Storm Centre: RCMP Ask Drivers To Prepare For Tricky Conditions

Nova Scotia RCMP are reminding motorists to take extra precaution on the roads and highways during winter storms. The forecast is calling for 20 centimetres of snow for Lunenburg, Queens and Shelburne counties today. With winter weather driving conditions expected, the RCMP say motorists should expect slippery conditions and remind drivers of the challenges those conditions can create for drivers of all types of vehicles traveling on the many road ways including the 100-series highways. 

To prevent incidents from occurring RCMP are reminding road users of the following:


· Monitor local weather reports for changing conditions before traveling;

· Please avoid any unnecessary travel. Listen for advisories or road condition updates;

· 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.

South Shore: Snowfall Warnings Issued

South Shore residents should brace for another blast of winter weather that could bring up to 20 centimetres of snow on Sunday. Environment Canada has issued snowfall warnings for Lunenburg, Queens and Shelburne with 15 to 20 centimetres of snow expected by late Sunday evening. Meteorologist Ted Mclldoon says a small low pressure system will bring about five centimetres of snow on Sunday morning. He says snowfall warnings could extend into the Halifax and Cumberland areas. A snowfall warning has also been issued for Colchester county. In eastern parts of the prvince, snow is expected to change to rain and could change to freezing rain late in the day on Sunday.

Bridgewater: Skate Park Funding Goes To Budget Deliberations

The town of Bridgewater will wait to decide if they will further endorse a skateboard park near the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre. Council has sent a funding request for a future skatepark to their budget deliberations. The group is asking for $25,000 each year for four years starting in 2013. Mayor David Walker says the town will try and figure out if they can help.



The town already provided $8,500 last year towards the construction design of the project. The group has also approached the Municipality of Lunenburg for the same four-year commitment of funding.

UPDATED: Crews Contain Broad Cove Fire

It's been a long day for several fire crews in Lunenburg county. Firefighters representing eight departments spent most of today battling a house fire in Broad Cove. The blaze began shortly after seven o'clock this morning in a vacant home. The all-clear was given shortly after three o'clock this afternoon. More than two dozen were on scene trying to keep the fire under control. It's not known how it started. No injuries have been reported.

Fire Fighters Battle Blaze In Broad Cove

Fire fighters are battling a house fire this morning in Broad Cove. The United Communities Fire Department got the call around 7:15 this morning. The fire involved a vacant house that's been up for sale. An investigation is expected to determine the cause. No injuries to report.

Chester: Million Dollar Question For Health Care

Councillors in Chester have a big decision to make after the group behind a collaborative health center project requested a million dollars to help fund their proposal. Members of "Our Health Centre" made their pitch to council before a packed chambers last night in Chester. The group also told council they don't want to see a hike in taxes to cover the cost of their request. However, Deputy Warden Floyd Shatford says that's nearly impossible to do.




"Our Health Centre" will be a multi-use facility and provide primary health care to a population of 15,000 in Chester, Hubbards and Tancook Island. The project is estimated to cost roughly $6 million and would be located near Shoreham Village.

Large Increase In Gasoline Prices

We begin the new month with what else but ... a jump in gas prices ... and a sizeable one at that. Regular self serve is up almost 6 cents a litre at South Shore pumps at $1.35.4. High test is about 7 cents higher than that. Diesel is also up in price this morning by a couple of cents at $1.41.3 per litre.

Power Outages: Busy Day For NSP Crews

High wind gusts have knocked out power to roughly 23,000 Nova Scotia Power customers. On the South South, more than 650 residents have lost their power in Bridgewater, another 110 in the Chester area are without power. There is a wind warning in effect for Lunenburg and Queens with winds gusting to 90 kilometres per hour. Wind warnings have ended for Shelburne and Yarmouth. High winds and rain are the cause for a majority of outages in the province. For the latest information on outages in your community check out the Nova Scotia Power outage map or phone 1-877-428-6004.

Queens: Council Supports Skateboard Park

The Region of Queens has thrown their support behind a skateboard park in the area. Council unanimously decided to give the Queens County Skateboard group $200,000 plus roughly $35,000 worth of land by Queens Place. Mayor Chris Clarke says the funding is being provided from a special reserve fund.



