UPDATE (12:30PM): South Shore Power Outage(s)

Power is now restored in the area from Liverpool to Camperdown. About 4-thousand homes and businesses lost power for an hour or so around 6 o'clock this morning. NSP says the problem was caused by a power transmission line interuption.
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The power is still off  for several hundred people in Yarmouth and Pubnico. NSP hopes to have power restored by 2 o'clock this afternoon.
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Here is NSP's list of areas affected:

Pubnico

Tusket, Tusket Falls, Raynarton, South & North Belleville, Springhaven, East Canaan, Quinan, along Hwy #308 to Maple Lodge, Kedgeshook Lane, Hubbards Pt, Amirault's Hill, Morris Island, Surette's Island and surrounding areas

Mustangs Fall To Titans

The Halifax Titans scored four unanswered goals to defeat the South Shore Mustangs 4-1 last night in Bridgewater. Riley Donaldson scored the lone goal for the Mustangs while Cole Skinner stopped 29 shots in the loss. Head Coach Grant Johnston says they struggled to find the back of the net.


Roughly 300 people showed up for the 'Pink in the Rink' game, to help raise money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. It's the third loss in a row for the Mustangs, who are back on the ice this weekend in PEI for a pair of inter-league games against Charlottetown and Cornwall.

UPDATE: Wind & Rain All That Remains Of "Sandy"

It's been a relatively quiet night weather wise for much of the South Shore. According to Nova Scotia Power's outage map and their twitter feed, there are no power outages to report as of 10 o'clock on Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Nova Scotia's Emergency Management Organization is also reporting a quiet night thus far in relation to tropical storm "Sandy". Residents in Cape Sable Island, Yarmouth and Lockeport told CKBW/HANK FM via our Facebook page that thundershowers had passed through the area but they didn't lose their power. Others living in Chelsea, Bridgewater, Liverpool, Shelburne told us their power flickered but their lights are still on at their homes. The Tancook ferry services was halted due to high winds on Monday. No word on when the service will resume. Meanwhile, Bay Ferries Limited cancelled it's Digby-St. John trip earlier today. Passengers are being asked to call in advance to check on future runs for Wednesday and Thursday.

Math Change Makes Sense To New Board Member

A newly-elected member of the South Shore Regional School Board believes increasing time students spend on math is a good decision. The province's education minister has announced Grade 10 students will spend twice as much time sharpening their math skills when they go to a full-year course in 2013. Students will receive 220 hours to study math in the classroom, up from 110 hours currently offered under the semestered system. The changes also include a beefed-up math curriculum to include lessons on how to keep a budget and calculate interest. Jennifer Naugler says the changes make sense.



The new curriculum will be phased in over three years, starting in September with grades primary to three and grade 10.

Momentum Builds For Chester-Based Health Centre

Fundraising efforts are underway to bring a collaborative health care facility to Chester. "Our Health Centre" will be built near Shoreham Village and feature six doctor's offices, examining rooms and a blood donor clinic. Spokesperson Jim Pattillo says the health centre will be funded, built and maintained by the community.  He says the fundraising committee has set a goal to raise nearly six million dollars for the OHC over the next 15 months.



"Our Health Centre" will be a multi-use facility and provide primary health care to a population of 15,000 in Chester, Hubbards and Tancook Island. Pattillo is hopeful the doors to the health centre will be open in 2014.

One Crewmember Dead, Captain Missing In Bounty Tragedy

HMS Bounty Capt, Robin Walbridge

A search is underway for missing ship captain, Robin Walbridge, off the coast of North Carolina. A woman who was rescued in the Atlantic after abandoning the vessel in rough weather yesterday churned up by Hurricane Sandy has died. Ironically, crew member Claudeen Christian was a descendent of Fletcher Christian, the mastermind behind the real-life mutiny on the original Bounty in 1789. 14 other crew members were rescued from their lifeboats by the US Coast Guard. Meanwhile, a retired shipbuilder who worked on construction of HMS Bounty at the former Smith & Rhuland yard in Lunenburg in 1960 says the vessel's sinking and loss of two crew members is a great tragedy. 76 year-old Gerald Zwicker says he and other workers are saddened by the event.



The replica of the orginal HMS Bounty was built for the 1962 MGM movie "Mutiny On The Bounty". Historians estimate ... about 45 people worked on her construction on the Lunenburg waterfront. The Bounty became a regular visitor to Lunenburg over the years and stopped off for a weekend visit in early August.

South Shore: No Major Power Outages

No major power outages on the South Shore after last night's strong wind and rain. Scattered outages affected a few hundred residents in Chester, Yarmouth and Liverpool. The longest occurred in the Liverpool area and spanned just over three hours. Meanwhile, firefighters in Mahone Bay were able to contain a small fire on a power pole near the government wharf. Officials say a transformer caught fire around 10 o'clock last night but it was quickly contained. The brunt of Superstorm Sandy is expected to reach the region later this evening and bring upwards of 50 millimetres of rain to Shelburne, Queens and Yarmouth counties. Lesser amounts are expected for Lunenburg County.

