CKBW News

1688 Lobster Association in Liverpool on Thursday

2012-02-01T16:33:00.001-04:00

The 1688 Professional Lobster Fishermen's Association are taking their movement to Queens. The PLFA will host their second meeting within the South Shore this afternoon at the Liverpool Fire Department. President James Mood will lead the discussion. The meeting will focus on the recent formation of the association, price and industry related issues. Approximately 30 fishermen attended a similar event hosted in Chester last week. The meeting in Liverpool begins at 1:30PM.

Breaking: Electric Co-op Extend Negotiations with Power Suppliers

2012-02-01T13:12:00.000-04:00

The five municipal units involved in the province's electric co-op are still trying to hammer out a new energy deal for their customers. The municipal electric co-op formed in 1997 and its members include the town's of Mahone Bay, Lunenburg, Riverport, Berwick and Antigonish. The co-op has been involved in serious negotiations for the few past months with two unidentified energy suppliers. In a CKBW/HANK interview, Mahone Bay Mayor Joe Feeney says the parties involved are close to a deal and have agreed to extend negotiations until the end of this month. "We're being...I don't think overly cautious...but we're being very cautious, but if we can get the final few stumbling blocks sorted out here...I'm confident we're going to be able to make a pretty good deal here for our customers spanning the next 20 years," The municipal units operate their own electric utilities and buy their power in bulk from Nova Scotia Power. However, the co-op announced an MOU between two new power suppliers last month that will bring cleaner, cheaper energy to their customers.

South Canoe Wind Project: Public Consultation this Month

2012-02-01T11:51:00.000-04:00

The three proponents behind the South Canoe Wind project will begin public consultations this month. Oxford Frozen Foods along with Minas Basin Pulp and Paper have partnered with Nova Scotia Power on the proposed wind farm. The South Canoe Wind Project would feature up to 50 wind turbines spread over 6,400 hectares between Chester and Windsor. President of Energy Development for Minas Basin John Woods says public meetings will be held in Vaughan and Chester. "We're coming to the end of the competitive process, so it's time to involve the public and engage in public consultations so we're on schedule and we hope to be successful in several months time," The Vaughan meeting goes on February 11th, while the meeting in Chester will be held on Feb 13th at the Legion. The successful bid will be announced in April or May.

VIDEO: Finance Minister speaks to Bridgewater Rotary Club

2012-02-01T10:06:00.001-04:00

Nova Scotia Finance Minister Graham Steele was one of three guest speakers to talk with prospective andcurrent members of the Rotary Club of Bridgewater and District. Steele spoke about his involvement in Rotary and other topics during the clubs open house at the Bridgewater Days Inn Tuesday night.

South Shore Regional working on Safety Violations

2012-02-01T05:00:00.000-04:00

South Shore Health is well on their way to becoming fully compliant with the province's fire inspectors. The fire marshal's office noted 59 violations at South Shore Shore Regional Hospital in its inspections last November. The communications director with South Shore Health, Barb Johnson, mentions some of the 59 recommendations that were made.

"Some of the issues were around recommendations of a different type of fire extinguisher, 23 of the recommendations were around clutter or storage, items that we had to move out of hallways or in some cases, for example, staff had items stored on top of lockers."

But, as of this week, only five deficiencies remain in the hospital including the need for fire doors in specific areas, changes to power sources for ovens, and the need for better storage. Johnson says the Fire Marshal returned a few weeks ago and was very pleased with the changes already made. She says they've ordered the necessary supplies and hope to have all issues sorted out by the end of February.

Bailey knots OT winner as Mustangs beat Valley

2012-02-01T00:12:00.000-04:00

The South Shore Canadian Tire Mustangs earned a hard-fought 4-3 overtime win over the Valley Wildcats Tuesday night. The club battled back from an early 2-0 deficit, improving their position in the league standings to 3rd place with only two games remaining. Head Coach Tim Boyce says it was a big win for his club because it gave them some confidence after losing two straight over the weekend. Captain Brennan Bailey scored the overtime winner for the Stangs while Cole Skinner got the 'W' between the pipes. The Mustangs are back on the road Saturday and Sunday against Dartmouth and Cole Harbour to close out the regular season.

MLA Birdsall endorses Nash as next Federal NDP Leader

2012-01-31T23:30:00.000-04:00

Pam Birdsall

The MLA for Lunenburg is throwing her support behind Peggy Nash as the future leader of the Federal NDP party. Pam Birdsall says she chose the Toronto MP because she believes she has all the qualities of a leader.

"She's one of those people, in my mind, who can bring people together, a real consensus builder and I think that's exactly like Jack (Layton) was. He was a man that worked with his team and any of us who knew Jack and knew the way he worked, that was what he was known for and Peggy is very much like that."

Birdsall says Nash would have no problems bucking heads with Prime Minister Stephen Harper because she's a former hard-nosed labour negotiator.

"She was the first female labour union negotiator in North America, you know I mean, that speaks volumes if you know what labour negotiation is all about. So, I mean this is someone who doesn't just say oh well, ok, whatever you say and I think that's a real quality of being able to be not easily provoked and calm under pressure."

Queens MLA Vicki Conrad also announced her endorsement of Nash. The party's leadership convention is slated for March 23-24 in Toronto.

Bridgewater: Huge Support for Cook's Cancer Battle

2012-01-31T16:55:00.002-04:00

A benefit breakfast held over the weekend for a resident of Bridgewater was an overwhelming success. The fundraiser at the Bridgewater Fire Hall on Saturday was organized for 35 year-old Jody Cook who is fighting breast cancer. More $8,800 dollars was raised through the sale of 600 breakfast plates in addition to cash donations and tickets sales. Food was donated by local businesses while members of the Bridgewater Fire Department volunteered their time to help out with the breakfast.

Black Bull Resources Report Net Losses in 2011

2012-01-31T16:51:00.002-04:00

The future of a Nova Scotia company is unclear following another year of poor market conditions. Black Bull Resources is reporting net losses exceeding $380,000 for the year ending September 30th. The company owns the White Rock Mine near Shelburne and officials say the company will be placed into hibernation mode until further notice. CEO Joseph MacDonald says the company's focus is to reserve cash by reducing overall expenses. A handful of part-time employees remain at the mine for routine care and maintenance. The White Rock Mine produces a unique, bright white high purity quartz marketed under Scotia White.

Phone Survey planned for town and municipality of Shelburne

2012-01-31T11:00:00.000-04:00

The town and municipality of Shelburne are conducting a phone survey to see how physically active members of the community were over the last two years. The survey, conducted by IPSOS Reid Research, will be conducted beginning February 1 until February 13. The physical activity and community school coordinator, Lisa Landry, says the survey will help gather information for the community's physical activity strategy.

"It's a way for us to get input from the community and it's also a follow-up from the survey we did in 2009, so this will give us comparative information so we can gauge the changes in physical activity levels since then."

Landry says they have created more opportunities for people to become active in leisure programs or sports since 2009. She says 300 people will be polled during the phone survey and expects the results to be released by mid-March.

Finance Minister among guests at Rotary Open House

2012-01-31T06:00:00.000-04:00

Graham Steele

The Bridgewater Rotary Club is holding an open house Tuesday night to offer people a chance to learn more about the volunteer organization. Current and past members are expected to meet at the Bridgewater Days Inn at 6pm. Nova Scotia Finance Minister Graham Steele is among the guest speakers, as well as incoming District Governor Greg Caldwell and Windsor Rotary Club President Jonathan DeMont.

Pet Food Drive raises over $2,000 for Queens SPCA

2012-01-30T18:18:00.001-04:00

Karissa Boudreau

The people came out in droves Saturday to help raise money for the Queens County SPCA. The 4th annual Karissa Boudreau Memorial Pet Food Drive raised $2,048 in cash and an estimated 12-14 shopping carts full of supplies. The president of the Queens County SPCA, Martin Hilliard, says they received a variety of different items.

"Hundreds of pounds of dog food, cat food, toys, treats, all kinds of stuff, it was absolutely overwhelming."

Hilliard says the fundraiser is a huge help because a busy summer and fall season has left a big strain on their finances. One of the organizers, Wendy Whalen, says after four years, it was nice to see people still care so much.The 12-year-old Boudreau will always be remembered as a young girl who loved animals, with aspirations of being a veterinarian. It's expected the last pet food drive will be held next year before organizers move on.

Town of Lunenburg: Not Interested in Shared Services Review

2012-01-30T13:19:00.000-04:00

The Town of Lunenburg says its not opposed to sharing some services but council isn't interested in regional governance. Mayor Laurence Mawhinney made the comments as Mahone Bay, Bridgewater and the District of Lunenburg move forward with a detailed review of regional governance and shared services. Mawhinney says he wanted to clear the air because residents have been asking why the town isn't part of the review. "We certainly wish the other three well as they continue their review and discussion, but we were not looking at regional governance per say. We're happy to look at shared services, yes. But a review focused on regional governance as the first step, in our opinion, was not the way He notes the town recently withdrew from a partnership with the three municipal units on the Waste Management Committee. Mawhinney called the venture less than satisfactory and felt the towns views were not considered seriously. The town is currently negotiating with the Municipality of Chester on a new waste disposal agreement at Kaizer Meadow.

