Navy Centennial Celebrations

The Town of Lunenburg will be presented with a plaque as part of the Canadian Navy's Centennial celebrations slated for June 29th to July 2nd. Mayor Laurence Mawhinney says despite the fact all the events are scheduled for Halifax, Town Council is looking at holding some type of reception possibly in conjunction with the Legion. Mawhinney says a plaque is being presented to each community which had a vessel that bore the name of that community in the second world war. The HMCS Lunenburg was a flower class corvette during the second world war, and some of the memorabilia of that corvette is still in Lunenburg at the Legion and Town Hall. Meantime, the Navy is sending a vessel to Lunenburg on May 10th to take part in torch ceremonies for the 2011 Canada Winter Games.

Justice Grants Awarded

Bridgewater and Chester are among the communities receiving grants from the Department of Justice for projects aimed at reducing and preventing crime. In total, 80-thousand dollars is being distributed to 35 organizations by the Department of Justice to support crime prevention and reduction in the province. The majority of projects are aimed at young people. Bridgewater Police Service will receive, $5 thousand dollars, Bridgewater Senior Safety gets $3 thousand, while the
Chester Art Centre Association,also receives $3,300 dollars. The funding will help pay for events, activities and equipment that give Nova Scotians an opportunity to participate in community programs.

Hospital Budget Approved

South Shore Health is getting some help from the province to cover a two year deficit. CEO Alice Leverman says the Department of Health has approved 1.7 million dollars to offset the deficit from 2008/09.As well South Shore Health received 1.3 million to be added to the base budget on a go forward basis. In addition, Leverman says over the last year South Shore Health has identified more than a million dollars in cost savings and revenue generation that has contributed to the bottom line. She says they put in a number of spending controls including reviews of new hires, reductions in overtime and travel and non-essential expenditures. Leverman says the upcoming year will be challenging as they're not anticipating any new funding for fiscal 2010/11. She says they're in the process of creating a Quality Improvement Action Plan focusing on quality improvements to make the best use of limited resources.

Reward for stolen property at Oceanview Landscaping

Owners of the Oceanview Landscaping in Chester, are offering a $1000 reward for anyone who knows who was involved in the theft of items taken from their store on March 28th between 5am and 6:40am. Two cut-off saws and some other lawn and garden equipment were taken. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Chester RCMP or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Terry Hawkins Industries

Terry Hawkins Industries in Shelburne is one of 20 company's across Canada that has been nominated for a Manning Award. The award recognizes and encourages innovation in Canada. Terry Hawkins Industries is a manufacturer of Fibreglass Reinforced Polymer/Plastic products for Infrastructure, Commercial and Home use. For information visit their website at http://www.terryhawkinsindustries.com

Wilson's Gets Go-ahead for Lunenburg Development

It's pretty much a go for the construction of a combination gas bar,
convenience store and drive-thru restaurant in Lunenburg. Wilsons Fuels of Halifax wants to reconfigure the Esso station on Falkland Street and needed Council's approval for two amendments to the Land Use By-law. Wilson's requested allowance for a pump island be located 10 feet from the Falkland Street property line, and to allow for a driveway to be located 9 feet 9 inches from the intersection of Station Lane with Falkland Street. Mayor Laurence Mawhinney says despite Council's approval of the project anyone who objects to Councils decision has a 14 day period to make an appeal before the provincial Utility and Review Board. He says while the decision has been made, nothing is ever binding until they pass the date in which appeals can be received. As for a suggestion that Council take the matter to the communnity, Mawhinney says there is no provision given under the Municipal Government Act for a plebiscite on this particular issue.

Bridgewater's Deputy Police Chief has been named the policing award recipient by the Provincial Justice Minister. John Collyer received the award during a ceremony in Halifax today. Collyer volunteers as vice president of the South Shore Big Brothers, Big Sisters board of directors and school mentor for youth at risk. He implemented the Kids N Kops program that offers youth at risk a one-week summer camp.
Collyer was one of six Nova Scotians recognized today (March 30th) for their efforts to prevent crime and make communities safer. Awards were presented in six categories including individual, youth, community group or organization, community policing, media and business community. For more information on the awards go the department website at www.gov.ns.ca/just .