Clarke says project stipulations include they want construction to start before July 1, 2016 and the group needs to collect at least 90 per cent of the money needed before it can start building. He says its a worthwhile venture that the group has been lobbying behind for a number of years. The group is expected to ask the provincial and federal governments for further funding towards the project. The project is expected to cost around $780,000.

Wind Energy Group Seeks Investors In Lunenburg

A wind energy group will be in Lunenburg tonight to look for potential investors for two new projects in Nova Scotia. Wind4All Inc. will hold a public meeting at the Fisheries Museum. The group is consulting people across the province to raise roughly $5.5-million for wind energy projects near Sydney and in Gaetz Brook. Vice-President, John Brereton, says it's a chance for people to invest in local initiatives.



The meetings will discuss information about the company, the locations for the project and how people can invest and the return they could get. Tonight's meeting will go from 7-9pm. There will also be a meeting in Bridgewater February 5 at the Best Western. More details can be found here .

"Normal" Returns To NSCC Campus After Gas Leak

There was a scare this morning at the Lunenburg campus of the Nova Scotia Community College in Bridgewater. There was a propane gas leak. It forced the evacuation of the campus, the YMCA and an adjoining daycare centre. The leak was traced to a tank behind the YMCA. Cst. Will Creamer is media relations officer with Bridgewater Police. He says a propane company quickly got the leak under control and everything was back to normal within an hour.



No one was hurt and classes resumed by 9:30.

Bridgewater: Draft Plan Reveals Big Change For Downtown And Waterfront

The amount of parking and the possibility of a new bridge were the highlights of a meeting discussing the future of Bridgewater's downtown and waterfront. Ekistics Planning and Design released a draft plan in front of roughly 80 people Wednesday night at the Days Inn. Some of the ideas floated around include removing the south parkade, turn Old Bridge into a pedestrian promenade and building a new bridge to join Maple Street to the mall and empire theatres. There was also a suggestion about angle parking along King Street. Business owner Jim Rofhie is sceptical about the idea.



Other suggestions include improved signage in the town, more prominent green space around Riverside Park and roundabouts at North and Aberdeen and King and Victoria. The draft plan will be posted to the town of Bridgewater's website for people to view. Residents are encouraged to make suggestions over the next four weeks before a final plan is revealed in April. People can provide their input here .

Get Set For Even Higher Gas Prices!

Don't be surprised if South Shore gasoline prices take a jump overnight tonight when the utility and review board sets the coming week's numbers. In New Brunswick, which is a pretty good indicator of what may happen here, gasoline prices are up 4 cents a litre today. If that happens here, that'll push the price to about $1.33 or $1.34 a litre.

Bridgewater: Health Centre Takes Another Step

Plans are moving ahead in relation to establishing a new collaborative health centre in Bridgewater. Members of the Bridgewater Development Association have made their recommendation to South Shore Health for the selection of a developer for the project. Health authority spokeswoman, Theresa Hawkesworth says they are getting closer to their goal of opening the new centre but aren't ready to make an announcement just yet.



The Nova Scotia government recently announced up to $300-thousand dollars in support of the new centre. The health authority is looking to recruit five to seven doctors to staff the facility, which would also be home to nurse practitioners and other services.

UPDATED: Propane Leak Contained Near NSCC

Emergency crews have contained a propane leak near the NSCC Lunenburg campus on High Street. The leak forced a minor delay in the start of classes this morning. The leak was traced to a tank behind the nearby YMCA. No injuries reported.

Mayor: Surprised By LaHave River Condition

The mayor of Bridgewater insists the town has made strides towards improving the condition of the LaHave River. David Walker made the comments following a presentation from the Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation. The executive director of the group told council the river is unsafe for people to swim in. Walker says it caught him off guard.



Walker believes more effort has to be made by the town and Municipality of Lunenburg to come to solutions on the river. He says they may have to ask the province for assistance as well.

School Lock Down Case Adjourned Until February

A Wileville man will remain in custody until his next court appearance in Bridgewater. Sheldon Earl Bowers is facing ten charges after police searched his home on York Street after two nearby schools were locked down on January 23rd. Bowers is charged with various firearm and drug related offences. He's also accused of uttering threats on two separate occasions. The 37 year-old will return to court on February 20th.

