South Shore Health Prepares for Accreditation

South Shore Health will find out next month if it will receive a passing grade for accreditation. The process affirms the authority is meeting national standards in health care. CEO Alice Leverman says staff began intensifying efforts over the past year to ensure they meeting the necessary requirements. "Like any big event, there is always anticipation, some build up and anxiety. But we are very hopeful we will be celebrating next month,"  She says offering high levels of service in every department is a key priority for medical professionals in the South Shore. The health authority is expecting a decision on accreditation on April 20th.

For Debate: Former Riverport Elementary Property

Residents of Riverport will get to hear the latest proposals for the former elementary school property tonight. The school closed last year and several community groups are hoping to turn the property into a gathering place. Some of the options being considered, include building a new fire hall, creating green space or constructing a multi-use civic centre. Riverport School Site Committee spokeswoman Debra Hofrichter says support is for the project is key to moving forward. "It is extremely important to us that we have the support of the community. So, Monday nights meeting is to present this draft proposal to the community and ask for their opinion and to ask for their support," An environmental assessment would need to be carried out on the property and Hofrichter says the group still needs to acquire the property from the municipality. Tonight's meeting will be held at the Riverport Fire Hall beginning at 7 o'clock.

Queens County Man Sentenced on Child Porn Charges

A Queens County man will spend six months in jail and eighteen months on probation for possessing child pornography.  39 year old Steven John Croft of White Point has been banned by the court from accessing the Internet except for job purposes while he's on probabtion for a year and a half.  After a lengthy on-line investigation, police raided Croft's home with a search warrant last July 26th.  Court testimony shows they found child porn pictures and movies stored on a computer in the home.

Injuries & Charges Result From Bridgewater Bar Fight

A fight at a Bridgewater bar over the weekend has resulted in serious injuries for one man and serious charges for another!  It happened around 1:30 Saturday morning.  A 30 year old man was found bleeding and unconscious by police at a nightspot which they haven't identified.  The victim was rushed to South Shore Regional and then flown to the QE-2 in Halifax.  A 20 year old man was arrested and charged with assault causing bodily harm and being drunk in a public place.  He's been released on conditions and makes a court appearance May 30th.  Investigators are looking for witnesses and are asking anyone to contact them if they saw the fight.

South Shore Health in need of palliative care volunteers

It's deemed as a service to help people refocus their hope. Now, South Shore Health is looking for more volunteers for their palliative care program. They currently have 15 volunteers, but more are needed to cover the region. The bereavement coordinator, Irene Hirtle, says the South Shore has an older demographic and is more prone to life-threatening illnesses.

"And those kind of illnesses that people in our program suffer from could be malignant diagnosis like cancer or they could be respiratory like COPD or kidney failure, cardiac disease, all of those kinds of things and they can all be part of the palliative care program, too."

Palliative care can be provided to people at home, in a hospital or in a long-term care facility. Volunteer Liz Brown says she started volunteering 12 years ago and hasn't looked back.

"It was just a general interest in people I think, and we meet such wonderful people and we get so much back from what we give, so its a caring and sharing opportunity for everybody."

Brown says volunteering is a great way to help people with life-threatening illnesses. Anyone interested in volunteering should contact 634-7015.

Workshop to teach Farming Business

Here's your chance to learn more about starting a farm business. The province is hosting a one day workshop dedicated to teaching people about farming or helping current farmers sharpen their business skills. The workshop will also cover tips and strategies on marketing, as well as trends and technical practices by local farmers and agricultural experts. The local event goes Saturday at the Best Western Plus and Convention Centre in Bridgewater. To register, get more information, see the agenda or look at speaker biographies go to www.gov.ns.ca/agri/thinkfarm/fromthegroundup.shtml  .

Head to Head for Health hits the ice in Bridgewater

It won't be your typical hockey game. The Health Services Foundation of the South Shore and Park View are teaming up to play the Head to Head for Health Hockey Game Friday night at 7pm. The Health Care Hustlers will take on the Park View Lady Panthers. Bernadette Jordan with the Foundation says the event is a fundraiser for the echo system, but goes a little further.

"It's achieving a goal by helping us get youth more involved at the hospital foundation, but also its a great spirit thing for the team here because all of the departments work together and put players in, so they sometimes might not work together in the hospital, but on the ice they'll work together and it's great, it's a lot of fun."

Jordan says the game is expected to include props, special guests and a few more things out of the ordinary. Players hit the ice at 7pm at the Bridgewater Arena.

