Bridgewater Police & K9 Unit Called to Parkview School

Bridgewater Police and their K9 Unit were called in to help find a missing student at Parkview Education Centre today. Police received the call from school staff over the noon hour. Constable Will Creamer says police used the opportunity to practice what they call an isolation drill. He says they had all students return to their classrooms for about 25 minutes. Police say they were able to locate the missing student without incident. The isolation drill involved moving students to safe and separate area for a period of time so the dog team could do its work.

New Germany Students Recall Trip to Vimy Ridge



Dana Young, Ben Hannah, Jessica Joudrey and Cody DeLong are four of over 40 students who recently attended the 95th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge in Northern France.

 A group of over 40 kids are back from a historic trip overseas. Students from New Germany Rural High School went back to classes Monday after travelling to Vimy Ridge to mark the 95th anniversary of the great battle in Northern France. Grade 12 student Cody DeLong says it was a chance to see the burial grounds of his great uncle.

"It was powering to be right where he was laid to rest, so my family is proud that I was going over and I was proud to finish his trip and make it back home."

The group also travelled to Anne Frank's home in Amsterdam as well as Munich, Germany and London, England. Grade 11 student Dana Young says the home made an impression on her after reading Anne Frank's diary many times growing up.Trip Leader Hester Gibson says the journey gave students a chance to learn more about the past. The students will now collect their many photos and videos taken and make a presentation for a school assignment.

Property Tax Goes Up In Queens Region

Property taxes in Queens County are going up in an effort to cushion the blow of significant revenue losses in the region. Residential, commercial and resource properties will each face a three cent spike per hundred of assessment in their tax bills for the fiscal year 2012-13. Mayor John Leefe called it the most challenging budget since amalgamation in 1996. Leefe says the region has lost $1.2 million in revenue since Nova Scotia Power properties were reassessed over three years ago. He says a $135,000 tax break for Bowater Mersey has also contributed to a difficult year for the municipality. Council passed the tax increase and its budget at a meeting this morning. Its operating budget exceeds $17.6 million dollars while its capital budget has been set at $3.3 million. The Region also approved the second $250,000 installment of its $1-million dollar commitment to the Queens General Hospital Project.

Bawdy House Was Operating In Apartment Building

Police say a woman arrested in connection with running a suspected bawdy house in Bridgewater has a criminal background. Constable Will Creamer says an investigation into the matter had been underway for months before an arrest was made last week.  He says police believe the 30 year-old Halifax woman acted alone in the operation. "At this time there is one person under arrest, there are no other people arrested from this investigation," Creamer says the suspected bawdy house had been operating out of an apartment building but its location hasn't been revealed. The accused is set to appear in court next month.

Police Investigate Theft of 40 Truck Tires

It's enough tires for 10 vehicles. Bridgewater police are looking for suspects involved in breaking and entering into GCR Tire Center on LaHave Street and stealing 40 truck tires. The alleged theft occurred sometime between Friday night and early Monday morning. Anyone with information are encouraged to contact Bridgewater police.

Katimavik Cuts Disappoint Town of Shelburne

Its a disappointing loss for the town of Shelburne. The Katimavik program was cut from the federal budget last month, meaning the group won't be coming to the community. Jerry Locke, Director of Community and Economic Development, says the spin-offs could have been substantial for the town.

"It was not only a tremendous benefit to the community in terms of the people who would be here and what they would contribute to us, but it would be a chance for us to expand our horizons to get to meet some new people. There also would have been the economic boost of 12 people living here for a year, paying rent for a year, buying groceries; it was probably close to a $500,000 benefit to us."

Locke says the federal funding cut surprised everyone involved and groups have been left scrambling to find other resources. He says people should protest the cuts to their local MLAs.

Province Supporting Isolated Rural Schools

The provincial government is reaching out to help more isolated rural schools. Education Minister Ramona Jennex announced $22-million in funding towards additional programming or teaching resources to 98 schools including 10 on the South Shore. Jennex says she decided to change the funding formula after a number of meetings with school boards across the province. She says there were a number of factors.

"We also looked at the distance children drive to get to school and then, how far it would be from that school to another school, so, from elementary school to elementary school and we've included that in the formula and we've grandparented the small schools that might not be isolated because, as you know, there are increased costs for boards to be heating buildings without the children there."