Water Testing

South Shore Health will introduce changes to water testing next month in order to meet new accreditation standards for water testing. Water samples must now be stored between 1 and 10 degrees Celsius(not frozen) and delivered within 24 hours of collection. Samples that have a temperature higher than 10 degrees will no longer be accepted for testing. Drop off hours are also being reduced . Testing will not be done on Fridays, weekends or Holidays. Water samples will only be accepted 8 am to 2 pm Monday to Thursday at the Business Office at South Shore Regional Hospital, 8 am to 11 am Monday to Thursday at Queens General Hospital and during scheduled blood collection clinics in New Germany, New Ross and Chester.
The Department of Environment recommends testing your well water for bacteria every six months.

Chester RCMP Investigate Break-ins

A pharmacy and fire department were the target of thieves over the last week. Chester RCMP are investigating a break and enter at the Chester Pharmasave on Sunday March 28th between 5 to 6:40 a.m. Money and narcotics were stolen during the break. The Hubbards Fire Department was also broken into sometime between 9:30pm March 25th and 4:30pm March 26th. Two radios vital to the operation of the fire department and some tools were stolen. As well, damage was done to some equipment inside the building. Anyone with information concerning the incidents is asked to contact the Chester RCMP or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-9477 (TIPS)

Partners to Protect Watershed

The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation and the Nova Scotia Salmon Association have partnered to improve efforts to protect and restore local watersheds and improve Nova Scotia's water quality. Using the proceeds of its annual ECO SALE, The liquor corporation has made a five-year, $500,000 commitment to the NSLC Adopt-A-Stream program. The NSLC presented the salmon association with the first $100,000 installment Monday, March 29, which will be used to fund stream, river and headwater projects across Nova Scotia.

**News release courtesy of NSLC**

Pharmacists to Assist Doctors

Amendments to the Pharmacy Act now mean that pharmacists in Nova Scotia will be able to administer vaccinations and order some diagnostic tests. Health Minister Maureen MacDonald says the goal is to take advantage of a pool of qualified professionals in order to free up doctors to concentrate on other areas of health care. The Minister says although the move will create efficiencies in the health system, she's currently unable to put a dollar figure on any potential savings. She also can't say for certain whether a user fee will be put in place, although she adds it's not currently planned.Regulations are being worked on and it's hoped the first qualified pharmacists will be able to carry out their new duties some time this year.
The move by Nova Scotia follows similar initiatives in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and New Brunswick.

AbitibiBowater Mersey Paper Company Limited

Employees at the AbitibiBowater Mersey Paper Company in Liverpool could soon be having a 5 week vacation.

A tentative date of April 16th until May 19th is the time period in which the plant will stop production due to the economic downturn.

AbitibiBowater produces a wide range of newsprint, commercial printing papers, market pulp and wood products. It is the eighth largest publicly traded pulp and paper manufacturer in the world.

Region of Queens meeting tonight

A meeting will be held tonight to discussing ways to maximize the opportunities presented by the upcoming Festival and Event season in the Region of Queens.

The Festival organizers and Queens businesses are holding the meeting this evening at 7pm in the Council Chambers at the Region of Queens Municipality’s offices.

Discussion will be focused on methods that can engage the whole community in celebration and create a memorable experience for visitors.

Three new by-laws for The Municipality of the District of Shelburne

Three new by-laws were passed this month at The Municipality of the District of Shelburne's regular Council meeting.

A new repeal bylaw eliminates many outdated bylaws, while the A Shelburne County East RCMP Advisory Board Bylaw establishes a new merged RCMP advisory board for the three municipalities in eastern Shelburne County.

The third bylaw was an Emergency Management Response Bylaw that provides the structure for the Municipality to function with the Town of Lockeport and the Town of Shelburne in the Shelburne County East Emergency Measures Organization.

SSRSB to Split Services

The South Shore Regional School Board is following the provincial model and will separate student services/student programs.Superintendent Nancy Pynch-Worthylake says presently the Board has a unique model in the province with a coordinator responsible for programs and student services at the elementary level, and a coordinator responsible for programs and student services at the secondary level. She says that will be reorganized to align with the provincial model which is a
a coordinator of programs for grades primary to 12 and a separate coordinator for student services for grades primary to 12.
The recommendation to match the provincial model was supported by the Board and will be implemented for the new school year in September

Investigation into East River Highway Fatal

The Lunenburg District RCMP continue their investigation into the cause of a traffic accident in Lunenburg County that has claimed the life of a 47-year-old man.

The two-vehicle accident occured shortly before 5:30 Saturday afternoon on Highway-103 between Exit-6 and Exit-7.

