Chester Youth Charged After School Threat

A 17-year-old boy from Chester has been charged after threatening a student at Chester Area Middle School. Lunenburg County District RCMP say the boy was at the school just after noon on Wednesday with a crowbar looking for a student. Communications Manager with the South Shore Regional School Board, Trish Smith, says the school was under a hold-and-secure mode for a short amount of time for precaution while the incident was occurring. The Mounties arrested two boys close to school property. An 18-year old from Hubbards was released. The 17-year-old was charged with possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. He will appear in youth court in Bridgewater on April 16.

Liverpool Boy Charged After Pulling Knife At School

A teenage boy has been charged after pulling knife on another student at Liverpool Regional High School. The incident happened on Tuesday. The two students got into a disagreement before one of the boys revealed a knife. RCMP Corporal Sandi Merrell says a female student diffused the situation by convincing the boy to hand over the weapon. He was then taken into police custody. Merrell says the boy appeared in court on Wednesday. He's been charged with possession of a weapon, uttering threats and possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking. The student will be back in court May 20th.

South Shore In Motion, Exhibition Discuss New Agreement

It's considered a last ditch attempt to keep a popular summer event in Bridgewater. Board members with the South Shore Exhibition met with officials from South Shore in Motion Tuesday night. The two sides discussed a new agreement. South Shore in Motion will hold a meeting tonight to try and make a decision. The festival is still hoping to hold their event this August. This year is their tenth anniversary.

South Shore: Crime Prevention Groups Secure Funding

Groups that work to prevent and reduce crime are getting provincial support to help make communities safer. The annual one-time grants were announced this week. Southwest Nova Transition House and King Street Family Resource Centre in Shelburne are among the successful applications. Justice Minister Lena Diab commends the organizations for collaborating to strengthen ties in their communities, making them a better place to live. Other recipients include community schools and the private sector. A grant can reach a maximum of $5,000 for successful applications.

Queens: No Injuries After Car Fire

A car fire near Brooklyn shut a section of Highway 3 last night in Queens County. Fire crews spent 40 minutes trying to put out the fire on the highway. Police say the older Chev was damaged pretty bad. No injuries were reported.

Bridgewater: Suspected Shoplifter In Deep Trouble

A shoplifting incident in Bridgewater turned into a much bigger deal for a West LaHave woman. Police say an off duty officer saw the woman take something from a business in the town yesterday afternoon. The 42 year-old was questioned outside the store before she left in her car. Police later tracked her down near the intersection of Queen and Empire Streets. However, they also found prescription pills and some pot. She is charged with possession and trafficking charges in addition to theft of under $5,000. The woman will appear in court June 18.

Contamination Order Issued For Clam Harvesting

A bacterial contamination order has been issued for people looking to harvest clams along the South Shore. Local federal fisheries officers have set up signs along roughly five kilometres of shoreline in Lunenburg, Queens and Shelburne counties. Supervisor Noel d'Entremont says there are several factors that caused the order.



d'Entremont says they have no timeline for how long the contamination order will be in effect. Environment Canada is in charge of lifting the order, once the situation clears up. People can be prosecuted under the Fisheries Act if they're found harvesting clams under the contamination order.

Bridgewater: Mayor In Favour Of Amalgamation

Bridgewater's mayor feels amalgamation could be the future of Lunenburg County. David Walker says local towns and municipal units are barely keeping their head above water and believes more talks need to be held on the subject. Walker points to issues including the recent dissolution of towns including Springhill as warning signs. He feels amalgamation should happen sooner rather than later.



The town of Bridgewater, Municipality of Lunenburg and town of Mahone Bay have been working together on garbage collection. Walker says its time to start looking at options that will work better for residents.

Security Threat Knocks Down Electronic Tax Filing System

You won't be able to e-file your tax returns for the next little while. The Canada Revenue Agency has temporarily shut down public access to its electronic services website over security concerns. The precautionary move is related to the "Heartbleed Bug" - a newly discovered software that can swipe passwords and your personal information. In a message posted online, the agency states it has temporarily closed its services site "to protect the security of taxpayer information." Spokesperson for H & R Block, Cleo Hamel says they can still prepare tax returns but just can't send them into the CRA.



The CRA is hinting extensions could be granted if the problem lingers until the end of the month. The agency will provide daily updates until the situation is resolved.

Distracted Driving More Concerning To Canadians Than DUI

RCMP and town police forces across the province are banding together to promote undistracted driving. Driving a vehicle while distracted is now the number-one road safety concern in Canada, even more so than drunk driving! Cell phones, lap tops, GPS and other electronic gadgets have found their way into cars and trucks. RCMP Corporal Scott MacRae says it doesn't take much for a driver to lose control.



However, Bridgewater Police Chief John Collyer says its not just electronic items that can distract drivers.



If you're caught texting, using a phone or other devices while driving, you could be fined close to $200.
Bridgewater Police and the RCMP are focussing attention on the issue this month and randomly stopping vehicles as part of their education campaign.

How To Avoid Being Phone Scammed

South Shore Kijiji shoppers are being advised to wary of a scam that is making the rounds on the popular buying and selling website. The way it works is the scammer goes to any mobile phone shop and takes advantage of one of those deals where you get a free phone if you sign a contract. The person then sells the phone which technically has not been paid for and now becomes the buyer's problem. Jill Atkinson of the Maritime Better Business Bureau says people can easily get fleeced by the scam.



