Dexter: Euro Has Direct Impact On Bowater

 Premier Darrell Dexter says the European debt crisis continues to have a direct effect on the economy in Nova Scotia. He says the impact of a devalued euro is causing tremendous stress on the province's pulp and paper industry. The euro was trading at $1.24 on the market on Tuesday - it's lowest level in nearly two years. Dexter says it allows overseas paper manufacturers to flood the paper market with a cheaper product which impacts operations like Bowater Mersey.



Workers at Bowater are preparing for the latest in a series of temporary shutdowns set to take place from June 17th to July 2nd. The Brooklyn-based mill has called for several shut downs since a $50 million dollar bail-out package was announce last year due to saturated paper markets.

Lumberjacks Choose Local Talent As Territorial Picks

The CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks have selected a defenceman and a forward as this year's territorial picks. Lunenburg's Alex Mann and Fox Point's Josh Shatford have been added to the team prior to this weekend's MHL draft in Yarmouth. Head Coach Terry Rhindress says both players bring certain qualities to the team.




Rhindress says it means a lot to secure local hockey players to the organization. Mann had 11 points last year on the South Shore Mustangs blueline while Shatford notched 19 points in his rookie season in major midget.

MODL Taking Stand On Illegal Dumping

District of Lunenburg mayor Don Downe is fed up with illegal dumping. The mayor has decided to set up a meeting with the environment minister to explore ways to curb the problem and enforce fines. Downe says its an unfortunate issue in the county.




Downe says the municipality is working with the towns of Mahone Bay and Lunenburg to make policy changes to help create rewards for anyone found illegally dumping in the area. A date hasn't been confirmed for the mayor's meeting with the province's environment minister.

South Shore Mustangs Selected in QMJHL Draft

South Shore Mustang Brendan Nickerson is now property of the expansion Sherbrooke Phoenix. The Shelburne County native was picked first in the third round, 38th overall, in Saturday's Quebec Major Junior Hockey League midget draft. Nickerson is a six foot two inch defenceman who earned three goals and 11 points in 28 games last season.  Another Stang defenceman, Alexander Mann of Lunenburg, was drafted by Moncton with the 77th pick. Jamie MacIntyre of Dartmouth was taken 89th by Quebec. Shelburne County's Morgan Messenger was grabbed by PEI with the 95th pick.

Queens Co. Fish Hatchery Closure Could Endanger Whitefish: Mayor



Atlantic Whitefish

 As part of federal budget cuts, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans will be closing a fish hatchery in Queens County.  The Mersey Bio-diversity facility in Milton has been in operation for years, in conjunction with a similar one at Coldbrook in the Annapolis Valley.  Saving the Atlantic Whitefish from extinction by stocking lakes and rivers in the province has been a priority of the hatchery.  District of Queens Mayor John Leefe fears closing it will put the fish in jeopardy again.



The mayor says Atlantic salmon stocks could also be affected by the closure.  He has written a letter to the federal fisheries minister asking him to intervene and prevent DFO from closing the Milton hatchery.  He has written a letter to the federal fisheries minister asking him to intervene and prevent DFO from closing the Milton hatchery.

UPDATE: RCMP Look For Witness Of Fatal Crash

RCMP want to speak with a motorist who may have witnessed a fatal crash in the East River area yesterday afternoon. Sgt. Bridgit Leger says a black SUV or pick-up truck was traveling on Highway 329 around the same time of the single-vehicle crash. Leger says the person is not a suspect, but they would like to speak with the driver.



Mounties believe the driver was headed from Deep Cove to East Chester around 2 o'clock. RCMP are still investigating the cause of the crash and are working with the provincial coroner's office to identify the victim.

Minor Damage After Fire On Maple Street In BW

Minor damage to report after a fire at an apartment complex in Bridgewater last night. Damage was minor but enough to temporarily force one woman out of her unit for a few nights. The Canadian Red Cross stepped in to arrange emergency lodging, food and some clothes for the woman. The blaze was reported around supper time on Maple Street. Other apartments were not affected.

