Update: Chester Rink Eyes Provincial Title

Chester's Mary Fay is just one win away from the Provincial Junior Women's Curling Championship. In semi final action this morning the Fay rink stole three points in the fourth end on their way to a 9-2 victory over Mayflower's Emily Dwyer. Fay meets defending champ Mary Myketen-Driscoll of Truro in the 2 o'clock final at the Lakeshore Curling Club. In their only meeting this week Fay scored a 10-3 win. Meantime Robert Mayhew of Windsor captured the Junior Men's title with an 8-3 decision over Matthew Manuel of Mayflower. Mayhew won seven of eight games at the Lower Sackville event. He'll represent the Province at the M & M Meat Shops Canadian Junior championships in Liverpool next month.

2014=More Taxes!

2014 is bringing with it even more taxes to be paid by South Shore residents and others in the province. Kevin Lacey of the watchdog group, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, says life won't be any cheaper for residents here when you factor-in increased EI and CPP premiums and bracket creep. Thats when you earn a bit more than usual and the taxman grabs most of it.



Lacey says what the new increases mean is a South Shore family of 4, including 2 kids, earning $60,000. a year, will pay about $130. more in taxes in the new year than in 2013. Thats in addition to high gas taxes, income tax and the HST at 15 percent.

"Our Health Centre" Looks For 2014 Opening

The multi-millon dollar health centre project in Chester is moving forward with a vigorous fundraising campaign. Officials with "Our Health Centre" are looking to raise $6 million dollars to fund construction, equipment and start up costs for project. In addition to public and private donations, they've received $500,000 through the Nova Scotia government over the past year. In a year end interview, Chester Warden Allen Webber says council is still mulling over what kind of support they can offer the project.



The collaborative health centre is expected to be open late in 2014. According to its web site, they want to raise between $3.5 to $4 million before construction begins on the project. It would be located in Shoreham Village.

Winter Sport Fishing Begins

Get your rods and reels ready because the winter sportfishing season kicks off tomorrow (New Years Day). Selected lakes on the South Shore and elsewhere will open for rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout, chain pickerel or perch. Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Keith Colwell says winter sportfishing is a great way for Nova Scotians of any age to enjoy the outdoors and he encourages anglers to use caution when fishing in boats, on the ice or from shore. A 2013 general fishing licence is required to winter fish and can be purchased at Department of Natural Resources offices. More information is available on the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture website.

For Review: MLA's Pension, Salary & Travel

A three member panel set up to review MLA compensation has been finalized. Roy Salmon, Janet Hazelton, and John Merrick were appointed to the panel.They will review salaries, benefits, pensions, travel and constituency allowances for MLAs. Salmon served as auditor general of Nova Scotia for 14 years will be the panel's chair. Hazelton has served as president of the Nova Scotia Nurses' Union since 2002. Merrick previously worked on the public inquiry into the Westray Mine Disaster. The panel will begin its deliberations early in the New Year and will present its findings by March 31.

New Doctor Accepting Patients In Yarmouth County

A new family doctor working in Pubnico will begin accepting patients next month. South West Health says Dr. Asif Sardar will accept 100 patients during the first intake with priority given to residents of Yarmouth County. The intake process will be done over the phone on January 4. It is expected the new doctor will be able to accept a maximum of 1,000 patients over time.


Contact Information:

Patients will only be accepted by phone on Saturday, Jan. 4, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon and on Saturday, Feb. 8, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. The number to call for telephone registrations is 902-742-9538.

When calling in to register, people are asked to have their MSI number, date of birth, civic address and current phone number available. People will only be considered who do not now have a primary health provider (a family physician or nurse practitioner) in South West Health ( Yarmouth, Digby or Shelburne counties.) First priority will be given to the residents of Yarmouth County.

People are asked not to phone in with a list of friends or extended family members. Dr. Asif will only consider a person and their immediate family members (spouse, parent or children) as patients.

