Ray Burns, Author at The Pictou Advocate

Barber takes passion for profession on the road

September 28, 2019September 27, 2019 Ray Burns

NEW GLASGOW — After 25 years in one career, most people would be comfortable in their role and their routine. Craig MacEachern is not one of those people. He’s always looking to expand his professional horizons, and to that end has branched out from his barber/hairstylist role and added the skills of an educator. MacEachern,...

A subscription is required to access this section of the website

To become a print subscriber, phone our office at 902-485-8014

To subscribe to the web version click here

Thank you for supporting democracy, journalism and jobs in our community

Log In Register

Online friendship ends in European adventure

September 19, 2019September 19, 2019 Ray Burns

CHANCE HARBOUR — What began as a simple online gaming friendship ended up as an actual face-to-face meeting on the other side of the world. That was the experience of New Glasgow’s Connor Janes. The 20-year-old befriended a fellow gamer from England who goes by the online name of Froob McGuffin. It was McGuffin who...

A proud tradition at a turning point

June 19, 2019June 19, 2019 Ray Burns

TRENTON — A swirl of emotions hovered over the annual ceremonial review held by Trenton’s 397 Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron recently at the town’s airport. The reason for the emotions was simple: this was the 72nd squadron ACR as it’s known, and it could be the last. The squadron is a victim of the...

Digging in the dirt

September 12, 2018 Ray Burns

STELLARTON — As I stared out across the grassy, sun-drenched plain, I knew this was going to be the day. The day that I rescued from the clutches of history some buried treasures by using my latent skills as an archaeologist. After all, I took an online archaeology course one time; that’s got to make...

County native prepares the way for fellow soldiers in West Africa

August 1, 2018 Ray Burns

If you think it’s been warm lately, just be thankful you’re not in Mali, Africa, where the temperature gets a wee bit warmer than it does here. “We have a digital temperature monitor here. It sits under a sun screen… not in direct sun. It will indicate temperatures up to 49 C, today it was...

Young and old honour miner’s memory

June 14, 2018 Ray Burns

STELLARTON — It’s not often that you associate school children with a fallen coal miner, but it was fitting that the G.R. Saunders Elementary School choir was on hand for the 93rd William Davis Miners’ Memorial Day ceremony on Monday. For, as guest speaker John Ashton said in his remarks, children were also victimized by...

Torch bearer leads the way in the spirit of the Games

June 13, 2018 Ray Burns

GRANTON — You would be hard pressed to find a more enthusiastic torch bearer than Stacey Saunders. The Stellarton resident led the local portion of the Special Olympics of Nova Scotia torch run at the Michelin plant and loved every minute of it. Carrying the torch holds a special place in her heart, Saunders said....

Raising the flag a shared honour

June 8, 2018 Ray Burns

MOUNT WILLIAM — There was a sense of unity, honour and recognition in the air as the Grand Council Flag of the Mi’kmaq Nation climbed skyward on the flag pole outside of the Pictou County Wellness Centre last week. That feeling of togetherness issued forth from the remarks made prior to the flag raising in...

Sky’s NOT the limit for cadets

May 23, 2018May 23, 2018 Ray Burns

DEBERT — First-year air cadet Eddy Phalen of Trenton had never been flying, so he took care of that with a recent trip to the Debert airport. For a lot of people these days, their first flight is aboard an airliner winging its way someplace distant, but not Leading Air Cadet (LAC) Phalen who made...

Thrills, skills at baseball camp

April 25, 2018April 24, 2018 Ray Burns

STELLARTON — In 1971, Roger Kahn published his beloved baseball book The Boys of Summer. A new version got underway at the William M. Sobey Indoor Sports Complex in Stellarton. Let’s call it the ‘boys and girls of spring’ as dozens of little leaguers welcomed the baseball season with a skills camp. The camp, organized...

Author: Ray Burns