Farmers and CEP Negotiate

Farmers Dairy and CEP workers are back at the negotiating table

Strike Captain, Frank Davis, says the deal could be finalized by the end of the week.

During the last week or so both sides have been negotiating and now were just waiting for the company to come back with some small stuff to finish up (negotiations),” says Davis.

Despite the dialogue, Davis says many questions remain for workers on the lockout picket line.

The conditions of the deal; the state of their pensions, wages, and their return date for work are still being worked out with the help out an arbitrator.

One of the men standing on that picket line is Brett Whynott says even if demands are met some of the workers will have a hard time going back to work happy.

“I'm sure there will be grudges being held for putting us here...but hopefully it's a smooth transition,” says Whynott.

Non-unionized workers have kept Farmers Dairy products on the shelves since the July 10th.

Mounties Investigate Abandoned house Fire

The Mounties are investigating an overnight fire at an abandoned house in Lunenburg County.

The R-C-M-P received a report of a house fire on Italy Cross Road at around 3:00 o'clock this morning.

The building was fully engulfed in flames when the Petite Riviere Fire Department and the police arrived at the scene.

The Mounties ask for your help in their investigation into the blaze.

If you have any information regarding this fire, the R-C-M-P ask you to contact them at 527-5555 or “Crime Stoppers” at 1-800-TIPS (8477).
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HighLiner Foods Reports Growth in Profits

Lunenburg based High Liner Foods is continuing to grow in profitability. Second quarter financial results show the frozen seafood company reported its net income increased 6.5 percent to $4.4 million, or 28 cents per share. Sales for the quarter were $134.7 million . Company president and CEO Henry Demone says second quarter results were highlighted by growth in profitability across all key measures Demone, says their bottom line continued to benefit from lower input costs and a stronger Canadian dollar, as well as ongoing commitment to cost management.

Award Presentation

South Shore Health will be hosting an awards presentation to honour some special volunteers. Lloyd McKnight and Maggie Mae were recently named the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Team of the Year. The award presentation will be made on
August 25th at 10 a.m. in the Lecture Rooms of South Shore Regional Hospital.

Sustainability Festival

Bridgewater is Growing Green . The Town will be hosting a free street festival to highlight and celebrate green community initiatives. Bridgewater Sustainability Festival is set for Saturday August 21, from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. Festival organizers expect over 500 participants including guests, volunteers, vendors and performers. This festival is family friendly and there will be activities for all ages. Admission is FREE to Growing Green which will take place on King Street , between Empire and Dominion Streets.

Child Abuse Investigated

Queens RCMP are looking into a case of possible child abuse. The incident was initially reported to the authorities on Thursday, August 5th. An infant girl currently remains under care at the IWK Hospital in Halifax with undetermined injuries. The Mounties are conducting a criminal investigation in collaboration with Family and Children's Services.

Pregnancy and Parental Leave Policy Updated

The Town of Bridgewater has revised its Pregnancy and Parental Leave Policy to meet provincial standards. The catalyst for the review of the policy was a change to Nova Scotia Labour Standards which stipulated that employers must allow employees to continue to participate in benefit plans while on pregnancy/parental leaves. The Town's policy which was approved by Council now meets those minimum requirements.

Town Stays Out of Postal Business

The union representing postal workers is seeking support from municipal units in the province. CUP-W wants an improved Canadian Postal Service Charter and is asking the units to submit and endorse two resolutions. A motion by Bridgewater Town Council was lost on the floor due to the lack of a seconder. One councillor called it political propaganda and says the town has no business getting involved. Deputy-Mayor David Walker says it seems to be a labour management issue and he believes there will be negotiations with the union.

DUMB Car

Award-winning Be Smart. Be Safe.will be stopping in Bridgewater this Thursday, August 12 to help visitors lead safer lives, protect their property & prepare for emergencies . Be Smart. Be Safe. is bringing its safety messages to the Children’s Fair from 10am to 4pm at the Bridgewater Memorial Arena . The DUMB Car 2.0 simulator, The Rain Cycle, Survivor 72 and other interactive displays will highlight the tour. The DUMB Car driving simulator demonstrates the dangers of driving while distracted by talking on a cellphone or text messaging. It also allows drivers to brush up on their skills in a number of situations including driving in adverse weather conditions, avoiding road hazards and identifying the point-of-no-return at traffic lights. In addition, an eco-driving segment teaches drivers how to improve fuel efficiency and reduce their carbon footprints.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada’s (IBC’s), award-winning community outreach program, now in its sixth year, will visit approximately 30 fairs and festivals throughout Atlantic Canada this summer.

Fire Hall Bands to Play Bridgewater High

The United Kingdom's West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Band and Bridgewater's very own Fire Department Band will play a gala concert on Wednesday night

Percussionist for Bridgewater, Ian Bolton, says the concert is part of a cultural exchange two years in the making.

“We were contacted... about doing an exchange and through two years of emails and letters and conversations back and forth...we've now managed to be hosts to the West Yorkshire group,” says Bolton.

The British band will return the favour next summer when the Bridgewater band travels across the pond.

Bolton says attendees can look forward to classical notes, disco beats, rock and folk melodies that fill the room.

“(When we play together) it's just a marvelous sound,” says Bolton.

The concert begins at 7pm, tickets cost ten to fifteen dollars.

