Attendance Figures Down At The Big EX

Attendance was down at this year's South Shore Exhibition in Bridgewater. Manager Christine Sarty says 37,680 people took-in the sights and sounds of the six-day agricultural event last week. It's a drop of 2,424 people from last year. Sarty believes the forecast kept a lot of people from coming.



Sarty says sunshine helped bring over 16,000 people to the event on the weekend and increase overall attendance. She says they're pleased with the overall figures with the weather that occurred.

Well-Known Engineer Passes Away

A key part behind the construction of the South Shore Regional Hospital has died. Arthur MacKenzie Dechman of West LaHave passed away early this morning at age 89. He spent 40 years at Acadia Road Builders and Acadia Construction, the group which helped build the Bridgewater hospital in 1988. Dechman attended Acadia University before entering the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. He was also known as an avid yachtsman and competitive sailor, racing the offshore circuit as a long time member of the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron. Dechman was also Past Commodore and Honourary life member of LaHave River Yacht Club and enjoyed the sights and sounds of Chester Race Week. A celebration of life will take place at the Bridgewater United Church on Friday.

New Germany: Uncertainty Still Surrounds Eisnor Trial

There is more uncertainty surrounding a matter that's been before the courts for nearly three years. A Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge will decide next month whether the issue of a man's fitness to stand trial for the first-degree murder of his wife should go before a jury. Wayne Paul Eisnor has twice been found mentally fit to stand trial for the shooting death of his estranged wife, Tina Mae. However, his lawyer - Roger Burril, argued in Supreme Court in Bridgewater yesterday that the jury should first be tasked with determining his client's fitness to stand trial. His mental state is an issue because Eisnor shot himself in the head after his wife was shot twice and killed in the parking lot of a grocery store in New Germany on June 30th, 2010. Eisnor suffered serious brain damage as a result but has improved since the incident. He also testified he has no memory of the incident in New Germany. He is set to stand trial in September. A judge is expected to rule on the jury-fitness matter August 16th.

Shelburne: RCMP Search Two Homes - Drug Charges Laid

Two men in Shelburne County will appear before a judge on drug charges after RCMP raided a pair of homes in the town. In the first incident, a residence on Annapolis Road was searched on Saturday.  RCMP say they found about two pounds of pot, along with some plants, drug paraphernalia and seven unsecured firearms. A 54-year-old Shelburne man has been arrested and faces numerous drug and firearms-related charges. Meanwhile, officers also searched a home on Parr Street and seized approximately 60 grams of marihuana, cash and drug paraphernalia. A 28-year-old male was arrested without incident and is facing charges of drug possession and trafficking. Both of the accused have separate court appearances in October.

Headed To Russia: Martin Competing At Worlds

Jenna Martin has been selected to run in her third IAAF World Track and Field Championships. The 25-year-old from Bridgewater was named to the women's 4 x 400 metre relay team that will compete in Moscow, Russia from August 10-18. Martin says a coach wanted her to be a part of the team, even though she wasn't part of the group that qualified. She says she has mixed emotions.



Martin flies to Kamen, Germany on Wednesday for training before leaving for Moscow August 7th. This will be Martin's third world championship after competing in 2009 and 2011.

Nowe, Fullerton Tee Off At National Junior Championships

Bridgewater's Ryan Nowe is set to take on the best junior golfers from across the country in the 2013 Canadian Junior Boys Championship. The field is set at 156 players for the first two rounds Tuesday and Wednesday before it gets cut to the top 70 and ties for the final 36 holes. Nowe has enjoyed a competitive summer so far including victories in Pugwash and Antigonish and a second place finish at the provincials in North Sydney. The 17-year-old will be playing in his second consecutive Canadian Championship after tying for 58th last year when the event was hosted by Osprey Ridge. Riverport's Liam Fullerton is also participating in the event for a second straight time after missing the cut in 2012. The event is taking place at the Timberwolf Golf Course in Sudbury, Ontario. All details on the event can be found here .

Valley Warehouse Fire Suspicious

An overnight fire that destroyed a warehouse in the Annapolis Valley has been deemed suspicious.  The blaze broke out before midnight in Kingston and more than a dozen valley fire departments prevented the flames from spreading to several nearby buildings, including a legion hall.  The RCMP and the fire marshall's office are now investigating.  No one was hurt.