Two Men Rescued From St. Margarets Bay

Two men were sent to hospital for observation after being rescued yesterday afternoon from St. Margarets Bay.  They ran intro trouble when their 4 metre aluminum boat capsized near Boutliers Point.  The 50 and 63 year olds were picked-up by a passing sailboat and row boat.  Both men were wearing life jackets.  Its believed the men were mackerel fishing when their boat rolled over.

Feed NS Reports Rise In South Shore Food Bank Usage

Lunenburg County food banks are finding it difficult to keep their shelves stocked. Feed Nova Scotia has indicated there has been a 20% increase in usage at outlets in Lunenburg, Chester, Bridgewater and New Germany. Executive Director Dianne Swinemar says they can't explain the change on the South Shore. But, she says they have noticed other changes in Colchester and Cumberland.



Swinemar says food banks are facing a critical time of year when donations drop because people are enjoying the summer weather or taking vacations. She urges everyone to do what they can to help their local food bank. Over 22,000 people province-wide were assisted by food banks in 2011.

Motorist Killed In Fiery Crash Near East River

Mounties say one person is dead after a vehicle crashed into a ditch and caught fire near East River. Lunenburg RCMP say the incident occurred just before 2:30PM Monday afternoon. Police and members of the Blandford Fire Department remained on scene until the early evening hours. Highway 329 is currently open to motorists. The cause of the crash is under investigation and more information will be provided when it becomes available.

Whalen 12th At NCAA Track And Field Championships

A Liverpool athlete has finished 12th at her first NCAA Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. Chelsea Whalen, who was seeded 21st for the javelin event, threw a new personal best of 47.44 metres. She was named to the ACC Indoor and Outdoor All-Academic teams as well as an NCAA 2nd team All-American. The sophomore at Florida State University is expected to leave Tallahassee June 24th and head to the 2012 Canadian Track and Field Championships from June 27-30 in Calgary, Alberta.

Province Rejected HRM Input On St. Margarets Bay Connector Road Issue

The Halifax regional Municipality recommended against construction of a road linkling highways 103 and 3 in St. Margarets Bay.  That information is in documents obtained under a freedom of information request from residents of the area.  Bay residents spokesman Sean Kirby says like it did with resident concerns, the province was intent of bull-dozing through any objections to the connector road.



Draft minutes for a January 12, 2011 meeting between HRM officials and Genivar, the engineering consulting firm hired by the provincial government to plan the connector, show that HRM opposed the connector because it will undercut the municipality’s development strategy and result in urban sprawl and higher municipal costs. The Regional Municipal Planning Strategy designates Tantallon and Hubbards as economic and development hubs for St. Margaret’s Bay and seeks to preserve the rural nature of the lands in between. The provincial government announced seven months after the meeting, in August 2011, that it will build the connector halfway between Tantallon and Hubbards, where the regional plan says no development should take place.

The minutes, obtained by residents through a freedom of information application, show that HRM officials said the connector "is contrary to the intentions of the Regional Plan regarding growth.” In a section entitled "Summary of HRM’s position,” the document states that the province’s plans “will lead to additional pressure on development (urban sprawl)” and “place additional pressures on the Municipalities resources.”

HRM officials also said that route option 1 “made the most sense because it provides less potential to develop and would possibly be the cheapest.” The provincial government instead chose route option 3B, a route which opens up much more land for development.

Keji Job Cuts Will Hurt Queens & Annapolis Counties: Mayor

There will be a lot of lost business revenue when Parks Canada reduces staff at Kejimkujik National Park, making it a seasonal operation.  That word from District of Queens Mayor John Leefe.  He's fired-off a letter to the minister responsible for Parks Canada, Peter Kent.  The mayor says the ramifications of cutting 11 jobs and reducing Keji to a five month operation will hurt Queens County and part of Annapolis and be felt elsewhere in the province too.



Mayor Leefe says there's been too much work on everyone's part to make Keji a year-round operation to let it fall victim to what he calls the ruthless work of bureaucrats.  He's pleading with the Parks Canada minister to leave it alone.

