South Shore: Heavy Rain Expected

Rainfall warnings have been issued for the South Shore. Environment Canada has issued weather warnings for Yarmouth, Queens and Shelburne counties. The weather agency is predicting varied snowfall amounts and up to 30 millimetres of rain for those regions. For Lunenburg county, up to four centimeters of snow is in the forecast before it changes over to rain (20mm). There is also a risk of freezing rain along the South Shore. Wind will gust up to 70 kilometres per hour in some counties. Environment Canada says the highest snowfall amounts will occur in Cumberland County and parts of Cape Breton.

Chester: Warden Concerned About 2014-15 Budget

Municipality of Chester Warden Allen Webber says 2013 was a good but challenging year. In a year-end interview, Webber points to issues including the South Canoe Wind project and Our Health Centre that were significant for the area. He says he's optimistic both projects will continue to move forward in 2014. Webber says one of his major concerns next year is the budget.



Webber adds they also need to develop more effective ways to generate public interest in issues concerning the municipality.

Bridgewater: Coordinator Needed For Outdoor Rink

The future of the outdoor rink near Kinsmen Field in Bridgewater might be on thin ice. The coordinator for the last few years has fulfilled his duties and is looking to pass the torch. Town councillor Andrew Tanner says they need to have someone in place to help schedule volunteers for certain tasks. He says there is very little work for the coordinator.



Tanner says there is a group of 15 volunteers ready to help build and maintain the outdoor rink. However, he says work won't be done until a coordinator is found.

Queens County Comeback Impresses Labour Leader

Whats viewed as federal anti-union legislation, proposed cutting of postal services and changes to EI affecting seasonal workers. Those are among the many issues the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour is aiming-at in reviewing developments in the past year. On a positive note, President Rick Clarke says he's impressed with the way job losses in Queens County have been handled since the closure of Bowater.



Clarke says its something like the "Ships R Us" campaign where the province was promoted to the feds as not just deserving it but instead, very capable of building world-class ships. Meanwhile, Clarke is pleased with efforts by the province to improve workplace safety and the planned easing of restrictions by the first contract arbitration law implemented by the previous NDP government.

Let the Boxing Week Sales Begin!

The stores are all open today ... the first time since Christmas Eve day! Lineups outside HRM stores this morning are said to have been small though. Its the start of Boxing Week with most stores offering-up bargains to help them through the post-Christmas Season. There were all kinds of line-ups and heavy traffic in stores across the rest of Canada on Thursday. This week’s ice storm did little to deter shoppers in southern Ontario. They were out in force. On the west coast in Vancouver, a Future Shop owner there says business boomed in his store as people snapped up deals on TV`s, computers and other electronic gadgets.

Grinch Does His Best At Gas Pumps

The Christmas grinch was late showing up at South Shore gas pumps. He made a stop overnight though with the help of the province's utility and review board. As a result, the price of gas was jacked up overnight to the tune of almost 5 cents a litre. The increase means that a 50 litre fill up will cost you $2.40 more today than it would have yesterday. Diesel prices have also increased by nearly 4 cents a litre.

Coffee Shop Workers Unionize. Who's Next?

Workers at a coffee shop in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley have become the first in Canada to be unionized. The workers and owners of "Just Us!" in Wolfville have come to terms on their first contract after protests and firings over the summer months. The collective agreement covers wages, the number of full-time positions and the stability of shifts at the university town java outlet. An official with the Services Employees International Union Local 2 says bigger coffee chains will eventually be forced to accept unionizing of their workers too. He says its only a matter of time.

Yarmouth Mayor Impressed By Residents' Committment

The return of ferry service next spring between Yarmouth and Maine has been the largest development in the town in years according to the mayor. Pam Mood says the efforts of everyone has made it possible.



As we approach 2014, the mayor says like most communities in the region, the economy and jobs are still major worries. However, she's convinced the return of ferry service will open the door to new opportunities, especially in the tourism sector.