Two other people were taken to hospital from the scene of the head-on collision in East River with "non-life threatening" injuries.

The RCMP report that an autopsy has been conducted on the body of the Halifax man, whose name the Mounties have not released at the request of his family.

Hubbards Gas Station Robbery

The RCMP are investigating a robbery at a service-station in Lunenburg County.

The Mounties report that the "Irving" gas-station in Hubbards lost a large-amount of cash during a break-in that took place either late Thursday night or early yesterday morning.

If you can help the Chester RCMP with information that could lead to an arrest, give them a call at 275-3583 or dial "Crimestoppers" at 1-800-222-8477.

Baker's Settlement Break-in

The Mounties continue their investigation into a robbery at a Lunenburg County home.

The RCMP say that someone stole a safe from a residence in Baker's Settlement earlier this week.

The safe contained various items -- including money, jewelry and tools.

If you have any information that could lead to an arrest, call the Bridgewater RCMP at 527-5555 or dial "Crimestoppers" at 1-800-222-TIPS.

High Value Trees

Owners of small private woodlots and forestry contractors in Lunenburg County can learn how to grow high value trees through a free educational program. Growers are invited to learn about uneven-aged management and quality improvement silviculture at a workshop in the West Northfield area April 24th. The workshop will be followed by a visit to a nearby woodlot where uneven aged management has been practiced for many generations.
Space is limited, and pre-registration is required. Call 902-673-2278 or email outreach@asforestry.com. Sponsored by the Association for Sustainable Forestry's Uneven-Aged Management Outreach Project, http://www.asforestry.com/Category7Program.htm

1 Million for Ross Farm Museum

A million dollar investment by the federal government a major step forward for the construction of the first phase of an environmentally sustainable Learning Centre for the Ross Farm Museum. The investment, will assist in the design and construction of the first 9,600 square feet of the facility—its foundation and main level—as well as upgrades to the Museum’s parking lot. Once completed, the building’s main level will consist of public space, including a foyer, programming rooms, washrooms, meeting rooms, an open hearth room, a commercial kitchen, a gift shop, an office for the local Historical Society, research space and controlled storage for artifacts. The building’s upper level will house administrative space, a staff kitchen, a first aid room and space for the production and storage of period costumes. The New Ross District Museum Society has operated the Ross Farm Museum since 1970. The Museum depicts the authentic experience of a typical 19th and early 20th century working upland family farm in Nova Scotia.
The funding through ACOA’s Innovative Communities Fund,was announced today by South Shore St. Margaret's MP Gerald Keddy.

Liverpool man charged with Cemetery mischief

A Liverpool man have been charged in the damaging of headstones at a Liverpool cemetery.

The 18-year-old, charged with mischief, is scheduled to appear in Provincial court in Liverpool on June 1st.

The incident took place some time around March 12th at the Catholic Cemetery located on College Street in Liverpool.

Hockey for Haiti

In an effort to raise money for Haiti a Hockey game is set for tomorrow at the Queens memorial arena in Liverpool.

The pee-wee Rep Cougars will take on the "Celebrity no stars" from Liverpool at 2pm.

Admission is a free will offering and doors open at 1:30 with activities going on throughout the afternoon.

Break & enter at Wendy's restaurant

Bridgewater Police are investigating a break and enter at the Wendy's restaurant shortly before 1 a.m on Sunday. Police responded to two alarm calls at local businesses adjacent to each other. They discovered someone had made a forced entry into Wendy's. Witnesses in the area reported seeing the suspects leave in a grey car. Anyone who may have information about the break-in is asked to call the Bridgewater Police Service or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8447.

Last Students for Riverport Elementary

Only nine students will be attending the Riverport and District Elementary School next year. The school is slated for closure when the new Lunenburg P to 9 school is built. Nancy Pynch-Worthylake, Superintendent of the South Shore Regional School Board says until the new school is built, those attending Riverport were given the choice to stay there or attend classes at Centre Consolidated. There will be one class including grades one and three at Riverport Elementary next September. Music and gym classes will be delivered by specialist teachers who are serving more than one school.

Cancer Care Lecture Series

South Shore residents can take part in the Cancer Answers lecture series available by video conference at three area sites . They include the South Shore Regional Hospital, Roseway Hospital, Shelburne; and Shoreham Village, Chester; The series is designed to provide
Nova Scotians with quality cancer information. The next session " Long-term side effects of chemotherapy - The road less traveled," is scheduled for
April 13 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The lecture will be presented by Dr. Daniel Rayson, Medical Oncologist, Capital Health Cancer Care Program.

