Mobius Environmental Awards

The Bridgewater Walmart Store was named large Business of the Year in receiving a Mobius Environmental Award for their contribution toward protecting the environment. The Windbag Company in Lunenburg was recognized for Innovation in Waste Reduction . In all, twelve individuals, businesses and organizations were recognized today (Wednesday, June 2nd) at the 12th Annual Mobius Environmental Awards luncheon. Organized by RRFB Nova Scotia, the awards recognize those who are taking a leadership role in reducing waste.

Bottled Water Banned

A provincial government policy announced today, June 2, eliminates the purchase and use of bottled water by all government departments with access to potable tap water. Environment Minister Sterling Belliveau says Nova Scotia has some of the safest and best-tasting potable tap water in the world. . Belliveau says the policy eliminating purchases and use of bottled water by government will encourage its use. The government's self-imposed restrictions on bottled water will also reduce the many plastic bottles headed for the recycling stream.
The policy will apply only to government departments where potable tap water is available and not to public institutions such as hospitals. It will not apply to private sector organizations.

Illegal Contraband Tobacco is in Bridgewater

Illegal contraband tobacco has been found in various areas of Bridgewater. During the month of April, Montreal based research firm, on behalf of the Canadian Convenience Stores Association commissioned cigarette butt studies of 43 locations in Atlantic Canada. In Nova Scotia, sixteen sites were examined including four areas around Bridgewater. Bridgewater’s Curling Club showed the highest rate of illegal tobacco.

School Board Accreditation

Improving student achievement the focus of strategic improvement planning by the South Shore Regional School Board. Superintendent Nancy Pynch-Worthylake says the schools are all involved in the planning which right now is called accreditation through the province. She says right now they're working with the schools through the Board to make sure they're using a plan that is efficient as possible. Pynch-Worthylake says feedback from the schools identify the process as important and would like to see it continued. However, she says there are areas where the process has to be made more efficient and less time consuming for the schools. This year, the last four schools, all in Queens County have entered the accreditation process. The Department of Education does provide funding to support schools through the process and the Board has included 6 thousand dollars in its budget to assist the schools.

Bridgewater Athlete & Coach Shortlisted

A Bridgewater athlete and coach have been shortlisted as finalists for the 14th annual RICOH Sport Awards. Mattias Wolter and Tanya Daniels have been selected among Nova Scotia’s sporting greats. Wolter, one of three finalists in the running for RICOH Male Individual Athlete of the Year, established himself as the top junior steeplechase runner in Canada in 2009, placing first at the Canadian junior championships in July. The 19-year old also captured gold at the Pan-American Junior Championships in Trinidad and Tobago in August. Daniels managed an impressive load of athletes (60) this year, from developmental to elite level. A finalist for the RICOH Coach of the Year, she was the sole summer coach of the Bluenose Athletics Club. She qualified two athletes (including Wolter) for the Pan American Junior Championships and also attended Canada Games as a personal coach to two medalists. The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Saturday, June 5, 2010, at the World Trade and Convention Centre.
The RICOH Sport Awards recognize the achievements of Nova Scotia’s elite athletes, teams, coaches, officials and volunteers in amateur sport over the past year.

Hunger Awareness Day

Tomorrow Nova Scotia will stand together for hunger awareness. More than 500 people are expected to gather at 156 York Street in Bridgewater beginning at 11:45am until Noon to hold banners, hand out information and wave to people. In the Province 40 thousand individuals turn to food banks and meal programs each month.

Single vehicle collision over the weekend

Drivers are asked to use caution when traveling through the intersection of Lahave St. and Old Bridge St. as the traffic lights have been disabled. Over the weekend Bridgewater Police were called to a single vehicle collision with a traffic light the intersection. An out of province transport truck cut the corner too close and struck the traffic lights disabling them. Four temporary stop signs have been put up for the time being.

Air Testing at Schools

Air Quality testing will be carried out shortly at New Ross Consolidated and South Queens Junior High Schools. South Shore Regional School Board Superintendent, Nancy Pynch-Worthylake says there's been some ongoing concerns with the building in South Queens so air testing will allow them to check for some levels in that building. She says in New Ross they are using one of the classrooms for regional storage and as part of that they are going to do some testing before they finalize that.
Pynch-Worthylake says this is a response to a request to have some air quality checks and totally separate from the radon tests done at schools. New Ross Consolidated was one of 11 schools in the province tested for the presence of radon, an invisible, odourless gas caused by the breakdown of rock and soil.

Transportation Awards

For the second year in a row, the South Shore Regional School Board has received the Gold Award during the Nova Scotia Pupil Transportation Conference. Superintendent Nancy Pynch-Worthylake says this is particularly impressive given that significant deficiencies were identified by the Utility and Review Board and the Auditor General just over two years ago. The award is presented for high scores in Driver Training, Accident Reporting and Frequency, Fleet Preventative Maintenance, Fleet Body Maintenance, Stops per Mile, Luggage and Passenger Loads, Trips Inspection and Hours of Work, Garage Cleanliness and Safety Practices and Bus Cleanliness and Appearance. The South Shore achieved the lowest mechanical deficiency rating across the province

School Board Approves Budget

The South Shore Regional School Board has approved an 84 million dollar budget . Revenues included the use of 275 thousand dollars in accumulated surplus. Board Chair Elliott Payzant says staff worked very hard to protect classrooms and regional services to students, and they were successful at doing so. The overall pupil/teacher ratio was improved and the number of program support assistants has been increased. Payzant says The Board has maintained or increased classroom teachers, guidance, program support teachers, reading recovery, physical education, alternate programs, adult high school programs, options and opportunities, and cooperative education. As well, as per the Board commitment, regional staff was reviewed in terms of Board goals and efficiency. Staffing for the 2010-11 school year has begun and will continue over the summer. Capital projects, including upgrades to improve efficiency will also take place over the summer.

