Nova Scotia: More Support For Low-Income Children

Low income families will get more support beginning in July. The Nova Scotia government will increase the income threshold for child benefits up to $26,000. The move will bring another 1,300 children under the program's umbrella. The current threshold is $25,000. Meanwhile, families earning between $18,000 and $26,000 can still qualify for partial benefits. The province invests roughly $2.2 million each month in support for those families struggling to make ends meet. The Nova Scotia Child Benefit Program began in 2001.

Municipal Partners Managing Resource Website

A website focusing on businesses and services in Lunenburg and Queens Counties is sticking around. Municipal partners including the District of Lunenburg, Bridgewater Development Association, Municipality of Chester and the Region of Queens will manage 'WhyHere.ca' until a new economic network is formed. The move follows a decision by the South Shore Business Growth Association to stop managing the site at the start of April. Economic Development Officer for the Municipality of Lunenburg, Dave Waters, says the website is critical for attracting people to the area.



A plan is also in place to expand the website to include Shelburne. Waters expects it may cost the group a couple hundred dollars to manage the site.

Proposed South Shore Crematorium On Hold

A proposal for a funeral home crematorium in Liverpool will not be moving ahead for now. Chandler's applied to Region of Queens Council to allow the establishment of the facility adjacent to the existing funeral home.However, the company has now withdrawn its application with manager Kevin Samuels saying public opposition played a role.



Region of Queens had given approval in principle to the project but subject to further study. Samuels hasn't ruled out bringing the proposal back to the table in the future for a different site.

Court Appearance Today For Those Accused In Homeless Death

The accused in the bus shelter death last fall of a homeless man in the Annapolis Valley are in court today. 26-year-old Daniel Wayne Surette of Berwick and 25-year-old Kyle David James Fredericks of nearby Berwick District were charged Friday with first-degree murder. 62 year old Harley Lawrence was found dead in a burned out bus shelter in Berwick on Oct. 23. Lawrence is said to have begun using the shelter for refuge as temperatures dipped last fall.

Baillie Skeptical About Gas Deregulation Promise

The province's Official Opposition Leader says he'll believe it when he sees it! Jamie Baillie says Premier Stephen McNeil's claim his government will look at gasoline price deregulation this fall comes with a big question mark. He believes deregulation should happen now, not later, to quickly eliminate the tax on tax at the pumps and give everyone a break.



Baillie also says the HST should be lowered by a cent or two now .. not later! He believes lowering that and deregulating gas prices would be helpful in fanning the flames of economic growth across the province.

NS Gasoline Industry Faces Possible Price Deregulation

With gasoline prices through the roof at South Shore pumps, the province is now seriously considering deregulating prices. Premier Stephen McNeil says prices are way out of control and something may be done in the fall, aimed at deregulating them.



Prices across the province increased by more than two cents on Friday for regular self serve and more than a cent for diesel. Regular gas is now at $1.46.2 a litre at South Shore pumps. Thats the highest its been in years.

Day Of Mourning Event Held In Bridgewater

Nova Scotia is joining the rest of Canada to remember people who were injured, killed or became ill at work. The International Day of Mourning is marked today. There were 34 workplace deaths last year in Nova Scotia, while just over 25,000 people were injured on the job. There have also been two deaths so far this year. President of the South Shore Labour Council, Lisa Mason, says it's something that needs to stop.



An event is planned for today in Bridgewater at 1pm at Shipyards Landing. Other ceremonies are planned for Halifax, Sydney, Kentville, and Port Hawkesbury.

Yarmouth: RCMP Arrest Man In Possession Of Firearm

A Yarmouth man is in court Monday after he was arrested with a loaded gun in a shopping area. RCMP say the man was taken into custody around noon on Saturday near the back of a grocery store. The Mounties say the 49-year-old man appeared to be intoxicated. A short time later, RCMP received a report of a break and enter at a home where a .22 calibre rifle was allegedly stolen. Police believe the two incidents are related. The man is facing several charges.

Teens In Custody Following Kings County Fires

Two teenage boys are in police custody following a pair of fires in Kings County. RCMP say they are investigating the fires, which happened Sunday in Aylesford. Police and firefighters responded to the call of an abandoned house and abandoned barn fire around mid-afternoon. Both buildings are a complete loss and the fire is being treated as suspicious. No one was injured. The Fire Marshal's Office is determining the cause. A 15-year-old boy and 17-year-old boy were still in police custody as of Sunday night.

Rail Museum Readies For New Season

Just like "The Little Engine That Could", there's a South Shore Museum that's working to keep the area's railway history alive! Duane Porter owns and operates the Halifax and Southwestern Railway Museum in Lunenburg and he says his company is one that will not be going, hat in hand, to government seeking financial support. He says the rich history of the former line is strong enough to keep tourists dropping by each year and in turn financially supporting the museum. Porter says the rail line's unique characteristics endeared itself to South Shore communities for 80 years.



Porter says the railway museum is known all over and has become a "must-see" spot in tourism circles.
It re-opens for the summer season, May 2nd.

