Chester Basin: Homicide Investigation Underway

A suspicious death in Chester Basin is being deemed a homicide. The body of a 57 year-old woman was found at a home on the Borgels Point Road on Friday morning. Police remained at the crime scene on Saturday collecting evidence towards their investigation. The woman's name has not been released. Police say her body has been taken to Halifax for an autopsy that will be conducted this week. Anyone who may have noticed any suspicious or unusual activity in the Chester Basin area on Thursday afternoon or evening is being asked to contact police.

Power Outage: Town of Lunenburg

Resdents of Victoria Road will be without power for three hours on Sunday morning. Power will be off from 6AM until 9AM. The Town of Lunenburg electric utility has been contacting affected customers. No word on the reason for the outage.

MODL names Joudrey volunteer for awards ceremony

The Municipality of Lunenburg has named its representative for a provincial volunteer awards ceremony in Halifax. Mervyn Joudrey has been an active member of the Blockhouse and District Fire Department for 50 years. He also volunteers with St. John's Evangelical Church and has taken responsibility for the upkeep and maintenance of the heritage buildings and assists in worship leadership. Joudrey will represent the municipality at the awards in April.

Division-3 basketball provincials start in Shelburne County

Three local teams are among eight competing in Shelburne and Barrington this weekend for the division-3 basketball title. New Germany, Shelburne and St. Mary's Bay will go up against teams from Halifax Grammar, Ecole de Carrefour and Hants North. The tournament winner will be crowned division-3 provincial champions.


NSSAF Division 3 Boys Basketball Championships

Games held at Shelburne Regional High School Gym and Barrington Municipal High School Gym



Saturday, March 3

Game 1 9:00 AM St. Mary’s Bay (4) v. New Germany (5) Shelburne Gym
Game 2 9:00 AM Antigonish East (3) v. Hants North (6) Barrington Gym
Game 3 11:00 AM Shelburne (2) v. Carrefour (7) Shelburne Gym
Game 4 11:00 AM Halifax Grammar (1) v. SAERC (8) Barrington Gym
Game 5 2:30 PM Loser (2 v. 7) v. Loser (3 v. 6) Shelburne Gym
Game 6 2:30 PM Loser (1 v. 8) v. Loser (4 v. 5) Barrington Gym
Opening Ceremonies 5:30 PM Opening Ceremonies         Shelburne Gym
Game 7 6:30 PM   Winner (2 v. 7) v. Winner (3 v. 6) Semi-Final Shelburne Gym
Game 8 8:30 PM Winner (1 v. 8) v. Winner (4 v. 5) Semi-Final Shelburne Gym

Sunday, March 4

Game 9 9:00 AM Losers Game 5 v. Loser Game 6 Shelburne Gym
Game 10         11:00 AM Winner Game 5 v. Winner game 6 Shelburne Gym
Game 11 1:00 PM Loser Game 7 v. Loser Game 8 Shelburne Gym
   (Bronze Medal Game)

Game 12 3:00 PM Winner Game 7 v. Winner Game 8 Shelburne Gym
               (Championship)

Court: Eisnor Breaks Down on Witness Stand

The judge overseeing a hearing to determine whether or not a New Germany man is fit to stand trial on a charge of first degree murder will issue a decision next month. A two day fitness hearing for 49 year-old Wayne Paul Eisnor concluded this afternoon in Bridgewater Provincial Court. Eisnor is accused of shooting his wife in a Barss Corner grocery store parking lot in June of 2010 before turning the gun on himself. He suffered significant brain damage as a result and told court this morning he recalls parts of his recovery but doesn't remember the shooting. He was found unfit to stand trial in October 2010 because of a mental impairment caused by the self-inflicted gunshot wound. Hoever, Crown Prosecutor Alonzo Wright argues Eisnor's condition has improved significantly and is fit to stand trial for murdering his wife. Eisnor broke down a number times on the witness stand when asked questions about his son and daughter.  Judge Gregory Lenehan will issue his decision on April 3rd.

Woman found dead in Chester Basin

A 57-year-old woman has been found dead in Chester Basin. RCMP and EHS received a call just after 9am Friday morning from a home on Borgels Point Road. Staff Sgt. Bruce Hill says its too early to indicate what happened.

