Woman Attacked

Police say a woman wasn't seriously hurt after allegedly being attacked in the streets of Bridgewater early this morning. Officers say they were called about ten to five by the adult female who told them she had been sexually assaulted in the area of York and Phoenix Streets. The incident happened between 3:30 and 4:30. The story as relayed by Bridgewater Police is that she was approached by two males. One of them grabbed her, knocked her down and assaulted her. Both men then ran off, northbound on York Street. Police describe them as white, early to mid-forties, five and a half feet tall, 170 pounds. One was wearing a black sweatshirt and blue jeans and a goatee. The other was wearing a hoodie and black jeans. A police dog was brought in and several streets were blocked off for awhile this morning while police were looking for them. So far, no one has been arrested and police are still looking for them.

Bridgewater Police Honour

A south shore man is among a group of 75 Police officers from across Nova Scotia being recognized for contributions to law enforcement. They have been presented with the Nova Scotia Provincial Long Service Award. Detective/Sergeant Scott Feener of the Bridgewater Police Service has been recognised for his 15 years of service with the force. Justice Minister and Attorney General Ross Landry presented the awards in Halifax today (October 27th). The awards recognize police officers who have served in the province for 15 and 25 consecutive years. Landry says it is important to recognize these men and women because they are creating a province that is safer for all Nova Scotians.

Legion Help

Bridgewater Town Council has agreed to supply a letter of support to the local Legion in it's bid to secure capital assistance funding under the New Horizons for Seniors Program. Branch #24 is seeking a grant of $25,000 for the repair of a leaking foundation wall and to make some repairs to the Legion kitchen. Both projects are deemed as high priority for health and safety as well as aesthetics. The application for funding must be post marked by November 5th.

Daycare Tax Break

A request for a full property tax exemption for a York Street daycare was turned down earlier this year, now the Board of Directors is asking Bridgewater Town Council to take another look at the matter. Treasurer Michael Dunham says the exemption would put all daycares on a level playing field. Samantha Crouse, Chair of the Centre's Board of Directors says they want to be competitive with the other child care centres in the area. Mayor Carroll Publicover says the Small World Learning Centre currently has a partial tax exemption and granting full exemption would level the playing field. Council did consider a special by-law for registered charitable organizations but it only got as far as first reading. Council will discuss the issue at the next briefing session and re-table the by-law for second reading at it's November 23 meeting.

Theater Concerns

It may be easier said than done.. Mayor Carroll Publicover says he doesn't want to see an X-rated movie theatre set up shop in Bridgewater, but it's more than just saying no. The Town's planner says at this point the Town has limited control under the current by-laws and municipal planning strategy but he's researching the matter. The owner of Sister Sarah's has said he might consider setting up theatres in various locations which would screen skin flicks in order to make up for lost revenue because of provincial fees he has to pay the province to rate the porn films he sells in his shops. Franklyn Rhyno who is originally from Bridgewater mentioned the Town as one of the possible sites for a movie theatre.

Crime Sheet

Bridgewater Police being kept busy with a rash of break-ins.Sometime during the overnight hours Sunday October 11th to Monday morning, October 12th, a person or persons broke into the Bridgewater Memorial Arena as well as the Senior's Club upstairs. A sum of money was stolen and items damaged. During that same time period the Olde Town Gold Course was also broken into. An undisclosed amount of money was taken and items were also damaged. Police are also investigating a broken window at a business located at the corner of Empire and King Streets. That incident happened sometime overnight Saturday, October 10th. And between Friday evening October 9th and Tuesday morning, October 13th, a laptop computer was stolen from an office at South Shore Regional Hospital. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Bridgewater Police or CRIMESTOPPERS.

No Tax Break

A local insurance company won't be getting any tax break from the Town. Danny Carey's Insurance Agency on North Street asked Bridgewater Town Council for an exception to keep his tax rate at the present commercial rate without adding on the extra rate to make up for declining Business Occupancy assessments. Carey says because the Property Valuation Services has changed the class his business falls under, he'll be paying an extra 9 percent over what other businesses in the town will be paying. Mayor Carroll Publicover says Council's hands are tied on the matter. He says they referred it to staff for study and they checked the Municipal Government Act and with advisors and he says they are not allowed to change the rate.
Publicover says Carey's situation was not unique and his was not the only business to be affected.

