Police: Wanted Man Could Be In Middleton Area

Ottawa Police are reaching out to residents of Nova Scotia in hopes of locating a man wanted on a Canada wide warrant. Police say 26 year old Brandon Gaul is facing various charges including impaired driving causing death. The charges stem from a fatal collision in Ottawa in November of 2009. He is believed to be in the Annapolis County - Middleton area, where police say he may be working at a tattoo business. Gaul is Caucasian with a muscular build with short red/blond hair. He's about 5'9 and walks with a limp. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Service or Crime Stoppers.

LCLC Launches Construction Webcam

A new webcam has been set up for people to watch the ongoing construction at the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre. Bird Construction has set up a camera on their trailer after a request from the LCLC's design committee. General Manager Kevin Benjamin says its another opportunity for people to follow the build.



Benjamin says the webcam has been in the works for the last couple months. The webcam just went live recently and you can watch the construction at http://lclc.ca/live-webcam.html .

Hotel Rooms Filling Up For Bluenose II Re-Launch

Hotels in Lunenburg are filling up quickly for the re-launch of the Bluenose II. At least five hotels have indicated rooms are filling up fast in advance of the historic event at the end of the month. Manager of the Lunenburg Arms, Jeff Green, says people from Atlantic Canada and elsewhere are coming to watch the famed schooner go in the water.



Other hotels say international guests have made reservations for the weekend. Green says they were completely booked in less than a day while other hotels said there rooms filled up in under three hours. The Bluenose II is expected to be re-launched between 7-9am Saturday September 29 when the tide is at its morning peak.

MacNeil Challenging Walker For Bridgewater Mayor Seat

The town of Bridgewater will have a new mayor after the October elections. David Walker, a long-time town politician will face Gary MacNeil, a first-time mayoralty candidate. Current Mayor Carroll Publicover has decided not to re-offer. MacNeil, who was born and raised in Bridgewater, moved out west and became a CEO for an oil manufacturing company before returning to his grassroots. He feels the timing is right to make a push for the mayor's seat.



MacNeil feels the downtown core and the LaHave River are two areas that could be better utilized to draw in tourists. Municipal elections will be held October 20.

New Tenants "Excellent Fit" For Lunenburg Academy

The future-use of Lunenburg Academy will feature a rich blend of artistic, creative and educational components. Mayor Laurence Mawhinney has announced the town has reached a tentative deal with the Lunenburg Academy of Music Performance to occupy the historic former school. Mawhinney says the group was the preferred choice after a national call for proposals. Lunenburg Academy is nearly 120 years old and was turned back over to the town when Bluenose Academy opened earlier this spring. The mayor and representatives of the proposed new use will outline their vision for the academy in a media briefing later this week in Lunenburg. Mawhinney says it's an exciting proposal and believes it's an excellent fit for the academy.

Chester-Based Entrepreneur Running In District 1

An entrepreneur from East Chester is running for the District 1 seat on municipal council. Andre Veinotte operates Chester-based ABLE Engineering and will challenging incumbent Marshal Hector for the seat. Veinotte says his campaign will focus on rural economic development and support for local business.


Veinotte says he wants to bring a stronger voice on council with knowledge of operating a small business. The District 1 seat on Chester council represents residents in Blandford and the East Chester area.

South Shore Health CEO Welcomes New Family Doctor

The CEO for South Shore Health believes the addition of a family doctor to Bridgewater can help pave the way for a new collaborative health centre in the town. Dr. Kerry Parker will become part of the South Shore Family Health practice in the Medical Arts building on Glen Allan Drive. Dr. Peter Vaughan says adding a family doctor could help relieve some pressures.



Parker is expected to start accepting new patients on Wednesday. She will work with the existing two nurse practitioners to help deliver primary care.

South Shore News, Sports & Weather - AM - Sep 18

Here is this morning's South Shore news, sports and the weather forecast. (Click on arrow below to listen)

School Board: 'False Alarm' At North Queens School

It's a false alarm at the North Queens School this afternoon. Various fire departments were dispatched to the school in Caledonia shortly before classes were dismissed to check things out.  Workers are currently replacing the roof at the school, but a spokeswoman from the local school board confirmed the false alarm earlier this afternoon. She says debris from the ongoing roof project interrupted a smoke detector causing the fire alarm to go off. Students were moved to the nearby fire hall for pick-up as a safety precaution. Classes will resume as scheduled tomorrow.

Clippers Win Pre-Season Junior 'C' Tournament

The Chester Clippers remain poised to have another strong year on the ice. The Clippers captured the Nova Scotia Junior 'C' Hockey League's annual pre-season tournament over the weekend at Queens Place Emera Centre in Liverpool.  The Clippers went 4-0 to win the banner, defeating Barrington 4-2 in the final. Chester continues its pre-season play Wednesday night against the Fundy Phantoms in Bedford. Scores from the weekend:
Round-Robin:
Chester 4, Spryfield 0
Chester 5, Shannon 0
Medal Round:
Semi-Final - Chester 2, South Shore 1 - Overtime
Gold Medal Game - Chester 4, Barrington 2

Funding For South Shore Fire Departments

The province is helping more than 50 fire departments and emergency response organizations purchase new equipment. MLA's Pam Birdsall and Gary Ramey announced funding for 12 projects in Lunenburg and Queens counties today. In New Germany, the volunteer fire department was awarded $14,000 to help replace their radio communications tower. Fire Chief Blair Lantz says it's an important announcement for their department.