"Just at this point, we're investigating the circumstances surrounding her death. Our major crime unit has been called to the scene along with our identification section. We're currently in the preliminary stages of our investigation, so we can't release much at this time."

 Hill says they are trying to determine what activity happened before a phone call was made to police. He says community members shouldn't worry about any other incidents occurring.

Mayor of District of Queens Not Re-Offering

He's been involved in South Shore politics for nearly 4 decades but now, John Leefe says its time to go. The Mayor of the District of Queens tells us he will not reoffer for another term when municipal elections are held this October. The mayor says he decided some time ago its time for fresh ideas and younger blood at the helm. He says he's been warned though not to use an over-used term to explain why he's leaving.

"Nancy (my wife) told me sometime ago that if at my age and after 35 years, if I told people I was leaving public life to spend more time with my family, she would kill me! Seriously though, its just time, time for both of us personally to move on and its time for fresh faces to come along and move us into the future."

Leefe was a member of the provincial legislature for 20 years representing Queens and was a cabinet minister in several portfolios in the government of former premier John Buchanan. He served on the province's Executive Council as Minister of Fisheries from 1983 to 1989, Minister of the Environment from 1989 to 1992 and Minister of Natural Resources from 1992 to 1993. Leefe also served as government house leader in 1991. He was elected Mayor of the District of Queens in 2000 and re-elected in 2004 and 2008. In 2010 he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities. He has served on the National and Provincial Round Tables on the Environment and Economy and in 2011 was appointed to the Nova Scotia Round Table on the Environment and Sustainable Prosperity. In 2002 he was granted the degree of Doctor of Civil Law by the University of King's College. He is also an author and a former school teacher.

Eisnor Hearing Resumes in Bridgewater

A hearing to determine whether or not a New Germany man is mentally fit to stand trial resumes this morning in Bridgewater. Forty-nine year old Wayne Paul Eisnor is facing a first degree murder charge in the shooting death of his wife Tina Eisnor in June of 2010. Eisnor then turned the gun on himself and suffered serious brain damage as a result. His son, 21 year-old Devin told reporters outside the courtroom that its been a difficult eighteen months for the family. "It's been stressful, we're staying strong together. Everyday you wake up hoping to see her, but you realize it's not going to happen. I got to spend 20 years with her and they were the best years of my life...so you just hold on to the good memories and block the bad ones out," Eisnor was initially deemed unfit to stand trial for murdering his wife, but the Nova Scotia Criminal Review Board ruled last year that he has improved significantly with treatment and is fit to stand trial. He remains in the East Coast Forensic Hospital in Dartmouth, pending a decision by the court.

BDA shows off new pole banners

One of 16 new banners

New banners portraying Bridgewater's past and present will soon grace the town. Council agreed to give the Bridgewater Development Association $1,400 to help the group install, take down and re-install 16 banners in the community. Barb Thompson with the BDA's Riverfront Renaissance Action Team says the banners will serve many purposes.

"So, our goal here was to provide a banner that was exciting, that was fun, that was interesting, that the community would be proud of, excited about, be pleased to show off to their visitors and at the same time, for us, would help educate the community a little bit about their heritage."

Some of the banners display images of Acadia gas engines, a lumberjack and the town's fire department band. Mayor Carroll Publicover says the banners will be a splash of colour and excitement for the downtown core. The 16 banners are expected to be installed in the spring and removed in the fall.

Lumberjacks hand out hardware

Lumberjack players left to right: Mitch Hennebury, Michael Crawley, Jake Bullen, Billy Clarke and Cody Coffin with their awards Thursday night at the teams awards banquet at the Bridgewater Days Inn. (photo courtesy Marci Hirtle)

The CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks have named Jake Bullen their most valuable player for 2011-12. The captain tied Michael Crawley for most goals with 33 and was second in points. Bullen says it means a lot to be the MVP.

"It's a great honour, especially when you see some of the names, (Matt) Stoddart was on it last year, so it feels good to have my name there next to him because he was a great player as well, and it's just a great feeling."

Bullen along with Nick Gouthro have finished their junior 'A' careers because they are both over the age limit. Meanwhile, Crawley took home top scorer honours at the clubs awards banquet Thursday night at the Bridgewater Days Inn. Crawley says he wasn't expecting the year he had.