Update: Fay Rink Improves to 4-1

Mary Fay of Chester leads the way at the AMJ Campbell Provincial Junior Curling Championships. The Fay foursome improved to 4-1, and clinched a playoff spot, with a 7-0 win this morning over Emily Manuel of Mayflower. Micayla Dorey from Chester was eliminated after a 10-2 loss to Mayflower's Hayley McCabe. McCabe and Fay battle this afternoon for a spot in the "C" division final. Three other girls' teams are still alive. The winning squad will head to the Canadian Junior championships in Liverpool next month.

Lunenburg County Salvation Army Reaches "Kettle" Goal

The Lunenburg County Salvation Army has reached its target with its annual Christmas Kettle Campaign. Ten days ago, it was 19-thousand dollars short. An appeal to the public helped in surpassing the goal.
Salvation Army Captain Felipe Vega is astounded by the success.



The final total was $57,149. It will be used to fund the children and family support programs offered through the year in the area by the Salvation Army.

Greenfield Airport Targetted By Thieves

For the second time in eight months, there has been a breakin and theft at the airport in Greenfield. Over the weekend, someone pried-open a locked door on a hanger, smashed out a window on a Cesna 172 aircraft, stole earphones, a GPS unit and welding gear and also damaged an ultra-light aircraft. Bluenose Flying Club member and hanger co-owner Barry Mercer says he's feeling frustrated by it all and he's going to take action.



The most expensive piece of gear taken was a GPS unit. Mercer says no one else can use it except pilots.



Mercer say the estimated cost of the lost gear and damage is close to 4-thousand dollars. The RCMP is investigating.

Primary Care Is Primary Focus For South Shore Health

Improving access to doctors and primary care will be a key focus for South Shore Health heading into 2014. President Dr. Peter Vaughan says they welcomed five new physicians over the past year. They've also hired four nurse practitioners and a geriatrician. Vaughan says the health authority will continue to work on attracting new staff while focusing on keeping the professionals they already have in place.



Vaughan believes the new family health centre in Bridgewater and collaborative clinic in Liverpool will improve access and help bring new doctors to the area. Both of those facilities are expected to open in the new year.

Curling: Chester Rink Nears Provincial Title

Chester's Mary Fay is one win away from the playoffs at the AMJ Campbell Provincial Junior Curling Championships in Lower Sackville. Fay faces Mayflower's Emily Manuel this morning at 9 in the "B" division qualifier. Both rinks are 3-1. Defending champ Mary Myketyn-Driscoll of Truro has already earned a playoff spot. Micayla Dorey of Chester, with a 2-2 record, is also still alive. In the boys division, Matthew Manuel of Mayflower and Robert Mayhew of Windsor lead the way with 4-1 marks. All three South Shore teams have been eliminated. This week's winners will advance to the M & M Meat Shops Canadian Junior Championships in Liverpool in mid-January.

Local Chamber Of Commerce Ready For 2014

The new year will see the beginning of major changes in the town of Bridgewater and the area Chamber of Commerce intends to be front and centre. Manager Dan Hennessey says his organization is changing to meet the times. He says 2014 will be a busy year.



Hennessey says the past year has been one of transition for the Bridgewater Area Chamber of Commerce. He says its expanding to become more community and business oriented.

Hockey: Mustangs Look To Rebound

In "Q" League action last night at the Metro Centre the Halifax Mooseheads scored four third-period goals to top Cape Breton 5-3. The same two clubs meets again tonight in Sydney. In Nova Scotia Major Midget Hockey League action in Bridgewater last night the Valley Wildcats shutout the Charlie's Pizza South Shore Mustangs 3-0. The Stangs head to Halifax to face the MacDonalds tonight at 6:30pm.

South Shore: Heavy Rain Expected

Rainfall warnings have been issued for the South Shore. Environment Canada has issued weather warnings for Yarmouth, Queens and Shelburne counties. The weather agency is predicting varied snowfall amounts and up to 30 millimetres of rain for those regions. For Lunenburg county, up to four centimeters of snow is in the forecast before it changes over to rain (20mm). There is also a risk of freezing rain along the South Shore. Wind will gust up to 70 kilometres per hour in some counties. Environment Canada says the highest snowfall amounts will occur in Cumberland County and parts of Cape Breton.

