MODL provides lifeline for Osprey Ridge Golf Course

Another step in the waiting game to find a possible buyer for Osprey Ridge Golf Course. The Municipality of Lunenburg has approved a temporary borrowing resolution to pay a balloon payment of $2.9-million to the Municipal Finance Corporation. The municipality issued a default notice to operators of Osprey Ridge last September and assumed title of the property in December. CAO Tammy Wilson says council could have decided to pull money from their own reserves.

"That would put the municipality in a position where we'd be depleting our reserves to address this issue. We are developing a marketing strategy and hopefully being able to market the golf course in the near future and because of that we chose a three-year loan as opposed to anything longer."

The Minister of Service Nova Scotia will need to approve the temporary borrowing resolution. The balloon payment is due in May.

Yarmouth Chases Down 'Hockeyville' title

On-line and telephone voting is intense as Yarmouth chases the crown to become Canada's Hockeyville. The town is one of five across the country in the running for the 100-thousand dollar prize and chance to host an NHL pre-season game. Mayor Phil Mooney says its an uphill battle with a place like Kelowna, BC for instance, having the potential for 2-million votes. "People right across southwestern Nova Scotia have been contacting everybody they know to cast one, one-hundred or one-thousand votes for Yarmouth," Voting can be done online at http://www.krafthockeyville.ca/ or by calling 1-866-533-8066.  The other communities in the running are Amos, Quebec; Stirling-Rawdon, Ontario; West Duck Lake, Saskatchewan; and West Kelowna, BC. The deadline is midnight tonight and Canada's top hockey community will be announced March 31st.

Judge To Render Decision In Whitney-Joudrey Case

A South Shore woman has testifed that she felt her life was threatened before she thrust a knife into her boyfriend's neck and stabbed him repeatedly. Katelin Whitney-Joudrey said yesterday she saw ``utter hatred'' in Kiel Naugler's eyes before she used the knife on him on New Year's Day 2011. Whitney-Joudrey was testifying on the third day of her trial on two counts of aggravated assault and one count of assault with a weapon. Prosecutor Leigh-Ann Bryson told the accused she could have taken the option of simply leaving the scene, rather than acting violently. Defence lawyer Alan Ferrier said testimony has shown the couple's relationship was based on addiction to drugs and they argued frequently. Judge Jim Burrill will make his ruling in the case next Monday.

Businesses Affected By Ferry Loss Urged To Submit Their Stories of Tough Times

Former Yarmouth Ferry, "The Cat"

Businesses along the South Shore and across the western part of the province can voice their concerns and frustrations over lost revenues, jobs and the overall economic impact of no ferry service. There's a new website for them to do so, launched by the Nova Scotia International Ferry Partnership. The ultimate goal is re-establishment of the link to Maine. Yarmouth mayor Phil Mooney tells us its a means of pitching a business case to the province. He says "one of our biggest supporters has been Mayor John Leefe in Queens and Mayor Don Downe (in Lunenburg). The percentage of business thats been lost at White Point Beach. Those are major players on the South Shore, large employers and they've been affected by the loss of the ferry. So, we want to get those stories, build the business case again and get those facts and figures." Mayor Mooney also says its not a matter of "if" a ferry service will be re-established. Its more like .. "when"! He says it will take government help though to set up.

Public Meeting to discuss Eagleridge Estates

A meeting to explore changing Olde Town golf course into housing units goes this week. Town officials and the developer are expected to be on-hand during a public participation session at 6pm Wednesday night in council chambers. Planning Director. Eric Shaw, says he expects some people to be upset over a golf course closing.

"Certainly at this meeting, that will be mentioned but the focus really is regarding the proposal, the development proposal, and the specifics associated with that."

The town of Bridgewater and Genivar Inc. are currently looking at building 157 units in the first phase of the proposed Eagleridge Estates. The meeting will discuss amendments to the town's Land-Use by-law and Municipal Planning Strategy.

Animal activist heading to Bridgewater

Education and Awareness; two things being promoted by Gene Baur. The president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, an animal protection organization, will visit Bridgewater Wednesday to hold a public discussion about the abuses of factory farming and the need for people to change their eating habits. Baur says there's lots to talk about.

"I'll just be talking about some of the things I've seen at factory-stocked farms, some of the conditions that exist commonly in the production of meat, milk and eggs; conditions most people are appalled by. But then, I'll also be talking about solutions, about ways we can eat that will not support that sort of factory farming but instead support a more sustainable healthy eating system."

Baur says switching to a healthier diet would reduce health-care costs, and limit the amount of people suffering from illnesses like heart disease. The public discussion goes Wednesday night from 7-8:30pm at Park View Education Centre.