Shelburne County Today

Great food and fun in Shelburne for LobsterFest

2011-06-03T12:11:00.003-04:00

Local restaurants seem to be going all out to participate in the annual Lobster Festival, designed to celebrate the glorious crustacean and its importance to our local economy.
CHARLOTTE LANE: The kitchen at Charlotte Cafe, ably overseen by Roland Glauser has been promoting its fare for a week or so on their web site, Facebook and Twitter (@CharlotteLaneCa) . The menu there for lunch and dinner Friday and Saturday include: Lobster, Valley Feta and Tomato Bruschetta, Spinach Salad with lobster, Baked salmon filet with lobster in chipotle garlic white wine sauce , Pasta Marina; Lobster, salmon, scallops, shrimp and mussels in basil cream sauce, The King George; beef tenderloin with poached lobster tail and garlic herb butter, Lobster and Scallop Brandy Gratin. Info: 875-3314
LOYALIST INN – ROSE & GRIFFON: The Loyalist-era decor is topped off this weekend with scads of Lobster Festival food. Friday’s menu includes; Lunch – Lobster Flat-crust, steamed lobster; Supper – Lobster Mac & cheese, steamed lobster.Saturday’s fare features Breakfast – Lobster Benedict; Lunch – Lobster salad wrap, steamed lobster; Supper – Lobster boat, steamed lobster; Sunday has; Breakfast – Lobster wrap; Lunch – Lobster Chowder, steamed lobster; Supper – Lobster Florentine, steamed lobster. Info: 875-3333 See web here
LOTHAR’S CAFE: Lothar Mayer prides himself in fishcakes that people seem willing to drive miles to enjoy and the Water Street Cafe will be serving up the famous cakes in an outdoor setting all day Saturday during the Lobster Festival town-wide yard and sidewalk sale.

SOPHIA’S CAFE: This perennial favourite at the Shelburne Mall features both Friday and Saturday; toasted lobster western sandwich with fries or salad, lobster salad sandwich and cup of lobster chowder, hot lobster roll and fries, creamed lobster dinner. Info: 875—1148

SEADOG SALOON: The waterfront eatery is hosting a special LobsterFest Hootenanny Friday night, with a show featuring Nigel d’Eon at 8:00pm and happy hour from 5-7pm. The kitchen is open until 9:00pm, featuring creamed lobster and seafood chowder. Info: 875-2862

Big birthday bash for King George III

2011-06-01T13:48:00.002-04:00

PARTY LIKE IT'S 1783!!!
The Loyalist Inn in Shelburne is sponsoring King George’s Birthday Party & Parade on Saturday, June 4 at 5pm. The party for his majesty features members of the 3rd New Jersey Volunteers and assorted citizens. The Parade starts at 5:00 pm at the Loyalist and everyone is welcome to march. At 6:00 pm, revelers will be treated to Royal Cake in the Rose & Griffon Pub & Eatery at the Hotel. The full menu will also be available, including the delectable Loyalist Lobster Boat. For more information, call 875-3333. Download poster HERE

Great day for $1 million loan at White Point

2011-06-01T13:40:00.001-04:00

White Point Beach Resort near Liverpool is increasing its competitive advantage with a $1 million, 10-year loan from the Provinces much-maligned Industrial Expansion Fund, the Premiers office announced on Wednesday.

Danny Morton, White Point’s general manager said, "We are grateful for this opportunity to continue providing facilities and services which will exceed our guests' expectations."

Sable River County Market debuts Saturday

2011-05-31T16:07:00.000-04:00

Sable River Country Market: Every Saturday from June 4 to October 29: 9-1 at Sable River ESSO hwy 103... Plants; Seedlings; Baking; Fish; Meat; Fresh Produce in Season Café; BBQ; Yard Sales
Vendors Vary Week to Week as Do Special Events and Guests..

...

All Vendors Welcome: No Fee... Meadowbrook Meats will attend
June 18,
July 16,
August 27,
Sept 17...
Order Meats Ahead by Calling 902-538-1106 o
r at meadowbrookfarm@ns.sympatico.ca

Info at ESSO 656-2041 or
scembree@auracom.com 656-2793 or
wallslake1@yahoo.ca 656-2249

Guest article from Stephen McNeil

2011-05-31T11:24:00.001-04:00

NDP Ignoring Small Businesses In SWSDA Insolvency

Liberal leader Stephen McNeil says the Dexter government is failing to protect the dozens of small businesses that are owed significant amounts of money in the SWSDA fallout.