Chester: Warden Concerned About 2014-15 Budget

Municipality of Chester Warden Allen Webber says 2013 was a good but challenging year. In a year-end interview, Webber points to issues including the South Canoe Wind project and Our Health Centre that were significant for the area. He says he's optimistic both projects will continue to move forward in 2014. Webber says one of his major concerns next year is the budget.



Webber adds they also need to develop more effective ways to generate public interest in issues concerning the municipality.

Bridgewater: Coordinator Needed For Outdoor Rink

The future of the outdoor rink near Kinsmen Field in Bridgewater might be on thin ice. The coordinator for the last few years has fulfilled his duties and is looking to pass the torch. Town councillor Andrew Tanner says they need to have someone in place to help schedule volunteers for certain tasks. He says there is very little work for the coordinator.



Tanner says there is a group of 15 volunteers ready to help build and maintain the outdoor rink. However, he says work won't be done until a coordinator is found.

Queens County Comeback Impresses Labour Leader

Whats viewed as federal anti-union legislation, proposed cutting of postal services and changes to EI affecting seasonal workers. Those are among the many issues the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour is aiming-at in reviewing developments in the past year. On a positive note, President Rick Clarke says he's impressed with the way job losses in Queens County have been handled since the closure of Bowater.



Clarke says its something like the "Ships R Us" campaign where the province was promoted to the feds as not just deserving it but instead, very capable of building world-class ships. Meanwhile, Clarke is pleased with efforts by the province to improve workplace safety and the planned easing of restrictions by the first contract arbitration law implemented by the previous NDP government.

Let the Boxing Week Sales Begin!

The stores are all open today ... the first time since Christmas Eve day! Lineups outside HRM stores this morning are said to have been small though. Its the start of Boxing Week with most stores offering-up bargains to help them through the post-Christmas Season. There were all kinds of line-ups and heavy traffic in stores across the rest of Canada on Thursday. This week’s ice storm did little to deter shoppers in southern Ontario. They were out in force. On the west coast in Vancouver, a Future Shop owner there says business boomed in his store as people snapped up deals on TV`s, computers and other electronic gadgets.

Grinch Does His Best At Gas Pumps

The Christmas grinch was late showing up at South Shore gas pumps. He made a stop overnight though with the help of the province's utility and review board. As a result, the price of gas was jacked up overnight to the tune of almost 5 cents a litre. The increase means that a 50 litre fill up will cost you $2.40 more today than it would have yesterday. Diesel prices have also increased by nearly 4 cents a litre.

Coffee Shop Workers Unionize. Who's Next?

Workers at a coffee shop in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley have become the first in Canada to be unionized. The workers and owners of "Just Us!" in Wolfville have come to terms on their first contract after protests and firings over the summer months. The collective agreement covers wages, the number of full-time positions and the stability of shifts at the university town java outlet. An official with the Services Employees International Union Local 2 says bigger coffee chains will eventually be forced to accept unionizing of their workers too. He says its only a matter of time.

Yarmouth Mayor Impressed By Residents' Committment

The return of ferry service next spring between Yarmouth and Maine has been the largest development in the town in years according to the mayor. Pam Mood says the efforts of everyone has made it possible.



As we approach 2014, the mayor says like most communities in the region, the economy and jobs are still major worries. However, she's convinced the return of ferry service will open the door to new opportunities, especially in the tourism sector.

Lunenburg: Reduced ER Hours At Fishermen's

The emergency department at Fishermen's will be operating on reduced hours over the Holiday. Officials say emergency services will be available between 7:30am and 2:30pm on December 27, 30, 31 and January 1. So, that means there will not be a doctor after 2:30pm on those days mentioned. This closure is temporary. The Emergency Department is expected to resume normal 16-hour coverage on January 2. Area residents requiring emergency services are advised to call 911 or visit South Shore Regional in Bridgewater. Patients with non-emergencies should contact their family physician or Health Link 811 for medical advice.