Local NDP MLA's Attend Federal Convention

New Democrats are in Toronto for today's opening of their leadership convention, where a successor to the late Jack Layton will be chosen.  Tonight there will be a tribute to the former leader. Local MLA's Pam Birdsall, Vicki Conrad and Gary Ramey are attending.  Birdsall tells us, Layton was very familiar with the South Shore and its politics.  She says "he was connected to small communities right across the country.  He was at one point the president of the Canadian Union of Municipalities so he really understood how it all worked and how municipal government plays into provincial government and into federal government. I think thats something a lot of people don't understand."  The perceived front-runner in the race to succeed Layton is Montreal M-P Thomas Mulcair, a former Quebec Liberal who has the most support from the party's caucus.  Critics say though, Mulcair is too abrasive, and wants to move the party from the left to the centre.  About 130-thousand party members are eligible to vote for the new leader, in person, by mail, or by email.

Bridgewater Vikings off to Division-3 provincial hockey championships

The Bridgewater Vikings are off to Yarmouth hoping to bring a provincial banner back home. The Vikings' boys hockey team is competing in the Division-3 championships against five other teams including Inverness, Par-en-Bas and Dalbrae. The Vikings play their first game at 4pm Friday afternoon against Richmond Academy. The tournament goes all weekend in Yarmouth. Full tournament details can be found at http://www.wix.com/jboudrea3/division-3-hockey .

Higher Gas Prices Fuel Inflation

Gasoline prices are up again at South Shore pumps. If you pull into a station today, you will end up paying 2.5 cents more for a litre than you did yesterday. The price today is $1.39.8 .  This just adds fuel to Stats Canada's report out this morning claiming higher gasoline prices right across the country last month drove up the inflation rate.  The annual inflation rate in February rose to 2.6 per cent -- up a-10th of-a-percentage point from January.  Pump prices last month were 2.6 per cent higher than they were in January, and 8.9 per cent higher than they were in February of last year.  In the past 12 months, food prices jumped 4.1 per cent.  StatsCan says core inflation rose two notches to 2.3 per cent, which is higher than the Bank of Canada's target line of two per cent.

Future unknown for Gorham facility in Liverpool

The mayor of Queens says the region may not want the Gorham facility back. The regional school board revealed Wednesday night it is returning the property back to the municipality. John Leefe says it's not that simple. He says the board can offer the building to the municipality, but they are not obliged to take it. He says he wants to understand the costs before council can make a decision.

"Ultimately, the region's taxpayers are the ones that have to bear any costs that may be associated with receiving ownership. So, their are a lot of T's to be crossed and a lot of I's dotted prior to a final decision being taken."

The school board is revamping its mid-level transition, senior high alternate and adult education programming for 2012-13. All programs are currently held at the Gorham facility, but would be transferred to South Queens Junior High and Liverpool Regional High next year. Leefe says council can't make a decision on the matter until they receive a letter of offer from the school board.

Martin competing at Disney meet in Florida

Its expected to be a good test for South Shore runner Jenna Martin. The Olympic hopeful will compete this weekend in the Walt Disney World Invitational in Florida. She is using the event to help prepare herself for the London Olympics in August. Martin is the defending 400 metre Canadian Champion. She has been in Florida training for the past six weeks.

Bridgewater curler off to Canadian Masters

A Bridgewater curler is representing Nova Scotia at the 2012 Canadian Masters Curling Championships in Montreal. Glenn Josephson will play lead with Alan Darragh, Reid Romkey and John Darragh out of the Mayflower and Dartmouth curling clubs. Josephson is playing in his eighth Canadian championship but first Masters. He says he can draw on experience to help him play well.

"First of all you learn how to win and secondly, you know, when the important shots have to be made and what to do when it's really close at the end of the game and those are the things that just come with experience more than anything else."

 Josephson says this event completes his career...after winning provincial championships at every other age group. The Masters gets underway Monday in Montreal. The club will open up competition against Alberta Tuesday.

Plans for Collaborative Health Care Centre in Bridgewater

Bridgewater could be the next South Shore community in line for a collaborative health care centre. A action team consisting of fifteen medical professionals and business leaders has been assembled to quarterback the initiative. The proposed centre would reduce wait times and greatly benefit people without a family doctor. CEO of South Shore Health Alice Leverman says more and more physicians want the opportunity to work as a team as opposed to setting up a private practice. "We need to provide those types of practice environments to ensure we can not only retain the physicians and other prodivers that we have but to continually be recruiting for health professional in the area," The centre would also offer medical services through nurses, nurse practitioners and other health-care professionals. Collaborative health-care centres already exist in Caledonia, New Germany and Lunenburg.

