Jail Time

Refusing to comply with court orders to abstain from alcohol along with assaulting his ex and making harassing phone calls to her has landed a Lunenburg County man behind bars for five months. Forty-four year old Jeffrey Wayne Warner admitted he has an alcohol problem and when he drinks he gets into trouble. His latest charges stem from incidents going back to last May when RCMP responded to an assault complaint in Hemford. Warner kicked in the bedroom door and pushed his girlfriend who then said she was leaving. He threatened to use an axe on anyone who came to pick her up. As a result of that incident he was ordered to have no contact with the woman, but last July 22nd he called the woman 12 times and sent 50 text messages. While the Mounties were at the residence taking the complaint Warner called the woman another 10 times. The Crown consolidated a number of breach charges involving a no contact clause and the consumption of alcohol. Following his jail term, Warner will be on probation for a year with orders to take counselling for substance abuse and spousal violence. He is also prohibited from contacting his former girlfriend.

Alcohol to Minor

Four rum and cokes turned out to be on the expensive side for a Bridgewater man charged with supplying a minor with alcohol. Thirty-four year old Scott Campbell of Maple Street was fined $500 after pleading guilty to giving a 14 year old girl liquor. Police received a call from a woman who said her teenaged daughter might be at the Maple Street address. When police arrived Campbell first denied the girl was there. Police entered the apartment and found the girl highly intoxicated and partially disrobed. She was transported by ambulance to hospital. Campbell told the Judge he thought the girl was 18, which is still under the legal age for consumption of alcohol.

Dayspring Infill Fine

A case that's been before the courts for four years concluded yesterday with a Bridgewater area woman being fined more than $18,000 for infillng a saltmarsh area on the LaHave River. Corinna Kincaid-Lowe and her company Nova Stone Exporters infilled the environmentally sensitive property in Dayspring back in August 2002. The Provincial Environment Department became involved after learning the matter was under their jurisdiction, not the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Three years later Kincaid-Lowe was charged with contravening a Ministerial order to remove the infill. Numerous delays involving changing lawyers resulted in the case dragging on with no resolution. Yesterday, in Bridgewater Provincial Court Judge Anne Crawford admonished Kincaid-Lowe for her foot dragging and lack of good faith saying the situation cried out for remediation. The fine of $18,379 covers the cost of the remediation effort and is more than the property itself which was assessed at $13,400. Kincaid-Lowe also has to pay a 10 percent victim fine surcharge.

Eat Local

Farmers, chefs, musicians, and vendors will join together to celebrate local food at the Incredible Picnic this Sunday in communities across the province including White Point Beach Resort in Queens County. The Incredible Picnic is a celebration of local food mixed with live music, children's activities and learning opportunities. Agriculture Minister John MacDonell says a publicly supported buy-local initiative is a beginning for a more competitive and profitable agriculture sector.