Sports: Mustangs begin playoffs against Valley

Playoff hockey hits Bridgewater Saturday night as the South Shore Canadian Tire Mustangs battle the Valley Wildcats. It's the opener of the best of five series between the two clubs. The two teams are no stranger to each other, squaring off five times in the regular season with the Mustangs winning four of the games. Head Coach Tim Boyce says his team needs to put a lot of pucks towards the net while shutting down the top offensive weapons for the Wildcats. Game one begins at 8pm Saturday night at the Bridgewater Arena.

South Canoe Wind Project: Consultations Begin

Public consultations begin today on a large wind farm between Chester and Windsor. A public meeting will be held this afternoon in Vaughan at the Fire Hall. Three Nova Scotia companies are hoping to win the rights to build the South Canoe Wind Project. The wind farm would feature up to 50 turbines spread over 6,400 hectares of land between Chester and Windsor. Oxford Frozen Food, Minas Basin Pulp and Paper and Nova Scotia power are the proponents behind the project. Today's meeting begins at 2 o'clock. Another public meeting will be held in Chester on Monday night at the Legion.

RCMP find body of missing Shelburne County woman

RCMP have found the body of a missing Shelburne County woman. Police say in a news release that foul play is not suspected in the death of Chelsea Hopkins. The 23-year-old's body was found in a wooded area near her home shortly before 4pm Friday afternoon. She was reported missing on Thursday afternoon. In a news release, the Mounties thanked the public for its assistance in providing information about the missing woman.

Sports: Crushers top Lumberjacks

Devan Gunn scored a powerplay marker midway through the third period, lifting the Pictou County Weeks Crushers to a 4-3 win over the CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks. Cody Coffin, Brennan Saulnier and Jake Bullen scored for the Jacks while Dylan McQuaid turned aside 31 shots on the loss. Head Coach Terry Rhindress says his club put in a good effort, in a losing cause. The Jacks went 0 for 3 on the powerplay while Pictou went 1 for 3 with the man advantage. The Lumberjacks next game goes in Summerside Sunday against the Capitals.

McNeil: Questions Bowater $50-M Bailout

Some more uncertainty for workers at Bowater-Mersey. Resolute Forest Products says it will temporarily cease operations at its Bowater Mersey mill in Brooklyn on March 11th. The Nova Scotia government recently gave the company a 50-million dollar rescue package and Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil is questioning that decision. "We like everyone want to see the people of Queen County and the entire province go to work. Just imagine what could happen if that $50 million was invested into small business in Lunenburg and Queens County...The long-term sustainability of those jobs may be greater," The company says world paper markets are saturated and there is a shortage of new orders.

BREAKING: SSRSB facing 2.1% budget cut

The South Shore Regional School Board is tasked with a 2.1 per cent budget cut for fiscal 2012-13. Education Minister Ramona Jennex released the information during a teleconference Friday afternoon. The cut represents just over $1.4-million in the South Shore Regional School Board's budget. Jennex recently said budgets have to reflect the reality of dropping enrolments over the past year. In total, the province is reducing funding to all eight school boards by 1.3 per cent, totalling $13.4-million. Last year, the province reduced funding to school boards by 1.65 per cent. In a letter to board chairs, the minister outlined conditions for boards as they plan their budgets:


-- The province is increasing the allocation for special education, including supports for children with autism, by $12.2 million

-- School boards will achieve reductions in teaching positions through enrolment decline and retirements. This is expected to keep the student-teacher ratio at its current rate of 12.9-1, which is the lowest in a generation

-- The province is maintaining the cap on class size from Primary to Grade 3. Boards will have the flexibility to adjust the cap by two students per class, compared to the cap in 2011-12, to avoid combined classes when appropriate

-- Savings in administration continue to be the priority. Boards must continue efforts to reduce board consultants by 50 per cent by 2013-14

Individual school board allocations will vary depending on their enrolment decline and the funding formula. The province is protecting boards with the sharpest enrolment drops by capping reductions at 2.1 per cent. Boards, like all departments and agencies, must manage wage and inflation costs.

RCMP search for missing Shelburne County woman

RCMP are looking for the public's help in locating a missing woman  Barrington RCMP say 23-year-old Chelsea Justice Anne Hopkins of Shelburne County was reported missing Thursday afternoon. Police say Hopkins left her residence on Oak Park Road Wednesday morning and has not been seen or heard from since. Hopkins is described as 5 foot 3 inches tall, 125 lbs, blonde hair, and blue eyes. She may be wearing a man's brown camouflage coat, and tall orange rubber boots with a blue sole. Police are asking anyone with information on her whereabouts to contact Barrington RCMP.