NS. Throne Speech

Government unveiled its four-year vision to make life better for Nova Scotia families while providing the strong leadership to improve the province's finances and ensuring it lives within its means. Lt.-Gov. Mayann Francis opened the Second Session of the 61st General Assembly of Nova Scotia with the Speech from the Throne today. In it, Premier Darrell Dexter outlined government's plan to meet the challenges ahead with the determined, focused effort needed to get the province's finances back to balance while making life more affordable for Nova Scotians.
Government's four priorities presented in the speech are: Better Health Care for You and Your Family, Creating Good Jobs and Growing the Economy, Making Life More Affordable, and Getting Back to Balance and Ensuring Government Lives Within Its Means.

***Courtesy of Communications Nova Scotia***

Team Southwest

The Municipality of Shelburne is supporting federal government efforts to establish Its mandate will be to address the severe economic challenges in southwestern Nova Scotia. The Municipality intends to be a full participant in the Team Southwest process and to work cooperatively to meet common objectives relative to economic development. Meantime, the Municipality
has developed its own strategic plan to help address some economic challenges and is looking forward to working with the other levels of government to partner on a number of proposed initiatives including:

· The Eastern Shelburne County Energy Strategy.

· A Municipal Investment Strategy

· Shelburne Industrial Park Development

· The Municipal Sewage Treatment Facility

· The Development of a State of the Art Medical Clinic

· Physician Recruitment

South Shore Bowl for Kids' Sake

The South Shore Big Brothers Big Sisters 25th annual Bowl for Kids' sake was another huge success this year.

A total of just over $27 thousand was raised and donations are still coming in.

For more information on how to donate or to become involved with Big Brothers visit the South Shore Big Brothers, Big Sisters website at - http://www.bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/southshore

Board Names New Lunenburg P - 9 School

Students who will be attending the new P-to-9 school in the Town of Lunenburg have chosen to name it Bluenose Academy. The students voted on five submission with the top three choices forwarded to the South Shore Regional School Board for final approval. Superintendent Nancy Pynch-Worthylake says Bluenose Academy was the number one choice of the students with 32 percent and the Board ratified the students recommendation. Other names submitted were Lunenburg Community School (142 votes )-24%, Harbourfront Academy (100 votes)- 17%,Michael G. Baker Community School (92 votes)- 16%, Bluenose Community School (59 votes) -10%. The new school will be constructed on the current site of the Lunenburg Junior High School on Knickle Road.

Hebb's Cross Town Hall Meeting

Road safety was the main concern brought up at last nights town hall meeting in Hebb's Cross that was held to discuss the Annual RCMP performance plan.

Staff sergeant for Lunenburg County District, Mark Furey made the presentation at last nights meeting and one of his main points was that RCMP encourage residents to notify the police when they witness a crime.

The next town hall meeting will be held a the Petite Riviere Fire Department on Thursday evening, March 25th from 7pm-9pm.

If you are not able to attend one of the RCMP Lunenburg County Town Hall Meetings and wish to contribute to the discussions you can email the RCMP Lunenburg County District at lunenburgcountyrcmp@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

Sustainability Programs

Bridgewater Town Council has approved and adopted an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan. It contains a list of 62 recommended actions to be completed over the next 5 to 7 years in order to make Bridgewater a more sustainable community. Council has already committed 5 thousand dollars in this years budget for implementation of ICSP community programs. Sustainability Planner Leon DeVreede recommended to Council the approval of four community programs including a sustainability festival, support for the Farmers Market, a community energy assistance fund and a "Support Local" campaign

Volunteer Tax Assistance

The Canada Revenue Agency is offering a helping hand to low income individuals in Bridgewater needing help with their tax returns. Trained volunteers can help complete income tax and benefit returns for those with simple tax situations. That includes single persons with income under $25,000 and couples or adults with children with income under $30,000. The assistance is offered through CRA's Volunteer Income Tax Program. A Bridgewater clinic will be held today from 8:30 to 3 p.m. at the Community College on High Street. For an appointment call 543-2295.
Other clinics are set for April 8th, 9th, 15th, 16th ,28th, 29th and 30th.
Taxpayers should bring their information slips (T4’s, T5’s, etc.), medical expense receipts, charitable donation receipts and any T1 package they may have received in the mail. Taxpayers should also have the following information ready: their SIN and their personal information such as date of birth, address and marital status. For more information, visit our website at:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/vlntr/clncs/bridgewater-ns-eng.html