Composites Atlantic: Calls Back Some Laid-Off Workers

2012-01-30T13:02:00.001-04:00

Composites Atlantic has re-hired five employees that were victims of a mid-November lay-off. At the time, 37 employees were laid off as the result of an unexpected change in delivery schedules from several major customers. President and CEO Claude Baril says their market has picked up over the past few weeks. "Actually when we did lay-off...we had not underestimated but maybe went a bit too far and we re-hired some more people because we were late on some programs and dealing with overtime, so we adjusted," Baril says work orders at the plant will be stable for at least the first six months of this year and the company will re-evaluate later in the summer. The Lunenburg based aerospace plant employs more than 300 people and manufactures lightweight aircraft parts.

Final "Shared Services" Meeting Goes Tonight

2012-01-30T10:34:00.000-04:00

Don Downe

The last of 5 public meetings in Lunenburg County discussing the sharing of some services will be held tonight. A report on the feasibility of sharing some municipal services among Mahone Bay, Bridgewater and the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg has recommended .... in favor. The meetings have been designed to get public feedback and help councillors in the communities make their decisions on the proposal. District of Lunenburg Mayor Don Downe says that's important. He says: "We need to make sure we consult and get an idea on how our community feels about it. At the same, we are prepared to show leadership. But I think its important to have them come forward with some very interesting questions that they have about the report and we need to give them the answers." Tonight's meeting begins at 7 o'clock at the Petite Riviere Fire Hall.

Queens County Adds More Protected Lands

2012-01-30T09:28:00.001-04:00

Queens County has aquired another 22-hundred hectares of protected land.
Its a gift from Bowater Mersey, part of the rescue package for the mill back in December. District of Queens Mayor John Leefe says saving pristine areas from development is important. About 19 percent, or 44-thousand hectares, of Queens County's total land mass .... is now protected under the World Wildlife Federation's "Endangered Spaces Program". That figure is well above the 12 percent required under the program.

Shelburne Arena ready for next stage of upgrades

2012-01-30T05:33:00.000-04:00

Tony Mahaney

The Shelburne Arena is entering phase two of its upgrade stage. The rink is getting roughly $453,000 worth of work done including repairs and replacement of refrigeration equipment, structural upgrades and accessibility issues. The chair of the Shelburne County Arena Association, Tony Mahaney, says they're moving ahead with their next step of renovations.

"We just finished phase one that did $500,000 worth of improvements that took care of a number of issues concerning lighting and part of the refrigeration, as well as upgrading the players' dressing rooms and washrooms. So, this phase is to accommodate the people viewing the games."

Mahaney adds, one way to help people view the games is by making the rink more accessible including building a ramp to get into the main entrance.

"Once you get into the facility, there's some upgrades that are required for the washroom facilities so that they can easily access the washrooms, as well as a small section that will be set aside for a viewing stage or viewing platform for anybody that is requiring accessibility."

Mahaney says he hopes all the upgrades will help give the arena 20-25 years of use before a new rink will be needed. He says he expects phase two will be complete by 2015.

Hockey: Cole Harbour Thumps Mustangs

2012-01-29T11:32:00.001-04:00

In Nova Scotia Major Midget Hockey League action last night Cole Harbour dumped the visiting South Shore Canadian Tire Mustangs 6-2. Brendan Nickerson and Alex Nauss scored for Stangs who are back on the ice this morning against the Valley Wildcats. Puck dropped at 10:30 at the Bridgewater Arena.

RCMP charge three for drug trafficking in Shelburne County

2012-01-28T07:30:00.000-04:00

A trio of Shelburne County residents face charges after police seized a number of different drugs on route to the area. RCMP members from Yarmouth, Shelburne and Halifax intercepted a package from British Columbia going to a Roseway home and found 460 grams of mushrooms, 490 grams of marijuana and roughly 50 grams of hash. Police also searched two homes in Lydgate and Roseway. A 55-year-old woman, along with two men, aged 27 and 28, have been charged with possession of controlled substances for the purpose of trafficking. The woman and 27-year-old man are scheduled to appear in Shelburne Provincial Court March 28th while the 28-year-old man is scheduled April 11th.

Federal NDP Forum held in Tantallon

2012-01-28T07:00:00.000-04:00

Denise Peterson-Rafuse

The MLA for Chester-St. Margaret's is welcoming her federal friends for an evening in Tantallon. Denise Peterson-Rafuse is hosting the eight NDP leadership hopefuls at a public gathering at the St. Margaret's Centre. Peterson-Rafuse says its a chance for people to meet and talk with candidates running to replace the late Jack Layton.

"We're not having long speeches by each candidate, we felt the best way for people to have a decision-making option was to have the leaders there that you could personally go up and talk to them and ask your questions."

There are eight remaining candidates including the president of the Sackville-Eastern Shore NDP riding association, Martin Singh, the lone Nova Scotian in the leadership race. The discussion gets underway at 4:30 Saturday evening.

Sea Kayak Festival gains support in Shelburne

2012-01-28T06:30:00.000-04:00

The Town of Shelburne will move forward with plans to host its first Sea Kayak Festival this summer. Officials held a meeting earlier this week to see if there was enough community interest to support the event. Organizer Jerry Locke says he was pleased with the turnout and the event looks like it will happen. "So we are starting to take a serious look at it and we're looking at a bunch of possibilities for programming and activities to take place. We're still exploring but I'm quite confident we'll go forward with it," Locke says the organization committee will continue to recruit volunteers for the festival and are set to meet again sometime to February. The event will be held at he Islands Provincial Park from August 17th-19th.

Lumberjacks cut down Crushers

2012-01-28T01:21:00.001-04:00

A three goal second period helped propel the CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks to a 5-1 win over Pictou County. The Jacks got some third and fourth line scoring from Cody Coffin, who potted two goals and added an assist. Luke Warner also chipped-in with a goal and an assist while Luc Ramey had four assists. Shawn Boudreau and Brennan Saulnier also had goals while Billy Clarke turned aside 28 shots. The Jacks will head to Liverpool for a special South Shore match-up against Yarmouth at the new Queens Place Emera Centre Thursday night at 7:30.

Police investigating St.Phillips Street assault

2012-01-27T16:00:00.000-04:00

Bridgewater Police are investigating an assault on St.Phillips Street near Victoria Road. The incident took place early Thursday evening between two pedestrians and the driver and passenger of a vehicle. Police allege an altercation occurred and Cst. William Creamer confirms one person pulled a knife. The passenger received minor injuries after being assaulted but did not need medical attention. Bridgewater Police brought in their K-9 unit but no one is in custody at the moment.

Weather Closes Schools - Pushes Back Exams

2012-01-27T07:58:00.001-04:00

Due to the impending storm conditions (snow and ice pellets), all SSRSB schools will be closed today. In some schools, this will affect high school exams. Please note that any exam which was to be written today (Friday, January 27) will be written on Monday, January 30.

Pet Food Drive in honour of Karissa

2012-01-27T06:00:00.000-04:00

A young girls love for animals and her aspirations to become a veterinarian are always remembered around this time in January. The 4th Annual Karissa Boudreau Memorial Pet Food Drive goes Saturday and this year the event is helping the Queens County SPCA. Organizer Wendy Whalen says the day is one to reflect, remember and honour Karissa Boudreau.

"It's not a sombre event at all. This is a really positive and happy time for us and it's really an uplifting and inspiring experience, you know, we'd be happy to see everyone come out and show their support."

People are asked to donate pet food, toys, beds or any other items towards the cause. T-Shirts will also be sold, with funds also being donated. The pet food drive will be held near the Zellers Entrance at the Bridgewater Mall from 10am to 6pm.

VIDEO: Joint Services Meeting held in Bridgewater

2012-01-27T05:00:00.000-04:00

A few nay-sayers spoke out during Thursday night's joint services meeting at Bridgewater High School. Several people in the crowd of roughly 30 say they don't believe the report was put together very well and that the towns of Mahone Bay and Bridgewater along with the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg need to work together more before developing a Regional Services Board. Bridgewater resident Mark Furey says he was expecting more from the report.

The last of five public meetings will be held January 30 at 7pm at the Petite Riviere Fire Hall.

VIDEO: SSRSB preparing to decide on School Review

2012-01-27T04:00:00.000-04:00

The South Shore Regional School Board has received the school utilization reports. Now, the next step is for staff to prepare the school identification reports for Board Member Judith Sullivan-Corney before the next meeting February 22. At that meeting, its expected Sullivan-Corney will present staffs recommendations on which schools should be reviewed. The board will then respond to the recommendations during its March 21 meeting before school review information has to be forwarded to the Department of Education by March 31. Sullivan-Corney says because there were no schools reviewed last year, she's worried that may hurt the board's chances of receiving any capital funding for 2012-13. The Board has three opportunities to tap into capital funding for 2012-13 to make additions or alterations in schools, capital repairs and any design or scoping work needed. The three capital funding projects total $16-million and all school board's in the province are able to apply for the funding.