The total cost of the project is $30,000 with the fire department chipping in the remaining funds for the project. South Shore fire departments in Bridgewater, Blockhouse, Chelsea, Blandford and Riverport also received funding today under the Emergency Services Provider Fund.

Nurse Practitioners No Longer Accepting New Patients

Bridgewater's two nurse practitioners have finished accepting new patients at this time. According to Liz Finney with South Shore Health, 120 people were lined up around 8:40 this morning to get a spot. The nurses were accepting 100 people today. Finney says the next intake date hasn't been confirmed yet.

Penny For The Park Campaign Hits Final Stretch

Just about two weeks left to get your pennies in to support Veteran's Memorial Park in Bridgewater. The Royal Canadian Legion in the town is collecting the one cent coin to keep the park in good shape and help pay for future projects. Chair of the park's committee, Roger Purnell, says the fundraising has gone well so far.



Fundraising ends on the last day of this month. Pennies can be dropped off at the Bridgewater Legion or J and S Paints in the Bridgewater Plaza.

Bulldogs Win Atlantic Baseball Championship

The Bridgewater Bulldogs Bantam 'AA' baseball team are Atlantic champions. The club made it look easy over the weekend, sporting an undefeated record and winning the final in convincing fashion, 12-2 over Dartmouth. Coach Dennis Woodworth says defense, pitching and an offensive strategy led to the win.



It's the second year in a row that a Bridgewater baseball team has brought home an Atlantic title. Woodworth calls it a special moment for the local association. He says the team will wrap up its season with a banquet in October.

Repairs Slow Traffic Along Old Highway 3 In Hebbville

Road repairs are underway on Highway 3 between Bridgewater and Hebbs Cross at the intersection with Highway 103 (Exit 14). Crews are repaving and also replacing a bridge along the 6 kilometer stretch of highway. The DOT advises the work will continue over the next couple of months and traffic may be reduced to one lane in sections where work is being done.

VIDEO: Coast Guard Vessel Wears War Hero's Name

Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Keith Ashfield announced the name of another new vessel in the Canadian Coast Guard fleet on Friday afternoon in Lunenburg. The vessel is being built at ABCO Industries Limited boatyard in Lunenburg. The Canadian Coast Guard ship has been named after decorated war veteran Stan Dudka - a native of New Glasgow. Dudka was also a distinguished federal fishery officer. He died in 2008 and was represented by members of his family at the ceremony.  The finishing touches on the CCGS S. Dudka are taking place at ABCO before the vessel is dispatched to work off Prince Edward Island. The Lunenburg based company was awarded the $2.9 million dollar contract to build the 14-metre vessel for the Canadian Coast Guard last year.

Gas Leak Last Night In Cookville!

A gas leak last evening resulted in the evacuation of the Irving convenience store in Cookville and the upper section of North Street in Bridgewater and highway 10 were closed to traffic. It happened around 7pm when employees at the Cookville Irving noticed a strong gas smell and called Northfield fire fighters. Oakhill fire fighters were also called in. It was later determined the leak was being caused by a faulty regulator in the Irving gas station heating system. Repairs were made and the store and surrounding area were given the OK around 10pm. No one was hurt.

Nurse Practitioners Accepting 100 New Patients

Bridgewater`s nurse practitioners will accept another 100 new patients on Monday morning. It`s the third intake for the two nurse practitioners who have already accepted 800 new patients since they opened their practice in May. Residents of Lunenburg and Queens who do not currently have a family doctor can request an appointment by phoning 527-4310 or visit their office in the Medical Arts Building on Glen Allen Drive. The nurse practitioners can handle up to 700 patients each at full capacity. The spaces are expected to fill up quickly and South Shore Health is asking for patience.

 

Serious Injuries After Boat Capsizes In Shelburne

Two men are recovering in hospital after their racing boat capsized in Lower Woods Harbour in Shelburne over the weekend. The incident occurred in waters off the Falls Point Road around 11 o'clock on Saturday morning. Barrington RCMP say spectators watching from the shoreline used a small speed boat to rescue the two men from the capsized vessel. The men, aged 49 and 55, were treated at the scene and then taken to hospital in Yarmouth. They are both from the Woods Harbour area. Police are investigating the incident.

Christmas Tree Crop Looks Good Despite Dry Summer

South Shore Christmas tree growers are looking forward to perhaps one of their best crops in recent memory. They're assessing their woodlots and getting ready to begin shipping to market later in the fall. President of the Lunenburg County Christmas Tree Producers Association, Bruce Turner, says the dry conditions this summer had little impact on woodlots.

Turner says this is a busy time right now for growers as they shore-up their markets for the coming season.



More than 50-million dollars is generated annually by the Christmas tree industry here.