"Quite frankly, it’s bizarre that this government has gone to such lengths as a ministerial order to shield a national bank while there are so many Nova Scotia businesses at risk," said McNeil. "Why is the NDP government so focused on banks while our local businesses are left out of the discussion and left holding the bag?"

McNeil believes Premier Dexter should be more focused on defending the interests of the province’s business people - the local hospitality business that’s owed $1,500; the small publisher owed $6,000; the various local festivals owed around $27,000, to name a few.

"There are well over 50 small businesses owed considerable amounts of money, yet this government only seems interested in dealing with the Royal Bank’s issue."

During the spring session of the Legislature, the Liberal leader urged the premier to stand up for those small businesses on the hook for SWSDA’s unpaid bills.

"The premier’s position on this issue has been clear - the interests of banks come before the interests of Nova Scotia’s small businesses."

Great weekend for music in Shelburne

2011-05-31T07:34:00.004-04:00

OPEN MIKE HOOTENANNY... Shelburne has great things in store for music fans this weekend. The Friday Night Hootenanny series continues on June 3 with the new Open Mike" series hosted by ukulele empressario Nigel d'Eon. Last month's Open Mike was a great hit, with more than five musicians entertaining a happy crowd at the Sea Dog. The Hootenanny show starts at 8pm and the cover is $5. .

Cartoon from photo by
Lisa Buchanan

MANITOBA HAL... Former Winnipegger Hal Broland plays his first solo gig at The Osprey Sat night, June 4 at 8:00pm. Manitoba Hal has a passion for the blues and the ukulele. He blends traditional sounds with looping effects to create a one-man-band performance that is unique. Traditional blues songs are arranged in fresh and inventive ways and his witty stage banter entertains even the most jaded audiences. People often wonder at the sound he creates with the little Hawaiian guitar. See Coast Guard story HERE: See Hal's web here:

$500,000 demand to pay SWSDA loans called "ironing out a wrinkle" by minister

2011-05-31T06:47:00.002-04:00

Frank Anderson was fired in 2010
as CEO of SWSDA

Through a ministerial order, Premier Darrell Dexter has ordered eight Nova Scotia municipalities to pay back more than $500,000 in bad debt accrued by the now-defunct Southwest Shore Development Authority (SWSDA), which owes more than $2 million, including a $594,000 Royal Bank of Canada loan guaranteed by the municipalities — a loan guarantee they had no authority to sign, according to Nova Scotia Ombudsman Dwight Bishop. According to the order, the municipalities have until June 15 to return the money.

Several municipalities have recently written to the government saying they would not pay the guarantees, including the Municipality of Shelburne. CBC radio reports that Municipal Affairs Minister John MacDonell said the order "irons out a legal wrinkle" that had prevented them from doing so.

"Nobody asked the government to intercede in this," said one municipal official. "They went and met with RBC Bank without telling or asking us and made a deal with the bank without consulting us". One official in Yarmouth County said on Facebook, "I said no the first time and will say no the second time. Someone is trying to cover their backside and I refuse to give in to scare tactics, if it means another election then so be it."

Municipality of Shelburne CAO Kirk Cox told SCT that they had just received the letter via fax on Monday and would be dealing with it soon. "We'll be conferring with our legal representatives and, from the list of options forthcoming from that process, Council will determine the best way forward." The Municipality sent the Minister a letter last week asking several questions about the RBC loan guarantees but Cox said that none of the questions were addressed in the letter received Monday.

That RBC wold be paid before any other SWSDA creditors riles Argyle MLA Chris d’Entremont. When SWSDA folded, more than $2 million was left outstanding and a significant amount of that was owed to smaller creditors and contractors,” said “For example, Garian Construction is owed nearly $400,000. They negotiated in good faith with SWSDA and they deserve to be repaid as well.”

The CBC story says the order does not help SWSDA's other creditors, such as Garian Construction of Tusket, Yarmouth Co., which is owed nearly $400,000. The federal and provincial governments agreed to spend $130,000 to help municipalities wind down the operation.

If the payment isn't made, the government says municipalities could be liable to fines of up to $10,000 and the dismissal of the councils involved. Premier Darrell Dexter has said there will not be a financial bailout from the province.

Jamie Cotter in Shelburne - Friday, May 27

2011-05-24T18:22:00.001-04:00

Sat is French night at Lothar's

2011-05-24T18:05:00.002-04:00

Spring must be here!

2011-04-06T15:41:00.000-04:00

We know it's spring when the kids start clamoring onto the Big Chair at the Bean Dock on the waterfront in Shelburne. Here we have two great pals, Mikey Thorburne and Jamie Fehr braving the bright but blustery weather on Wednesday.

