Permit Denied

Bridgewater Town Council has turned down an appeal for a variance setback request for a planned development at 131 North Street. The proposed two storey, concrete, steel and glass building was to be the future home of a new Bridgewater Post Office. Mayor Carroll Publicover says council's decision was unanimous, but he hopes some other arrangement can be worked out to allow the project to proceed. He says they hope the develper goes back to the planning department saying they've revised their plan to meet the required setback requirements under the bylaws. Mayor Publicover says he's not overly concerned the developer will cancel the project saying they are smart people who know what the rules are. The town's bylaw requires a setback of 50 feet from a residential property, but the building proposed for North Street only allowed for 36 to 37 feet.

Michelin Anniversary

July 1969. Apollo 11 astronauts launch for the moon. The Beatles record "The End" and Michelin announced it was coming to North America. That year, the tire manufacturer said it would build two plants, one in Granton and one in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia. Michelin is now celebrating 40 years in the province. During the last four decades Michelin has produced millions of tires, created thousands of jobs, invested billions of dollars and announced a number of expansions, including the addition of a third facility in Waterville in 1982. As part of the celebration, Michel Rollier, managing general partner, Groupe Michelin; Francois Michelin, retired managing partner, Groupe Michelin; and Dick Wilkerson, chairman and president, Michelin North America, visited the Granton facility. There they thanked employees for their dedication and contributions to the success of the company.

Rifle Arrest

A few tense moments Friday evening ended with RCMP arresting a 23-year old Shelburne county man who is still in jail. Around 6:15, police responded to a 9-1-1 call about a man walking along McGray's Avenue in Northeast Point with a rifle. As they were responding, they were told the man had fired several shots. When the members from Barrington and Shelburne detachments showed up, the man turned and ran away from police, throwing the rifle to the ground. Police chased him down and arrested him. He's been held in custody all weekend and will be brought to court sometime today. The Mounties say they are following up on reports of threats, pointing a firearm and break and enter. A woman who was taken into custody at a nearby residence was later released. No one was injured in the incident.

Fire Loss

Cash donations are being accepted for a family of five that lost their Pleasantville home earlier this week. John and Lori Outerbridge and their three children - including a boy marking his ninth birthday - escaped the fire unharmed Thursday night but lost their belongings. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The family is staying with relatives for the time being. Donations to the family can be made at any Scotia Bank branch along the South Shore.

Political Mailboxes

The NDP member for Lunenbug West says Canada Post must make rural delivery a priority. Gary Ramey says rural mailboxes are a necessity for many seniors, people with disabilities and those living on fixed incomes, Ramey says. Canada Post needs to ensure this essential service will continue. His comments come in light of a flyer being circulated by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. The flyer says Canada Post is replacing rural mailboxes with community boxes to ensure the safety of mail carriers. Lunenburg County residents who are concerned about their mail delivery should call the Canada Post customer service line or contact South Shore-St. Margaret’s MP Gerald Keddy.

Pleasantville Fire

A family of five is staying with relatives after fire destroyed their home Thursday evening in Pleasantville, a few kilometres east of Bridgewater. A couple and three children - including a boy marking his 9th birthday - escaped unharmed, but lost their belongings. Red Cross volunteers who met with the family say relatives have provided them with a temporary place to stay. Family, friends and neighbours also organized a birthday party for the youngster within hours of the blaze. The cause of the fire, at 19 Church Road in Pleasantville, is under investigation. It's believed the home was insured. (Images from Littlemac Custom Computers & Electronics littlemac@eastlink.ca)

Queens Place Shortage

The Queens Place project is somewhat in limbo until Region of Queens Municipal Council makes some critical decisions. There's a considerable shortfall of funds for the estimated cost of the project now pegged at $25.2 million dollars. Remaining funds need to come from other sources. The federal government has confirmed that Queens Place will not be eligible for further federal support and the past provincial government declined the Region's request for a top up that would have brought their commitment closer to the one third precedent they have set with other similar facilities in the province. Commitments include $7 million from the federal government, $5 million from the province and a fundraising goal of $2 million. Council will have to make a decision on the direction of the project and its affordability. Possible options include scaling back or phasing the facility in components.

