Resident Concerned About Speed In East Chester Area

RCMP will use radar and increased patrols to discourage motorists from speeding in the East Chester area. However, it might not be enough. A local resident has requested the Municipality of Chester to change the speed zone along Highway 3 from 80km/h to 50 or 60km/h. Warden Allen Webber says it's a request for the province's Department of Transportation.



Webber expects a response over the next few months.

Burnout Predicted For Liverpool Lab Technicians

Two, full-time hospital lab technicians in Liverpool are being transferred to Bridgewater. South Shore Health says its to help alleviate a shortage of 4-full time and 1 part-timer in the lab at South Shore Regional Hospital. However, Canadian Union of Public Employees local President Dianne Frittenburg says moving them out of Queens General makes little sense.



Frittenburg says the added workload on the remaining 3 lab techs at Queens General will lead to burnout and more sick time. She's requesting a meeting with South Shore Health to discuss options. Frittenburg says the union has been told the transfers will take place in March. She also fears possible closure of the Queens General Hospital lab sometime in the future.

UPDATED: Duckworth Reacts To Olympic Results

There will be no Olympic medals coming to Kingsburg, but there will be a proud Olympian returning home. Alex Duckworth finished 17th in the women's snowboarding halfpipe event in Sochi, Russia after failing to qualify for the finals. Duckworth says she has no regrets after stumbling during her two semi-final runs.



Duckworth says she's proud of the support she received from the South Shore community along with residents across the province and country.

She plans to be a spectator for the rest of the Olympics and hopes to meet fellow Nova Scotian Sidney Crosby.

BREAKING: Duckworth Advances To Olympic Semi-Finals

Kingsburg's Alex Duckworth advanced to the semi-finals of the women's half-pipe snowboarding event in Sochi, Russia. The 26-year-old had a clean second run, scoring a 69.75. She finished 7th overall in the first heat. Duckworth scored a 42.25 on her first run after stumbling near the end. Duckworth was on twitter before competing saying she was " Giggly, excited and jacked up on nerves." Now, she is one step away from making it to the finals and challenging for a medal. She will be back in action at 11 o'clock this morning. You can follow the CKBW twitter (@ckbwradio) and HANK-FM twitter (@HANK_FM) along with the facebook pages for updates.

Mustangs Eliminate Valley After Game 5 Victory

The Charlie's Pizza South Shore Mustangs are heading to the next round of the playoffs. Travis Parks scored on a third period penalty shot, which held up for the game winner as the Mustangs beat the Valley Wildcats 4-3 Tuesday night in Berwick. The Mustangs won the series four games to one. Jordan Messenger and Mitchell Baker added a goal and an assist while Christian Tufts added the other goal. Nick Dawe turned aside 43 shots. The Mustangs are waiting for other series' to finish to determine who will be their next opponent.

South Shore: Another Storm Expected Thursday

Another large winter storm is expected to pound the region this week. However, instead of the "regular" Wednesday storm, this system will arrive on Thursday. Environment Canada is advising residents to pay attention to the weather as the storm approaches the region.  The last two mid-week storms to hit the South Shore carried about 20 centimetres of snow. Three weeks ago an intense blizzard arrived mid-week and brought about 25 centimetres of snow.

Bridgewater: Mayor Concerned About Security At Town Hall

Bridgewater's mayor wants to tighten down security at town hall. David Walker says he's concerned about staff safety because people are able to walk into the building freely without checking in. He says the town has discussed the issue for years but hasn't done anything about it. Walker would like to see identification tags used to access parts of the building.



Walker says he hopes to have a meeting this week to talk about the issue. He also hopes to add the item to the upcoming budget talks for 2014-15.

Bridgewater: Snow Removal Projected "In The Red"

Snow removal costs are expected to be in the red for the town of Bridgewater. Director of Finance, Dawn Kaizer, says they're currently projecting snow removal to be $91,000 over budget. However, there is still lots of winter remaining and more snow in the forecast for this week. Kaizer remains optimistic things will be alright.


The snow removal budget is $356,000 and is projected to be at $447,000 at last look. Kaizer says a decision will be made to tap into the snow reserve fund once final budget numbers are known.

How To Make Life Easier For The South Shore's Learning Disabled

South Shore parents of students with learning disabilities will meet tomorrow night (Wednesday) with officials who are knowledgeable on the subject. The school board will hold an information night to explain what LD is all about and how better to support students afflicted by it. There are currently 460 students diagnosed as learning disabled within the local school system. Cindy Kowalyk is an LD Services facilitator. She says Ipads and similar high-tech devices are helping make things easier for students.



Some parents are providing the tablets themselves for their children. Others are being donated. Its all in the name of making life easier for these kids who face their disability every day. Wednesday evening's information meeting begins at 6:30 at South Queens Middle School in Liverpool.

Duckworth Set To Compete At Olympics

The dream of competing at the Olympics will soon be realized for Alex Duckworth. The 26-year-old from Kingsburg will take on the best in the world in the women's snowboarding half-pipe event. The qualification round begins at 6 o'clock local time Wednesday morning. She will compete in the first heat. It's scheduled to be shown on Rogers Sportsnet. Duckworth is ranked as the top Canadian and is competing at the Olympics for the first time. She was an alternate for the 2010 games in Vancouver. If she qualifies for the semi-finals, she will compete again at 11am local time Wednesday morning. CKBW and HANK-FM will be providing updates on twitter and facebook before, during and after the race.