Author MacLeod Returns Home

A church in a tiny section of Cape Breton will celebrate the life of an author known around the world. A memorial service is being held today in Broad Cove for Alistair MacLeod. The church is located only a short drive from where the decorated writer grew up and later spent his summers with his family. MacLeod died last Sunday in Windsor, Ontario with his family at his side. He's credited with writing timeless novels such as No Great Mischief and Lost Salt Gift of Blood. MacLeod was 77.

Two Men Charged In Harley Lawrence Death

RCMP in Nova Scotia have charged two men with first degree murder in the death of an Annapolis Valley man. Twenty-six-year-old David Wayne Surette and 25-year-old Kyle David James Fredericks of the Berwick area were arrested and charged in the death of Harley Lawrence. Lawrence was found dead in October after a fire at a bus shelter. Both men have been remanded into custody and will appear in Kentville court on Monday.

Group Looking To Bring 'Awesome' Ideas To South Shore

Are you ready to be awesome? A group of people are willing to pay $1,000 to see just how awesome you can be. Awesome South Shore is offering money to people who have ideas that could bring great events to the local area. Trustee Andrew Button says it could be anything from a lego party to using the money to recreate a scene from a famous movie. He says they want to inspire people.



The group is made up of 30 people. Every month 10 people donate $100 to create a $1,000 grant for an idea. They are collecting ideas on their website and will give out their first $1,000 during a May 28 event at the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic in Lunenburg. The website where you can submit ideas can be accessed here .

Program Attracting Doctors To South Shore Expanding

Introducing student doctors to rural Nova Scotia in the last year or so of their residency is the focus of the province's rural retention program. It offers encouragement to settle in places like the South Shore where its always a challenge to retain doctors. Premier Stephen McNeil says the program will be continued and expanded.



McNeil says there has been too much focus in the past on Halifax and having many doctors and specialists centred there. He says every effort is now being made to provide incentives to new doctors to settle here on the South Shore and in other rural areas of the province where the need is greatest.

Waldorf School Heading Toward The Finish Line

A South Shore independent school is in the middle of the pack in the hunt for first prize in a major national competition. The Waldorf School in Blockhouse is a candidate for winning the National Trees of Knowledge online competition. Parent Anastasia Malay says winning the $20,000 top prize will allow for an expansion of the school's tools of learning.



The Waldorf School is in sixth place and voting online runs until May 5. You can vote for the school at least once a day until then and stand a chance to win $10,000 for doing so. You can vote here .

Gas Prices Hot Topic In Legislature

Gas prices are up across the board today at South Shore pumps. Regular self serve has increased overnight by more than 2 cents a litre to $1.46.2 and diesel is up by a similar amount to $1.42.7 in many locations. With prices today now having reached record-breaking territory, the issue of double taxing gas has hit the floor of the province's legislature during question period. Opposition PC Leader Jamie Baillie led the attack on the McNeil government.



Some industry watchers predict gas prices will balloon past $1.50 before the start of the summer.

Berwick: Arrests Made In Death Of Homeless Man

There are new developments in the case involving the suspicious death of a homeless man in the Annapolis Valley. Mounties say they have two people in custody in connection with the death of Harley Lawrence. Lawrence died in a bus shelter in Berwick last year. The shelter was set on fire in October. Police say one person was arrested in Berwick around midnight and another was taken into custody around 1:30 a.m. in the Sackville area. They are being interviewed by members of the RCMP's Major Crimes Unit.  However, police say no further details are being released.

Extensive Repairs Completed At Lunenburg Academy

The roof and chimney at Lunenburg Academy are now repaired, but not without more funding from the federal government. The town of Lunenburg was given almost $31,775 last summer for the work. However, significant roof rot and more repairs to the chimney were identified. Ottawa has since provided an additional $33,048 in infrastructure funding to complete the work. Mayor Rachel Bailey says she was happy to see the feds step up.



The Castle on the Hill has been a mainstay in Lunenburg since it opened its doors in 1895. It served as a school for 117 years until 2012. The town is looking to re-purpose the building for future use by community members and businesses.

Nova Scotia Looks For More US Visitors

Nova Scotia is looking to an old friend in hopes of boosting tourism. The province launched a ambitious marketing campaign in the Boston area to attract more first time US visitors. The tourism agency is leading the efforts which will focus on TV, newspaper and online ads. CEO Patrick Sullivan says the return of the Yarmouth ferry may also give tourism a boost this summer.



Sullivan says as part of the campaign they have bought room for signage behind home plate at Fenway Park for 10 games beginning April 29. However, he says the ads will really heat up in May.

Lunenburg: Music Academy Close To Accepting First Class

Over 140 musicians from 27 countries have applied to be a part of the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance. The group announced they will accept 14 of them for their Rossini Opera Academy, which opens up in October. Maestro Alberto Zedda will conduct the intense two-week course in Lunenburg. Artistic Director Burt Wathen says a pair of Canadians will be included in the class.


Wathen says the 14 students will be notified in early May about their acceptance into the program. The Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance has also planned a number of outreach concerts in the community between October and December. Wathen says the group has come a long way and are close to realizing a dream.