Brandon Wentzell

Please join us.

PUBLIC MEETING: Saturday, May 26, Time: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Place: Bedford Lions Den, Lebrun Centre, 36 Holland Avenue

Everyone is welcome.

PARENTS – FAMILY MEMBERS– STUDENTS – CONCERNED CITIZENS – EDUCATORS – HEALTH PROFESSIONALS – JUSTICE PROFESSIONALS – POLITICIANS

The speakers may include local and provincial politicians, as well as the following:

Amy Graves

Amy lost her brother Josh, in Cambridge, NS from a combination of alcohol and prescription drugs. Josh was 21 years old. See the CBC News article: www.cbc.ca.

Cheryl Jones Veinotte

Cheryl lost her son, Brandon Wentzell, in Bridgewater, NS from a combination of alcohol and prescription drugs. Brandon was 19 years old. See the CBC News item: www.cbc.ca.

Brianne Ashley

John Munro

John lost his step-daughter, Brianne Ashley (a C.P.A. graduate), in Halifax, NS from a combination of alcohol and prescription drugs. Brianne was 20 years old. See the Chronicle Herald news article: thechronicleherald.ca.

Hear John’s radio interview with Jordi Morgan on radio 95.7 together with pictures of his daughter: www.youtube.com.

WE DESERVE TO KNOW THE FACTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN HRM.

In May of last year a report was published entitled “Drug related overdoses in the Annapolis Valley”. www.gov.ns.ca/health/Drug-related-overdose-DrGould-report.pdf.

On page two of that report it states very clearly: “The Chief Medical Examiner commented that opiate related deaths … in the Valley appear to be similar to what is seen in other areas across the province.”

Josh Graves

In the four years from 2007 to 2010 there appears to have been at least 13 deaths related to prescription drugs in the Annapolis Valley. Since the population of HRM is four to five times the size of the valley, is it possible that (in the same four years) the number of similar deaths in HRM could be as high as 65? These are primarily our young people. Does this concern you?

PLEASE JOIN YOUR FELLOW CITIZENS AT THIS IMPORTANT MEETING. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

- Hear how this has affected the lives of others.
- Share how this has affected your life.
- Discuss what steps need to be taken.
- Learn how you can protect your children.

For more information about the meeting contact: John Munro; jnhm_2000@yahoo.com.

SEE ALSO: Get Prescription Drugs Off the Streets at http://gpdots.com/

Maeghan Taverner of Bedford competed in Port Hawkesbury on April 28 in the Nova Scotia Provincial Highland Dance Championships and Selection Meet. She placed 1st runner-up in the 14-15 age category and will be one of 18 Nova Scotia dancers to represent the province at the Interprovincial Championships held in Edmonton, Alberta this July. Her family is very proud of her dedication and efforts to achieve this goal and give a big thanks to her teacher Carolyn Spears of Halifax.

Cast of Bedford Player's most recent production of "It's Murder In The Wings" Front row left to right: Fiona Kirkpatrick-Parsons, Carol MacPherson, Susan Warr, Joy Reisch, Jill curley, Michele Gaudet, Rebecca Ambrosino, Bonnie Matthews. Back row left to right: Michael Roche, ralf dreimanis, Val MacKenzie, Katherine Tufts, Robin Saywood.

May 14th was the scene of the Bedford Players Volunteer Awards Night, an evening to celebrate the many volunteers who work so diligently to entertain metro with Bedford Players Productions.

Approximately seventy guests arrived for the gala event, which was hosted much like the Academy Awards, with awards presentations and acknowledgements for actors, production crew and creative teams.

Two short plays also entertained the audience: “The Tea Party”, written and directed by Karen Waterfield for the Liver Association Fund Raiser in Bedford and also “The Bouquet”, written and directed by Janet Godsell for the Liverpool International Festival.

10:00am until 12:00pm

DeWolfe Park, Bedford, NS

The kids runs start at 9:45 am
The 5K walk/run starts at 10:00am

Race Kits:
Bedford Running Room 5:30-8pm Friday June 1st and Saturday June 2nd

Registration and more information is available online at the Running Room.

