BREAKING: MacKean Found Guilty On All Charges

A 12 member jury has found a Halifax area man guilty of both charges in his Supreme Court trial in Bridgewater. The verdict was reached after five hours of deliberations. John Leonard MacKean was facing charges of sexual assault and communicating for the purpose of obtaining sexual service from a person under 18. Crown lawyer Lloyd Tancock says the guilty verdict will mean jail time for the 64 year old. However, Tancock told reporters it's too early to discuss the prison term the Crown will seek. MacKean is the third and final person charged in the confinement and sexual assault of a teenage boy in Upper Chelsea in September 2012. Wayne Cunningham died while on the run from police in Northern Ontario while David Leblanc is serving an 11 year jail term for his role in the crime. MacKean will be sentenced on June 24.

The Wrath Of The Mighty Pot Hole

Spring is here and so is one of the season's most irritating dilemmas! Many a tire will be busted, shocks and struts damaged and hub-caps lost before pot hole season ends. The craters are everywhere on South Shore roads and District of Lunenburg Mayor Don Downe says they're hard to dodge and fix.



Road crews have been trying to keep ahead of the game, keeping the potholes filled. However, nothing permanent can be done until the weather is warmer and it could be some time yet before that happens.

Jury Still Deliberating In Sexual Assault Case

A 12 member jury has been sequestered for nearly five hours in the sexual assault case involving a Halifax area man. Deliberations began this morning after the panel were given final instructions from the judge. John Leonard MacKean is facing charges of sexual assault and communicating for the purpose of obtaining sexual services from a person under the age of 18. The allegations involve performing sexual acts on a teenage boy that was blindfolded in a cabin in Upper Chelsea MacKean was arrested in a hotel in Fredericton in November 2012. The 64-year-old is the third and final person accused in the chained teen case. Wayne Alan Cunningham died on the run from police in Northern Ontario. David James Leblanc is serving 11 years in jail for his role in the kidnapping and confinement of the teen. The trial is now in its fifth day.

RCMP Setting Up Checkpoints For Impaired Drivers

Nova Scotia RCMP will be out in force this weekend checking for impaired drivers. The Mounties are holding their second national impaired driving enforcement day on Saturday. Officers will be conducting checkpoints across the province. Corporal Scott MacRae says they want people to be safe and sober behind the wheel.



The campaign was first launched in December. RCMP checked more than 10,000 vehicles and laid over a dozen charges for impaired driving.

Bridgewater: Fire Department Band Hosting Lieutenant Governor

The Bridgewater Fire Department band is getting a visit from a pair of special guests.The Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, Brigadier-General J.J. Grant and his wife, will visit the town next month to watch the band's spring concert. Director Wendell Eisener says it's a nice surprise after frequent invitations.

Eisener says it's a special honour for the band. He says they will need to be sharp.



The spring concert is scheduled for April 27th at 7pm at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Bridgewater. Tickets will be available soon.

Peewee 'B' Ice Sharks Drop Opening Game At Provincials

A tough start for the South Shore Ice Sharks Peewee 'B' team at provincials. The club lost their opening game 4-0 to TASA Black at the Lunenburg Arena. They're back on the ice at 5pm in Lunenburg against Thorburn. Play shifts to the Clearwater Seafoods Arena in Bridgewater for games on Saturday and Sunday.

New Finance Minister Should Cut Taxes/Kill Debt: Taxpayer Watchdog

Joe Oliver has replaced Jim Flaherty as Canada's finance minister. The now former Natural Resources Minister was chosen earlier this week when Jim Flaherty suddenly resigned. The Canadian Taxpayers Federation applauds the appointment. However, CTF spokesman Gregory Thomas tells us, Oliver needs to soon whip-up a healthy dose of tax relief for South Shore residents and other Canadians while finally dealing with the federal debt.



Thomas insists the new finance minister can also send a strong signal to South Shore employers and their workers by rolling back EI payroll tax hikes brought in after the 2008 financial meltdown.

Fox Point's Shatford Ready To Suit Up Against Mooseheads

A 17-year-old hockey player from Fox Point says it means everything to him to suit up in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.  Josh Shatford is on the Charlottetown Islanders roster tonight in the opening game of their playoff series with the Halifax Mooseheads. Shatford says he is ready to help his hockey team de-throne the defending Memorial Cup champions. The Halifax Metro Centre could have over 10,000 people in the seats. Shatford says it's tough on his nerves.



The Islanders struggled against the Mooseheads in the regular season, losing eight of nine games. Shatford notched 21 points in 47 games with the CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks this season. He is facing off against his Lumberjacks teammate, Brennan Bailey, who was also called-up recently by the Mooseheads. Game one goes tonight at 8pm in Halifax. (Photo Courtesy: Matt Healy Photography)

UPDATE: Bridgewater Sexual Assault Case Goes To The Jury

The sexual assault case in Bridgewater Supreme Court involving a Halifax area man is now in the hands of a jury. Deliberations began this morning after the panel was given final instructions from the judge. John Leonard MacKean is facing charges of sexual assault and communicating for the purpose of obtaining sexual services from a person under the age of eighteen. The allegations involve performing sexual acts on a teenage boy who was blindfolded and chained up in a cabin in Upper Chelsea. MacKean was arrested in a hotel in Fredericton in November 2012. That was after investigators found a cell phone in Northern Ontario belonging to Wayne Cunningham - who was on the run from police. The phone contained text messages discussing a get together involving MacKean and Cunningham. Cunningham and David Leblanc were the masterminds behind the kidnapping and confinement of the teenager. Cunningham's body was found in Ontario while Leblanc is serving an 11 year prison sentence for his role in the incident. MacKean is the third and final person accused in the case. The trial was originally expected to last only three days but now is in it's fifth.

South Shore Peewee 'B' Ice Sharks Host Provincials

The best Peewee 'B' hockey teams in Nova Scotia are in town this weekend. The South Shore Ice Sharks are hosting provincials in Lunenburg and Bridgewater. Five teams including two from St,. Margaret's, Cape Breton, and Pictou County are playing in the tournament. Head Coach Jamie Myra is hoping to win a provincial banner.



The Ice Sharks will play their first game at the Lunenburg Arena at 11am Friday against TASA Black. Full schedule can be found here .

Surprise! Surprise! Gasoline Prices Lower

A nice surprise this morning at South Shore gas pumps. Regular self serve is down almost three cents to $1.35.8 a litre. High test down by the same to $1.44.8. Diesel is down two cents and selling in some places for $1.43.9.