NS Government Subsidizes Digby Ferry, Ignores Yarmouth: Liberal MLA

Princess of Acadia

The province will help subsidize the Digby-Saint John ferry service, "Princess of Acadia", for three more years to the tune of a million dollars a year.  The New Brunswick government will match the amount.  The decision flies in the faces of those in the Yarmouth area who are campaigning for re-establishment of ferry service to Maine. Yarmouth Liberal MLA Zach Churchill tells us, premier Darrell Dexter is being hypocritical. Churchill says: the premier "is throwing money all around the province. Yet, when it comes to a major economic driver in southwestern Nova Scotia, that feeds the tourism industry across the province, he has consistently said "No" to that!"  A campaign continues to have the Yarmouth-Maine service re-established. Organizers say it will require government funding though for the first couple of years of operating.

No Serious Damage Nor Injuries Resulting From South Shore Grass Fire

Several fire departments were able to bring a raging grass fire under control late yesterday afternoon in Dayspring.  No buildings were lost but there were fears at one point that a strong wind might blow the fire into some homes.  No one was hurt either.  Conditions are becoming tinder-dry as a result of the unusual high temperatures.

Trial Date Set For Alledged Home Invader

A trial date has been set for a man accused in a South Shore home invasion more than 6 years ago.

Brian Hector Oickle has pleaded "NOT GUILTY" to breaking into a terminally-ill senior's home in Chelsea in July 2005, tying her up and stealing some 30-thousand dollars in cash.
Oickle is facing 5 charges including forcible confinement, robbery, break and enter and possession of stolen property.  He's also charged with cocaine possession stemming from an incident in Truro in the same year (2005).  Oickle will remain in jail until his trial date ... May 17th.

SSRSB puts four more schools up for review

Four more schools are heading to the review process. The South Shore Regional School Board has added Newcombville Elementary, New Ross Consolidated, New Germany Rural High and New Germany Elementary to the list of schools to be reviewed this year. Six other schools have been approved for the review process including Bridgewater Junior/Senior High, Petite Riviere Elementary, Gold River-Western Shore, Pentz, Hebbville Academy and Mill Village. Board Member Judith Sullivan-Corney says the review of the four schools goes hand-in-hand with the six other schools.

"Especially the small schools; Pentz, Petite, Hebbville and Newcombville because there are several different configurations or different potential ideas that could be explored if the four of them are under review at the same time."

Three schools will not be reviewed. Sullivan-Corney says she believes its important schools goes through the process.

"I think there are many opportunities and potential that we need to look at and I don't think we can do so without doing school review, without getting community input and without understanding the vision the community has for good education for their students."

Sullivan-Corney says she delayed making a ruling on the four schools until Wednesday night to gather more information and make an informed decision. The review process can lead to schools being closed, upgraded or consolidated. Next up will be an in-depth analysis of each school, expected to begin in the next few weeks.

SSRSB expected to rule on schools delayed for possible review

A decision is expected to come Wednesday night on the possibility of reviewing four more Lunenburg County schools. The South Shore Regional School Board delayed making a decision on New Ross Consolidated, Newcombville Elementary and both New Germany schools during its February 22 meeting. Bridgewater Junior/Senior High, Petite Riviere Elementary, Gold River-Western Shore, Pentz, Hebbville Academy and Mill Village have been identified for review this year. Aspotogan, North Queens and Greenfield will not be reviewed. The review process has many options including recommending a facility be closed, upgraded or consolidated. The board meeting gets started at 7pm Wednesday night in Bridgewater.

South Shore MLA's Prepare for NDP Convention

A number of South Shore MLA's will be in Toronto for this weekend's NDP leadership convention. Denise Peterson-Rafuse, Vicki Conrad and Pam Birdsall have all confirmed their attendance for the two-day event. Seven candidates are vying to become the party's next leader. Conrad and Birdsall announced in January they would support Toronto MP Peggy Nash in her leadership bid. However, Thomas Mulcair, Brian Topp and Nathan Cullen have emerged as the main contenders in the race which at one point featured nine candidates. Peterson-Rafuse has not indicated who she plans to support. The next leader of the federal NDP will be known sometime Saturday afternoon.

Negotiations underway to sell Former Post Office

A century-old King Street property could soon be off the real estate market. Canada Post spokesperson Lori Lancaster confirms to CKBW and HANK-FM News negotiations are underway to sell the old Canada Post building. Lancaster couldn't divulge many details regarding the potential sale. She says a buyer has stepped forward, but can't say who it is. There has been no indication about what the future use of the building would be. The Bridgewater property has been for sale since 2010. According to the town's Heritage Advisory Committee, a document reveals the building was built in 1909.