South Shore: Slick Road Conditions Reported

RCMP say roads conditions are poor in parts of the South Shore. Slick conditions are being reported around the region due to cool temperatures mixed with rain and ice pellets. Mounties are asking residents to slow down to reflect conditions. Black ice is the major factor behind the tricky roads.

Consultants To Reveal Downtown And Waterfront Draft Plan

The group tasked with creating Bridgewater's Downtown and Waterfront Master Plan will show off a draft version this evening. Ekistics Planning and Design has spent the past several months creating the document after gathering the community's feedback during consultations late last year. The public is getting one more opportunity to meet the consultants and ask them questions before the plan is finalized. A meeting will be held at the Bridgewater Days Inn tonight at 7pm.

Bridgewater Residents Urged To Adopt-A-Hydrant

Bridgewater's fire chief is hoping residents will help make the department's jobs a little easier. Michael Nauss explained the adopt-a-hydrant initiative Monday night to Bridgewater council. The idea is to have people shovel around fire hydrants to help keep them clear and ready to use in case there is an emergency. Nauss says Public Works is busy after a snowfall.



There are 430 fire hydrants in the town. Nauss asks anyone who helps to email the fire department administrator and let them know their location. You can email tharris@bridgewater.ca .

MacDonald: Health Care Remains Top Priority

Finance Minister Maureen MacDonald says access to health care remains the top priority for Nova Scotians. She made the comments during a stop on her pre-budget consultation tour earlier today in Bridgewater. MacDonald says the single most talked about issue when she speaks with people continues to be the health care system and access to services. The health care budget sits at 3.8 billion - and represents nearly 40 per cent of the province's operating budget. MacDonald says the government has tried to make the health care system more sustainable by strategically investments in vital programs.



MacDonald says she is most proud of her government's efforts to reduce the stress on the health care system by creating more collaborative emergency centre's. The government has already opened four CEC's in Nova Scotia and has committed to support collaborative centre's in Bridgewater and Lunenburg.

Mustangs Host Dartmouth In Regular Season Finale

Its the final regular season home game tonight for the South Shore Mustangs. The club looks to build on a Sunday victory over Cole Harbour when they welcome the Dartmouth Taylor Flooring Major Midgets to town. It's also minor hockey night at the rink. Kids who wear their minor hockey jersey will receive free admission. The game goes at 7pm tonight in Bridgewater. The Mustangs are expected to be on the road this weekend to kickstart the opening round of the playoffs against the top-ranked Valley Wildcats.

Group Suggests LaHave River Unsafe For Swimming

It's certainly not the time of year for swimming but as the weather warms up, you may want to avoid taking a dip in the LaHave River. Brooke Nodding of the Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation says the river has averaged between 60-75 percent out of 100 over the last five years, based on the water quality index. She says they've typically tested around Shipyard's Landing for the Bridgewater Triathlon Club.




Nodding says there has been a spike in fecal coliform bacteria in their tests, which can make people sick with ear infections, stomach viruses and Hepatitis A. The foundation is asking council for $7,500 to continue studying the river. Members agreed to send the matter to the 2013-14 budget deliberations.

Budget Consultations Reach South Shore

Finance Minister Maureen MacDonald is making the rounds in Lunenburg County as part of her pre-budget consultation tour. MacDonald met with roughly 35 residents at the Mahone Bay Centre this morning to talk about the upcoming budget and the challenging financial picture in the province. Paul Bross of Riverport says he felt the consultation process was informative. He believes more support for small business is to key to building strong communities.



The latest budget forecast is projecting Nova Scotia will see a $277 million deficit at the end of the fiscal year. MacDonald says balancing the budget will be difficult given the slow economic recovery since the recession and a decrease in revenues province-wide.

Pleasantville: Charges Laid In Young Girl's Death

RCMP have laid charges in an incident that claimed the life of a nine-year-old girl last weekend in Pleasantville. In a release, police say 30 year-old Candice Roxanne Moore is facing one count of impaired driving causing death and one count of refusing a breathalyzer. Olive Moore was struck by a vehicle on January 19th after she was dropped off at a home on Corkum Diverson Road. The young girl was transported to the South Shore Regional Hospital where she later died from injuries. Candice Moore is due in Bridgewater court on March 27th.

