Dieppe Score Six Straight, Cruise Past Lumberjacks

Lucas Batt scored twice and added a helper as the Dieppe Commandos got by the Bridgewater Lumberjacks 6-1 Friday night. It was the Lumberjacks first game ever in the Clearwater Seafood Arena at the LCLC. Shane Dallaire also added a pair of goals to help pace the Dieppe offense. Campbell Pickard scored the lone goal for the Lumberjacks while Billy Clarke stopped 22 shots in the loss. The Lumberjacks travel to Summerside for a matinee game at 2pm on Sunday.

Bridgewater: Five People Charged After Vehicle Thefts

Five people including two youths are facing charges after a number of recent thefts in Bridgewater. Twenty-one year old Tyler Briffett of Bridgewater is charged with theft after allegedly stealing a 2008 Ford Escape on Thursday. The two youths have been charged in relation to thefts of three other vehicles. They also face additional theft under $5,000 charges after items were stolen from vehicles between August and October. Two others were charged and released this morning with a promise to appear in court. Bridgewater Police expect more charges to be laid as the investigation continues.

Mi'kmaq Language Project Receives Funding From Ottawa

A Mi'kmaq language project is receiving financial help from Ottawa. South Shore-St. Margaret's MP Gerald Keddy announced $66,060 to the Mi'kmaq Burial Grounds Research & Restoration Association today at Fort Point in LaHave. The funding will allow the association to offer an intensive language training program to 20 people. It has four phases and will be offered over a nine-month period. Phase one will be a five-day language immersion retreat, and phase two will be a Sunday language class lasting for 30 weeks. Phases three and four consist of activities and tools that will enhance participants' speaking, listening, and reading skills. Keddy calls the program a great opportunity for the Mi'kmaq language to be seen and heard within the community.

NSCC: Local Enrollment Holding Steady

Enrollment at South Shore community colleges in Bridgewater, Shelburne and Yarmouth is steady again this fall. The principal of the NSCC campus in Bridgewater, Craig Collins, says a couple of courses are particularly popular year to year.



Collins believes Nova Scotia Community Colleges in our area are helping retrain many residents affected by the sluggish job market created by the closure of Bowater Mersey last year.

Bridgewater: Skate Park Proponents Hold Community Event

Proponents of a skatepark in Bridgewater will host a community event on Saturday. Members involved with Grinders Square All-Wheels Park are putting on a barbecue, with demonstrations and live music on site near the LCLC. Town Councillor Andrew Tanner says they will have information on-hand regarding the future park.



A temporary park is in the works to be ready for April 1, 2014 in the parking lot near the LCLC on Cook Road. The event gets underway at 1:30.

Lumberjacks Make Debut At LCLC

The CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks will be making their long-awaited debut Friday evening at the Clearwater Seafood Arena at the new Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre. The Jacks host the Dieppe Commandoes beginning at 7pm. A tailgate party is planned, beginning at 4:30, with a BBQ to help raise money for Lunenburg County PRO Kids. There will also be live music. The Lumberjacks hope to snap a nine game winless streak.

Seffernsville: Family Wants To Fix Community Spelling

Ruby Seffern says she wants to protect the heritage of her family. The Seffernsville resident is looking to change the name of the community to Seffernville for historical reasons and to reflect the proper spelling. She wants the Municipality of Chester to persuade the Department of Transportation to correct the issue. Seffern says her and her son could be the only people in the area with the last name.



However, the municipality is waiting for a community response before the issue can move ahead. Council would need a majority of the residents to be in favour of changing the community name. Council itself would also have to agree, and supporting evidence would have to support that a change is warranted. The information would then be forwarded to the province for decision.