South Shore Residents Will Benefit From A Provincial Tax Cut

As the province prepares to unveil its budget for the coming year, the finance minister says one thing you can bet on and win ... will be a cut in income taxes.  Graham Steele says with the deficit coming down dramatically and the economy improving, such a tax cut would be only right. Canadian Taxpayers Federation Atlantic Director Kevin Lacey commends the minister for realizing South Shore residents and others province-wide pay the highest taxes in the country. He says: "This is a step in the right direction ... the government finally admitting that Nova Scotians pay too much tax and now it sounds like they're going to try and do something about it." The federation says high taxes is one of the biggest problems facing the provincial economy. Lacey says the province has the highest taxes in all of Canada relative to the size of its economy. He says "addressing the problem is going to help jump-start the economy, by taking money out of the hands of government and putting it where it counts, in the hands of the average South Shore resident and others across the province."  The budget comes down April 3rd.
The finance minister also says his deficit forecast for the 2011-12 fiscal year has dropped to 261-million dollars from the 365-million he was projecting back in December.

New Lunenburg School Is High-Tech Energy Efficient

Its quite a day, getting used to new surroundings in a brand new learning facility! Bluenose Academy in Lunenburg is welcoming its students and staff on this first day of school. It's considered one of the most energy efficient buildings in the province, featuring a solar wall, wood pellet boiler and is heated using solar energy. The green roof in the gym is covered with local plants and moss while the architectural design honours the historic town. Lunenburg Mayor Lawrence MaWhinney says.... he's impressed! The mayor tells us ... "I think they've done an excellent job in getting all of the bits and pieces together that are a part of modern technology. My only hope is that it will be as durable as what they built 117 years ago!" The academy will be home to 570 students and replaces the 117 year old Lunenburg Academy and the newer Centre Consolidated and Riverport Elementary schools. A date for an official grand opening ceremony has not been set yet.

Fundraising continues for Olympic hopeful

Fundraising efforts continue for Olympic hopeful Jenna Martin. Co-chairperson for Jenna's Run for London 2012, Kevin Hayward, says they're nearing their fundraising mark.

"The community support here has been absolutely tremendous for Jenna to date, but a lot of her training is funding that she has to raise herself, so we still have a goal of between $10,000 to $15,000 to get Jenna to the Olympics this August."

Hayward says the last three months have been quiet, mainly because Martin has been training in Florida. He says the remaining money needed will go towards helping Martin compete across the world before the Canadian Olympic trials in June. To help Jenna Martin reach the London Olympics, you can provide a financial donation by calling Kevin Hayward at (902) 543-6090.

MODL provides lifeline for Osprey Ridge Golf Course

Another step in the waiting game to find a possible buyer for Osprey Ridge Golf Course. The Municipality of Lunenburg has approved a temporary borrowing resolution to pay a balloon payment of $2.9-million to the Municipal Finance Corporation. The municipality issued a default notice to operators of Osprey Ridge last September and assumed title of the property in December. CAO Tammy Wilson says council could have decided to pull money from their own reserves.

"That would put the municipality in a position where we'd be depleting our reserves to address this issue. We are developing a marketing strategy and hopefully being able to market the golf course in the near future and because of that we chose a three-year loan as opposed to anything longer."

The Minister of Service Nova Scotia will need to approve the temporary borrowing resolution. The balloon payment is due in May.

Yarmouth Chases Down 'Hockeyville' title

On-line and telephone voting is intense as Yarmouth chases the crown to become Canada's Hockeyville. The town is one of five across the country in the running for the 100-thousand dollar prize and chance to host an NHL pre-season game. Mayor Phil Mooney says its an uphill battle with a place like Kelowna, BC for instance, having the potential for 2-million votes. "People right across southwestern Nova Scotia have been contacting everybody they know to cast one, one-hundred or one-thousand votes for Yarmouth," Voting can be done online at http://www.krafthockeyville.ca/ or by calling 1-866-533-8066.  The other communities in the running are Amos, Quebec; Stirling-Rawdon, Ontario; West Duck Lake, Saskatchewan; and West Kelowna, BC. The deadline is midnight tonight and Canada's top hockey community will be announced March 31st.

Judge To Render Decision In Whitney-Joudrey Case

A South Shore woman has testifed that she felt her life was threatened before she thrust a knife into her boyfriend's neck and stabbed him repeatedly. Katelin Whitney-Joudrey said yesterday she saw ``utter hatred'' in Kiel Naugler's eyes before she used the knife on him on New Year's Day 2011. Whitney-Joudrey was testifying on the third day of her trial on two counts of aggravated assault and one count of assault with a weapon. Prosecutor Leigh-Ann Bryson told the accused she could have taken the option of simply leaving the scene, rather than acting violently. Defence lawyer Alan Ferrier said testimony has shown the couple's relationship was based on addiction to drugs and they argued frequently. Judge Jim Burrill will make his ruling in the case next Monday.

