Crews Douse White Point Lodge Fire

No one was injured after a chimney fire broke out at White Point's main lodge. The blaze began just before 6pm Tuesday evening. Fire Officials from Liverpool and Greenfield responded to the call. The building was evacuated for over an hour before the blaze was doused. Spokesperson Donna Hatt says the fire didn't cause any structural damage to the lodge. The cause is not yet known. The lodge was rebuilt in 2012 after fire destroyed the previous building in November 2011.

RCMP Release Photo Of Hubbards Robbery Suspect

Mounties are following leads after a woman held up a pharmacy using a syringe. In an update Tuesday afternoon, RCMP say a suspect was released after she was taken in custody for questioning. Sergeant Al Leblanc confirmed the arrest in an email but no charges were laid. The incident took place Sunday afternoon at the Hubbards Pharmacy. In a media release, police say a woman walked into the drug store and demanded prescription pills. An employee at the pharmacy cooperated and was not injured. Mounties say the woman is about 5'3 with blonde hair and has a tattoo on her right arm.

Business Group Focuses On Attracting Companies To Region

A new group is focusing on growing the level of business activity in the region. The South Shore Business Growth Association is concentrating on regional economic development in Lunenburg and Queens Counties. The association is trying to fill a gap since the local development agency ceased operation in March. CEO Andrew Button says the group was created to attract more businesses to the area.



Button points to resources including 'Why Here', a website featuring a business map, video testimonials and information on the region that can help attract new businesses to the South Shore. He urges businesses to list their information on the website's map because it could help grow the economy.

South Shore Rugby Players Crack Team N.S.

Three South Shore athletes have been selected to represent the province at the Canadian National Rugby Festival in Vancouver, B.C., from August 7-12.  Seventeen-year-olds Renee Taylor and Naomi McKay, both Park View Panther players, will join the roster of the under-18 women's team. Both women played integral roles in earning a gold medal at the Canadian Eastern Rugby Championships in St. John's, NL last month. This will be their first experience on the national stage. Eighteen-year-old Nate Baker of Pentz has been named to the under-18 men's team. It's his third year playing for the National squad. The B.C. Rugby Union will be hosting the event at the University of British Columbia.

LCLC: Opening On Separate Dates

The opening of the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre will happen on three different dates. General Manager Kevin Benjamin says they're expecting the arena will open in September, with the library hopeful for October and aquatic centre in November. He says the separate openings are due to a number of items that have taken longer than anticipated to complete. Benjamin says he doesn't expect the issue to cause any problems to the 2013-14 budget.



The issues will cause the Lumberjacks hockey club to start training camp in Liverpool for two days this month before coming back to Bridgewater to resume camp at the Memorial Arena.

Whalen Sets N.S. Javelin Record

Another record set by Liverpool's Chelsea Whalen. The 20-year-old established a new Nova Scotia Senior women's javelin record over the weekend in Port Williams with a throw of 52.08 meters. With the throw, Whalen also climbed to number two all-time at Florida State University in javelin. She also finished first in the shot put with a throw of 15.40 metres. Whalen is off to the Canada Games to represent Nova Scotia in the shot put and javelin in Sherbrooke, Quebec. She starts competing next Monday.

Tuesday: Lunenburg ER Closures Continue

There have been several overnight closures through the weekend of the ER at Fishermen's Memorial Hospital in Lunenburg.  The closures are continuing today (Tuesday) at 5pm until Thursday morning at 7:30am. South Shore Health says a recent resignation of an ER nurse and a maternity leave have complicated scheduling. Progressive Conservative health critic, Chris d'Entremont of Argyle, says the government is trying to show it has improved ER care at Fishermen's, Roseway and elsewhere.



d'Entremont is calling upon the government to come up with a more attractive incentive plan to encourage trained ER doctors and nurses to settle in rural communites.

