Meeting To Discuss Bylaw Changes For Group Home

Residents of Bridgewater are invited to a second public meeting on by-law changes for a group home on Evergreen Road. LaHave Manor wants to increase the number of residents permitted to live in the facility from three to five. The town has changed wording in its bylaw to allow for the increase and are holding a meeting to gather public feedback. The meeting goes tonight at 6pm at Bridgewater town hall.

New Germany Native Released From Toronto Hospital

A New Germany native has been released from Toronto hospital following double-lung transplant surgery. Thirty-three year old Jessica Carver has Cystic Fibrosis and returned to her apartment after going under the knife December 13. She spent the last three weeks recovering at the hospital with family and friends before she was given the green light by her doctor Monday to go home. Carver says she's relieved to be out of the hospital.



Carver has to take medication and visit the hospital 3-4 times a week for physiotherapy, but says she's happy she can go home at the end of each day. She says there's a lot she is still unable to do like lift anything over 10 pounds or walk her dog. She hopes to make a return to the South Shore by March. You can follow Jessica's blog on how her recovery is going here .

MODL: Council Against Crouses Settlement Tower

The Municipality of Lunenburg has decided against building a telecommunications tower in Crouses Settlement. Council voted 8-2 on the motion, with councillors Lee Nauss and Cathy Moore in favour of a development agreement with Rogers Communications Inc. . Councillors Errol Knickle and Don Zwicker weren't present at the time of voting. A recent public hearing revealed a majority of community members are against the idea of building a tower because of possible environmental and health concerns and the impact on their property value. Mayor Don Downe says it was a surprise decision by council.



Meanwhile, Councillor Moore says people want better service.



The tower could still be constructed, despite council's objection. Rogers has 14 days to appeal the decision with the province's Utility and Review Board.

Yarmouth: Health Concerns Remain At New School

The MLA for Yarmouth says construction delays and project mismanagement are to blame for air quality issues at the town's new high school. Zach Churchill says ventilation problems at Yarmouth High School are making staff and students sick and he believes delays with the project didn't allow enough time for proper ventilation. The Nova Scotia government called for further air quality tests last month when students and staff were still reporting symptoms linked to poor air quality. The tests found the air quality levels posed no health risks. However, Churchill says the province hasn't gone far enough because people are still getting sick.



Churchill says at least 50 staff members have reported illnesses linked to ventilation issues at the school. Yarmouth High School is home to 950 students and opened in mid-September after some delays and controversy involving subcontractors not getting paid.

Lumberjacks' Losing Streak Ends With Big Win

The long losing streak is over. The CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks doubled the Metro Shipbuilders 6-3 last night and in doing so, ended their 14-game losing streak. Co-captain Jacob Conrad had a huge game with three goals and two assists. Luc Ramey also posted five points including a goal and four assists while Shawn Boudreau had four points. The win gives the Lumberjacks a seven point lead over Metro in the battle for the final Eastlink Division playoff spot. The win came on the same day that Terry Rhindress stepped aside as coach and GM of the club.

Walker: Collaborative Clinic 'Good News' For Area

The addition of a collaborative health-care clinic to Bridgewater is music to the mayor's ears. David Walker says he's glad the province has decided to invest up to $300,000 for an area clinic. He says there's a sense of relief that comes with the announcement because the town has worked towards establishing a clinic over the last few years. Walker says the Bridgewater Development Association deserves credit for their effort.



The clinic is expected to house up to seven doctors. The clinic could be open as early as this summer.

Lunenburg: Essential Funds For Academy & Arena

The Town of Lunenburg will receive just over $30,000 for repairs to Lunenburg Academy. The money will help cover the cost of much needed repair work at the historic landmark and was part of several funding announcements made by South Shore-St. Margaret's MP Gerald Keddy on Tuesday. The local Member of Parliament also delivered nearly $17,000 to help replace the Lunenburg Arena's refrigeration condenser. The Lunenburg Board of Trade Society will see more than $170,000 in joint funding to help develop smart phone apps for a waterfront virtual tour of the town and a public WiFi zone. Keddy also delivered $150,000 in funding today for four projects in the Bridgewater area. Details on those announcements can be found: Bridgewater Projects Receive Funds

BREAKING: Rhindress Resigns As Lumberjacks Coach

Caught in the middle of a 13-game losing skid, Terry Rhindress has resigned as head coach and general manager of the CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks. Rhindress resigned from his duties because of personal and family obligations. The 42-year-old says he misses his wife and nine-year-old daughter in New Brunswick and plans to take some time away from the game. Rhindress guided the team to a 21-63-1-2 through his two years behind the bench. He says a decision was made after a meeting with owner Ken Petrie this morning.



