Wednesday, November 10, 2010

UPDATED ROAD CLOSURES (7pm, Wednesday,November 10th)

Due to the significant rainfall experienced in Queens County, extreme high water conditions and flooding is being experienced in many areas throughout the County; particularly along the Medway River system. The public is advised to monitor water levels very closely over the next several days.




QUEEN's COUNTY ROAD CLOSURES
- Medway River Road from Charleston to Bangs Falls.
- Mill Village East Rd from Hillside Drive to Medway River Road.
- Westfield Road closed at both bridge locations.
- Old Westfield Road partially closed from Hwy 208 to Westfield Road.
- Rosette Road closed between Harlow Road and Moose Pit Road.
- Chapel Hill Drive at bridge near the boat launch in Greenfield.
- Medway River Road at Exit 17-A, from car pool parking lot to Flat Iron Road
- Clarence Hirtle Road, Charleston

LUNENBURG COUNTY:
- Veinot Road, between Trunk 10 and Lower Brand Road
- Haines Road, Barss Corner
- Lower Branch Road, from Osbourne Road to Trunk 10
- Chester Grant Road, closed at bridge
- East Clifford Road, closed in centre section, with entire road for use by local traffic only
- McKeen Road
- Lapland Road
- Woodstock Road
- Trunk 3, from Exit 7 Connector Road to Route 329 in East River

SHELBURNE COUNTY
- Upper Clyde Road West
- Upper Clyde Road East  (Local traffic only at the Hemlock Branch Bridge)
- Back Lake Road
- Bowers Road
- Welshtown Road

Trails Closed for Safety Precaution

The Department of Natural Resources is closing trails as a safety precaution on the abandoned rail corridor in Lunenburg, Queens, Shelburne, Yarmouth, Digby, Annapolis and Kings counties. Because of the significant amount of rainfall in the past few days bridges, culverts and the corridor are in danger of sustaining structural damage. The closure includes all sections of the 750-kilometre rail corridor that are under development agreements with local trail groups and undeveloped sections of the corridor. The rail corridor will remain closed until it passes inspections by Department of Natural Resources staff and local trail groups.

MP Keddy Makes Funding Announcements

Fittingly enough a funding announcement for the New Ross Legion will be made on Remembrance Day. South Shore/St. Margaret's MP, Gerald Keddy will provide the details during the event which is slated for 5 p.m. Thursday, November 11th at the Legion in New Ross. There will also be an awards presentation for Legion members followed by a dinner.

On Friday morning at 10 a.m., Keddy will make another announcement regarding seniors funding at the Parkdale-Maplewood Community Museum in Maplewood.

Lee Nauss Named Deputy-Mayor of MODL

He's already served as the the Warden of the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg, now he's the Deputy-Mayor. Lee Nauss was named to the position at a council meeting earlier this week. Four names including Nauss were nominated for the position which rotates on an annual basis, however, three of the Councillors withdrew . Nauss who represents District 10 was first elected to Council back in 1967.

Beach Infrastructure, Cape Sable Island

Cape Sable Island celebrated the official re-opening of South Side Beach on Wednesday, (November 10th). Important improvements to the beach infrastructure were made possible thanks to support from the Government of Canada.  South Shore-St. Margaret's MP Gerald Keddy announced an investment of more than 11 thousand dollars from ACOA. The investment covers beach infrastructure improvements at the popular tourism and bird-watching area. Additional funding is coming from the Municipality of the District of Barrington, the Town of Clark's Harbour, international conservation group Cape Sable Important Bird Area, and Sable Fish Packers Limited.

OIL SLICK

Emergency officials are advising motorists to use caution when driving along trunk 3.

An unknown vehicle leaked hydraulic fluid along the highway leading down the 332 in Riverport, causing slippery road conditions.

Emergency officials are now applying sand to alleviate the problem.

VETERAN FIGHTS BACK

A South Shore Veteran says he's not the only one the federal government left out in the cold.


Last Saturday, Craig Leonard and a dozen protesters stood in a torrential downpour outside M-P Gerald Keddy's Bridgewater office to demand better benefits for wounded soldiers .

The MP for South Shore-St.Margarets had promised to face their concerns on the picket line that day but never showed.

Leonard says the government has neglected veterans affairs and forgotten its soldiers.

"The thousand dollars a month, taxable, ends at age sixty five, the seventy-five percent long-term disability ends at age sixty five, Service and Canada Pensions disability pensions are reduced at age sixty-five. So what then? Are veterans to go to the food banks, are they to go on the streets?" says Leonard.

Leonard was one of thousands nationwide who protested the Harper Governments New Veterans Charter last weekend.

NEW PARK FOR MAHONE BAY

The Town of Mahone Bay is hoping some new signs will keep loud music, bad language and drinking away from the waterfront.

The greenspace along Edgewater street and the Harbour, from the "Young Teazer" property, to the Lutheran Church grounds, is now an official park.

Mayor Joe Feeny says council created "Edgewater Park" to help provide leverage to police.

Feeny says new signs will give the town constable more leverage when patrolling the known party spot.

The park will now be closed to the public from 11pm to 5am.

STIFFER CONSEQUENCES FOR DRUNK DRIVERS

If you think you can drive after a couple of drinks, you may want to think again.

New provincial laws will have drunk drivers facing stiffer consequences.

If found driving with a blood alcohol level between 50 and 80 milligrams, you could face a seven day suspension of your licence, and over 600 dollars in re-reinstatement fees.

Drivers who blow over 80 milligrams will face a three month suspension, and if convicted, at least one-thousand dollars in court fees.

RCMP will start doing road checks right away under the new regulations.

HIGHWAY 3 BRIDGE COLLAPSES NEAR YARMOUTH

A bridge over one of two main highways in southwestern Nova Scotia collapsed last night when powerful floodwaters caused by days of heavy rain broke a support column.

No one was believed to be on the 20-metre bridge over Highway 3 near Yarmouth when it fell into the Tusket River.
R-C-M-P Sergeant Michel Lacroix says it's believed that the force of flood waters took out the structure.
The bridge is downstream from a Nova Scotia Power dam that officials have been watching nervously for days for signs of possible breaches.