"I was surprised on how much I found the back of the net this year because I normally struggle, but it was nice to finally get that off my back and I hope I can do the exact same, if not better next year."

Crawley finished with 78 points to lead the Jacks in scoring. Other winners were Cody Coffin for the 100% award, Mitch Hennebury for top defenseman, Billy Clarke for rookie of the year and Roland Provencal for most improved.

Lunenburg Residents Oppose Apartment Complex

A proposed six unit apartment project within the Town of Lunenburg is making some residents of the area uncomfortable. A private developer has submitted an application to enter into a development agreement with the town for the project on Green Street. However, neighbouring residents don't feel the project is a proper fit for the location. "It's an area of town where there are some very nice homes and I don't think anyone was thinking this was going to be an area of town that would host multi-family dwellings most of the units would be single family dwellings and that seems to be the main concern," Mayor Laurence Mawhinney says instead of turning down the proposal, council will look at hosting a public information meeting to clear the air. Mawhinney says he's received a dozen emails from residents opposed to the project - in addition to a few phone calls. He says a public meeting would clear the air and give both sides a chance to have their say, however, a date has yet to be identified.

Town upset over new RCMP contract with province

The town of Bridgewater isn't pleased with a new 20-year contract between the RCMP and the province. Under the Provincial Police Service Agreement, the province retains a 70/30 cost-share agreement for municipalities. Mayor Carroll Publicover says its a form of discrimination because Bridgewater is paying more money for RCMP service. He says something has to be done.

"We're paying our 100% which is closing in on $4-million, plus 30% subsidy to the units that are getting the 70/30 deal is coming from income tax which we're contributing to, so we're really paying and we want that to stop."

Publicover intends to write a letter to the province asking for the town's 30 per cent.

Conservatives Ready To Tackle Government On Numerous Issues

The sluggish economy, job losses in rural areas and the deficit.
Those will be the focus of attention for Progressive Conservatives when the legislature resumes later this month. Leader Jamie Baillie tells us, even the Yarmouth ferry is still a sore point for most businesses along the South Shore. He says: "My favourite piece of wisdom on the Yarmouth ferry is from a person I met in Liverpool who said, 'you know it really isn't the Yarmouth ferry .. its the Nova Scotia ferry and it just happened to dock in Yarmouth'. Its such an important piece of our tourism infrastructure, our rural economy and yet its bizaarely the one thing the NDP government has cut while the provincial budget grows in so many other areas."
The government is expected to unveil its budget in mid to late April.

Council defers dog by-law until March 12 meeting

Colleen Baker

Bridgewater council has deferred a decision on moving ahead with their dog by-law. A presentation Monday night by Colleen Baker with Shaid Tree animal shelter convinced council to revise wording in the by-law. She points out, the one thing the group doesn't like, is the dog catcher or any town police officer can choose to euthanize a dog if its deemed dangerous. She says creating a council of three people could better determine if a dog should be put down or not.

"If a dog is actually hanging off a person and also another animal, then we would never stand and say 'save that dog' with our posters and stuff like that. I think what we're trying to do is give a level playing field to the owners and the dogs and make sure the dog has a fair hearing and with three people instead of one."

Baker has suggested the council could be made up of a town citizen, a veterinarian and the dog catcher. Mayor Carroll Publicover says Shaid's request peaked council's interest.

"They're suggesting that there are ways to sedate the dog and quiet it and give time for a panel of three people to say whether or not that dog is in deed a danger and should be put down and when council thought about it, I think we're prepared to consider an amendment to allow that to happen."

Town council is expected to revisit the issue at their March 12 meeting.

Murder Charges: Fitness Hearing Underway in Bridgewater for Eisnor

A hearing is underway in Bridgewater to determine if a South Shore man is fit to stand trial. Wayne Eisnor is facing a charge of first degree murder following a shooting at the New Germany Freshmart in June of 2010. Eisnor is accused of shooting his wife (Tina Eisnor) twice inside her vehicle in the parking lot of the store before turning the gun on himself. He suffered significant brain damage as a result and has been undergoing extensive psychiatric assessments to gauge his recovery and mental state for the past 18 months in Dartmouth. A key witness in the hearing, Dr. Aileen Burnet recommended in her latest report on Eisnor's progress that he is fit to stand trial. However, Judge Gregory Lenehan will ultimately make the final decision on whether or not to proceed to trial. The hearing will resume on Friday in Bridgewater.