The funds will be provided to each regional school board, not individual schools. There has been no increase in the local school boards total revenue from the province because of this change.

• For the SSRSB, the following small schools have been grand-fathered and are the basis of a calculation per school in our funding, based solely on the fact that there are fewer than 100 students in each school:

Pentz Elementary


Mill Village Consolidated


Petite Riviere Elementary

• The following schools are small and isolated and the board's funding formula includes a calculation to off-set a portion of additional costs for staffing and property services:

New Ross Consolidated


North Queens Community School


Big Tancook Elementary School

• For the following small high schools, the school board receives funding in the formula calculation to off-set a portion of the cost of staffing (amount varies school to school):

Bridgewater Junior-Senior High School


Forest Heights Community School


Liverpool Regional High School


New Germany Rural High School

Fire Crews Battle Blaze in Fox Point

It took about 50 firefighters to keep a garage fire from destroying a home in Fox Point over the weekend. The blaze broke out around midnight on Friday. Crews from Chester, Blandford and Hubbards battled the fire until 3:30AM Saturday morning. The fire completely destroyed the garage and damage to the home was minimal. Its cause is believed to be electrical.

Chester Clippers are Junior "C" Champs

The Chester Clippers have captured the Maritime North Junior "C" Championship. The top ranked Clippers defeated the Kivallig Canucks 7-3 in the Championship game over the weekend. They were undefeated in the tournament with four wins and one tie going into the championship game. The tournament was held in PEI.

Mahone Bay Mayor re-offering for Municipal Elections

The mayor of Mahone Bay is seeking another term in office. Joe Feeney has confirmed he will re-offer for the position in October's municipal elections. Feeney says he wants to be part of the decision-making process for the next few years.

"I'm still young enough and able enough and healthy enough and interested and eager to try as best I can, with the assistance of whoever is serving on council, to get those decisions made and put in place."

 Feeney says he's not sure if anyone will run against him, but he welcomes the challenge.

"I believe very strongly in government service at any level. I have great respect for people who are willing to accept the challenge and would welcome anybody that wants to come out and participate and give back to their community."

He says he's most proud of the town setting up a water treatment plant and cleaning up the community's harbour. Feeney says he looks forward to the completion of a regional governance study between Mahone Bay, Municipality of Lunenburg and town of Bridgewater. Feeney has been the town's mayor since 2000. Municipal elections will be held October 20.

Power Restored after Car strikes Utility Pole

Power is back on after a car struck a power pole along Highway 10 in Cookville Sunday night. RCMP and Fire Department officials responded to the scene around 6pm. It's not known how many people were affected by the outage. The highway was blocked off for hours so Nova Scotia Power crews could fix the utility pole. Its not known at this time if there were any injuries.

Martin finishes second at Miami Hurricane Invitational

A second place showing for Jenna Martin over the weekend. The Bridgewater native ran 52.22 seconds in the women's 400 metre final at the Miami Hurricane Invitational in Florida. Martin is training to represent Canada at the London Olympics in August. The result eclipses her best time this year of 52.68 seconds. She is planning to take part in Athletics Canada 4 x 400 metre relay camp this week.

Health Authority Puts Focus on Fishermen's Memorial

South Shore Health wants to ensure a hospital in Lunenburg is meeting the needs of the community. The health authority is establishing an advisory committee to look at ways of improving the level of service at Fishermen's Memorial Hospital. Board chair Roxie Smith says the face of health care and demographics have changed over the years and the authority must adapt. She says the goal is to customize operations so they meet the specific needs of area residents. Focus groups will be conducted in the coming weeks with a model that takes into account guidelines established for Collaborative Emergency Centres. An area of interest for residents will be the emergency department at the hospital which has seen numerous closures in recent months due to doctor shortages. The advisory committee will present their findings to the board of South Shore Health by the end of June.

South Shore Surf claim silver at Provincials

The South Shore Surf midget boys basketball team claimed silver at the Basketball Nova Scotia Division 1-A Provincials Sunday. The Surf, who went undefeated in their pool, defeated New Waterford in the semi-final 80-46 but fell 83-80 to the Dartmouth Lakers in the championship game. Adam Fitzgerald of the Surf was voted to the provincial tournament all-star team.

