Police Investigate Damaged Power Equipment In Woods Harbour

Police say damaged equipment at the Nova Scotia Power station in Woods Harbour caused a significant outage earlier this week. Barrington RCMP are looking for vandals after residents of Argyle, Pubnico and Woods Harbour were without power overnight Monday. Police say 91 glass insulators were shot at and damaged. The equipment was battered by wind and rain, resulting in an outage of more than 3,000 households and businesses. Anyone with information is asked to call RCMP.

MODL Changes Solid Waste Collection By-Law

The Municipality of Lunenburg has added some much needed teeth to its Solid Waste Collection and Disposal by-law. Council passed a motion to accept changes to the document, which includes new sections on rejection of waste, construction or demolition materials and legal and illegal disposal. The municipality feels the by-law amendments could help reduce the amount of unsorted waste being generated and cut down on illegal dumping. Deputy Mayor Don Zwicker says the housekeeping was long-overdue for the by-law.



Council is expected to formally approve the changes at their next meeting.

Father And Son Fined For Fisheries-Related Offenses

A hefty penalty has been imposed on a father and son for failing to properly report their halibut catch. In Bridgewater court, Lorraine Boutilier and his son Blaine of Hubbards were slapped with more than $10,000 in fines after they pleaded guilty to various fisheries-related offences. The charges were laid more than three years ago after federal fisheries officers conducted a search at Deep Cove Aqua Farms Limited. Their investigation revealed the Boutilier's were involved in catching and selling more than 500 kilograms of unreported halibut. Judge Gregory Lenehan told court all fishermen should know the importance of reporting an accurate catch. He explained failing to properly report catches negatively affects quotas and hurts other fishermen. The Boutilier's were given at least a year to pay-off the fines.

Stompin’ Tom Connors dies at 77

For hockey fans around the world, he was known for 'The Hockey Song.' For everyone else, he was Stompin' Tom. The country-folk musician from Saint John, New Brunswick died Wednesday at the the age of 77 at his home in Ontario. Connors was known for his toe-tapping music and unwavering patriotism. According to his website, Stompin' Tom recorded 61 albums, which featured hits Bud the Spud, Sudbury Saturday Night and Up Canada Way. Connors released a message to his family upon his death, part of which said:

"It was a long hard bumpy road. But this great country kept me inspired with its beauty, character, and spirit, driving me to keep marching on and devoted to sing about its people and places that make Canada the greatest country in the world."

Tom is survived by his wife Lena, two sons, two daughters and several grandchildren.

Bantam Hurricanes Start Provincials In Cape Breton

The BMO Western Hurricanes will try and add a provincial title to their resume this weekend. The major bantam provincials kick-off today in North Sydney, with the top seven teams ready to battle for top spot. The Hurricanes are the third seed based on regular season standings. They will play their first game at 4pm this afternoon against the Mobil 1 Barons. The provincial winners earn the right to represent Nova Scotia in the 'Irving Oil Atlantic Challenge' later this spring.

More Jobs, Less-Government Lead Economy Discussion

Roughly 65 people participated in a meeting discussing the province's economic future at the Best Western in Cookville Wednesday night. The 'Nova Scotia Commission on Building Our New Economy' hosted the meeting to gauge ideas from local residents and business owners on new directions for wealth creation. Among the discussion topics included what people would change about the area and why they choose to live here. Wileville resident Elspeth McLean-Wile believes solving issues in rural Nova Scotia will start with its residents.



People believe some of the factors working against the area include out-migration of youth and workers, cost of living and lack of public transit. People were also asked during the evening to provide one word they could use to improve the area. The most-requested suggestions included more jobs, less-government, sustainability, and education. The commission now moves on to Shelburne for a meeting at 9am Thursday morning at the Fire Hall. They plan to release an interim report on their findings in April.