Lumberjacks Acquire Snair, Riguse From Metro

The CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks have shipped forward Jamie MacIntyre and defenseman Roland Provencal to the Metro Shipbuilders. In return, the Jacks get goaltender Anderson Snair and forward Chris Riguse. Head Coach Terry Rhindress says it's a good deal for his club. Metro will also receive Lumberjack prospects Brandon Challoner and Scott MacSween in the deal. Rhindress hopes to have Snair and Riguse in the lineup for Friday night's game against Summerside.

Leblanc Hearing On Dartmouth Charges Adjourned

A preliminary hearing for a 47-year-old man accused of molesting and photographing two young boys has been adjourned until the spring. CKBW/HANK-FM's Steve MacArthur has more from Dartmouth.



These charges pre-date Leblanc's alleged involvement in the teen confinement case out of Upper Chelsea.

Weekend Sports Wrap

The BMO Western Hurricanes have won the 2012 ESSO Challenge Cup in Halifax. The team tied their first game and then went on to win six in a row, including the championship game 4-2 over Cape Breton. Game MVPs were Matt Grace, Logan Walters, Keith Getson, Luke Emin, Cameron Jaquard, Chris Goreham and Quintin Johnson. Keith Getson was named tournament MVP.
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Three South Shore Junior curling teams advanced to the provincials over the weekend during a regional qualifier in Berwick. Raquel Bachman's Bridgewater rink went undefeated while Mary Fay of Chester and Trevor Crouse of Bridgewater also moved on. The Provincial Junior Curling championships will be held at the Chester Curling Club starting December 27th.
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The Park View Panther Boys hockey team lost to Northeast Kings 4-3 over the weekend. However, they also defeated Avon View 7-5 in another game. Fletch Selig had a hat trick in that win.
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The Park View Lady Panthers hockey team defeated Central Kings 3-2 in Berwick. Jackie Stevens was the top scorer for Central Kings and top scorers for Park View were Whitney Tanner and Robin Knickle, each with three-point nights.
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It was a difficult weekend for the South Shore Mustangs. They played a home and home series against the Halifax Titans. The local major midget hockey team lost 8-1 Sunday. On Saturday, the Mustangs fell 9-0.
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It was a rare loss for the Halifax Mooseheads. The team was shutout 3-0 Sunday by the Wildcats in Moncton.
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The Park View division one boys basketball team dropped two games Saturday in Moncton, first 76-65 to Riverview and then 98-41 to Harrison Trimble.
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A strong effort by the CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks but they still came out on the short end of a 4-2 decision in Truro Saturday night. Mike Crawley and Josh Shatford scored for the Jacks who've now lost four straight. The Jacks' next action goes this Friday night when the Summerside Capitals roll into Bridgewater.

Start Of Lobster Season Delayed

Lobster fishermen have delayed the start of their season in districts 33 and 34. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans South West Nova area director Frank Quinn says high winds resulted in the 24-hour delay.



Fishermen will now head out early tomorrow morning at 7am in area 33 and 6am in area 34. There are about 17-hundred vessels licensed to fish lobster in an area that stretches from Halifax to Digby.

Getting Ready For "Ups & Downs" Of Winter Driving

The unusually warm weather through much of November has perhaps made many drivers complacent! However, the stretch of nice weather will be coming to an end! One of these mornings we will wake up to a dose of reality with snow coming down and the wind howling! The Canadian Automobile Association is reminding South Shore motorists to get ready before the first storm! The CAA's Gary Howard tells us ...  your vehicle needs to be road ready, you should have a safety kit on board and let someone know where you're going if you head out on a trip!



Here are tips on how to be prepared:
• Let others know your itinerary before you go out on the road.
• Strongly consider putting winter tires on your vehicle, regardless of your area’s snow accumulation. Rubber in all-season tires starts to lose elasticity and harden at around 7°C, significantly reducing the tire’s ability to grip the road. Winter tires harden at around -40°C, allowing them to maintain elasticity in much colder temperatures.
• Carry a fully charged cell phone to call a friend or roadside assistance if needed.
• Take your car into your local service technician to have it maintained for the seasonal transition. This service can include having your battery inspected for wear before the start of the season and ensuring the right grade of oil in your vehicle for optimal winter use.

The CAA also recommends we invest the time in preparing a winter driving kit for our vehicle. According to a poll conducted earlier this year by CAA, only 36 per cent of those surveyed carried a winter driving kit in their vehicle. That means that 64 per cent of Canadians aren’t properly equipped for a winter roadside emergency.

