The CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks head to Pictou County tonight still searching for their first win. The junior hockey club is winless through four games this season. Forward Josh Shatford believes the team is close to breaking through.
The RCMP say a high-risk offender will be released Friday from Dorchester Penitentiary. Police says 36-year-old Shane Leon Smith will be residing in the Aylesford-area after completing a sentence for sexual assaults and other offenses. Smith has been deemed a high-risk to re-offend. The Mounties say his victims have included both boys and girls ages four to 18 years-old. RCMP say Smith will have a number of restrictions for two years including the internet, no contact with children under the age of 16 years or being within 100 meters of any public park, public swimming area, daycare center, school ground or community center.
The NDP have found their person for the job in Yarmouth. The local riding association has nominated Charles Webster as the candidate for the upcoming provincial election October 8th. When the provincial election was called earlier this month, the NDP didn't have a person lined up to fill the void. Webster is a minister, with ties to the NDP for over 20 years. However, this is his first time running for MLA in Yarmouth. Municipal councillor John Cunningham is carrying the PC flag. Vanessa Goodwin-Clairmont will represent the Green Party. Liberal Zach Churchill is the incumbent.
The Municipality of Chester is investigating the idea of creating a universal sewer rate. Warden Allen Webber says there are six areas in the municipality with public sewer systems including the Village of Chester, Mill Cove, Chester Basin, New Ross, Western Shore and Chester Acres. The village is the only area with a surplus of over $242,000, while the other five have deficits between $1,800 and more than $160,000. Webber says some people pay by flat rate, others pay by assessment and some use a hybrid system. He says they want to try and make things consistent.
Roughly 200 students and area residents attended the first of several forums for candidates in Chester-St. Margaret's. Janet Irwin of the Progressive Conservatives, Tim Harris of the Liberals, and NDP MLA incumbent Denise Peterson-Rafuse spoke on issues including the economy, fracking and the current state of education. Another topic was road paving in the riding. Peterson-Rafuse says the NDP developed a five-year road plan for paving across the South Shore and the province. She says paving isn't politically motivated.
The Region of Queens Municipality hopes to inject more life into the economy with the establishment of a business development association. A team of eight business leaders from the community will be part of it. Mayor Christopher Clarke says the group's focus is clear.
Hearings are about to start regarding a proposed demolition debris transfer facility in Blockhouse. The province's Utility and Review Board will hear arguments from both sides in the case. Halifax C and D are looking to set up the facility on the Cornwall Road while the Municipality of Lunenburg refused to issue a development agreement for the project. A group of concerned business owners and residents from the Blockhouse-area is also involved as interveners. One of its members, Paul Young, says they're not opposed to the idea, just the location.
The Green Party of Nova Scotia is joining the race for the October 8th election. A number of candidates have been confirmed for South Shore ridings. Madeline Taylor will represent the Greens in Queens-Shelburne, Robert Pierce is running in Lunenburg West and Vanessa Goodwin-Clairmont in Yarmouth. The Green Party's election platform revolves around building healthy communities, having a healthy economy and a healthy environment. The party has never won a seat in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.
Three candidates in Queens-Shelburne took the stage Monday night in Liverpool to discuss the hot topics. Liberal Benson Frail, Bruce Inglis of the PC's and NDP member Sterling Belliveau highlighted their party's stance on topics including Muskrat Falls, hydraulic fracking and electoral boundaries. Another major topic was the number of district health authorities across the province. Currently, there are nine plus the IWK. Sterling Belliveau says the NDP would maintain the status quo.
The Western Hurricanes earned a split over the weekend in Cape Breton. Ian MacPhee had the lone goal Saturday as the Hurricanes fell 2-1 to the Cougars. MacPhee continued to find the back of the net Sunday, scoring twice in a 4-2 win. Walter Flower and Ryan O'Toole also scored for the Hurricanes, who host the Truro Bearcats at Queens Place Saturday at 6:15pm and Sunday at 11am.
The South Shore Seahawks peewee football club earned their first win of the season over the weekend. Keegan Baker, Zach Hamm, Colton Chaisson and Jaden Wentzell all scored touchdowns as the Seahawks cruised to a 38-0 victory over the Fall River Dragons at Kinsmen Field. Their next game will be Sunday in Timberlea against the Titans. Over to the atom Seahawks, who lost 24-0 to the Truro Tide. A rematch between the two teams is scheduled for Saturday at 1pm in Bridgewater. The bantam Seahawks fell 37-0 to the Fall River Dragons. They welcome the Dartmouth Destroyers to Kinsmen Field at 11am on Saturday.
Warden or mayor? That's one of the issues returning to the Municipality of Chester. Council could soon have to determine if they will stay status quo with a warden or choose to move to a mayoral system. The issue was brought up recently because the municipality is required to review its electoral boundaries in the next year. Switching from the warden system would mean reduced districts and realignment to prepare for the mayoral position. Warden Allen Webber says the public would be more involved if the process is switched.
The premier will be in Queens County today to canvas with NDP incumbent Sterling Belliveau. Darrell Dexter has planned stops in Greenfield, Milton, Brooklyn and Liverpool Monday afternoon. The new riding of Queens-Shelburne was established after a boundary review was completed last fall. Dexter says all parties have a challenge to try and get elected in the riding.
A nursery school in Bridgewater is celebrating 50 years this weekend. Wee Wisdom Nursery School will mark the milestone Saturday with a celebration for former staff and students, and to the public. The school enrols kids ages two-and-a-half to five from all different areas across the South Shore. Executive Director Connie Crouse says it's an important date for them.
The CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks hope home ice will earn them their first win of the young MHL season. The Jacks face-off against the Campbellton Tigers tonight at the Bridgewater Memorial Arena. Goaltender Billy Clarke says its important to get their first 'W'.
