Latest news with #Arsenault
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
L'nuey and Parks Canada seek board members to co-manage protected lands, historic sites
The First Nations group L'nuey and Parks Canada are looking for board members to help co-manage P.E.I.'s protected lands and historic sites, taking the next step on an agreement they have spent years crafting. "The agreements were signed and negotiated over many years. I believe the negotiations started even way back in the early 2000s," said Geraldine Arsenault, the field unit superintendant for Parks Canada on Prince Edward Island. "These agreements for both the new national park reserve and for the Toquktmekl agreement, these agreements were both signed at different moments in 2024." The new boards will consist of five members, including two selected by L'nuey and two chosen by Parks Canada. The fifth, who will chair, will be appointed by the board members. "Now we're at the phase of implementation of these agreements, and the first part of that implementation is to form the boards themselves, so that they can advise on the governance of these places," said Arsenault. The boards will oversee places like Pituamkek National Park Reserve off P.E.I.'s North Shore and national historic sites such as Province House in Charlottetown, Cavendish-North Rustico and the working inn at Dalvay-by-the-Sea. Jenene Wooldridge is the executive director of L'nuey, an organization focused on Indigenous rights for the Mi'kmaq community on P.E.I. "We advance and protect Mi'kmaq rights, and we focus on the areas of governance development, all negotiations and consultations for the Mi'kmaq," she said. "L'nuey is proud to be able to support the Mi'kmaq leadership over the past number of years. They have been steadfast in making sure that these agreements come to fruition and that we are able to now get into the implementation phase." Bringing Indigenous perspectives Arsenault said reconciliation has been very important for Parks Canada. "We've been working for a very long time with the Mi'kmaq of Prince Edward Island to really bring in the Mi'kmaw perspective to how we manage our national historic sites and our national park," she said. "And now with the new national park reserve Pituamkek, it really brings a piece of Mi'kmaw traditional lands into the family, if you will, of protected sites." Wooldridge said the boards will have different priorities. "Pituamkek is a brand-new national park reserve, so it's really building it from the ground up. It's going to be looking at what the potential visitor experience could look like, where are their protected sites, that wouldn't be so good for visitors or lots of people being around," she said. "Also access will be a discussion, I'm sure, for those co-management boards, so it's really more of the operational discussions that will be happening, building from the ground up for Pituamkek." Wooldridge said that the other board will look at existing national historic sites and the national park. She said they hope to have these board positions filled by the fall. "The recruitment is open now, and we encourage Mi'kmaw community members who have interest or expertise in culture, governance, environment, you know, community engagement, to put their names forward because all of those perspectives matter." She said non-Indigenouse Islanders are also welcome to put their name forward if they have experience in those areas.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Shuttered auction house faces million-dollar comic book lawsuit
CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) — A Cranston auction house has been tied up in a lawsuit for years after a Canadian comic book collector says thousands of his valuable collectibles seemingly disappeared without fair compensation. In 2020, Bernie Arsenault filed a lawsuit in federal court that names Kevin Bruneau, Travis Landry and Ashle Tortolani from Bruneau & Co. Auctioneers as defendants. Arsenault says he hired the auction house to sell 42,400 of his comic books in 2018, after Landry's multiple appearances on 'Antiques Roadshow' as an expert appraiser convinced him of Bruneau & Co.'s prominent reputation. According to Arsenault, Bruneau told him it would take three or four years to sell the entire collection. 'He said, 'You know, this would be like an annuity,'' explained Arsenault. He told Target 12 he was planning on using the money for his retirement. The lawsuit alleges Arsenault entered into a consignment contract with the company under which they would sell his comic books and keep 25% of the profit, while the remaining money after fees and costs would go back to Arsenault. For a while, he said, 'Everything seemed to be good.' Court documents show that Arsenault received more than $10,000 in checks from the auction house between 2018 and 2020. But the collector became suspicious when some of the checks didn't have any information about which specific comic books were sold and for what price. At first, he sent a letter to Bruneau & Co. asking the company to terminate their contract and send the remaining comic books back to him. When that didn't work out, he decided to file the lawsuit. 'At first it was the monetary, but at this stage of the game, it's now just about justice,' he said. Bruneau's attorney, Stephen Levesque, disputes the allegations made against his client and says Bruneau followed the terms of the agreement. Levesque says the company sold some of the books at a handful of auctions and sent the remaining books back to Arsenault. Levesque also claims that the collection was not worth $1 million as Arsenault claims, valuing it instead around $20,000. The lawsuit was scheduled to go to trial this year, but Bruneau filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in February, which put the trial on hold. Target 12 found more than 50 creditors listed on the filing, which claims Bruneau owes more than $700,000 — mainly to people who consigned with him. READ THE STORY: Local auctioneer files for bankruptcy, still owes consignors around $700K In a recent interview, Sheldon Stowe said he hired the auction company to sell 20 of his father's antique guns, but was never paid. 'It's a sad thing. I know that I didn't lose as much as other people,' Stowe said. Linda Bowers also relied on the auction house to sell her father's antique guns last summer and didn't receive the $3,200 payment that she was owed. 'It's time-consuming and it's frustrating,' she said. Target 12 reached out to Landry and Tortolani for a comment, but hasn't heard back. The bankruptcy case is still ongoing, but those typically take months. Once Bruneau & Co.'s bankruptcy is finalized, Arsenault's case will likely go to trial. Sarah Guernelli (sguernelli@ is the consumer investigative reporter for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Boston Globe