Liberals Could Introduce February Holiday In 2015

If you didn't pay much attention to the provincial election, maybe this will peak your interest. The Liberal MLA for Clayton Park West, Diana Whalen, has been pushing to introduce a February holiday for nearly a decade. Whalen has introduced a private member's resolution for a new holiday every year since 2005 but it's been turned down every time. The Grits won a majority in Tuesday's election prompting questions as to when the holiday will be implemented. Premier designate Stephen McNeil stopped just shy of promising to make the holiday a reality on Wednesday morning when talking to reporters. However, Whalen says the new Liberal government will have to consult with business leaders to see what kind of impact it will have on their operation. That probably means no new holiday until 2015.

Ottawa Gives Funding For Recreational Fish Conservation

Ottawa will provide up to $112,000 to support recreational fisheries conservation on the South Shore and across the province. Among the projects, the Bluenose Coastal Action Foundation will receive $50,000 for its salmon conservation project on the LaHave River. Executive Director Brooke Nodding says they want to help bring angling back to the river. She says over the next two years the foundation will join its partners to improve fish passage in the North Branch of the river. Work will include bank stabilization and debris removal from culverts.



Meanwhile, $62,000 is being provided for the Nova Scotia Salmon Association's conservation project. A total of six projects in Nova Scotia were approved for funding under the Recreactional Fisheries Conservation Partnerships Program. The announcement was made this morning in Lunenburg by South Shore-St. Margaret's MP Gerald Keddy.

Shelburne Man Arrested In Quebec City

A Shelburne County man charged with abducting his baby two years ago has been arrested on a Canada wide warrant in Quebec City. Corporal Nancy Mason says 45 year-old Collin James Lawrence was taken into custody last Wednesday and transported back to Nova Scotia. The warrant was issued September 30th after he didn't show up to his Supreme Court trial child abduction. Lawrence was arrested in 2011 near the New Brunswick border after allegedly taking his newborn child from its mother. The Supreme Court trial regarding the abduction matter has rescheduled for October 28 in Barrington. He's facing five new charges in relation to his failure to appear, those matters will be dealt with on October 16 in Shelburne Province Court.

Students Get Involved With Municipality Of Chester

Students will act as advisors in the Municipality of Chester. Warden Allen Webber says council has endorsed the student government at Forest Heights Community School to act as an advisory committee. Webber says he met with members of student council to see how the municipality could engage the group. He says the student body will receive agendas ahead of meetings and can provide council with feedback.



Webber feels students deserve to have their voices heard, and this will provide them with that avenue. The warden presented a draft terms of reference to council members that stated the student committee will also provide input in the municipal newsletter and appear at council once a year.

Some Gas Prices May Fall Tonight, Others Rise

Look for another drop in South Shore gasoline prices Friday morning. The price for diesel might increase though. In New Brunswick today, the Energy and Utilities Board has lowered the price for self-serve regular by almost a cent. No such luck for diesel users though. Diesel is up by almost three cents a litre to $1.40.1 and furnace oil has jumped by 1.2 cents to $1.16.7. The price for propane is down half a cent.

Mahone Bay, Berwick Partnering On Wind Project

Mahone Bay is teaming up with an outside municipality to supply their own electricity. Mayor Joe Feeney confirms the town, along with the town of Berwick are proposing to build a 16-megawatt windfarm near Ellershouse in the Windsor area. The municipalities currently buy their electricity from Nova Scotia Power and resell it to their residents. Feeney says the proposed seven wind turbines could be up and running and producing power in 2015. However, he says both towns still need to clear a few hurdles.



Minas Basin Pulp and Power was awarded the contract to develop the project. Feeney estimates the project with cost between 21 and $25-million. He expects the towns of Lunenburg, Antigonish and the community of Riverport to join the partnership.