Lunenburg: Reduced ER Hours At Fishermen's

The emergency department at Fishermen's will be operating on reduced hours over the Holiday. Officials say emergency services will be available between 7:30am and 2:30pm on December 27, 30, 31 and January 1. So, that means there will not be a doctor after 2:30pm on those days mentioned. This closure is temporary. The Emergency Department is expected to resume normal 16-hour coverage on January 2. Area residents requiring emergency services are advised to call 911 or visit South Shore Regional in Bridgewater. Patients with non-emergencies should contact their family physician or Health Link 811 for medical advice.

Mustangs Preparing To Bid For 2016 Telus Cup

The Charlie's Pizza South Shore Mustangs have their eyes on hosting a national championship. The club, along with its host committee, are preparing to submit a bid for the 2016 Telus Cup. The event features the best boys major midget hockey teams from across the country. Committee Chair, Michael Belliveau, says there looking for letters of support and endorsements from local groups and businesses. He says they're also hoping for people to commit to the event.



Belliveau says they aren't collecting money right now, just asking for groups to commit to tournament packages. It's Nova Scotia's turn to host the event, and Belliveau says no other teams showed interest at a recent meeting. Their bid is due to Hockey Nova Scotia by January 24. If successful, it will then be forwarded to Hockey Canada by January 31 for final approval.

Youth With Cerebral Palsy Benefits From Sledge Hockey

The first sledge hockey event in Bridgewater is being dubbed a success. The Charlie's Pizza South Shore Mustangs hosted the event Saturday evening at the Clearwater Seafoods Arena and roughly 30 people came out to give it a try. One of those people was 10-year-old Erik Vuille of Dayspring, who was born with a type of cerebral palsy. Vuille says he had a blast in his first time ever on ice.



Erik's mother, Olivia, is hoping to make sledge hockey a regular activity in hopes of giving her son and other kids with disabilities an opportunity to be physically active. Erik Vuille lives with spastic diaplegia, which limits the use of his lower body and forces him to use walking sticks. His mother plans to ask for support from her son's school, Centre scolaire de la Rive-Sud in Cookville, to bring the activity back to Bridgewater.

Bridgewater: Major Upgrades Coming To Park View

It's an early Christmas gift for the largest high school in Bridgewater. Park View Education Centre will see major renovations in the near future which will help extend the life of the school by roughly 20 years. The school is home to more than 800 students and was built in 1978. The Nova Scotia Government listed Park View among several schools which will see upgrades under the province's education capital plan. The province-wide plan will invest $94.6 million building of 10 new schools, renovating 18 others, purchasing 70 new buses and reducing energy use in schools. The exact dollar figure for Park View has not been announced. The South Shore Regional School Board says more information on the upgrades will be available in the coming months.

NS Gov't Announces Holiday Closures

The holidays are rapidly approaching - here's a quick look at what will be open. All provincial government offices will close at noon on Christmas Eve. They will re-open on December 27. In addition, Registry of Motor Vehicle Offices in Windsor, Shelburne, Liverpool, Sheet Harbour and Guysborough will be closed all day tomorrow. Liquor stores will close at 5 o'clock on Christmas Eve and 6 o'clock on New Year's Eve. All NSLC stores will be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.

Bridgewater Mayor: Exciting Times Ahead In 2014

The mayor of Bridgewater says he's proud of town council for the steps they've taken in their first term. Five new councillors and a new deputy mayor were elected to council last October in the municipal elections. David Walker was also elected as the town's new mayor. He's been involved with council for nearly 20 years. Walker says he's happy with how things have worked with the group.



Walker says his highlight of the year was the opening of the LCLC. He says its an issue that dates back to 1988 when council first had studies done on the potential for a multi-purpose centre. Walker points to renovations at the mall, the new collaborative health centre, the new marina and the downtown and waterfront master plan as some of the exciting things to look forward to in 2014.

Two South Shore Wind Projects Approved For Next Steps

Two wind projects along the South Shore have got the green light to move forward. The province approved 14 community Feed-In Tariff, or COMFIT program projects to help communities generate renewable electricity. A 0.8-megawatt project in West Green Harbour and a 1.99-megawatt project in the Yarmouth area can proceed to the next phase of development. Energy Minister Andrew Younger says it may include environmental assessments, an impact assessment or an ecological study. He says communities, families and businesses in the province will benefit from the projects.

