Growing Green Festival Enjoys Successful Weekend

A weekend festival has enjoyed one of its most successful years to date. Organizers with the Growing Green Festival say this year's event had one of its best turnouts in its four year history. The free concerts, street fest and local food dinner at Wiles Lake Farm Market were among the crowd-pleasers. Festival Chair Patrick Hirtle says the event went off without a hitch.



Hirtle says the Festival is open to new ideas for next year. The committee has targeted the August 17 weekend in 2013 as next year's date.

Lunenburg: Canucks Win Dory Races Over U.S.

Team Canada took home the trophy at the 60th International Dory Races in Lunenburg over the weekend. Canada captured three out of five races.

 Results below:




Junior Exhibition Race (No U.S Team)

Jorgen Martin & Nathaniel Beck - 7:02.93

Senator Bruce Tarr & Kelly George - 7:16.27

Mixed / Co-Ed

Mike Frontiera & Elin DiAngelo (U.S) - 6:13.19

Tim Mair & Dorothy MacDonald (CAN) - 6:24.48

Women's

Patianne Verburgh & Gail Atkinson (CAN) - 6:38.25

Denise Desautels & Edie Wald-Smith (U.S) - 7:06.23

 Over 40's / Masters

Danny Moody & Walter Nickerson (CAN) - 6:09.27

Mike Harmon & John Scola (U.S) - 6:13.70

Senior Men's

Erik Dombrowski & Joe Sanfillippo (U.S) - 10:25.38

Joel George & David Croft Jr. (CAN) - 10:57.41

Queens Health Project Nears Fundraising Goal

Members of the fundraising committee behind the Queens General Health expansion project can see the finish line. The community campaign to raise $1.5 million began last November and the latest figures indicate the group is only $30,000 shy of its overall goal. Campaign chair Christopher Clarke says residents have supported the fundraising efforts from the very beginning.





The Queens Foundation will contribute $11 million towards the expansion with additional support from the Region of Queens, and the Nova Scotia Government. The $16 million dollars project includes a new collaborative health care clinic in Liverpool and extensive upgrades at the hospital's existing 22 bed medical unit.

Chester: Veteran Councillor Set To Re-Offer

A veteran councillor is Chester has announced her intentions to re-offer in municipal elections this fall. Sharon Church-Cornelius was first elected in 1999 and is seeking a fourth term in District 7. As a long time resident of the Windsor Road, she believes the Kaizer Meadow wind project is just one example of the good work being carried out by council.



If re-elected, Church-Cornelius says she will continue to ensure residents tax dollars are spent appropriately and that the municipality remain fiscally responsible. She says her time on council has been rewarding and believes her experience will be an asset when a new council is elected.

Dexter: NDP Vows To Create Jobs on South Shore

Premier Darrell Dexter says the province will speed-up already planned projects to create jobs along the South Shore. The provincial NDP government announced $15 million for road improvements in Lunenburg, Shelburne and Queens Counties late last week. The bulk of the money is spread over three projects with $2.9 million in new paving in East River, $2.7 million on route 203 in Shelburne and $1.8 million for Highway 103 between Exit's 17 and 18. Dexter says the investments will help stimulate the economy in light of some recent setbacks in the region.



The province also plans to upgrade Rissers Beach along with improvements to the T.H. Raddal Provincial Park in Queens and The Island Provincial Park in Shelburne County. Dexter says tenders will go out soon and work will be carried out over the next year.

Baillie Calls For Bowater Land Protection

A public campaign is heating up to persuade the provincial government to buy back thousands of hectares of land to prevent it from falling into the hands of a foreign forestry company. The land includes three plots that comprise 220-thousand hectares in Annapolis, Halifax, Hants, Lunenburg, Queens and Shelburne counties. The land once belonged to the Bowater Mersey paper mill, which shut down in June. The province's PC leader, Jamie Baillie, is calling upon the Dexter government to work toward protecting the lands.



The province already bought 10-thousand hectares for 24 million dollars as part of the deal to keep Bowater up and running. However, the mill closed anyway within a few months.

Wildwood Cafe Closing September 30

The Wildwood Cafe in Bridgewater is closing its doors. Owners Aaron Brown and Mary Gallardo have decided to shut down the popular eatery September 30. Brown says its time for something new.



The King Street cafe employs up to four people. The restaurant won numerous awards since it opened in February 2009 including Progress Magazine's Best Lunch Spot in the Maritimes in 2010. Brown says people in Bridgewater were very welcoming and they've enjoyed their time on the South Shore.

Peewee 'AAA' Bulldogs Win Provincial Baseball Crown

The Bridgewater Bulldogs peewee 'AAA' baseball team will get a chance to defend their Eastern Canadian Championship crown. The Bulldogs won the provincials over the weekend, defeating the Tri-County Rangers 10-6 in the final. Coach Dennis Woodworth says back-to-back provincial titles at a "AAA" level has never been accomplished in Bridgewater.




Bulldogs player Zack Zinck was named tournament MVP. The local club will head to the Eastern Canadian Championships from September 6-9 in St. John's, Newfoundland.