The Lieutenant Governor will also be in attendance.

Bridgewater Hit and Run

Bridgewater Police are asking for the public's help involving a hit and run on Saturday, August 7th. A pedestrian was struck around 9 p.m. while crossing the street by the corner of Empire and Pleasant Streets. The suspect vehicle fled the scene without stopping at the accident. The car is described as a dark coloured Toyota, possibly a Corolla. The pedestrian suffered minor injuries and was treated in hospital and released.

Shore Road Sewage

Shore Road residents say they no longer want to be responsibility for dumping raw sewage in Lunenburg harbour. The properties in the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg border approximately 500 meters of Lunenburg harbour shoreline in an area almost at the centre of the eastern side of the harbour. In a presentation to the Municipality, Nancy Rogers says their properties continue to dispose of raw sewage and the harbour cannot be fully cleaned until that changes. Rogers says connecting Shore Road to Lunenburg's waste water collection and treatment system is not only the right thing to do environmentally, it is the neighbourly thing to do. Mayor Don Down says the next step would be to do a study to determine the feasibility of the proposal to scope out the cost and impact.

Deere Beats CAT

John Deere beat out the CAT. Bridgewater Town Council awarded Wallace Equipment Limited a tender for 143 thousand 925 dollars for the purchase of a 4X4 John Deere backhoe/loader. The difference in cost between the two machines is almost 8 thousand dollars. However, Deputy-Mayor David Walker says both tenders were evaluated based on 13 criteria and the lowest price is not always guaranteed to be the winning bid. Four proposals were received but two of the bids did not meet engineering specifications. The proposal still came in slightly under the approved budget of 150 thousand dollars for the project

Park Zoning Amendments

Bridgewater Council has approved amendments to the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-Law to re-designate and rezone various town properties to parkland. Deputy-Mayor David Walker says in most case these parcels are recognized and used as parkland but have not been designated and zoned accordingly. He says the amendments also included minor text changes including the addition of "community gardens" as a permitted use in the Park Zone. The amendments cover a number of properties including donated land on Pine Street to be used as a passive park and the former V-I-C property on Aberdeen Road.

Cultural Sector Investments

The Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages in Lunenburg today to announce funding for 15 arts, heritage and community projects on the South Shore. James Moore says the federal government is committing over 300 thousand dollars in funding for a variety of projects including the Mi'kmaq Acadian Cultural Festival and Reunion, to the restoration of Chester's First Municipal Office and many others. Moore says it shows the great diversity that exists culturally in the region. He says the federal government is not going to cut funding to the arts nor maintain funding, but increase funding to the arts. The minister says more money will be coming this fall to support culture on the South Shore.

Statuesque Woman Missing

Lunenburg Police are seeking assisstance in a disappearance.

A statue disappeared on Wednesday night from a garden porch on Hobson Street in Lunenburg.

She is described as a woman in a robe carrying lilies and is approximately five feet, two inches tall with white skin made of resin.

The statue was heavy and police suspect it may have taken more than one person to move it.

Anyone with information on this matter is asked to contact Lunenburg RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

Marijuana Grow Operation Busted

South Shore RCMP are trying to determine who's responsible for the marijuana grow op they busted over the weekend.

RCMP staff-sargeant Jeff Wells says Queens County RCMP and the South Shore Integrated Crime Enforcement unit executed a search warrant on a home on highway 103 in East Port L'Herbert.

"When they searched there was no one was at the residence. We're trying to determine who in fact who owns the property," says Wells.

Wells says approximately twenty plants, in various stages of growth, were siezed from the home.

He says a tip from a 'reliable source' led them to the grow operation.

Wells says the South Shore Integrated Street Crime Unit has taken over the investigation.

Hit-and-Run in Liverpool

Queens County Police are seeking help from the public in the investigation of a hit-and-run in Liverpool.

An unknown vehicle collided with a red Dodge Caravan in the Real Atlantic Superstore parking lot on Saturday.

Billie-Joe Bond says her vehicle was left unattended for a short time. Her husband and baby daughter had joined her inside the store, minutes before the collision occured.

She was suprised with what what she found upon her return.

"The back end was so dented that I couldn't open the back...You could see skid marks on the pavement from where they sped away," says Bond.

Bond says the van was moved several inches from the force of the other vehicle.

Police say they are still seeking the person who fled the scene.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Queens County RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

Fishermen's Memorial ER Closure

A staff shortage forcing a temporary closure of the Emergency Department at Fishermen's Memorial Hospital. The Lunenburg E.R. will be closed tonight (Aug.6th) from 6:30 pm until 7:30 Saturday morning (Aug.7th) due to the unavailability of staff to cover the shift. Area residents requiring emergency services are advised to call 9-1-1 or visit South Shore Regional in Bridgewater. Patients with non-emergencies should contact their family physician or Health Link 8-1-1 for medical advice.

Stockwell Day Addresses Chamber of Commerce

The president of the Treasury Board says our nation's economy is in better condition than those of other countries emerging from the global downturn.

Stockwell Day said during a luncheon address to the Bridgewater and Area Chamber of Commerce on Friday that they should not to take his word for it.

He says that the International Monetary Fund, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development -- as well as the World Economic Forum -- have praised Canada's economic performance.

Day also noted that the magazine, "The Economist", calls Canada an "economic miracle."
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