South Shore Sports Wrap

Lumberjacks

The CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks wrapped up 2013 with a 4-3 loss on the road to the Valley Wildcats. The Lumberjacks also fell 6-4 to the Amherst Ramblers Friday night. Billy Clarke got the win in goal for Amherst, after being traded by the Lumberjacks recently. The Jacks are now on holiday break until January 3 when they host Woodstock.

Mooseheads

Lunenburg's Brennan Bailey had an assist as the Halifax Mooseheads fell 5-4 to the Moncton Wildcats on Friday night. Bailey, who was called up for the weekend, was also named the game's second star. The two teams also met in Halifax Saturday night. Moncton won that game as well, 2-1. The Mooseheads are now off until December 28th.when they take on the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in game one of the Battle of Nova Scotia.

High School Hockey

The Park View Panthers boys team demolished Middleton 15-2 Saturday night. Leading scorers for Park View were Dyson Wood with a hat-trick and Wesley Demone with four goals, three which were scored within 55 seconds. Meanwhile, Friday night the Panthers defeated Horton 3-2. Jake Key was the winning goaltender in both games.

Basketball

The Park View Panther boys won the Holiday Hoopfest tournament. They defeated Harrison Trimble of New Brunswick 67-55 in the final.

Curling

The final two Provincial Scotties tickets were claimed this weekend at the Highlander Curling Club in Antigonish. Mayflower's Heather Smith earned the last spot with a 5-4 win over clubmate Marg Cutcliffe.
The Smith rink, which includes South Shore natives Jill Brothers and Blisse Joyce, stole the winning point in the tenth end. Kelly MacIntosh of Dartmouth also moved on. The Provincial Women's curling championship opens in Sydney on January 7th.

Slow Down: Highways Treacherous

The highways are very slippery this morning and an example of this is Highway 210 in Bangs Falls near Greenfield. A tractor trailer slid across the road and stalled and the highway was closed for an hour or so.
The driver wasn't hurt. The RCMP advise all drivers to slow down this morning... the driving is treacherous in many areas. Highway 103 between Hubbards and Halifax is very dangerous this morning with lots of slippery patches. Meanwhile, depending on where you live, the weather through yesterday and into this morning has ranged across the region from heavy snow, to rain and freezing rain and high winds. Along the South Shore, we escaped much of the snow and most of the freezing rain too. New Brunswick and Northern Nova Scotia received up to 25 centimeters of snow. There's been freezing rain in southern New Brunswick and power outages there as a result. Dozens of flights at airports across the region were delayed or cancelled on one of the busiest travel weekends of the year. Further west in Quebec and Ontario, a massive freezing rain storm downed trees and power lines knocking the power out to hundreds of thousands of residents. It could be days before the power's back on for many people and the mess of downed branches and trees is cleaned up.

Public Fury Expected Over Postal Cuts

The Federal government and Canada Post will receive a huge public backlash if they tinker with the postal service in this country! That prediction from the President of the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour. Rick Clarke tells us seniors and the disabled will be particularly impacted by the move to cut door to door mail delivery. He says its reminiscent of a by-gone era.



Clarke says he's seen one on-line petition with more than 60-thousand names on it and thats only a week since the issue began. He predicts hundreds of thousands of Canadians, including labour groups, will chime-in on the debate through the winter and into the spring. Clarke says it'll be something the Harper government and Canada Post won't be able to ignore.

Bailey Called Up To Halifax Mooseheads

Brennan Bailey has been called up to the Halifax Mooseheads. The Quebec Major Junior Hockey Club have a depleted roster because of injuries and players attending the World Junior Hockey Championships. The captain of the CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks is expected to dress for both games this weekend during a home and home series with the Moncton Wildcats. The 19-year-old has eight points in 29 games with the Lumberjacks this season. The Mooseheads are on the road tonight, before returning home to play again Saturday night at the Metro Centre.