Another Apartment Fire

Another fire in an apartment building in Bridgewater and thankfully, no one was hurt in this incident either. Volunteers were called out to the 26-unit building on Pleasant Street around six last night. The flames in one of the apartments was doused quickly and the cause is still under investigation. Red Cross officials say tenants from up to seven apartments that received smoke and water damage may be out for at least a day or two while cleanup and repairs are carried out. Most found family or friends to stay with last night. It was a month ago that crews had to put out a fire on the balcony of an apartment building on North Street. No one was hurt in that incident September 15th.

Crash Charge Trial

A Bridgewater man facing a number of charges relating to a series of hit and run crashes in April has pleaded not guilty and will go to trial next May 25th.. Forty year old Stephen Richard Burton is charged with impaired driving, dangerous driving, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and one count of property damage.
The charges were laid following a string of collisions in Bridgewater back on April 22nd. That night around 9 p.m. a grey Chev Cavalier struck a vehicle on LaHave Street. An RCMP officer off duty at the time approached the driver of the Cavalier who fled the scene. The Mountie followed in his own vehicle. The Cavalier then struck another vehicle on Aberdeen Road, turned onto Hirtle Drive and ended up smashing into a residence on Hollingsworth Drive and damaging a car that was parked in the lot at Eastside Apartments. The Cavalier eventually went off the road on Streatch Drive where the driver ditched the car and fled on foot. Burton was arrested at his residence a short time later.

Police Car Collision

Bridgewater police are looking into an accident involving one of their police cars as it was responding to a building on fire on North Street last week. Chief Brent Crowhurst is doing the investigation himself. He says there's been an allegation of a hit-and-run, something he says doesn't apply in this case because there was no attempt to evade criminal or civil liability. Chief Crowhurst says because the car was being driven by Deputy Police Chief John Collyer a prosecutor will be consulted to make sure there is an independant review of the case. The unmarked car was responding with lights and sirens activated last Tuesday morning as it was responding to the building on fire on North Street. There was a head-on collision at the intersection of Glen Allan Drive and Aberdeen Road with a vehicle that was turning left on to Aberdeen from Glen Allan Drive. The driver of the other car was assessed at South Shore Regional hospital and then released that morning. Collyer was un-injured.

Home Invader Jailed

A third Bridgewater man involved in a home invasion/robbery will be joining his co-accused behind bars. Twenty year old Joshua Lamont Mosher was sentenced to two and a-half years in prison on Thursday after pleading guilty to charges of robbery, wearing a mask and breaching his probation. Mosher was one of three people initially charged in the home invasion after three masked intruders forced their way into a Churchill Street apartment on the evening of October 24. They demanded money and assaulted a resident, then fired bear spray into the apartment before fleeing. The victim received only minor injuries. In July twenty year old Timothy Charles MacKenzie was sentenced to serve five years in prison for his role in the home invasion. Nineteen year old Matthew James Chase was also sentenced in July to a three years prison term.

MacKay's Owner Passes

A well-known Bridgewater business owner has passed away in Halifax. Carl Frederick Streatch was 76. The former resident of Petite Riviere and Greenbay, passed away on yesterday (September 15th) at the QE-2 Health Sciences Centre. Until his retirement in 1998, he was the owner of MacKays Pharmacy, which later became the Pharmasave, in Bridgewater. He is survived by his wife Jean and his kids and grandchildren. A private funeral will be held according to his wishes. And a public gathering for family and friends will be held at Cranberry's at the Fairview Inn Friday afternoon. Carl Frederick Streatch, gone at the age of 76. You can get the complete obituary by clicking here.

Apartment Fire

Residents from all but three apartments were allowed back home last night, less than twelve hours after a fire in a building on North Street in Bridgewater. The Red Cross had temporarily opened a reception center and registration service for the tenants affected by the fire in the 37-unit building. There were no reported injuries and the cause is still being determined. Damages were contained to three units and those residents made alternate arrangements for places to stay. Everyone else was allowed back in as of five yesterday afternoon. The Red Cross arranged for the emergency purchase of clothing for some tenants of the damaged apartments who were forced to flee the building wearing only their pyjamas. And they also provided others with personal-care items and meals for the day, and helped a few obtain emergency replacement of prescription medications they had left behind when they had to leave.

Red Cross Assistance

Some of the building's fifty-or-so tenants are staying with family and friends after this morning's fire. About 15 were brought over to the Bridgewater Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. A Red Cross spokesperson says it could be awhile before the smoke and water damage is cleaned up. Lisa Linscott says they need the residents of the building to visit their reception area at the Legion so they can get their names and numbers. She says that way they can get ahold of them to let them know when they can go back home. Luckily, there were no injuries reported in the early morning fire at the building on North Street in Bridgewater.