Businesses Affected By Ferry Loss Urged To Submit Their Stories of Tough Times

Former Yarmouth Ferry, "The Cat"

Businesses along the South Shore and across the western part of the province can voice their concerns and frustrations over lost revenues, jobs and the overall economic impact of no ferry service. There's a new website for them to do so, launched by the Nova Scotia International Ferry Partnership. The ultimate goal is re-establishment of the link to Maine. Yarmouth mayor Phil Mooney tells us its a means of pitching a business case to the province. He says "one of our biggest supporters has been Mayor John Leefe in Queens and Mayor Don Downe (in Lunenburg). The percentage of business thats been lost at White Point Beach. Those are major players on the South Shore, large employers and they've been affected by the loss of the ferry. So, we want to get those stories, build the business case again and get those facts and figures." Mayor Mooney also says its not a matter of "if" a ferry service will be re-established. Its more like .. "when"! He says it will take government help though to set up.

Public Meeting to discuss Eagleridge Estates

A meeting to explore changing Olde Town golf course into housing units goes this week. Town officials and the developer are expected to be on-hand during a public participation session at 6pm Wednesday night in council chambers. Planning Director. Eric Shaw, says he expects some people to be upset over a golf course closing.

"Certainly at this meeting, that will be mentioned but the focus really is regarding the proposal, the development proposal, and the specifics associated with that."

The town of Bridgewater and Genivar Inc. are currently looking at building 157 units in the first phase of the proposed Eagleridge Estates. The meeting will discuss amendments to the town's Land-Use by-law and Municipal Planning Strategy.

Animal activist heading to Bridgewater

Education and Awareness; two things being promoted by Gene Baur. The president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, an animal protection organization, will visit Bridgewater Wednesday to hold a public discussion about the abuses of factory farming and the need for people to change their eating habits. Baur says there's lots to talk about.

"I'll just be talking about some of the things I've seen at factory-stocked farms, some of the conditions that exist commonly in the production of meat, milk and eggs; conditions most people are appalled by. But then, I'll also be talking about solutions, about ways we can eat that will not support that sort of factory farming but instead support a more sustainable healthy eating system."

Baur says switching to a healthier diet would reduce health-care costs, and limit the amount of people suffering from illnesses like heart disease. The public discussion goes Wednesday night from 7-8:30pm at Park View Education Centre.

Yarmouth in final five for Hockeyville 2012

Courtesy of the Yarmouth County Vanguard

A western Nova Scotia community is among the finalists of a national sports challenge. Yarmouth is the top Atlantic Canadian town in Kraft Food's Hockeyville 2012. It will compete for the crown as the nation's top hockey community. Yarmouth will also be competing to host a 2012-13 NHL pre-season game at the local arena. If it does, $100,000 in rink upgrades will be undertaken. The other communities in the running for the coveted crown are Amos, Quebec; Stirling-Rawdon, Ontario; West Duck Lake, Saskatchewan; and West Kelowna, BC. Voting is underway now until Tuesday night at midnight,  online at www.krafthockeyville.ca, on your mobile device (available only via www.krafthockeyville.ca through your mobile browser) or by calling 1-866-533-8066. On Saturday, March 31st, the winner will be announced live on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada.

New Life for South Shore Big Brothers Big Sisters

It's a huge turn around for South Shore Big Brothers Big Sisters. The organization is rebounding after some financial problems almost crippled the group. Director Sandra Murray says local MLA's have worked to secure just over $9,000 through the department of community services. She says the money will help bridge the gap until they can access grant money in the new fiscal year. "I feel this community understand the value of raising our children as a village and seeing that these one on one mentorship programs that Big Brothers Big Sisters provides is extremely preventative in nature as well as creating life long relationships and creating community minded citizens," Meanwhile, the Rotary Club will donate all the proceeds from this weekend's curling fun spiel in Bridgewater to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Murray says after a rough stretch, the future is a lot brighter.

Flu Outbreak: Queens Manor Closed to Public

The Queens Manor in Liverpool is closed to the public because of a flu outbreak. Infection control nurse Sandra Woodford says 11 patients are currently dealing with flu like symptoms. She says staff want to be cautious and limit the spread of the virus. "We've had a few cases and we want to keep it contained, so we're doing what we should be doing - which is close the building to family, visitors and volunteers. We will be closed until there are no  new cases, so its hard to say how long we will be closed," Staff are asking family and visitors to call the manor with any questions they have. The closure is in effect until further notice.