Moby Dick ready for distribution

2010-12-05T05:19:00.000-05:00

The TMG/Big Motion Picture production of Moby Dick - shot partly in Shelburne and Lunenburg in 2009 - is ready for the small screen in 2011. The pic stars William Hurt as Ahab, Jillian Anderson as wife Elizabeth and Ethan Hawke as Starbuck. Tons of photos from the Shelburne shoot can be found here http://www.shelburnecountytoday.com/mobydick

Sucking sounds from Yarmouth way

2010-08-30T15:47:00.001-04:00

If you have been hearing great wheezing sounds over the weekend, it is most likely the sound of Frank Anderson sucking even more oxygen out of the gasping maw of South West Nova Scotia. Very much like a cockroach you thought was toast after being beaten senseless and crushed underfoot by a VERY pissed off NDP government, Anderson still lives and he appears not quite ready toslither calmly into the dustbin of history.

In case you havn't heard, the defrocked architect of some of the most controversial deals in the region these past few years, including real estate deals at the Shelburne Boy's School and former Canadian Forces Station, funny-business involving registrations with Joint Stocks, questionable accounting and reporting practices (according to government-sponsored reports), queer relationships between SWSDA and Yarmouth Industrial Commission and a host of other complaints by a variety of folks to a variety of officials and agencies (including the Ombudsman's office) is suing Minister Percy Paris for tarnishing his reputation.

If the government does the right thing in defending the suit, we will be footing the bill for that. But, unlike the $1 million in legal costs he racked up to the public purse in his Quixotic joust with Ocean Produce International, this time Anderson should pay from his own pocket. Actually, it is likely that he won't pay a dime this time either, as he has retained personal injury specialist Barry Mason, whose motto is " Justice for the Injured.". PI lawyers are known for taking cases on contingency and collecting a hefty portion of any damages awarded.

So, just when we thought the coast was clear for business development in the region, if the government blinks and backs down on this one, we might once again see Frank Anderson at the helm of the Yarmouth Area Industrial Commission and the new Development Authority. Geez, since these folks these folks hold the future of tourism development in the region in their hands with the just-acquired control of the Yarmouth Ferry Terminal, should we be worried. Damned right!

More and more and more SWSDA messes...

2010-08-24T09:07:00.000-04:00

Just when we thought we were done with the messes left here by SWSDA and Frank Anderson, more details about the Sea Coast sound stage bankruptcy and SWSDA chicanery are leaking out. In papers filed with the courts, Sea Coast (Jim Kendrick & Mark Barstow) list debts of $2,063.000 and assets of $0. They owe:
SWSDA - $1,915,880
Municipality of Shelburne - $115,000 (now $150,00+)
Nova Scotia Power - $19,000
Aliant - $8,000

According to generally reliable sources in Yarmouth, the SWSDA board recently voted to refuse the Provinces help in winding up their business mess, which has the Frank Anderson development machine owing more than $2 million more than it has assets, including $600,000 to Garian Construction, $280,000 to McInnes Cooper, plus several small fry, including The Tourism Company of Ontario (for Shelco's yet-to-be-unwrapped 2010 tourism strategy) and various museums in the Yarmouth area.

Halifax hotshot Bob Belliveau, who is suing SWSDA for unpaid fees in the OPI debacle, appeared at a recent SWSDA board meeting and encouraged the board to sue the province for forcing out Frank Anderson. Gee, Frank... thanks for the mess.

Flim, flam... thank you m'am...

2010-08-23T13:54:00.000-04:00

Yet another chapter in the seedy story of Frank Anderson's pals Jim and Mary running the sound stage property into the ground... apparently Seacoast Entertainment Arts has filed for bankruptcy protection, but not before Jim and the Barstows (apparently Mary still has hubby, another Frank) wrote themselves another $900,000 second mortgage on the property. Makes you kind of wish for the simple fantasies of Antigonish conman Justin George.

So, when all is said and done, and the legal churning is done, and the SWSDA gang in Yarmouth walks away from the deal, the taxpayers in Shelburne County will be left holding the bag. I seem to recall predicting something like this a couple of years ago.

Why the Shelburne County Today archives?

2010-08-19T15:07:00.000-04:00

I was stopped in the street the other day by a self-described "citizen", who has been a faithful reader (and sometime subject) of the former Shelburne County Today news site. He wanted to know why, since the fracas between Ed Cayer and SWSDA has been settled with what he intimated was a too-generous cash settlement, there were still archives of the ins and outs of the 10-year legal battle residing on the SCT server.

