MacNeil's Impact Felt On South Shore

Anne Murray and Tommy Hunter are just two of the many singers paying tribute today to Rita MacNeil, who has died suddenly at the age of 68. Murray is remembering MacNeil as a "dear sweet woman" and a gifted singer-songwriter who represented women and her beloved Nova Scotia eloquently in her songs. Those are words being echoed by the manager of the Astor Theatre in Liverpool. MacNeil packed the Astor Theatre in Liverpool on two occasions in 2009 and 2011 and Chris Ball says he will never forget his experience with her.



MacNeil also held a concert in Lockeport in 2009 and that venue was also packed with her legion of fans. She died last night following complications from surgery. MacNeil leaves behind two adult children.

Rollover Sends Woman To Hospital

A 51-year-old woman has been transported to Halifax hospital after a single vehicle rollover near Exit 9 along Highway 103. RCMP confirm the incident happened just before noon today. Sgt. Derek Smith says the vehicle was heading towards Bridgewater when the crash occurred. Police don't believe speed or alcohol are a factor. The woman has been taken to the Queen Elizabeth 2 Hospital. Her injuries were not considered to be serious.

MODL: Fire Fighter Recognition Sufficient At 50 Years

The Municipality of Lunenburg has decided against recognizing volunteer firefighters who put in more than 50 years of service. Council voted in favour of the idea, while Lee Nauss and John Veinot stood up against it. The municipality currently honours those with 50 years of service, and council feels it is an appropriate cut-off date. Veinot says he disagrees.



Nauss adds, it's insulting to volunteers who continue to put in time and aren't recognized for their prolonged service. Veinot believes there is less than 10 people in the municipality with over five decades of volunteering in fire departments and recognizing them shouldn't be a problem. A municipal clerk pointed out that council does have a policy in place for substantial achievement, which could be used to honour fire department members with over 50 years of service.

Southwestern NS Looks For Tourism Boost

A committee is being set up by the Dexter government to help promote tourism in southwestern Nova Scotia. Declining tourism has been a hot topic in the region since the province cut funding to the Yarmouth to Maine ferry service, resulting in the end of the service in late 2009. Speaking in Yarmouth this morning, tourism minister Percy Paris says the new committee, chaired by Mayor Pam Mood, will include local community, tourism and business leaders. He also says the province is renewing its efforts to find an operator to run a new ferry service. Yarmouth Liberal MLA Zach Churchill says this should have been done three years ago, not during the lead-up to an election campaign. Last month, Paris said bids by two potential ferry operators were rejected because they did not meet the criteria for a viable operation.

Queens: Region Looks To Attract New Business

The Region of Queens is putting a strong emphasis on attracting new business in the county. Mayor Christopher Clarke says council is working proactively to build the economy nearly a year after the loss of the Bowater Mersey mill. The municipality recently approved $85,000 in funding to help market the region to new business. Clarke says it's been an ongoing initiative.



President of the South Queens Chamber of Commerce welcomed the news in a media release. Barry Tomlin says council has clearly recognized there is a need to focus on economic development to create jobs and increase the county's population.

Crews Knock Down Fire In Dayspring

A homeowner and his dog escaped unscathed after an early morning fire in Dayspring. Fire crews from Oak Hill, Dayspring and Bridgewater battled the blaze at 190 Oak Hill Road before knocking it down. Dayspring Fire Chief Stanley Slauenwhite says the mobile home went up in smoke around 4am.



RCMP, EHS and NS Power crews were also called to the scene. The Red Cross is expected to step-in to help the homeowner, who has been displaced.

Communities Hold Meeting To Discuss School Closure Options

The communities of Gold River and Western Shore are holding a meeting Wednesday night to discuss their options to avert a school closure. Residents are up in arms with the school board's decision to close their school this summer because of the lack of transition period for students to attend Chester District Elementary in September.The school board stood by their decision to keep the school closed during a meeting late last week and Education Minister Ramona Jennex has said she won't interfere or make changes to the Education Act. The meeting will be held at the Western Shore Fire Hall at 7pm.