Hurricanes lose in semi-final; win bronze

Another tough loss for the Western Hurricanes. The major bantam hockey club suffered a 3-2 loss Sunday to the Bedford Barons in the semi-finals of the provincial championships in Liverpool. The Hurricanes were ranked #1 after going 4-0 during the round robin. Ty Duffus and Jordan Messenger scored for the Hurricanes while Aaron Mantle suffered the loss in goal. The Bay Gulls won the championship game 3-1 over the Bedford.

Provincial PC's Launch Fish Study

PC Leader Jamie Baillie

A study will be undertaken by provincial Conservatives, examining the region's fishing industry. They particularly want to determine what can be done to help aquaculture and the wild fishery survive, side by side, here on the South Shore and elsewhere.
Leader Jamie Baillie says the party's fisheries critic will be travelling the province in the coming weeks: "to meet with all sides, pro and con, to get all the evidence so we can make a smart decision about how to go forward with a sustainable, wild fishery, lobster fishery, as example and whether we can risk a co-habitation between fish farms and our natural fishery."
Baillie says findings of the study will help formulate party policy on the fishery and how to expand it and increase jobs.

Bridgewater Mayor here to stay until October

Bridgewater's mayor plans to man the helm until October. Carroll Publicover says he will finish his term of mayor until municipal elections October 20.

"I see that as a commitment I've made to the community and I don't like to leave things undone. I want to get as much done as I can, be a part of positive and progressive growth in the community between now and October."

Publicover wouldn't get into details about what he planned to do after finishing mayoral duties. He says he has a number of things in the works, but isn't commenting at this time.

Yarmouth Catches Hockeyville Fever

Hockey fans in Yarmouth could have a lot to cheer about this weekend. The MHL Bent Division finals kick-off on Saturday night at the Mariners Centre. In addition, CBC Sports is also expected to reveal the top five communities in Canada to go on the final round of the Kraft Hockeyville contest. Yarmouth is one of the communities in the running to take home the top prize in the contest. The winner receives $100,000 for arena upgrades, not to mention an NHL pre-season game. Both municipal units in Yarmouth have made financial contributions for two huge banners to promote their Hockeyville bid which will be unveiled at the Mariners game this weekend.

Homeless Youth Shelter Facing Possible Shutdown

Yarmouth MLA: Zach Churchill

A shelter for homeless youth in the Yarmouth area may have to shutdown within a few weeks if the province stops financially covering its monthly operations.  The government has been picking up a 25-thousand dollar monthly deficit at the Supportive Housing Youth Focus Team.  A shelter official says though, that will stop after this month. Yarmouth Liberal MLA Zach Churchill tells us, he's appalled.
He says: "Its unbelievable that the government is willing to funnel clients into the shelter, that there's a lineup of homeless youth waiting to get in and we have a model service thats actually working and the government refuses to fund it. Its absolutely mind-blowing!"  Churchill says the government will essentially be putting kids back on the street.  However, Community Services Minister Denise Peterson-Rafuse says providing beds around the clock is not sustainable.

Yarmouth Man Fit To Stand Trial

Gordon Frank Nickerson

A Yarmouth-area man charged in an alleged abduction of two women last month in Wedgeport has been deemed fit to stand trial. Gordon Frank Nickerson faces charges including kidnapping with a firearm, sexual assault with a weapon and break and enter. The 35-year-old made an appearance yesterday in Kentville provincial court. The case returns to court on April 5th.

Lobster Fishery Could Be Hurt By Careless Fishermen: DFO Official

Lobster Vessels Tied-Up In Port

A 35-hundred dollar fine has been handed a South Shore lobster fisherman. Elmer Leon Jollymore of Little Tancook Island pleaded guilty in Bridgewater court this week to a charge of having undersized and egg-bearing lobsters in his catch. DFO officers were carrying out a routine inspection at the government wharf in Blandford last November, when they found six undersized lobsters in an initial inspection of Jollymore's catch. A more detailed search of 14 crates uncovered 12 undersized lobsters and two bearing eggs in more than 576 kilograms of lobster. DFO conservation officer Bill Wolfe of Liverpool says the charges are serious and the consequences dangerous to the fishery.
He says: "You can imagine if there's anywhere between three and six thousand eggs or more on one single egg-bearing lobster, if that lobster is not left in the water, those eggs are not going to survive."  By the way, as for Jollymore, he has already paid the 35-hundred dollar fine.

