Recruits Wanted for Seniors Police Academy

**SENIORS SAFETY COORDINATOR - BETH GEORGE***

The Bridgewater Seniors Police Academy is looking for new recruits. Beginning September 30th, seniors will have a unique opportunity to learn something new about staying safe by participating in the Seniors Police Academy. The Academy
is a series of workshops designed to build skills and knowledge and reduce the likelihood seniors will become victims of crime.
The RCMP, VON Lunenburg County and Bridgewater Police Service are partnering to offer the seniors’ police academy in Dayspring at the Municipality Activity and Recreation Complex (the MARC) this fall.
Classes are offered for six consecutive Thursdays, from 1:30 – 3:30 pm in the afternoon and participants must be 55 or over. Seniors interested in enrolling in the Seniors Police Academy can contact Kathy at VON Lunenburg at 624-1897.

Yeah Jonathan Crouse !!

Congratulations to our own Jonathan Crouse, the morning host of HANK-FM. He is one of the nominees announced for this year's Music Nova Scotia Music and Industry Awards. Riverfest has been nominated for the Event of the Year Award. As well, Jonathan is also nominated for Radio Program of the Year for "That East Coast Show" which airs on CKBW. The awards will be handed out during Music Week activities being held this year in Yarmouth, November 4th to the 7th.

LCLC Information Sessions

A number of information sessions are planned for next week to update the public on the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre. The meetings scheduled from 7 to 8:30 p.m. will be held in a number of rural communities including New Germany and Petite Riviere. There will be a video presentation, details on government funding, the capital budget and a project timeline. There will also be an update on the Capital Fundraising Campaign. You can hear more about the information sessions on this weekend's South Shore Sunday Morning.

MEETINGS AS SCHEDULED:

Monday, September 13th New Germany Community Centre
Tuesday, September 14th Mahone Bay Legion
Monday, September 20th Petite Riviere Fire Hall
Monday, September 27th Chester Legion
Monday, October 4th Lunenburg Legion

DISRUPTIONS AND DETOURS IN BRIDGEWATER

The taps are running dry in parts of Bridgewater.

Town officials advise, customers in the area may be facing disruptions due to a water main break on South King Street .

Town officials also say water may be brown or discolored after service is restored.

Crews are on site asessing the estimated repair time.

A detour is taking place around the area and may be in place until nine o'clock this evening.

Motorists are advised to take an alternative route through Conquerall Mills to avoid delays.

PUMP THEFT

Lunenburg County RCMP are investigating a theft.

A blue coloured sewage pump was stolen from a construction site across the street from the Department of Natural Resources Wiles Lake Depot.

The theft occurred sometime within the last six days.

Police are asking anyone with knowledge of this crime to contact Lunenburg County RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

BONNIE LEA GETS A BARN

Good news for Bonnie Lea Farm in New Ross.

Almost a quarter of a million federal and provincial dollars will be funnelled into the facility for a major expansion.

Ottawa plans to invest 140-thousand dollars in the South Shore Community Service Association.

The Association operates Bonny Lea Farm which manufactures bark mulch.

Minister of National Revenue, ACOA and Atlantic Gateway, Keith Ashfield was at Bonnie Lea Farm this morning to make the announcement.

A 5,000 square foot expansion of the mulch mill will allow Bonny Lea to operate year-round, increase its production of consumer-ready products that embrace a variety of themes associated with greener living, and create more jobs.

THEFT ON PRINCE STREET

Bridgewater Police are investigating a theft.

Cash was stolen from a residence on Prince Street between 10 am and 2 pm on Monday, August 20th.

Police are seeking help from the public.

Anyone with information on the crime is asked to contact Bridgewater Police or Crime Stoppers.

MAN SERIOUSLY INJURED IN ATV ACCIDENT

An ATV accident on highway 332 in Lower Lahave has a local man in hospital.

Staff Sergeant Bruce Hill for Lunenburg County says RCMP, the LaHave Fire Department, and EHS officials respond to the call at 7 o'clock on Saturday night.

"There was one person injured at the scene. He was taken to South Shore Regional Hospital with serious injuries. He was then transferred to the Halifax Infirmary," says Hill.

The driver was a fifty-five year old man from the Lunenburg County area.

Staff Sergeant Bruce Hill says police are looking at speed and alcohol as factors in the crash.

STORMY WATERS

A man at sea during the storm had help from hundreds of kilometres away.

The anchor on his sailboat was dragging and he was losing control in the powerful tides of hurricane Earl.

He made a distress call on his ham radio. Another boater in Florida responded and managed to get word to Lunenburg RCMP and South Shore coast guards.

Authorities made their way to second Peninsula, off the coast of Lunenburg, and helped the man from his boat to shore.

He made it safely to land in a small dingy.

Staff Sergeant Bruce Hill says the investigation will focus on one question; Why was the man sailing during gale force winds and heavy rain?

"My question is, there was a lot of notice that the hurricane was coming, so that's one of the things we're looking into, " says Hill.

The man sustained no injuries during the Saturday incident.

SHED THEFT

Lunenburg RCMP have new investigation on file.

Police are investigating a break and enter and a theft from a shed situated on a residential property on highway 329 in Hubbards.

A black Mastercraft battery charger was stolen sometime between August 30th and September 3rd.

Police are urging anyone with information on the crime to contact Chester RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

TICKETS AND TOW TRUCKS AT WHARF RAT RALLY

Police were busy at The Wharf Rat Rally in Digby.

Dedicated patrols on Highway 101 east and west of the Bear River bridge resulted in numerous charges.