Baillie: Concerned for Workers/Future at Bowater

An unexpected shutdown of operations is coming at Bowater-Mersey. The paper-machines at the Liverpool-area mill will cease operating for three weeks starting March 11th. The parent company Resolute Forest Products says world paper markets are saturated with the product right now and there is a shortage of new orders. Its the second shutdown at Bowater mill since before Christmas when it was closed for three weeks for the same reasons. Conservative Leader Jamie Baillie says two shutdowns within three months after a $50-million dollar provincial and local government bailout is a dubious sign of trouble. "The right way for Nova Scotia to proceed for the forest industry - for all industry - is to focus on getting the basics right...Having power rates that are affordable, having a tax structure that is fair and I think a better way forward is to try and move away from these band-aid bail outs in the future and focus on getting the fundamentals right,"  During the shutdown next month, only a skeleton crew of staff will remain. Everyone else will be temporarily laid-off.

BREAKING: Three Week Shut-Down Planned at Bowater

An unexpected shutdown of operations is planned at Bowater-Mersey. The Brooklyn based mill will cease operations for three weeks starting March 11th. The mill's parent company - Resolute Forest Products says world paper markets are saturated with the product right now and there is a shortage of new orders. It's the second shutdown at Bowater mill since before Christmas when it was closed for three weeks for the same reasons.

Lunenburg Academy: Town Takes Ownership on March 30

Lunenburg Academy will be back under the town's control by the end of March. However, the future use of the historic school building is still up in the air. Mayor Laurence Mawhinney says the town is still looking at a number of options. Among them, a culture, arts and education centre and maybe an interpretive centre for the town's UNESCO designation. The mayor says the town will be meeting with representatives from the South Shore Regional School board in the coming weeks to ensure the transition is smooth. The new Bluenose Academy will hold its first classes on March 21st and be home to students from Centre Consolidated, Lunenburg Academy and Riverport schools.

Council in Chester Pleased with Highway 14 Upgrades

A councillor in Chester is pleased a rough section of Highway 14 will see some new pavement this summer. The Nova Scotia government made the decision to pave a nine kilometre stretch of the Windsor Road late last year. Tenders to pave the stretch between Canaan Road and Kaizer Meadows went out earlier this month. District 7 councillor Sharon Church-Cornelius says she was pleasantly surprised to hear the news. "We were just as surprised as everyone else when we heard the story on the radio (CKBW/HANK FM) last week. The road is in desperate need of repair and we are hoping in the near future the rest of it gets done, it certainly needs it," Church-Cornelius says she's been hearing concerns surrounding Highway 14 for as long as she's been on council. It's also a victory for residents of the area who have been circulating petitions over the years in hopes of getting the road re-paved.

Queens Mayor Lauds Water Power

As many parts of the province, including Chester, move forward with alternative methods of power generation, the District of Queens is sticking with its own version of generating electricity.
The county has been somewhat of a leader in alternative energy, long before wind power or tidal power were even being considered. For almost a century, turbines have been generating power from dams along the county's two main rivers. District of Queens Mayor John Leefe says the dams make a significant contribution. He says: "We could argue that Queens has the greenest energy in the province with six dams on the Mersey and one of the Medway. They produce a tremendous amount of electrical energy. Its all renewable energy." Meanwhile, studies have been done on the potential for producing ... wind ... power in Queens. However, tests have shown the area does not have significant wind potential and proposed projects over the years have been scrapped. The mayor says unless the rivers dry up, there will be no lapse in water power production. Despite that, the District of Queens does have a planning strategy for wind power. Mayor Leefe says it might be useful ... some day!

Tankard: Stevens beats Dacey, tied for third

A pick in the 4th end was the turning point of the game between Mark Dacey and Chad Stevens at the Molson Tankard. Up 2-1 in the 4th, Stevens was lying four with the hammer when Dacey's final rock picked, leaving Stevens with an easy draw for five and a 7-1 lead. Stevens says it was a huge point in the game, and allowed the Chester club to pick up their third victory in the 7-2 win over the five-time provincial champ. Stevens sits in a tie for third at the moment, but isn't feeling too much pressure to play well in front of the local crowd.