MODL: Treatment Plant Funding Pre-Approved

The next installment of the Riverside Inflow and Infiltration project is getting the green light from municipal council. Members have agreed to give pre-budget approval of $690,000 for phase two. Council inherited the septic facility years ago and has taken responsibility for its upkeep. Mayor Don Downe says it's the best step moving forward.


Money for the next phase will be provided through gas tax and reserve funding.

Chester Council Moves To Evening Meetings

Councillors in Chester are reaching out to their residents and local business owners. Council will hold an evening council session on Thursday in an effort to attract more people and interest in issues around the municipality. It's the first time Chester council will hold an evening session since 2001. Council has decided to test out the new move on a six month trial basis. If the meetings are successful and well attended, council will consider making the change more permanent. Evening meetings will be held on the last Thursday of each month beginning at 6 o'clock.

Milton: Couple Homeless After Fire Destroys Home

A Queens County couple is homeless after a fire on Sunday night. The blaze at a mobile home in Milton broke out around 10 o'clock. Luckily, the man and woman escaped unhurt. A total of ten departments were dispatched to work the fire. Nova Scotia Power crews and RCMP were also called to the home on Forest Street. It's not known yet what caused it but an investigation is underway.

South Shore: Budget Consultation Tour Events

Nova Scotia's finance minister is taking her pre-budget consultation tour to the South Shore. Maureen MacDonald will host three separate events tomorrow beginning at 9:30AM at the Mahone Bay Centre. The Bridgewater and Area Chamber of Commerce and the Lunenburg Board of Trade will then host an event at the Best Western in Bridgewater at 11:30AM. The final session will be held at 2:30PM at the NSCC Lunenburg Campus. MacDonald's last budget update in mid-December projected a 277 million dollar deficit for the fiscal year ending in March. She says early budget consultations indicate Nova Scotian's aren't interested with balancing the budget if it means further reductions in health care, education and other public services.

Curling: Arsenault Rink Advance To Scotties

Mary Anne Arsenault has claimed the Provincial Womens Curling championship. In this afternoon's title game in Halifax, the Mayflower rink edged Jocelyn Nix of Glooscap 6-4. The Arsenault foursome, which includes Colleen Jones and Kim Kelly earn a trip to the Canadian Scotties in Kingston, Ontario next month.

Titans Edge Mustangs In Major Midget Action

In Nova Scotia Major Midget Hockey League action in Bridgewater the Halifax Titans edged the South Shore Mustangs 2-1. The game raised $700 for the family of Ryan Shay, a former Mustangs player who was seriously injured in a car accident earlier this month. Captain Riley Strowbridge scored the lone goal for the South Shore while Cole Skinner turned aside 48 shots in the loss. The Stangs play this morning at 11:30 in Cole Harbour.

Curling: Nix Versus Arsenault In Provincial Title Match

There will be a new Provincial women's curling champion this year. Last night Jocelyn Nix of Glooscap topped defending champ Heather Smith-Dacey 6-3 in the Scotties semi final. Nix will face Mayflower's Mary Anne Arsenault in the title game today at 2 o'cock at the Halifax Curling Club. The winner will represent Nova Scotia at the Canadian Scotties in Kingston, Ontario next month. 

QMJHL: Remparts Drop Mooseheads Before Sellout Crowd

A sellout crowd at the Metro Cente last night watched the Quebec Remparts double the Halifax Mooseheads 4-2. The Moose lost for only the fifth time this season despite out shooting their opponents 38-23.

Superintendant: Communication Key During Lock Downs

The superintendant for the South Shore Regional School Board says she's pleased overall with how they dealt with a pair of lock downs last week in Bridgewater. Members of the board met with town police recently for their first debriefing session. Nancy Pynch-Worthylake says there are things they need to improve including communication. She says a lot of rumours evolved around social media that could have been avoided.



Further meetings between the school board, police and media are expected in the near future.

