Bridgewater Residents Urged To Adopt-A-Hydrant

Bridgewater's fire chief is hoping residents will help make the department's jobs a little easier. Michael Nauss explained the adopt-a-hydrant initiative Monday night to Bridgewater council. The idea is to have people shovel around fire hydrants to help keep them clear and ready to use in case there is an emergency. Nauss says Public Works is busy after a snowfall.



There are 430 fire hydrants in the town. Nauss asks anyone who helps to email the fire department administrator and let them know their location. You can email tharris@bridgewater.ca .

MacDonald: Health Care Remains Top Priority

Finance Minister Maureen MacDonald says access to health care remains the top priority for Nova Scotians. She made the comments during a stop on her pre-budget consultation tour earlier today in Bridgewater. MacDonald says the single most talked about issue when she speaks with people continues to be the health care system and access to services. The health care budget sits at 3.8 billion - and represents nearly 40 per cent of the province's operating budget. MacDonald says the government has tried to make the health care system more sustainable by strategically investments in vital programs.



MacDonald says she is most proud of her government's efforts to reduce the stress on the health care system by creating more collaborative emergency centre's. The government has already opened four CEC's in Nova Scotia and has committed to support collaborative centre's in Bridgewater and Lunenburg.

Mustangs Host Dartmouth In Regular Season Finale

Its the final regular season home game tonight for the South Shore Mustangs. The club looks to build on a Sunday victory over Cole Harbour when they welcome the Dartmouth Taylor Flooring Major Midgets to town. It's also minor hockey night at the rink. Kids who wear their minor hockey jersey will receive free admission. The game goes at 7pm tonight in Bridgewater. The Mustangs are expected to be on the road this weekend to kickstart the opening round of the playoffs against the top-ranked Valley Wildcats.

Group Suggests LaHave River Unsafe For Swimming

It's certainly not the time of year for swimming but as the weather warms up, you may want to avoid taking a dip in the LaHave River. Brooke Nodding of the Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation says the river has averaged between 60-75 percent out of 100 over the last five years, based on the water quality index. She says they've typically tested around Shipyard's Landing for the Bridgewater Triathlon Club.




Nodding says there has been a spike in fecal coliform bacteria in their tests, which can make people sick with ear infections, stomach viruses and Hepatitis A. The foundation is asking council for $7,500 to continue studying the river. Members agreed to send the matter to the 2013-14 budget deliberations.

Budget Consultations Reach South Shore

Finance Minister Maureen MacDonald is making the rounds in Lunenburg County as part of her pre-budget consultation tour. MacDonald met with roughly 35 residents at the Mahone Bay Centre this morning to talk about the upcoming budget and the challenging financial picture in the province. Paul Bross of Riverport says he felt the consultation process was informative. He believes more support for small business is to key to building strong communities.



The latest budget forecast is projecting Nova Scotia will see a $277 million deficit at the end of the fiscal year. MacDonald says balancing the budget will be difficult given the slow economic recovery since the recession and a decrease in revenues province-wide.