TALKING TOURISM

The Mayor of the Region of Queens Municipality is hoping the tourism Department got the message.

Mayor John Leefe, two councillors and two staff members attended a 'Lets Talk Tourism' workshop this month hosted by the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism.

Leefe says their major concern was the loss of the Yarmouth to Maine ferry service.

He says the department is only beginning to understand how much the death of the ferry service has affected the region.

Leefe also says he's hopeful the Department now understands the need for their increased promotional and fiscal support throughout the region.

FUNDING FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Affordable housing facilities in Nova Scotia will receive 32 million in federal and provincial funding.

Member of Parliment for the South Shore-St. Margaret's, Gerald Keddy made the announcement this morning.

Twenty-one million dollars will go towards repairs and renovations of social housing. Eleven million dollars will be provided for the construction of new homes for low-income seniors and people with disabilities across the province.

Keddy says the funding, made possible through the federal Economic Action Plan and the Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Program, is helping those who need it most while providing job opportunities for tradespeople throughout the region.

Drugs, Cigarettes & Weapons Seized

A Lunenburg County man is facing charges following the seizure of a quantity of illegal cigarettes and prohibited weapons from an Upper LaHave home. The South Shore Integrated Street Crime Unity along with RCMP searched the house on the Conrad Road on October 19th. Police seized 1400 illegal cigarettes, a quantity of processed marijuana and prohibited weapons. A 35 year old male s facing charges under the federal Excise Act, the provincial Revenue Act and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. He’s slated to appear in Bridgewater provincial court on December 15.

AQUACULTURE FUNDING

A Mahone Bay company one of 25 aquaculture projects receiving provincial funding. Over 90 thousand dollars has been provided to two South Shore operators. Indian Point Marine Farms in Mahone Bay received 12 thousand to develop a technology to recover mussel seed from the synthetic mesh used to protect against predation from sea ducks. The Cedar Bay Grilling Company received 80 thousand to market and distribute four new Atlantic salmon product lines. In all, 25 operators and projects received funding. The 300 aquaculture sites in the province employ 700 people.

Patient Safety Week to be Celebrated

November 1st to the 5th is Patient Safety Week in Canada and South Shore Health will celebrate by hosting patient safety fairs in a series of locations throughout the District to encourage patients and families to be actively involved in their health. C-E-O Alice Leverman says one simple way to improve safety in healthcare is by asking questions, listening to the answers and talking openly about our concerns.The public is invited to join staff, physicians and volunteers to learn more about efforts to improve patient safety and how they can participate in making their care safer.

Fairs will be held from 10 am to 2 pm at the following locations:

o November 2 - Bridgewater Mall Center Court

o November 3 - QGH - Second floor old nursing station

o November 4 - FMH - Assembly Room

o November 5 - SSRH - Lecture Rooms 1, 2, 3

Red Cross Assists in Fires

The Red Cross has stepped in to assist an 88-year-old man after fire destroyed a small house on Cape Sable Island, on the South Shore earlier this week. He escaped injury in the fire late Monday but lost his house and belongings. The elderly man is staying with family members for now and the Red Cross has arranged emergency purchases of food and clothes. An electrical malfunction is blamed for the fire at 754 Stoney Island Road. Meantime a family of four is homeless after a fire destroyed a house late Thursday morning in Telford, , a rural area about 20 kilometres east of New Glasgow. One adult who was home at the time and the family's dog, escaped unharmed. The couple's two children were in school. Red Cross volunteers provided some blankets and personal-care items but the home was insured and an adjustor was quickly on-scene to arrange other emergency support.

Drug Charges

A 43 year old Shelburne County resident is facing charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of proceeds of crime. Leonard Lee Nickerson was arrested Wednesday following a search of a Newelton home. The Street Crime Unit assisted by members of the Barrington RCMP seized over a pound of marijuana along with other drug related items and a large amount of cash. Nickerson will appear in Barrington Provincial Court on December 23rd.

BEAT THE HEAT

Low -income residents will benefit from the province's home heating rebate program being offered again this year to help make life more affordable. Rebates of up to 200 dollars are available for eligible applicants who heat their homes with oil, electricity, wood, wood pellets, natural gas, propane, or coal. People who earn $27,000 or less, or families with a combined income of $42,000 or less, as well as those receiving income assistance or the guaranteed income supplement and buy home heating fuels, can apply. Municipal Relations Minister Ramona Jennex says more than 52,000 applications were mailed to recipients of last year's program.
Applications are available at Access Nova Scotia centres, MLA offices, Department of Community Services' offices, family resource centres, community groups such as Feed Nova Scotia and Parker Street, and online at www.HomeHeatingHelp.ca, or by calling 1-800-670-4357.

It may take up to six weeks for applications to be processed and cheques issued to eligible Nova Scotians.

BREAK & ENTER NETS ARRESTS AND CHARGES

What was first reported to be an accident on North King Street Monday afternoon was actually a break and enter.

A Bridgewater officer was conducting a routine check of a vacant home at 1561 King Street just after 2 p.m. when he came across what appaeared to be a break and enter in progress.
The constable called for additional officers, who soon had three people in custody.
Reports that a 4th armed man was hiding in the home were determined to be false.
Arrested and charged are two underage females and an adult male.
The accused male will appear in Bridgewater Provincial Court later today.

LOSS OF YARMOUTH FERRY COSTLY TO AREA

Nova Scotia's Opposition Conservatives say tourism operators are suffering following the death last winter of the ferry service that linked the province with Maine.