Region Of Queens Swearing-In New Council

Newly-elected members for the Region of Queens will be sworn-in tonight. Christopher Clarke will replace John Leefe as the new mayor, after winning this month's election over David Dagley, Owen Hamlin and Mervin Hartlen. Other members being sworn-in include Brian Fralic for District 3, Susan MacLeod for District 4, Jack Fancy in District 5 and Raymond Fiske in District Six. Darlene Norman, Bruce Inglis and Peter Waterman round out the council. The ceremony gets underway this evening at 7:30 in the community room at Queens Place Emera Centre.

Charges Expected After Car Slams School Bus

Charges are expected after a car slammed into a school bus in Conqueral Bank. The collision occurred on Highway 331 shortly after 4 o'clock on Monday afternoon. In a release, Bridgewater Police say a car crossed the centre line and side-swipped the bus causing significant damage to both vehicles. The driver and passenger in the vehicle were taken to the South Shore Regional Hospital with various injuries. No other injuries were reported.

Mustangs Host 'Pink in the Rink'

The South Shore Mustangs will be sporting some pink when they hit the ice in Bridgewater Tuesday night. The local major midget hockey club is hosting 'pink in the rink' tomorrow evening in support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. It's also minor hockey night; all players who wear their jersey get in free. The Mustangs will face Halifax, trying to snap a two game skid. Puck drop is 7:30 in Bridgewater.

DOT: Expect Ferry Service Disruptions

The department of transportation has issued a province-wide notice regarding ferry service. The department indicates provincial ferry services are expected to be impacted by Hurricane Sandy. In a release, DOT says the Tancook ferry has already been halted. Because of expected strong winds and severe marine conditions, people who use Nova Scotia's ferries are advised to monitor the province's emergency road condition phone service at 511 for possible service suspensions.

 

 

Nova Scotia Power Prepares For Sandy

Nova Scotia Power crews are on standby in the event of power outages related to Hurricane Sandy. Spokeswoman Neera Ritcey says the company is closely monitoring the weather system as it approaches the Maritimes. She says crews will be ready to act quickly in the event of power outages. Ritcey says strong winds are the biggest concern linked to the storm.



Environment Canada is forecasting strong winds later today and into Tuesday with gusts exceeding 70 km/h for much of the South Shore and Tri-County area. Ritcey is encouraging residents to report power outages as they occur. She says the company will provide updates on its web site and twitter feed.

Emergency Officials Bracing For Hurricane Sandy

Local emergency management officials are gearing up for remnants of Hurricane Sandy. The Category One storm is expected to sweep into Canada tonight with winds gusting to 100 kilometres an hour and driving rains or snow. Locally, the South Shore is getting plenty of wind and rain over the next few days. Emergency Management coordinator for the town and municipality of Shelburne and town of Lockeport, Don Bower, says residents should expect the worst but hope for the best.



Meanwhile, the most recent forecast is projecting 35-50mm of rain in Shelburne County and Yarmouth, with wind gusts up to 80km/h for tonight and Tuesday. Bower says people should have enough have food and water to last 72 hours. He says they will have a number of people in the area in case emergencies occur. Meanwhile, Yarmouth's EMO is watching the storm carefully and says people should be prepared for power outages.

Update: Famous Lunenburg-Built Vessel Sinks/2 Crew Missing

HMS Bounty

The U.S. Coast Guard has rescued 14 members of the crew forced to abandon the tall ship HMS Bounty caught in high seas created by Hurricane Sandy off the coast of North Carolina.
The Coast Guard is searching for two other crew members and has corrected the total number of crew to 16 from 17. The vessel itself has sunk. HMS Bounty was built in Lunenburg in 1960, before Bluenose Two, for use in the 1962 movie "Mutiny on the Bounty". It left Connecticut last week bound for Florida. The vessel was a frequent visitor to the port of Lunenburg over the years and Mayor Laurence Mawhinney says today's loss of the Bounty is a tragedy.



The crew had apparently been in constant contact with the National Hurricane Center before today's sinking and tried to go around the storm.

South Shore Residents Should Prepare for Sandy

A senior forecaster says Nova Scotian's should prepare for high winds and heavy rain as a result of Hurricane Sandy. The late season hurricane is expected to reach the Maritimes late on Monday. The Canadian Hurricane Centre's Bob Robichaud says Maritimer's in general should be prepared for the possibility of power outages and storm surges in coastal communities. He says residents of Yarmouth and Tri-County area can expect the storm to begin with high winds and rain. It is still not know what the overall impact of Sandy will be for the South Shore. However, Robichaud is warning residents to be prepared. Meanwhile, Nova Scotia Power says they will have crews on standby in case of outages but the company isn't doing anything out of the ordinary in advance of the storm. The Canadian Red Cross issued a statement on Sunday urging people to prepare by stocking up on supplies like food, water, batteries, flashlights and a first aid kit. Hurricane Sandy could down trees and power lines and cause flooding. It is suggested a person have  enough supplies to last in an emergency for at least 72 hours. 

