Former NS Health Minister Calls For Better ER Staff Recruitment

There were a couple of emergency room closures over the weekend at Fishermen's Memorial Hospital in Lunenburg.  As with all the other ER closures at Fishermen's, this latest one was also a result of a staff shortage.  Former Tory Health Minister and Argyle MLA, Chris d'Entremont, says a shakeup is needed in the system, especially when it comes to emergency rooms and who's available to work.



d'Entremont says the health care system needs to be overhauled to make it more cost-efficient and able to meet the medical needs of all Nova Scotians.

McIntosh Wraps Up Heptathlon Season In Netherlands

Bridgewater's Rachael McIntosh has one last heptathlon scheduled for the summer season. She's in the Netherlands for the International Combined Events meet, fresh off her gold medal win at the Summer Games. In an email interview, McIntosh says she's hoping to achieve a personal best. The 22-year-old is ranked fifth heading into the event. McIntosh begins competing Saturday.

Baseball: Boys Remain Undefeated, Girls Beat Ontario

Ryan O'Toole doubled and scored a pair of runs to lead Nova Scotia to its third straight win at the boys bantam baseball nationals. The Bridgewater native led the team with two hits in a 10-6 win over Newfoundland Friday morning. Nova Scotia sits atop their group with a 3-0 record. They play Saskatchewan later tonight. On the girls side in Bedford, Nova Scotia got their first 'W' after dumping Ontario 8-6. They're on the field against Alberta at 7pm tonight.

How Seniors Can Avoid Being Targeted By Scammers

A warning for South Shore seniors. A a man has been busted by police in British Columbia, after five years of being on the run and allegedly bilking hundreds of Canadian seniors out of their life savings.  Known as the "Nephew Bandit", 57 year old Richard Rupert was featured recently on "America's Most Wanted" after scores of seniors reported they were the victims of a man claiming he was a long, lost relative needing money. Here in our area, Jill Atkinson of the Better Business Bureau says similar incidents known as the "grand-parents scam" have been reported in recent years. She says many seniors are vulnerable to attacks on their personal information and money and are easy targets of fraudsters.



Atkinson has some tips for seniors on how to avoid becoming a victim of fraud. She says seniors should never disclose their personal information to strangers, they should inform their grown-up children, friends or neighbors if they suspect something, don't keep cash or valuables at home and if they feel they're being targeted and victimized by a scammer, contact police right away.  By the way, as for Rupert, the alleged fraudster caught on the West Coast he was arrested at a Vancouver hospital where he was receiving medical treatment, allegedly under a false name.  A hospital worker apparently saw the episode on "America's Most Wanted" and recognized him.

Lunenburg Hosts Second Leg Of International Dory Races

Pride will be on the line this weekend as the second leg of the 61st Annual International Dory Races will be held in Lunenburg. Rowers from the South Shore will represent Canada against their American counterparts along the town's waterfront. Canada won the first leg of the competition in Gloucester, Massachusetts by winning two of the three races in June. Canadian competitor Markus Schmidt says he's ready to race in front of the home crowd.



The competition will be held, starting at 10 o'clock Saturday morning. Competing for Canada will be as follows:

Women's - Gail Atkinson and Kathryn Moore

Men's - Joel George and Markus Schmidt

The over-40 competition - Danny Moody and Walter Nickerson

Junior - John Ernst and Thomas Stuart

Co-ed - Kelly George and Robert Fox.

South Shore Gas Prices Increase

If you need to top-up your vehicle's gas tank today, it will cost you more!  Its no real surprise that prices are up at South Shore pumps. (They increased in New Brunswick as well a day earlier by similar amounts.)  Regular self serve increased almost two cents overnight here. Its selling this morning at South Shore gas stations for $1.36.5 per litre. High test gasoline is also higher by a similar amount.  Diesel is up by two cents as well.  In case you're wondering "why", the world price of oil has been creeping up in recent days and costing more for refiners. Yesterday alone, oil gained $1.18 to stand at $105.03 (US) per barrel. Analysts predict the trend will likely continue for a few days.