All proceeds from this race presented to the IWK Health Center Foundation Telethon Sunday.

Sponsored by the Running Room, Coconut Creek, Scotiabank, The Medicine Shop, What’s for Supper?, Magic Mountain, Izzy Bagels Co. (new location on Bedford Hwy), Healthy Link Chiropractic, Jack Astor’s, Brewdebaker’s, Uncommon Kids (Bedford), Atlantic Superstore, Pizza Girls, Kent’s.

Supporters from coast to coast lined up to celebrate M&M Meat Shops Charity BBQ Day and raise funds to support vital research to find a cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, also known as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). To date, M&M Meat Shops’ franchisees, customers and volunteers have raised more than $23.1 million for this worthy cause.

Saturday marked the 24th annual M&M Meat Shops Charity BBQ Day and Canadians enjoyed thousands of hamburgers, hot dogs and ice cream bars in support of the CCFC. Every cent raised goes directly to CCFC research to help find a cure for IBD, a disease that affects more than 200,000 Canadian men, women and children.

This year, M&M Meat Shops Charity BBQ Day was pleased to have 12-year-old Landon Lafond as a CCFC representative for the event. Landon understands all too well what it’s like to live with IBD: “I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease three years ago,” says Landon. “I love to volunteer and have been proud to help raise money for Crohn’s and colitis research by helping out at M&M Meat Shops Charity BBQ Day, as well as participating in CCFC’s Gutsy Walk. M&M Meat Shops Charity BBQ Day is an important way to raise money and awareness for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, and hopefully, help kids like me feel better.”

Cooking for a Cure

“Once again, Canadians demonstrated incredible support for Charity BBQ Day, raising more than $1.5 million in a single day for CCFC,” says Mac Voisin, Founder and Chairman of M&M Meat Sshops. “Our sincere thank you to everyone who helped to make the 24th annual Charity BBQ Day a huge success.”

Voisin believes this amazing feat could not have been accomplished without the help of thousands of volunteers and dedicated M&M Meat Shops franchisees, who tirelessly facilitated BBQs and promoted the event in their local communities across the country.

“On behalf of the CCFC and the thousands of persons living with IBD across Canada, we are grateful to M&M Meat Shops for their continued support and commitment to our search for a cure,” says CCFC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Kevin W. Glasgow, MD. “Contributions from the M&M Meat Shops Charity BBQ Day have funded many important developments in Canadian research, including: establishing the CCFC IBD Research Institute; launching the landmark GEM project looking at the Genetic, Environmental and Microbial factors contributing to the onset of Crohn’s disease; and helping our Canadian researchers to become world-recognized leaders in the search for the cure.”

Proud Partners

A Kitchener-based business, M&M Meat Shops opened its first store in 1980. Over the past 30 years, the chain has grown to more than 450 locations across Canada. M&M Meat Shops offers hundreds of meal ideas for today’s busy families in just one aisle, with products ranging from succulent steaks to delicious desserts and convenient meal ideas. For more information on M&M Meat Shops or for tips on hundreds of meal ideas visit www.mmmeatshops.com.

Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC) is a volunteer-based, registered national charity dedicated to finding the cure for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The Foundation is also committed to educating IBD patients, their families, health professionals and the general public about the diseases. For more information about CCFC, please visit www.ccfc.ca.

As part of Canada Road Safety Week, HRM Partners in Policing continue to urge motorists to drive safely and obey the rules of the road.

Officers assigned to the HRP/RCMP Integrated Traffic Unit will be conducting roadside traffic safety checkpoints during the campaign, with a focus on behaviours that reduce risks for drivers, passengers and other road users, including erratic and impaired driving, speeding, crosswalk and stop sign infractions, and cell phone violations.

HRM Partners in Policing encourage safe and sober driving.

Always remember:

- pay attention to the road and don’t drive when you’re tired
- be a patient and courteous driver and refrain from all aspects of aggressive driving
- reduce your speed
- wear your seatbelt
- don’t use your cell phone while driving
- don’t drink and drive
- if you have information on an impaired driver call 911

Canada Road Safety Week is sponsored by Transport Canada and endorsed by police across the country in an effort to improve public safety on our roadways. Please do your part to help keep our roads safe.