Rhindress says he wants to thank the community for their support and encouragement. Petrie confirmed with CKBW/HANK-FM that Don Dodman and Doug Petrie will remain as coaches for the rest of the season.

Conquerall Bank Church Loses Heritage Designation

The Redeemer Lutheran Church in Conquerall Bank is losing its heritage designation. MODL council voted unanimously to de-register the property following a public hearing Tuesday morning. A member of the Northfield and District parish asked council to approve the motion so they could take the proper steps to try and sell it. Mayor Don Downe says it isn't easy to lose a heritage property.



The Municipality of Lunenburg didn't receive any submissions against de-registering the property. The church has been a fixture in the community since 1863.

Health: Differences Between Norovirus & E.coli

Public health officials urge Nova Scotians to be aware of  the differences between E.coli and similar illnesses. Deputy Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Frank Atherton says norovirus infection or vomiting is common this time of year.  The most common symptoms of norovirus infection are sudden onset nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps. Sometimes there is a low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches and fatigue. Dr. Atherton says that noroviruses have a quick onset and  people usually start to feel better within 12 to 24 hours. Confirmed cases of norovirus have been reported on the South Shore. However, there are no cases of the E. coli 0157 virus in this region. Anyone vomiting or having diarrhea longer than 72 hours, or experiencing bloody diarrhea, should call 811 or see their family doctor.



To avoid spreading norovirus:

-- wash hands often, especially after using the bathroom or changing diapers and before eating or preparing food

-- thoroughly clean floors, counters, and bathrooms. Pay extra attention to surfaces that are often touched

-- do not share glasses or dishes

-- use separate towels for sick family members.

Four Infrastructure Projects Secure Federal Funds

South-Shore St- Margaret's MP Gerald Keddy has announced just over $150,000 in support of four infrastructure projects in Lunenburg County. The biggest chunk, $51,000 will go to the Bridgewater Marina Association for upgrades to Mariner's Landing along with the marina itself. Meanwhile, HB Studio's Sports Centre will receive $48,000 for renovation work and the Saw Pit Wharf Park in Garden Lots will see $26,000 for improvements to the wharf area. In a joint funding arrangement, the Bay to Bay Trail Association will also receive more than $40,000 for upgrades to the trail between Mahone Bay and Lunenbueg. Ottawa will pitch in $26,000 while the provincial government will contribute $17,000 for upgrades to the trail system.

Rhindress Returns After World Under-17 Coaching Stint

The head coach for the CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks calls it a great experience to be a part of. Terry Rhindress is back in Bridgewater after spending the last week as an assistant coach for team Atlantic at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Quebec. The Atlantic squad finished eighth out of 10 teams. Rhindress says it was tough competition.




Rhindress returns to the Lumberjacks bench Tuesday night when they take on the Metro Shipbuilders in Halifax.

UPDATED: Bridgewater Assured Collaborative Clinic

The Nova Scotia government is prepared to invest hundreds of thousands into a new collaborative health-care clinic in Bridgewater. Premier Darrell Dexter made the announcement this afternoon at the South Shore Regional Hospital. The CEO of South Shore Health says the funding commitment will allow the health authority to move forward with rigorous recruitment initiative to bring doctors to the area. Peter Vaughan says they will seek five to seven new doctors to help staff the facility.



Vaughan says the clinic will open in the summer allowing the health authority to attract new graduates of medical programs. The location of the clinic and exact financial commitment from the province is still being worked out.

South Shore Health Re-Opens Wing Of Regional Hospital

A section of the South Shore Regional Hospital has re-opened to visitors. The health authority restricted visitation on the medical and surgical unit last week because of a stomach virus circulating among patients and staff. Lab tests have confirmed the illness as Norovirus, a common cause of gastroenteritis. Norovirus illness usually begins suddenly and can last up to three days. South Shore Health is reminding the public that regular and thorough hand washing can help prevent the spread of the illness.