Source For Sports Leaving King Street After 30 Years

It's been a mainstay on King Street in Bridgewater since 1983. But now, the general manager of Cleves Source for Sports feels it's time to move on to bigger and better things. Mike Zinck says they've outgrown their current location and are hoping to move into the Old Bridge Automotive building. He thinks it's an ideal move.



Zinck says they've been looking to move for about a year and are confident the new location will serve customers better. He's hopeful they will open on Old Bridge Street by the summer.

Curling: Arsenault & Nix Share Lead At Provincials

The playoffs are set at the Provincial Womens Curling championships in Halifax. Mayflower's Mary-Anne Arsenault and Glooscap's Jocelyn Nix finished round robin action with 6-1 records. Arsenault was awarded first place because of her round robin win over Nix. Tonight's sudden death semi final pits Nix against defending champ Heather Smith-Dacey of Mayflower. The winner will battle Arsenault in tomorrow's final at the Halifax Curling Club. A trip to the Canadian Scotties in Kingston, Ontario is on the line.

Curling: Log Jam Atop Leaderboard In Halifax

There's a three-way tie for the lead at the Provincial Women's Curling championships in Halifax. Defending champ Heather Smith-Dacey of Mayflower, along with clubmate Mary Anne Arsenault, and Glooscap's Jocelyn Nix are all 5-1 after three days of action. Semi final action kicks off tonight. The championship game goes tomorrow at 2 o'clock at CFB Halifax.

QMJHL: Mooseheads Roll On At Metro Centre

In Q League play at the Metro Centre the Halifax Mooseheads rolled over Sherbrooke 7-2. Stefan Fournier had a goal and two assists for the Moose who host Quebec this evening.

MHL: Bearcats Double Lumberjacks

In MHL action last night in Bridgewater the Truro Bearcats doubled the CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks 4-2. Robert Fraser and Shawn Boudreau scored for the Jacks who have now lost five straight. The Bridgewater club's next game is Friday night when they welcome Miramichi.

Liverpool's Whalen Competes In Arkansas

A Liverpool athlete is in Arkansas this weekend for her second NCAA competition this season. Chelsea Whalen is up against some of last summer's Olympic participants tonight at the Razorback Invitational. The 20-year-old is coming off a second place performance and setting a new provincial senior women's indoor shotput record. Whalen hopes to keep the early momentum going.



Whalen says she's focusing on her technique this weekend after training with her coach. The shotput event is slated to start around 6pm tonight in Arkansas.

Challenges Ahead For Any Operator Of New Yarmouth Ferry Service

Two companies have submitted proposals to set up and run a ferry service between Yarmouth and Maine. When the call for proposals closed yesterday, the province says proposals had been received from "Quest Navigation Incorporated" and "Maritime Applied Physics Corporation".  Yarmouth MLA Zach Churchill says he's concerned about the lack of information on the two companies. However, he says no matter who starts up the service again, they're going to be dealing with some big challenges. Churchill says: "the NDP government cut the subsidy three years ago, cut the service. They cut our ties to that market in New England and now we are really building from scratch which is totally too bad. However, we are where we are so we just have to move forward." The proposals will be evaluated with a decision expected by the end of February. The province has promised to provide up to $21 million over seven years to help kick-start the ferry service that ended in 2009.

NS Firms Ready To Tap Into Shipbuilding Contract

Premier Darrell Dexter says Nova Scotia firms are well positioned to take advantage of a $25 billion opportunity under the federal government’s National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy. The province commissioned Duke University's Center for Globalization to compile a study detailing how home-grown companies could become suppliers to the shipbuilding program. More than 100 Nova Scotia firms were named in the study including Allendale Electronics in Lockeport and the Lunenburg Industrial Foundry. However, Dexter says the report focuses more on opportunities for local companies rather than guaranteeing work.



The report cost $135,000 to compile but Dexter says it's a relatively small amount when you look at the overall amount of the shipbuilding contract. He says ship designs could be announced by Ottawa in the near future with work tentatively set to begin in mid 2015.