"Actually, it's a little comforting to have some people here from home and people supporting you all the way, but yeah, it throws a little added pressure at times but we enjoy it."

Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc and Jamie Murphy are tied for first with 4-1 records. Play gets underway Friday afternoon as the round robin comes to a close.

Standings


Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc 4-1

Jamie Murphy 4-1

Chad Stevens 3-2

Mark Dacey 3-2

Peter Burgess 3-2

Kent Smith 2-3

Brent MacDougall 1-4

Ian Juurlink 0-5


Friday Schedule

2pm

Mark Dacey vs. Peter Burgess 

Ian Juurlink vs. Chad Stevens
Brent MacDougall vs. Kent Smith 
Jamie Murphy vs. Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc

7pm

Kent Smith vs. Chad Stevens 

Mark Dacey vs. Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc 
Peter Burgess vs. Jamie Murphy 
Ian Juurlink vs. Brent MacDougall

N.S. Senator Dickson passes away at 74

Fred Dickson, left, with Gerald Keddy, right, at an announcement in Chester in January 2011

The MP for South Shore-St. Margaret's says the province lost a great man Thursday in Fred Dickson. The Nova Scotia Senator passed away early Thursday morning after a four-year fight with colon cancer. He was 74. Gerald Keddy says Dickson played a key role in provincial and federal projects including Nova Scotia's oil and gas agreements with Ottawa in the early 1980s. Keddy says Dickson was well known on the South Shore, particularly for his involvement with Chester Race Week. He adds, Dickson was well-respected by his peers.

"I can tell you, in caucus, Fred was one of those guys that when he had something to say, he said it and everyone listened. A real asset and a great advocate right to the end for Nova Scotia."

Dickson was appointed to the Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper in late 2008. He is survived by his wife Kay, children Kathryn, Ian and Colin and many grandchildren.

Tankard: Stevens falls in Draw Four

A steal of two in the eighth and one in the ninth gave Jamie Murphy's rink enough to upend Chester's Chad Stevens in draw four of the Molson Tankard. Sitting tied at five after six ends, Murphy managed to score one in the seventh before stealing the final two ends for a 9-5 win. The win moves Murphy to 3-1 and in a first-place tie with Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc and Mark Dacey. Stevens is in a fourth place tie with Kent Smith and Peter Burgess. The Chester squad looks to rebound against Dacey in draw 5 Thursday night at 7pm at the Bridgewater Curling club.

Standings


Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc 3-1

Jamie Murphy 3-1

Mark Dacey 3-1

Chad Stevens 2-2

Kent Smith 2-2

Peter Burgess 2-2

Brent MacDougall 1-3

Ian Juurlink 0-4

Chester, Bridgewater Mayors react to Census

The town of Bridgewater's population grew by 297 people from 2006 to 2011. The latest census figures, released Wednesday, indicate Bridgewater had a 3.7 percent spike. Mayor Carroll Publicover says its important for the town to keep growing.

"That's our sole source of income. When communities don't grow, when their assessment base doesn't grow, then you are facing a reduced revenue base on which to provide services. So, if we want to expand our services and offer more to our residents, growth is really important."

In Chester, the communities population decreased by 142 people over the last five years. Warden Allen Webber says lack of jobs, an aging population and the draw to move out West are all significant factors.

"We just aren't creating enough jobs here. Hopefully in the future, we can address that issue because that's what it takes to keep people here, that's what it takes to bring people here. I just don't think we're doing a good enough job of that and on the immigration front, of course, we're falling short.

Webber says Chester's population has remained pretty stable over the past 10 years with no sharp increases or decreases in population. He notes the community will soon see some benefits from the province's ship building contract. Elsewhere on the South Shore, the town of Lunenburg lost four residents from 2006 to 2011.

Final Joint Services Meeting held in Petite Riviere

The last public meeting exploring joint services between the towns of Mahone Bay, Bridgewater and the Municipality of Lunenburg goes Thursday night in Petite Riviere. After this evening's meeting, the issue will go back to each of the respective councils for members to decide on the report's recommendations. Each council is expected to make a decision over the next few weeks. Thursday night's meeting gets underway at 7pm at the Petite Riviere Fire Hall.