MODL: Downe Understands Concern Around Fire Services

The mayor of the Municipality of Lunenburg says there's been concerns from the public around fire services for years. Don Downe is responding after a resident appeared before council and asked them to consider more amalgamatiion of fire stations in central areas. He says there are legitimate concerns.



Downe says the public appreciates the fire service and the job they do, but he feels people are worried about costs. A meeting is expected to be held in January to review fire services in the municipality.

Beware Of Christmas Scammers While Shopping Online

Its the busiest shopping weekend of the year! Millions of Canadians will be heading to the malls to finalize their Christmas shopping. Many will also be clicking online, looking for bargains and express delivery.
Jill Atkinson of the Maritime Better Business Bureau is warning about scam artists preying on Christmas shoppers. She says make sure your on-line purchases are secure.



Atkinson says watch out for suspicious "special offers" that seem to good to be true, read each site's privacy policy, document all your orders and pay with a credit card for proof of your purchases if they don't show up at your door.

Salvation Army Hopes Its Kettles Will Runneth Over

The Salvation Army in Lunenburg County hopes its Christmas Kettle Campaign will achieve its goal by Christmas Eve. The goal is 57-thousand dollars but its still about 16-thousand short. However, the Lunenburg County chapter's Captain Felipe Vega is optimistic Saturday's Fill the Kettle Drive by Walmart coast to coast will help quite a bit.



All Walmart outlets are involved, including the Bridgewater store. Nation-wide, the Salvation Army Kettle campaign is 8-million dollars short of its goal. Funds raised assist needy families through the year.

Former Mustang Scores Twice, Helps Valley Beat South Shore

A former player with the Charlie's Pizza South Shore Mustangs came back to haunt the club Thursday night. Stone Harnish scored two goals to pace the Valley Wildcats to a 2-0 win over the Mustangs. Harnish spent the last two seasons with the South Shore club before joining the Wildcats earlier this year. The Mustangs are back on home ice Sunday evening when they host Cole Harbour at 4pm at the Clearwater Seafoods Arena.

Minor Hockey Hoping To Fill The Rink For Lumberjacks Game

A push is on to try and fill the rink for the final Lumberjacks game before the holiday break. The Bridgewater club is home to the Amherst Ramblers tonight. All players in the South Shore Minor Hockey Association will receive free admission to the game in they wear their team jersey. Association President Mike Conklin says they want to stand behind the Junior 'A' team.



Prizes will be awarded to minor hockey players. The game starts at 7pm at the Clearwater Seafoods Arena.

Lower Gasoline Prices

As expected, South Shore gasoline prices fell overnight. Regular self serve is down almost 2 cents to $1.29.4. High-test is down by the same amount to $1.38.3. Diesel is at $1.40., down almost two cents as well.
If you're travelling to HRM and need to get gas there, prices are about 1/2 cent less.

Whalen: NS Facing $481 M Deficit - No HST Cut

Nova Scotia is facing a $481 million deficit for the upcoming fiscal year end. Finance Minister Diana Whalen confirmed the shortfall during a fiscal update - the first since the Liberals took office back in October. The largest contributor to the deficit is a drop in income tax revenues of $71 million and a one-time pension adjustment of $300 million to account for the unfunded liability in the public service pension. Whalen says the government is also calling on all departments to reduce spending by 1 percent - excluding health and education. Meanwhile, Whalen says Nova Scotians will not be getting their cut to the HST this spring. She says the province simply can't afford it now. She estimates the annual revenue for the province will be $9.3 billion. That's $158 million less than the target in the budget.

Park View, Bridgewater Face Off In Alumni Game

Old rivals are preparing to square off before Christmas. An alumni hockey game has been set up between former players with the Park View Panthers and the Bridgewater Vikings. One of the organizers, Michael Hubley, says proceeds will go to the Bridgewater Interchurch Food Bank.



Admission will be three dollars. The game will be held Monday night (December 23) at 6pm at the Bridgewater Memorial Arena.

Ups And Downs For South Shore Housing Market

Some ups and downs in the housing market on the South Shore. The Nova Scotia Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service shows housing sales are down nearly 10 per cent between September and November this year, compared to 2012. Meanwhile, listings have increased over the three month period by about seven per cent. President Gary Mailman says there could be some reasons to explain why sales have dropped.