Mustangs Preparing To Bid For 2016 Telus Cup

The Charlie's Pizza South Shore Mustangs have their eyes on hosting a national championship. The club, along with its host committee, are preparing to submit a bid for the 2016 Telus Cup. The event features the best boys major midget hockey teams from across the country. Committee Chair, Michael Belliveau, says there looking for letters of support and endorsements from local groups and businesses. He says they're also hoping for people to commit to the event.



Belliveau says they aren't collecting money right now, just asking for groups to commit to tournament packages. It's Nova Scotia's turn to host the event, and Belliveau says no other teams showed interest at a recent meeting. Their bid is due to Hockey Nova Scotia by January 24. If successful, it will then be forwarded to Hockey Canada by January 31 for final approval.

Youth With Cerebral Palsy Benefits From Sledge Hockey

The first sledge hockey event in Bridgewater is being dubbed a success. The Charlie's Pizza South Shore Mustangs hosted the event Saturday evening at the Clearwater Seafoods Arena and roughly 30 people came out to give it a try. One of those people was 10-year-old Erik Vuille of Dayspring, who was born with a type of cerebral palsy. Vuille says he had a blast in his first time ever on ice.



Erik's mother, Olivia, is hoping to make sledge hockey a regular activity in hopes of giving her son and other kids with disabilities an opportunity to be physically active. Erik Vuille lives with spastic diaplegia, which limits the use of his lower body and forces him to use walking sticks. His mother plans to ask for support from her son's school, Centre scolaire de la Rive-Sud in Cookville, to bring the activity back to Bridgewater.

Bridgewater: Major Upgrades Coming To Park View

It's an early Christmas gift for the largest high school in Bridgewater. Park View Education Centre will see major renovations in the near future which will help extend the life of the school by roughly 20 years. The school is home to more than 800 students and was built in 1978. The Nova Scotia Government listed Park View among several schools which will see upgrades under the province's education capital plan. The province-wide plan will invest $94.6 million building of 10 new schools, renovating 18 others, purchasing 70 new buses and reducing energy use in schools. The exact dollar figure for Park View has not been announced. The South Shore Regional School Board says more information on the upgrades will be available in the coming months.

NS Gov't Announces Holiday Closures

The holidays are rapidly approaching - here's a quick look at what will be open. All provincial government offices will close at noon on Christmas Eve. They will re-open on December 27. In addition, Registry of Motor Vehicle Offices in Windsor, Shelburne, Liverpool, Sheet Harbour and Guysborough will be closed all day tomorrow. Liquor stores will close at 5 o'clock on Christmas Eve and 6 o'clock on New Year's Eve. All NSLC stores will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

Bridgewater Mayor: Exciting Times Ahead In 2014

The mayor of Bridgewater says he's proud of town council for the steps they've taken in their first term. Five new councillors and a new deputy mayor were elected to council last October in the municipal elections. David Walker was also elected as the town's new mayor. He's been involved with council for nearly 20 years. Walker says he's happy with how things have worked with the group.



Walker says his highlight of the year was the opening of the LCLC. He says its an issue that dates back to 1988 when council first had studies done on the potential for a multi-purpose centre. Walker points to renovations at the mall, the new collaborative health centre, the new marina and the downtown and waterfront master plan as some of the exciting things to look forward to in 2014.

Two South Shore Wind Projects Approved For Next Steps

Two wind projects along the South Shore have got the green light to move forward. The province approved 14 community Feed-In Tariff, or COMFIT program projects to help communities generate renewable electricity. A 0.8-megawatt project in West Green Harbour and a 1.99-megawatt project in the Yarmouth area can proceed to the next phase of development. Energy Minister Andrew Younger says it may include environmental assessments, an impact assessment or an ecological study. He says communities, families and businesses in the province will benefit from the projects.

South Shore Sports Wrap

Lumberjacks

The CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks wrapped up 2013 with a 4-3 loss on the road to the Valley Wildcats. The Lumberjacks also fell 6-4 to the Amherst Ramblers Friday night. Billy Clarke got the win in goal for Amherst, after being traded by the Lumberjacks recently. The Jacks are now on holiday break until January 3 when they host Woodstock.

