Gingerbread Festival in Chester

The Chester Merchants Association getting a bit of dough to help with their Gingerbread Festival. Municipal Council has approved a grant of 500 dollars to help with costs. The Festival involves workshops on making Gingerbread cookies, houses and ornaments. A Gingerbread House competition will also be held with the houses being auctioned on December 19th with the proceeds going to the Foodbank.

The Merchant Group has recently registered as a Not-for Profit Association..

Chester Council Approves Engineering Design for Duke Street Project

It's a step forward for the Duke Street Sidewalk Project in Chester. Warden Alan Webber says Municipal Council has agreed to proceed with the engineering design estimated at approximately 50 thousand dollars for the project to be completed in three phases over the next several years. Webber says there doesn't appear to be any cost sharing available as in the past, so they wanted to break the project into phases to make it more manageable. Webber says since they are proceeding with the engineering it's more than likely they will proceed with some portion of the project next Spring.  Completion of the Duke Street sidewalk was one of the top five priorities identified in a 10 year village improvement plan by the Village of Chester Tourism and Development Association .

Prenatal Group in Shelburne

A new Shelburne County committee wants to talk to local families about their prenatal experience. Families that are expecting a new baby or those with infants 12 months and younger are being sought so the committee can learn what supports the families most appreciated or valued during their prenatal experience.

The committee, which has been meeting since the summer, is called the Prenatal Support Networking Group and is made up of various community partners from all over Shelburne County from the public and private sectors, as well as community volunteers and new and expectant mothers. They all have an interest in the role the whole community can play in supporting a healthy pregnancy, a healthy baby and ultimately a healthy community. The vision of the group is to work together to empower the Shelburne community in assisting families in achieving the prenatal experience they choose and to promote the benefits of early prenatal support.  Interested families can call to confirm their attendance at one of the following focus groups:

November 30 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., the Barrington Library

December 1 from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m, the Lockeport Library

December 1 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Shelburne's King Street Family Resource Centre

If families would like to attend, need more information, or would like to get involved in the committee, they can contact Krissy Rose-Muise at Public Health Services, 875-2623 or Monica Gosbee at the King Street Family Resource Center, 875-3256.

Charges Laid in Head-on Collision

A driver involved in a head-on collision on Highway 103 near Hubbards November 3rd is now facing charges. RCMP say they have charged a 30 year old man with 3 counts of impaired driving causing bodily injury, along with single counts of impaired driving, driving with a blood alcohol over the legal limit and resisting arrest. All three victims of the collision have been released from hospital. The matter is still under investigation by Chester RCMP.

Lunenburg Businessman, Chair of NSBI

A Lunenburg businessman with more than 30 years of  industry experience has been appointed chairman of Nova Scotia Business Inc. (NSBI), Jim Eisenhauer is the new chair of the agency's private-sector board of directors. Eisenhauer is president and CEO of ABCO Group Limited and is CEO of its subsidiary ABCO Industries Ltd. He is also president of West Nova Fuels Ltd., Nova Wood Products Ltd., and Superline Fuels Ltd. Eisenhauer has served on several boards of directors in the private and public sectors, including his current role on the board at Atlantic Industries Ltd., Composites Atlantic Ltd., and Nova Scotia Power Inc.  Eisenhauer replaces Doug Hall, who has served on NSBI's board since 2003 and as chair since 2007.

(photo..courtesy of NSBI)

Barrington Teen Honoured for Bravery

DANIEL BLINKHORN & his MOTHER

(photo, courtesy of Government of NS)

-- A teenager from Barrington is one of four Nova Scotians to be awarded the medal of bravery today, (Nov. 17,) for putting their lives at risk to help others. : In June 2009, 15-year-old Daniel Blinkhorn escaped from his burning home, then returned to rescue his mother.. Blinkhorn acted quickly and was able to get his mother out safely. In November 2009, Jerome Tracey of  Port Hawkesbury ran into a burning home across the street to wake his neighbours and get them to safety. He then realized the house next door was also on fire and banged on the door to wake everyone up. Steven Wilton of New Waterford ran for help after an Acadian Lines bus he was travelling on crashed into the Tracadie River last January. Wilton got out of the partially submerged bus, ran up a snowy embankment and flagged down passing motorists who called 911, allowing for the rescue of five passengers. In May 2009, Colin Brownell of Pugwash was travelling along Highway 6 in Linden when he pulled the occupant of a burning car to safety.

                Premier Darrell Dexter who awarded the bravery medals praised the recipients for their selfless acts of courage that saved the lives of others. Recipients were selected by an advisory panel chaired by Constance Glube, former Chief Justice of Nova Scotia.