Baseball: Boys Undefeated, Girls Winless At Nationals

A great start for team Nova Scotia at the Bantam Boys National Baseball Championships in Vaughn, Ontario. The club is 2-0 after a 5-4 win in their opening game over New Brunswick. They continued their solid play with a 10-0 win against PEI. The team features five players and a coach from the Bridgewater Baseball Association. Nova Scotia is scheduled to play Newfoundland and Labrador Friday morning. Meanwhile, the girls got off on the wrong foot at their under-16 national event in Bedford. They lost to Quebec 8-5 and B.C. 2-1. Bridgewater's Mackenzie Dimmell struggled at the plate, going hitless in both games. The girls play Ontario at noon Friday.

Chester: Changing Stance On Legion Funding

There's a new attitude when it comes to providing money to Royal Canadian Legions in the Municipality of Chester. Council has decided to change its stance, allowing Legions to apply for funding to help with programs and events that are open to the public. Warden Allen Webber says the municipality won't provide money for things like capital upgrades or operational costs. He says the municipality is trying to help their situations.



The change affects four Legions including New Ross, Western Shore, Chester and Chester Basin.

Lunenburg: Dog Park Approved For Starr Street

The president of the Lunenburg Dog Park Society is thrilled to see a dog park coming to the town. Council members approved the idea recently to build two parks, one for larger canines and the other for smaller, older pups. The society is leasing a parcel of town-owned land on Starr Street. They take possession of the land September 1 and plan to start clearing it immediately. Karen Lewis says they hope to have both parks open by early next year.



Lewis believes having dog parks available helps fill a huge void in the town.

RCMP: Vaughan Man Killed In Highway 14 Crash

Police say a 40 year-old man died yesterday in a three vehicle crash on Highway 14. The victim - from the Vaughan area - was involved in a collision between a car, pick-up truck and a garbage truck.
The incident unfolded Wednesday morning shortly after 7 o'clock.
A section of the Windsor Road was closed for more than nine hours after the garbage truck and car collided, the truck then struck a power pole, caught fire and lost some of it's waste. RCMP say a 37-year-old woman who was driving the pick-up and her five year-old were not injured. The driver of the garbage truck suffered minor injuries. Police will not be releasing the name of the man who was killed. Meanwhile, in a separate crash about two kilometres away, a 22 year-old woman suffered minor injuries when her car veered off the road and flipped. She was taken to South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater for treatment.

Lunenburg: ER Closures Planned This Weekend

There will be a pair of weekend closures in the emergency room at Fishermen's Memorial in Lunenburg. South Shore Health is advising area residents the ER will close Friday evening at 5:00pm and won't re-open until Saturday morning at 7:30am. It will also close overnight Saturday during those same times. Staff shortages are the reason behind the temporary shut down. Those needing emergency services should go to the regional hospital in Bridgewater or dial 9-1-1.

Baseball: O'Brien Leads NS To Win Over NB

Hebbville's Aidan O'Brien hit a pair of doubles to lead Nova Scotia to a 5-4 win over New Brunswick in their opening game Thursday at the under-15 bantam boys baseball nationals in Vaughn, Ontario. O'Brien was named offensive player of the game. Bridgewater's Zach Zinck earned the save. They square off against PEI this afternoon at 3:30 local time. In girl's play in Bedford, Nova Scotia fell to Quebec 8-5. Bridgewater's Mackenzie Dimmell went hitless in three at bats. The girl's team plays again tonight at 7pm against British Columbia.

Court: Trial Dates Set In Confinement Case

A Lower Sackville man charged with sexual assault in the case of a teenage boy who was chained inside a run down cabin in Lunenburg County will go to trial next year. John Leonard MacKean is scheduled for a three day trial by judge and jury beginning March 17 in Bridgewater Supreme Court. MacKean, who was not in court today, is also charged with prostitution related offence. Another man - David James LeBlanc - was sentenced in June to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to kidnapping, forcible confinement, sexual assault and other charges. That prison term also included child porn charges stemming from the Halifax area. The police investigation into the confinement case began last September after the boy was able escape and a woman reported seeing a barefoot teenager at her doorstep, chained at his wrists and ankles.  It was then reported to police.