Suggested contents of a winter driving kit include:
• Warm winter gloves, toque and boots
• Blanket or extra clothing
• Bag of sand or kitty litter
• Small shovel
• Ice scraper and/or snow brush
• Snacks for energy
• Extra windshield washer fluid
• First aid kit
• Hardcopy local map (not just a GPS unit)
• Flashlight and batteries
• Flares
• Waterproof matches
• Battery jumper cables

The CAA has an on-line contest underway during this lead-up to Christmas. The Cold Start Contest runs till December 10th and provides a refresher course on winter driving and car maintenance. Here's the link to the contest:  www.caa.ca/coldstart

Hearing on Sex Charges Begins In Dartmouth For Leblanc

A preliminary hearing for a man accused of molesting and photographing two young boys begins Monday in Dartmouth. David James Leblanc is facing seven charges including sexual assault and sexual interference. The 47 year-old is also charged with making child pornography and single counts of accessing, possessing and distributing child pornography. The charges stem from alleged incidents more than two years ago on the South Shore, in the Annapolis Valley and in HRM. Leblanc was arrested in December 2010 after police seized computer equipment and digital storage devices from an apartment in Dartmouth. The preliminary hearing will determine if there is enough evidence to proceed to trial. Leblanc is also at the centre of the high profile teen confinement and sexual assault case in Lunenburg County. He is facing seven charges in relation to those allegations.

Christmas On The LaHave Back For Another Year

One of the largest Christmas events on the South Shore goes this weekend in Bridgewater. Christmas on the LaHave is back for another year with musical entertainment, a tree lighting, parade and fireworks. One of the organizers, Bill MacInnis, says the parade should be a crowd-pleaser



The parade will start at the NSCC on High Street, go down Empire Street and finishes at the South Parkade. Organizers are expecting a crowd of over 10,000 people to take-in the event. Christmas on the LaHave kicks off at 4:30pm Sunday on King Street.

Mustangs Battle Halifax In Home-And-Home Series

The South Shore Mustangs get back to regular season action this weekend when they play a home-and-home series against the Halifax Titans. The Mustangs host Halifax tonight in Bridgewater before a lunchtime battle in the city on Sunday. Halifax sits in third place and has only lost twice in regulation so far during the regular season. The Mustangs only have four wins on the year and are in last place in the league. Head Coach Grant Johnston says they worked on a few things this week in practice to prepare for the Titans.



The two teams square off tonight at 8pm at the Bridgewater Arena.

Gas Prices: Regular Down, Diesel Up

Some gasoline prices on the South Shore are down this morning while one brand is up. Regular self serve is selling for $1.27.4 per litre, that's just over three cents less than yesterday. Diesel has increased in price though to $1.35.5 per litre. That's two cents more than yesterday.

Discussions Wrap-Up On Bridgewater Downtown Plan

The future of Bridgewater's downtown and waterfront is now in the hands of a planning and design firm. Four days of consultations wrapped up Thursday night with a public open house at the town's fire hall. Around 40 people took in the discussion. Director of Planning with Ekistics Planning and Design, Jill Robertson, says the LaHave River was one of the top items on people's agenda.



Robertson says people can still provide feedback at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/downtownplan . Ekistics will begin drawing up a draft plan to present to council in February with a master plan expected to be completed and shown to council in March.

Young Adults Needed For Bowater Transition Survey

A member of the Bowater Transition Advisory Committee is calling on young adults to provide their input on living and working on the South Shore. A survey is available for local residents to fill out and talk about what they feel are the strengths of Lunenburg/Queens, and things they value in the community. The document has received a lot of feedback but few thoughts are coming from young adults. Andrew Button says people should voice their opinion.



Button says the committee will soon wrap up their work and deliver their findings to the province. To have your say, fill out the survey here: https://surveys.gov.ns.ca/TakeSurvey.aspx?SurveyID=l2K1878K

Supreme Court: Eisnor To Be Tried By Judge & Jury

A 48 year-old man charged with first degree murder in the death of his estranged wife will be tried by judge and jury in Nova Scotia Supreme Court. Wayne Paul Eisnor of Barss Corner is accused of shooting his 42-year-old wife, Tina Mae, in the parking lot of a New Germany grocery store in June 2010 before turning the gun on himself. Judge Gregory Lenehan issued the decision following the conclusion of a preliminary hearing in Bridgewater Provincial Court. There had been two days set aside for the hearing but the Crown called all of its eight witnesses in a matter of a few hours. TDates for the trial will be set on December 20th.