Queens Manor Open for Public Visits

The Queens Manor in Liverpool has re-opened to family and friends of its residents. The manor had been off limits for the past two weeks due to an outbreak of the flu. Officials say no new cases were reported in the last week giving them the ability to open to the public.

Bridgewater Mayor Reacts to Brothel Allegations

Carroll Publicover

Bridgewater's mayor believes the town's proximity to Halifax could be behind the operation of an alleged bawdy house in the town. The community is buzzing after an arrest was made in relation to the brothel. Carroll Publicover is glad police took swift action dismantling the house and making an arrest. He says HRM has grown so much, it casts a 100-kilometre sphere bringing crime to rural areas.

"Its tentacles go out past Truro, out past Bridgewater, down to Kentville; any sort of criminal element that operates in HRM, is operating in that sphere. There's just no doubt about that."

 He notes, Bridgewater likely isn't the only rural community to have a brothel.

"It's not something you like to hear but it's what it is. How many other communities in Nova Scotia have them? They could be in a number of communities, I don't know."

Publicover would like to see more neighbourhood watches created to help alleviate the issue. A 30-year-old Halifax woman has been arrested in relation to the matter and will appear in court next month.

Shelburne Stand-Off Ends Peacefully

Some tense moments on a residential street in Shelburne. Police had to shut down Commission Street around supper time on Wednesday after they received a complaint regarding a man with firearms. Mounties say nearby residents were asked to leave their homes as a precaution until the situation was resolved. No injuries were reported and the man surrendered to police after a stand-off that last about 45 minutes. RCMP say they seized three long guns and a bow and arrow from the home. The investigation is ongoing and charges are pending.

MODL votes against endorsing School Board size

The Municipality of Lunenburg will not submit a recommendation to the Utility and Review Board on the size of the local school board. Council defeated a motion to endorse a nine member plus two at-large representative board put forward by former member Karen Reinhardt. The motion fell by a 6-5 margin. Councillor Sandra Statton says she wasn't convinced by Reinhardt's presentation.

"We're taking one persons recommendation because she did a presentation here and a few signatures and we're running with a recommendation to the URB and I don't feel that we're in a position to do that and I think we are acting out of not having enough information and not doing enough due diligence on this, so I won't be supporting this."

Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor Frank Fawson says the issue of small schools closing has a big impact on the community.

"I certainly think with greater representation there's a stronger likelihood that those schools will be kept open and maintained by the school board, so, I think the option that Karen Reinhardt put forth goes one step further then what the school board put forth and provides the community of interest and the representation, both."

The school board endorsed three options with its first selection being six-members with two at-large representatives. The URB will hold a public hearing on the matter May 2nd at the school board office.

Woman Accused of Operating Bawdy House in Bridgewater

A 30 year old woman has been arrested for allegedly operating a brothel in Bridgewater. Police say the woman is from Halifax and will appear in court next month. The investigation into the suspected bawdy house bust also involved members from the Halifax Regional Police Vice Section. Police have not released the woman's name. The accused has been released and is due in court in Bridgewater on May 30th.

Site Preparation work underway at White Point

Crews on site at White Point April 12

The ground is breaking at White Point Beach Resort. Manager Danny Morton tells us dump trucks and excavators arrived Thursday morning to begin site preparation work for the new main lodge. Morton explains what is being done at the moment.

"They are going to be digging out the holes so the foundations can start being laid. I guess there is a lot of fill that needs to be removed, so over the next couple of weeks there's going to be a lot of noise and soil movement just to get the site ready for the foundation pourers."

White Point's main lodge burned down November 12 after a devastating fire at the popular Queens County resort. Morton says they are hoping to have the lodge built by the end of October. You can view the construction online at http://www.novascotiawebcams.com/south-shore/white-point-construction.html .

Mahone Bay says ''no'' to Electronic Voting

The town of Mahone Bay has decided against e-voting for the upcoming municipal elections. Council voted on the matter during Tuesday night's meeting. Mayor Joe Feeney says it didn't make sense to explore the option.

"We're small, its easy for people to get to the polling station, there are lots of opportunities with advanced polling, it does not preclude the option of people voting by proxy vote if they happen to be out of the province. So, we took all of those things into account and decided we weren't going to go there."

Feeney says it would have cost the town just under $2,300 to use electronic voting in October, no matter how many people used the service. He says for now the roughly 550 eligible voters in the community will stick to the paper ballot system.

