Fishermen's Memorial Emergency Department Closed

The Fishermen's Memorial Hospital Emergency Department is closed due to unavailability of staff. It will reopen tomorrow morning (August 9) at 8am. Anyone requiring emergency services is advised to call 911 or visit South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater.  

Garber Running For School Board

Elmer Garber

A former teacher and principal is looking to try his hand as a member of the local school board. Elmer Garber has indicated he will run for one of the eight seats during this fall's school board elections. He hopes to be part of a new elected school board.



Garber served as a member on the Lunenburg Municipal School Board in the 1980s. He is currently the chair of the LaHave Manor Corporation. The Dayspring resident is a candidate for District 5, which includes Lunenburg and Mahone Bay, and municipal districts 1, 3 and 4.

Queens Hospital Waiting Areas Temporarily Relocated

The registration and emergency room waiting areas at Queens General Hospital are being temporarily relocated. South Shore Health is advising the public a one day relocation period will be in effect from 7 o'clock Thursday morning until 7 o'clock Friday morning. The temporary relocation of both areas will give workers time to upgrade the hospital's floors. There will be signs directing patients to the temporary location for the registration and emergency room waiting areas. People in need of urgent care should proceed to triage as usual.

Bridgewater RCMP Officer Facing Charges In Domestic Violence Case

An RCMP officer based in Bridgewater is facing charges in a domestic violence case. The male officer was taken into custody last night and made a brief court appearance on Wednesday afternoon. The matter has been adjourned until Thursday when a show cause hearing will take place. A publication ban has been issued surrounding the evidence in the case to protect the identity of the female victim involved in the matter. The investigation is being handled by the province's Serious Incident Response Team and is under the direction of independent civilian director Ron MacDonald. The independent agency is responsible for investigating all serious incidents involving police in Nova Scotia. The officer is currently not working or on duty for the Bridgewater RCMP.

Shelburne Shipyard Buzzing With Work

The Shelburne Shipyard has been given new life just a year after major upgrades were carried out at the Irving-owned operation. The shipyard received $16.6 million dollars in upgrades in a cost sharing project between Irving and the provincial government. Since last year, the Shelburne Shipyard has won 16 contracts from 10 different customers. Economic Development Minister Percy Paris says it speaks volumes to the type of quality work going on at the shipyard.



The facility now employs 75 people and has the ability to work on vessels up to 229 metres long. The shipyards latest contract to repair the HMCS Shawinigan will provide enough work to last until November.

Long-Time Resident Vies For Bridgewater Council

A 22-year resident of Bridgewater is taking the leap and running for town council. Jennifer McDonald announced her intention to run for the round-table Tuesday in a press release. The mother of three is currently the Program Manager for Employment Solutions Society. McDonald says she wants to make Bridgewater a better place to live.



McDonald says she feels strongly on work already done to make the town more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Municipal elections will be held October 20.

NS Power CEO Visits Bridgewater Chamber

The cost of keeping the lights on will be front and centre during a business luncheon on Thursday in Bridgewater. Nova Scotia Power CEO Rob Bennett will be the guest speaker tomorrow at an event organized by the Bridgewater and Area Chamber of Commerce. Bennett is expected to discuss the ongoing need for the province to reduce its reliance on coal and their focus on renewable energy projects. There are now 174 wind turbines in Nova Scotia, 125 of which are independently owed. However, power rate increases will likely dominate the discussion as hikes of three percent are expected over the next two years. Bennett has been touring the province as part of a series of formal and informal discussions about how NSP is changing. The event is being hosted at the Best Western.

Bowater Transition Team Calls For More Public Input

Brooklyn, N.S.

The group trying to help transition former Bowater employees into other jobs is encouraging them to continue the flow of thoughts, ideas and concerns. More than 300 people lost their jobs back in June when the Brooklyn mill closed. The Transition Advisory Team has produced an open letter to communities updating its work and what its learned so far. Team Chair Ron Smith says its a challenging time for many of the laid-off Bowater workers.



Smith is advising everyone affected by the closure to get in touch with his team. The toll free number is 1-855-354-2612 or you can write an email addressed to bowatertransition@gov.ns.ca or you can visit or write to the team's office at 7 Henry Hensey Drive in Liverpool. B0T 1K0. You can also visit the team's website at  novascotia.ca/bowatertransition/.
The open letter can also be seen at the transition team's website and in the local newspapers.

Charges Laid In Yarmouth County Home Invasion

Charges have been laid in connection with a weekend home invasion and assault in Yarmouth County. RCMP say 26-year-old Nicholas Wayne Mood is facing charges including break and enter, assault with a weapon and threat to cause serious bodily harm. Officers responded to the incident at a home on Highway 1 in Darlings Lake around 5:40 Monday morning. They say a 26-year-old man and a dog were assaulted during the forced entry and suffered serious injuries. A 23-year-old woman who was also inside the home wasn't hurt though.