Mailman says final figures for 2013 will be released in January. He's optimistic there will be more activity in the real estate market in 2014.

Liverpool: Federal Dollars For Astor Theatre

The Astor Theatre in Liverpool is getting some financial help from Ottawa to modernize their experience for movie goers. MP Gerald Keddy announced $50,000 to help the theatre install a digital projection unit. The money will help the Astor reach its fundraising goal of $100,000. Upgrades to the sound system and lighting will also be made. The Astor is the oldest operating theatre in Canada.

Fears For Seniors/Disabled If Door To Door Mail Delivery Ends

There are fears for the safety of seniors and the disabled on the South Shore and elsewhere if Canada Post eliminates home delivery of mail. The President of the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities, Kentville Mayor David Corkum, says bad weather makes it especially difficult to get mail at a community mailbox.



The UNSM is suggesting Ottawa fund a special program that would enable the physically-challenged to hire someone to pick up their mail. It intends to pressure the federal government to ensure timely mail delivery for seniors and the physically-challenged.

Bridgewater Fire Chief: Check Your Space Heaters

The Red Cross has come to the aid of two people forced from their apartment home in Bridgewater yesterday morning by a fire. Emergency housing and food have been provided for the woman and child affected by the blaze in an apartment behind KO's Restaurant. Bridgewater Fire Chief Michael Nauss says an electric heater caused a small section of a wall to catch fire. The chief says the incident serves as a good reminder for people to keep an eye on their heating sources.



The woman and her daughter were not hurt.

Gas Prices Expected To Fall Tonight

Just in time for Christmas! South Shore gasoline prices will likely take a tumble when the coming week's prices are set tonight by the provincial utility and review board. In New Brunswick this morning, the price of self serve regular is down by more than 4 cents a litre. Diesel is also costing less by almost 3 cents a litre.

Emergency Crews Work To Keep Up With Slick Roads.

Emergency crews are being run off their feet responding to various incidents and cars off the road in Lunenburg county. Three incidents - including a head on crash - occurred in the span of 20 minutes in Centre, Robinson's Corner and Martin's River. The head on collision (seen in photo) happened in Centre. No serious injuries have been reported. Roads are extremely slick after the South Shore was hit with heavy snow, ice pellets and rain. That's on top of a messy storm which hit the region on Sunday. The second storm in as many days closed schools throughout the province and shut down business and government offices around the South Shore. (photo submitted by follower to Dahl Dispatch)

Sweetland Resident Calls For Fire Services Changes

A Sweetland resident is requesting changes to the way fire services are handled in the Municipality of Lunenburg. Wanda Martell says she reached her last straw when fire tax rates increased in Blockhouse last May. She feels there needs to be better methods of communication to the public and greater transparency from fire departments. Martell also believes more attention could be paid to amalgamation.



There are 27 fire departments in the municipality. A meeting to review fire services is planned for January. The last amalgamation in the municipality happened earlier this year when Chelsea, Newcombville and Baker Settlement combined to become Tri-District Fire Rescue.

Salvation Army Scrambles To Makeup Kettle Shortfall

The Lunenburg County Salvation Army's annual Christmas Kettle campaign is falling short of its target! They're $19,000. off the mark so far, with this year's campaign ending at noon Christmas Eve. $57,000. was originally budgetted for the coming year's programs offered by the Salvation Army in the area. Captain Felipe Vega says money raised is used to help the needy not just at Christmas. So, he says its important the target is reached in the next few days.



Vega hopes between now and December 24th, donations will at least reach the target so programs aren't impacted. The kettles are in place in the key shopping spots.

Pentz Resident Wins $25,000 Playing McDonalds Monopoly

It's going to be a McMerry Christmas for a resident in Pentz. Patrick Scott Greenough won $25,000 playing the Monopoly Game at McDonald's. He received the early holiday gift after he ordered a Big Mac meal and peeled an instant-win stamp from his soft drink cup. Greenough says he will use the money to help pay for Christmas, put towards bills and help cover the cost of a recent family trip to Florida. A presentation is planned at the Dufferin Street McDonalds in Bridgewater on Thursday evening.