Mooseheads

Lunenburg's Brennan Bailey had an assist as the Halifax Mooseheads fell 5-4 to the Moncton Wildcats on Friday night. Bailey, who was called up for the weekend, was also named the game's second star. The two teams also met in Halifax Saturday night. Moncton won that game as well, 2-1. The Mooseheads are now off until December 28th.when they take on the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in game one of the Battle of Nova Scotia.

High School Hockey

The Park View Panthers boys team demolished Middleton 15-2 Saturday night. Leading scorers for Park View were Dyson Wood with a hat-trick and Wesley Demone with four goals, three which were scored within 55 seconds. Meanwhile, Friday night the Panthers defeated Horton 3-2. Jake Key was the winning goaltender in both games.

Basketball

The Park View Panther boys won the Holiday Hoopfest tournament. They defeated Harrison Trimble of New Brunswick 67-55 in the final.

Curling

The final two Provincial Scotties tickets were claimed this weekend at the Highlander Curling Club in Antigonish. Mayflower's Heather Smith earned the last spot with a 5-4 win over clubmate Marg Cutcliffe.
The Smith rink, which includes South Shore natives Jill Brothers and Blisse Joyce, stole the winning point in the tenth end. Kelly MacIntosh of Dartmouth also moved on. The Provincial Women's curling championship opens in Sydney on January 7th.

Slow Down: Highways Treacherous

The highways are very slippery this morning and an example of this is Highway 210 in Bangs Falls near Greenfield. A tractor trailer slid across the road and stalled and the highway was closed for an hour or so.
The driver wasn't hurt. The RCMP advise all drivers to slow down this morning... the driving is treacherous in many areas. Highway 103 between Hubbards and Halifax is very dangerous this morning with lots of slippery patches. Meanwhile, depending on where you live, the weather through yesterday and into this morning has ranged across the region from heavy snow, to rain and freezing rain and high winds. Along the South Shore, we escaped much of the snow and most of the freezing rain too. New Brunswick and Northern Nova Scotia received up to 25 centimeters of snow. There's been freezing rain in southern New Brunswick and power outages there as a result. Dozens of flights at airports across the region were delayed or cancelled on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. Further west in Quebec and Ontario, a massive freezing rain storm downed trees and power lines knocking the power out to hundreds of thousands of residents. It could be days before the power's back on for many people and the mess of downed branches and trees is cleaned up.

Public Fury Expected Over Postal Cuts

The Federal government and Canada Post will receive a huge public backlash if they tinker with the postal service in this country! That prediction from the President of the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour. Rick Clarke tells us seniors and the disabled will be particularly impacted by the move to cut door to door mail delivery. He says its reminiscent of a by-gone era.



Clarke says he's seen one on-line petition with more than 60-thousand names on it and thats only a week since the issue began. He predicts hundreds of thousands of Canadians, including labour groups, will chime-in on the debate through the winter and into the spring. Clarke says it'll be something the Harper government and Canada Post won't be able to ignore.

Bailey Called Up To Halifax Mooseheads

Brennan Bailey has been called up to the Halifax Mooseheads. The Quebec Major Junior Hockey Club have a depleted roster because of injuries and players attending the World Junior Hockey Championships. The captain of the CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks is expected to dress for both games this weekend during a home and home series with the Moncton Wildcats. The 19-year-old has eight points in 29 games with the Lumberjacks this season. The Mooseheads are on the road tonight, before returning home to play again Saturday night at the Metro Centre.

MODL: Downe Understands Concern Around Fire Services

The mayor of the Municipality of Lunenburg says there's been concerns from the public around fire services for years. Don Downe is responding after a resident appeared before council and asked them to consider more amalgamatiion of fire stations in central areas. He says there are legitimate concerns.



Downe says the public appreciates the fire service and the job they do, but he feels people are worried about costs. A meeting is expected to be held in January to review fire services in the municipality.

Beware Of Christmas Scammers While Shopping Online

Its the busiest shopping weekend of the year! Millions of Canadians will be heading to the malls to finalize their Christmas shopping. Many will also be clicking online, looking for bargains and express delivery.
Jill Atkinson of the Maritime Better Business Bureau is warning about scam artists preying on Christmas shoppers. She says make sure your on-line purchases are secure.



