PROVINCE PLANS TO SLASH SCHOOL FUNDS

The chair of the South Shore Regional School Board says an attempt to balance the provincial-budget is threatening classrooms across the South Shore.

Elliot Payzant made the comment in reaction to the provincial government's proposed five-per-cent annual budget-cuts over the next-three years.

That's 196-million-dollars missing from the balance-sheets.

Payzant says class sizes will likely increase, support for students with special needs may be reduced and staff cuts are certain.

The School board will present its new fiscal plan to the public later this month.

Game Over VLT's

A Nova Scotia organization ... "Game OverVLT's-dot-com"... says enough is enough and its time Video Lottery Terminals were banned for good. Spokesman Terry Fulmer says its a disgrace that hundreds of millions of dollars are being raked in by the gaming corporation every year yet whats put back for helping problem gamblers in Nova Scotia is but a drop in the bucket. Fulmer says gambling is OK if you know what you're doing but the VLT's are destroying too many people and their families because they're such an attraction. Fulmer accuses the province of failing to take responsibility and helping the estimated 18-thousand Nova Scotians with gambling problems resulting in large part from the prevalence of VLT's.

Fulmer is on a cross-province speaking tour and recently addressed the issue during a presentation to the Bridgewater Rotary Club.

Citizenship Ceremony at Forest Heights Community School

The Department of "Citizenship and Immigration" held a citizenship ceremony Thursday afternoon at Forest Heights Community School. Trish Smith the Communications Director for the "South Shore Regional School Board" says the event allows the students to be involved and it also exposes them to the idea of becoming a new Canadian citizen. The ceremony welcomed a number of new citizens -- including the principal of Forests Heights Community School. Born in Australia -- Shannon Catton took the oath of Canadian citizenship, along with more than 30 other new Canadians.

*** Teacher Shannon Catton with the presider of the ceremony, Order of Canada recipient, Elizabeth Parr-Johnson**

Theft Advisory

Shelburne RCMP are advising the public of an increase in the theft of materials that are able to be sold to scrap metal yards.  Most recently the Mounties had a theft of various pieces and types of metal, along with a unique stainless steal propeller shaft.  The shaft would have been difficult to move due to its size and weight.  People are advised that if they see any suspicious activity to call their local police agency immediately.

New School Announcement Monday

A new school construction project will be announced in Liverpool on Monday November 1st..   Premier Darrell Dexter will be in Queens County to make the official announcement at the South Queens Junior High School at 10 a.m. The school was listed as a priority several years ago and parents and the School Board have been pushing for a new stand alone building saying renovations to the existing facility were not economically sound.

Male Injured Falling from Deer Stand

It was a bit of an unusual call for assistance for the Barrington RCMP. The Mounties received a call around noon time from EHS reporting they were treating a patient in a wooded area about four miles behind the church on Oak Park Road. Due to the rough terrain the paramedics were unable to safely transport the injured male out of the forest. Arrangements were made to have a Sea King helicopter attend and airlift the patient who was transported to Yarmouth Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The 65 year old man had been in the wooded area with friends on a deer hunting trip overnight when he fell from his deer stand. The victim did not believe his injuries were serious and spent the night at the nearby camp with other hunters. However, when he awoke Friday morning, he was in a great deal of pain and his son called 9-1-1.

Deer Hunting Season Opens

Nova Scotian hunters are celebrating another deer hunting season, which begins today. (October 29th). To manage the deer population in Nova Scotia, a zone system is used to set the number of antlerless licences based on the number of deer in various areas. This year the province has reconfigured the deer zones from an eight- to a 12-zone system, so applicants should review new zones carefully.  Natural Resources Minister John MacDonell reminds hunters to make safety a priority, and says people in the woods should wear hunter-orange clothing at all times. The five-week season excludes Sundays and runs until Dec. 3.

Again this year, meat may be donated to food banks through Feed Nova Scotia's Hunters Helping the Hungry program. Hunters may bring a deer or moose to a participating meat cutter to donate all or a portion of the meat to help families in need.

Cenotaph Restoration

The Government of Canada is helping fund the restoration of the Chester Basin Cenotaph . South Shore/St. Margaret's M-P Gerald Keddy has announced funding of up to 14 hundred 65 dollars to the Royal Canadian Legion, Everett Branch # 88, for the restoration project.. Built in 1976 in front of the Chester Basin Legion, the cenotaph is in remembrance of those from the community who made the supreme sacrifice for Canada in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. Planned restoration work includes removing brickwork around the monument; levelling the terrain; replacing brickwork and cleaning the bronze plaque. This is one of eleven community-led projects receiving a total of $110,120 announced by the Government of Canada through Veterans Affairs Canada's Cenotaph/Monument Restoration Program.

Police Warn of Seniors Scam

Bridgewater Police are warning seniors not to fall for the grandson telephone scam that is making the rounds. On October 20th, a Bridgewater woman reported a suspicious phone call she had received from a male claiming to be her grandson. The caller told the woman he had been involved in a car accident, and needed 5 thousand dollars to replace a telephone pole he had damaged. The intended victim did not take the bait and reported the phone call to police. This is the second such call reported to police in the past few months.

Accident Results in MVA Charge

Two people were taken to South Shore Regional Hospital following a two car accident on LaHave Street Wednesday night. The accident happened shortly after 10pm. Police say weather conditions played a part in the accident as it was raining hard at the time. Both vehicles were extensively damaged. Four people were involved in the collision. Two individuals were treated for minor injuries and later released. One of the drivers is being charged under the Motor Vehicle Act with failing to yield to highway traffic when entering the highway.