Hearing To Determine Church's Heritage Status

A public hearing to determine the status of a church in Conquerall Bank will be held Tuesday. The Redeemer Lutheran Church was built in 1863 and has been a heritage property in the Municipality of Lunenburg since 1999. But now, the property owner wants to de-register it as a heritage property because its no longer being used as a house of worship on a regular basis and is in need of repairs. The owner is also trying to de-register the building in hopes of selling it. The hearing will be held at 11am at the Municipality of Lunenburg building on Aberdeen Road.

Health Foundation Preps For Annual Radiothon

Valentine's Day is just over a month away. That means the Health Services Foundation of the South Shore is preparing for its annual "Gift For The Heart" Radiothon. Bernadette Jordan of the Foundation says this year, its hoped funds will be raised to buy at least two new ventilators.



The radiothon airs all day on Thursday, February 14th, live on CKBW and HANK-FM from South Shore Regional Hospital.

Open Letter To Premier From Businessman Affected By Ferry Loss

Premier Darrell Dexter's recent comments about the loss of the Yarmouth ferry not impacting business and tourism are confusing to businessmen in the area. Bill Curry of Port Maitland saw his small familiy business disappear instantly when the connection to Maine was cancelled 3 years ago. Curry's fly-fish guiding service attracted hundreds of New England sport fishermen who had quick access to Nova Scotia by way of the ferry. He has now written an open-letter to the premier explaining the real impact on the economy. Curry says despite what the government claims, the ferry service could bring-in millions of dollars in revenue to the province if properly managed. He suggests the government should set it up and run-it themselves.


Curry hopes the government's promises of financial input hold water and a renewed ferry service takes shape. He says he and others likely won't start-up their old businesses again. Many, like Curry, have moved on to other endeavours.
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Here is a copy of Bill Curry's letter to Premier Darrell Dexter, written late last week:

Mr. Premier,

I was interested to hear your comments the other day in your year-end interview, particularly regarding the Yarmouth, Nova Scotia to Maine ferry service. You then spent yesterday trying to clarify what you said, and it occurred to me that perhaps some explanation of why people are so frustrated when you speak on this subject might help you understand why the reaction to your comments occurred.

First, in your comments you stated the loss of the ferry “had very little impact” on the area. You also mentioned that it is a myth that the economy is somehow linked to the ferry. As a business owner that was radically affected by the loss of the ferry, to the point I had to close my tourism based business, I can personally say that your comment is not true. However, your own Government commissioned report (The Gardner and Pinfold report) clearly spells out the facts that further disprove your comment. The report states that the local area of Yarmouth is more isolated because of the loss, the Regional economy was “supported” by the ferry service and said further “The data show that the loss of the ferry contributed to reduced spending and a contraction of economic activity throughout this region in 2010.” This would disprove your comment. And finally the report said the Provincial tourism numbers were impacted by the ferry loss, and in fact the report states, “It is not unreasonable to conclude that the termination of the ferry accounted for all or much of this reversal.” This also contradicts your comments. You then stated in response, when you were clarifying your comments, that the ferry is not a panacea for the economy. Nobody ever said it was. What everyone is constantly saying is that the ferry is one part of the important transportation infrastructure that should be in place for the Province.

Secondly, you used in your comments some numbers that I would question, and that many people might call intentionally misleading.

The first number that caught my attention was your statement that there were “22,000 passengers” in the last year of operation – 2009. Knowing that Stats Canada said there were 75,000 passengers that year, I looked and looked for where you could have come up with that number. I finally found a similar number in your Government report. The GP report mentions that there were 23,000 US day tourists who came to the Province in 2009 on the ferry. The fact that the report clearly states, in italic letters no less, that this is the number of visitors, not passengers, seems to have confused you. In reality these numbers simply show how many Nova Scotians and summer residents, who may or may not be American, indeed could be returning former Canadians, used the ferry and reinforces the fact that the ferry is an important part of the Provincial transportation system. As well, you indicated that the drop in the passenger numbers was a result of the economy, not that the economy suffered by the drop. That reasoning is also faulty in that in 2005 the capacity of the ferry was reduced, with the loss of the Scotia Prince, as the ferry system went from multiple crossings a day to single crossings and in that year alone the maximum crossing possible numbers went from 2100 a day to only 900. This had nothing to do with the economy – Scotia Prince Cruises has stated as much, clearly contradicting your comment.

