Bridgewater: Jury Selected In MacKean Trial

The trial for a Lower Sackville man charged with sexual assault in the case of a teenage boy who was chained inside a Lunenburg County cabin will begin tomorrow. John Leonard MacKean is scheduled to have a three-day trial by judge and jury in Bridgewater Supreme Court.
Jury selection for the trial began Monday. MacKean is charged with a prostitution related offence. A panel consisting of seven women and five men will hear the trial. Last June, David James LeBlanc was sentenced to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping, forcible confinement, sexual assault, uttering threats and breach of conditions.
That conviction involves the same teenage boy who was able to escape the cabin. The incident was reported to police shortly after he escaped.

Plan In Motion To Raise Cape Rouge

A plan is in place to raise an old fishing trawler in Bridgewater. Several pylons will be placed between the dock and the ship over the next few days for stabilization. Divers with RMI Marine Ltd. will then seal up the ship, making it water-tight before the vessel will start being pumped out of the water. Senior response officer with the Canadian Coast Guard, Keith Laidlaw, expects to see some movement on the weekend. He says it's a lengthy process.



Laidlaw says they are being calculated and careful during this step. Over 5,000 litres of fuel was taken out of the ship while over 700 kilograms of absorbent pads soaked in oil were gathered from water surrounding the vessel. The Cape Rouge began sinking at the Port of Bridgewater on March 10.

Business Group Halting Managerial Duties Of 'Why Here' Project

Bridgewater is taking a wait-and-see approach before it decides if it will provide funding to an initiative that promotes the local area. The 'Why Here' project has been managed by the South Shore Business Growth Association since the Lunenburg-Queens Regional Development Agency shut its doors. However, the association will no longer manage the program as of March 31 due to a lack of funding. Manager of the Bridgewater Development Association, Ida Scott, says units including the Region of Queens, the municipalities of Chester and Lunenburg and towns of Bridgewater, Mahone Bay and Lunenburg could look after the 'Why Here' project for six months.



Scott says they have a proposed six month budget of $23,000, which includes a part-time coordinator and technical support for the website. Bridgewater has declined a $5,000 pre-budget request until more information is available.

Trial Begins For Third Man Related To Upper Chelsea Confinement Case

The trial for a Lower Sackville man charged with sexual assault in the case of a teenage boy who was chained inside a Lunenburg County cabin will begin this week. John Leonard MacKean is scheduled to have a three-day trial by judge and jury in Bridgewater Supreme Court. Jury selection got underway this morning (Monday). MacKean is charged with a prostitution related offence and sexual assault. Last June, David James LeBlanc was sentenced to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping, forcible confinement, sexual assault, uttering threats and breach of conditions. That conviction involves the same teenage boy who was able to escape the cabin. The incident was reported to police shortly after he escaped.

South Shore Labour Protests Cutting Door To Door Mail Delivery

The South Shore District Labour Council held a rally and march this morning (Monday) in Bridgewater. About a dozen members walked from the North Street main post office at 8 o'clock to outside the office of South Shore-St. Margarets MP Gerald Keddy. Rally organizer Jackie Giffin says among other things, they're focusing attention these days on Canada Post's plan to eliminate door-to-door mail delivery.



Eliminating door-to-door mail delivery is only part of Canada Post's plan to cut costs, including increasing postage.  Giffin also says the federal government is cutting too many public services and that is impacting society as a whole.

South Shore Sports: Weekend Wrap

A big weekend for Josh Shatford of Fox Point. The CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks' forward scored a goal in his first ever 'Q' League game, helping Charlottetown to a win over Saint John. Shatford and the Islanders begin the playoffs this Friday night in Halifax against the Mooseheads. The red-hot Herd have won 13 straight games finishing second overall in the standings.

The BMO Western Hurricanes finished fourth overall in the NS Major Bantam provincials over the weekend in North Sydney. They were defeated in the bronze medal game in sudden-death overtime 4-3 by the Breton Sport Cougars. In nets for the Hurricanes was Parker Rowter, stopping 32 of 36 shots. The Hurricanes ended their regular season with 21 wins, five losses and seven ties. 

A Bridgewater team has claimed the 2014 Under-15 provincial junior curling championship. The Christopher Rafuse rink topped Liam Moore of CFB Halifax 9-3 in Sunday's final in Liverpool. The team, which includes Kya McArthur, MacKenzie Nauss, and Abby Rafuse, finished the event with a 5-1 record.