Yarmouth Teen Facing Assault Charges After Stabbing

A 20-year-old man from Lunenburg County suffered serious injuries after a stabbing in Yarmouth. The incident happened sometime Tuesday afternoon after the man showed up in the town's hospital around 6pm. RCMP say the man suffered stab wounds, but didn't indicate where. The man told officers he had been stabbed in a home on Southeast Street. Police arrested a 16-year-old boy at the home without incident. RCMP say the victim and suspect were known to each other. The 16-year-old from Yarmouth is facing charges of aggravated assault and assault with a weapon. He is in police custody and will appear in Provincial Court on Wednesday.

Town Agrees To Downtown Plan, In Principle

Town council in Bridgewater has agreed in principle to the final plan for the future look of it's downtown and waterfront. Ekistics Planning and Design presented their vision to councillors and residents. Mayor David Walker says the plan recommends the first five years focus on reconstructing King Street from Old Bridge Street to Dufferin as well as removing the south parkade. He says they are two big issues.



Walker says long-term the plan continues to reconstruct King Street from Victoria Road to Old Bridge Street, and build a North Street roundabout. More than 10 years down the road, the plan focuses on building a new bridge across the LaHave River while converting the old bridge to a pedestrian walkway and constructing roundabouts at King and Victoria streets. For now though, council will work on establishing a committee to work on the project's components.

Shelburne: Roseway Hospital ER Closure

The emergency department at Roseway Hospital in Shelburne will be temporarily closed Wednesday. Officials with the South West Health Authority indicate the closure is due to the sudden and temporary unavailability of a physician. The closure will span for a twelve hour period between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Shelburne area residents requiring emergency services during the hours of closure should visit the nearest open emergency department or collaborative emergency centre. The public is reminded to dial 911 in the case of a health emergency.

MODL: No Decision On Town Of Lunenburg Funding Request

The town of Lunenburg is looking to its municipal neighbour to help cover costs of its recreational facilities. Mayor Rachel Bailey along with the town's recreation director have approached the Municipality of Lunenburg for $30,000. Bailey says $20,000 would help the town with an anticipated reduction of $200,000 in arena revenue in the coming year because of the opening of the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre. She says the financial request isn't based on a formula, but a number that might work.



Bailey says roughly 65 per cent of facility users are from the municipality and they're hoping to receive money as a contribution to help residents who benefit from them. The other $10,000 will go towards improving the condition of the town's skateboard park. Council didn't make a decision on the matter and is expected to send the matter to budget deliberations.

Queens: Council Supports New Caledonia Fire Hall

The Region of Queens has come through with some long awaited financial support for a new fire hall in Caledonia. Councillors approved $375,000 in funding for the association to help achieve their goal of raising $1.5 million for the new hall. The fire association has been working to secure money for the project for nearly and decade and was seeking a $700,000 contribution from the municipality. However, Clarke says they did the best they could under their current financial circumstances. The group has been working for nearly a decade to secure funding for a new fire hall in North Queens. Clarke is hopeful the municipalities contribution will spark other levels of government to chip in on the project.

New Lease On Life For South Shore Transplant Recipient!

Jessica Carver considers herself one of the luckiest people on the planet! The South Shore native, originally from New Germany and now living in HRM, underwent a double lung transplant just before Christmas. She had been living with, and was slowly dying from cystic fibrosis. Carver tells us it all seems now like she'd been living a bad dream for years but it had a very happy ending.



Carver says she's grateful she's been given a second chance at life. She tells us she would like to become more active in promoting organ donation, such as her proposal for on-line registration.




Carver says she will be on medication for the rest of her life to prevent her body from rejecting her new lungs. Her condition has even improved to the extent where she's considering returning to her career in a few months as a staff consultant for a metro-Halifax company.