Minor Injuries in Port Mouton Truck Accident

A transport truck driver suffered only minor-injuries when his 18-wheeler overturned in a ditch at Exit-20 on Highway-103 in Port Mouton.

The RCMP closed the highway betwen 3:30 and 5:30 this morning to allow a couple of tow trucks to set the transport truck upright and haul it away.

The Mounties suspect that wet-conditions at the time of the incident, which happened at around 11:00 o'clock last night, may have contributed to the accident.

ILLEGAL BUTT BUST

A Lunenburg County man is facing federal and provincial charges following a seizure of more than 95 thousand illegal cigarettes. Police executed a search warrant at a residence on the Keddy Bridge Road, Oakland on Tuesday October 26th. A 55 year old male from the Oakland area is facing charges under the Federal Excise Act and the Provincial Revenue Act. A December 8th, 2010 Court date has been set for plea in the Bridgewater Provincial Court.

Council Contracts

Bridgewater town council has awarded two east coast companies with engineering contracts.

One tender for work on a key component for the municipal waste water treatment facility was awarded to CBCL Limited.

The Halifax-based firm designed the plant, and will now install a new digester component at a cost of $ 7,400.

A second contract was provided to Elmsdale Landscaping at an estimated cost of $ 40,500

The Nova Scotia company will haul an estimated fifteen thousand tonnes of salt for town streets this winter.

Fire that Destroyed Auburndale Storage Barn Not Suspicious

Fire has destroyed a large storage barn in Lunenburg County.
The blaze on the Upper Branch Road in Auburndale broke out just before midnight. The fire destroyed a number of cars, trucks and boats stored inside the facility. Firefighters from  eight departments in the area were involved in fighting the blaze. Firefighters and and equipment came from departments in Midville Branch ,Bridgewater, Newcombville, Chelsea, Baker Settlement, Wileville, Hebbville and Hemford.The Lunenburg County RCMP says the cause of the blaze seems to be electrical in nature and the fire Marshall's office has not been called in. Corporal Dyson Smith says excavators were called in to help the firefighters. One firefighter was sent to South Shore Regional Hospital suffering smoke inhalation as a result of the Auburndale fire. The hospital released him this morning, and he is reported to be in good condition.

Shelburne Grants

Four local tourism and cultural organizations have received grants from the Municipality of Shelburne. The Osprey Arts Centre will get 26 hundred dollars, 33 hundred goes to the Shelburne Historical Society, 25 hundred for the Town's Visitor Information Centre, and Destination Southwest Nova Association received 34 hundred 26 dollars. Three of the four organizations are located in the Town of Shelburne, highlighting the long standing principle of cooperation between the Town of Shelburne and the Municipality of Shelburne.

"55" DRIVER REFRESHER COURSE

Bridgewater Police Service, Chester RCMP and the Mahone Bay Area Seniors Project are working together to host a refresher driving course designed specifically for seniors. The program will be held at the Mahone Bay Centre, 45 School Street in Mahone Bay on November 19th from 9 - 3 pm. This six hour, classroom-based course is designed to refresh driving skills and put in focus many of the distractions facing senior drivers today. The program is sponsored by the Nova Scotia Government and is free to seniors who hold a valid Nova Scotia drivers licence and are 65 years of age or older. Those drivers under 65 who would like to register for the program, or those who have taken the program before, must pay a $40 fee. Participation has no effect on a senior's driving record. . Seniors interested in registering for the "55 Alive" driver refresher program can contact Beth George, Seniors Safety Coordinator at (902) 543-3567.

HANG-UP ON SCAMMERS

The RCMP is warning you to watch out for some suspicious phone calls.

The Barrington RCMP say these "scams" come in many different forms.

Sgt. Robert Forbes says -- however -- they all rely on the same basic principle.

Someone will call you and try to get as much personal information about you as possible -- such as your social Insurance Number, drivers-license or credit-card information.

The callers usually claim to represent a recognized organization.

Sgt. Forbes says you should report such calls by calling the police or going online to Phonebusters.com.

BREAK & ENTERS & THEFTS IN QUEENS COUNTY

Queens County RCMP are investigating a rash of break and enters and thefts in the Greenfield area in recent days.

Over the weekend, the Buckfield Community Hall on Highway 210 was broken into and ransacked.
Nothing was taken though.
Around the same time, several vehicles in the area were broken into and so was a garage.
Staff Sargeant Jeff Wells of Queens County RCMP says they are looking for suspects right now and says investigators have what the staff-sargeant calls "person of interests" in mind.
He also warns drivers, again, to make sure their vehicles are locked up when not in use to help prevent would-be thieves from getting in.
Police are asking anyone who may have noticed anything suspicious or has any other information to call Liverpool RCMP or Crime Stoppers.

NEW PARKING BY-LAWS FOR BRIDGEWATER DELAYED

Bridgewater Town Council will delay implementing new parking by-laws.
The draft document recommends increasing hourly parking rates to 50 cents and doubling fines for unpaid tickets.

Mayor Carroll Publicover says as a result of a recent meeting, council may make some changes to that document.

Council will take another look at the proposed parking by-laws on November 22.

RESIDENTS SAY CONNECTOR ROAD IS NO TREAT

Residents in the Ingramport area are dropping off Halloween treats at all MLA offices in the area.

They say its a treat for what they claim is the bigest "trickster" of them all this Halloween, the Provincial Transportation Department.

The bags of candy also contain a note explaining how a number of homes might be demolished in favor of a connector road in the area to Highway 103.

Residents' spokesman Sean Kirby says everyone's disappointed that a public meeting on the issue and the twinning of the 103 has been put off until February to await results of an environmental study.

Residents of the area have been vocal at public meetings on the issue during the summer and are continuing their demand for a referendum.