Crucial Union Meeting in Liverpool Tonight

Unionized workers at Bowater Mersey's Brooklyn paper mill have a lot to consider before voting tonight (Wednesday) on a company proposal to keep the operation going. Members of CEP Local 141 packed a hall on Monday night to hear details of what union officials are calling a ``take it or leave it'' proposal. The mill's owners want to trim 80 full-time and 30 casual positions from the workforce to reduce costs. Union president Courtney Wentzell says the concessions being demanded are too much. He says even if the membership accepts the latest proposal, there's no guarantee the mill will remain open.

SSRSB Tables Motion to Censure Karen Reinhardt

The South Shore Regional School Board has decided to table a motion to remove one of its board members from their position. Karen Reinhardt breached 11 sections of the board's code of ethics but will get a chance to state her case when members hold another meeting next Monday. The board passed a motion to table the censure motion by a 6-4 margin, with Reinhardt and board member Clifford MacLeod not present. School Board Chair Elliott Payzant says he believes board members want to make a decision with Reinhardt available. Reinhardt is overseas but was expected back November 10. She was unable to make the meeting after missing flights in Ghana and Frankfurt. The School Board will hold another meeting at 7pm Monday November 21.

Bridgewater Councillor Praises GAP Draft Plan

David Mitchell

The draft plan for Generations Active Park is getting a lot of praise from a member of Bridgewater town council. David Mitchell says Ekistics Planning and Design has put together a solid plan, that appeases to all residents and stakeholders. He says the plan took him by surprise.

"It surpassed my expectations. You know, I had in my head the way I thought that the dog park should look or splash pad should look and I'm not a designer and I'm sure everyone had their pre-conceived notions of what it would look like. It just blew me out of the water. It is stunning."

Mitchell says the $2.4-million dollar project would be phased-in over the next 10 years if the final plan is approved. The final version is expected to be presented to Bridgewater town council December 12. People can still have their say on the plan by visiting http://www.bridgewater.ca/.

Police Seek Driver

Bridgewater Police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a male driver who approached a teenaged female earlier this week. The incident is alleged to have happened around 11:30 Monday morning (November 14th) in the area of Dominion Street.  The man is described as in his mid-40's with a slight build. He was wearing a baseball cap with a white top and a blue brim, and a white t-shirt. The man was driving a blue teal coloured Chevrolet truck with no license plate and asked the girl to get in his vehicle. When she decliend, the man left the area.

'Canada Day on the LaHave' Holds Annual General Meeting

Treasurer David Walker

It may be early, but Canada Day will be on the minds of many Tuesday night in Bridgewater. The 'Canada Day on the LaHave' committee is holding its annual general meeting. The meeting will focus on electing new officers and deliver the annual financial report. But Treasurer David Walker says, the meeting will also talk about improving future Canada Day's in Bridgewater. The public meeting gets underway at 7pm Tuesday night at Bridgewater High School.

SSRSB Hold Censure Meeting

The South Shore Regional School Board is holding a special meeting Tuesday night, to vote on a motion to censure a member or members of the board. The Board will raise a motion on the matter, followed by an in-camera debate and a public vote. No details have been released on why a member or members could be censured. The South Shore Regional School Board has never censured a member. The meeting will be held at 7pm Tuesday night at the School Board office.

End of the Line for "The Village at Glen Allan Project"

The Town of Bridgewater has nixed a development agreement with a local developer for a proposed condo project. Council voted unanimously to cancel their development agreement with Bridgewater based Jo-Lo development and "The Village at Glen Allan Project" at their regular meeting on Monday. The parcel of land on Roundhouse Drive has been a hot button issue around the council table over the past year with a number of councillors expressing their frustrations on Monday. Mayor Carroll Publicover told reporters last night he's relieved by the decision and adds the land now reverts back to more of a predictable development pattern. Councillor David Mitchell says they had no other option but to discharge the agreement following numerous extensions and second chances. Jo-Lo development has indicated they are still interested in building single family housing on the property.