Bridgewater: Electric Heater Causes Blaze At King Street Apartment

An early morning fire was quickly knocked down by firefighters in Bridgewater. Crews were alerted to a fire in the wall at an apartment building behind KO's restaurant at 434 King Street. No one was injured. The incident happened just after 7:30. Bridgewater Fire Chief Michael Nauss says a small heater is to blame for the blaze.



Nauss says people should make sure heaters receive regular maintenance to prevent them from overheating. A portion of King Street and Dufferin Street was also closed to traffic while the fire department was on scene.

Second Storm In Two Days Brings Life To A Crawl

Welcome to another (un)healthy dose of winter, three days before the season is official! You can expect perhaps as much as 20 centimeters of snow in some parts of the South Shore this morning and into the early afternoon before it tapers off to flurries. Along the coast, such as in parts of Queens and Shelburne Counties, lesser amounts are likely. To say the least driving is a challenge this morning and dangerous too. The strong northeast wind is creating white out conditions by times and its a good idea to slow down if you have to drive this morning.
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Here are the school closures.....
All schools in Lunenburg and Queens counties are closed for the day including the French school in Cookville. So are schools in the Tri-County area, Shelburne, Yarmouth and Digby Counties. Schools in the Annapolis Valley and in HRM are also shutdown for the day. In fact, all schools in Mainland Nova Scotia are closed for the day. Many regional government offices are closed as well.

Margaret Hennigar Public Library To Open In January

Lynn Hennigar says her mom would be quietly proud to find her name attached to the new library. The Margaret Hennigar Public Library is scheduled to open January 2 inside the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre. The former long-time editor spent nearly four decades working with Lighthouse Media Group before she passed away from cancer in 2006. Lynn Hennigar says it's fitting to have her mother's name connected to the library.



The family's contribution of $150,000 to the LCLC gives them naming rights for 10 years. The current library space on King Street in Bridgewater will shut its doors Saturday evening.

Farms On The Rise In Lunenburg County

The amount of farms in Lunenburg County grew slightly between 2006 and 2011. A resource coordinator with the province's Department of Agriculture says there are 342 farms in the county, up from 326. Brian MacCulloch says the types of farms differ from dairy, beef, fruit and vegetable and egg. The numbers in those categories either spiked or decreased by a small margin. MacCulloch says there are some positives and negatives for the area.



Meanwhile, more women have become farmers in Lunenburg County. Stats show there are 120 females involved in some sort of farming in this area. The number grew by 20 between 2006 and 2011. There is also an age movement in farmers. More people under-35 and over 55-years-old are getting involved.

Major Funding Expected For Astor Theatre

It couldn't be coming at a better time. That's how Astor Theatre manager Chris Ball sums up a planned funding announcement on Thursday in Liverpool by the member of Parliament for South Shore-St. Margarets. Gerald Keddy is expected to present a cheque to help with the theatre's fund raising campaign.



The campaign is raising money for a new digital video and audio system for the theatre and also new lighting. To date, more than half of the $100,000 goal has been reached. The Astor is the oldest operating movie theatre in Canada and still uses 35 millimetre film reels.

UPDATED: Water Rate Hearing Postponed

A hearing to consider a water rate hike in the Town of Shelburne has been postponed due to weather. It was set to begin Wednesday, but has been rescheduled and will take place January 15 in Shelburne.

Chester: Wind Turbine Unveiling Rescheduled For January

The Municipality of Chester will wait until the new year to energize a wind turbine at the Kaizer Meadow landfill. Plans were in the works for the public to watch the 98-metre, two mega-watt wind turbine get powered up this week. However, a potential winter storm on Wednesday has pushed the date back until next month. Warden Allen Webber says its unfortunate news.



Webber says he was recently informed that the turbine is expected to provide enough green electricity for around 550 homes, up from 350. It will also provide $300,000 on average annually in revenue to the municipality. Webber expects the event will be rescheduled during the first two weeks of January.