Tankard: Stevens rink in first-place tie after draw 3

Chester's Chad Stevens has jumped to the top of the leaderboard after draw 3 of the Molson Tankard. Stevens' rink dumped Peter Burgess 8-3 Thursday morning to move to 2-1 and a first place tie with Mark Dacey, Kent Smith, Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc and Jamie Murphy. The Chester club will take on Murphy in the next draw, which gets started at 2pm at the Bridgewater Curling Club.

Standings


Chad Stevens 2-1

Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc 2-1

Jamie Murphy 2-1

Kent Smith 2-1

Mark Dacey 2-1

Brent MacDougall 1-2

Peter Burgess 1-2

Ian Juurlink 0-3

Cats found in Abandoned Rockland home

Up to 30 cats have been found at an abandoned house in an area just outside Lockeport. Members of the Beulah Burman Memorial Animal Shelter were notified recently about the problem in Rockland. Shelter Director Shelly Hipson says a situation like dumping pets isn't out of the ordinary.

"It's an easy way to get rid of a problem. They don't get their cats spayed or neutered, so often they end up with batches of kittens and they're unable to find homes and this is what is seen as an easy solution is to dump them by roadside or at wharfs or in this instance, an abandoned home."

Hipson adds, some of the cats look fine while others need medical attention.

"One has so much infection and frostbite in its ears that they weren't recognizable when we brought him in. We've taken him to the vet and they have been flushed but he was too thin to actually be put under to do the proper surgery, so were just waiting to heal him a bit. Another cat as well, we're looking at an eye removal, there's just so much infection."

Hipson says they are hoping people will adopt the cats and help make a difference. She is also part of group called Pet Projects, which is hoping to raise money to have all the cats spayed or neutered, as well as other surgeries. Donations can be mailed to PET Projects PO Box 267 Shelburne, NS BOT 1W0 or go online to www.petprojects.ca/ . You can also contact Shelly Hipson to see how you can help at (902) 875-2367.

Tankard: Chester's Stevens 1-1 after Day 1

Chester's Chad Stevens is now 1-1 after defeating Brent MacDougall 6-2 in draw 2 of the Molson Tankard. Stevens' rink never trailed, scoring one in the 2nd end before stealing singles in the 4th and 5th ends on route to the convincing win. Meanwhile, Kent Smith leads the way after day one with a 2-0 record while six teams are tied at 1-1. Opening ceremonies will be held Wednesday night. Draw 3 gets started at 9am Thursday morning.

Standings


Kent Smith 2-0

Brent MacDougall 1-1

Chad Stevens 1-1

Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc 1-1

Jamie Murphy 1-1

Mark Dacey 1-1

Peter Burgess 1-1

Ian Juurlink 0-2

Police, Town reach agreement on Pension and Wage

It's been four long years but the town of Bridgewater and its Police Association have finally reached a collective agreement. The six-year agreement includes a wage increase that will see a police officer's salary jump to $74,700 a year from $70,807 on April 1. The police will also contribute nine percent of their base salary towards the pension plan, with the town matching that figure. Chief John Collyer says the agreement keeps Bridgewater competitive with similar sized police departments. Collyer says there are 23 officers and eight civilians with the department that fall under the agreement. He says the new agreement provides long-term stability for policing in the town of Bridgewater. Wage increases for Bridgewater Police are as followed :

• April 1, 2008 - $63,558
• April 1, 2009 - $66,100
• April 1, 2010 - $68,744
• April 1, 2011 - $70,807
• April 1, 2012 - $74,700
• April 1, 2013 - $76,941

The new collective agreement is retroactive to April 1, 2008, and expires March 31, 2014.

Lunenburg: Town Creates Heritage Manager Position

The Town of Lunenburg is set to hire a Heritage Project Manager. It's a two-year term position and will assist the town with duties related to the town's UNESCO designation and its role as a world heritage site. The successful applicant will also play a key role in the future of Lunenburg Academy. Mayor Laurence Mawhinney says the work load associated with the town's UNESCO designation isn't getting any easier. " Mawhinney says the town is prepared to pay for the position but would like to explore cost sharing with Parks Canada. He says the town will begin advertising for the new job soon and hopes the position will be filled before the spring.

Sports: Chester curling team falls in Molson Tankard opener

It was a hard fought battle but in the end Chester's Chad Stevens fell just short. Stevens stole one in the 7th end and one in the 9th end before 2010 Tankard Champ Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc scored one in the 10th end to win 7-6 in draw one of the Molson Tankard in Bridgewater. Elsewhere, Mark Dacey moved to 1-0 with an 8-4 win over Ian Juurlink, Kent Smith upended Jamie Murphy 9-5 and Brent MacDougall got by Peter Burgess 9-8. Draw 2 will be held at 2pm Wednesday afternoon at the Bridgewater Curling Club.