No injuries after flue fire in Upper Northfield

2012-01-27T02:30:00.000-04:00

No injuries to report after a major flue fire Thursday night in Upper Northfield. Three trucks responded to the blaze from Northfield and District Fire Department shortly before 10pm. The fire happened at 3918 Northfield Road. The house was full of smoke and firefighters fought embers, sparks and cinders from the chimney when they arrived at the scene. Fire crews doused the blaze and cleared the scene in just under an hour.

PLFA Building Membership-Support

2012-01-26T14:44:00.002-04:00

The Professional Lobster Fishermen's Association continues to build its membership from the ground up. Approximately 30 fishermen attended a meeting in Chester yesterday afternoon with a majority satisfied with the direction the group is headed. Fisherman Troy Nickerson spoke with CKBW/HANK FM following the meeting. "This is a chance to do something. The big goal is we are looking to next season. We don't want $3.25 next season. It's known that if we don't get our act together that's what going to happen. I'm confident we're going to be able to do it little by little, the old saying taking the land back step by step...well...we're taking the sea back...step by step," The movement began almost three weeks ago following a meeting in Barrington. Since the PFLA formed on January 4th lobster prices at the wharf have jumped from $3.25 to $5.50 per pound. The association now sports close to 600 members and plan to meet again in Liverpool next week.

Massive Wind Farm Planned between Chester and Windsor

2012-01-26T14:37:00.005-04:00

Lunenburg County will be soon be home to the largest wind farm in the province. A trio of companies have a proposal to construct the South Canoe Wind Project. The project would consist of 33 to 50 turbines and produce enough power to heat approximately 28-thousand homes. Minas Basin Pulp and Paper and Oxford Frozen Foods have partnered with Nova Scotia Power on the project which will help the province meet its renewable energy targets. John Woods, vice-president of energy development for Minas Basin, says getting the site ready would create about 100 jobs. The project will be located between Windsor and Chester and span 6,400 hectares. The award group will be announced in April while the wind farm will be operation by 2015. A public meeting will be held in Chester in the near future to unveil project details to their residents. Meanwhile, another public forum will be held at the Vaughn Fire Hall on February 11th from 2-5PM.

Joint Services Meeting in Bridgewater

2012-01-26T13:00:00.001-04:00

The fourth gathering in a series of five public meetings regarding a joint services report goes Thursday night in Bridgewater. Council members from the town, Mahone Bay and Municipality of Lunenburg are expected to take in the event as well consultants from Marathon Human Resources Group. The public is urged to come to the event and ask questions to help the councils learn more about the report and the impact it could have on the three areas. The meeting gets underway at 7pm Thursday night in the Bridgewater High School cafeteria.

Changes needed to accommodate Bridgewater leash-free dog space

2012-01-26T13:00:00.000-04:00

The town of Bridgewater will hold a public participation meeting to discuss proposed amendments to its Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use by-law for a leash-free dog park. The town approved the Master Plan for Generations Active Park in principle December 12 and are looking to make changes to their MPS and LUB to allow a leash-free dog space in the park. The Planning Department is also hoping Parks, Recreation and Culture will create a leash-free dog park program to address issues like hours of operation, rules for users and fencing requirements. The public meeting will be held February 8 at 6pm in council chambers.

Fisheries Minister Reacts to "No Show" Comments

2012-01-26T11:37:00.000-04:00

Fisheries Minister Sterling Belliveau says he's been monitoring a series of rotating meetings but explains he's never been formally invited to attend any of them. He made the comments after he was accused of being a "no-show" at a recent meeting in Digby hosted by the Professional Lobster Fishing Association. In an interview with CKBW/HANK FM News, Belliveau says the industry faces some serious challenges and the government is paying attention. He says several working groups are set to begin consultations within industry via the Lobster Council of Canada. "There's four or five working groups that's going to go across Nova Scotia and our neighbouring provinces over the next few weeks. They will have a lot of discussion and consultation with the industry, there a lot of working going on and I think the industry needs to understand this," The council is expected to report its findings sometime in April.

Bridgewater High Principal: Students to blame for Broken Sprinkler Head

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-04:00

The principal of Bridgewater High is disciplining one or more students after an incident at the school Monday afternoon. Chuck McLellan says it has been determined that students are at fault after a broken sprinkler head caused the Bridgewater Fire Department to respond to a fire alarm sounding at the school. McLellan says he is not allowed to say who is involved, the gender or the ages because of the school's confidentiality framework and the protection of privacy act. He also isn't allowed to confirm the nature of the punishment. No damage was done to the school after an unknown amount of water sprayed out of the broken sprinkler head.

Bridgewater Councillor discusses town history

2012-01-26T05:30:00.000-04:00

Patrick Hirtle

A Bridgewater town councillor is swapping hats to be a history teacher for a night. Patrick Hirtle will read from and discuss his book "Going Against the Grain, the Rise of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, 1812-1899." Hirtle says it will give people a chance to learn more about a significant time in the town's history.

"It talks a lot about a really important time in Bridgewater's history. It's a period when the community really rose to prominence in Lunenburg County and really pushed itself into a position to challenge Lunenburg as the unofficial shire town of the county."

Hirtle hopes to see people of all ages attend Thursday night's discussion. The event gets underway at 7pm at the Desbrisay Museum.

SPORTS: Lohnes adds silver to medal collection in Wales

2012-01-25T18:07:00.000-04:00

Whitney Lohnes, left, picked up a silver medal Wednesday in 48kg seniors division at the 2012 Commonwealth Judo Championships in Cardiff, Wales

Bridgewater's Whitney Lohnes now has a silver medal in Cardiff, Wales. Lohnes lost in the 48kg seniors division final Wednesday afternoon to her opponent from England at the 2012 Commonwealth Judo Championships. The silver will be added to her gold she picked up Tuesday after winning the 48kg junior division. Lohnes is now expected to head to Belgium for another tournament this weekend.

VIDEO: Mustangs to get free ice time from Town

2012-01-25T17:00:00.000-04:00

Bridgewater town council is awarding the South Shore Canadian Tire Mustangs with a free ice time. The town is drafting an agreement with the Mustangs to give the team a Friday morning practice from 6:30-8 at no cost. Mayor Carroll Publicover says the club is well-deserving of a free ice time. Publicover says the Mustangs have been in Bridgewater for 27 years and could use the break because of the cost to run the team. Council deferred the team's request in October after requesting the club to make a presentation about the organization and its finances.

SPORTS: Lohnes goes for double gold in Wales

2012-01-25T11:06:00.000-04:00

Bridgewater's Whitney Lohnes is going for gold again. She reached the final of the 48 kg senior division at the Commonwealth Judo Championships in Cardiff, Wales. It's not known who she will be competing against. Lohnes took home gold last night in the 48kg under-20 division. The final will be held at 2pm local time and to watch her online, go to http://cardiff2012judo.org/live-video/ .

Support Growing for Lobster Fishermen

2012-01-25T07:30:00.000-04:00

The Municipality of Shelburne is rallying behind area fishermen and the lobster industry. Council unanimously passed a motion indicating their support for the industry during a meeting on Monday. CAO Kirk Cox says the municipality wants to work with stakeholders to ensure the long term sustainability of the industry. "A lot of work needs to be done to strengthen the domestic and export markets for the industry. There are also some structural questions within the industry, whether there is too much effort or other aspects of the supply chain. We want to take some time to sit down with the industry and see what they would like us to do," He says the municipality could also help as an advocate for the industry on behalf of fishermen. Cox says council also supports the newly formed Professional Lobster Fishermen's Association in their bid to strengthen market prices. The PLFA will host their first meeting in Lunenburg County this afternoon in Chester. The meeting begins at the Legion at 1:30PM.

Shelburne: Public Meeting on Council Size Confirmed

2012-01-25T07:00:00.000-04:00

The number of council seats in Shelburne will be the subject of a public meeting next month. The town wants to reduced the number of seats from six to four plus the mayor. Mayor Al Delaney says the town will need to consult with its residents before re-submitting an application to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board. A declining population and tax base is the main reason behind the application to reduce the size of council. The public meeting will be held at the Shelburne Community Club on February 7th. It begins at 7:00PM.

VIDEO: Skateboard park lease agreement approved

2012-01-25T05:30:00.000-04:00

Bridgewater town council has approved a lease agreement for a new skateboard park on site at the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre. The town, along with the Bridgewater Development Association and the Lunenburg County Multipurpose Centre Corporation have all signed off on the lease agreement. Town council voted in favour during Monday night's meeting, with a few members not happy about an addition made to the agreement. A clause now states "after 20 years, the LCMPCC can request the town to dismantle the skateboard park." Mayor Carroll Publicover says the clause doesn't make much sense.

Councillor David Mitchell echoed the mayor's comments, saying he doesn't like the added clause.

"I don't know why you would need that in there, if it's in good condition and being used, why do you need that clause?"

The BDA's Youth Action team is currently fundraising to have the skateboard park built. Construction of the park won't happen until after the LCLC is completed.