South Shore: Local Boston Marathon Participants Checking-In

South Shore participants in the Boston Marathon have confirmed they are safe following Monday's tragic incident at the finish line of the historic event. Chester`s Erin Greenwood-Beaudin touched base with our newsroom shortly after the explosions were first reported. Beaudin, resides in Coldbrook and works for the Municipality of Chester. She told our newsroom her husband was right in the middle of the blasts but is okay. Meanwhile, brothers Chris and John Anderson of Lunenburg also confirmed they are safe after finishing the race. A pair of Yarmouth County runners, Marco Albright and Denise Robson checked in with loved ones soon after the blasts. Victor Nickerson of Liverpool also finished the race and escaped any harm.

BREAKING: Nova Scotians Reported Safe In Boston

At least two people are dead and hundreds were injured in two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. A runner from Toronto, one of more than two-thousand Canadians taking part in the race, describes ``really, really bloody'' victims being pulled into the medical tent. Roughly 2,000 Canadians are participating in this year Boston Marathon. CKBW/HANK FM News can report the following Nova Scotians are safe after the explosions in Boston. Please note the list below is made up of those we have heard from via Twitter, Facebook, email, family member, loved one or credible organization. If a name doesn't appear below, the number to call for checking status on family and friends: 617.635.4500

Boston Marathon: Nova Scotia Participants - Confirmed Safe

Wade Keller - Lawrencetown
Wanda Mulrooney - Halifax
Dan MacNeil - Halifax
Lee McCarron - Antigonish
Darren Kaulback - Eastern Passage
Chris Anderson - Lunenburg
John Anderson - Lunenburg
Malcom Pain - Halifax
Dave Holder - Bedford
Cathy Carter - Halifax
Bruce Gallagher - Halifax
Ray Williams - Dartmouth
Marco Albright - Yarmouth
Denise Robson - Yarmouth/Halifax-area
Erin Greenwood-Beaudin - Chester/Coldbrook
Victor Nickerson - Liverpool
Stacy Juckett Chesnutt - Dartmouth
Edie Baxter - Halifax
Brenda (Skinner) MacDonald - Halifax/Lunenburg
Francine Comeau - Beaver Bank
Nicole Gushue - Tusket
Annette M. Love - Halifax
Rami Bardeesy - Halifax
Heather Lee-Callaghan - Timberlea
Doran Donovan - Halifax
Laura Leslie - Halifax
Doreen Redmond - Halifax
Steve Taylor - Middle Sackville
Scott Norton - Bedford
Audrey Norton - Bedford
Clint Cummings - Halifax
Nick Tentomas - Halifax
Frank Reinhardt - Ketch Harbour
Mike Hennessey - Truro
Dan McDougall - Truro
Ian Johnstone - Truro
Jody Mattie - Truro
Victoria Jollimore - Halifax (not running)
Barry Morsehead - Halifax
Clint Cummings - Halifax
Bettina Bentley - Halifax
Dean Simon - Antigonish
Ethan Michaels - Halifax
Mike Fitzsimmons - Fall River
Chad Randell - Halifax
Dave Nevitt - Dartmouth
Paul Gallant - Halifax
Nadia Farbstein - Halifax
Elizabeth Corkum - Hammonds Plains
Laura Keefe - Halifax (Did Not Start)
David Kachan - Halifax
T.J. Armstrong - Halifax
Sandra Jamieson - Halifax
Gary Burns - Halifax
Petra Spires - Hubley
Sheila Blair-Reid - Halifax
Craig Hawkins - Halifax
Christine Pound - Halifax
Norma MacIntyre - Elmsdale
Scott MacIntyre - Elmsdale
Steve Allen - Dartmouth
Harry Neynens - Enfield
Colleen Neynens - Enfield
Darrell Spears - New Glasgow
Vernon MacIntosh - Hopewell
Deborah MacDonald - New Glasgow (Did Not Start)
Sam Gyde - Halifax
Elizabeth Hill - Enfield
Douglas Archibald - Enfield
Shawn Lewis - Beaver Bank
Kerri Lewis - Beaver Bank (Did Not Run)
Susan Campbell - Waverley
Evan Bezanson - Centreville