Go Fish

A sure sign Spring is really here.. sportfishing season opens in most areas of the province on April 1st. More than 100-thousand anglers enjoy fishing throughout the year, taking part in free fishing weekends and activities like fishing derbies and Learn to Fish programs. Licence fees, taxes included, are $25.85 for the season for residents of Nova Scotia and $59.57 for non-residents.. Seniors' fishing licences are available for $6.33. One-day licences are available to resident and non-resident anglers for $13.07. All anglers age 16 or older must purchase a general fishing licence. Licences are valid until March 31, 2011. Anglers who plan to fish during the winter season should keep their licence.
New regulations, and changes to regulations, are included in the 2010 Angler's Handbook and Summary of Regulations, which accompanies each fishing licence.
More information on angling and a list of special regulations by recreational fishing area can be found on the Fisheries and Aquaculture website at www.gov.ns.ca/fish/sportfishing .

New School Board Member

Dan Hudson is the newest member of the South Shore Regional School Board. He was elected to the District 9 seat by acclamation . Hudson, who was the sole candidate by the March 23rd deadline, is a resident of Chester Grant and has two children in the public school system. The seat will be declared at tonight's School Board meeting and Hudson will be sworn in over the coming weeks. The by-election was originally scheduled for April 17, but will no longer be required.
District nine covers Forest Heights Community School, Chester District Elementary School, Chester Area Middle School, Gold River Western Shore Elementary School and New Ross Consolidated. Some students living in this district may also attend Park View Education Centre and Bayview Community School. There are ten school districts and seats for an African Nova Scotian Board Member and First Nations Representative Board Member for a total of 12.

Baby Slings Recall

Parents who use the Infantino ``SlingRider'' and ``Wendy Bellissimo'' are asked to stop, immediately! More than one million baby slings made by Infantino are being recalled because the products have been linked to three infant deaths. Fifteen-thousand of the slings were sold in Canada.

*Information from The Canada Press

Assessment in Baby Case

A Liverpool woman charged in the death of her newborn baby has been sent for a psychological assessment. Twenty-five year old Amanda Lynn Oickle is facing charges of neglecting to get assistance during childbirth, and concealing the body of her infant son. Her lawyer says she has concerns whether Oickle has the ability to fully understand the charges against her and to give legal instructions. A neuropsychological assessment has been arranged to be conducted May 10th and the report will take about a month. The lawyer is also awaiting further disclosure from the prosecution
Oickle's former partner,31 year old Andrew Gary Cunningham is also charged with concealing the body of a child and breaching his conditional sentence. His lawyer says he's awaiting DNA results. The case has been set over to June 29th at which time both accused are expected to enter pleas.

Lunenburg Gas Bar/Drive-Thru

A proposal to redevelop the old Esso station on Falkland Street in Lunenburg is on hold for another week. Residents packed the Lunenburg Court House last night for a public hearing on the matter. Mayor Laurence Mawhinney says the hearing has been adjourned until next Tuesday to receive information from the traffic authority and fire chief.
The hearing will be reconvened at the point it was adjourned, awaiting Council's decision on the proposal. Wilsons Fuel Company plans to develop the property into a combination gas bar,convenience store and drive-thru restaurant.

Baby Death Charges

A Queens County couple will be back in court this morning facing charges in relation to the death of their newborn child are back in Liverpool court today. Twenty-five year old Amanda Lynn Oickle is charged with failing to obtain assistance in childbirth and hiding the body of a child. Thirty-one year old Andrew Gary Cunningham is charged with concealing the body of a child and breaching his conditional sentence. The pair were arrested hours after bringing the remains of a baby boy into Queens General Hospital last October. It's alleged that
Oickle gave birth in her apartment, and the baby either died in childbirth or shortly after. It was also alleged the couple hid the body in the oven in their apartment for five days, before bringing it to the hospital.

Town Vehicle Policy

The Town of Bridgewater making some changes that will affect employees using their personal vehicles. Mayor Carroll Publicover says there seemed to be some inconsistencies and the Town has adopted the provincial kilometre rate for daily use. Employees travelling a distance of 250 kilometres or greater will be encouraged to rent a vehicle. If they choose to use their own the reimbursement rate will be the same as a rental rate. As well the Town will eliminate monthly car allowances. The current employees will be grandfathered. When those positions change, the allowance will disappear.