Atkinson says watch out for suspicious "special offers" that seem to good to be true, read each site's privacy policy, document all your orders and pay with a credit card for proof of your purchases if they don't show up at your door.

Salvation Army Hopes Its Kettles Will Runneth Over

The Salvation Army in Lunenburg County hopes its Christmas Kettle Campaign will achieve its goal by Christmas Eve. The goal is 57-thousand dollars but its still about 16-thousand short. However, the Lunenburg County chapter's Captain Felipe Vega is optimistic Saturday's Fill the Kettle Drive by Walmart coast to coast will help quite a bit.



All Walmart outlets are involved, including the Bridgewater store. Nation-wide, the Salvation Army Kettle campaign is 8-million dollars short of its goal. Funds raised assist needy families through the year.

Former Mustang Scores Twice, Helps Valley Beat South Shore

A former player with the Charlie's Pizza South Shore Mustangs came back to haunt the club Thursday night. Stone Harnish scored two goals to pace the Valley Wildcats to a 2-0 win over the Mustangs. Harnish spent the last two seasons with the South Shore club before joining the Wildcats earlier this year. The Mustangs are back on home ice Sunday evening when they host Cole Harbour at 4pm at the Clearwater Seafoods Arena.

Minor Hockey Hoping To Fill The Rink For Lumberjacks Game

A push is on to try and fill the rink for the final Lumberjacks game before the holiday break. The Bridgewater club is home to the Amherst Ramblers tonight. All players in the South Shore Minor Hockey Association will receive free admission to the game in they wear their team jersey. Association President Mike Conklin says they want to stand behind the Junior 'A' team.



Prizes will be awarded to minor hockey players. The game starts at 7pm at the Clearwater Seafoods Arena.

Lower Gasoline Prices

As expected, South Shore gasoline prices fell overnight. Regular self serve is down almost 2 cents to $1.29.4. High-test is down by the same amount to $1.38.3. Diesel is at $1.40., down almost two cents as well.
If you're travelling to HRM and need to get gas there, prices are about 1/2 cent less.

Whalen: NS Facing $481 M Deficit - No HST Cut

Nova Scotia is facing a $481 million deficit for the upcoming fiscal year end. Finance Minister Diana Whalen confirmed the shortfall during a fiscal update - the first since the Liberals took office back in October. The largest contributor to the deficit is a drop in income tax revenues of $71 million and a one-time pension adjustment of $300 million to account for the unfunded liability in the public service pension. Whalen says the government is also calling on all departments to reduce spending by 1 percent - excluding health and education. Meanwhile, Whalen says Nova Scotians will not be getting their cut to the HST this spring. She says the province simply can't afford it now. She estimates the annual revenue for the province will be $9.3 billion. That's $158 million less than the target in the budget.

Park View, Bridgewater Face Off In Alumni Game

Old rivals are preparing to square off before Christmas. An alumni hockey game has been set up between former players with the Park View Panthers and the Bridgewater Vikings. One of the organizers, Michael Hubley, says proceeds will go to the Bridgewater Interchurch Food Bank.



Admission will be three dollars. The game will be held Monday night (December 23) at 6pm at the Bridgewater Memorial Arena.

Ups And Downs For South Shore Housing Market

Some ups and downs in the housing market on the South Shore. The Nova Scotia Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service shows housing sales are down nearly 10 per cent between September and November this year, compared to 2012. Meanwhile, listings have increased over the three month period by about seven per cent. President Gary Mailman says there could be some reasons to explain why sales have dropped.



Mailman says final figures for 2013 will be released in January. He's optimistic there will be more activity in the real estate market in 2014.

Liverpool: Federal Dollars For Astor Theatre

The Astor Theatre in Liverpool is getting some financial help from Ottawa to modernize their experience for movie goers. MP Gerald Keddy announced $50,000 to help the theatre install a digital projection unit. The money will help the Astor reach its fundraising goal of $100,000. Upgrades to the sound system and lighting will also be made. The Astor is the oldest operating theatre in Canada.