02-06-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Billerica girls run away with Division 3 track championship behind Nyrah Joseph's three event wins
'She's unbelievable,' Arsenault said as his team took a 'victory lap' after the championship. 'We're just happy we have her on our team. We're going to nickname her the 'Golden Girl' after this weekend. Scoring 30 points, that's very impressive, and we're going to miss her … It's safe to say she's the heartbeat of the team.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'It's the work ethic,' explained Joseph. 'In Billerica, if it's a rainy day, we're still practicing. Being able to persevere through cold practices, hot practices – it helps with our endurance and speed. It's great knowing the work over the years has come to life.' Advertisement Outside of Joseph's dominance, Billerica received a lift from Kylie Donahue, who placed second in both the mile (5:10.59) and the 2-mile (10:58.71). The Indians were runners-up in the 4x800 relay (9:42.68). On Friday, Sharon's Nina Kyei-Aboagye sprinted to the 200-meter title. Sunday, she blazed to the state's best time (11.74) in winning the 100. Advertisement In the boys' meet, a number of Walpole athletes traded caps and gowns for batons and spikes, skipping graduation to compete in the meet and the Timberwolves worked their way to the title, edging Longmeadow (69 points) and Billerica (52 points). 'It's a huge sacrifice that they made, and also that their families made, to commit to this,' said coach Corey Coogan. 'The guys came in Friday and really set the bar, and from there, we knew we had a chance. We came in today and got the job done.' Walpole was led by its pentathletes: Sawyer Regan (2,985 points) and Owen Abril (2,974 points) went 1-2 in that competition. Matthew St. Cyr was the best in javelin (197-02), while Austin Feener took the win in the 100 (10.84 seconds). With a few seniors prioritizing the state meet over graduation, the Walpole boys' track team won the Division 3 state title at Westfield State. Evan Walsh
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
After Man Dies Trying to Save Over 160 Cats from Fire, Nearly $1M Has Been Raised for the Cause He Gave His Life for
Over 160 cats died following a fire at a Long Island cat sanctuary on March 31, which also killed the property's owner Multiple organizations have since stepped up to help rescue the remaining missing cats, with dozens soon looking for new homes A GoFundMe campaign has already raised over $800,000 toward the cause Dozens of cats have been rescued, and more than 160 have been found dead, following a blaze at a cat sanctuary on Long Island, N.Y. late last month — as rescuers continue to locate the missing animals. On March 31, following a fire that broke out after 7 a.m. local time, Happy Cat Sanctuary founder Chris Arsenault and several of his cats were found dead at the Medford, New York location, which the 65-year-old owner used as a safe haven for cats since its founding in 2006, per ABC affiliate WABC. Friends told WABC at the time that Arsenault went back into the home to continue rescuing animals from the fire, which according to CBS News, was found to have an "undetermined" cause, meaning arson was not suspected. Now, rescuers are updating locals on the current death toll, as a shelter is hoping to help the cats that survived find new, "loving homes." Related: Cat Feared Dead in L.A. Wildfires Makes Her Way Back to Owner 2 Months Later: 'Never Lose Hope' Frankie Floridia of Strong Island Animal Rescue League and Robert Misseri of Paws of War revealed in a Facebook video on Monday, April 7 — as reported by CBS News — that 54 additional cats were found dead on the property early this week, bringing the total death toll to over 160 cats. Three of those cats were owned by Arsenault himself, they added. "Today has been a gruesome day as far as finding out how many more cats were actually in the house once we got some access," Floridia said. "When we set out this morning, the goal was always to see if there were any injured cats post-fire that went back into the rubble," Misseri added. "Thank God there were no living cats that were injured, but 54 deceased additional cats, over the 100, have been removed. Very difficult for our team here today." Related: 'Precious' Cat Rescued from L.A. Fires Now Recovering in Shelter: 'His Healing Is Coming Along Beautifully' On Tuesday, April 8, Strong Island updated its Facebook followers on the rescue efforts, noting that injured cats were "still being rescued" — including one now named Mittens that Arsenault's daughter decided to adopt "on the spot." Two days later, the nonprofit shared in another update that it was continuing to find animals and reiterated its efforts to leave "no one behind." "We are thankful to all of you who have been with us in spirit on this difficult journey, whether by sending kind words on social media, bringing cards thanking our teams or volunteering to help in some other way," Strong Island wrote. "Your prayers and good wishes have meant more than you can imagine to us, and we remain determined to find every last survivor, in Chris's honor." The recovery of animals remains "underway," according to a statement Happy Cat shared to its website on Thursday. Related: Married Volunteer Firefighters Lose Home and 2 of Their Dogs in Dryer Fire North Shore Animal League America also announced this week that over 50 veterinarians had come together to care for the dozens of surviving cats rescued from the blaze. The animals have been taken to a "temporary facility, where multiple medical stations were set up to provide exams, vaccinations, testing, deworming, and more — everything they need to begin healing and prepare for adoption," per the shelter. "Thanks to our incredible partners, we were able to deliver critical supplies, including vaccines, test kits, sedatives, and treatment products. 