Bridgewater: Outdoor Rinks Quashed For This Winter

There will be no outdoor rinks this year at Bridgewater's Kinsmen Field. The previous coordinator, Andrew Tanner, says no one stepped forward to fill the position this year. He adds, the weather hasn't really cooperated and decided to try again next winter. Tanner says this season is a wash.



Tanner says the rinks have only lasted until the middle of February in the past before the temperatures begin to rise. He encourages anyone interested in helping coordinate the outdoor rinks to contact him or put their name forward on the Bridgewater Outdoor Rink facebook page.

Chester: Fire Chief Happy With New Emergency System

A new recorded message will alert firefighters of an emergency in Chester. The Village Commission has decided with an electronic sounding device over its air raid siren system following a recommendation from an independent auditor with Nova Scotia Hearing and Speech. The auditor suggested the decibel level of the siren could damage hearing. Chester Fire Department Chief Duke Chafe says the new unit acts like a public address system that includes a siren with a lower decibel level. He says it's beneficial to have in the community.



The new system is expected to be in place in the spring.

Yarmouth: Dead Dog Sparks Police Probe

Criminal charges could be laid after a dog was found dead in the woods in Yarmouth County. An investigation is underway in Arcadia involving the RCMP, SPCA and animal control officers. The dog was found on a snow mobile trail on Sunday afternoon. Corporal Jennifer Clarke says the dog died from an apparent gun shot wound.



Photos have been circulating on social media. They show a bloodied pit bull terrier lying in the snow. Clarke says it's the RCMP's job to find out why the dog was killed.

Tentative Agreement In Queens Manor Dispute

A threatened strike by workers at Queens Manor in Liverpool may have been avoided. A tentative agreement has been reached between management at the manor and its general employees. Those affected include several nursing groups. Last summer, the workers voted 98 percent in favor of strike action. They were battling a concession that would have seen their sick leave nearly cut in half. A vote on the tentative agreement will be held this Wednesday evening. Details won't be released until after the vote.

South Shore Residents Warned Of False Job Offers

Several Maritimers have been left holding the bag, bilked out of tens of thousands of dollars by a phony offer of part-time work. According to the Better Business Bureau's Jill Atkinson, the scammers have been posting job offers on the web, using a fake company name and then "hiring"  people as mystery shoppers.



Many of those who've been scammed blame Western Union for its loose regulations. They're calling on the iconic money-wiring company to make things tougher. Meanwhile, back at the BBB, Jill Atkinson says their best piece of advice to avoid getting dinged is never wire money to anyone you don't know.

Man Passes Away After Barrington Passage Fire

A 69-year-old man has died after a fire last week in Barrington Passage. Barrington RCMP confirm the man passed away Sunday in hospital as a result of serious burn injuries suffered on January 28. The blaze happened along Highway 3 when a mobile home under construction caught fire. The cause of the fire hasn't been determined.

Another Record For Chelsea Whalen

Liverpool shotputter Chelsea Whalen had an indoor personal best and set another Nova Scotia senior women's Shot Put record over the weekend in Arkansas at the Razorback Invitational. Whalen's throw of 16.27 meters was good for first place. Whalen will be back in Arkansas for the Tyson Invitational in two weeks time.

Bridgewater Anti-Tether March Attracts Hundreds

Hundreds of animal-lovers and their dogs hit the streets of Bridgewater over the weekend, supporting planned changes to the province's Animal Cruelty laws. They would ban the chaining of dogs and penalize those who do. One of the march's co-ordinators Lindsey Parnell says the movement for change began here on the South Shore. However, she says animal cruelty incidents in our region are just a drop in the bucket.



There were similar marches in other parts of the province including Yarmouth and Halifax.