Haven Returns For Fifth Season

A popular television show based out of Chester is returning and the warden couldn't be happier. Haven is coming back for a fifth season with 13 episodes expected to air this fall and another 13 in 2015. The show employs some local residents. The production also helps bring in $1-million to the area. Allen Webber says the support adds up.


Webber says it also provides a tourism boost with the television program showcasing parts of the municipality. Season four of the supernatural drama series averaged 2.3 million total weekly viewers.

Lunenburg: Unexpected ER Closure

The emergency room at Fishermen's Hospital in Lunenburg will close at 5:00p.m. It's an unexpected closure due to nursing shortages. The ER will re-open tomorrow morning at 7:30a.m. Emergency services will resume at the hospital at that time.

Funding Will Hire New Staff For Sexual Abuse Victims

Victims of sexual abuse will have better options to receive support in Lunenburg County. The Nova Scotia government has unveiled $110,000 in funding for community based projects to help those who have been sexually abused. Each organization will receive $55,000 a year for the next two years. Elizabeth Bailey is with the Second Story Women's Centre in Lunenburg. She says the funding will help hire staff to work in the hospital.



Bailey says offering rape kits in hospitals is an alternative option for those not ready to talk to police. Other community groups receiving funding include The Red Door in Kentville and Tri-County Women's Centre in Yarmouth.

Mahone Bay: Mayor Pleased With Wind Farm Progress

A cheaper way of supplying electricity to residents of Mahone Bay is gaining momentum. The town, along with Berwick and Antigonish have set up a joint services board to run a wind farm in Ellershouse in West Hants. The towns have also submitted an application to Nova Scotia Power for backup and spill opportunities. Mahone Bay Mayor Joe Feeney says this would give them a few options.



Feeney says the partnership is working towards a development agreement with the Municipality of West Hants on the proposed 16 mega-watt, seven turbine wind farm. He expects there would be some cost-savings once its complete. Minas Basin Pulp and Power will develop the project. Feeney estimates the project with cost between 21 and $25-million. It could be online in 2015.

PC Leader Rejuvenated After Weekend Party Vote

There is overwhelming party support for Nova Scotia's Progressive Conservative opposition leader! At the PC Party's annual convention over the weekend, Jamie Baillie underwent a required leadership review and he was re-acclaimed by a whopping 95 percent of party members. Baillie says the show of support, especially from the South Shore, is humbling and it has re-energized him.



Its the first time the province's tories have met since last fall's election when gains were made at the polls, becoming the Official Opposition in the Legislature. A leadership review wasn't actually required until 2015 but Baillie wanted it early following the October 8, 2013 provincial election.

Hydraulic Pump Creates More Delays For LaHave Ferry

Problems with a hydraulic pump has created more delays for the LaHave River Ferry. The Department of Transportation says they noticed the pump wasn't working properly last week during sea trials. The pump helps operate the ferry's ramp. A department spokesperson says the equipment now has to be inspected and repaired, then re-installed and undergo more sea trials. The department is apologizing for the inconvenience and thanking residents for their patience. They hope to have it up and running again by the end of the week. The ferry has been out of commission since January 3rd.

Valley Stays Alive In Series With Mustangs

The Valley Wildcats have avoided play-off elimination. They picked up a 4-3 win Sunday night over the Charlie's Pizza South Shore Mustangs. Keith Getson scored twice and Alex Nauss added the other for the South Shore squad while Colby Muise turned aside 36 shots in nets. The Mustangs lead the best-of-seven series three games to one. The two teams will play game five Tuesday night in Berwick.

Mustangs Look To Sweep Valley In Playoff Series

The Charlie's Pizza South Shore Mustangs are one win away from advancing to the next round of the playoffs. Alex Nauss scored the overtime winner as the Mustangs defeated the Valley Wildcats 5-4 in game three on Saturday night in Bridgewater. The Mustangs lead the best-of-seven series 3-0. They go for the sweep this afternoon at 5pm at the Clearwater Seafoods Arena.

Do You Have A Retirement Financial Plan Ready?

A survey of Atlantic Canadians approaching retirement age shows more than half of them are going to work past age 65. The Harris-Decima survey for Scotiabank shows 4 of 10 plan to work out of financial need. In a CKBW and HANK-FM News interview, Scotiabank senior financial planner Islay McGlynn says going into retirement blinded is not a good idea! She says we all need to sit down with a financial planner and prepare.



McGlynn tells us planning ahead will make life a lot easier once you do decide to retire.



According to the survey, only 14 percent of Atlantic Canadians have a written financial plan already in place.
Thats 13 percent lower than the national figure of 27 percent.

Bridgewater: Cupcakes To Be Handed Out For Town's Birthday

A local town is getting ready to turn 115-years-old. Bridgewater is preparing for its celebrations. They became an incorporated town on February 13, 1899, a month after a fire completely destroyed the downtown core. The town will mark their 115th year by handing out small cupcakes to the community. Mayor David Walker says it's meant to be a fun day.



Thousands of the cupcakes will be handed out on Valentine's Day between 11am and 2pm.