Third Joint Services Meeting held in Riverport

2012-01-25T05:00:00.000-04:00

Riverport will host the third meeting for three municipal units to discuss potentially sharing services. The meeting offers the public a chance to see the report and ask questions. Council members from Mahone Bay, Bridgewater and the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg are also expected to be in attendance. The meeting gets underway at 7pm Wednesday night at the Riverport Community Centre.

PLFA Gaining Steam and Memberships

2012-01-25T04:00:00.000-04:00

The Professional Lobster Fishermen's Association continues its bid to build its membership from the ground up. Approximately 30 fishermen attended a meeting in Chester yesterday afternoon with a majority satisfied with the direction the group is headed. Fisherman Troy Nickerson spoke with CKBW/HANK FM following the meeting. "The big goal is we're looking toward next year, for that next season. We don't want $3.25 next season and its pretty well known that if we don't get our act together that's what is going to happen - we've pretty much been told that by the other side. The old saying "take the land back step-by-step" well, we're taking the sea back step by step," The movement began almost three weeks ago following a meeting in Barrington. Since the PFLA formed on January 4th lobster prices at the wharf have jumped from $3.25 to $5.50 per pound. The association now sports close to 600 members and plan to meet again in Liverpool next week.

SPORTS: Lohnes wins judo gold in Wales

2012-01-24T19:38:00.002-04:00

Whitney Lohnes, far left, with teammates after competing in Cardiff, Wales Tuesday

It was a gold medal performance for Whitney Lohnes. The Bridgewater native took 1st place in the 48kg under-20 division at the Commonwealth Judo Championships is Cardiff, Wales. Lohnes defeated an Australian women in the final. Her father, Tim Lohnes, watched the fight online and says he's proud of his daughter.

"She's on the mat all the time, she loves it, so to see her actually get on the podium at an international event is just excellent."

Lohnes says his daughter has been training hard since moving to Montreal to go to school at Concordia. Next up for Whitney will be the seniors category Wednesday followed up by a tournament in Belgium this weekend.

Cash Stolen from Lahave Bakery

2012-01-24T16:44:00.002-04:00

Thieves are believed to have taken some cash from a bakery shop in Mahone Bay. The Lahave Bakery on Edgewater Street was broken into sometime overnight on Sunday. RCMP are investigating the incident and are asking the public for tips. Mounties believe the break in occurred between 6PM on Sunday night and 8:30AM Monday morning.

South Shore Housing Numbers Jump in 2011

2012-01-24T13:30:00.000-04:00

Gary Mailman

More homes were sold on the South Shore last year than in 2010. Stats from the Multiple Listing Service show 895 homes were sold in 2011, a 9.5% increase from the previous year. The vice-president of the Nova Scotia Association of Realtors, Gary Mailman, says he's not surprised by the figures. He believes people are changing the way they sell their homes.

"It could have been in 2010, there could have been more private sales gone through where in 2011, there may have been less private sales and those people who used private means in the past or for sale by owner companies may have chosen to use the realtor route."

MLS stats also show 3,020 homes were listed in 2011, compared to 2,871 in 2010; an increase of 5.2%. The average price for a South Shore home in 2011 also jumped by 7.8%, to sit at $174,785. Mailman says he's not sure why the price went up. But, he says the area's waterfront properties could be helping the spike.

"The South Shore does have a number of high-priced waterfront properties and a few of those had sold in 2011 and that would help drive the price upwards as well because it is an average of all the sales on the South Shore."

Mailman says the South Shore stats affect homes from Hubbards to Shelburne.

New Lobster Association to hold meeting in Chester

2012-01-24T13:05:00.000-04:00

Lobster fishermen, business officials and the public are invited to a meeting in Chester Wednesday. The newly-formed Professional Lobster Fishermen's Association will be moving its recruiting campaign east from Shelburne, Yarmouth and Digby Counties. The group's goal is to force an increase in prices. South Shore lobster fisherman Kevin Ernst says years of low prices at the wharf have created hardship for many.

"You can't go to sea and catch lobsters for $3.25 or $3.50 a pound, even at $5.00 a pound, we're only breaking even and nobody is making a profit out of that, and I know we all go to work each day in order to make money and support our families and its been a tough go."

Prices have risen from $3.25 a pound earlier this month to about $5.00 now. Wednesday's meeting of the Lobster Fishermen's Association runs between 1:30 and 2:30pm at the Chester Legion Hall.

VIDEO: Parking Meter by-law heads to second reading

2012-01-24T05:30:00.000-04:00

Bridgewater town council has pushed their proposed parking meter by-law to second reading. Members voted unanimously in favour of going ahead but not without some clarifications. Councillor Bill McInnis was concerned with enforcement if a parking ticket isn't paid after seven days. There was nothing in the proposed by-law saying residents would face a higher fine if the ticket wasn't paid. Mayor Carroll Publicover says it's a change that needs to be made.

Members also clarified another clause that states 'Parking in excess of time allowed.' Publicover says the rule suggests parking meter users would no longer be able to feed the meters.

"If I put $0.50 an hour in the metre over the course of a day, I'm going to spend less than I would to rent a parking spot somewhere and that's taking up a spot that would be used by shoppers and people that want to do business downtown. I can't imagine it, but I guess there are people that would do that and so that has to be prevented."

Publicover says people who studied the by-law made the recommendation to put the clause in place. Council will proceed with second reading of the proposed by-law at their February 27 council meeting.

Broken Sprinkler Head causes evacuation at Bridgewater High

2012-01-23T17:18:00.000-04:00

Students at Bridgewater High had a chance to take in some of Monday afternoon's nice weather. Members of the Bridgewater Fire Department were called in after a fire alarm went off shortly before 2pm. Fire Chief Wayne Thorburne says it was a minor mishap.

"When I got on scene, I found that the sprinkler system was activated. It appears somebody broke a sprinkler head under the stairwell on the front of the building and charged the system...and the building was completely evacuated."

Thorburne says he's not sure how the sprinkler head was broken. He says staff on-hand did a quick job cleaning up the water and Principal Chuck MacLellan says students were back inside the building within 10-15 minutes.

Fauxburg car accident sends one person to hospital

2012-01-23T15:36:00.000-04:00

A two vehicle accident in Lunenburg County Monday afternoon has left a pair of people with minor bumps and bruises. The collision occurred around 1488 Northwest Road in Fauxburg, just before 1:20pm. Lieutenant Tony Hunt with the Lunenburg and District Fire Department says one person was taken to South Shore Regional Hospital to get checked out. He says it appears one person wasn't paying attention behind the wheel and rear-ended another vehicle.

Welcome Home gathering planned for Youth Olympian Nickerson

2012-01-23T05:57:00.000-04:00

Residents of Cape Sable Island and surrounding areas are preparing to welcome home Youth Olympian bronze medalist Brendan Nickerson Tuesday. Nickerson, who hails from South Side, Cape Sable Island was one of 17 hockey players under the age of 16 chosen to play on Team Canada’s men’s ice hockey team, which competed at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria. The young Canucks defeated the U.S.A. 7-5 Saturday for the bronze medal. Well wishers are planning to line the route through the business district to the Cape Sable Island Causeway with flags and signs to welcome Brendan and his mom Candace home and to show their pride for the hometown boy. All are welcome to attend and show their support Tuesday. A time has yet to be announced. Local hockey players are encouraged to wear their jerseys. Brendan Nickerson was the only athlete from Nova Scotia to compete at the Youth Olympic Games, which attracted more than 1,000 athletes from over 70 nations.

Mahone Bay hosts first Joint Services public meeting

2012-01-23T05:48:00.002-04:00

The first of five public meetings around a Joint Services report will be held Monday night. The towns of Bridgewater, Mahone Bay and Municipality of Lunenburg agreed to receive the report January 16, with hopes that the public would provide feedback either online or through the meetings. Mahone Bay CAO Jim Wentzell says the public is urged to give their input.

"The difficulty for council would be is if they don't get a lot of feedback from the public, it makes councils job harder to make decisions on the recommendations."

Wentzell says representatives from Marathon Human Resources Consulting Group Ltd. will make a presentation to council members and the public, then people will have a chance to ask questions. The meeting will be held at the Mahone Bay Fire Hall at 7pm and is open to anyone. Meanwhile, the executive director of the Lunenburg Queens Regional Development Agency welcomes the report. Andrew Button says it's early but he's happy to see the three municipal units working together.

"I mean, the devil is in the details and how they decide to implement some of those recommendations and if they decide to implement them, I mean, at this stage of the game, they've really only accepted the report and are considering those recommendations. But, anytime you can get a group of people and municipal units together working on things, I think it's a positive thing."

He says people need to attend the five public meetings and ask questions to help the local councils make their decisions on the report.

SPORTS: Weekend Wrap

2012-01-23T05:28:00.001-04:00

Lumberjacks

Jake Bullen's highlight-reel overtime goal gave the CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks a 5-4 win over Amherst Sunday night in Bridgewater. Bullen's fourth marker of the game gave the Jacks their second straight home win in one of the most entertaining tilts of the season. The Power Dempsey Leefe and Ready 3 stars for the game against Amherst were:

1st star - Jake Bullen
2nd star - Jordan Escott
3rd star - Shawn Boudreau

Mustangs

Shaun McEachern's first period goal held up as the South Shore Canadian Tire Mustangs edged the Cape Breton Tradesmen 1-0 in Major Midget hockey action Sunday in Sydney. Corey Peterson made 31 saves to earn the shutout.