Mooney: Move Fisheries Jobs to Yarmouth

The mayor in Yarmouth wants the province to consider relocating civil servant jobs to southwestern Nova Scotia when it begins to decentralize some government services. Phil Mooney says the area would be a natural fit for offices or services of the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture. Mooney is hoping to meet with fisheries minister Sterling Belliveau to pitch the town as an option for a decentralized fisheries department. "You know, we have the most lucrative lobster fishing industry in Canada situated right here in Yarmouth. We have an airport, a regional health facility...It would be a natural fit not only Yarmouth but the provincial government," The NDP government announced in its throne speech last month it will relocate department head offices to rural Nova Scotia. Premier Darrell Dexter says more information - like how many positions and where they will be moved - would be released this spring.

Brookside Cemetery now a Heritage Property

There's a new piece of heritage property in Bridgewater. Town council has designated the Brookside Cemetery as a historic site after a recommendation from its advisory committee. Councillor David Mitchell says the decision was a no-brainer.

"There was no question the value of it as a heritage property, the names of the important people from the past in Bridgewater that are in the cemetery and the uniqueness of the stones that are in there made a perfect case for it to be added."

Brookside Cemetery was opened in 1879 by Dean Wile, who was manager of the local carding mill. Among the notables buried in the cemetery are Mather Byles DesBrisay; a judge, politician and author who founded the local museum and Victoria Ernst, the first female doctor in Bridgewater. Mitchell says its a key step after losing two heritage properties last year.

"We lost two last year; one with the de-registration of the Riverview Community Centre and the other with the loss of the Fairview Inn in the fire, so it is important to have some more protected sites within the town because you want to maintain those for generations."

The Holy Trinity Anglican Church on Alexandra Avenue is the only other heritage property in Bridgewater. The town will now register a legal document through the province to recognize the cemetery as a heritage property.

Drugs Charges: Police Raid Home in Lunenburg

A 49 year old Lunenburg man is facing drug charges after police raided a home in the town earlier this week.  Lunenburg County RCMP carried out the search warrant with the help of the Bridgewater Police Service and South Shore Street Crime Unit. During the bust, Mounties seized marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and cash following a search of the home. Gary Benteau of Lunenburg has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking. He'll answer to the charge on June 13th.

Court: Buckley Case Delayed Until May

The defence lawyer for an 18 year old Chester Basin man accused of second degree murder has asked for more time to review the case against his client. Pat McEwen told court today he only received full disclosure of the evidence against Jack Buckley yesterday. Buckley is charged in the death of 57-year-old Victoria Brauns-Buckley. Her body was found in her home on the Borgels Point Road on the morning of March 2. Buckley was arrested on March 12 at a hotel in Western Shore. The case has been put over until May 17th when dates will be set for a preliminary hearing. In the meantime, Buckley has been remanded into custody at the Nova Scotia Correctional Centre.

Smith named CEO for three Southwest YMCAs

Yvonne Smith

The CEO for the Lunenburg County YMCA is expanding her role. Yvonne Smith is also the Chief Executive Officer for two more YMCAs in Yarmouth and Cornwallis in the Fundy region. Smith says she wants to incorporate more of a regional service between the three facilities.

"We're all in rural communities and for us to be sustainable and have these YMCAs in these communities, there are a lot of benefit to us working together. So, the big challenge for everyone to really break out of the mode that we are often in where we think of ourselves in isolation and look at the bigger picture and how we can work together."

Smith says she looks forward to the challenges of improving services in Yarmouth and Fundy. She says the model switch has been in the works for a long time. The management system is the first of its kind in Nova Scotia.

Mooseheads face elimination against Quebec

The Quebec Remparts have taken a stranglehold on the Halifax Mooseheads. The Remparts overcame a 3-1 deficit to beat the Moose 5-3 Tuesday night and took a 3-0 lead in their best of seven series. Scoring for the Mooseheads were Matthew Boudreau, Alex Grenier and Konrad Abeltshauser.  Zach Fucale made 32 saves in goal for the Herd, who were outshot 37-22. The Mooseheads look to keep their season alive Wednesday night in game four at the Halifax Metro Centre.

