Monday, October 22, 2012

School Board, Ex-Teacher Headed To Judicial Review


A judicial review has been scheduled between the South Shore Regional School Board and a former elementary school teacher. The two sides will be in Halifax court Tuesday morning to discuss details around the board's firing of the employee. The teacher plead guilty to one count of willfully engaging in indecent acts in 2009. The court issued a conditional discharge in 2009, but the accused was fired by the local school board because they felt his actions were inappropriate for a teacher. The male teacher is arguing he was unjustly fired by the board and is looking to be re-instated. The review will begin at 11am in Halifax.

Chester Council Will Select New Warden On Nov. 8


The new council in Chester will select their warden by secret ballot on November 8th. Veteran warden Allen Webber successfully retained his District 4 seat in a hard fought victory over newcomer Stephen Bond on Saturday night. Webber will be the favourite to return to the warden's office in Chester. He has held the position for the past 18 years. The new council will feature a mix of veteran and rookie members. Andre Veinotte and Tina Connors are the new faces after election night victory's in their respective districts. Incumbents Brad Armstrong, Floyd Shatford, Bob Myra and Sharon Church Cornelius will round out the remaining seats on council.

VIDEO: Skilled Trades Funding For Forest Heights


A new skilled trades centre is just the start of some major renovations about to begin at Forest Heights Community School. The province has announced the Chester Basin school will also get a new roof, sprinkler system and energy-efficient lighting. The new additions are expected to cost $920,000 as part of the Dexter government's $15-million funding announced for the South Shore in August. Vice Principal John Doucette says the centre and renovations are a benefit for the future.



Forest Heights will be the second South Shore school to have a skilled trades centre. The program will be offered to students next September.






Accused Kidnapper Back In Court On Tuesday

A bail hearing will take place on Tuesday in Bridgewater for a 47 year-old man charged with kidnapping, forcible confinement and sexual assault. David James Leblanc will make his second court appearance since his arrest in northern Ontario earlier this month. Leblanc led police on a week-long man hunt which ended on October 1st when police picked him up on a logging road near Long Lac, Ontario. He is accused of confining and sexually assaulting a 16 year-old boy for over a week in Upper Chelsea. Leblanc is facing seven charges in total and is being held at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth.

Lunenburg Teen Faces Stunting Charge/Fine


RCMP have charged a Lunenburg-area teenager with stunting after he was clocked going 63 kilometres over the speed limit near Exit 12. According to police, the 17 year-old was traveling 163 in a 100 zone along the stretch of Highway 103, near Bridgewater. RCMP say the driver had just recently received his license. If convicted, a stunting charge carries an automatic fine of nearly $2,500.

Newcombville Resident Being Awarded Queens Medal


A local cancer survivor is being rewarded for his work with prostate cancer awareness and Lunenburg County veterans. Dan Hennessey is receiving a Queens Diamond Jubilee medal this weekend. He says he's excited about receiving the honour.



Hennessey helped work on a video involving World War II veterans on the South Shore and has written a book and directed a video promoting the need for men to get checked for prostate cancer. He is expected to accept the medal during a presentation at the Bridgewater Days Inn on Saturday.

Bridgewater: Change In Council And Mayor


Bridgewater residents have voted for change around the council table. Five of the six people elected will be new to the position including Sandra Mailman, Jennifer MacDonald, Wayne Thorburne, Andrew Tanner and Michael Graves. Bill McInnis is the lone incumbent at the council level. Meanwhile, David Walker defeated Gary MacNeil by only 122 votes to claim the mayor's seat. Walker says the people have spoken.



The newly-minted mayor and council will be sworn-in during a ceremony November 5 at Bridgewater town hall.

Town Of Lunenburg: Bailey Defeats Stockton For Mayor


The town of Lunenburg has spoken and elected its first ever woman as mayor. Rachel Bailey won in convincing fashion defeating Ron Stockton by a count of 854 votes to 285. Bailey has spent the last four years as a councillor and deputy mayor in the town. She says she expects some challenges when she takes office.



Bailey says she expects the new council to be proactive in making changes that make sense for the historic community. She will be sworn-in as the new mayor, along with the council during a meeting in November.