Without ever imagining I would have to do such a thing, I explained to Mr. Citizen" that archives exist in order to keep a record of what really happened in any situation. To his suggestion that had I not been airing all of the disgusting linen of SWSDA, the various town and municipal councils, mayors, wardens and council clerks, things here would be more prosperous, I reposted that, if I had not been publishing SCT and had not filed formal complaints with the Ombudsmans Office, the Premier, various ministers and every public official I thought might give a damn, Frank Anderson and his cronies would still be screwing the taxpayers of Shelburne County like they did for 15 years.

I might also suggest to Mr. Citizen - and anyone else who wants to know the facts of the matter - that he spend some time going through the case documents on file with the Supreme Court to see that what "negative" news that was published in SCT would read like a Disney movie script when compared to the sordid details about Anderson's behaviour towards OPI - and that of the fine, upstanding citizens of this fair county who oversaw the operations at the Base at Sandy Point. To follow this Citizen's primitive tautology would suggest that the doctor who successfully operates on a once-terminal cancer patient should be pilloried for leaving a slight scar.

But Mr. Citizen's twisted logic about the function of a free press did alert me to the fact that, with the demise of the online news function of SCT, the archives could be lost forever, which would be a bad thing. So, if you ever get nostalgic about the "good old days" of the antics of various councils and civic leaders, Frank Anderson and his gang of goons in Yarmouth, the Oceans First Task Force fiasco, The Boston Ferry Caper, Jim and Mary's freak show and their crumbling "movie studio" empire, Ralston MacDonnell and his hijacking - with Frank's help - and destruction-by-neglect of the Boy's School, the stories are still in the SCT archives, which you can find in the links list at left.

En avant!

McNeil says transportation study backs his position on ferry

2010-07-05T08:42:00.002-04:00

Liberal Leader Stephen McNeil told SCT Friday that the just-released, ACOA-funded consultant's study on the transportation system in South West Nova Scotia bolster's his contention that ther NDP government pulled the plug on the Yarmouth-USA CAT Ferry in 2009. The study included identification of economic drivers, traffic patterns and an analysis of current and projected demand for all modes of transportation. "Now, the government has to get together with the federal government and sort out what we do to bring back a sustainable ferry service to the USA," said McNeil. To obtain a copy of the report in electronic format, contact ACOA's library at (506) 851-2144 or 1-800-561-7862 or by email: ris-sri@acoa-apeca.gc.ca

Transport study says Digby-St.John ferry, fishery are most significant issues.....

2010-07-01T14:20:00.000-04:00

The long-awaited, ACOA-funded South West Nova Scotia Transportation Study was released Tuesday, with few surprises and no conclusive recommendations about future ferry service. The report executive summary "short-listed" seven options for the service, including two options which eliminate ferry service to Yarmouth

Videos now in SCT

2010-03-17T15:18:00.000-04:00

SCT has added online news and views videos. The newest will be linked from this site, and the archive can be found at >>> view all videos here

Regional tourism strategy looks to Halifax and New Brunswick....

2010-03-17T15:16:00.001-04:00

Regional tourism strategy looks to Halifax and New Brunswick.... a collection of tourism operators and marketers met at Cornwallis Monday to fashion a tourism strategy in the wake of the closure of the CAT Ferry to Maine. There was general agreement that the hottest markets for visitors to the area included Halifax, New Brunswick and Ontario. Bay Ferries execs said that they were retooling their CAT website to redirect traffic to the Princess of Acadia service from St. John to Digby.
The half-day conference was sponsored by Destination South West Nova Scotia and was attended by NS Department of Tourism executives Bob Book and Susan Jeffries. Local MLA Leo Glavine suggested that one new tourism market might include visitors from China who would want to visit all of the mink ranches in Southwest Nova.
The operators laid out plans to attend trade shows in Moncton and Halifax, plus the national Rendezvous show.

Business Eco-park slated for Shelburne...

2010-03-17T15:15:00.002-04:00

Business Eco-park slated for Shelburne... the Municipality of Shelburne has plans to expand the Shelburne Industrial Park by creating an "Eco-Park" concept, which would include installation of ten small (100MW) wind turbines and ocean source heat pump facilities at the park. Because the competition in Nova Scotia for regional business parks to attract tenants, the Eco-Park idea, according to Shelburne Municipality Chief Administration Officer Kirk Cox, would be a way to establish a "niche" market for the facility.
Nova Scotia Power and the Municipality have teamed up to launch a feasibility study for the project, which is likely to include major Business Park tenants Roseway Hospital, Ven Rez Products and Nova Scotia Community College. >>> full story

Hurlburt's pension parachute to be $54,000 per year...