Chris d'Entremont, the member for Argyle, says statistics he has compiled show that some operators are experiencing 50 per cent lower visitation rates from the United States.
The CAT ferry service died after the province's N-D-P government decided it would no longer provide subsidies to the money-losing service.
Cutting the service has seriously impacted business here on the South Shore and the conservative member of parliament for the area, Gerald Keddy, says the provincial NDP government took the wrong approach to the issue right from the start.
Keddy says: "Without question what the government should have done was agree to continue to help subsidize the ferry for the 2010-11 year and then give the group notice that they would be closing the ferry down after 2011".
The Yarmouth Port Authority is attempting to attract a new ferry service for the area that would be up and running by next summer.

PUBLIC METTINGS ON HIGHWAY 103 TWINNING PUT OFF UNTIL FEBRUARY

It'll be February before public meetings resume on a plan for twinning another section of highway 103.

The transportation department has postponed the meetings to await environmental studies.
Its estimated it will cost 85-million dollars to twin the notoriously dangerous section between exit 5 at Tantallon and 6 in Hubbards.
The twinning project would also include another 10-million dollars for construction of an access road at Boutlier's Point.
That is a particularly sticky issue for residents who fear some homes might be lost to the access road.

LOST GIRL FOUND

A happy ending to what could have possibly ended up as a tragedy.


A 15 year old South Shore girl is safe after she became lost in woods on Saturday in the Clearland area.

Lunenburg RCMP received a report of the girl being lost in woods Saturday afternoon.

RCMP Telecom was able to communicate with her via cell phone to determine her location.

Lunenburg County Search and Rescue and a police services dog sprang into action along with Natural Resources.

The girl was located about 2 hours later near Dorey Mills Road, cold and wet but otherwise in good condition.

CHRISTMAS TREE GROWERS GO POLITICAL

Christmas tree growers in Nova Scotia are coming in from the field and on to the political platform.


The Executive Director of The Christmas Tree Council says growers are trying to get their say on a new provincial Forestry Strategy.

Matthew Wright says its taken three months and numerous letters to the Department of Natural resources, MLA's and councillors to get a meeting with the minister.

The Minister of Natural Resources, John MacDonnell, says the strategy will improve clear-cutting practices without over-regulating them.

The document is expected to be finalized by the end of this year.

INDUSTRIAL PARK RE-ZONED

The Town of Bridgewater is keeping big business away from part of the town's industrial park.

The southeastern portion is being re-classified as a light industrial zone.

Mayor Carroll Publiclover says the 25 acre parcel of land will be promoted to less imposing facilities.

He says rezoning of the land east of York street and south of Wentzell Drive and Cook Road, will not disrupt current business in the park.

LOCAL COMPANY AWARDED COUNCIL CONTRACT

A South Shore Company has beaten the competition.

The Town of Bridgewater has awarded a 22-thousand, eight-hundred dollar contract to Abel Land and Surveying of Chester.

The company will take on the job of surveying North Street and Aberdeen Road before the thoroughfares are widened.

Abel outbid five other companies for the contract.

Council says it was happy to award the job to a local business.

MISSING TEEN FOUND

The fifteen-year-old male reported missing from Bridgewater has been located and Bridgewater Police say he is in good health.

Matthew Baker had been missing since Tuesday evening.

Bridgewater Police Service would like to thank the public for their assistance.

HAVEN RENEWED

The Sci-fi series , Haven is staying in Lunenburg for another season.

The South-shore-based production has been renewed for a second season.

The story is based on the novel 'Colorado Kid'  by author, Stephen King and stars John Morayniss, Noreen Halpern and Laszlo Barna.

The town itself also plays a leading role as a mysterious refuge for people with supernatural powers.

Since debuting this summer the show boasts 2.6 million national viewers.

TEEN GOES MISSING AFTER ARGUMENT

 Police have issued a plea for help in finding a missing Bridgewater teen who disappeared after an argument with a family member.

Police say fifteen year-old Matthew baker has been missing since Tuesday.

He was last seen at Bridgewater high school on October 12th, during the evening hours.

He is described as a Caucasian male, six-feet tall with blue eyes, short brown hair and a thin build.

He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a black t-shirt, a green-blue hoodie, a black jacket and white sneakers.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Bridgewater Police or their local police detachment.

BRIDGEWATER TEEN PLEADS 'GUILTY'

A Bridgewater teenager who was accused of stabbing a man 12 times has changed his plea to "guilty".

The 16-year-old from Bridgewater admitted yesterday in Bridgewater Provincial Court that he repeatedly stabbed a man outside a house party earlier this year.

The identity of the youth is protected under legislation.

He will be sentenced next month on a single count of assault with a weapon.

PUMPING MONEY INTO TOWN SEWER SYSTEMS

The Town of Bridgewater will be pumping 205-thousand dollars into its waste-water treatment plant and sewer facilities.

Numerous pumps, panels and electrical systems will be replaced.
Town council pre-approved the sum from the 2011/2012 budget.

Mayor Caroll Publiclover says upgrades to the system are necessary.

"Allow them to be computer compatible. They'll be able to provide data and take commands from the computer. And they will be reporting very useful data (on) whether they are functioning properly, that's one of the most important parts but there's also various components of the lift stations that are just wearing out," says Publiclover.

The current pumps are more than ten years old and replacement parts are obsolete.

The contract for the design and build of the new treatment plant and sewer lift station has been awarded to Automated Systems Group for more than 261-thousand dollars.