Clean Air Grants

A number of South Shore businesses and municipalities are receiving more than 570-thousand dollars for projects that will help reduce greenhouse gases and air pollutants. The Town of Bridgewater is getting 106 thousand for solar thermal and heating retrofits to five municipal buildings and upgrade lighting for the Bridgewater Arena . Mahone Bay receives 12 thousand dollars for retrofits of Town Hall and the fire hall. Rainbow Net and Rigging, will receive 94,thousand toward a new facility in Chester to sanitize and repair nylon aquaculture nets.
The Region of Queens Municipality is receiving 137 thousand dollars toward the energy-efficient construction of the new Queens Place Recreation Centre, as well as 10,thousan for an energy audit. The Mersey Tobeatic Research Centre will get 56 thousand to retrofit a field station to demonstrate a carbon-neutral building. And 21 thousand is going to the Town of Shelburne for upgrades to 10 municipal buildings based on energy audits The funding comes from the ecoNova Scotia Fund for Clean Air and Climate Change.

RCMP Investigate Motorcycle Accident

The driver of a motorcycle suffered injuries after a vehicle crossed the centre line on Wednesday. At around 1:40 an unknown driver in a white, late model Cavalier/Sunfire type vehicle drove left of the centre line and caused the motorcycle to go off highway 332 near Bayport wharf. RCMP say the driver may not have been aware the motorcycle left the road but is asking the public's assistance in the case.

Construction Site Theft

Bridgewater Police are looking into a theft from a construction site at 280 Jubilee Road. Sometime between 5;15 p.m. May 26th and 7:45 a.m. May 27th, thieves stole an 850 watt generator and precision laser from the site. The Spectra laser is in a yellow case. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Bridgewater Police Service at 543-2464

Rewards Store Closing Out

Rewards Department Store is closing it's doors at the end of July. Manager Roland O'Brien says unfortunately the landlord has decided not to renew the store's lease in favour of another tenant with a long term lease. O'Brien says the store will not be relocating elsewhere in Town. Rewards has been located in the Bridgewater Plaza for the last 11 years. The final day of business for the store will be July 31st.

M-V-A Goes to Hospital

A 58-year-old lobster fisherman is in hospital following an early-morning highway accident in Lunenburg County. The mishap took place this morning when a half-ton truck left Highway-103 in Middlewood and drove into the ditch. The Middlewood and District Fire Department received a call to to the scene shortly after 5:30 this morning. Firefighters had to open the door of the half-ton truck before "Emergency-Services" personnel could transport the man by ambulance to the "South Shore Regional Hospital".

Student medal Winners

A dozen South Shore students received the 2010 Lieutenant Governor's Education Medal during a ceremony presentation at New Germany Rural High School on Wednesday afternoon. The recipients were presented with the medals by the Honourable Mayann Francis, the Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. The medals are presented to one boy and one girl from Grade 11 in each school who have demonstrated leadership and service in their school and community while maintaining their academic standing. Students are nominated by their school annually.

BRIDGEWATER JUNIOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Evan William Lawrence Buck
Rebecca Rose Jordan

FOREST HEIGHTS COMMUNITY SCHOOL
Nathan Ronald Wayne Shatford
Shalan Lori Armstrong

LIVERPOOL REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Megan Lynn Himmelman
Joel Thomas Smith

NORTH QUEENS RURAL HIGH SCHOOL
Elijah Lem Hunt
Katelyn Dawn Mansfield

PARKVIEW EDUCATION CENTRE
Adam Robert Mertens
Emma Elizabeth Harlow

NEW GERMANY RURAL HIGH SCHOOL
Alexander Perry Knickle
Olivia Lynn Emino

Pavement Projects

A number of Bridgewater streets will be getting fixed up shortly. Town Council has approved 400 thousand dollars for a short list of pavement management projects throughout the Town. The funding has been allocated in this years budget. The 45 projects on the short-list includes crackseal, overlay, spreader patch and local repairs. Tenders will be issued June 1st. The work is done most successfully during July and August when the weather is warm.

Bridgewater's New Highway Signs

Flashy new signs promoting the Town of Bridgewater will soon be going up on Highway 103. The new signs will replace the current green industrial billboard type at Exits 11 and 13. Town Council budgeted 15 thousand dollars for the design, print and installation of the two signs. Local animation artist Mark Cappello came up with the graphic design which features an orange sky.

Parkview Parking Problems

Parking problems at Parkview Education Centre could soon be solved. The school is in the initial stages of a project to build an access road to the community filed located behind the school. The road will provide better access to the facility without having to drive through school property and will afford students a safer place to park their vehicles. A number of partners have come on-board the project. Bridgewater Town Council has approved a request for in-kind design work for the project. The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg has given the school the rights to a strip of land on the south side of the school property. And 143 Construction Engineering Flight will clear the property. Currently dozens of vehicles park on the gravel shoulder of North King Street in front of the school.

Education Medal presentation

Lieutenant Governor Mayann Francis will be visiting the South Shore today for a special presentation. The 2010 Lieutenant Governor’s Education Medal will be presented to South Shore Regional School Board students at New Germany Rural High School at 1 o'clock this afternoon.
These medals are presented to one boy and one girl from Grade 11 in each school who have demonstrated leadership and service in their school and community while maintaining their academic standing. Students are nominated by their school annually.