2010-03-17T15:15:00.001-04:00

Hurlburt's pension parachute to be $54,000 per year... Kevin Gaudet, a spokesman for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, said the public has a right to be irked that politicians such as Yarmouth MLA Richard Hurlburt, who acknowledged an "error in judgment," still get a hefty pension when they quit >>> full story

Public Forum on Economic Development

2009-11-28T10:08:00.000-05:00

Dozens attend public meeting on economic development future for Shelburne County... second meeting planned for Nov 25... More than 60 people attended a citizens meeting in Shelburne Thursday night to discuss the future of economic development in Shelburne County and the role the current or new Regional Development Agency might play in the mix.
The crowd included a varied mix from the community, including mayors wardens and councilors from throughout the county. The meeting was called in part as a result of the recent notice from the deputy minister of economic development informing all local governments that, as of March 31, 2010, the current South West Shore Development Authority will cease to exist and that all municipal governments would then be required to inform the government which, if any, development agency they wanted to support.
Revamping the current RDA and establishing a new RDA for Shelburne County were both addressed, as was a history of the RDA and discussions of the sorts of questions and issues any future RDA would have to face. Many documents from the meeting are available online. Another meeting was set for Wednesday, November 25 at 7:00pm at Shelburne High.

SWSDA documents hide and seek

2009-11-28T10:04:00.000-05:00

Why is Shelburne Town playing hide-and-seek - again! - with SWSDA files?... For the better part of half a year, the Town of Shelburne has been keeping a secret stash of files out of view in the dark caverns of Clerk Wilmont Hardy's inner sanctum or in the elegantly panelled and plushly carpeted confines of His Worship, Alan Delaney's office. Polite requests for the files go unanswered... Formal requests for the files go unanswered... the Clerk and his staff do not respond to written requests... what could be so damning in the town's - or the Mayor's - relationship with SWSDA and CEO Frank Anderson?.
Given what I've read of the mountains and mountains of SWSDA information available through some staffers and through every other town or municipal clerk in the region, let me hazard some guesses. When the files are made available - and they will be if it takes the Freedom of Information Officer, the Ombudsman or a Supreme Court Justice like in SWSDA's case - here's what we'll likely find:
1.) in the file for the $5,000,000 port funding that the Mayor insisted be turned over to Anderson's gentle care... nothing, zero, nada, nil, zip.
This despite the fact that Anderson just reported to his board of directors that he had completed funding applications, despite that fact that Delaney and Anderson have apparently met and conferenced several times on the matter, despite the fact that the Town is desperate for some development, we will find zero. In other jurisdictions, the Mayor, Clerk and Council would be expected to have at least one scrap of paper to support a $5 million project.
When SCT was told that the arrangements with Anderson were "verbal" deals with the Mayor, a request was made for a record of the alleged verbal agreements. The Town's response - pound sand!
Councilor Tony Mahaney is on record as asserting to federal officials prior to May that funding proposals had been made for the project - but there is no record of the proposals... anywhere.
What I would like to know is... had funding proposals for the project been made per Councilor Mahaney's assertions to federal authorities? If so, where are they and why can we not see them? If not, why not? and why did the Town (through Mahaney) misrepresent the facts to the feds?
I'd also like to know if there is one shred of evidence in the Town files that Frank Anderson - or anyone else at SWSDA - has made one phone call, met with one official, written one letter, submitted one proposal to help us with this great project? I suspect not, but I'd like to know why the big secret? Why the hide-and-seek? Why the cover-up?
As for the other SWSDA document that the Clerk refused to divulge (see SWSDA blog here) , it is a letter (see copy here) from Frank Anderson trying to bully the Council into signing away our right - by December 11, no less! - to sort out our options in deciding our future part for an RDA. Why don't the Town Clerk - and maybe the Mayor - want us to see the letter? I've read it and I know what I want the Mayor and Council to tell Frank Anderson:

1.) In his May letter, the Deputy Minister of Economic Development asked the municipal units to write to the MINISTER, not Frank Anderson about their intentions vis-a-vis a revised RDA regime in this region dictated by compliance with the RDA Act
2.) Mr. Anderson is asking for blind fealty to an organization that the Deputy Minister says will not exist after April 1, 2010
3.) Mr. Anderson does not address whatsoever the issues required by the Deputy Minister, including strategic plan, board composition and governance, etc.
4.) The issues of the enormous SWSDA debt and loan guarantees (by our council!!) are not addressed

In the atmosphere of mistrust and questioning of SWSDA and the relationships between the RDA, Frank Anderson and the various councils, clerks and staff, it seems a poor choice to me for Wilmot Hardy and Mayor Delaney to be playing "hide the records with an inquiring and energized public.