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.