Possible Gas Price Hike Coming Tonight!

Be prepared for a possible increase in South Shore gas prices after midnight tonight.  Thats when the Utility and Review Board will set the prices for the coming week.  In New Brunswick, prices there increased by two cents last night.  Regular self serve is selling there today for about $1.34.1 per litre.  Diesel and furnace oil are both up in New Brunswick by more than 2.5 cents a litre.  The price for propane has increased by just under a cent per litre.

Dexter Government Pumps Some Big Money Into Planned Chester Health Clinic

There will be an increase in health care in the Chester area with the help of some provincial funding. Last night, $500,000 was announced toward a new health clinic project in Shoreham Village.  Local MLA and Community Services Minister Denise Peterson-Rafuse says the new clinic will encourage collaborative practice and will help attract new doctors to the area. Fund-raising has been underway for sometime for the proposed 12,500 square foot complex, to be comprised of new and existing space.  It'll include six family doctors' offices with connecting exam rooms, reception and information centres, administration offices, South Shore Health offices for mental health and addiction, a diabetic clinic and other services, blood collection, office space for visiting, and consulting professionals waiting rooms and volunteer support areas.  Its hoped the Chester health centre will be up and running within a couple of years.

Wile Carding Mill Reaches Municipal Heritage Status

Bridgewater has its next municipal heritage property. The town didn't receive any objections to providing the Wile Carding Mill on Victoria Road with heritage status. The mill joins the Holy Trinity Anglican Church and the Brookside Cemetery as the only heritage properties in Bridgewater. Chair of the Library Commission, Peter Oickle, says the mill dates back to the 19th century.



A celebration is planned for September 8 at the Wile Carding Mill.

Progress At Bayswater, But Beach Still Closed

Inspectors looking into high bacteria at Bayswater Beach are making progress but it will remain closed until water testing shows it is safe for swimming. Department of Environment inspectors believe that natural conditions in a nearby pond are contributing to elevated bacteria counts. They believe tidal action may also be playing a role in bringing bacteria from the pond to the beach through a shallow stream. Inspectors have not found any obvious signs of human activity contributing to the high bacteria counts. The Nova Scotia Lifeguard Service continues to take water samples for lab testing.  However, until bacteria counts return to safe levels, the beach will remain closed. We will let you know when things clear up.

Bridgewater Sends Players To Baseball Nationals

The Bridgewater Baseball Association is sending a number of players to the bantam boys and girls national championships. Local athletes Aiden O'Brien, Zach Zinck, Ryan O'Toole, Cameron MacPherson, Nathan McCarthy, Mackenzie Dimmell and coach Dennis Woodworth will make up part of team Nova Scotia. Play begins for the girls and boys teams Thursday through Sunday. The boys compete in Vaughan, Ontario and open up their tourney against New Brunswick. The girls play in Bedford and open up competition against Quebec. Results can be found here .

Recall: Ben's Bread Issue Voluntary Recall

If you have picked up some Ben's bread in the past few days you may want to keep reading. Canada Bread has issued a voluntary recall for some of its bread products sold because they may contain glass fragments. The company says the glass is believed to have come from a light bulb that shattered during production. The products in question are Ben's Xtra Soft white and whole wheat bread, and Super Club white and whole wheat bread. Both products have a best-before date of Aug. 29. The labels on both products indicate they came from plant No. 2503. There have been no reports of injuries.

Labour Chief Calls For Federal Input on Ferry Issue

The federal government is missing the boat and ignoring public will to have the Yarmouth ferry service restored.  That comment from the head of the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour.  In a CKBW and HANK-FM News interview, President Rick Clarke says the Harper government has a history of lagging behind everyone else.



Meanwhile, Clarke says restoring the ferry service would mean not only a boost to tourism. He says
it would also increase employment in the region and trade.



Clarke says having the feds on board would add a lot of weight and importance to restoring the ferry service.