Kent Cup Final: Yarmouth drops game four; down 3-1 in finals

The Woodstock Slammers are one win away from being MHL champions. The Slammers edged the Yarmouth Mariners 2-1 Tuesday night to take a 3-1 lead in the Best of 7 Kent Cup Final Series. Robert Visca led the Slammers with 1 goal and 1 assist. Andrew Wigg scored the lone goal for Yarmouth. Matt Murphy stopped 31 shots for the win while Charles Grant stopped 21 shots in the loss. Game five goes Friday in Woodstock.

South Shore Health CEO Annouces Retirement

The CEO of South Shore Health is set to retire. After four years at the helm, Alice Leverman says she is ready to do some other things and enjoy retired life. Leverman spent eight years as Vice President of Community Health before moving to the CEO's role in 2009. She is credited with strengthening the health authority and its ability to deliver services through budgets cuts, restructuring of services and management. Leverman says she has been blessed to work with a great team and adds the decision wasn't easy. "It is a difficult decision to make, but important to do it at a time when hopefully one will have good years ahead to do others things in life," In a media release, Board of Directors Chair Roxie Smith thanked Leverman for her many years of service. Dr. Peter Vaughn has been promoted as the new CEO effective July 1st.

RCMP: Theft in Cherryhill

RCMP say thousands of dollars worth of jewelry has been taken from a Lunenburg County home. A break in was reported at a home along Highway 331 in Cherryhill on Friday. Police say various other items were also stolen. Anyone with leads on the crime is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers.

On Tap: Chester Basin Murder Case back in Court

The case of an 18 year-old charged with second degree murder resumes on Wednesday in Bridgewater. John (Jack) Buckley is charged in the death of 57-year-old Victoria Brauns-Buckley. Her body was found in her home in Chester Basin on the morning of March 2. The case was adjourned last month to give the Crown and defence lawyers time to review evidence and police reports. Buckley's lawyer Pat McEwen told reporters his client maintains his innocence and will fight the charge. The relationship between the accused and the victim has yet to be confirmed.

Mooseheads look to strike back in game 3

It's a must-win situation for the Halifax Mooseheads. The herd are down 2-0 heading into Tuesday night's game three battle against the Quebec Remparts. The Moose suffered a pair of losses on the road and return home to the Metro Centre where they are undefeated so far in the playoffs. Puck drops at 7pm at the Halifax Metro Centre.

Kent Cup Final: Slammers Edge Mariners in Game 3

The Woodstock Slammers have grabbed the upper hand in the MHL's Kent Cup Final. Last night, in front of a sellout crowd in Yarmouth, the Slammers edged the Mariners 1-0 to take a 2-1 lead in the best of seven championship series. Nick Huard scored the game-winner late in second period while Matt Murphy turned aside 31 shots for the shutout. Game four is tonight at 7:30 at the Mariner Centre.

Kent Cup Final: Sellout for Game 3 in Yarmouth

A sellout crowd is expected in Yarmouth this evening for Game 3 of the Kent Cup Final. The Yarmouth Mariners and Woodstock Slammers split the first two games in New Brunswick before the long-weekend. Puck drops at the Mariners Centre at 7:30PM.

On Tap: Public Meeting on South Queens Middle School

It's a chance for the public to learn more about the future South Queens Middle School. An information session will be held Tuesday night to update the community on planning for the new facility. A conceptual design for the new school will be reviewed followed by an informal question and answer session with School Board and Department of Education staff.  The meeting will be held in the cafeteria at South Queens Junior High School starting at 6:30pm. The new South Queens Middle School is expected to replace the current Junior High. It's expected to be built by September 2013.

RCMP: Impaired Driving Charges in Chester

RCMP in Chester have charged two people after an incident in the village over the Easter weekend. According to police, they received a call on Sunday night regarding two men who piled into a car after having a few drinks at a local business. Soon after, Mounties got another call about a single vehicle collision in the same area. When police arrived at the scene they arrested the two men and charged them both with impaired driving. The men have also been charged with providing misleading information while one of the accused resisted arrest. Both have been released and will appear in court at a later date.