Annapolis Group Incorporated, owner of the Paper Mill Lake Dam, will be conducting major repairs to the existing structure and backfill within the park area below the dam. This work is scheduled to take place during normal working hours beginning May 15, 2012 and expected to end October 31, 2012.

Work will involve the use of heavy equipment for the demolition, concrete forming and major excavation of down slope fills and will be performed within the confines of a closed compound in close proximity to the dam. Water levels at Paper Mill Lake will be lowered extensively for the duration of the project to accommodate this work. Walkway access between Mill Run Crescent and Lake Drive via the Mill Run footbridge will be closed during this time.

Residents are reminded any activities within the lake or disturbance to the lake bed or shoreline are regulated by Nova Scotia Environment through an approval process. Any property owners intending to conduct alterations to the shoreline of Paper Mill Lake should contact Nova Scotia Environment at 424-7773 to discuss approval requirements.

For your safety, please respect any barrier fences, posted signage or notices.

While this necessary work takes place, the Halifax Regional Municipality is taking the opportunity to improve access to Paper Mill Lake. The improvements will involve the replacement of all wood structures, including steps to the lake and construction of a concrete retaining wall complete with new concrete steps.

Please note swimming access will be closed to the public during this planned work. Users of the site can find programming opportunities at either Sandy Lake Beach or the Bedford Lions Pool.

The Halifax Regional Municipality and Annapolis Group thank you for your patience and cooperation in respecting the construction site.

For information on work related to the dam, please contact:
Mike Laycock, Annapolis Group Inc., at (902) 497-1476
Nova Scotia Environment: (902) 424-7773

For information regarding alternative swimming locations, please contact:
Halifax Regional Municipality at (902) 490-4000

Violent crime is down over ten per cent, including decreases in homicides, attempt homicide, robberies and assaults. Property crime is also down over one per cent with decreases in break and enters and thefts of motor vehicles. There were increases in theft over $5000 and theft under $5000 with the latter being influenced by thefts from motor vehicles which continues to be a problem across HRM.

There was an increase in drug incidents which is directly related to directed enforcement. Last year, as part of our efforts to address the violence in our community, we realigned the HRP/RCMP Integrated Drug Unit and created the Guns and Gangs Team. The Team focuses on mid-level players in the drug sub-culture whom we believe are responsible for much of the violence, especially the shooting incidents, in HRM. The drug statistics are enforcement based and an increase was expected in light of the directed enforcement.

HRM Partners in Policing are continuing to stay the course with our crime reduction strategy to address the increase in violent crime. We will continue to focus on hot spots policing, deploy our Quick Response, Street Crime Units and Guns and Gangs Team to target the criminal element, monitor those who are on court imposed conditions, and put officers in close contact with the community to address crime as well as quality-of-life issues.

Some simple checks that motorists can perform themselves include: Ensure tires are properly inflated and the treads are not worn. Replace wiper blades that are worn due the winter ice and snow; worn wiper blades can hamper driver visibility in spring rain.

Check all vehicle lighting including headlights, tail-lights, back-up lights, turn signals, parking lights and brake lights.

To increase your night time visibility, ensure your headlights lights are angled properly. Studded tires are not to be used on Nova Scotia highways from April 30th to October 15th. Drivers should also be cognizant that with the warmer weather, motorists will be sharing the roads with motorcycles , cyclists as well as children on skateboards and scooters.

Nova Scotia RCMP want everyone to remember that road safety is everyone’s responsibility.

Kelly Regan, Liberal MLA for Bedford-Birch Cove

On Thursday, May 24th, beginning at 6 p.m., the Bedford-Birch Cove Liberal Association will be hosting their annual dinner at the Bedford Lions Den (36 Holland Avenue in Bedford).

The annual event will feature a delightful cuisine catered by the Taj Mahal and guest speakers The Empathy Project.

Tickets cost $45 each. For more information, or if you would like to purchase a ticket, please contact Marilyn Sceles (835-3863) or Cheri Wilson (477-3044).