Nickerson earns Bronze at Youth Winter Olympic Games

A Shelburne hockey player has returned to Nova Scotia with a bronze medal from the 2012 Youth Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck, Austria. Brendan Nickerson, a defenseman with the South Shore Mustangs, helped Canada beat the U.S. 7-5 in Saturday's third place game. The 15-year old Nickerson was the only Nova Scotian on the Canadian team.

Whalen breaks Nova Scotia record

Chelsea Whalen of Liverpool erased a 10-year-old Nova Scotia senior womens shotput record with a throw of 15.02 meters. She set the mark in Birmingham, Alabama Saturday. Whalen is the first female shot putter in Nova Scotia Track and Field history to break the 15 meter mark. She did this on the same day she was named the 2011 junior female track and field athlete of the year. Whalen who attends Florida State University is currently ranked 1st in Canada and 1st in the ACC Divison with that throw.

Stevens qualifys for Tankard

There will be a South Shore team at next month's Molson Mens Tankard. Chester's Chad Stevens earned the final spot with a 9-4 win over Kyle Schmeisser Sunday night in Dartmouth. Ian Fitzner-Leblanc and Brent MacDougall of Mayflower also advanced over the weekend. They'll join five other rinks at the Provincial Mens Curling championships starting February 8th at the Bridgewater Curling Club.

Bantam Hurricanes

The BMO Western Hurricanes Major Bantam Hockey Club won both their Nova Scotia Major Bantam Hockey League weekend games against the Cole Harbour Storm. With a 5-1 victory Saturday evening in Liverpool and a 4-2 road win on Sunday afternoon, the Hurricanes have increased their first place lead in the Nova Scotia Major Bantam Hockey League. The Hurricanes now lead the league with a record of 23 wins and only 4 loses.

Blast of Winter before Weekend Arrives

2012-01-20T15:22:00.000-04:00

A blast of winter made for some tricky driving conditons today for at least a few hours. A couple of single vehicle accidents this afternoon, the first was near Robinson's Corner in the Chester area while emergency responders were called to a minor accident in Whynott's Settlement. Things should be clear for the rest of the night. A few flurries are expected Saturday afternoon.

SPORTS: Mustangs/Valley game postponed

2012-01-20T14:34:00.001-04:00

The South Shore Canadian Tire Mustangs won't be heading to Kentville Friday night. The major midget hockey game against the Valley Wildcats has been postponed because of weather conditions. No makeup date has been announced. The Mustangs are expected to hit the road Saturday for back-to-back games against the Cape Breton Tradesman. Games will be played Saturday night and Sunday morning.

SPORTS: Fever Postponed

2012-01-20T14:23:00.001-04:00

All Fever Weekend basketball games that were scheduled for Friday night have been cancelled because of the weather. Saturday's schedule will remain the same; however the "seniors presentation" will be made before the Park View/Shelburne game at 4:30. See remaining schedule below.

FRIDAY JANUARY 20th

CANCELLED - Park View J.V. vs Bridgewater

CANCELLED - Park View Senior Night Presentations

CANCELLED - Park View D1 vs Sir John A. MacDonald

SATURDAY January 21st

10:00am Sir John A. MacDonald vs SHELBURNE

12:00pm Sir John A. J.V. vs Park View J.V.

1:45pm Printer?s Corner 2 Ball Contest

2:30pm Bridgewater vs Sir John A. MacDonald

Park View Senior Night Presentations

4:30pm SHELBURNE vs PARK VIEW D1

Council Size Reduced in Barrington

2012-01-20T08:00:00.000-04:00

The next municipal council in Barrington will have a heavier work-load and more constituents to represent. The Nova Scotia Utility and Review board has given the green light on a request from the municipality to reduce the number of seats on its council from seven to five. The URB application deals primarily with the number of polling districts within the municipality. The number of voters in each of the five new polling districts range from 1,200 to 1,500 residents. The new boundary changes will be in effect when residents head to the polls in October for this fall’s municipal elections.

LaHave River nominated as Great Neighbourhood

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

LaHave River

The LaHave River has been nominated as a great neighbourhood in Canada. The river which runs through Bridgewater was nominated along with nine other locations across the country. Ken Forrest with the Great Places in Canada contest says winners will be announced at the end of April. He says winners receive a plaque and raise their community profile across Canada.

"What it does, as well, is it creates a lot of awareness for people across the country that the place exists and we've actually found, after the fact, that people were using the website as a way to kind of plan different stops on peoples summer vacations, so, good for tourism, good for community pride."

The LaHave River is the lone Nova Scotia location in the contest so far. Nominations can be made until January 31, with voting taking place until February 29. To nominate, vote or get more information on the contest, visit www.GreatPlacesInCanada.com .

Military action figure sells out in Bridgewater

2012-01-20T01:00:00.000-04:00

A popular Canadian Forces action figure has sold out in Bridgewater. Miller Optical was carrying a few hundred of the collectibles, but sold their last one last week. Owner Tom Burlock says it only took a few weeks to sell the action figures, which honour the army, navy and air force. One of the creators of the figure, John Alan Sperry, says they're close to selling all 6,000 they originally made. Once they sell out, Sperry says a presentation will be made to give part of the proceeds to the 'Soldier On Fund' for military personnel and families of injured members. He hopes a new batch of action figures will be ready to sell by the early spring.

Crawley, Bullen shine in Lumberjacks win over Miramichi

2012-01-20T00:09:00.000-04:00

The CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks have their first win of 2012. The Jacks ended a nine game winless streak with a 6-4 victory Thursday night over the Miramichi Timberwolves. Michael Crawley scored a hat-trick and added an assist while Jake Bullen scored once and also had three assists to pace the Jacks offensively. Head Coach Terry Rhindress says he's happy the losing streak is over. He says his team never gave up and doesn't plan to stop playing hard for the rest of the season. Bullen also notched his 100th point with the Lumberjacks over two seasons while Billy Clarke stopped 33 shots in the win. Nick Smith and Cody Coffin scored the other goals for the Jacks. Next up, the Lumberjacks head to Yarmouth Saturday night to take on the Mariners.

Park View's Fever Weekend underway

2012-01-20T00:04:00.001-04:00

Park Views annual Fever weekend kicked off Thursday night with both of Park Views boys team in action. The JV boys started the tournament with a good battle against North Queens. The game was tight throughout but it was Park View who held on for an 86-77 win. Up next was the " Printers Corner 3 point contest", which saw shooters from each team showcase their shooting ability. Park Views Division 1 guard, Catlin Garber came away with a total of 15 threes in the final round. The night was capped off with town rival Bridgewater Vikings taking on the Division 1 Park View Panthers. Park View held on for a 65-57 win after a late Bridgewater run came up short. Game star for Bridgewater was Brandon Minard and for Park View Chris Banfield. Fever weekend continues Friday night with both Park View teams in action. The JV boys play Bridgewater at 5:30 followed by the D1 boys taking on Sir John A MacDonald.

Nova Scotia MP's in line to collect Massive Pension's

2012-01-19T12:46:00.002-04:00

The member of parliament for the South Shore will be among the highest paid federal politicians in the province if he retires on or after 2015. Gerald Keddy of South Shore-St. Margarets will receive the 4th highest annual pension. Canadian Taxpayers Federation Atlantic President Kevin Lacey says with pensions like Keddy's, its little wonder the pension program for MP's and Senators is on a fast track to go bust. "He will eligible to receive by 2015 just over $94,000 a year. That's over double most Nova Scotian's salary this year," Keddy's pension will only be lower than defence minister Peter McKay, who will receive the highest pension of all Nova Scotia MP's at $117,200 dollars a year; Liberal Geoff Regan at $105,000; and Liberal Scott Brison at 96,000.

VIDEO: Ashes in compost bin cause minor fire in Dayspring

2012-01-19T12:27:00.000-04:00

A bit of a scare Thursday morning for a Dayspring family. Ashes were put into a compost bin which caused a minor fire at 213 Larry Fraser Road just after 11am. Dayspring and District Fire Department official Kevin Corkum confirmed there was no working fire when crews arrived after the family put the flames out themselves. Fire department members cleared the scene in less than hour.

Chester Explores E-Voting

2012-01-19T12:06:00.000-04:00

Residents of Chester may have the option to cast an electronic vote during municipal elections in October. Council tossed around the idea during their meeting this morning. The municipality is hoping the switch may appeal to younger voters and increase overall voter turnout. Councillor Marshall Hector says its a great idea and he would support the move. The municipality is considering offering electronic voting via phone or online during advanced polls while maintaining the traditional paper ballot system for election day. Council decided to investigate the matter further and look to other jurisdictions who have already introduced the practice.