Residents to Pay for LCLC

Bridgewater Residents will be asked to help pay for the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre through a special purpose tax. Bridgewater Mayor Carroll Publicover says the Town is following the lead of its partner in implementing the special tax. Property owners will be able to see how much the Lifestyle Centre will be costing on their property tax bills. Publicover says they still have to decide how much residential and how much commercial and whether it will be all one or the other or a blend. He says the facts and figures still have to be worked out. The tax will not be implemented until the 2011/12 fiscal year.
The Town along with the Municipality of Lunenburg have committed to funding totalling one third of the complex previously estimated at 31.5 million. However, the cost has now risen to 42 million if all the preferred components of 2 ice rinks, a pool and library are included.

Transportation Services for Residents of Chester

A new accessible bus for residents of the Municipality of Chester was announced this morning.

Both levels of government represented by South Shore St. Margaret's MP Gerald Keddy, and Community Services Minister and area MLA Denise Peterson-Rafuse was on hand for the announcement.

Minister Keddy says “This new bus will provide safe, reliable and inclusive transportation services for residents of the Municipality of the District of Chester.”

Growing Tourism Together workshop

In a effort to support tourism within the area a workshop will be held tomorrow at the Best Western Hotel in Liverpool.

Chair of the Tourism committee Donna Hatt, says they need to engage more of the tourism and related businesses and organizations within our communities to strengthen and grow tourism.

The free Growing Tourism Together workshop is being held tomorrow March, 23rd, from 9:30 am - 12 noon.

The upcoming workshop is open to everyone in Queens County and organizer are delighted to be working with tourism operators from Port Medway, Caledonia, Port Mouton, Greenfield as well as Liverpool and everywhere in between.

There is no fee to attend and those attending are invited to bring along their brochures and related promotional materials for exchanging with others. To RSVP, phone Amanda Wambolt at 354.2377 or email her at amanda.wamboldt@bwliverpool.ca by March 19th.

RCMP Files

Chester RCMP are asking for the public's help involving cases of vandalism. Two windows at Chester District School were broken sometime overnight Thursday, March 18th. As well a number of mailboxes were damaged along Highway 329 from Blandford to Fox Point overnight Thursday into Friday morning. Meantime Lunenburg County RCMP are investigating the theft of a trailer from a residence in Parkdale. Sometime between 12:30 and 3:30 pm on March 11th, a black 16 foot long deck 2007 Rainbow Utility Trailer was was removed from the driveway of a residence on the Farmington Road.

Gold River Assault

RCMP are continuing their investigation into an assault with a weapon in Gold River over the weekend. The incident happened Sunday morning. There were several victims involved in the incident. A suspect was arrested and charged and will be appearing in Bridgewater Provincial court today.

Transit Event

An important transit event for the Municipality of Chester will be unveiled this morning. Both levels of government represented by South Shore St. Margaret's MP Gerald Keddy, and Community Services Minister and area MLA Denise Peterson-Rafuse will be on hand for the announcement. ; David Outhouse, Managing Director of South Shore Community Association; and Michael Graves, Coordinator, United Way of Lunenburg County will also be in attendance at the announcement slated for 9 o'clock this morning at the South Shore Work Activity Program, 23 Collicutt Road.

Food for Thought

Making Bridgewater a better place for youth and the new proposed skate park were the two topics of this weeks Food for Thought workshop.

On Monday the Youth Action Team met to discuss what Bridgewater needs to make the town more appealing for youth.

Manager of the Bridgewater Development Association, Ida Scott says the discussion was well received and they plan to have another meeting in the upcoming weeks.

For more information tune into South Shore Sunday morning this Sunday at 9am.

New French school for the South Shore

The Francophone community in the South Shore will soon have a brand new primary to grade 9 facility in Cookville.

The new school will be replacing the current French school in Blockhouse.

The facility will house 285 students and is set to have its grand opening at the end of this year.

"The Horse Boy" comes to Bridgewater

A true story about a family who took an adventure through Mongolia on horse back with their autistic son makes its Atlantic premier this weekend at the Days Inn in Bridgewater.

"The Horse Boy" produced by father Rupert Iasscson is a story about him and his wife, Kristin who go on an adventure to search for healing with their 5-year-old autistic son, Rowan.