Decision Day Looms for Workers at Bowater Mersey

Members of CEP Union Local 141 at Bowater Mersey packed a union hall in Liverpool Monday night to hear the devastating details of what's being billed as a "take it or leave it" proposal. Abitibi Bowater wants to trim 80 full time and 30 casual positions from the workforce at the mill in order to reduce costs. In an interview with CKBW/HANK FM News this morning, Union President Courtney Wentzell slammed their employer and called the concessions "huge" and simply "too much". Even if the membership accepts the latest proposal - Wentzell says there's no guarantee the mill will remain open. "Most of us agreed last night after much discussion that the four and half years that Abitibi's been here and merged...taken over the Bowater company basically...they've done more damage to our community, to our membership, to our mill then Bowater ever did in 80 years it was here," He says the proposed cuts would be felt province wide and create a ripple effect in the industry. The membership will vote on the proposal at a meeting tomorrow night (Wednesday) in Liverpool.

Fire at White Point Deemed Not Suspicious

The fire at White Point has been deemed not suspicious. The Fire Marshall's office and Queens County RCMP say they came to that conclusion after examining the remains of the popular resort. They also say the blaze started in the basement of the main lodge. The cause of the fire is still being investigated.

Queens MLA Reacts to White Point Fire

The MLA for Queens County says the loss of the White Point Beach Resort is devastating to the area. Vicki Conrad says the community is experiencing a run of bad luck with issues including the potential closure of the Bowater Mersey mill in Brooklyn. Conrad says she's very sad and feels a total sense of loss for the community. She says between 100-200 people work at the resort, depending on the time of year. The resort is due to undergo renovations in January. Conrad says she's optimistic, the lodge will be rebuilt better than ever.

Western Hurricanes Move Into First Place in NSBHL

The BMO Western Hurricanes have vaulted into first place in the Nova Scotia Major Bantam Hockey League. The South Shore club defeated the Truro Bearcats 5-2 Saturday night and scored a 4-0 victory over Newbridge Academy Sunday afternoon to move into top spot. The Hurricanes have now won eight straight games and lead the league with a 12-2 record.

Bridgewater Police Looking for Home Invasion Suspects

Bridgewater Police are looking for suspects involved in a Remembrance Day home invasion. Police say two masked men entered a home on Aberdeen Road sometime around 6:40pm November 11. A struggle happened between the suspects and the resident before the two men fled on foot. The victim was taken to South Shore Regional Hospital to get checked out and released. Anyone with information is asked to contact Bridgewater Police.

White Point Beach Resort GM Overwhelmed by Community Support

The General Manager of White Point Beach Resort says he's energized by an outpouring of community support following this weekend's devastating fire. The fire began in the basement of the popular Liverpool resort and spread quickly, ultimately consuming the main portion of the lodge. Danny Morton says he knew White Point was a special visiting place but not to the degree he's witnessed over the past few days. "I think about a situation on Sunday morning right after the fire where we still had a number of guests staying at the hotel, we were hosting a breakfast for those still staying at the resort and instead of having less food at the end of the breakfast, I think there was more. People in the community were stopping by with baked goods for people they didn't even know," Three investigators remain at the site as they try to determine how the fire began. Morton says it will be hard to pin-point the fire's exact cause but foul play isn't suspected.

Province Offers Support & Encouragement to Staff of White Point Lodge

Economic and Rural Development and Tourism Minister Percy Paris offered support and encouragement to the staff of White Point Lodge and the surrounding community today,
(Monday, Nov. 14). The main lodge was destroyed by fire over the weekend. Paris applauded the management and staff of the resort, fire departments and volunteer firefighters and community members saying their efforts reflect the feelings people have for the lodge. He says it's an important piece of the tourism industry to the southwestern region of Nova Scotia.  Paris spoke with management and staff after touring the site with owner Robert Risley, general manager Danny Morton and MLA Vicki Conrad. He says he's encouraged by the optimism to rebuild and move on from what is a devastating loss.

