Deere Beats CAT

John Deere beat out the CAT. Bridgewater Town Council awarded Wallace Equipment Limited a tender for 143 thousand 925 dollars for the purchase of a 4X4 John Deere backhoe/loader. The difference in cost between the two machines is almost 8 thousand dollars. However, Deputy-Mayor David Walker says both tenders were evaluated based on 13 criteria and the lowest price is not always guaranteed to be the winning bid. Four proposals were received but two of the bids did not meet engineering specifications. The proposal still came in slightly under the approved budget of 150 thousand dollars for the project

Park Zoning Amendments

Bridgewater Council has approved amendments to the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-Law to re-designate and rezone various town properties to parkland. Deputy-Mayor David Walker says in most case these parcels are recognized and used as parkland but have not been designated and zoned accordingly. He says the amendments also included minor text changes including the addition of "community gardens" as a permitted use in the Park Zone. The amendments cover a number of properties including donated land on Pine Street to be used as a passive park and the former V-I-C property on Aberdeen Road.

Cultural Sector Investments

The Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages in Lunenburg today to announce funding for 15 arts, heritage and community projects on the South Shore. James Moore says the federal government is committing over 300 thousand dollars in funding for a variety of projects including the Mi'kmaq Acadian Cultural Festival and Reunion, to the restoration of Chester's First Municipal Office and many others. Moore says it shows the great diversity that exists culturally in the region. He says the federal government is not going to cut funding to the arts nor maintain funding, but increase funding to the arts. The minister says more money will be coming this fall to support culture on the South Shore.

Statuesque Woman Missing

Lunenburg Police are seeking assisstance in a disappearance.

A statue disappeared on Wednesday night from a garden porch on Hobson Street in Lunenburg.

She is described as a woman in a robe carrying lilies and is approximately five feet, two inches tall with white skin made of resin.

The statue was heavy and police suspect it may have taken more than one person to move it.

Anyone with information on this matter is asked to contact Lunenburg RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

Marijuana Grow Operation Busted

South Shore RCMP are trying to determine who's responsible for the marijuana grow op they busted over the weekend.

RCMP staff-sargeant Jeff Wells says Queens County RCMP and the South Shore Integrated Crime Enforcement unit executed a search warrant on a home on highway 103 in East Port L'Herbert.

"When they searched there was no one was at the residence. We're trying to determine who in fact who owns the property," says Wells.

Wells says approximately twenty plants, in various stages of growth, were siezed from the home.

He says a tip from a 'reliable source' led them to the grow operation.

Wells says the South Shore Integrated Street Crime Unit has taken over the investigation.

Hit-and-Run in Liverpool

Queens County Police are seeking help from the public in the investigation of a hit-and-run in Liverpool.

An unknown vehicle collided with a red Dodge Caravan in the Real Atlantic Superstore parking lot on Saturday.

Billie-Joe Bond says her vehicle was left unattended for a short time. Her husband and baby daughter had joined her inside the store, minutes before the collision occured.

She was suprised with what what she found upon her return.

"The back end was so dented that I couldn't open the back...You could see skid marks on the pavement from where they sped away," says Bond.

Bond says the van was moved several inches from the force of the other vehicle.

Police say they are still seeking the person who fled the scene.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Queens County RCMP or Crime Stoppers.