Forest Heights: Construction Begins On Skilled Trades Centre

Construction is underway on a new skilled trades centre at Forest Heights Community School in Chester Basin. Director of Operations with the local school board, Steve Prest, says Rikjak Project Inc. of Lunenburg is on-site and started their work a little over a week ago. Prest says he's impressed with the work that's done to date.



Construction was pegged to last until the end of May, but Prest adds, the contractor has set a completion date for May 1st. The project cost is roughly $283,000 and is considered the number one priority by the school board's operations department.

Community Raises Money For Family Of Olive Moore

Community members are calling a fundraiser for the family of Olive Moore "a success." People gathered at the Pleasantville Fire Hall over the weekend to raise money through baked goods, face-painting, silent auction or general donation. All in all, over $3,700 has been raised so far and will go towards gift cards for groceries, phone and electricity bills. One of the organizers, Lori Outerbridge, says her son is part of a youth group that helped generate the idea for the event.



Nine year-old Olive Moore was killed after she was hit by a van backing up in a driveway in January. Moore's mother, Candice, is facing charges in connection to the girl's death and is due to appear in Bridgewater court March 27. Outerbridge says people can still donate if they're interested by calling her at 543-6275 or Cheryl Foley at 543-9232.

Yarmouth MLA Not Surprised Over Ferry Struggles

The MLA for Yarmouth says he's disappointed a ferry service won't be up and running for at least another year in south-western Nova Scotia. Zach Churchill made the comments after a government-led committee rejected two proposals to resume a ferry service linking Yarmouth to Maine. The proposals were submitted in January by Quest Navigation of Eliot, Maine and Maritime Applied Physics, a Baltimore-based engineering firm. Churchill says he's not surprised it's proving difficult to re-start the service.



Economic Development Minister Percy Paris says the committee concluded neither bid met its criteria. He says the government will launch a new procurement process with the hopes of a 2014 start date.

Developers Behind South Canoe Wait For Decision

The developers behind a large scale wind farm in Lunenburg County say they understand municipal council in the area is faced with difficult decision. Two public hearings on the $200 million project lasted more than nine hours and drew a combined 300 people. Minas Basin Pulp and Power, Oxford Frozen Foods and Nova Scotia Power are proposing to construct 34 wind turbines between Vaughan and New Russell. Council in Chester deferred making a decision on whether or not to support the project for a second time last night. Project spokesperson Mary-Frances Lynch says they understand it's a sensitive issue.



Lynch says 100 jobs would be created during construction and five permanent positions when the project is online in late 2014. Chester Warden Allen Webber did not commit to a time-line for a decision.

South Canoe Wind Project Still In Limbo

Chester Municipal Council has deferred making a decision on whether or not to support the proposed South Canoe Wind Project. The second of two public hearings was held last night in Chester Basin with about 100 people attending. The five-hour session heard from residents of communities stretching between Vaughn and New Russell where 34 turbines would be constructed. Residents say the turbines would be too close to their homes. Minas Basin Pulp and Power, Oxford Frozen Foods and Nova Scotia Power are leading the project. Its lauded as being capable of generating enough power to heat 32,000 homes and inject $660,000 a year in tax revenue into the municipality. There's no word on when council might further consider the project.