Chester Taxes

Tax rates are going up slightly in the Municipality of Chester. Warden Allan Webber says regrettably the trend of lowering the tax rate over the past four years could not be continued. Residential rates increase by 1.67 percent to 61 cents per 100 dollars of assessment. Commercial rates rise by 2.72 percent, to $1.51 up from $1.47. Council approved a 19.5 million dollar budget yesterday. Warden Webber says a number of factors came into play including the current global economic situation. One casualty of this budget is the proposed indoor swimming pool complex which has been cancelled. Webber says the project did not receive broad based public support for an expenditure of this magnitude.

Mertens Mileage

A month into their cross-Canada bike tour and a father and son from Pinehurst have made it as far as Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Bob and Tucker Mertens left on their bicycles on June 9th as they headed out to raise money and awareness for Amnesty International. The idea for the nation-wide trek came from 14-year old Tucker. He had started origami in elementary school when he heard the Japanese legend that a wish is granted to anyone who folds a thousand paper cranes. Tucker has been giving cranes away in exchange for donations on their trip - which they are paying for themselves. In an email to CKBW, the Mertens plan to check in with the radio station when they get to Winnipeg in the next week or so.

Second Fatality

There's now a second death as a result of a motorcycle collision in Oak Hill last Friday. Kenneth Emino of Bridgewater died in hospital Tuesday evening. His wife, who was a passenger on the bike is still in hospital. RCMP are still investigating the cause of the crash. A preliminary investigation shows that one motorcycle crossed the centre line and hit the other one head on. Fifty-two year old Gregory Allen Naugler of Pine Grove died at the crash site on Highway 325. His funeral service was held earlier this week.

Playground Pitch

A Bridgewater couple is hoping the town uses the vacated Visitor Information Center lot for something other than a building. A large structure, they contend, will greatly hamper the view plane from their land on Aberdeen and Elm Street. Patricia and Fazal Rahman have written council asking them to build a playground for young kids on the lot next to North Street. They write the North side of town has been grossly underserved, especially for younger children. They point out there are three fair sized playgrounds and parkspace on the opposite side of the river. And the Rahman's say the concrete slab where the building used to sit has been covered with dirt so all they would need to do is put up a fence and equipment. Also, they say more open space and recreation facilities would be welcome. The site has been vacant since the building was removed from the lot several weeks ago.

Monumental Task

In a small town, you may think that everyone knows everyone. But, in Mahone Bay with 900 residents, there is little known about the 39 soldiers whose names are on the cenotaph in the middle of town. Now, Mahone Bay is working at identifying and paying homage to the men from the community who died for Canada in the Great War, World War II and the Korean War. Mayor Joe Feeney is organizing a group to establish a Celebration of Honour for the 39 fallen soldiers. Feeney says they are hoping to publish a booklet giving information about each of the men. And he says they want to hear from people in the Mahone Bay area who may have information about the men. He adds there is some information available for the World War I veterans but less available for the World War II or Korean War soldiers. He's asking people to get in touch with him or town staff if they can help shed some light on their identities and connections to the community.

Golden Dozen

An editorial urging people to rein in the rumours about a murdered 12 year old girl has given Vernon Oickle a spot on the Golden Dozen. The award recognizes the best non-daily opinion writing in North America through the International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors. Oickle tells CKBW the Karissa Boudreau story was tough but there were things that needed to be said. This year's winners were selected from 81 entries. Hear more with Vernon and Sheldon this weekend on South Shore Sunday Morning.