Apartment Fire

Traffic is being detoured between LaHave Street and Aberdeen Road this hour. Firefighters are wrapping up at the scene of an apartment building fire that caused smoke and water damage to the building at 96 North Street. It sounds like everyone was able to get out unharmed. People were taken to the Paramedic Station across the road from the building where they were checked over. Three departments were paged to assist Bridgewater Fire. Volunteers were also brought in from Northfield, Oakhill and Dayspring. A resident tells CKBW he was sitting at his computer when he noticed flames outside on his balcony. He pulled the fire alarm and then ran through the building to alert the other tenants. The cause is still being investigated by fire officials. And the detour will remain along North Street until further notice. Local traffic only is being allowed into the area.

Chamber Release

The days are slipping past. The Lunenburg Queens Business Excellence Awards will be held on Thursday, September 24th at the Days Inn in Bridgewater.

Reception at 6:00 and dinner and awards presentation will take place at 7:00 p.m.

If you are interested in purchasing tickets...now is the time. There are only a few still available. Looks like this will be another sold-out event! A special thank you to all of our sponsors:

Michelin - BMO - ACSBE - CKBW -Aliant - NSBI - Clearwater Foods

Our Master of Ceremonies for the evening will be Andrew Button, a valuable member of the organizing committee who works on NSBI 's Business Advisory Team.

Our guest speaker will be Jeremy Wellard, President of HB Studios...a past award winner. His remarks will include a brief overview of the history and development of this dynamic local business that is successfully competing in a global marketplace.

And our finalists. The following businesses have been selected as the finalists in their respective categories. The quality and caliber of the businesses nominated is a wonderful display of just how many excellent businesses are in our region. Congratulations to each and every business nominated.

The finalists are (in no particular order):


Entrepreneurial Award:
Kisserup Consulting, EmOcean Health & Wellness, and Maritime Painted Saltbox
Export Achievement Award:
Hawboldt Industries, Van Dyk Health Juices, and Terra Beata Cranberries
Hospitality Award:
Guppy’s Place Family Restaurant, Bridgewater Comfort Inn, and Lane’s Privateer Inn
Large Business Award:
RP Anaka Investments Ltd., Lighthouse Publishing, and Nova Scotia Building Supplies
New Business Award:
The Java Bead, lalaNova Communications Design, and Classic Granite CounterTops
Small Business Award:
J & H Industries, Caledonia Clover Farm Market, and The Pumpkin Patch Family Farm Market.

Exhibition Apartments

The land swap has been completed now the next step is underway for a new housing development in the Town of Bridgewater. Five, three-storey multi-unit residential buildings with a total of 135 units are proposed for 7.2 acres of land north of Jubilee Road and east of Exhibition Drive. Mayor Carroll Publicover says Council is pleasantly surprised by the demand for apartments in the community. The project which will be done in phases proposes underground parking spaces and at the suggestion of one councillor, will include hybrid plugs. Developer Bernie Dockrill of Indian Point says he's also interested in being able to connect his project into the Active Transportation Connectivity Plan.

Pesticide Ban

Bridgewater Town Council is being asked to ban the use of lawn pesticides and go with an all green lawn care policy. In a letter to Council, Kathi Petersen says putting such a policy in place would be great long-lasting gift for the area. Councillor David Mitchell who supports a ban, says 117 other Canadian Municipalities have such a ban in place so Council wouldn't be breaking new ground. There was also a suggestion to ban the sale of lawn care pesticides, but Mitchell says that's not his major concern. According to polls conducted by Corporate Research, 70% of Nova Scotians support a pesticide ban.

Chamber Executive

A returning President and a few new faces around the table on the executive for the Bridgewater and Area Chamber of Commerce. Craig Collins of the NSCC's Lunenburg campus is back as the head of the business advocacy group. Glen Hall, Shawn O'Hara and Aidan Matchett were also elected. And retired CKBW Sales Manager Barry Smith is the Chamber's new treasurer. Cy Mayo is the 1st Vice President and Judy Koster is Past President. The positions were filled at the Bridgewater and Area Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting this week.

Flood Money Flows

The Town of Bridgewater will be receiving a little more than $208,000 as a final payment for flood damage sustained in March 2003, The town was one of several communities affected as a result of unprecedented rainfall combined with spring runoff. Floodwaters washed out roads and severely damaged a number of bridges. The damage expenses were claimed by the province on behalf of the towns and municipalities affected by the flooding. The federal Minister of Public Safety, Peter Van Loan announced a final payment of $7.5 million to the Province of Nova Scotia under the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements. The Minister made the announcement following a visit to Truro Fire Service, whose firefighters helped with flood relief efforts in 2003.