Queens Museum Plans Expansion with Acadia First Naion

The Queens County Museum plans to expand its operation in a unique partnership with the Acadia First Nation. The expansion will nearly double the size of the exhibition gallery and cost $3.5 million dollars. Nearly all of the exhibits would be refurbished in addition to creating a new wing dedicated to first nation artifacts. Museum Director Linda Rafuse says part of their goal is to showcase the rich history in Queens. "We've been able to remain so positive about the project and the partnership even though we've had such an economical turn down in this community. You know, that hasn't scared us away, we're still hoping to play our part. We want to play a major role in bringing people back to Queens county," Rafuse says the expansion project has the support of the Region of Queens but organizers have yet to officially make a funding request. The museum will have to fundraise around $350,000 for the project - which could be completed in two or three years.

LaHave Manor to look for new home in Bridgewater

The chair of the LaHave Manor Corporation says they aren't deterred by the unavailability of a certain home in Bridgewater. Elmer Garber says the Evergreen Road location is ideal for a group home because it is one level, has a built-in wheelchair ramp and is in a quiet residential neighbourhood. Garber says whether the home is residential or institutional should be open for interpretation.

"We're trying to integrate disabled people into the community, we're set up for that purpose. So, we really didn't think that this was an institutional setting, it's trying to make sure that the disabled are integrated in society into the least restrictive environment."

Bridgewater's planning director, Eric Shaw, says Evergreen Road is classified as low density residential and cannot accommodate any institutional-type development. Garber says they aren't deterred by the bad news.

"We can certainly work within the parameters of the zoning by-laws of the town of Bridgewater. Now that we know that we're not regarded as being residential, that it's institutional, we realize that we have to move to an institutional zone or commercial zone or some other zone that isn't low density housing."

Garber says the potential home in Bridgewater would house five clients. He's hoping to find a new location and setup the home in the next few months.

Hurricanes open provincials with win

A good start for the Western Hurricanes at provincials. The local major bantam hockey club earned a 4-1 win over the Newbridge Academy Senators to open the tournament. Isaac Bridge, Matt Quigley, Scott Perry and Ty Duffus scored for the Canes while Aaron Mantle got the win in goal. Head Coach Brad Muise says it was a good defensive effort from his club.

"We played well defensively, all five guys took care defensively in their own zone and battled hard. We limited their chances, so we knew it was just a matter of time for our goals to start coming."

Muise says his club played well despite fighting some early nerves to start the game, outshooting the Senators 25-9. The Hurricanes take on the Bedford Barons Friday at 2pm at Queens Place in Liverpool.

The Best Spot to Celebrate St. Paddy's Day is......

If you're of Irish-descent and looking to attend a party for a short-time and not a long-time, try travelling to one of the key destinations around the world for St. Patrick's Day.
Saint Patrick's Day is on Saturday this year and more reason to get out of town for a couple of days and celebrate the birthday of Ireland's patron saint.
Our travel expert, Brian Simpson of "Travelocity.ca", tells us Toronto, Boston and New York are sure bets for fun times.
But, there are some places you'd never expect though ... like Buenos Aires, Argentina, which has the world's 5th largest Irish population.
Then there's Montreal, with the oldest St. Patrick's Day Parade on the continent.
Simpson says: "Like Buenos Aires, its sort of shocking with it being so French-centric. The people in Quebec say about 5.5 percent of them have some sort of Irish roots ... so again some strong Irish connection to Quebec!"
If you're looking for that perfect Irish getaway this weekend, Brian Simpson has created a list of the best spots for the best prices at "Travelocity.ca".

Minor Damage After Fire at South Shore Concrete Plant

No major damage after a fire at a concrete plant last night on Cornwall Road. More than 30 firefighters from Cornwall and Blockhouse responded to a blaze at Lawrence Veinotte Enterprises around 7 o'clock. Fire Chief Steve Patterson says members were on the scene for almost four hours but were able to contain the blaze quickly. He described damage to the facility as minimal. The fire began in the back part of the plant but its cause is still under investigation. The family owned business has been in operation since 1976 and is located about ten minutes off Exit 11 on Highway 103.

Lobster Fisherman Receives Stiff Fine

Egg Bearing Lobster

A South Shore lobster fisherman has been fined $3,500. for having undersized and egg-bearing lobsters in his catch. Elmer Leon Jollymore of Little Tancook Island pleaded guilty to the offences in Bridgewater provincial court earlier this week.
DFO officers were conducting a routine inspection at the government wharf in Blandford last November 30th, when they found six undersized lobsters in an initial inspection of Jollymore's catch.
A more detailed search of 14 crates uncovered 12 undersized lobsters and two bearing eggs in more than 576 kilograms of lobster.
Jollymore has already paid the fine.

Evergreen Road not suitable for group home: Bridgewater Planning Director

It's a part of town that just isn't feasible. Bridgewater planning director Eric Shaw says LaHave Manor was inquiring about setting up a group home or home for special-care on Evergreen Road. Shaw says the problem is that part of town is classified as low density residential. He adds, since it is a secondary street, there cannot be any institutional-type development to accommodate a group home or home for special-care unless it fronts onto a primary road. Shaw says the town has many other places where a group home could go.