Fears For Seniors/Disabled If Door To Door Mail Delivery Ends

There are fears for the safety of seniors and the disabled on the South Shore and elsewhere if Canada Post eliminates home delivery of mail. The President of the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities, Kentville Mayor David Corkum, says bad weather makes it especially difficult to get mail at a community mailbox.



The UNSM is suggesting Ottawa fund a special program that would enable the physically-challenged to hire someone to pick up their mail. It intends to pressure the federal government to ensure timely mail delivery for seniors and the physically-challenged.

Bridgewater Fire Chief: Check Your Space Heaters

The Red Cross has come to the aid of two people forced from their apartment home in Bridgewater yesterday morning by a fire. Emergency housing and food have been provided for the woman and child affected by the blaze in an apartment behind KO's Restaurant. Bridgewater Fire Chief Michael Nauss says an electric heater caused a small section of a wall to catch fire. The chief says the incident serves as a good reminder for people to keep an eye on their heating sources.



The woman and her daughter were not hurt.

Gas Prices Expected To Fall Tonight

Just in time for Christmas! South Shore gasoline prices will likely take a tumble when the coming week's prices are set tonight by the provincial utility and review board. In New Brunswick this morning, the price of self serve regular is down by more than 4 cents a litre. Diesel is also costing less by almost 3 cents a litre.

Emergency Crews Work To Keep Up With Slick Roads.

Emergency crews are being run off their feet responding to various incidents and cars off the road in Lunenburg county. Three incidents - including a head on crash - occurred in the span of 20 minutes in Centre, Robinson's Corner and Martin's River. The head on collision (seen in photo) happened in Centre. No serious injuries have been reported. Roads are extremely slick after the South Shore was hit with heavy snow, ice pellets and rain. That's on top of a messy storm which hit the region on Sunday. The second storm in as many days closed schools throughout the province and shut down business and government offices around the South Shore. (photo submitted by follower to Dahl Dispatch)

Sweetland Resident Calls For Fire Services Changes

A Sweetland resident is requesting changes to the way fire services are handled in the Municipality of Lunenburg. Wanda Martell says she reached her last straw when fire tax rates increased in Blockhouse last May. She feels there needs to be better methods of communication to the public and greater transparency from fire departments. Martell also believes more attention could be paid to amalgamation.



There are 27 fire departments in the municipality. A meeting to review fire services is planned for January. The last amalgamation in the municipality happened earlier this year when Chelsea, Newcombville and Baker Settlement combined to become Tri-District Fire Rescue.

Salvation Army Scrambles To Makeup Kettle Shortfall

The Lunenburg County Salvation Army's annual Christmas Kettle campaign is falling short of its target! They're $19,000. off the mark so far, with this year's campaign ending at noon Christmas Eve. $57,000. was originally budgetted for the coming year's programs offered by the Salvation Army in the area. Captain Felipe Vega says money raised is used to help the needy not just at Christmas. So, he says its important the target is reached in the next few days.



Vega hopes between now and December 24th, donations will at least reach the target so programs aren't impacted. The kettles are in place in the key shopping spots.

Pentz Resident Wins $25,000 Playing McDonalds Monopoly

It's going to be a McMerry Christmas for a resident in Pentz. Patrick Scott Greenough won $25,000 playing the Monopoly Game at McDonald's. He received the early holiday gift after he ordered a Big Mac meal and peeled an instant-win stamp from his soft drink cup. Greenough says he will use the money to help pay for Christmas, put towards bills and help cover the cost of a recent family trip to Florida. A presentation is planned at the Dufferin Street McDonalds in Bridgewater on Thursday evening.

Bridgewater: Electric Heater Causes Blaze At King Street Apartment

An early morning fire was quickly knocked down by firefighters in Bridgewater. Crews were alerted to a fire in the wall at an apartment building behind KO's restaurant at 434 King Street. No one was injured. The incident happened just after 7:30. Bridgewater Fire Chief Michael Nauss says a small heater is to blame for the blaze.



Nauss says people should make sure heaters receive regular maintenance to prevent them from overheating. A portion of King Street and Dufferin Street was also closed to traffic while the fire department was on scene.