Chester: Province Declines Funding After Bowater Closure

The province is saying 'no' to a funding request from the Municipality of Chester. Warden Allen Webber sent a letter to the minister of economic and rural development and tourism asking for additional funding following the Bowater closure. The minister responds in a letter, saying they provided funding to the Region of Queens and Municipality of Lunenburg to support economic transition in the entire region. The letter from Graham Steele also notes those two municipalities were the hardest hit by the closure. Webber doesn't agree with the decision.



Webber says the letter indicates sharing resources between the local municipalities, but he's received no correspondence as of yet.

RCMP Search For Hubbards Robbery Suspect

RCMP are on the lookout for a woman who allegedly held up a Lunenburg County drugstore. Police say the Hubbards Pharmasave was robbed around 1:45 Sunday afternoon. The Mounties say the woman was holding a syringe and demanded a quantity of prescription pills. The woman then fled the store on foot carrying a red and white grocery bag. No one was injured. The suspect is described as a white female, approximately five foot, three inches tall with blonde shoulder length hair and a tattoo on her right forearm. She was wearing sunglasses, a camouflage ball cap, green printed t-shirt, black yoga pants and black sandals. Anyone with information is asked to contact RCMP.

Man In Hospital After Highway Crash In Hebbs Cross

A man is in hospital after a motorcycle collided with a car on Highway 103. RCMP say the incident occurred around 11:50 this morning near the Ultramar gas station in Hebbs Cross. Corporal Scott MacRae says the driver of the motorcycle was taken to hospital by EHS with undetermined injuries. The driver of the car was not injured. MacRae says there was a traffic slowdown on Highway 103 for roughly an hour and a half.

Greenfield: Man, Woman Safe After Boat Capsizes

A man and a woman are safe after their vessel capsized while boating in Greenfield. RCMP were called to Little Ponhook Lake around 6:25pm Saturday night. Constable Rick Ellens says the two people were thrown in the water when they're boat overturned, but were rescued quickly by another nearby vessel. Police say they were brought back to their nearby cabin and were in good condition. Greenfield Fire Department responded to the incident while the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax was listed on standby. Fire crews with Bridgewater and Northfield were also paged for boats but were cancelled.

Argyle Men Face Drug Trafficking Charges

Two Argyle men will appear in court this fall on drug trafficking charges. RCMP members from Shelburne and Yarmouth searched a home on Argyle Sound Road around 9pm Friday night. Police seized 53 ecstasy capsules, 10 grams of cocaine and other drug-related materials. The men, ages 20 and 23, were arrested but have since been released. They have been charged with possession for the purpose and breach of an undertaking. The men will appear in Yarmouth provincial court November 5th.

Fire Destroys Abandoned Home In Milton

Fire has completely destroyed a home on Tupper Street in Milton. Crews from four departments including Liverpool, Greenfield, Port Medway and North Queens responded to the call around 6:45 Friday evening. RCMP and the fire marshal were also called to the scene. Constable Rick Ellens says the home was abandoned and didn't have power. He says there were no injuries and the cause is undetermined. Police say the home was scheduled to be demolished and there will be no further investigation.

Nowe Wraps Up Play At National Junior Golf Event

Bridgewater's Ryan Nowe finished in a tie for 44th at the Canadian Junior Boys Golf Championship. The 17-year-old wrapped up his tournament with a three over-par, 75, Friday to finish at 12-over in total. Nowe finished one stroke behind Bedford's Bruce Tomie as top Nova Scotian in the event. He will now represent the province at the Canada Summer Games in Sherbrooke, Quebec. British Columbia's Kevin Kwon shot a three under-par, 69, on route to a five shot victory. Kwon won the event for the second time in three years after winning the title in 2011.

School Board Workers Ratify Tentative Agreement

CUPE workers with two local school boards have ratified a tentative agreement reached earlier this summer. The South Shore and Tri-County Regional School Boards are among six districts that agree with the three-year deal settled on June 21. The deal, retroactive to April 1, 2012, includes yearly wage increases of two, 2.5 and three percent. It also includes adjustments to wages for some classifications including lunch supervisors and trades people, and a process to look at a defined benefit pension plan. CUPE School Board coordinator Kathy MacLeod says they are pleased that the majority of members were able to settle contracts before school returns in the fall. Members at the Chignecto Regional School Board initially voted against the deal, and will hold a re-vote in September.