Solid Start: 1688 Lobster Fishermen's Association

It's been a good winter for the newly formed "1688 Professional Lobster Fishermen's Association". President James Mood says the PLFA's membership features more than 800 lobster license holders from Shelburne to Digby. He says the association experienced a lull in new memberships periodically over the winter but the trend has reversed. "What has happened here in the last week is the cheques have started coming in again. I think the reality is they (license holders) had a chance to think things over - they know they have to have a voice. Without a voice and being united - you'll get nowhere," The price of lobster at the wharf has jumped from $3.25 to $6.00 per pound since the PLFA formed in January.  As of last week in Woods Harbour, the price of lobster touched $6.25 per pound.

Mixed Reaction: Tax Cut for Small Business

The President of the Chester Municipal Chamber of Commerce has mixed feelings over a tax cut for small businesses in the province. Ben Wiper says the extra money will help business owners going forward but cautions the province remains in a position where spending exceeds revenues. He says while the cuts are welcome, but come with a price. "Basically our business tax cut is being financed by deficit spending and being a business owner that's something most business owners don't like to do - because it's not sustainable. We can't just keep spending without matching revenues coming in," The provincial government announced a reduction of half a percentage point in the small business tax rate in its budget last week. Finance Minister Graham Steele says the tax break will translate into another $10-million back into the hands of small businesses in Nova Scotia.

Martin, team win 4 x 400 metre relay event in Florida

Training is certainly paying off for Jenna Martin. The Bridgewater native ran 52.68 seconds in a 4 x 400 metre relay, helping her team win the event at the Florida Relays in Gainesville, Florida. Martin's team set a meet and stadium record, also setting the best relay time in the world this season. She is currently training in the U.S. to make Canada's team for the London Olympics. Martin's next event is expected to be this weekend in Miami.

Bridgewater rink wins Atlantic under-18 curling crown

A Bridgewater curling rink has been crowned the Atlantic under-18 curling champions. Daniel Prest's team scored one in the eighth and stole two in the extra end to beat P.E.I 6-4 Sunday in the final at the Bluenose Curling club in New Glasgow. Newfoundland and Labrador defeated Chester's Daniel Jessome 6-5 in the boys consolation final.

Keddy: OAS Changes Necessary

The MP for South Shore-St. Margaret's says the old age security system needs to reflect the current labour conditions. The majority conservative government announced increases in OAS eligibility to 67 up from 65 in the federal budget. Canadians who get federal money from other programs will see their benefits extended until they can cash in on OAS/GIS. Gerald Keddy says the changes are necessary and reasonable. "What we are trying to do is get people to work longer those who are able to - those who are not able there is a social safety net in place for them. So it's not as if people will be abandon - that's not the case at all," Ottawa will start making the adjustments to old age security in 2023, and phase them in gradually over six years.  It means anyone over 54 won't be affected while people in their early 50's will see moderate changes and Canadians under 50 will be directly impacted.

South Shore Big Brothers Big Sisters: Moving Forward

South Shore Big Brothers and Big Sisters has received a one-time grant from the province. The 9-thousand dollars will help the organization until it can fund-raise and apply for more grant money later on. Lunenburg MLA Pam Birdsall went to bat for the organization. She made the right connections in the Dexter government to make the 9-thousand dollars a reality. "Financial pressures have been difficult and a lot of the time is spent by the staff to fund raise to keep these programs going so this is a situation where some one-time relief was needed to keep things going," and keep Birdsall delivered the cheque to Big Brothers/Big Sisters in the past few days.

QMJHL Play-offs: Mooseheads Drop Game 1

A third period letdown cost the Halifax Mooseheads game one of their "Q" league second round playoff series last night in Quebec City. The Moose led 1-0 after two periods but the Remparts scored three times in less than two minutes early in third en route to a 4-2 victory. The best of seven series continues tonight in Quebec City.

Typical Flu Season for South Shore

The Medical Officer Health for the South Shore says it's been a typical flu season. Doctor Lynda Earl says the influenza virus began to circulate more frequently in late February and throughout March this year. She says about two percent of emergency department visits are the result of flu-like symptoms and that's right in line with previous years. "This year flu is certainly fitting with what we expect to see, cases began in February and more cases in March. In comparison to last year, we only about a month behind so this fits with what we expect to see with flu," Earl stresses frequent hand washing to keep from getting sick. She also suggests that folks should stay home when they aren't feeling well to avoid spreading the virus.