The showing of the film is sold out but for more information visit www.HorseBoyMovie.com

Gastro-intestinal Illness

South West Health serving Shelburne, Yarmouth and Digby Counties is reminding people to stay home and not visit friends or family in hospital if you are feeling ill. There has been some gastro-intestinal illness in the community, and people who are ill are advised to stay away from the hospital to reduce the risk of spreading the virus to patients. South West Health does not plan at this time to close any hospital units or restrict visitors as a result of the gastro-intestinal illness in the community but are monitoring the situation closely. If you are feeling ill, and your symptoms become severe, please call your family physician or visit the nearest Emergency Department. People can also call 811 to speak to a Registered Nurse 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Emergency Services get $

Funding for Emergency Services in Lunenburg was announced today. NPD MLA Pam Birdsall says she is pleased that five organizations will receive a total of more than $45 thousand dollars. Birdsall added this funding will assist firefighters and other first responders fulfill their vital roles.

The organizations are:

- Cornwall & District Volunteer Fire Department ($15,000)
- Lunenburg Ground Search and Rescue ($944)
- Mahone Bay and Area Fire Department ($15,000)
- Maitland & District Volunteer Fire Department ($10,000)
- Riverport & District Fire Department ($5,000)

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Well making your party plans today, make sure you include a plan for a safe and sober ride. Public safety officials say St. Patrick's Day has been the holiday with the highest percentage of alcohol-related traffic deaths.

*Information from Canadian Press

Crousetown woman found

A Lunenburg County woman reported missing yesterday was found unhurt after spending nearly 8 hour in nearby woods. The 70-year-old resident of Crousetown had gone for a walk just after lunch without telling family where she was going. Around 3 o'clock they began to search the local area then called police around 6pm. The woman walked out onto a road approximately 8km from her home.

Hanging up the Holster

It's time to hang up the holster for the top Mountie in the Region of Queens. Staff Sgt. Bruno Deveau is retiring at the end of this month after some 35 plus years of service with the RCMP. He says its time to move on and let someone else to take over the seat. Staff Sgt. Deveau has headed up the Queens detachment for the past 3 and a-half years. Opening the lines of communication with Council and the community has been rewarding. They've also opened a community policing office in Caledonia. Staff Sgt. Deveau says he'll miss the employees and the challenges associated with the job but is looking forward to doing some travelling. with his wife Wanda. Sgt. Jeff Wells formerly with the South Shore Traffic Services will be the new commander of the Queens detachment

Municipal Auditor General

The Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities is seeking input on the potential workplan for the Municipal Auditor General. The province announced two years ago it would appoint a Municipal Auditor General to perform value for money audits. The positron was to be appointed by this April 1st, but the Minister has granted an extension.
Region of Queens Mayor John Leefe says its absolutely essential to get it right the first time. He says there has been some suggestion the UNSM would dictate the areas in which the Auditor General would undertake his reviews. Leefe says Queens supports the model whereby the Municipal Auditor General would have a small staff and farm out audits to the private sector, rather than creating a whole new bureaucracy that would be the equivalent to the operation that the Provincial Auditor General supports

Tourism Kiosks

Finding a location for a third tourism kiosk is proving a bit of a challenge for the Municipality of Lunenburg. Deputy-Mayor Martin Bell says initially they agreed to place one centrally, one on the east side of the LaHave River, and one on the west side of the river. A chosen location in Bayport had to be scrapped because a restaurant where the panel was to be placed has closed. Councillors couldn't reach agreement where the third panel should be relocated. Bell says the Tourism Focus Group has been given 30 days to bring back a recommendation to Council.
The two sites already selected for the kiosks are near the Best Western Hotel under construction in Cookville, and Mosher's look-off in Dublin Shore. The kiosks are being erected as a temporary measure for the 2010 tourism season, while a determination is made on a permanent Visitor Information Centre.

Counterfeit Cash

Next time your handed a twenty dollar bill you better make sure it's real. Shelburne RCMP recently received a complaint from a local business who believed they received counterfeit twenty dollar bills. Two 18 year old residents were arrested and are set to appear in court at a later date on counterfeit charges. Six twenty counterfeit bills were seized.

Things to check:

1. Feel the texture of the bill.
2. Compare the bill with another of the same denomination and series.
3. Look carefully at the printing quality.
4. Look for coloured strands in the paper.
5. Hold it up to the light and look at the watermark.
6. Examine the serial numbers.

