Halloween and Later

A quiet and uneventful Halloween night in the Town of Bridgewater. Police report three individuals were arrested and charged for intoxication in a public place, while another three people were charged with liquor control offences. One person was issued a 24 hour suspension of his driver's licence. Members of the Bridgewater Fire Department were patrolling the streets of the Town, and Police also send their thanks to the general public for making Halloween a safe and happy event.

Bridgewater Police are investigating a break-in at Lawton's Drug Store on Lahave Street around 3 a.m. Sunday morning. Police responded to a complaint of a Break and Enter in progress and upon arrival discovered a quantity of money missing from within. Bridgewater GIS and K-9 were called to the scene and conducted a follow-up investigation. The matter is still under investigation at this time and Police are asking for public assistance in identifying those responsible.

Queens Build Starting

The money is in the bank. And now they're getting ready to start swinging hammers for the Habitat for Humanity project in Queens. Organizers exceeded their goal of raising 60-thousand dollars to help build the house that will become a home for a Liverpool family of four. Spokesperson Bobbi Jo Goulden says this week will be the build kickoff groundbreaking ceremony. The event will run this Friday afternoon from two until four at the build site on Amherst Street in Liverpool. Habitat for Humanity uses donated labour and materials to build homes for people who otherwise couldn't afford them. The money the families pay back, goes into the fund to help build additional homes for other families in need.

Health Helpers Helped

Some caregivers in Nova Scotia will soon be able to receive financial help from the province for the work they do supporting loved ones and friends. Caregivers and the person requiring care must both meet certain criteria to be eligible for the 400 dollars per month caregiver allowance. Eligible caregivers must be residents of Nova Scotia, 19 years of age and older and provide 20 or more hours of assistance a week to qualified care recipients. Eligible care recipients must be Nova Scotia residents, 19 years of age or older and have a high level of disability or impairment. Their income will also be reviewed. More information about the allowance is available on the Department of Health website www.gov.ns.ca/health .

Rudy Retires (a bit)

It's the end of an era for a Visionary Environmentalist. Tonight will see Martin Rudy Haase stepping down as Executive Secretary of the Friends of Nature Conservation Society - a group he founded in Maine in 1954. Haase emigrated to Nova Scotia, forming a Canadian Chapter in 1967. Federal Green Party leader Elizabeth May will be at Monday night's meeting. Rudy will be Sheldon's special guest this weekend on South Shore Sunday Morning.

Green Bin Blaze

Another green bin fire. And there's a warning from RCMP. Thursday evening a bin in a private driveway near Blockhouse was burning when neighbors called 9-1-1. Lunenburg and District firefighters responded. The bin was destroyed but there was no other damage to the property or to the nearby properties. This is the second green bin fire in just over a week. And police are encouraging you to keep the bins away from the side of your home or other structures. And they are asking you to report any suspicious activities.

Justice Issues

Shelburne RCMP say drug charges are pending after a 9-1-1 call to a Parr Street residence. They don't say what prompted the emergency call. But they say when they got there, they found a marijuana grow-op. Officers got a search warrant to dismantle the grow and seize exhibits. They say a large number of plants in various stages of growth were seized.

Chester Mounties are looking into a break, enter and theft in Chester village. Someone broke into Chester Area Middle school and stole a silver Hewlett Packard 15 inch computer monitor. It's believed it happened overnight Thursday.

Service Award

Judy Purcell of Bridgewater one of the team members recognized with the Premier's Award of Excellence, the highest honour of the Nova Scotia civil service. It recognizes public servants for outstanding contributions to the province. Purcell is a member of the Skill Development Coordinators Team, Department of Labour and Workforce Development. The team played a lead role in responding to closures in industry by creating on-site and community response teams, conducting job vacancy studies in affected and nearby communities, developing transition centres for displaced workers, and arranging and providing direct programs and services to help workers find new employment. Premier Rodney MacDonald presented the awards to two teams and three individuals this week.

Foul Play Ruled Out

2009-06-09 17:46:11

Bridgewater police say foul play has been ruled out in the death of a woman who's body was found in Glen Allen Park.  She has been identified as 50-year old Deborah Bell-Ivany of Bridgewater.  An autopsy is being performed today in Halifax at the Provincial Medical Examiner's office.  Police say they are still conducting interviews and they are waiting for results from additional forensic testing.  A man walking his dog in the park found the remains just before noon yesterday.

Slowing Mahone Bay

2009-05-27 06:27:40

The Town of Mahone Bay will launch the Pace Car program  this Saturday, joining 18 other Nova Scotian communities already implementing the anti-speeding initiative. Residents pledge to become mobile speed bumps and display the Pace Car emblems on their vehicles, helping to slow traffic in their community.  The program launch will include an opportunity for residents to sign up for the program, the Mahone Bay and Area Lions Club will be hosting a Bicycle Rodeo and local RCMP members are organizing a guided youth hike during the day.The event is set for 9:30 to noon this Saturday, May 30th at the Mahone Bay Legion Hall, 21 Pond Street.   The Pace Car Program is a partnership of the Ecology Action Centre, Canada's home, car and business insurers and the NS Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal.