Police forces on the South Shore and the Better Business Bureau say the easiest way to avoid being taken by the scam is to meet the seller at any mobile phone service provider. The provider can check to see if the phone has a dubious history, if its been flagged in their database.

Provincial Parks Open For Bookings

You can start planning trips to provincial parks this summer. They are open between May 17 to October 14. On the South Shore, new serviced sites and a new administration building will open this season as a result of renovations at Graves Island Provincial Park. Meanwhile, serviced sites are being made available for the first time at Rissers Beach. Further information on the parks availability and services can be found at www.novascotiaparks.ca

Bridgewater: Premier Speaking At Chamber Of Commerce Luncheon

The premier will make a stop along the South Shore this week. Stephen McNeil will be a guest speaker for the Bridgewater Area Chamber of Commerce on Friday from 11:30am until 1:30pm. McNeil will focus on the province's budgetary plans with an emphasis on growing Nova Scotia's economy and population. Manager Dan Hennessey says they're excited to have McNeil back.



Friday's talk will be held at the Osprey Ridge Golf Club. Tickets are available through the chamber website here . The Liberal leader will also be in town for a health-related announcement at 10:45am.

No Major Tax Hikes In Queens County

Good news for residents and businesses in Queens County. Residential and commercial tax rates will remain the same over the coming year and there will be no cutback in services. Region of Queens Council approved the budget this morning. Mayor Christopher Clarke says its taken a lot of penny-pinching and watching every dollar being spent to maintain the status-quo.



The Mayor says in fact the residential rate in a few locations like Liverpool will actually be slightly lower in the coming year. The capital budget for the municipality will be $1,740,000. The residential tax rate in Districts 1-12 is 97 cents per $100. assessment and the commercial is $2.07 per $100. assessment. District 13 has a residential rate of $1.85 and $2.95 for commercial. The 2014-15 Region of Queens Municipality Budget is posted on the Region's website:
www.regionofqueens.com/finance/financial-statements/budget.

South Shore In Motion Looking For New Venue

A popular summer event in Bridgewater is looking for a new home. South Shore in Motion will not use the South Shore Exhibition grounds as their venue this year. Chairperson Darren Wentzell says the two sides could not come to an agreement. He says it's discouraging to think they may have to move the event out of Bridgewater.



Wentzell says they're still planning to hold an event in mid-August. The group is hoping to negotiate with the town to host their event at several locations. However, he says it will be scaled back if it stays in Bridgewater.



The group is also looking at using an old dirt race track in the Liverpool-area if things don't work out in Bridgewater. This year is the 10th anniversary for South Shore in Motion. A spokesperson for the South Shore Exhibition is expected to comment this afternoon.

Top Ten Finishes For Chester Curling Teams In B.C.

No medals for a pair of South Shore curling teams at an international curling tournament. Adam Cocks' team lost in the bronze medal game to Washington at the Optimist under-18 curling event in British Columbia. Meanwhile, Cassie Cocks' team finished in ninth place with a win over Michigan. Both South Shore teams were representing the Chester curling club.

Legislation Eliminates Efficiency Tax, Lower Power Bills

Nova Scotians will get a break on their power bills starting in 2015. Legislation has been introduced which will remove the energy efficiency tax from electricity bills. Energy Minister Andrew Younger says the legislation improves how energy efficiency programs are delivered and introduces  competition for Nova Scotia Power. He says the amendments should be a big help to keep power bills down. The province's energy efficiency plan was also introduced and sets objectives that will save energy, lower costs and  reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The change could mean a savings of roughly $180 per year for homeowners.

Bridgewater: Civic Numbers By-Law Nearly Complete

Bridgewater residents could soon be tasked with making sure their homes are clearly identified. The town is close to revealing its civic numbering by-law. The main issues revolve around enforcement, penalties and reflective lighting. Mayor David Walker says they're all important points.



Councillor Wayne Thorburne wants to see the by-law in place to help first responders locate homes quickly in an emergency. The town still has to agree to the document before further public meetings will be held. It's expected to be in front of council this month.

Nothing In Provincial Budget For South Shore Job Seekers: NDP Leader

Members of the Legislature get back to work in the House later today after last Thursday night's marathon session which led to passage of essential workers legislation. The 3-week budget debate begins tonight. The McNeil government unveiled the coming year's financial projections last Thursday. However, according to NDP interim leader Maureen MacDonald, it doesn't explain how the government plans to tackle the economic problems along the South Shore.
She says there's nothing in the budget to encourage people, who have lost their jobs, to stay in the area.



MacDonald accuses the government of padding last year's NDP budget with all kinds of unnecessary spending this year, taking the province from a $16-million surplus to a $279-million deficit.

MODL: Northfield Fire Department Requests Access Road

A local fire department is requesting an access road in Cookville. The Northfield District Fire Rescue is appealing to the Municipality of Lunenburg for a road to a pond off of the Pine Grove Road. The fire department is looking for secondary water, other than hydrants. CAO Tammy Wilson says officials are thinking about safety.



A committee will determine if there is an opportunity for emergency vehicle access to the pond.