Possible salmonella in Lay's Potato Chips

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning the public not to consume certain sized bags of Lay's Smokey Bacon flavour Potato Chips. The chips contain tainted ingredients which have been recalled in the U-S and Canada by Basic Food Flavours.

*Information from The Canadian Press.

Cemetery Vandalism

RCMP in Queens County are investigating an incident of vandalism at the Catholic cemetery in Liverpool . Several headstones in the College Street cemetery were damaged sometime between Friday March 12th and Monday March 15th. Anyone having any information regarding the damage is asked to contact the Liverpool Office of the RCMP at 354-5721.

Top Mountie Moving On

Just about a year ago he took an unpaid leave to enter provincial politics, now Staff Sgt. Mark Furey is making another move. The RCMP Commander of the Lunenburg County detachment is taking a one year posting to Kosovo. He leaves the job he's held here since August 2008 at the end of this month. Staff Sgt. Furey will be working in the senior levels of the Kosovo Police Service. His replacement has not been named.
Furey ran for the Liberal party in Lunenburg West in the last provincial election. He finished in third place. The seat was won by NDP candidate Gary Ramey who ousted former Conservative cabinet Minster Carolyn Bolivar-Getson.

RCMP Reduction

Usually its a call for more police officers but the Region of Queens is asking the Justice Minster for a reduction of RCMP service levels by one member. Mayor John Leefe says about four years ago Council increased the budgeting for RCMP officers by two . The purpose was to get a handle on street crime. However, two years later the province introduced a program aimed at preventing street crime and fully funds the Integrated Street Crime Units across the province.. Leefe says
Queens and Lunenburg Counties work together with RCMP members from both detachments along with the Bridgewater Police Service.

Queens Place Operating Budget

A first year operating budget for the proposed Queens Place recreation centre show a deficit of almost 255 thousand dollars. Region of Queens Mayor John Leefe says the figures are for the first full year of operation which will be from April 1st, 2012 to March 31st, 2013. He says the numbers are based on the long term experience of the Queens Memorial Arena Association, the Queens Fitness group, and projections based on talks with operators of similar facilities.
Leefe says on the expenditure side the total operating deficit is projected to be 254 thousand 508 dollars, but he says offsets include an increase of one-half percent in the deed transfer tax which will be totally dedicated to defraying the operating cost. Also he says there will be ongoing revenue sources such as the landfill reserves to reduce the deficit to 177 thousand which will be supported by an increase of about two cents on the tax rate.

Agricultural Safety Week

Farmers are being encouraged to make the health and safety of their workers a priority during Canadian Agricultural Safety Week which runs until Saturday. Plan - Farm - Safety is the theme of a three-year campaign that focuses on farmers developing a farm safety plan for their business. This year, the campaign will promote the plan component of the theme with safety walkabouts and planning. Next year, the farm component will include implementing, documenting and training. The third year will emphasize the safety component, including assessing, improving and further developing of safety systems.

Protect the Bay

A group of residents from St Margaret's Bay have joined together to let the government know they aren't happy with plans for a connector road between the Bay and Highway 103. Resident, Sean Kirby says the $10 million dollars budgeted for the connector could be used for more important things such as education and health care. He added the proposed connector is a shameful waste of taxpayers' money at a time when the province faces so many challenges.

For more information visit www.protectthebay.ca

Roseway Manor CLOSED

An influenza outbreak has caused the Roseway Manor in Shelburne to close until further notice. If anyone has any questions, you can call the RN Supervisor at 875-4707, ext 224.

Food for Thought

A Food for Thought for Youth workshop is being held this afternoon from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the Michelin Social Club. Young people are invited to give suggestions about what is needed for youth in the Bridgewater area, and who can help make it happen. Youth will be invited to join the Youth Action Team which is an Action Team of the Bridgewater Development Association. A major project being worked on at this time is designing and building a permanent skateboard park near the Fieldhouse.

Low Income Tax Exemption

The Municipality of Chester is holding the line on its tax exemption policy . Tax exemption amounts for this year remain as they presently are. The tax exemption amounts range from 400 dollars for owners with an income level of 12 thousand or less to 100 dollars for owners with an income level of 15 thousand one dollar to 17 thousand. Warden Alan Webber says last year the figure came in at around 30 thousand dollars of lost tax revenue for the Municipality.