Hundreds Gather To Greet Olympian Jenna Martin

A dozen roses, signed cards, well wishes and an offer to take a ride on Bluenose II next summer. Those were just some of the gifts presented to Olympian Jenna Martin last night as residents of the South Shore welcomed her home from London. Hundreds of supporters were on hand at HB Studio's Sport Centre to greet Martin back to the area where she grew up. Town Crier Ozzie Styles kicked off the celebration with a rousing address.



On numerous occasions, Martin thanked residents for their continued support during a speech to the crowd. Her mom, Lynn, told the youth in the crowd to follow their dreams at all times.

Familiar Group Chosen For Downtown And Waterfront Master Plan

Bridgewater council has chosen a familiar group to develop a Comprehensive Downtown and Waterfront Master Plan. Ekistics Planning and Design was awarded the contract over eight other proponents. The group received top marks by the committee and also submitted the lowest project cost at $78,850. Ekistics also designed the final plan for Generations Active Park. The group will also complete a branding and signage program for $15,000. The total cost of $93,850 is well-under the town's budget. The project is expected to be completed by March 1, 2013.

South Shore Health Awards Tender For QGH Project

South Shore Health has selected a Halifax construction company to carry out work on the Queens General Health project. The health authority has announced the work contract has been awarded to Avondale Construction after the group submitted the lowest bid. The Queens General Health project will upgrade and modernize the hospital's existing 22-bed medical unit and build a new collaborative health care facility. Construction is expected to begin before the end of the month.

Western Shore: Eastlink Nixes Cell Phone Tower

 

Eastlink has scrapped the idea of constructing a cell phone tower in Western Shore. The company was proposing to build a new tower near Frank Swinimar Road. However, many residents were against the location because it was too close to where they live. Councillor Bob Myra says the company told him in a letter they would no longer pursue the Western Shore location. He says residents are very pleased with the news and praised the company for listening to their concerns. Eastlink says they will continue to explore a potential location for another cell phone tower.

South Shore Prepares For Martin's Home Coming

 

It's a home coming for South Shore Olympian Jenna Martin. A large crowd will welcome Martin back to Bridgewater after her solid performance at the London Olympics. Municipality of Lunenburg mayor Don Downe says he's looking forward to seeing the rest of the community celebrate her efforts.



The celebration will take place at HB Studio's Sports Centre on Glen Allen Drive beginning at 7:30PM.

Will Gas Prices Rise Tonight?

The best guestimate is: South Shore gasoline prices will likely remain about the same when the Utilities and Review Board sets the prices tonight. Here's what New Brunswick did last night: the provincial price regulator increased gas prices a bit. The biggest increase is for diesel which is up 2.9 cents to one dollar and 35.4 cents per litre. Regular self-serve gas prices, which jumped nearly five cents a litre last week, are up by one cent, to one dollar and 31 cents a litre.

South Shore: Local Priest Dies Suddenly In Alberta

 

Clergy members are mourning the death of a well-known pastor who served the Roman Catholic community on the South Shore. Father Joseph Christensen passed away suddenly Tuesday night while attending a convention in Edmonton, Alberta. A spokeswoman for the Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth says Christensen had been battling serious heart problems. He was the priest at Saint Joseph's Church in Bridgewater, Saint Norbert's Mission in Lunenburg and St. Matthew's Mission in Elmwood. He had been stationed in the area since 2008. Christensen was 68 years old.

Group Looks To Library Building For Future Cafe

A not-for-profit organization is looking to access a long-standing building in Bridgewater. Local residents have approached town council to open up a cafe in the current location of the public library on King Street. Cafe 12 would replace the library, which is expected to move to the Lifestyle Centre once its complete. The idea came from Marc Langlois, the co-founder of the Heartwood Centre for Community Youth Development. Cafe 12 is expected to be the first in a growing network of cafes with an avenue for live music, art and community events. Mayor Carroll Publicover is behind the project.



The cafe 12 timeline indicates they hope to start renovations in the summer and fall of 2013 and open in 2014. Council has directed staff to proceed with negotiating a lease between the group and the town of Bridgewater.

Bridgewater's McIntosh Awarded $5,000 Scholarship

One of the South Shore's Summer Olympic hopefuls for 2016 is getting some financial help. Bridgewater's Rachael McIntosh is a student at the University of Calgary and is training for the heptathlon event in Rio De Janeiro. The 21-year-old visual arts student has received a $5,000 scholarship. McIntosh says the money will help alleviate some the pressure.



McIntosh is one of three Olympic hopefuls to receive the award. Recipients for the scholarship are chosen based on academic and athletic achievements.

Shelburne: Fears Over Cuts At Roseway Hospital

The emergency measures coordinator in Shelburne County has deep concerns over cuts within the local health authority. Beginning October 1st, Roseway Hospital will no longer have overnight staff working the front desk and switchboard. Don Bower says patients requiring medical attention after hours will need to ring a buzzer to get inside the hospital - which he says is unacceptable. Bower says it's a huge loss for the community and an issue of public safety.



The hospital is also responsible for providing dispatch for emergency services such as EMO and local fire departments. That service will also be discontinued due to budget restrictions. Bower says at least five or six local fire departments will need to find an alternate solution to their dispatching issues. He's hoping the community will rally and fight to keep the service alive in Shelburne.

Former Fire Chiefs Get Street Names In Bridgewater

A pair of long-time Bridgewater fire chiefs are getting streets named after them.Walter Gow and Harold Langille each have prominent family names in the area. The names "Gow Drive" and "Langille Drive" will become streets in the residential neighbourhood off Roundhouse Drive at the end of Hollingsworth Drive. The town's heritage advisory made the recommendation. Mayor Carroll Publicover says it's not unusual for streets to be named after significant figures.