Town supports disabled teen despite denied request

2012-01-18T16:31:00.000-04:00

Carroll Publicover

The Town of Bridgewater says it backs the efforts of a disabled teen who is trying to add an accessible suite onto his mothers home. Dylan Robar and Bonnie Meisner are hoping to access funds through a $50,000 provincial grant but a town bylaw requires her to apply to rezone her property in order to meet the grants requirements. Council turned down a request to waive an $800 fee attached with rezoning their property earlier this month. However, Mayor Carroll Publicover says that doesn't mean the town's planning department didn't try and help.

"They've sought information on their behalf, went to other levels of government to understand what sort of funding arrangements were in place for them and how our Land Use by-law dovetailed or didn't dovetail with them, what changes we might need to make to accommodate their needs to other levels of government for grants and so on. It was eminently fair and above and beyond the call of duty."

Meisner now has to apply to either have her property rezoned at her own cost or have the province revise wording in the grant. Publicover hopes she will take the necessary action soon and resolve the matter.

"Twin Schooners" Near Completion in Lunenburg

2012-01-18T14:23:00.000-04:00

The Town of Lunenburg will turn the clocks back this weekend and re-visit its historic shipbuilding past. The last plank will be fitted onto the hulls of the "Twin Schooners" on Saturday afternoon. Known as a shutter or whiskey plank, the occasion is traditionally marked by the captain or builders pouring a glass of their favourite drink over the plank. Construction of the two 48 foot wooden schooners began in December of 2009. At the time, it marked the first large scale boat building on the Lunenburg waterfront in 30 years. The ceremony get underway outside the historic Lunenburg Dory Shop on Saturday at 2PM. Actor Billy Campbell of AMC's "The Killing" will own one of the schooners and will be in attendence

Town Hall Meeting on 2014 Health Accord

2012-01-18T14:00:00.000-04:00

Kyle Buott

A town hall meeting will be held in Bridgewater Thursday night to talk about health care. The Nova Scotia Citizens' Health Network and CUPE 1933 are giving the public a chance to learn more about the 2014 Health Accord. The coordinator, Kyle Buott, says the meeting will allow residents to give feedback on what public health care should look like.

"We'll hear from some speakers about what's happening in health care, but we'll also want to hear other peoples opinions on how to build a peoples agenda for public health care and what citizens want their public health care system to look like in the future, so that's kind of the next step is to work on that vision."

Buott says the time is now for people to get engaged and spark change in the way health care is provided. The meeting will be held Thursday night at the Girl Guide Cabin at 93 Dominion Street, beginning at 6:30pm.

Power restored in Bridgewater Area

2012-01-18T12:44:00.001-04:00

Roughly 200 people have their power back after an outage Wednesday morning in the Bridgewater area. Dayspring and District Fire Department and Nova Scotia Power responded to a call shortly after 10am about sparks flying from a power pole on Highway 3 in Upper LaHave. Nova Scotia Power spokesman David Rhodenhizer says it was a minor incident and has been cleaned up.

"A tree branch had fallen across the lines in Upper LaHave. It would have impacted about 199 customers, so just under 200 customers lost power and we had the electricity restored in less than an hour."

The outage affected parts of Upper LaHave, Oak Hill, Dayspring and Rhodes Corner.

UPDATED: Woman Faces Fraud Charges

2012-01-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

A Lunenburg County woman facing charges of fraud totalling more than $80,000 will appear in court next month. Forty-seven-year-old Sandra Skinner was scheduled to appear in provincial court in Bridgewater today to enter a plea on five counts of fraud over $5,000. She was charged after police were called in by the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness to investigate reimbursement claims for capital works projects at Harbour View Haven Nursing Home in Lunenburg. Police alleged that in each instance the work was either not completed, the goods not purchased or the goods purchased were not approved. The case is back in court on February 29th.

SchoolsPlus trying to expand to other South Shore Schools

2012-01-18T04:30:00.000-04:00

Scott Patterson

Bridgewater town council is writing a letter of support to the NDP government to try and sway some South Shore Schools to gain much needed programming. Council heard during their January 9th meeting all about kids at risk at Park View, Bridgewater and New Germany High and their feeder schools. The Chair of SchoolsPlus service, Scott Patterson, says there were 692 suspensions last year out of 4,554 students at those schools. Patterson says SchoolsPlus could influence kids to change the way they think.

"What if we could figure out a way to establish relationships with them, build a bridge with them, match them up with programming developers, get some programming in to help them? What if we had support right in the schools? What if we could do that? Empower these kids to be all they can be."

The SchoolsPlus program costs $150-thousand to incorporate into the schools. The NDP government is expected to award four more schools with SchoolsPlus this spring. Six schools in Eastern-Lunenburg County are involved in South Shore SchoolsPlus including Chester Area Middle School, New Ross Consolidated and Forest Heights Community School.

Bridgewater denies disabled man's request

2012-01-17T16:47:00.000-04:00

Bonnie Meisner speaks at January 9 town council

It's one big financial headache for a Bridgewater family. Bonnie Meisner is hoping to access funds under a $50,000 provincial/federal grant that would help build a garden suite for her son Dylan Robar, who is suffering from muscular dystrophy. However, Meisner's house was built in 1979 and the town's bylaw prohibits property owners from adding to their homes if they were built after 1975.

"It needs to state a secondary garden suite, so the difference is the word 'unit' or 'suite'.It has to state 'suite' to get the grant, that's the issue."

Meisner was hoping council would waive an $800 rezoning fee but the town turned down the request earlier this month. She now has to apply to either have her property rezoned at her own cost or have the province revise some of the wording in the grant.

Trailer Theft in Wileville

2012-01-17T10:39:00.000-04:00

A business in Wileville is on the lookout for its missing trailer. Lunenburg County RCMP are currently investigating the theft of a U-Haul Tow Dolly from Brown's Self Storage. The incident occurred sometime between last Friday evening and Sunday. Anyone with details should contact RCMP.

Mood: Fishermen Won't Tie Up Boats

2012-01-17T04:00:00.001-04:00

It's doesn't appear lobster fishermen in Shelburne, Yarmouth and Digby will tie up their boats this week in protest over the price of their catch. Head of the Professional Lobster Fishermen's Association, James Mood, says its business as usual in LFA's 33 and 34. However, he says fishermen are still holding their catch unless they get $5.50 a pound. "They have to be accountable and take their industry back in a fair way...and I mean not in an unfair way where they are asking for $10.00 a pound. But a $5.50 price is a fair price for this lobster and let's face it...to pay the fishermen," Mood says the newly formed fishermen's association has made positive gains in its quest to drive up the price of lobster. The price has jumped from $3.50 to around $4.75 per pound since early January.

Three Lunenburg County Councils exploring Joint Services

2012-01-16T23:40:00.000-04:00

It's still very early but a trio of Lunenburg County councils have taken the preliminary step to become one. The representatives of Mahone Bay, Bridgewater and the District of Lunenburg have agreed to receive a joint services report so residents can have their say. The three councils won't accept the report until members debate them at council meetings and public consultations are complete. Still, District of Lunenburg Mayor Don Downe says its a big step forward.

"We want to take a look at what we need to do in a cooperative way to provide better services at a less cost to residents of Lunenburg County. Whether it's less cost today or less cost later on, the issue is what's the best formula that we need to put together to provide a good, accountable government to the residents of our Municipality."

Brian Smith with Marathon Human Resources Consulting Group suggested the three councils form a regional services board for three years before deciding to amalgamate. The report recommends the regional service board include members of each of the three councils and provide joint services in solid waste management before expanding to recreation and economic development. Between 15-20 members of the public took-in Monday night's meeting at the Mahone Bay Fire Hall. Bridgewater Mayor Carroll Publicover says he isn't discouraged by a lack of public presence.

"Things could really change. The composition of how their town is governed, how their services are delivered. I think they will become more part of it, more engaged and more interested."

Public information sessions are scheduled to begin next week: Monday January 23- Mahone Bay Fire Hall,

Tuesday January 24 at Pinehurst Community Hall, Wednesday January 25 at Riverport Community Centre
Thursday January 26 at Bridgewater High School and Monday January 30 at Petite Riviere Fire Hall. All meetings start at 7pm.

Shared Services Meeting in Mahone Bay

2012-01-16T13:22:00.000-04:00

Three municipal governments are about to find out if its feasible to move ahead with sharing services. Marathon Human Resources Consulting Group completed the report and will release its findings Monday night. The presentation will review recommendations on the best ways to deliver municipal services between Mahone Bay, Bridgewater and the Municipality of Lunenburg. Mahone Bay Mayor Joe Feeney says the public should participate in the meeting.

"It will provide an opportunity for the public to see first-hand, the report as it is released to councils for action."

The meeting will be held Monday night at the Mahone Bay Fire Hall at 6pm.

CKBW/HANK FM: News Poll

2012-01-16T12:13:00.001-04:00

It appears many South Shore residents are concerned about the growing size of their power bills and want to find ways to save energy. An overwhelming number of respondents to our weekly poll ... 90 percent said they want to get their power costs down. Only ten percent say they aren't looking for ways to save energy. Renewable Energy Expert Wayne Groszko says turning off unused lights and not draining the electric water heater are obvious ways to save. Pulling the plugs on TV's, computers and radios will also do it because even though they may be shut off, they are still draining power unless you pull their cords. Groszko also says the old story about keeping an electric radiator set at one temperature will save energy ... isn't true. "If you have ordinary electric base board heat you're actually going to save a considerable amount if you set the temperature back a few degrees at night and use and extra blanket - it does actually save a significant amount," Groszko says everyone should do a check-list of power-using items in their home and look for ways to cut power bills. He says Clean Nova Scotia can help and so can the Ecology Action Centre.