South Shore: 30 Diamond Jubilee Medals Awarded

South Shore MP Gerald Keddy presented 30 residents of the region with Queens Diamond Jubilee Medals in a cermony on Saturday. The jubilee medal is a commemorative item created to mark the 2012 celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the Throne as Queen of Canada.






Recipients of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal:

Note: All medal recipients listed below were nominated by their colleagues, friends or a family member(s).


Lunenburg County Medal Recipients:

• Collin Nickerson, Mahone Bay, NS;
•  Jim McCorry, Bridgewater, NS;
•  Ken George, Bridgewater, NS;
• Carol Nauss, Chester, NS;
• Dr. Alberta Pew Baker, Chester, NS;
• Dr. Heather MacKinnon, Chester, NS;
• Gerald (Wayne) Rock, Middle Cornwall, NS;
• Ron Seney, New Germany, NS;
• Gerald Davis, New Ross, NS;
• Verne Lunan, Upper LaHave, NS;
• Dan Hennessey, Newcombville, NS;
• Mervyn Joudrey, Blockhouse, NS;
• Peter Matthews, Lunenburg, NS;
• Garry Zwicker, Chester, NS;
• Franklyn Dauphinee, West Northfield, NS;
• John Sawler, Wileville, NS;
• Virginia Selig, Newcombville, NS.

 

Shelburne County Medal Recipients:

• Allen Brannen, Barrington, NS;
• John Brannen, Barrington, NS;
• Emily Rose, Barrington Passage, NS;
• Charles (Edgar) Holmes, Shelburne, NS;
• Everett Cromwell, Birchtown, NS;
• Pat Nickerson, Beaverdam, NS;
• Cyril Meagher, Lockeport, NS.

 

Queens County Medal Recipients:

• John Leefe, Liverpool, NS;
• Lawrence Truelove, Milton, NS;
• Vernon Oickle, Liverpool, NS.

 

Halifax Regional Municipality Medal Recipients:

• Dr. Oscar Wong, Glen Margaret, NS;
• Dr. Francis Bail, French Village, NS;
• Beth McGee, Seabright, NS.

UaRB Approves South Shore Bus Service Takeover

The proposed new operator for a bus service travelling from Yarmouth to Halifax calls it a step in the right direction. The province's Utility and Review Board has given their nod of approval to Bernie's Shuttle Service to take over the run from Trius Tours. Trius was looking to abandon their service as a result of Acadian Lines decision to halt their operations as of the end of November. Now, owner Bernie Melanson says the real work goes into getting an application ready for the UaRB to approve a 21-passenger vehicle to replace Trius. Melanson says he's working hard to get things finalized, but it takes time.



Trius has agreed to keep operating the route until December 31. Melanson says he's heard some concern from the public regarding cost and service. However, he anticipates things will remain status quo with the take over. Melanson hopes to get UaRB approval and take over the service before that date.

VIDEO: SMART Program Launched In Bridgewater

A program expected to benefit companies and residents was announced this morning in Bridgewater. The Nova Scotia government is investing $3.5-million into the START program. The program is expected to connect residents looking for work, with employers willing to give them the jobs, experience and training they need. Labour Minister Marilyn More says eligibility for the program includes being unemployed, a Nova Scotia resident and able to work in Canada. She says the flexibility should be a benefit for employers and workers.



More says employers will be offered financial incentives to ease the cost of hiring a new employee, as well as training and wages. For more information about the program and how to apply, visit http://business.novascotia.ca/en/home/default.aspx . Below, Minister More talks about the program in detail.

Bambi Beware! Here Come The Hunters In Force!

South Shore hunters are all fired up and ready as many head out to their favourite hunting spots. The province's deer hunting season kicks off today and runs until December 8th. The Natural Resources Department says hunters with a valid licence and deer stamp can take one deer of either gender in zones 102, 105 and 107. Officials say a limited number of antler-less deer can be taken in the remaining mainland zones. Hunters are also required to submit reports that include an estimate of the deer population in their area to assist the department with its deer management.

Another South Shore Gas Pump Surprise!

The price of regular gasoline at South Shore pumps has dropped 9 cents in two days. Today, regular self serve is down in price again, selling for $1.20.9. Thats almost 5.5 cents less than yesterday after Wednesday night's cut by the URB when the price also dropped then by about 5 cents. A nice surprise for trucks or cars with diesel engines. Diesel gas is also down in price after being on the rise for several weeks.
Diesel is selling today for $1.34.6 a litre. Thats almost 5.5 cents less than yesterday.