Recreational Zone changes call for Public Meeting

A meeting to discuss changes to Bridgewater's recreational zones to allow leash-free dog parks will be held Wednesday night. The town's Planning Department is looking to discuss proposed amendments to its Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use by-law. Director of Planning, Eric Shaw, says they need to make adjustments to allow a space for a leash-free dog area in Generations Active Park.

"Before we move forward with any sort of construction to make that happen, we have to make sure that our statutory planning documents allow for that use to exist on that piece of land."

Shaw says people who live 100 feet from any recreational zone in the town have been notified about the meeting. He says it helps keep things open and transparent so the public is aware of the potential changes. The meeting gets underway at 6pm Wednesday night in Council Chambers.

Molson Tankard gets underway

The provincial men's curling tournament gets underway Wednesday morning in Bridgewater. The first draw starts at 9am and features matches between Chester's Chad Stevens and Ian Fitzner-LeBlanc, Peter Burgess and Brent MacDougall, Jamie Murphy and Kent Smith, and Mark Dacey and Ian Juurlink. The second draw will be held at 2pm Wednesday afternoon. Opening ceremonies will also be held this evening at the Bridgewater Curling Club. The eight-team tourney will play a round-robin format before a page playoff system Saturday and Sunday.

Chester: Kaizer Meadow Wind Project

The Municipality of Chester is set to move ahead with a wind project at its Kaizer Meadow Landfill Facility. The $5.5 million dollar project will be fully owned by the municipality and will feature a large 2.3 megawatt turbine. The project was approved in December but was officially announced by Energy Minister Charlie Parker this morning. Warden Allen Webber called it a good investment for everyone involved. "It's about doing your part to reduce our carbon footprint by producing energy from a renewable resource such as the wind, that can be used locally by our own residents so they can feel good...they're doing their part. But, there's a economic side of this too, and once the switch is turned on this will be a positive revenue generator right from the first year," Minas Basin Pulp and Power of Hantsport has been contracted for project management, operation and maintenance. Webber expects the turbine will be operational early in 2013.

Bowater Mersey Plans Biomass Project

Bowater Mersey is one of four successful applicants under the province's COMFIT program. Officials at the Brooklyn based-mill are planning a 3.3 megawatt combined heat and power biomass project. The company will install a turbine and generator to improve waste heat recovery from steam generated at the facility. The captured steam would then be turned into electricity. Energy Minister Charlie Parker made the announcement near Chester this morning. He also announced Community Feed-in Tariff approvals for the Halifax Regional Water Commission, Town of New Glasgow and Celtic Current of Mulgrave. Each individual project must go through environmental assessments but today's announcement will allow each group to proceed to the next stage of development. The water commission is proposing an 11.5 megawatt large-wind project in Lake Major, near Preston. Nine projects in total have been approved so far under the COMFIT program, generating about 25 megawatts of electricity.

Soccer club concerned about losing Centre fields

The impending shutdown of Centre Consolidated School is creating concern for a local soccer organization. The West Nova Fuels/Lunenburg United Soccer club is worried the school's closure in March, could affect their use of its two soccer fields. The club has approached the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg proposing the two enter into a long-term agreement to operate the fields. Instead, council has decided to move ahead by establishing an ad hoc committee to look into the issue. Mayor Don Downe says the committee is the best option at the moment.

"The committee would be a representative of our council and their soccer association and taking a look at the short-term requirements that will be there and also, looking at the more important issue, the long-term aspect of how do we retain that soccer pitch."

Deputy Mayor Frank Fawson, Councillor Basil Oickle and Councillor Cathy Moore have shown their support to be part of the ad hoc committee. The nominating committee is expected to make its recommendations for the ad hoc group by next Tuesday's council meeting. The two Centre fields are roughly 25 and 50-years-old and the original lower turf is considered to be one of the best natural fields in the province.

New Logo for Bluenose Academy

The logo for Bluenose Academy is out. The school received 30 entries for the contest, which closed January 30. Of the 30 submitted, four were chosen for students to vote on Monday. The voting results are in and Darlene McCarthy's entry was selected as the new logo.

