Another scathing report from the Auditor General about the work of the office of the Nova Scotia Fire Marshal. And my guess is that they know there are areas that need improvement, but they also aren't likely to say why they can't fill their mandate. And it comes down to oversight and resources.

For some reason, some people felt the need to go off on a Hammonds Plains business for passing along a deal on some food that was at the edge of the "durable life date". Canadians have a habit of wasting food, and for owner Jacob Bussey to catch hell for helping is just distasteful.

Failing to plan is planning to fail. A bad plan is better than no plan at all. Don't be scared, be prepared. There's no shortage of sayings and clever phrases when it comes to being prepared. And it's a simple message we should all take to heart, especially this week.

Unless you have visited one, it's tough to imagine what life is like for the staff and residents of a long-term care facility. And after I went to visit someone this week, I realized it was both eye-opening and enlightening for me.

He died at 26, thinking he'd be able to donate his tissues to someone else in Nova Scotia. But Liam Dee was denied that option because he was a man married to another man. And that is not just wrong. It's a call to action to change the policy.

The East Coast Music Awards are back in Halifax, celebrating the 35th Anniversary in the place where it all began. And when it comes to accolades, the Director's Special Achievement Award is at the top of the list. Natalie MacMaster is as humble as she is talented and deserving.

In a 2014 concert review by Stephen Cooke, he proclaimed to an exuberant audience "I'm Gordon Lightfoot, and the rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated!" And as the tributes pour in, there was another quote from the folk-music icon that resonates, considering how much he gave all of us over the years.

There's always been violence in schools, but I don't remember people settling their scores with weapons. Just days after Ryan Lutes and the NSTU called on government to do something, I happened to see what 92 percent of teachers say they've witnessed firsthand.

Many of us have been wondering if things are ever going back to the way they were before the pandemic. Truth is, for many places on the planet, they already have. And this morning, I had an interesting conversation about that, with my mechanic.

For today, I thought I'd try something else with this space. So many of my colleagues are doing great work so I thought I'd highlight a few stories that caught my attention today.