Oh Christmas Tree !

A 39-year tradition of gratitude and holiday cheer continues today when a Christmas tree from Nova Scotia takes centre stage at the annual tree lighting ceremony in Boston. Every year, since 1971, Nova Scotia sends a Christmas tree to the people of Boston, in recognition for the help provided following the Halifax Explosion on Dec. 6, 1917. This year's tree is a 15-metre white spruce from Gary and Roseann Misner of North Alton, Kings County.  The ceremony will take place at 8 p.m. (7 p.m. in Boston) and will be televised to an estimated audience of 300,000 on WCVB Boston Channel 5, an ABC affiliate available in Atlantic Canada on cable.

Lunenburg in Solid Financial Position

An audited statement of Lunenburg. shows the town is in a solid financial position.  Mayor Laurence Mawhinney says the operating surplus was around 17 hundred dollars in a budget of over 4 million.  He says it's worthy of note that as a small community Lunenburg is not at risk as some communities may be as to their financial stability.  Mawhinney says it's very commendable that in a time when others are still looking to  find monies to pay for major capital investment, the Town spent over 7 million dollars this past fiscal year installing a new water treatment plant and only owe one million. The Mayor adds the Town is taking a very prudent and wise approach to fiscal management by waiting to source available provincial and federal funds.

Dog Park Considered for Lunenburg

By next summer there could be an area set aside in the Town of Lunenburg where Fido or Rover will be able to run free.  Council is exploring the feasibility and costs to set up an off-leash dog park.  Three sites have been recommended with one on Blockhouse Hill toward the back harbour being favoured. There have been complaints about some dog owners allowing their dogs to run off-leash on the Back Harbour Trail and on town sidewalks intimidating humans and other animals. Under the current By-law dogs do not need to be leashed but must be under effective control by their owner.

SHELBURNE COUNTY MAN GETS PRISON SENTENCE

Its off to prison for 14 months for a Shelburne County man.

37 year old Jonathan Wade Smith has been sentenced after being convicted earlier of setting fire to his girlfriend's home in January 2009.
Kristie Kaye Brannon was inside the home at the time and managed to escape the flames.
Smith's lawyer attempted to have his client set free, based on time already served but the judge didn't accept it. He did allow 16 months credit for 8 months already spent in jail. Smith also has to pay more than 231-thousand dollars to an insurance company for damages and close to 6-thousand to Brannen.

LUCKY LOTTO WINNERS COLLECT THEIR WINNINGS

Over a month ago, we were the first to let it be known that four people from the Bridgewater area had won a million dollars on a lotto scratch ticket.

Tanya Ernst, Barbara Kelley, Andrew Slauenwhite and Tina Silver all work at the Petro Can gas station on North Street in Bridgewater.
Because of that, they had to wait a month for Atlantic Lotto officials to make sure the win was legitimate.
They checked out OK and yesterday, the happy four travelled to Moncton to collect their winnings ... a cool one million... that they will split four ways.
What do they plan to do with all that money? Well, travel some and buy new vehicles, among other things!
They won the money with a Fortune scratch ticket.