South Shore Volunteers Recognized By Province

Fourteen South Shore individuals and a Bridgewater company were honoured in Halifax today for their volunteer work. The 39th Annual Provincial Volunteer Awards were handed out to people and groups from across Nova Scotia. Over 70 people received the awards. Nova Scotia continues to have a high participation rate for volunteering, and one of the highest rates of youth volunteers in the country. More than 450,000 Nova Scotians give their time to a variety of worthwhile causes, programs and organizations. A full list of South Shore recipients can be found below.


SOUTH SHORE REGION

Rev. Bill Newell - Town of Yarmouth
Kaitlin Scott - Region of Queens Municipality
Doreen Holdright - Region of Queens Municipality
Sue Kelly - Town of Lunenburg
Dawn DeMings-Taylor - Town of Lockeport
Melvin Landry - Municipality of the District of Argyle
Virginia Stoddard - Municipality of the District of Yarmouth
Mary Schnare - Municipality of the District of Chester
Della Smith - Town of Clark’s Harbour
Ellen Nickerson - Municipality of the District of Shelburne
Gloria Corbett - Town of Shelburne
Vernon Whynot - Municipality of the District of Lunenburg
Darrell Stoddard - Municipality of the District of Barrington
Robert Boudreau - Town of Bridgewater
LaHave River Credit Union - Small Business Volunteer of the Year Award

RCMP Recover Stolen Antique Dolls, Cologne And After-Shave

It's been almost two years in the making, but Shelburne County RCMP have recovered some stolen property. The area's street crime unit has recovered nine antique dolls and 21 antique colognes and after-shaves valued at almost $2,000. Police recently found the items in the Ingomar-area after receiving new information regarding a break, enter and theft that happened in September 2011. The owner, an elderly woman, now lives outside Canada and arrangements have been made to return her items. There have been no arrests made and police are still investigating.

Queens: Commercial Tax Rate Down, Residential Rate Increases

Municipal council in Queens County has approved a budget focused on growth and economic prosperity. The commercial tax rate in Liverpool has gone down by two cents to support existing businesses. Mayor Christopher Clarke says it's hoped an appealing tax rate will also attract new businesses to the area. The commercial rate is the third lowest in the province. Meanwhile, home owners will see a small hike on their tax bills. Council has approved an increase of between two and four cents in the residential tax rate. It will represent about $20 to $40 more on annual tax bills. The operating budget is $17.7-million dollars while the capital budget has been set at $1.8-million. An additional $85,000 has been allocated in continued investments in economic growth. The budget was the first since the closure of the Bowater Mersey paper mill. It represents a loss of about $500,000 in revenues for the municipality.

Liverpool's Whalen Sets Shotput Record At Florida State University

Mark down another win and record for Liverpool's Chelsea Whalen. At the Seminole Invitational in Tallahassee, Florida over the weekend, Whalen had a throw of 16.23 metres to win the women's' shotput. Along with setting a new Nova Scotia senior women's record, she now holds the all-time women's shotput record at Florida State University. Whalen won the javelin competition as well over the weekend. She is now preparing for the ACC Championships which will be held in North Carolina this coming weekend.

RCMP Search For Break-In Suspect

RCMP across the region are on the lookout for a suspect, wanted in connection with home break and enters in Colchester and Lunenburg counties. Locally, several homes in West Clifford, Newcombville and Chelsea were targeted. Lunenburg County RCMP Staff-Sergeant Bruce Hill says the suspect is not a local person and the break-ins happened during daytime hours last week.



Money, electronics and other house-hold goods of value were stolen.