MODL: Dawson Heights Paving Needs Support

2012-01-16T05:30:00.001-04:00

The Municipality of Lunenburg is seeking the province's help to pave Dawson Heights. Mayor Don Downe says they are asking the government to chip-in half the cost to pave the subdivision street. Downe says they also need residents support to move forward with the funding request. "It is contingent on 75 percent of the support from residents because it will be paying the other half of the project, so once we hear their support of that then the project will go forward. It's won't go forward otherwise," Thirty-two residents live on Dawson Heights Road, meaning at least 24 households would have to agree to pay half the estimated $307-thousand. Downe says the issue needs to be sorted before a government deadline or the Municipality would have to wait until next year to pave the street.

Paper Machines Running @ Bowater Mersey

2012-01-16T05:30:00.000-04:00

Employees at Bowater Mersey are back to work this morning following an extended shutdown. Paper machines at the mill had been down since Christmas. Operations were set to resume on January 9th but due to poor market conditions in Europe the shut down was extended another week. Earlier this month, Bowater's CEO Brad Pelley told reporters in Liverpool that some of the mill's traditional clients were flooded with paper products. Officials at the mill were hoping an extended shutdown would help create some demand for paper.

Interested in creating logo for Bluenose Academy?

2012-01-15T08:30:00.000-04:00

A new design is needed for Bluenose Academy's school logo. The schools official colors are Royal Blue and Black and should be incorporated into the design. The contest is open to people of all ages. Designs must be submitted by email or dropped off at Centre Consolidated School/Lunenburg Academy no later than January 30. The logo will be selected by students February 3.

Mustangs/Titans Clash in Halifax

2012-01-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

A great tilt this afternoon in Halifax. The South Shore Canadian Tire Mustangs face the league-leading Titans at 3:30 at the Halifax Forum. The Mustangs beat the Titans 4-3 to close out 2011. Halifax is currently first overall while the Mustangs sit in third.

Cash & Smokes stolen from Irving Gas Station in Hubbards

2012-01-14T08:45:00.000-04:00

Chester RCMP are looking for two men after a break-in at the Irving Gas Station in Hubbards. The two men involved in the crime got in through the back door and had their faces covered with clothing to hide their identity. Police say they were able to get away with some cash and a large quantity of cigarettes. RCMP say one man was wearing a blue or grey checkered coat with a grey hoodie underneath and beige pants. The theft occurred late last night.

Fishermen's Memorial: Emergency Department Closure

2012-01-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

The emergency department at the Fishermens Memorial Hopsital in Lunenburg will be closed this weekend. The closure will begin at 2:30PM Saturday afternoon until 7:30AM Sunday morning. The closure is due to the unavailability of nurses at the hospital. Any residents requiring emergency care is asked to call 9-1-1 or visit the South Shore Regional Hospital.

Town of Shelburne Looks to Downsize Council

2012-01-13T12:37:00.000-04:00

The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board has rejected a request from the Town of Shelburne to downsize the number of members on council from six to four. In a decision released earlier this week, the regulatory board says more public consultation is needed before making such a move. Mayor Al Delaney says a declining population in Shelburne is the main reason behind the request. "With our declining population and our decline tax base, four councilors would be more than adequate to govern the town and with the mayor it would be five election official governing just over 1,800 people," He says the town will meet the boards request and set dates for some public meeting on the matter in the near future. The URB has asked the town to re-submit its application before the end of February and have scheduled another hearing on the matter for April 16th.

Update: Wild Rose Park & Western Shore Wharf

2012-01-13T10:29:00.001-04:00

Negotiations with affected property owners in Wild Rose Park will begin next month. The municipality voted to expropriate twelve parcels of land within the park shortly before the Holidays and officially acquired the land this week. Warden Allen Webber says the municipality will now begin contacting those property owners before entering into the negotiation process. "I'd like to have it resolved tomorrow, but realistically we're probably entering into a six-month stretch of back and forth negotiation, depending on how things go and how receptive people are to the amount of money that we are prepared to offer," Meanwhile, Webber says upgrades to the wharf within Wild Rose Park will begin in February. The municipality recently signed a lease-purchase agreement with Western Shore Wharf Corporation. The private company will inject $400,000 into its restoration.

BREAKING: Schools in Lunenburg and Queens County closed

2012-01-13T05:59:00.001-04:00

South Shore residents should remain cautious behind the wheel this morning as plows cleanup roads from Thursday night's snowfall. Between 5-10cm of snow fell along the South Shore before it turned to freezing rain and eventually to rain and drizzle overnight. Roads are still slick in spots and drivers are urged to stay patient. Meanwhile, the South Shore Regional School Board have informed us that all schools in Lunenburg and Queens County are closed for the day.

Lumberjacks fall to Metro

2012-01-13T04:46:00.002-04:00

Three goals in the final two periods were enough to push the Metro Marauders past the CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks 5-1 Thursday night in Bridgewater. Cody Coffin scored the lone goal for the Jacks, who dropped their ninth straight game. Metro scored three of their goals with the man advantage and Head Coach Terry Rhindress says that was the difference.

"They're a good hockey team, they have some 20-year-olds there on the back-end that move the puck well, they go defense-to-defense, backdoor, seam pass, I mean they find the seam, so, you know what, that's a good hockey team, we didn't adjust the way we should have and it put us in a position at 4-1."

The Lumberjacks, meanwhile, went 0 for 7 on the powerplay, something Rhindress wasn't too pleased about after the game. Billy Clarke stopped 32 shots in the loss. The Edwards Denture Clinic 3 stars for last nights Lumberjacks game were:

1. Travis Hall - Metro

2. Chris Riguse - Metro

3. Billy Clarke - Lumberjacks

VIDEO: Bridgewater Councillors approve Parking Meter recommendations

2012-01-13T04:00:00.000-04:00

Bridgewater council has approved a number of recommendations to update its current draft bylaw on parking meters. The town approved six of the seven suggestions put forward. Mayor Carroll Publicover says now they want to hire an experienced consultant to study parking meters in the town. The draft bylaw is expected to be back in front of council for first reading in the next couple of months. Council approved the following recommendations:

That the rate for metered parking in the Town of Bridgewater be increased to $0.50 per hour with a further increase to $1.00 per hour after one year.
That all parking meters receive the needed software upgrade and any repair and replacement.
That the most outdated or damaged parking meters be replaced each year as revenue from the parking meters in the previous year allows.
That the enforcement of parking meters be increased significantly.
That the Parking Meter By-Law proceed through the process of adoption.
That no new parking meters be installed.

RCMP: Snow Covered Highways

2012-01-12T18:00:00.000-04:00

RCMP are warning motorists to slow down and use caution as weather gets worse this evening. Up to 10cm of snow, mixed with ice pellets and rain is in store for the South Shore. Meanwhile, the Hebbs Cross Fire Department responded to a call just after 4 o'clock this afternoon for a single vehicle rollover just before exit 14 on the way to Liverpool. Former Deputy Chief Gary Oakes was on scene and tells us two people, the driver and passenger managed to escape with only minor injuries after their RAV 4 flipped into a ditch. They were taken to South Shore Regional Hospital as a precaution to get checked out. We're seeing some snow, mixed with ice pellets....rain is in store for later Thursday night. To prevent incidents from occurring RCMP are reminding road users of the following:

• Call 511 to listen for advisories or road condition updates;

• Please avoid any unnecessary travel;

• Ensure an emergency kit is prepared and in your vehicle;

• Ensure cell phones are charged and ready for use in the event of an emergency;

• Adjust your driving according to the conditions;

• Allow extra time to arrive at your destination;

• Maintain a safe distance between your vehicle and those in front of you; and

• Ensure other motorists can see you. Turn on your headlights.

Councillors in Chester mull over moving to Mayoral system

2012-01-12T15:21:00.002-04:00

The Municipality of Chester will stick with a warden style council system for now. During their regular meeting this morning, Council discussed the idea of potentially moving to a mayoral system in advance of municipal elections in October. However, members decided to stick with the status quo and re-visit the issue following the upcoming elections. District 1 councillor Marshal Hector says a decision to move to a mayoral system at their meeting this morning would have been rushed. "Where we only have the three weeks from today to confirm our decision makes it rushed. I don't think there is enough time for the general public to really stop and think about it and understand the difference between a wardens system and a mayoral system," District 3 councillor Brad Armstrong agreed. He says he's not opposed to introducing a mayoral system down the road if resident want to make the switch. "I don't want to make a quick snap decision - this council is functioning quite well and if it isn't broke....why fix it? But, there's no reason, I believe, that after the next election that if it becomes and issue or if the public states they want us to look at it then I think we should look at it," Wardens are chosen by their peers, needing a majority vote via secret ballot, while mayors are elected by residents in a separate election. Council needed to make a decision today on the issue in order to meet an imposed mid-February deadline.