Chester: Brush Cutting Needed Along Highway 329

The amount of brush around Deep Cove along Highway 329 is cause for concern for at least one municipal councillor in Chester. Andre Veinotte sent a letter to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal requesting brush to be cut along the highway in order to see Deep Cove. The request was met with no guarantees from the department, saying they have to prioritize work with over 2,500 kilometres of roadway in Lunenburg and Queens Counties. Veinotte says he's not surprised by the response.



Veinotte says it's a recreational issue as the area is used for fireworks, fishing and other activities but is being obscured by the brush. He says he will try and get permits to clear the brush and seek volunteer help from local fire departments.

Service Held For Long-Time Lunenburg Politician

A memorial service will happen today for long-time Lunenburg politician David Dauphinee. He passed away last Sunday at South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater. Dauphinee spent 30 years on council including 17 as deputy mayor. Mayor Rachel Bailey says Dauphinee is an inspiration.



People can honour Dauphinee by providing memorial donations to the Lunenburg Arena or Bridgewater's Kinsmen Field. The service gets underway at 11am at St. John's Anglican Church.

Weekend ER Closures At Lunenburg Hospital

Several closures are planned through the weekend and into next week for the Emergency Department at Fishermen's Memorial Hospital in Lunenburg.  The closures begin today at 5 pm with the ER re-opening at 7:30 Saturday morning.  The Fishermen's ER will be closed for the same time periods on August 3, 4, 5 and 6 with the closure on Tuesday the 6th lasting until 730am August 8 (Thursday).  South Shore Health's Director of Acute Care Lynn Farrell says the closures are a result of a nursing shortage.  She says it really began in June with a sudden resignation.



As usual, anyone requiring emergency services is advised to call 911 or visit the South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater.  Patients with "non-emergencies" should contact their family physician or call Health Link 811 for medical advice.

Here again is list of the closures with dates and times:

          August 2 at 5:00 p.m. (1700) and will reopen at 7:30 a.m. (0730) Aug 3/13.

          August 3 at 5:00 p.m. (1700)and will reopen at 7:30 a.m. (0730) Aug 4/13

          August 4 at 5:00 p.m. (1700) and will reopen at 7:30 a.m. (0730) Aug 5/13

          August 5 at 5:00 p.m. (1700) and will reopen at 7:30 a.m. (0730) Aug 6/13

          August 6 at 5:00 p.m. (1700) and will reopen - please note - at 7:30 a.m. (0730) Aug 8/13

South Shore Gasoline Costs Less!

As expected, gasoline prices are lower this morning at South Shore pumps.  Regular self serve is down by about 2 cents to $1.35.8 per litre.  High test is lower in price by a similar amount to $1.44.8.  Diesel is also down by a couple of cents this morning to $1.32.8 a litre.

South Shore Athletes Ready For Canada Summer Games

A number of young men and women are in Sherbrooke, Quebec preparing to compete in the Canada Summer Games. Fourteen athletes from Lunenburg County are taking part in the national event, which opens Friday and runs until August 17. Participating athletes in track and field include Bridgewater's Rachael McIntosh in Heptathlon, Lunenburg's Jesse Drennan in Decathlon, Mattias Wolter of Conquerall Mills in steeplechase, Bridgewater's Courtney Langille will run in the women's 4x400 metre relay and Chelsea Whalen of Liverpool will also compete in javelin and shotput. In soccer, Hunter Vaszily of Mahone Bay, Lunenburg's Nick Tanner, Bridgewater's Mallory Taylor and Sarah Taylor of Conquerall Mills will represent the province. Chester's Allison Chandler will play golf along with Bridgewater's Ryan Nowe. Chandler will also play tennis. Lunenburg's Mitch MacDonald will cycle, Hebbville's Claire McNally will compete in para-swimming, Bridgewater's Jamie Whynot in baseball, and Bridgewater's Olivia Pitman in women's volleyball.