International Student Orientation

International Students who will be attending South Shore schools will undergo two days of orientation at White Point Beach Resort beginning today. Trish Smith, Communications Director for the South Shore Regional School Board says on the first day students will relax, get to know one another, and take part in recreational activities and have opportunities to practice English and share cultures. Day two will cover cultural information and Canadian law, among other things. Smith says this is a time for students to meet other International Students as well as staff and host parents involved in the program.

Sewer Service for Shore Road Residents

Shore Road residents say they no longer want to be responsibility for dumping raw sewage in Lunenburg harbour. The properties in the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg border approximately 500 meters of Lunenburg harbour shoreline in an area almost at the centre of the eastern side of the harbour. Municipal Council has accepted the residents' petitions and authorized staff to explore the feasibility of extending the services to the properties. Mayor Don Downe says until a study is done to determine the actual cost and have acceptance from the Town to work on the issue, it will still be a few months in the process.

Facilitator for Oakland Area Advisory Committee

The Municipality of Lunenburg is providing a facilitator to work with the Oakland Advisory Committee in hopes of healing a division within the group. The community has been at odds since a proposed development of a subdivision a number of years ago. Mayor Don Downe says Council is trying to show leadership and attempt to bridge the views of the groups members. The Municipality has approved a thousand dollars to hire a facilitator to conduct at least one meeting with the Advisory Area Committee.

MAHONE BAY TO MAKE THEIR OWN WAY

Mahone Bay will have to fund the paving of two roads without the help of the Province.

Council submitted cost-sharing proposals to both the Department of Highways and Transportation and the Department of Municipal Services for the paving of Edgewater and Main Street.

Both departments declined to provide financing.

Mayor Joseph Feeny says that means plans for repairs to the town wharf will have to wait until next year.

He says council has seen a steep decline in provincial support.

"We've always argued because our main street is part of the provincial government highway system it's not fair we get treated (this way). We one time used to get assistance from the Department to help with ditching and snow plowing and maintenance... well that's now since gone by the by, " says Feeny.

The paving of both roads will cost approximately 250 thousand dollars.

PURCHASE OF LAKESIDE PROPERTY CONFIRMED

Mahone Bay is expanding its real estate horizons.

Town council has purchased two parcels of land bordering Oakland Lake.

Mayor Joseph Feeny says the ten acres was acquired as part of an ongoing attempt to protect the town's watershed.

"We, over the past three to five years, have been gradually, when the opportunity arose, purchasing pieces of property as they became available on the market," says Feeny.

It was six months ago when the town first bid on the properties.

Chief Administrative Officer, James Wentzell, says purchasing the land through a tax sale led to processing delays, but removed large leans on the property from the previous owner.

The town now owns six lake-side properties.

PLEASANTFIELD THEFT

Queens County RCMP are investigating a theft.

Police say thieves entered a property on Highway 8 in Pleasantfield.

Two large batteries were removed from a truck and a quantity of electrical wire was taken from a sawmill located on the property.

Anyone with information on this crime is asked to contact Queens County RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

MAHONE BAY AT LOW RISK OF WASTE-WATER OVERFLOWS AND SPILLS

Mahone Bay has been designated as a low risk region for wastewater overflow and spillage.

That rating means council won't need to upgrade the system for thirty years.

The designation is part of a Canada-wide strategy by the Public Works Department to determine the sewage treatment needs of each region based on their size, industrial activity and proximity to coastal regions.

The evaluations were conducted by the "Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment" for the" Management of Municipal Wastewater Effluent".

MAHONE BAY TO GET NEW LIGHTING AND A TRUCK

Mahone Bay town council has decided to light up Main Street with some new LED lighting.

Forty dark-sky friendly lights will be installed by "LED Roadway Lighting" of Amherst.

The tender was awarded at Tuesday night's council meeting at a cost of more than 33- thousand dollars.

Fifty percent of that cost will be subsidized by an Eco grant from the Nova Scotia Department of Environment.

Mayor Joseph Feeny says eventually the lights will be installed throughout the whole town.

Council also approved the purchase of a new 4WD 1-ton Dodge truck, complete with a plow and Combination Dump-Box Spreader, at a cost $64,800.00

SEARCH ENDS FOR MISSING SCALLOP DRAGGER AND ITS CREW

The search for four crewmen from a scallop dragger that failed to return to port from a fishing trip on the Bay of Fundy has ended in heartache.

The search for the dragger R-L-J was called off last night after officials conceded no one could have survived whatever happened to the vessel.

The 13-metre boat from Digby went out last week and was supposed to return home Sunday.