Sugar & Spice

Just like a scene from a storybook, there will be over 100 decorated gingerbread men running around the village of Chester. From November 19th until Christmas Chester will once again be filled with Gingerbread houses. It's the annual Gingerbread House Competition and this year gingerbread men will complement the houses on display at various merchants and businesses throughout the Village. Festivities start with the presentation of The Gingerbread Man; The Story of “John Dough” at the Chester Playhouse, noon on Saturday, November 19th. The Grande Finale will be a Family Christmas Party hosted by St. Stephen's Church in the Parish Hall, on Sunday, December 18th, 2-4 pm, at which time the awards for the Gingerbread House Competition will be presented.  Other activities during the Festival will be a Gingerbread Bonspiel November 19th, a Tree Lighting Ceremony November 25th, children's Gingerbread House workshop December 4th and a candle or ornament-making workshop on November 20th. From November 24th through to the 27th, from 10 until 5 pm each day, there will be a Victorian Christmas Craft Sale hosted by the Heritage Society at the newly restored Lordly House.
     For additional information on Chester's Gingerbread Festival please visit the Chester Art Centre's website http://www.chesterartcentre.ca/

Shellfish Harvesting Ban Imposed

A harvesting ban on shellfish in several communities along the South Shore will remain in effect for the remainder of the week. The ban is precautionary because heavy rains on Remembrance Day may have raised bacterial levels in the water. Chief of regulations for the Maritimes region, Rick Young, says waters within three kilometres of the shoreline in Lunenburg, Queens and Digby counties are closed. Officials from Environment Canada and the Food Inspection Agency will conduct tests later this week to ensure the products are safe to eat. Young says officials from DFO have posted signage in areas where the ban applies. The biggest concern is with mussel, clam and oyster harvesting. Scallops can still be harvested.

High Liner Foods Negotiating with Icelandic Group

High Liner Foods is still in talks to complete a deal to secure Icelandic Group's assets but where those negotiations are headed is anyone's guess. High Liner was the successful bidder in a global auction last month to acquire Icelandic's US and Chinese processing and marketing assets. The company has been in exclusive talks with Icelandic ever since. The potential deal would make the Lunenburg based company the continent's biggest marketer of frozen value-added seafood products. However during a conference call last week, High Liner President and CEO Henry Demone gave no assurances that a deal would be finalized any time soon. Should High Liner succeed with the acquisition, it would double its U.S. business. The company had sales last year of $585 million with about half of that total from the United States. Canada's largest seafood processor has its head office in Lunenburg and is a major producer of shrimp, salmon and cod. It employs more than 1,000 people.

Abitibi Bowater Wants to Cut 80 Jobs at Brooklyn Paper Mill

The President of CEP Union Local 141 at Bowater Mersey says 80 jobs are on the line if the membership decides to move forward with the latest proposal from their employer at the Brooklyn Paper Mill. Courtney Wentzell says the latest offer from Abitibi Bowater was presented during a meeting last week in Montreal.  Wentzell called the concessions "huge" and says he will present the entire proposal to the membership at a meeting this evening in Liverpool. "The meeting will happen tonight at 6PM at the union hall, so we're going to present the latest offer and see what the membership want to do with it," The company has set a deadline of January 1st to come up with a management/labour plan to make the plant financially viable. The mill currently employs close to 300 people.

Investigation into White Point Beach Resort Underway

The RCMP and Fire Marshall's Office are beginning an investigation into Saturday's fire at the White Point Beach Resort. The blaze at the popular resort over the Remembrance Day long weekend destroyed the main building. Close to 100 emergency personnel worked the fire for more than 6 hours on Saturday. Sergeant Jeff Wells with the Queens RCMP told our newsroom no injuries are reported. He says officials will be working to determine the fires exact cause this week. The lodge is home to over 100 employees and was due to close in January for renovations.

More Concessions Needed From Union @ Bowater Mersey

Significant job cuts are on the table following a meeting between union officials at Bowater Mersey and their parent company Abitibi Bowater. The two side met last week in Montreal. Union President Courtney Wentzell says the membership is faced with numerous concessions including a reduction in staff. The company also wants to lower the cost of labour from $97 a tonne of paper to $80. Wentzell stated last week that the union has already made big sacrifices. Just over 170 workers have already taken a 22 per cent wage cut in the last two years to help the mill stay competitive. Other concessions are in the works. Queens and Lunenburg are considering lowering municipal taxes for Bowater facilities in each county. Premier Darrell Dexter is expected to continue dialogue with representatives from the mill, union leaders and lumber producers to figure out what can be done to keep the mill open.