Gow was the fire chief in Bridgewater for just over 30 years from 1914-1945. Langille served with the town's fire department for over 40 years, 19 as chief from 1955-1975. The street signs are expected to be up in the next few weeks.

Nowe Finishes 2nd At Atlantic Junior Championship

A Bridgewater golfer finished tied for second at the Canadian Junior Golf Association's Atlantic Junior Championship. 16-year-old Ryan Nowe shot even par in Tuesday's final round at Oakfield Golf & Country Club, finishing two strokes back of winner Bradley Curren of Hammonds Plains. Nowe says it was a missed opportunity after tying the lead with two holes to play.



Nowe says he's happy with how he played but would of been happier with the win. The tournament marks the end of the competitive season for Nowe, who will turn his concentration to representing Park View once school begins. With the second place finish, he believes he has accumulated enough points to represent Nova Scotia at next summer's Canada Games in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Boundaries Commission May Seek Deadline Extension

A member of the provincial electoral boundaries commission says it will likely seek an extension to the month-end deadline to file its report.  Commission vice-chair Colin Dodds told more than 30 residents gathered at the commission's public meeting in Bridgewater last night ... "it looks increasingly remote that they'll meet the Aug. 31 deadline.''  Dodds says he can't guarantee the commission will seek an extension when it meets in Halifax today, but he says one was sought and granted during commission work 10 years ago.  The commission is holding public meetings because the provincial government rejected its interim report, filed in June.  That report went against the government's terms of reference in retaining three protected Acadian ridings of Clare, Argyle and Richmond and the African-Nova Scotian riding of Preston, where voter populations are well below those of other ridings in the province.

Three People Face Drug Charges In Pleasantville

RCMP have arrested three people after searching a home on New Cumberland Road near Pleasantville. Police entered the home Tuesday morning seizing 80 marihuana plants, a quantity of processed marihuana, and eight long guns that were improperly stored. A 54-year-old woman, 57-year-old man and a 56-year-old man, all from the Pleasantville area, are facing charges of production and possession of marihuana. The 57-year-old man will also be charged with firearm-related offences. They will appear in Bridgewater Provincial Court at a later date.

Chester Race Week Begins

It's hailed as Canada's largest keel boat regatta. Over 130 boats are expected to make a splash in the water at the Chester Yacht Club for Race Week from Wednesday until Saturday. Local competitors from Bridgewater, Lunenburg and LaHave are in the field as well as others across the province and Saint John, New Brunswick and Charlottetown, PEI. Boats will race around four different courses including the Alpha, Bravo, Charlie and Delta. Yacht Club Commodore Randy Stevens says the event should provide some spin-offs to the area.



Live entertainment is also provided for people once the races are complete. More details can be found at http://chesterraceweek.com/.

Chester Race Week: Pub Night Changes

There are some changes this year in the way the traditional pub nights are held during "Race Week". Live music will be shut down nightly at 1AM this year. Organizers of the event and municipal council in Chester reached common ground on the issue during a meeting in March. The change is in response to numerous concerns and noise complaints raised by people who live near the Yatch Club - which is the main venue for evening after party's during "Race Week". Guests are still permitted on the property until 2AM.

Bluenose II: Dome Tear Down Almost Complete

 

The massive dome covering the Bluenose II during its rebuild in Lunenburg is nearly dismantled. The temporary shelter has protected the schooner during its restoration over the last two years on the Lunenburg waterfront. The tear down, signals a major step in the process towards re-launching the vessel. After the dome is removed, Bluenose II needs to be moved to the slipway in preparation for the relaunch. Further prep work and tide conditions will then play a large factor in determining when the vessel returns to the water. The schooner is expected to be completely rigged towards the end of the year and ready for public sailing next summer.

Bridgewater Police In Need Of New Radio System

The next step for a new radio system for municipal police will go through a call for proposals. Bridgewater Police Chief John Collyer spoke to town council Monday night about the desperate need for a new system. Collyer says they are in need of a more modern radio system.



Collyer says they experienced a number of failures with their system in June and need to replace it as soon as possible. The police service has set aside $30,000 to replace the current model. Collyer is hopeful the new system can be purchased for under $40,000.

Opposition Leaders Concerned About Latest Electoral Boundaries Commission Hearings

The province's electoral boundaries commission brings its latest series of public meetings to the South Shore this evening. If its anything like the session in Yarmouth yesterday, it will be a boisterous one. The province's opposition parties are against these latest meetings, re-visiting territory largely covered by the commission months ago. It recommended in its initial report, keeping the 4 protected ridings of Argyle, Clare, Richmond and Preston. However, the Dexter government then ordered the commission to re-write its report saying it didn't stick to its original terms of reference. PC leader Jamie Baillie says thats just wrong.




Meanwhile, Liberal leader Stephen McNeil says losing the four "protected" ridings would be an irreparable loss.



Tonight's meeting begins at 6 o'clock at the Bridgewater Best Western. The commission's final report is expected August 31st.

MODL: Veinot Re-offering For District 8

There will be a candidate race for District 8 in the Municipality of Lunenburg. John Veinot has announced he will seek re-election after spending 18 years as councillor. He has served the district from 1988 to 1997 and again from 2003 until now. Veinot says it took some time to make the decision.



Veinot says he wants to keep working on reducing the municipal debt. Dan Hennessey has also announced his intention to run in the district.