A man and woman will appear in Barrington provincial court today after police found drugs and cash at a home in Shelburne. The RCMP searched a home on Commission Street around 10pm Wednesday night and found 20 grams of cocaine, 15 grams of marihuana and over $1,000 in cash. Twenty-two year old Kara Ashley Doane and 21-year-old Damien Gordon Foster Pushie from Shelburne were held in custody. They face charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine and possession of marihuana.
Four South Shore communities are among the list where the New Democrats say nursing home care will be improved in the next few years. On the election campaign trail today, Premier Darrell Dexter says 61 long term care beds will be replaced at the Mahone Nursing Home in Mahone Bay, 90 at Shoreham Village in Chester, 66 at Roseway Manor in Shelburne and 29 at Hillsview Acres in Queens County. The premier explains how the changes will come about.
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A 29-year-old man from the New Germany-area has been arrested after a parrot was stolen in Bedford earlier this week. Halifax Regional Police along with members of the South Shore Integrated Street Crime Unit searched a home in Farmington and recovered the blue front Amazon bird "Schooner" around 10:45pm Wednesday night. Police say Jacob William Wandless is in Halifax court today on charges of theft and possession of stolen property. Constable Pierre Bourdages with Halifax Police says they are looking for a second man believed to be involved in the birdnapping.
At least three local police officers have been recognized by the province for their service to the force. The province's Justice deputy minister, Judith Ferguson, presented 235 active and retired police officers with Nova Scotia Police Long Service Awards during a ceremony in Halifax Wednesday. Retired Constable Colin Gray and retired Chief David McGinnis, with the Bridgewater Police, received awards for 15 years of service. Sergeant Lewis Sutherland, also with Bridgewater Police, was given an award for 25 years of service. This is the sixth year the awards have been handed out. A second event will be held in Cape Breton to recognize another 45 officers later this month.
A committee within the Municipality of Lunenburg has decided to pass on joint birthday celebrations with the town of Bridgewater. The two local governments had discussed the potential of celebrating Bridgewater's 115th birthday and the municipality's 135th birthday next spring. However, the committee felt the number wasn't significant enough to celebrate. Deputy Mayor Don Zwicker says it's not a milestone year.
An ice cover is on the way for the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre. General Manager Kevin Benjamin says a tender has been awarded to Covermaster Inc. of Ontario for $204,500. He says the purchased system is known as a terracover. Covermaster describes the system as having a long life-span, easy to install and having the best insulation available. Benjamin says the price came in under budget. The town of Bridgewater and Municipality of Lunenburg agreed to share the cost of the ice cover up to $215,000. The cover will allow the LCLC to market the venue for concerts or conventions year-round. Benjamin expects the terracover to be delivered for installation next week.
A routine call for Shelburne RCMP turned into charges laid against two people in Sable River. The Mounties responded to a call late last week at a home, only to find a marihuana grow operation inside. They dismantled the operation seizing eight mature plants, small quantities of harvested marihuana bud and marihuana and other drug paraphernalia. RCMP say a 34-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman from Sable River were arrested and later released. The two people face charges of marihuana cultivation and possession. They are scheduled to appear in Shelburne provincial court December 4.
A new family doctor is preparing to open her new practice to 150 patients. Dr. Sheila Dwyer will start accepting patients over the phone Wednesday evening. She graduated from Dalhousie University's Medical program in 2011 and completed her family medicine residency training in June. People who do not currently have a family physician or nurse practitioner or who are travelling outside the district for care are eligible. After the first 150 patients are accepted, the telephone line will close. It's expected the new doctor will accept up to 1,000 patients over time. People who wish to be considered as a patient are asked to call 527-4814 beginning at 6:30 Wednesday night.
A town councillor in Yarmouth is hoping to have the Bluenose II in town to help celebrate the return of the ferry service. Phil Mooney has requested staff to look into the matter of having the retrofitted vessel in the area when the Nova Star ferry begins its run from Portland to Yarmouth on May 1, 2014. Mooney says it would be a special moment.
A pair of South Shore curlers helped lead their team to a win at the Curl Atlantic Championships in Charlottetown over the weekend. Liverpool's Jill (Mouzar) Brothers and Lunenburg's Blisse Comstock helped Heather Smith-Dacey's Mayflower rink beat P.E.I.'s Suzanne Birt 7-4 in the final. The Smith-Dacey team went undefeated, winning all seven of their games. The team will compete again next weekend in Sackville.
It was a tough start for the Western Hurricanes regular season. The major bantam hockey club lost both of their weekend games to the Bedford Barons at Queens Place Emera Centre. Michael Anthony scored the lone goal as the Hurricanes fell 2-1 Saturday. Ian MacPhee had the only goal in Sunday's 3-1 loss. The team travels to Cape Breton this weekend to take on the Cougars.
Bridgewater is supporting a notion to include the word 'Royal' in the town's fire department band name. The town received a request from the fire department's public relations officer, asking for a letter of support to have the title of 'Royal' bestowed on the band. The band is in the process of submitting an application to the governor general's office in Ottawa. Mayor David Walker says it was an easy decision to make.
Closing arguments are expected today in the first degree murder trial involving a Barss Corner man. Fifty-year-old Wayne Paul Eisnor is accused of shooting and killing his wife, Tina Mae, in a New Germany grocery store parking lot on June 30, 2010. He then turned the gun on himself resulting in serious brain damage. Dozens of witnesses have been called over the course of the trial which began earlier this month. Eisnor took the stand yesterday and testified he had no recollection of the alleged shooting. He also claimed he did not shoot his wife. The jury is expected to begin deliberations tomorrow.