Hot Meal Program Set To Launch In Bridgewater

A local church group in Bridgewater will launch a new hot meal program this week. Coordinator Tammy Crouse says a free nutritious dinner will be available once a week - beginning this Wednesday - from St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Crouse says there's a perception that some people only struggle during the winter months - but its not the case.

 

Crouse began organizing the project last summer after she noticed a need for the program.  Volunteers will begin serving meals every Wednesday at 5:30PM. The church will remain open for socializing until 8PM.

Police Forces Promote A Safe Graduation

Its graduation time on the South Shore as hundreds of young people in the area prepare to move-on to the next chapter of their lives.  This is also a time for parents and their children, graduating from high school, to be careful.  The RCMP's School Safety Resource Officer, Cst. Cheryl Ponee, says parents need to discreetly take charge.



RCMP ask parents to consider the following:

• Know what friends your children are hanging out with.
• Know where they will be in case you have to reach them.
• If they have a cell phone make sure they keep it with them.
• Discuss underage drinking and drug use.
• Talk about impaired driving, either by drugs or alcohol. Reassure your kids that they can call home if they are stuck in an unsafe situation where their driver has been drinking.
• Remind your child that pictures taken on their special night may be posted to the Internet or social media sites by those with camera or cell phones. If these pictures depict them using drugs or alcohol this could impact future job applications/opportunities.
• Consider creating a ‘code word’ that can be used in regular conversation if your teen needs to call you to get out of a difficult situation.

For more information on topics and issues affecting teens, visit www.deal.org.

DEAL.org is operated by the Youth Engagement Section of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and is part of the National Youth Services branch of the RCMP´s Crime Prevention Services.

Lunenburg ALS Walk Raises Almost $17,000

It was a walk not even weather could slow down. Roughly 125 people strode the sidewalks of rainy Lunenburg Saturday to help raise almost $17,000 for ALS. Chair of the walk's committee, John Garroway, says they were very fortunate to exceed their goal of $15,000. Sixty percent of money raised will go towards families, while the other 40 percent goes towards research. This was the third year for the event.

Mulcair: NDP Will Target Young Voters

Federal NDP leader Tom Mulcair says his party will target fresh faces in the lead up to the next election. Low voter turnout in the last election among those aged 18 to 25 has prompted the party to go after new voters. After a speech in Oak Island on Saturday, Mulcair told reporters it's one way the party can grow and boost its seats in the House of Commons. Mulcair calls the low turnout issue a "vexing problem".



Mulcair was visiting the South Shore for the first time since he was elected leader of the New Democrats in March. He spent part of the weekend with MLA's, MP's and delegates at the provincial NDP's annual convention.

Premier Dexter Halts Election Rumours

Premier Darrell Dexter has no plans to send Nova Scotians to the polls any time soon. He made the comments in Oak Island during the NDP's annual convention over the weekend. Opposition parties have been busy touring the province and nominating candidates over the past few weeks in advance of the next election call. In an interview with CKBW/HANK FM News, Dexter says his government plans to fulfill their five-year mandate.



Dexter says his party will begin ramping up towards the next election once the electoral boundaries commission completes its work. The committee is expected to release its final report on new electoral boundaries at the end of August.

ALS Walk In Lunenburg

Its a walk for South Shore residents to raise awareness for ALS. The event will be held Saturday morning in Lunenburg at the town's curling club on Green Street. Chair of the walk's committee, John Garroway, says money is needed to help people with the disease.



Garroway says 60 percent of money raised will go towards families, while the other 40 percent goes towards research. Registration starts at 9am with the event kicking off at 10am Saturday.

Martin Still Searching For Olympic Nod

It's down to crunch time for Bridgewater's Jenna Martin. The current 400 metre Canadian champion hasn't secured a berth into the Olympics with 49 days to go until they begin. Martin will suit up for a race Saturday in Clermont, Florida still trying to crack her Olympic 'A' standard time. She's been very close to reaching the mark already, missing by just 14-hundreds of a second. Her coach, Charles Scarrow, says in an email, he thinks Saturday will be her day.