Health Board

2009-05-12 12:05:36

Nova Scotia's Health Minister has appointed one new member and re-appointed three others to the Board of Directors for South Shore Health.  Christopher Clarke, Walter Freeman and Doug Nauss are all returning to the board.  Dr. Al Doucet is the new face. He has practised as a family physician in Liverpool for 31 years and was a recent president of the District's Medical Staff. He retired from family practice last year and is currently working part time as South Shore Health's physician leader for Continuing Care.  Dr. Doucet replaces retiring Board Member Dr. David Large who did not reoffer for his position.

McHappy BBBS

2009-05-08 06:26:13

They're awfully McHappy at South Shore Big Brothers and Big Sisters today.  The group was the beneficiary of the funds from yesterday's McHappy Days at the Bridgewater McDonald's restaurant.  A dollar from each mcmuffin and Big Mac sold yesterday were given to charity.  And after the numbers were crunched, it looks like there were a lot of sandwiches munched.  Sandra Murray says they will be receiving $2,000 to help pay for their programs to help boys and girls in the area.

Earth Day Totals

2009-05-01 06:38:40

Although the weather was against them again this year, organizers are pleased with the level of participation for this year’s Earth Day Challenge.  Totals this year rivalled peak numbers from the past according to Solid Waste Management.   Valda Walsh says many of the cleanups did not happen on the 22nd, but they happened nonetheless. And she says the amount of litter collected highlights the importance of this event.   More than 2,000 people in four counties rolled up their sleeves to clean up litter in their communities collecting more than 5,000 kilograms of litter.  Walsh calls it a banner year with more people registering than ever before adding it's an indication people understand litter is an issue that affects us all.  But she says with littering up 21 percent, people's attitudes toward litter have change but their behaviours have not.

United Winner

2009-04-29 10:30:23

Pictured from left. Clare Leblanc –Northcott (UW Canada), Mark Winfield (UW Lunenburg), Michael Graves (UW Lunenburg), Helen Himmelman (UW Lunenburg) 

A local Bridgewater businessman has won a national award from the United Way of Canada.. Mark Winfield, Chair of the  Board of United Way of Lunenburg County is the recipient of  the prestigious Chair's Award of Distinction.
The  award recognizes the critical role that volunteers play with their sustained dedication to their communities and the United Way Movement .  Since it's inception in 2003, the United Way of Lunenburg County has invested over 300,thousand dollars  in over 60 Lunenburg County based organizations and projects. Winfield says if every single working person in Lunenburg County invested 1 dollar per week they would have $1.1 million dollars each and every year to invest in programs that will make a measurable difference to Lunenburg County residents"

Breastfeeding Support

2009-04-29 06:09:46

The Lunenburg & Queens Baby-Friendly Initiative Committee has a new community resource  available for businesses and organizations to create supportive environments for breastfeeding families.  Susie Wood, Co-chair of the  Committee unveiled the Action Support Binder, Make Breastfeeding Your Business at Bridgewater Town Council Monday night. Wood says support and education are key in creating a community that supports breastfeeding. Wood says it's an opportunity for Bridgewater to serve in a leadership role and act as a champion in creating supportive environments for other places of employment throughout the community in making breastfeeding the cultural norm in Bridgewater.

RCMP Funding

2009-04-24 09:42:24

Two literacy programs in Shelburne county are getting a boost from the RCMP Foundation.  More than $570 is being given to the WOW Reading Challenge taking place in area elementary schools and for the Boys Night Out program at the Barrington Municipal Library.  Both programs are a partnership between regional library branches in Barrington and Clark's Harbour and the Barrington Detachment of the RCMP.  Detachment Commander Sergeant Bob Forbes believes strongly in the RCMP's active partnership with Western Counties Regional Library in the two youth literacy programs.  He says youth who get involved with these programs are less likely to run afoul of the law, are more likely to have a positive relationship with the police and may even be drawn to the RCMP as a career.  The RCMP Foundation was created in 1994 to support community initiatives in which local RCMP members are involved.

Justice Award

2009-04-03 06:12:55

Queens RCMP Corporal Grant Webber one of a number of Nova Scotians recognized for their efforts to prevent crime and make communities safer.  The inaugural awards were handed out yesterday at a crime symposium in Halifax. Awards were presented in six categories including individual, youth, community group or organization, community policing, media and business community. Forty-three nominations were received. Corporal Grant Webber  was honoured for his Cops for Kids program and help with Citizens on Patrol. He tied in the Police Category with Const. Randy Wood of the Halifax Regional Police  who was recognized for his leadership in organizing block parties and bringing residents and landlords together.

Lunenburg office

2009-04-07 07:43:09

It's been more than a month since the passing of Lunenburg MLA Michael Baker.   And staff in his office say things are pretty much winding down.  Former Executive Assistant Kim Langille says they will be doing their best to help out constituents where they can.  She adds they don't have a definite time line for a closure of the office.   And Langille says in the meantime most of the people looking for help are getting in touch with Carolyn Bollivar-Getson's Lunenburg West constituency office.  She says that has been the ususal route people have been taking when they want to bring a concern to the Conservative government.   Bollivar-Getson is the minister of Natural Resources.