MODL Directs Paving Requests To Committees

A pair of paving requests in the Municipality of Lunenburg have been sent to committees for further discussion. Council has decided to get more information on paving Harold Whynot Road and Craig Chandler Drive in Pine Grove and Buena Vista Drive, Aspen Court and a small portion of Meldrum Avenue in the Conquerall Bank area. The two paving projects are estimated to cost almost $600,000. Deputy Mayor Don Zwicker says they should do their homework before making any decisions.



Council has the option to cost-share up to 40% of the project, but only has $100,000 in their Street Improvement Reserve Fund. The municipality would have to include money in their 2013-14 budget to help complete the work. Two petitions would also need to be approved before paving could move forward.

Third Confinement Case Suspect Granted Bail

The third man accused in the teen confinement case has been granted bail. John Leonard MacKean was released on $1,000 bail and a number of conditions. The 63 year-old is prohibited from being in the presence of anyone under the age of 18, have no access to the Internet and he must stay in contact with authorities on a regular basis. MacKean also must remain in the Nova Scotia unless for work purposes. He is facing two charges, including sexual assault and a prostitution-related offence in relation to the confinement of a 16 year-old boy in Upper Chelsea. The matter has been put over until January 23rd.

Two South Shore Men Face Theft-Related Charges

Several incidents of theft along the South Shore have led to a slew of charges being laid against two men. Twenty-one-year-old Lawrence Glen Nickerson of Shelburne and 46-year-old John Vantrease of New Germany face a total of 27 charges. They include break and enter, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of stolen property, theft over 5-thousand dollars and breach of probation in relation to incidents in Shelburne, Bridgewater and Port Medway. The accused have made separate court appearances and have been remanded in custody. Both will return to court November 28th; Nickerson in Shelburne provincial court and Vantrease in Bridgewater provincial court. Their arrests and charges follow a lengthy investigation by the RCMP in Lunenburg, Queens and Shelburne counties.

Gas Prices May Drop Tomorrow

Standby for gasoline prices on the South Shore to either drop some tonight or remain the same. In New Brunswick this morning, prices are down. Prices for regular self-serve fell by almost two cents at midnight to a maximum of $1.26 per litre. However, diesel prices jumped by seven tenths of a cent to $1.38 a litre. Furnace oil crept up by two-tenths to $1.17 cents.

Consultations Wrap-Up On Bridgewater's Downtown

The final meeting on Bridgewater's downtown and waterfront will be held tonight at the fire hall. Town officials have been meeting with the public all week discussing the community's future. All the information provided will be gathered to create a downtown and waterfront master plan. Ekistics Planning and Design has been tasked with creating the document for council. Its expected to be presented to Bridgewater council by March. Tonight's meeting will be held at 6:30pm.

South Shore: Collisions Plenty On Slick Roads

An officer with South Shore Traffic Services says motorists need to adjust their driving habits to reflect the season. Constable Jamal Gray says drivers can be fooled by black ice this time of year. He says fluctuating temperatures can play havoc with road conditions, even though there's no snow.



Over the past three days, RCMP have been called to roughly ten incidents where vehicles have skidded off the road because of tricky driving conditions.  Gray says motorists should reduce speed and give themselves a few extra minutes extra to get into work.

MODL Assuming Operations Of Osprey Ridge

The Municipality of Lunenburg is assuming operations at Osprey Ridge Golf Course. Council has decided not to renew the operating agreement with the Bridgewater Golf and Country Club. In the meantime, MODL will work to make the course more attractive to prospective buyers. CAO Tammy Wilson says it makes sense to operate the course on a temporary basis.



The municipality took possession of Osprey Ridge last November after the previous owner defaulted on its mortgage payments. MODL is hiring former golf course manager Vince MacDonald to help provide operational guidance and direction.

Resolute Closes Mill In Fort Frances

Resolute Forest Product is putting to rest some of the rumours surrounding its operations in Fort Frances. About 239 employees will be laid off when the company idles, indefinitely, its kraft mill and paper machine number five. In a release, President and CEO Richard Garneau says markets for products produced have been challenging, especially at the kraft mill which has been running at 40 per cent capacity. However, the company isn't ruling a resumption of operations down the road, noting it plans to idle equipment in a way it can be easily restarted. The Montreal-based company is the former operator of the Bowater Mersey paper mill in Brooklyn.