Thirdly, you use a number in your comments that “it cost us $450 per passenger landed”. This number you used last year as well and I challenged you on that figure at the time and received no reply. With all due respect, sir, that number is entirely a fiction. If the cost was $450 per person, even if we only use your own figure of only Americans using the ferry, your statement implies the subsidy paid by the Province to land those people was $9.9 million. In fact, the amount paid (because you used past tense, you said “what it cost us”) was $5.65 million. Let me suggest that the kind of wildly inaccurate comment you have made here and repeated is a big part of the issue with many people in the Province trusting what you are telling us. The numbers are not only inaccurate in the actual number, (22,000 you stated instead of 23,000 actual and $9.9 million you stated instead of $8.9 million that is estimated), the numbers you used are also clearly wrong in the way you portray them. Another totally reasonable way to look at those same numbers would be to take the total number of passengers (75,000) and divide into the actual subsidy paid ($5.65 million) and one could say each passenger on the ferry cost the Government $75.33 !

I have asked several times for what your Government estimated the 2010 subsidy would be, and neither you nor anyone you’ve put me in contact with has been able or willing to reply. The closest I’ve been able to come is a report from a newspaper that mentioned the operating subsidy for 2010 might have been as high as $8.9 million, which if one divides by, say, 65,000 people to account for a drop that might or might not have occurred, takes the per passenger cost to the Province to $136. - a far cry from your comment that it costs the Province $450 per person. Clearly, the figures you are using in your comments are not accurate, they are, in fact, misleading.

In summary, let us revisit the comment you started with that the ferry had very little impact on the economy. The actual numbers your own study uses says that the loss of the ferry was over $16 million in tourism revenue – which would more than offset any subsidy ever paid or contemplated, making even the CAT, which clearly was not the best ship, profitable to the Province. Your own study also mentions that over 260 jobs were lost as a direct result of the loss of the ferry, including my own. With all due respect sir, that is NOT a “very little impact” to many of us in this Province.

I am heartened to hear that your Government is now considering a subsidy to assist in getting a ferry service back. I have to end with a personal comment – it never should have gone away in the first place. The Government should take a very complete look and instead of treating this as a “business will come forward” proposition, should carefully consider the importance of the ferry as a crucial transportation link, a link that the Province should clearly be paying for, as the entire Province benefits by having this essential transportation connection.

Sincerely,

Bill Curry

Lunenburg: Online Petition Created For Dog Park

An online petition has been created asking Lunenburg residents to sign if they're in favour of establishing a dog park in the town. The request for a dog park surfaced over the last few years but wasn't supported by council. Now, resident Peter Richardson is suggesting the idea once again. He says there needs to be an open space for dogs.



Richardson says they need between $23,000 and $25,000 to make the dog park a reality near Blockhouse Hill. The issue is expected to be discussed at Lunenburg council in the near future. You can sign the petition here .

UPDATED: RCMP Investigate Death In Liverpool

The RCMP is investigating the death of a 52 year-old man in Liverpool. Anthony Bogotaj was riding his bicycle on Main Street when he fell off on Friday afternoon. A section of the street was blocked off while paramedics attempted to revive the individual. He was later pronounced dead at the scene. Police say they are looking into the matter because he was involved in a dispute shortly before he died. It's not clear if the dispute is connected with Bogotaj's death. An autopsy will be performed by the Medical Examiner's Office in Halifax. Mounties are asking witnesses or anyone who had contact with Bogotaj to contact their detachment in Queens County.

VIDEO: LCLC Tour

Media were invited by the general manager of the Lunenburg County Lifestyle Centre to partake in a tour of the construction site.  Representatives were shown various parts including the locations of the active living space, Margaret Hennigar Library, and aquatic centre. The video shows a look at the arena and how far along workers with Bird Construction have come since starting construction last spring.