Three people were charged with impaired driving and fifty summary offence tickets were issued.

Police say the charges include speeding, illegal possession of liquor, driving without insurance and driving while suspended.

Five vehicles were also towed away in the police sweep.

Despite the charges, police say it was a safe and enjoyable event.

MOTORCYCLE CRASH IN HANTS COUNTY

A man was taken to hospital after a motorcycle accident on Highway 326 in Clarksville, Hants County.

The driver and and lone occupant of the motorcycle was taken to Hants Community Hospital with undetermined injuries.

Police and Emergency personnel responded to the call at 7:30 pm on Sunday.

According to police reports the driver was injured after the bike left the highway and crashed.

Windsor District RCMP continue their investigation.

MAN DIES IN NEWPORT CORNER CRASH

One man is dead after a single vehicle rollover on Highway 14, in Newport Corner, Hants County.

The driver, and lone occupant , was pronounced at the scene.

Emergency Health Services personnel responded to the call at 6:30pm on Sunday.

Windsor District RCMP and Annapolis Valley Traffic Services continue to investigate the crash.

The name of the driver is not being released, pending family notification.

EMO and Earl

The Regional Emergency Management Co-ordinator for Lunenburg County, the Municipality of the District of Chester, the Town of Bridgewater and Mahone Bay says its Earl created a busy afternoon.

However, Heather MacKenzie-Carey says it appears the area has escaped any really serious damage from the storm.

"We've certainly had some pretty strong winds and heavy rain. We have a number of power outages and some trees down on the line... From an EMO point of view, we've had no requests from first responders," says MacKenzie-Carey.

The R-C-M-P have closed the road to Peggy's Cove to keep curious storm-watchers away from the dangerous, pounding surf.

There were also numerous flight cancellations at airports all across the Maritimes.

FERRY PROTECTED FROM EARL

The Lahave Ferry is heading back out on the water.

The service was shut down in anticipation of hurricane Earl

Bernie Ostebo with the Lahave ferry service said yesterday, the worst of the weather has passed.

We're expecting a little more wind to shift around here after the storm passes through. Possibly some more heavy rain showers but the storm has subsided now so it should be good for transporting the public back and forth," says Ostebo.

Ostebo says they were prepared for the worst but the severe damage they expected never materialized in the harbour.

"There's no visible damage around here anywhere. But where inside here, in the bay, in the mouth of the river. were pretty well protected from real heavy stuff," says Ostebo.

Ferry service was up and running at 1 pm on Saturday.

EARL UPDATE (12:55 PM)

Its been a busy few hours for power crews along the South Shore as hurricane Earl passes through the area.

Overnight the storm changed direction and instead of making landfall in communities bordering the Bay of Fundy, it moved more toward the northeast travelling along the Atlantic coast.

However, the high winds, some gusts as high as 120 km/hr, brought trees down and power lines with them.

There have been numerous power outages all along the south shore from Barrington to Bridgewater and Lunenburg.

While the National Hurricane Centre in the United States categorized Earl as a tropical storm, the Canadian Hurricane Centre in Dartmouth confirmed the storm as a Category 1 hurricane late this morning.

Earl is now forecast to track across the mainland of the province through this afternoon in Halifax, Lunenburg, Guysborough and Pictou counties and into Antigonish.

High winds are also forecast for Cape Breton.

A tropical storm warning, hurricane watch, wind warning and a rainfall warning are still in effect for Bridgewater.

EARL Update

Environment Canada has advised that Hurricane Earl will likely have an effect on the province beginning Friday evening and through the weekend. A hurricane watch has been issued for Digby, Queens, Shelburne and Yarmouth counties. A tropical storm watch has been issued for Annapolis, Halifax, Hants, Kings, Lunenburg counties, as well as the Fundy side of Colchester and Cumberland counties. As the storm moves closer, its potential impact and strength will become clearer, allowing officials to better assess risk and provide more specific guidance. People are encouraged to have an emergency kit, cash, family contact information and shelter ready. People should also check if they have enough propane on hand to operate a barbecue, that vehicles are fully fuelled and cellphones are charged. Travellers through Halifax Stanfield International Airport should check with airlines for up-to-date information, and monitor fly halifax dot com.

Bridgewater Elementary NOTICE

Due to the work taking place on the Bridgewater Elementary School roof, the P-1 playground will only be accessible through the gate located at Queen Street. Parents of students in grade primary can bring them into the building and proceed to the primary wing. Grade 1 students will meet their teacher on the playground (weather permitting). Until the roof work is complete, the York Street entrance to the P-1 playground will not be accessible

RCMP SEEK HELP

RCMP are investigating a Break and Enter in Auburndale.

Lunenburg RCMP are requesting public assistance in solving a break and enter into a shed and a theft from a vehicle on the Auburndale Road.

The incident occurred overnight on Saturday, August 21st.

Those responsible caused damage to four sheds and stole money and a hammer from an unlocked vehicle.

Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to contact the Lunenburg County RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

Funding for Seniors

Seniors at risk of financial, emotional, physical, and other forms of elder abuse will be safer and more informed after 270 thousand dollars in annual grants for community-based programs. Seniors Minister Denise Peterson-Rafuse says the province is inviting proposals from community organizations interested in supporting a local seniors' safety program. Funding is available to a maximum of 20 thousand dollars per program, per year. The programs develop and enhance awareness about seniors' safety topics in communities, promote communication between seniors and police, and encourage more contact between seniors and young people. More information on the grants and application forms are available at www.gov.ns.ca/seniors .