Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Local Food Bank Rebounding From Desperate Times


The grass is getting a little greener for a local food bank. The Bridgewater Interchurch food bank was in a desperate situation over a month ago, fearing they would be forced to close by March because of increased demand. However, coordinator Gloria Hubley says things are looking up.



Hubley says the change is a result of more community support and fewer clients accessing the food bank. She hopes people will continue to donate to prepare them for the Christmas season.

Black-Legged Ticks Found In Queens County


Black-legged ticks and the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease have been found in Queens County, at Mersey Point. South Shore Health's medical officer, Dr. Linda Earle, says the public helped in confirming earlier suspicions.



Preventing exposure to blacklegged ticks is a part of enjoying nature safely in Nova Scotia. Although there are now six established areas of increased risk within Nova Scotia (Lunenburg, Queens, Shelburne, Yarmouth, Halifax and Pictou Counties), ticks have been found throughout the province due to their travels on migrating birds. Lyme disease can occur from exposure to adult ticks, which are active in the fall and spring months, however the greatest risk of infection occurs from bites of young ticks.  Nymphs are most active during the summer months (May to September) and represent a great risk because of their very small size compared to adult ticks. Tick activity is slowing down with the cooler weather and the first snowfall should kill them off. Dr. Earle says though you should still be vigilant with tick checks after being outside in wooded or bushy areas. The pests need to be attached to the skin for at least 24 hours in order to transmit Lyme disease.

South Shore: Flu Vaccine Clinics Still Available

South Shore Health is offering free vaccination clinics across the region. People at high risk of complications due to the flu are those 65 and older, young children, pregnant women and anyone with chronic medical conditions. The health authority is encouraging anyone who falls under those categories to get a flu shot and lower their risk.

A complete list of South Shore clinics is listed below: Remember to bring your health card

November 5th and 26th: Bridgewater from 2:00 pm-7:00 pm at Holy Trinity Anglican Church

November 6th: New Ross from 9:00 am-12:00 pm at New Ross Family Resource Center

November 6th, 8th: Caledonia from 1:00pm-4:00pm at North Queens Health Center

November 19th: Liverpool beginning at 2:00pm at Liverpool Family Resource Center. By appointment only. Call 354-1305

November 22nd: Lunenburg from 3:00pm-7:00pm at United Church Hall

December 6th: Caledonia from 1:00pm-4:00pm at North Queens Health Center

Sold Out Gala Dinner For Retiring Lunenburg Mayor

A gala dinner and celebration in honour of Lunenburg's outgoing mayor is completely sold out. The testimonial dinner for Laurence Mawhinney will held this Friday night at the Lunenburg and District Fire Hall. Director of Parks and Rec in Lunenburg, Robin Scott says it was an idea thought up by the current council and staff. Senator Wilfred Moore will serve as master of ceremonies for the event and a variety of guest speakers will recount their memories of the mayor during his 33-year career in office. Mahone Bay mayor Joe Feeney, Chester warden Allen Webber and Captain Dan Moreland will each offer remarks. More than 155 tickets have been sold for the dinner.

Police Issue Halloween Message - Safety Is Key

Police are urging drivers to be extra cautious today as children hit the streets to trick-or-treat. RCMP have issued a safety advisory outlining Halloween safety tips for motorists, kids and parents. Police will have additional patrols out today looking for any suspicious activity or vandalism. There is a curfew in effect in the Village of Chester, trick-or-treating is not permitted past 8 o'clock within the core of the village. Police recommend kids dress in brightly coloured costumes, carry a flashlight, trick-or-treat with others, don't enter a stranger's home or car and check candy before eating it.

Crosswalk Collision Nets Minor Injuries


A Yarmouth man is lucky he wasn't hurt more than he was. He suffered bumps and bruises when he was struck by a car in Bridgewater. Bridgewater Police say the 21-year-old was using a crosswalk on King Street when he was hit. A 75-year-old woman from Lunenburg was the driver. The victim was conscious and received medical attention from EHS. No charges have been laid but police are still investigating.

UPDATE (12:30PM): South Shore Power Outage(s)


Power is now restored in the area from Liverpool to Camperdown. About 4-thousand homes and businesses lost power for an hour or so around 6 o'clock this morning. NSP says the problem was caused by a power transmission line interuption.
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The power is still off  for several hundred people in Yarmouth and Pubnico. NSP hopes to have power restored by 2 o'clock this afternoon.
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Here is NSP's list of areas affected:

Pubnico

Tusket, Tusket Falls, Raynarton, South & North Belleville, Springhaven, East Canaan, Quinan, along Hwy #308 to Maple Lodge, Kedgeshook Lane, Hubbards Pt, Amirault's Hill, Morris Island, Surette's Island and surrounding areas






Mustangs Fall To Titans


The Halifax Titans scored four unanswered goals to defeat the South Shore Mustangs 4-1 last night in Bridgewater. Riley Donaldson scored the lone goal for the Mustangs while Cole Skinner stopped 29 shots in the loss. Head Coach Grant Johnston says they struggled to find the back of the net.


Roughly 300 people showed up for the 'Pink in the Rink' game, to help raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. It's the third loss in a row for the Mustangs, who are back on the ice this weekend in PEI for a pair of inter-league games against Charlottetown and Cornwall.