Mahone Bay: Land Purchase Protects Bella Island

The province is protecting more species at risk through buying land in Mahone Bay. Bella Island has been purchased for $800,000. It's home to the piping plover and common loon. It's also a habitat for migratory birds. The Mahone Islands Conservation Association contributed $250,000 toward the purchase of the land - leaving the provincial share at $550,000. Association chair John Meisner says Bella Island is one of the few remaining privately-owned islands in Mahone. He called it a gem that must be protected. Others purchases include land on McNabs Island in Halifax Harbour and woodlands in eastern Nova Scotia. Three other parcels of land were purchased in Annapolis and Antigonish Counties. Total cost to the province was just under $1.9 million.

Liverpool: National Curling Event Still Needs Volunteers

A few key positions still need to be filled for the upcoming national curling event in Liverpool. The M & M Meats Canadian Junior Curling Championships will be held next month. Organizer Paul Fey says they have 150 volunteers signed on to help out with the event. However, he says they need more help filling positions connected to the action on the ice.



Fey is aiming to have roughly 200 volunteers before the curling begins. The junior championships get underway January 18th.

Information for volunteering:

Contact Paul Fay at 902.354.2374 (after 5pm)

Applications online - here

Email: 2014canadianjuniorsvolunteer@gmail.com

Minor Hockey Prez: Declining Enrolment Leads To Less Ice Time

Declining enrolment means less hours in rinks for the South Shore Minor Hockey Association. President Mike Conklin says they were anticipating almost 60 hours a week in arena use, but fewer teams created a decrease in hours needed. Lunenburg's director of recreation has said they're facing a financial shortfall because of the drop-off. Conklin wouldn't comment on those claims. But, he says they wanted to utilize the Clearwater Seafoods Arena as much as possible.



He's hopeful enrolment will increase and minor hockey can use more ice at the Bridgewater Memorial and Lunenburg Arena.

Shelburne County Man Injured In Hunting Mishap

A Shelburne County man has undergone emergency surgery at a Halifax hospital after a hunting accident near his home. The un-named 41 year old was duck hunting alone on Saturday in Rockland when he tripped, fell and his shotgun went off. Pellets hit him in a hand, arm and face. He was rushed by ambulance to Roseway Hospital and airlifted to the QE-2 in Halifax where he underwent surgery. No charges are expected and there's no word on the victim's condition.

Arrests In Multiple Home B & E's

A man and a teenage boy will appear in court today in Bridgewater. They were arrested following a rash of break-ins in the Chester area. Lunenburg County RCMP say 40 incidents have occurred since October.
They say items including jewelry, alcohol and stamps were stolen. The Mounties arrested three people Saturday night at a home along Highway 3 in Chester. A 15-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man face charges including break and enter, possession of stolen property over $5,000, possession of stolen property under $5,000 and possession of marijuana. A girl was released without being charged. Police say more charges are likely.

Its Cleanup Day! Also, Schools Closed!

Welcome to Cleanup Day! The first major winter storm of the season dropped 20 to 30 centimeters of snow. A winter storm advisory was issued across our province as snow, ice pellets and freezing rain made travel impossible. Then, the snow changed to rain in our area and cooler temperatures overnight turned the snow into a frozen slushy mess. The weather conditions prompted cancellations, flight delays and police advised motorists to stay off the roads.
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The highways are still tricky to drive on this morning. All 100 series highways across the province, including the 103, are said to be snow covered and dangerous. Drivers are asked to slow down and avoid being caught up by the icy patches.
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Schools are closed today in Lunenburg and Queens Counties, including the French school in Cookville and the Waldorf School. Schools are also closed in the Annapolis Valley but open in the Tri-Counties, Shelburne, Yarmouth and Digby Counties.

Two People Homeless After Bridgewater House Fire

It couldn't have happened at a worse time but at the height of Sunday's storm, a fire forced two people from their Bridgewater home. One of them was sent to hospital after the blaze erupted a unit of an older wood-frame home at 26 Elm Street containing several apartments. The Red Cross has arranged emergency lodging and meals for the man and his wife, who are now temporarily homeless. The Red Cross intends to assess further needs and provide additional support if needed later today. Cause the  fire isn't known.