Bridgewater: Suspected Shoplifter In Deep Trouble

A shoplifting incident in Bridgewater turned into a much bigger deal for a West LaHave woman. Police say an off duty officer saw the woman take something from a business in the town yesterday afternoon. The 42 year-old was questioned outside the store before she left in her car. Police later tracked her down near the intersection of Queen and Empire Streets. However, they also found prescription pills and some pot. She is charged with possession and trafficking charges in addition to theft of under $5,000. The woman will appear in court June 18.

Contamination Order Issued For Clam Harvesting

A bacterial contamination order has been issued for people looking to harvest clams along the South Shore. Local federal fisheries officers have set up signs along roughly five kilometres of shoreline in Lunenburg, Queens and Shelburne counties. Supervisor Noel d'Entremont says there are several factors that caused the order.



d'Entremont says they have no timeline for how long the contamination order will be in effect. Environment Canada is in charge of lifting the order, once the situation clears up. People can be prosecuted under the Fisheries Act if they're found harvesting clams under the contamination order.

Bridgewater: Mayor In Favour Of Amalgamation

Bridgewater's mayor feels amalgamation could be the future of Lunenburg County. David Walker says local towns and municipal units are barely keeping their head above water and believes more talks need to be held on the subject. Walker points to issues including the recent dissolution of towns including Springhill as warning signs. He feels amalgamation should happen sooner rather than later.



The town of Bridgewater, Municipality of Lunenburg and town of Mahone Bay have been working together on garbage collection. Walker says its time to start looking at options that will work better for residents.

Security Threat Knocks Down Electronic Tax Filing System

You won't be able to e-file your tax returns for the next little while. The Canada Revenue Agency has temporarily shut down public access to its electronic services website over security concerns. The precautionary move is related to the "Heartbleed Bug" - a newly discovered software that can swipe passwords and your personal information. In a message posted online, the agency states it has temporarily closed its services site "to protect the security of taxpayer information." Spokesperson for H & R Block, Cleo Hamel says they can still prepare tax returns but just can't send them into the CRA.



The CRA is hinting extensions could be granted if the problem lingers until the end of the month. The agency will provide daily updates until the situation is resolved.

Distracted Driving More Concerning To Canadians Than DUI

RCMP and town police forces across the province are banding together to promote undistracted driving. Driving a vehicle while distracted is now the number-one road safety concern in Canada, even more so than drunk driving! Cell phones, lap tops, GPS and other electronic gadgets have found their way into cars and trucks. RCMP Corporal Scott MacRae says it doesn't take much for a driver to lose control.



However, Bridgewater Police Chief John Collyer says its not just electronic items that can distract drivers.



If you're caught texting, using a phone or other devices while driving, you could be fined close to $200.
Bridgewater Police and the RCMP are focussing attention on the issue this month and randomly stopping vehicles as part of their education campaign.

How To Avoid Being Phone Scammed

South Shore Kijiji shoppers are being advised to wary of a scam that is making the rounds on the popular buying and selling website. The way it works is the scammer goes to any mobile phone shop and takes advantage of one of those deals where you get a free phone if you sign a contract. The person then sells the phone which technically has not been paid for and now becomes the buyer's problem. Jill Atkinson of the Maritime Better Business Bureau says people can easily get fleeced by the scam.



Police forces on the South Shore and the Better Business Bureau say the easiest way to avoid being taken by the scam is to meet the seller at any mobile phone service provider. The provider can check to see if the phone has a dubious history, if its been flagged in their database.