Gail Benoit's Case Delayed Again In Bridgewater

A notorious dog broker failed to appear in Bridgewater court this afternoon. Gail Benoit was scheduled to enter pleas on charges of fraud, theft and identity fraud. The charges are related to the alleged illegal sale of two boxer dogs. Crown Lawyer Lloyd Tancock told court he wants to change Benoit's release conditions which currently prohibit her from selling dogs. However, Tancock would not reveal the new conditions. He says the accused needs to be present in order to make the changes. The matter has been put over until June 19th.

Exterior Upgrades Improve Forties Community Centre

The exterior of the Forties Community Centre in New Ross has been spruced up with the help of the federal and provincial government. The facility has new siding, insulation and gutters after receiving $28,000 from Ottawa and $10,000 from the province. The Municipality of Chester also chipped-in with $8,000 and the centre itself raised $15,000 to complete the renovations. The total cost was around $61,000. In a release, board of directors chair Phillip Broome says the upgrades give a new face to a facility that enhances the lives of people in the region. The Forties Community Centre hosts a variety of events including dinners, crib tournaments and craft fairs.

Power Outage Reported In Gold River-Western Shore Area

Nova Scotia Power is reporting an outage in Gold River, Western Shore and surrounding communities as of 12:30 this afternoon. The utility says the outage is due to planned maintenance in the area. It is affecting roughly 280 residents. NSP expects power to be restored by 3:45pm.

Funding Declined For "Our Health Centre" Project

Chester council has decided to pump the breaks on a funding request for a $6 million dollar collaborative emergency centre for the municipality. Warden Allen Webber says council will not provide funding for the "Our Health Centre" project in this fiscal year. However, he says they could revisit the idea down the road.



The municipality was forced to raise their residential tax rate to help boost revenues and are already involved in a number of significant capital projects. Members of "Our Health Centre" had asked council for one million dollars to help with construction.

Tax Rates Remain Status Quo In MODL

The mayor of the Municipality of Lunenburg calls it a budget with no surprises and continues to pay down the debt. Council agreed to hold the line on residential and commercial tax rates. The residential remains at $0.81 cents per 100 of assessment while the commercial rate stays at $1.95 per 100 of assessment. The residential rate stayed the same for the fourth year in a row while the commercial decreased by $0.10 cents last year. Don Downe says its a responsible budget.



The 2013-14 operating budget will be $28.3 million while the capital budget is $4.4 million. Capital projects for this year includes over $900,000 in sewer infrastructure and $200,000 to implement an active transportation plan. The municipality's CAO feels the budget meets their needs and sets the course for years to come.

Crews Working To Fix Water Line Break On North Street

A significant water main break on North Street in Bridgewater is causing some traffic issues today. A water line busted near the EHS base last night. Crews with the town's public works department are on scene. They have found the break and are working to correct the problem. The area has been reduced to a single lane. Motorists should expect some minor delays on North Street while the area is cleaned up.

Province Providing Funds To Bridgewater Curling Club

It's some much needed funding for the Bridgewater Curling Club. The Nova Scotia Government is expected to provide significant funding to help the club with repairs. The curling rink has been looking to replace its aging ice making and refrigeration system. The club also needs to overhaul its sprinkler system. The Bridgewater rink needs about $225,000 in total repairs. An official announcement is expected to take place next week.

Injuries Result From Queens County Accident

A man and woman were sent to hospital yesterday afternoon with non-life-threatening injuries following a single vehicle roll-over in Queens County. The accident happened mid-afternoon along Highway 8 near Greenfield. The injured woman was trapped in her car until she could be rescued by emergency crews. The highway was closed for a couple of hours and traffic re-routed. Queens RCMP continue their investigation.

Spts-New Germany Jr. Girls Are Regional Champs!

The New Germany Rural High School junior girls softball team are Regional Champions! They defeated Par-en-Bas yesterday (Tuesday) 12-1 then went on to defeat Annapolis Royal 15-3 in the championship game. The girls were undefeated through the entire season. Their win adds to the successful year of both junior and senior girls squads at the school. Monday, the seniors won their regional softball championship, defeating North Queens in the final.