Howe. https://www.saltwire.com/halifax/news/former-halifax-broadcaster-rick-howe-dies-at-69-100934471/