Jail Time

Being involved in a home invasion has landed a Bridgewater man five years behind bars. Twenty year old Timothy Charles MacKenzie entered guilty pleas to robbery and breach of an undertaking. He was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Friday but entered the pleas instead. Mackenzie was one of three people initially charged in the invasion of a Churchill Street apartment last October 24th. Meantime there are still court appearances pending for 19 year old Matthew James Chase who is due in court July 15th, and a September trial has been scheduled for 19 year old Joshua Lamont Mosher. Charges have also been laid against three others for being parties to the crime even though they didn't enter the home. Twenty three year old Timothy Barry Stewart returns to court July 13th, while a preliminary hearing has been set for November for 23 year old Sean Andrew Ivany. A warrant has been issued for 23 year old Matthew Kevin Glavine who failed to show for an earlier court appearance.

LEED School

Wherever the new P to 9 school is located in Lunenburg, it will be LEED silver certified. LEED is a rating system used by the Green Building council of Canada to rate new buildings on their energy and environmental features. Three recommended sites approved by the South Shore Regional School Board have been sent to the Minister of Education who will who will request a formal review of the sites by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal. The School Steering Team for the new facility also reviewed the School Space Allocation Program and at it's next committee meeting will review possible amendments to the program.

Woodlot Winner

To say Rex Veinot is excited might be understating it - he says he's still walking on the ceiling. The Veinot Family, who own a 142-hectare property in Maplewood, is being recognized as Woodlot Owner's of the year. It's the second time the property has been given the honour by the Department of Natural Resources in the 20 years since the program started. Veinot says the family has been on the land since 1890. A presentation will be made to the family at their Lunenburg county farm on October 3rd.

Motorcyclist Funeral

A motorcyclist killed in an unusual and tragic accident will be laid to rest tomorrow afternoon. The funeral service for Gregory Allen Naugler is being held at St. Paul's Lutheran church in Bridgewater. The Captain with the Oakhill Volunteer Fire Department was killed when his bike hit another motorcycle on Highway 325. Two other people, a man and woman also in their 50's are still in hospital. Investigators are still at a loss to explain exactly what happened that night. The collision happened about 8:15 and the bikes were travelling towards each other when somehow Naugler's ended up crossing the centerline. Police say speed doesn't appear to have been a factor. And neither were alcohol or drugs.

History Winners

Two South Shore teenagers have been selected as the Nova Scotia delegation of 8 students to attend the 15th annual National Historica Fair in Ottawa from July 7 to 13. The National Historica Fair will bring together 100 students from across Canada for a week of learning and adventure that includes a public display of their history projects on Thursday, July 9th, at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. Fifteen year old Jean Clarke, , from Lunenburg,has a project entitled Fisherman’s Suits, while 14 year old Haleigh Atwood from Shelburne will be there with a project entitled New France: The Electric City. The 100 National Fair delegates were selected from among the over 250,000 students in more than 1,000 communities who participated in local and Regional Historica Fairs in April and May.

Bike Collision

Questions still remain about what exactly happened to cause a head-on crash between two motorcycles that killed a Lunenburg County man. The accident happened on Friday night on Highway 325 in Oak Hill, just outside Bridgewater. R-C-M-P say a preliminary investigation shows that one motorcycle crossed the centre line and hit the other one. The driver of the motorcycle that crossed over -- a Lunenburg County man in his 50s -- was pronounced dead in South Shore Regional Hospital. He has been identified as Gregory Naugler of Pine Grove. The male driver of the other bike and a female passenger were injured. Their names have not been released yet.

Found Kids

It was a frantic five hours for an Ohio family visiting the south shore. But it ended with the nine-year old boy and five year old girl being reunited with their overjoyed family last evening. Lunenburg county RCMP say the family had just arrived in Rhodes Corner and were visiting with relatives when the kids wandered off from the back yard. They were last seen around 3:30 yesterday afternoon. Family and neighbours spent several hours looking for them before they called the RCMP. That was just before six last evening. A huge effort went into action with RCMP, a police service dog, members of the Lunenburg County Ground Search and Rescue team, Natural Resources workers and a D-N-R helicopter all responded. The kids were found before dark. They were found walking on a woods road about a half a kilometer from the Lunenburg County home. Both the boy and girl were in good condition when they were reunited with their parents just after 8:30 last night.