UPDATED: New Flu Cases at Queens Manor in Liverpool

Another disappointment for families and friends of loved-ones at Queens Manor in Liverpool. Just as officials were preparing to re-open the manor to visitors on Friday, comes word it will remain closed. Infection control nurse Sandra Woodford tells CKBW/HANK FM News more cases of the flu have been confirmed which means the public will remain barred from visiting. "We had two new cases and anytime there is a new case we have to back up the opening date a whole week. So we've had new cases and that is the result," About 11 residents had flu-like systems a few weeks ago when officials first decided to close the manor to the public.

Still A Mystery: Re-Launch Date for Bluenose II

The re-launch of an iconic Nova Scotia schooner will take place sometime this summer but when it reaches the water remains a mystery. The Bluenose II is undergoing a $15.9 million dollar refit in Lunenburg.  It's rebuild includes a new hull, frame and planking. Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage spokesman Michael Noonan says the re-build has gone well. He says its launch ultimately depends on the vessels construction schedule. However, Noonan wouldn't say whether the schooner will be sailing in time to join dozens of tall ships expected to visit the province in July. "Well those are all things we will be announcing in due coarse as all the details are worked out - so I think what I would probably say is stay tuned and there will be some news about that coming out in the not so distant future," The original Bluenose was built in 1921. Bluenose II was built in 1963 and transferred to the province in 1971 for $1-dollar. Meanwhile, the tall ships will be in Halifax from July 19 to 23. Stops are also planned in Lunenburg, Shelburne, Yarmouth, Sydney and Louisbourg.

More Drug Related Arrests in Queens County

Five people have been arrested on drug related offences in Liverpool. RCMP arrested four men last Friday ranging in age from 17 to 28 years old. Police say they seized a quantity of marihuana and hydromorphine during a blitz in Liverpool, they also recovered some cash and drug paraphernalia.  Each of the accused is facing trafficking and possession charges. Meanwhile, Mounties also arrested a 16 year-old girl in the same weekend for the same reason. The teen is also facing drug related charges after police allegedly seized some pot and drug paraphernalia. RCMP say the arrests are part of a crack down on drugs in the downtown area of Liverpool.

New Condenser for Lunenburg Arena

A critical part of the Lunenburg Arena's refrigeration system will be replaced this spring. The rink will get a new condenser - which keeps the ice crisp and arena cool. The town has pre-approved the purchase and set aside $50,000 to replace the rinks 22 year old condenser. Councillor Jamie Myra says the rink is an important part of the community. 'We have a strong minor hockey program, a strong skating program and a strong gentleman's hockey program. So we think it's very important for the citizens to make sure the ice is ready for the fall of 2012," It's expected the unit will cost in the area of $40,000 to replace.

Drugs Seized & Charges Laid in Queens County Bust

Example of a Marijuna Grow Op

There's been a drug bust in Queens County.  The RCMP have charged two people after a search and seizure at a home in Brooklyn Monday evening.  Queens RCMP Staff-Sgt. Jeff Wells says they discovered a grow-op and seized 168 marihuana plants and 23 grams of marihuana.  He says: "Although there were a number of plants, some of them were not very large.  Actually, most of them are quite small. We basically did that on our own. It was the members of Queens District. We did do some drug enforcement over the weekend with the assistance of the street crime unit from Shelburne and a police dog from Yarmouth."  Arrested in connection with the grow-op were a 58-year-old man and a 58-year-old woman, both of Brooklyn.  They've since been released and are scheduled to appear in Liverpool Court, June 12th.

URB: Downsize Town of Shelburne Council

Residents of Shelburne will elect fewer councillors when they head to the polls in municipal elections this fall. The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board made a decision on the matter last week. The council will consist of four elected members plus a mayor after the October election. The URB decision was made at the town's request after little interest was displayed during three public meetings on the matter. Eliminating the council positions will result in annual saving of $24-thousand dollars.

NS Finance Minister: Deficit Eliminated Next Year

The Nova Scotia government has tabled a $9.5-billion budget with a projected deficit of $211.2-million for 2012-13. Finance Minister Graham Steele says it means the government will balance its books next year.

Budget Highlights: Personal income tax reductions expected to return $7.5 million to about 78,000 Nova Scotians.

Small business tax rate reduced by half a percentage point from four per cent to 3.5 per cent, saving businesses about $10 million annually.

Overall spending for health care up 2.5 per cent at $3.9 billion. The Province will also close its office in Ottawa with a savings of $500,000 annually.