COMFIT: Kaizer Meadow Announcement

The province is set to announce more successful applicants under its COMFIT program this morning. Energy Minister Charlie Parker will make the announcement at the Kaizer Meadow Solid Waste Facility, near Chester. The Community Feed-in Tariff is part of Nova Scotia's Renewable Electricity Plan and will help the province reduce reliance on fossil fuels. The goal of the program is to enable communities to benefit from renewable electricity programs at the local level. The government has set targets of 25% renewable electricity by 2015, and 40% renewable electricity by 2020. COMFIT is one element designed to help the province meet its renewable energy goals. We'll have more details later today.

SSRSB Superintendent supports new Education Plan

Nancy Pynch-Worthylake

The Superintendent of the South Shore Regional School Board is reacting to the Education Minister's new Kids and Learning First plan. Nancy Pynch-Worthylake says its too early to tell how the plan will impact schools because they don't know their upcoming budget yet. Still, Pynch-Worthylake says there are some positives in the plan.

"We're completely supportive of changes in the math curriculum and we've been asking for that for some time. We have a lot of work going on, on the South Shore, in grade nine with inquiry-based learning, so we're very happy to see that. We certainly support attention to school mental health."

The plan, introduced late last week by Ramona Jennex, includes 39 initiatives, totalling a $6.7-million investment over three years to:


-- bring more services for kids and families into schools in every county

-- begin a Discovering Opportunities program for struggling Grade 9 students

-- introduce a manufacturing trades course linked to shipbuilding

-- double the number of schools offering skilled trades courses

-- triple the number of students taking courses through virtual school and double the number of its courses

-- expand career development support, including more career coaching workshops for parents

-- introduce a new grants program to allow more community groups to use schools for physical, cultural and education activities

For more information on the Kids and Learning First plan, visit www.ednet.ns.ca .

NS Gov't will Pave Rough Section of Highway 14

It's some good news for motorists who travel a rugged section of Highway 14 near Chester. A nine kilometre stretch from Canaan Road to Kaizer Meadow Road will see some fresh paving this summer. The section was a late addition to the province's five year highway improvement plan last year. Area Manager for Lunenburg and Queens County Matt Covey speaks on behalf of the Department of Transportation. "It does have very high traffic, as we all know the surface is very poor and those two factors are why we are going there instead of somewhere else," Chester-St. Margaret's MLA Denise Peterson-Rafuse says 1,300 kilometres of roads have been paved over the last two years with another 500 kilometres planned this year. Nova Scotia's first ever five-year paving and highway plan was released in 2010 and is entering its second year.

Bridgewater man wins truck through NFL contest

Nothing like winning a truck while watching the Super Bowl. Bridgewater native Neil Thompson is the new owner of a 2012 Nissan Frontier after it was announced in a commercial break during Sunday's big game. Thompson is the grand prize winner of the Nissan NFL Score More Contest. The truck is valued at over $38,000.

Windsor Road in Rough Shape

The Municipality of Chester is asking its residents to take their concerns surrounding the condition of the Windsor road to their MLA. The municipality has been trying to get sections of Highway 14 re-paved for years with no success. Warden Allen Webber says council has written numerous letters to the province indicating the poor condition of the road. He says its now up to residents to individually contact their MLA. "We don't mind taking the calls, but people have to understand that we are not the authority responsible for road maintenance, road construction, repaving, snow removal and that they are way better served by calling their local MLA themselves because the more she hears in this case from them personally, the better chance of action," Webber says the road has been high on the municipalities priority for as long as he can remember.

Mining & Forestry Need Government Promotion: Baillie

We told you a few days ago a quartz mine in Shelburne County has been forced to cease operations because of poor world market conditions. Black Bull Resources owns the White Rock Mine and has been losing money. Now, the province's Conservative leader Jamie Baillie says there's been little support from the Dexter government for resource industries. He's calling on the government to provide breaks on taxes and power rates for rural industries in general. Ballie would also like to see increased government promotion of the mining and forestry sectors on the South Shore and elsewhere in the province.

New Head Officer At Barrington RCMP Is A First For Province

   There's a new head of operations at the Barrington District RCMP. What's special about it is the fact Sgt. M.J. DeLuco is the first woman to command an RCMP district in the province, in charge of finances, the budget and being the face of the Mounties in the area. DeLuco has already headed up the RCMP office in Windsor Town and Windsor Rural and she's also been based in Nunavut. She takes on her new role beginning today at the Barrington District RCMP office.

