On the small porch outside of Steve-O-Reno’son Brunswick Street, Andrew Abraham recites his tongue-twister of a poem, St. Bullshit College. Two minutes in, he pauses. “See, if I choke like that at the slam I’m fucked,” he says, before continuing with his poem. The slam—a competition for spoken word artists—is one highlight of the Canadian […]
Mike Landry
Posted inNews + Opinion
Higher education
If you want to know how prevalent cocaine is in Halifax, just ask a friend. Chances are they’ve heard about where to get it or someone who’s used it. Cocaine, once known as the champagne of drugs, has become a $100 can of Red Bull. “It’s become, by far, way more prevalent,” says JP Crowell, […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
The young and the restless
Teens call it the “Darkside.” The name may call to mind visions of Star Wars, but no imperial storm troopers patrol this area of Dartmouth North, bounded by Halifax Harbour, the Albro Lakes, the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge and Highfield Park. In their place, groups of young people wander the streets wearing hoodies and blue […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Begging unpardonable
A little white lie never hurt anyone. Unless you happen to be a panhandler in downtown Dartmouth, where one currently circulating lie turns you into a criminal. A new campaign by the Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission is targeting panhandlers in order to get the more aggressive ones off its streets. The DDBC is giving stickers […]
Posted inArts + Music
The new Kit
While you read, listen to a few tracks by The First Aid Kit off their new EP Rocket Summer. The First Aid Kit should be careful on the small stage at Gus’ Pub. There’s little room to stand among the band’s guitars, piano, bells, synthesizers, pedals and drums. One false move could put out an […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
School’s out forever
Outgoing Queen Elizabeth High School student council president Brooke Stephen apologizes in advance for the state of the student council room—not that the partially tiled floor and the Swiss cheese drywall of the back entrance hallway forecasts luxury. “I hope there isn’t a mouse in there,” Stephen says, turning to her friend Kara Grandy. “There […]
Posted inArts + Music
Erotic behavior
Wearing only a black t-shirt and pink underwear, Nicole McInnis poses on her knees, straddling her bed. She looks over her shoulder, lips pouting. Some might say it’s vulgar porn. Some might say it’s quaint erotica. The man behind the camera calls it art. “That’s the funny thing: when does erotica become pornography? That’s something […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Dirty laundry
It may not look like much—just another slab of concrete among the rest that line the waterfront near Dartmouth Cove—but the small plot of land at 33 Maitland has been quite the hot potato for the past decade, and is now costing thousands of provincial tax dollars to fix. The land was ceded to the […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Cool cups
Inside Trident Cafe on Hollis, along with the warm smell of fresh roasted coffee, are little reminders written on index cards: “Please take only as many as you need,” above the napkins, “Paper towel ONLY for green bin composting,” in the washroom, and “Garbage only thanks. No compost stuff. No recyclable stuff. Give that to […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
The litter laws forgot
Outside Mic Mac Mall in Dartmouth, Tyrone Clyke is on his 10-minute break, inhaling deeply and rapidly on a cigarette. In three hours he’ll be back here again. On average, Clyke leaves about 20 cigarette butts here a week. Smokers like Clyke are caught between two city campaigns; one to eliminate smoking, the other to […]