"We pride ourselves very much on being a very inclusive community that accommodates all sorts of different needs and this type of use is permitted you know, I would guess on hundreds, if not, over 1000 properties in town. But on this particular street, in this particular zone, it is not permitted."

Shaw says he would love to explore other options that would better suit LaHave Manor's needs.

MODL sends letter, awaits response on Centre Consolidated takeover

The mayor of the Municipality of Lunenburg says the ball is now in the province's court. Don Downe confirms he has sent a letter to local MLAs, the minister responsible and the premier regarding the takeover of Centre Consolidated. He says the municipality is not accepting the takeover and want to work with the province to come to an agreement.

"We just want to find a better solution than what we've got. We just can't afford, and the taxpayers cannot afford to take these schools and spend hundreds of thousands of dollars tearing them down or millions of dollars renovating them and we don't have the money to do it."

He says the municipality has spent thousands of dollars demolishing the Centre Jail, and have inherited the Blockhouse School and Riverport Community School. Downe says in the letter, he requests a meeting with provincial officials to see what can be done.

Western Hurricanes prepare to host provincials

The Western Hurricanes are out for redemption after losing in the semi-finals of last year's provincials. The major Bantam hockey club is hosting provincials beginning Thursday at the new Queens Place in Liverpool. The team is the number one seed heading into the tournament. But Head Coach Brad Muise doesn't consider his club to be the favourite.

"The difference between number one and numbers three or four or five in this league is minimal and no we definitely don't consider ourselves the favourite, we consider ourselves definitely a contender."

Muise says he likes his team playing on the bigger ice surface at Queens Place because they are built around speed. He says his team will need to be at its best to win the provincial title.

"It's been kind of our trademark all year that we out work a lot of teams and once we do that, it seems our skill level and our systems fall into place and takes care of itself but without that work ethic and desire any team in this tournament is going to be in trouble because its going to be hotly contested championship and the competition is pretty tough."

The Hurricanes face the Newbridge Academy Senators in the tournament opener today at 12 noon.

Full Schedule

Thursday, March 15^th, 2012

12 noon - Newbridge Academy vs. Western Hurricanes

2 pm - Cape Breton Cougars vs. Halifax Hawks

4 pm - Bedford Barons vs. Bay Gulls

6 pm - Opening Ceremonies

6:30 pm - Valley Wildcats vs. Newbridge Academy

Friday, March 16^th, 2012

 8 am - Halifax Hawks vs. Bedford Barons

10 am - Bay Gulls vs. Newbridge Academy

12 noon - Cape Breton Cougars vs. Valley Wildcats

2 pm - Western Hurricanes vs. Bedford Barons

4 pm - Newbridge Academy vs. Halifax Hawks

6 pm - Bay Gulls vs. Cape Breton Cougars

8 pm - Valley Wildcats vs. Western Hurricanes

Saturday, March 17^th, 2012

10 am - Western Hurricanes vs. Cape Breton Cougars

12 pm - Halifax Hawks vs. Bay Gulls

2 pm - Bedford Barons vs. Valley Wildcats

4:30 pm - Skills Competition

Top 4 teams from tournament play advance to semi-finals and are seeded based on tournament play

 Sunday, March 18^th, 2012

 8:30 am - 4 vs. 1

10:30 am - 3 vs. 2

2:00 pm - Championship Game 

MODL Council grants

Light notes from the municipal council meeting Tuesday March 13.

The Municipality of Lunenburg has approved a number of financial contributions for local projects including:

a $1,250 contribution for the Mi'kmaq Acadien Cultural Festival and Reunion on August 17 and 18 at the Fort Point Museum through the Municipal National/Provincial Event Grant Policy;

a $1,000 contribution from the current budget as well as $1,000 from the 2012-13 budget for the Atlantic Regional Firefit Championship being hosted by the Bridgewater Fire Department from July 19-21, 2013;

 a sponsorship banner at a cost up to $350.00 to use at the Atlantic Regional Firefit Championship and other local events.

Gary L. Wentzell hockey tournament begins

The Bridgewater and Lunenburg arenas are about to become a hotbed for minor hockey. Over 500 players will play in the Gary L. Wentzell Hockey tournament, kicking off at 8am Thursday morning. Teams from Queens, Shelburne, Acadia, Western Valley, Yarmouth, Antigonish and as far as New Brunswick will compete in six divisions including Atom 'A', Peewee 'B' and Bantam 'A'. The tournament goes until Sunday.