White Point sells stones for Liverpool Fire Department

2012-01-12T12:00:00.000-04:00

The Liverpool Fire Department is benefiting from a unique fundraiser at White Point. 83 beach stones from the lodge's main fireplace have been sold to raise money for the volunteer department. The marketing and product development manager at White Point, Donna Hatt, came up with the idea and contacted the fire department. She says the fundraiser is a good way to honour firefighters who fought hard to battle the November blaze at the resort. Hatt says the minimum donation for each stone was $25 but after all 83 stones sold, they had raised $3,400. The money will be used to buy an accountability system for the fire department, which helps keep track of each firefighter's movements.

BREAKING: School Board Closing Schools Early

2012-01-12T11:34:00.000-04:00

The South Shore Regional School Board isn't taking a chance with Thursday's weather. The board has decided to close down schools an hour-and-a-half earlier than normal. The forecast is expected to get messy early Thursday afternoon with snow, ice pellets, freezing temperatures and rain. The South Shore Waldorf School will be closing at 12pm while Centre scolaire de la Rive Sud will close at 1:30pm.

BREAKING: Municipal Electric Co-op has MOU with Unnamed Energy Suppliers

2012-01-12T07:30:00.000-04:00

The Municipal Electric Co-op of Nova Scotia will unveil the details surrounding a new energy deal for its customers next week. The Town of Lunenburg, along with Mahone Bay, Antigonish, Riverport and Berwick are all members of the co-op which formed in 1999. Mahone Bay mayor Joe Feeney confirmed to CKBW/HANK FM News that its members have signed a memorandum of understanding to enter into a new venture with two separate power suppliers. "We're very very and I mean very close to finalizing all of the negotiations to have some green energy and some imported energy that will allow us to do an even better job of providing our utility users with a better price," Feeney says the parties have been meeting weekly for the past month and more details could be announced as early as next week. He says one of the companies involved in the deal is in business of generating wind power.

Silver Donald Takes Charge in Bridgewater

2012-01-12T05:00:00.000-04:00

Silver Donald Cameron

Author and journalist Silver Donald Cameron will be in Bridgewater Thursday night carrying an energy-efficient message. Cameron is in the middle of his province-wide 'Take Charge' tour, which promotes saving money, creating jobs and helping the environment. He says the tour is helping people realize they can make a difference.

"It's kind of a win-win across he board, I mean, you win individually by saving money and that sort of thing and we also win as a community and we win as a planet because, of course, the less electricity we use in this province, the less coal we burn in our generating plants, the less emissions, the less global warming."

The 'Take Charge' tour started in Truro in late November and wraps up in Halifax February 6. Cameron says the discussion will give people a chance to have their energy questions answered. He will speak from 7-8pm Thursday night at the Bridgewater Fire Hall. Admission is free.

MODL exploring Wind Power options

2012-01-12T04:00:00.000-04:00

The Municipality of Lunenburg is exploring the possibility of future wind turbines in the area. Council held a discussion with Keith Towse of Community Wind Farms Inc., outlining issues including where the power generators could be placed, the benefits and the cost. The group is currently looking at land on Mulloch Road in Whynot's Settlement, opposite the Recycling Plant. Towse says they are hoping to have a public meeting in February. He says the group is interested in setting up wind farms at two other sites; one in Lunenburg County and the other in Queens County. Council is expected to discuss the issue at a later date.

Chair of 1688 Lobster Association calls for Solidarity

2012-01-11T12:08:00.001-04:00

Lobster fishermen in southwestern Nova Scotia will be formally recognized under a new group called the "1688 Professional Lobster Fishermen's Association". The group was formed last week in Barington and their main goal is to fight for better lobster prices at the wharf. PLFA chair James Mood is calling on lobster fishermen in the area to support the association by purchasing memberships. Mood is hoping at least 80 percent of lobster fishermen who hold a license in LFA's 33 and 34 to join the association as a sign of solidarity."The point is and it's like this...they got to unite...they just have to...we have to do something about these prices," Memberships will cost $250 for license holders and $25 dollars for crew members. Mood says the association will hire two staff members and set up a regional office in Woods Harbour. The group is holding a sign-up meeting today in Yarmouth at 1:30PM and tomorrow at the Fire Hall in Shelburne - they will also discuss lobster prices and industry concerns.

Mawhinney: Town of Lunenburg Looking for Fixed Power Costs

2012-01-11T09:24:00.002-04:00

The town of Lunenburg's mayor says the entire province is feeling the same pain when discussing power rates. The cost of electricity went up across the province on January 1st and Laurence Mawhinney explains its something everyone has to deal with. The town is able to offer residents a lower cost for power because it buys electricity in bulk from Nova Scotia Power and operates its own utility. However, Mawhinney says that doesn't mean the town isn't searching for lower costs from alternate energy suppliers. "What we said in our strategic plan is that we wanted to get a new source of energy that was greener and more efficient and was more in line with fixed costs - I do believe we are moving in that direction and I'm optimistic in the not too distant future, we'll be able to put the plank down for the public," The town is one of five municipal units in the province who operate their own utility. Mahone Bay, Riverport, Berwick and Antigonish are the others. The town of Canso also operates it's own utility but is in the midst of amalgamating with the Municipality of Guysborough.

BREAKING: Councillor Mitchell to seek nomination for PC Party

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-04:00

David Mitchell

A Bridgewater Councillor is looking to make the switch from municipal to provincial politics. David Mitchell has announced his intent to seek nomination for the Progressive Conservative party in the Lunenburg West riding. Mitchell has spent seven years as a town councillor and says he's ready to take his style of politics to the next level.

"I love municipal politics but the issues that we face in the town are not unique to the town, they're province-wide and I believe that the hard work and common sense approach I use on council, I could use to serve more people at a provincial level."

Mitchell says the decision to run came after lengthy talks with his wife and three children. He says he's a 'tell it like it is' kind of guy who works hard and gets things done. Mitchell says the timing is right to take on the NDP government.

"The last two-and-a-half years I think we've gone backwards, whether it's increasing the HST or cancelling the ferry or simply throwing money at problems without looking for lasting solutions. The Tories will be the party I think that helps Nova Scotia get itself out of the hole its been dug into."

Mitchell says he's a firm believer in the initiatives Leader Jamie Baillie is introducing to the party. But, he says he still plans on re-offering for Bridgewater council in the fall in case his venture into provincial politics doesn't go as planned. A date for a nomination meeting has yet to be selected.

VIDEO: More Bike Lanes coming to Bridgewater

2012-01-11T05:00:00.000-04:00

Bike enthusiasts are getting a bit more room on some Bridgewater roads. Town council voted 6-1 in favour of installing shared bike lanes on North Park Street, York Street and Alexandra Avenue. The project is expected to cost the town $33,170, which is gas tax eligible. The Lunenburg County Community Health Board, Michelin and the province's Department of Health and Wellness have each contributed funding towards the project, totalling $6,200. The director of planning with the town of Bridgewater, Eric Shaw, says they are proposing the new shared bike lanes be three kilometres long on North Park, York and Alexandra. Roughly 1.5 kilometres of shared bike lanes were implemented on Glen Allan Drive in 2010. The new shared bike lanes are expected to take effect around June or July.

Lumberjacks quiet on trade deadline day

2012-01-10T23:18:00.000-04:00

The CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks were quiet as the MHL's trade deadline passed at 10pm Tuesday night. The club didn't budge on moving day but took several calls inquiring about Captain Jake Bullen. Head Coach Terry Rhindress says Bullen is staying put.

"He made the decision that he'd like to stay and finish his year out here and, you know, I took some phone calls on Jake today (Tuesday), but it was just nothing worth wild to move the young man against his request."

Rhindress wouldn't say what teams were after Bullen, but did mention they were Bent Division squads. It was a relatively quiet trade deadline day as only 10 trades were reported to the MHL website as of 10pm Tuesday night. Rhindress says he's not surprised by the lack of movement.

"If you look at our side, our division, it's pretty tight, right. So, not a lot of teams are going to give anything up or they're all looking but nobody wants to give a whole lot up because we're pretty stockpiled on this side, right."

Only eight points separates the top five teams in the Bent Division. The Lumberjacks get back on the ice Thursday night at 7pm in Bridgewater against the Metro Marauders. If you can't make it to the game, you can tune into Nick Yorston and Eric Whynot, beginning at 6:50pm at www.lumberjackslive.ca .

MODL selects Cobequid Trail Consulting to build Osprey Village Connection

2012-01-10T21:55:00.001-04:00

Cobequid Trail Consulting has been selected to design and build the Osprey Village Trail Connection. The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg awarded the contract to the group after recommendations from its review committee. A member of the committee, Trudy Payne, says it was a unanimous decision to choose Cobequid Trail Consulting.

"Probably the two major factors was they had a lot of experience and they fit within the 'level of effort' that was put in the request for proposal."

The multi-use trail is expected to be constructed between the rail-trail along the LaHave River to the Osprey Village site in Cookville. Cobequid Trail Consulting is expected to begin work immediately after receiving the budgeted $65,000 for the project.