Play-off Bound: Mustangs Lock-Up Third Seed

Shaun McEachern's big game helped the South Shore Canadian Tire Mustangs earn a 6-4 win in Cole Harbour in their regular season finale yesterday. McEachern notched four goals as the Stangs locked up third place in the League standings. The Stangs tied the franchise record for most wins and most points in a season with 19 and 41. The Mustangs will open the Nova Scotia Major Midget playoffs this weekend against the Valley Wildcats. The best of five series opens with games Saturday night at 8 and Sunday morning at 10:30 at the Bridgewater Arena.  

High Liner Boss to chair National Fisheries Institute

Henry Demone

A little bit of history made for the top dog at High Liner Foods. The president and CEO of the Lunenburg-based business, Henry Demone, has become the first ever Canadian to chair the National Fisheries Institute. The Institute is the largest seafood trade association in the U.S. Demone says the association can help draw resources from top performers inside multiple companies. He says becoming chair is a chance for the entire seafood industry to come together and evolve as a group.

Adult High School offered in Chester

An Adult High School course is once again being offered in Chester. South Shore SchoolsPlus are offering a free English course to people over 19-years-old and trying to earn their high school graduation certificate. The facilitator for SchoolsPlus, Shirley Burris, says the course offers a fairly flexible schedule.

"I think the beauty of this program is we gear it to the schedules of people who may be parents and so, the course begins after elementary schools go in, after their children may be in school, they're finished by noon time and so that allows them not to have to take family time away."

The course is offered at no charge and the first class will be held February 7 at Chester District Elementary School. If people are interested in being a part of the class, you can contact Shirley at (902)521-6360 or email her at sburris@ssrsb.ca .

Mustangs look to clinch third against Dartmouth

A huge game with playoff implications Saturday night for the South Shore Canadian Tire Mustangs. The local major midget club can wrap up third place with a win against Dartmouth. A victory would secure a first round playoff match up against either Cape Breton West or Valley. A loss Saturday night would mean they would have to win against Cole Harbour Sunday in order to finish third. Puck drop at 7:30 at the Dartmouth Sportsplex.

Awards For Local Architects & Their Designs



Two Hulls


A pair of South Shore homes and their architects have won some prestigious, international acclaim. Two Hulls, built on the rocky shoreline in Port Mouton and Shobac Campus, a collection of several buildings in Upper Kingsburg, have been recognized for their excellence in design.
Two Hulls has picked up a North American citation for innovative wood design and a Canadian Architect Award of Excellence.
Shobac Campus has been given the North American Wood Design Program's Ron Thom Award for outstanding creative talent and design.
It has also received the American Institute of Architects Honor Award for building design. Both projects are the creations of architects Brian MacKay-Lyons and Talbot Sweetapple who say they were designed to meet the challenges of their coastal surroundings.

Liberal Leader Calls For More Daycare Space In Schools

As changes are made to education, some people fear education budgets will be cut again and schools closed. In a CKBW News (Hank-fm News) interview, Liberal leader Stephen McNeil says the growing amount of space in schools still operating and those facilities that close should be used for daycare.
He says: "On the South Shore, we've talked an awful lot about school closures. They're happening in many rural areas. There's a wonderful opportunity inside of that debate to ask .. can we create a public daycare space, not making it a part of the education system, but allowing that public space to be used by community and daycare operators."
Meanwhile, Conservative leader Jamie Baillie says the government is saying one day its going to phase out day care subsidies and the next day, its telling parents not to worry, subsidies won't be cut.
He says the mixed messages surrounding whats an essential service for many South Shore parents is becoming very upsetting for them.
Baillie is calling on the Premier to reaffirm support for working parents.

Low Turnout at 1688 Lobster Meeting in Liverpool

Only a small turnout took-in a meeting to learn more about a new fisherman's group along the South Shore. Roughly 15 people attended the "1688 Professional Lobster Fishermen Association" gathering in Liverpool Thursday. The group's chair, James Mood, says they have signed up approximately 650 members since establishing over three weeks ago. He says they haven't lost momentum, despite low numbers at their recent meetings.

"Fisherman are waiting to see what this Association can do for them. I don't blame them. Some people joined up instantly, some people want to wait and see if this Association is going to stay and we are going to stay and keep the course."

Mood is hoping to see at least 80 percent of lobster fishermen in LFA's 33 and 34 district join the association. He expects meetings to be scheduled in Sambro and Lockeport in the next few weeks.

