MODL: Chief Administrative Officer Resigning

The search is on for a new Chief Administrative Officer for the Municipality of Lunenburg. Tammy Wilson is resigning from the position as of May 30. She spent 18 years with the municipality including eight years as CAO. Wilson is moving on to work with the province as a director in the Department of Municipal Affairs. Mayor Don Downe says it will be tough to replace her.



Council received the resignation during a special meeting today. Downe says they are developing a plan for recruiting a new CAO.

Park View Students, Staff Raising Money To Grant Boy's Wish

A group of students and staff from a local high school are gearing up to raise money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. The Alternate Program at Park View Education Centre are participating in the Rope for Hope fundraiser. Participants must raise a minimum of $1500 each in support of sick children in Nova Scotia. Teacher Katie Wheatley says they are working toward sending five people "over the edge" in June.



The team is also raising funds to grant a wish for Brennan, a four-year-old train lover from Cape Breton who is living with leukemia. He wants to go to Thomas Land in Florida. People can support the group through donations and their upcoming Pancake Breakfast at the Local Public House in Bridgewater on Saturday May 3 from 9am to 11am. Tickets are $10.

MLA Wants High-Speed Internet For Residents

Hundreds of residents in Pubinco and Woods Harbour are frustrated over slow internet connections. Tory MLA Chris d'Entremont has submitted two petitions in the Nova Scotia Legislature calling for upgrades to the services. The petitions have roughly 700 signatures. D'Entremont says it's unacceptable that rural areas don't have high speed Internet with all the improvements to technology. He wants to see the service brought up to current standards. Residents report that the system - owned and operated by Eastlink is at the same speed and quality of dial-up.

Province Prepares For Tick Season & Lyme Disease

Tick season will soon be upon us as deer and wood ticks hatch and spring into action. The province's health minister says more is known today about Lyme disease than 10 or 20 years ago. Leo Glavine says there are ways of preventing getting bitten by a tick and in some cases, the resulting occurance of Lyme Disease.



Glavine says people should not be afraid to get out and enjoy the outdoors. More information about ticks, Lyme Disease and ways of preventing it are available at the Nova Scotia Department of Health's website.

Bridgewater: Mi'kmaq Group Allowed To Use Land To Promote Event

A local group will be allowed to erect a large sign promoting their event in Bridgewater. The Mi'kmaq Burial Ground Research and Restoration Association proposed the idea to the town.  They will be allowed to put a sign at Aberdeen Green for roughly three months to promote their month-long fundraiser called 'Christmas in July'. Group member Krystle Retieffe says they hope the sign will help their efforts.



There was some concern among council about setting a precedent, but members agreed to support the group. A sign will be placed at 45 Aberdeen Road until the end of July.

Bridgewater: Groups To Discuss Health Care Funding

Changes within the health care system will be the hot agenda item during a meeting in Bridgewater. The Council of Canadians and CUPE are joining together for a public discussion on the need for a new Health Accord. The accord expired at the end of March. It guaranteed a certain level of funding from Ottawa to the provinces for health care and medication. The meeting will also discuss a potential funding crisis in the health system across Canada. It will be held this evening at the Best Western in Cookville at 7PM.

UPDATE: Bridgewater Hotel Guests Forced To Evacuate Their Rooms

There was considerable smoke and water damage resulting from a fire earlier this morning at the Best Western Hotel and Convention Centre in Cookville. The blaze broke out around 4am in a laundry room and quickly spread smoke through the building. Sprinklers were set off causing water damage. Northfield Fire Chief John MacKay says about four dozen overnight guests were forced into the pre-dawn cold. He says no one was hurt and guests were allowed back into their rooms about half an hour after being evacuated.

Fire crews from Northfield were assisted by those from the Oakhill, Conquerall Bank and Bridgewater fire departments. 

Bridgewater Passes 2014-15 Budget

A challenging budget has passed in Bridgewater. The town decided to hold the line on their residential and commercial tax rates at $1.65 and $3.99 per 100 of assessment respectively. Council also chose to make a debt payment of $1.2-million, to move ahead with the first phase of repaving Dominion Street from High Street to Forest Hill and keep the Memorial Arena open for at least one more year. Mayor David Walker says there is work to do for the future.



Deputy Mayor Bill McInnis and Councillor Jennifer McDonald voted against the budget, both voicing concerns about keeping the Memorial Arena open. McInnis feels there are other arenas in the local area that could be utilized.



Bridgewater's capital budget is just over $2-million while their operating budget is over $18.5-million.