Mustangs Host Titans In Support Of Shay Family

The South Shore Mustangs fell 6-2 last night to the Valley Wildcats. Jordan Messenger and Riley Donaldson scored for the Mustangs while Cole Skinner allowed six goals on 48 shots in the loss. Meanwhile, the club is looking for local support this weekend in their second to last game at home this season. The team hosts the Halifax Titans on Saturday. Canadian Tire has donated a $200 barbecue to be raffled off. All proceeds from the game and raffle go directly to the family of Ryan Shay, a former Mustang player who was seriously injured in a car accident earlier this month. The game goes Saturday night at 8pm in Bridgewater.

Bridgewater: More Charges After School Lock Down

Police have laid more charges against a 37 year-old man at the centre of Monday's school lock down in Bridgewater. Sheldon Earl Bowers is now facing nine charges in total. Bowers was arrested earlier this week at his York Street home after police ordered the lock down of two nearby schools. Officers seized eight guns and drugs including an undisclosed amount of cocaine after a search of a home. The new charges include careless use of a firearm in relation to allegations of shots being fired and threatening a witness. Bowers is also facing allegations of uttering death threats, careless storage of a firearm and various possession and trafficking offences. Police say their investigation is still active and more charges could be laid. Bowers is due back in court on January 30.

More Money Needed For Maintenance: Operations Director

The director of operations for the South Shore Regional School Board is looking to increase the maintenance budget for schools. Steve Prest indicated recently they have about $7-million worth of work to do on 33 schools and the figure keeps growing. The work ranges anywhere from electrical to sprinkler systems and ventilation. Prest is proposing an increase of $330,000 for the 2013-14 maintenance budget. But, he knows, it's a difficult decision.



Prest says their three year average for maintenance spending is around $890,000, which he says is at the low end of industry standards. The board didn't make a decision on the request.

Two Companies Interested In Yarmouth Ferry

Two companies have submitted proposals to set up and run a commercial ferry service between Yarmouth and the United States. The Nova Scotia government says that proposals were received from Quest Navigation Incorporated and Maritime Applied Physics Corporation. The request for proposal to restart the ferry closed on Thursday afternoon. The proposals will be evaluated with a decision expected on by the end of February. The province has promised to provide up to $21 million over seven years to help kick start the defunct ferry service which hasn't been running since the government cut its subsidy in 2009.

New Clinic To Help With Non-Urgent Health Care

South Shore residents are getting help to access non-urgent health care. A new, six hour clinic will begin running early in February to give patients dealing with issues like minor cuts, sinus problems or prescription refills a chance to see a doctor. CEO for South Shore Health, Peter Vaughan, says the new clinic is a small step towards addressing what has become an urgent need for doctors in the community. The new clinic begins February 4 at the regional hospital in Brdgewater. A doctor will be available to see patients by appointment from 3-9pm every Monday and Wednesday next month. Residents will have to book appointments with the doctor between 10 and noon on the day of the clinic for that day only.

MODL To Further Discuss Potential Skate Park

The Municipality of Lunenburg will check their finances before deciding to support a future skate park  Council heard from proponents of the skate park earlier this week, who are asking for almost $6,000 towards construction design. The group is also asking for a four-year commitment from the municipality at $25,000 each year.  Mayor Don Downe says they will talk more about the issue.



The park is pegged to be located near the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre. The matter will go to the municipality's budget/finance committee for further discussion.

South Shore Hockey Team Helps Food Bank

The Bantam Major BMO Western Hurricanes hockey team played the Bubba Ray Gulls this past weekend at Queens Place-Emera Centre in Liverpool. Admission to the game was in Support of the local Food Bank.

A good turnout of fans helped the team in drumming up one hundred bags of groceries and one hundred and twenty-five dollars in cash donations. The Western Hurricanes team and management would like to thank everyone for their support. By the way, the Hurricanes and Bubba Ray Gulls tied their game at 3-3.

 

Blandford Man Faces Charges For Stealing From Vehicles

A 26-year-old Blandford man is facing charges of stealing from motor vehicles and trespassing following an early morning spree in Middle Sackville. Halifax RCMP tracked the man for up to two hours this morning after reports of thefts from vehicles. The incidents were linked between Lucasville Road and Exit 2A on Highway 101. The man was taken into custody and is facing 12 charges relating to the arrest.