Burger Recall Extended

A burger recall has been expanded due to possible E.coli contamination. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recall was first announced last week and involved Compliments brand Super 6 Beef Burgers sold in packages of six in Ontario and Atlantic Canada. The recall now includes the same brand of burger sold in Ontario in Sobeys, Sobeys Urban, Foodland, Freshco and Price Chopper stores. President's Choice Beef Burgers in 4.54-kilogram packages in Loblaws banner stores and Webers Bucket of Burgers sold in 1.02 kilogram packages, also sold nationally, are also being recalled. Food contaminated with E. coli may not look or smell spoiled but may cause serious and potentially life-threatening illnesses. Signs or symptoms of infection, include stomach pain and diarrhea

SiRT: No Charges Against Liverpool Officer Following Pursuit

An RCMP officer from Liverpool is off the hook following an investigation by the province's Serious Incident Response Team. SiRT was looking into a motor vehicle pursuit in June. The incident stemmed from an alleged domestic assault in Lunenburg, before a 37-year-old man started driving on Highway 103 and went off the road in Granite Village, Shelburne County. The officer followed the vehicle and was on scene when the crash occurred and alerted EHS. Director Ron MacDonald feels the officer did his duty.



MacDonald says no charges will be laid against the officer. SiRT is responsible for investigating all serious incidents involving police in Nova Scotia.

Lunenburg: Liberals Win Behind Lohnes-Croft

In the riding of Lunenburg, Suzanne Lohnes-Croft of the Liberals scored an upset of sorts over incumbent NDP MLA Pam Birdsall. She defeated Birdsall by nearly 400 votes in a tight battle which was fought right down to the final few polls. Lohnes-Croft says she plans to work hard as an MLA.



Progressive Conservative candidate Brian Pickings garnered 2,495 votes to finished third. Lohnes-Croft picked up 37 percent of the ballots cast.

Queens-Shelburne: Belliveau Secures Election Victory

In the riding of Queens-Shelburne, the NDP were able to secure an election victory behind Sterling Belliveau. He raked in 3,066 votes to win the riding by 363 over his next closest competitor PC candidate Bruce Inglis. Belliveau says the night was filled with mixed emotions.



Belliveau captured the riding by taking 37 percent of the vote. Liberal Benson Frail finished third and took in 2,286 votes.

Liberal Furey Wins Lunenburg West Riding

The second time was the charm for Liberal Mark Furey in the riding of Lunenburg West. In a tightly contested riding, Furey pulled in 3,931 votes to defeat NDP incumbent Gary Ramey. Ramey had a solid showing with 2.826 votes on the night. Progressive Conservative candidate David Mitchell picked up 2,143 votes to finish third. Rob Pierce of the Green Party had 219 votes. Furey says he's looking forward to representing residents in the riding, but also paid tribute to his team of volunteers.



This is the second time Furey ran for MLA, after finishing third in 2009. He won the riding taking 43 percent of the votes. Voter turnout in Lunenburg West was 59 per cent.

Peterson-Rafuse Reclaims Chester-St. Margaret's Riding

One of the few New Democrats returning to the Legislature will be Denise Peterson-Rafuse. The incumbent for Chester-St. Margaret's held off a hard-charging PC candidate Janet Irwin to win by 148 votes. Peterson-Rafuse says the results have left her feeling surreal.



Overall, 65% of eligible voters in Chester-St. Margaret's cast their ballot in the election. Peterson-Rafuse received roughly 35% of the popular vote in the riding. Final totals are below.

Chester - St. Margaret's

Denise Peterson-Rafuse (NDP) - 3,341 votes

Janet Irwin (PC) - 3,193 votes

Tim Harris (Liberal) - 2,943 votes

Election: Liberals Win Majority/Dexter Loses Seat

A tough night for the NDP turned into a political disaster for Darrell Dexter, who lost his government and his seat in the Nova Scotia legislature. In maybe the biggest upset of the night, Dexter lost his riding of Cole Harbour-Portland Valley by 31 votes to Liberal Tony Ince. Dexter had been a member of the legislature for 15 years. Meanwhile, Premier designate Stephen McNeil and his Liberals claimed a majority government winning 33 seats in the 51-seat legislature. The Grits broke through and nearly swept the seat rich Halifax area - long known as an NDP strong hold. The Progressive Conservatives under Jamie Baillie picked up four seats in the legisature to form the Official Oppostion. They finished with 11 seats in total. The NDP finished the night with seven seats.