💉🩺🧴 Together, we showed what's possible when the animal welfare community comes together in a moment of need." WABC initially reported this week that the more than 180 surviving cats are now up for adoption, with Happy Cat later sharing in a website statement that it has partnered with organizations that are "continuing the work of decompression, socialization, and eventually, adoption." "If you are interested in adopting or helping a specific cat, we will direct you to the partner organization responsible for their care. Each organization will follow its own established adoption screening procedures." A GoFundMe campaign for Happy Cat Sanctuary has since raised over $800,000 as of Friday, April 11. "This has been an incredibly challenging time for all involved," a statement from the Happy Cat board and its volunteers, published Thursday, read. "The scope of this effort is unlike anything we've ever faced, and we are doing our best to ensure each cat receives the care, respect, and attention they deserve. We thank you for your compassion, your patience, and your ongoing support. Please check this page regularly for verified updates, and understand that while we may not be able to respond to every inquiry immediately, we are doing everything possible to stay organized and focused on the animals in our care." Read the original article on People
CBC
10-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Don't expect shoreline development ban to end soon, P.E.I. environment minister says
It will be years before a provincial government moratorium on Prince Edward Island coastal development is lifted, according to an update provided Wednesday in the legislature. The temporary prohibition was announced in December 2022 after concerns were raised about stone armouring put in place around a vacation home being built in Point Desroche on the Island's North Shore. The province is now in the process of developing shoreline protection plans for 17 areas covering every part of the Island's coast. Environment Minister Gilles Arsenault said the first of those plans won't be ready until the end of 2027. In the meantime, the restrictions will stay in place. "We want to make sure we get it right and we're not going to rush into any final decision," Arsenault said. "I think it's a reasonable timeline, and people seem to be connecting with my department if anything needs to occur if they are shoreline owners." Scenes from the legislature: Exchanges on coastal development restrictions and long-term care beds 3 hours ago Duration 2:00 Provincial officials say it will be years before restrictions on coastal development on P.E.I. will be lifted. And the province's health minister says P.E.I. is moving forward with a plan to expand long-term care beds on the Island. These were among the topics that came up in the P.E.I. Legislative Assembly this week. Back in 2022, then-environment minister Steven Myers implemented a moratorium on shoreline development until the department comes up with a new policy delineating what landowners can and can't do to protect their properties from coastal erosion. Since that order, permits related to new development in the coastal buffer zone have been frozen, with some exceptions. Report acting as roadmap In late 2023, the UPEI-affiliated Canadian Centre for Climate Change and Adaptation released a report outlining 16 policy recommendations to inform the government's future decisions about coastal development. The province commissioned the report as a roadmap to show politicians and civil servants how to mitigate damage from future weather events along the lines of the devastating post-tropical storm Fiona back in 2022. The government was also dealing with heated questions about buffer zones and shoreline access tied to the controversial Point Deroche project. The site sparked public outrage because the massive stone armouring installed to protect the property from erosion blocks access to the public beach. Arsenault said Friday that the first protection plans will be aimed at Lennox Island and the area stretching from Charlottetown around the southeast corner of P.E.I. up to the Boughton River. Islanders need to be able to protect their properties... and this government has only been an impediment to doing that. — Liberal MLA Robert Henderson Some politicians, including some within the governing Progressive Conservative ranks, have been critical about the length of time the restrictions have been in place. In the legislature Friday, Liberal MLA Robert Henderson said the two and a half years that lie ahead until the first of the pilot projects is announced in 2027 constitutes an "extreme amount of time." He added: "I thought for sure the minister would be making an announcement [today] that the moratorium would be lifted and allow Islanders to start to be able to protect our land. "Islanders need to be able to protect their properties, protect their investment, and this government has only been an impediment to doing that." But others, like Green MLA Peter Bevan-Baker, called the plan "absolutely critical" for protecting P.E.I.'s coastlines, no matter what the timeline looks like. In the meantime, the province will allow development permits in some exceptional cases, including repairs to existing critical infrastructure. Arsenault urged any Islanders with shoreline properties to contact his department if they need to request an exemption in a case like that.