LCLC Tender Process extended until February 9

The tender process for the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre has been extended until February 9. The deadline was supposed to be February 2. But, the chair of the Lunenburg County Multipurpose Centre Corporation, Paul Belliveau, says changes to the tender have pushed the deadline to next Thursday.

"Contractors review the tender documents and if they come up with questions about changes or suggest changes or difference of materials and things like that within the tender documents then it will cause an addendum if the design team feels appropriate to make those changes. So, it's the time that's required to make those changes and inform all the contractors that the changes have been made."

Belliveau says he estimates around eight contractors have submitted bids so far to build the LCLC. The project is expected to include an NHL sized ice surface, an aquatic centre and library and is scheduled to be complete by March 2013.

Mariners drop Lumberjacks at Queens Place-Emera Centre

Andrew Wigg haunted his old club in Queens County Thursday night. The former Lumberjack scored once and added two assists as the Yarmouth Mariners dumped the Jacks 6-2. Head Coach Terry Rhindress says his club gave Wigg too much respect early in the game. Shawn Boudreau and Michael Crawley scored for the Jacks while Billy Clarke stopped 24 shots in the loss. A crowd of 1,120 took in the game at the new Queens Place-Emera Centre in Liverpool. The Lumberjacks get back on the ice Friday night when they host the Amherst Ramblers at 7pm at the Bridgewater Memorial Arena.

Webber: Residents Often Unaware of Bylaw Changes

The Warden in Chester is hoping to close a communication gap between the municipality and its residents. Allen Webber says there seems to be a disconnect when changes are made to existing bylaws or new ones are developed. He says most times when bylaws are modified or new ones passed, residents are often unaware. "We end up with a bylaw that doesn't particularly in their view meet the communities needs, but yet, its been adopted and they didn't know anything about it. Now, we make our attempts - just like everybody else to inform them, but what's become clear to me and most of council is that no matter what we may think we're doing....it isn't working," Webber says council wants to give residents more opportunity to become engaged in the bylaw process. The municipality is currently reviewing its bylaw and that issue is something they want to address.

SPORTS: Lumberjacks battle Mariners in Liverpool

The CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks and Yarmouth Mariners square off at the new Queens Place-Emera Centre Thursday night in Liverpool. The Lumberjacks come into the game riding a two game winning streak while the Mariners snapped a two game skid with a win Sunday. The two teams had an offensive flurry the last time they met, exploding for 16 goals in a 10-6 win for Yarmouth. Game time is 7:30 in Liverpool.

Municipality of Shelburne frustrated over Internet delay

It's been four years and the Municipality of Shelburne is still waiting for its high speed Internet. The provincial government awarded a contract to Eastlink in 2007 on the basis that rural areas of Shelburne and Queens County would have high speed at the end of the four year agreement. But, pockets of people continue to complain to the local government regarding the state of their Internet. CAO of the Municipality of Shelburne, Kirk Cox, says he doesn't blame them.

"Those people who don't have access to that service are still unfortunately left with just dial-up and that, I think, for most communities in Nova Scotia would be very obsolete technology."

Cox has sent a letter to Minister of Economic Development, Percy Paris, in hopes the government can intervene and ensure Eastlink's commitment is fulfilled. Meanwhile, Bell Aliant recently announced Bridgewater will be getting FibreOp Internet service sometime this month.  

Mustangs Captain breaks second team record

Brennan Bailey

South Shore Mustangs captain Brennan Bailey has broken another team record. Bailey's overtime goal Tuesday night gives him 14 on the season, surpassing Pete LeCain's previous mark of 13 by a defenseman set in 1997-98. Bailey says although he's in the hunt for a third team record, he's more worried about finishing strong with only two games left in the regular season. Bailey broke his first team record in December when the third-year Mustang became the teams all-time leading scoring defenseman. He's tied with Pete LeCain for most points in a season with 34 and has two games remaining this weekend to best that mark.

Local Businesses win awards in Halifax

A pair of local businesses have been awarded by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce. Schoolhouse Gluten-Free Gourmet in Mahone Bay took gold in the New Business of the Year award and Cedar Bay Grilling Company in Blandford also received gold for Small Business of the Year. A news  release says "the awards recognize those who are willing to take chances, push the boundaries and stretch the limits for success." The awards were handed out Thursday January 26.