SSRSB should be reduced to nine members: Town

Bridgewater council has recommended the South Shore Regional School Board reduce its size. Council agreed to write a letter endorsing a nine-person board, with seven members plus two seats for at-large representatives from the Mik'maq and African Nova Scotia communities.  Mayor Carroll Publicover says they feel its an appropriate size.

"I think that's a nice, workable number for discussion, for decision-making. I think to make decisions based on what is in the best interests of the students, of the whole board, I think they can do that job admirably."

The board currently has a model for 10 members plus two seats for at-large representatives. Potential changes could happen after the province's Utility and Review Board approved applications from the Region of Queens and Municipality of Lunenburg to change their boundaries.

Break and Enter at Mahone Bay Liquor Store

Lunenburg County RCMP are on the hunt for those responsible for breaking and entering into the liquor store in Mahone Bay. The incident happened just after midnight Wednesday morning. RCMP say thieves smashed a window and entered the building, stealing an undetermined amount of liquor. A window was also smashed at the Mahone Bay RCMP office around the same time. Anyone with information should contact RCMP in either Lunenburg, Bridgewater or Chester.

'Inn from the Cold' needs men to volunteer

An emergency shelter program in Bridgewater is in need of volunteers. Town Councillor David Mitchell volunteers with 'Inn from the Cold' and made a plea during Monday night's council meeting for more men to get involved. He says they have lots of women who help out already. Mitchell says people shouldn't be deterred from volunteering some time.

"I think the issue for a lot of people is 'how do I go to work the next day?' It becomes an issue if you have someone staying, you do have to stay up overnight, but some people can manage and I think that if they gave it a shot, they would find out they could do it."

Churches around Bridgewater offer people sanctuaries who have no place to sleep during winter nights. Mitchell says Bridgewater Police screen people before bringing them to the volunteers to provide food and shelter.

Lumberjacks owner discusses 2011-12 season

The owner of the CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks calls it a disappointing year for his club. The Lumberjacks finished their season last Friday night with a 4-1 loss to Yarmouth, capping off a campaign that seen the Jacks win only 15 times in 52 games and finish in the basement of the Bent Division. Ken Petrie says they didn't meet their expectations.

"I thought we would win a few more games, I did. When we talked at the beginning of the year we thought we'd be in the mini-series and we all know we weren't and were a long, long ways from it, but it certainly wasn't from a lack of effort."

 Petrie says he's happy with the coaching staff's effort this year after losing many players to injury early in the season. Despite the struggles, Petrie says they weren't anticipating a breakout season.

"We knew we were going into a building year, we certainly didn't expect to win any championships this year. Lost a lot of close games, but I think that comes with experience. We had a relatively young team, I think perhaps, we were the youngest team in the league and it shows."

Petrie says the club will miss Jake Bullen, after the captain registered 33 goals and 68 points in his final year of junior hockey. The Jacks will hold their annual awards banquet Thursday night at the Bridgewater Days Inn.

YMCA expanding King Street location for youth centre

Emma Sutherland

The YMCA Lunenburg County is offering more programming to youth. The organization is expanding its King Street location in Bridgewater to include a youth centre. The spot offers an after school program at the moment from 3-6pm daily. The new youth centre would offer more programs Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings along with weekends. A member of the YMCA's youth leadership program, Emma Sutherland, says the inclusion of a centre would be beneficial for local youth.

"A youth centre connects us to the local community engaging us to volunteer and make a difference in our neighbourhood. A youth centre can assist us in developing positive friendships and growing up healthy. A youth centre can provide us with a place to gather and be ourselves."

The YMCA has asked both the town of Bridgewater and Municipality of Lunenburg to consider setting aside $22,000 in their upcoming budgets to support the centre. Bridgewater Mayor Carroll Publicover says its a lot of money, but adds, council will determine what they can manage. The YMCA says they will start working on the new centre as of April 1.