PULSE ANNOUNCEMENT

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As you have noticed the Pulse has not been up to par.

The reason is:

When I left Liverpool in early June I moved my computer.

It apparently got damaged in the move.

The hard drive got damaged.

That hard drive has 20,000 photos of Queens County taken over seven ears.

All the stories ever on the Pulse

and more.

For the last two months I have tried to get the hard drive fixed sending it all over the country.

I have one place left…a lab in Germany.

That is why there are no scenic shots and photos.

I will wait a few weeks for the results, if not I will end the Pulse.

Without that drive there is no Pulse.

Thanks for understanding.

 

Alex J. Walling

Publisher

JOHN TOWNSEND ON YARMOUTH FERRY

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Great question has the Yarmouth ferry been successful ? .

At this point in time it would be difficult to know…since the numbers are not in. The success of the ferry would be dependant on the number of jobs created, room nights,B & B, hotel, motel, meals, fuel, new business creation, and or the re-opening of former businesses….to me job creation would be very high on this list. When the ferry service was first axed, the public word from White Point Resort was that it most likley would not effect their business…

Now when the ferry service is mentioned, there is nothing but praise for the service,..starange how opinions change,,,,and the reasoning. Due to the near last minute start up of the ferry, most tour bus companies had other arrangements and destinations in place, early fall being the cream of the tour bus season, so the early closing of the service is understandable, sad, but none the less understandable. Harbours Edge B&B reported in media that they have had their best summer since being in business, due to the ferry, surpassing a previous record when two ferries were running.

Yarmouth Mayor Pam Mood gave a report at a recent session of Yarmouth Town Council this full report can be viewed by going to ustream and typing Yarmouth Town Council meeting’s both live, and any meeting can be called up, this in addition to viewing live on eastlink cable, but since some residents do not subscribe to eastlink, the Town council decided to stream live their neetings, and committee meetings as well…this is true transparencey, and shows the public they have nothing to hide, or simply keep from the public, not so every where !!

Thanks for the space, and welcome back Alex….John Townsend

HAS THE YARMOUTH FERRY BEEN SUCCESSFUL?

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When the Yarmouth Ferry returned this spring a lot of people and businesses around Queens and elsewhere were very pleased.

But the return has been anything but successful.

The figures say differently.

The Ferry line wanted to do 100,000 passengers in traffic.

That seemed high when the ferry started and will come nowhere near that figure.

The 21 million dollar loan which was supposed to last seven years got all used up within a few months and that’s taxpayer money.

Now the ferry folks say it will shut down early.

Not exactly a vote of confidence, is it?

Not a good first year.

It makes one wonder if there will be a year two?

 

WHY NOT A COUNCIL MEETING WITH PUBLIC INPUT?

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A very rare thing happened yesterday as the regular council meeting was cancelled because there were not enough items to fill or put on the agenda.

Maybe so, but these meetings are important and I feel the meeting should have been held.

By the way, the Pulse checked with the former Mayor, John Leefe, and never in his 12 years, was there such a reason to cancel a council session.

But this is what could have been done with the time.

Why not invite the public to discuss some items and/or invite suggestions?

Why not offer groups a chance to make presentation to council?

Why not have a good financial session discussing where the region stands financially?

What happened in Springhill could it happen i Queens?

Why not air what some potential problems and solutions are for Queens?

Discuss the future of Queens.

Why not allow each Councillor a chance tp speak for 5 minutes on the pros/cons of his/her constituency.

I’ve attended a few meetings this year, some of these items may last longer.

There is never a reason to cancel a public meeting.\

Queens county is a 16 million dollar business, the public only gets 26 times a year to see “council in action”, we missed an opportunity yesterday.

AN EMAIL FROM LYNN SPONAGLE

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    Not since the Vietnam War have there been such cruel and diabolical devices used against the enemy as punji traps. Carefully hidden amongst the vegetation, holes were dug and lined with sharpened sticks designed to impale the person who fell in. There they would be trapped, run through with multiple spears, to bleed to death.Not a very pleasant picture, is it? That is exactly what we now have hidden in our roadside ditches right here in Queens. Surely this is against the Geneva Convention and when did pedestrians and cyclists become the enemy?

Earlier this summer, a feeble attempt was made to increase the sight lines along the narrow, winding #3 Hwy from White Point to Summerville, by cutting away the ever growing vegetation. Apparently this hasn’t been done in quite some time, judging by the girth of the alders filling up the ditches along this stretch of road. Some are two inches in diameter.  Ditches should be clear of heavy vegetation as they serve a purpose. However, once the work was done, what was left is shockingly dangerous!

First off, whatever implement was used, was operated from the flat road surface and reached across the ditches, simply lopping the tops off. This wouldn’t even be so bad if the trunks of the alders were actually cut. In that case they would have blunt ends. Not so. Whatever was used wasn’t sharp so it tore, broke and ripped them off, leaving pointed, jagged, splintered ends pointing straight up. They couldn’t be any sharper if you whittled them to points on purpose.  They are rooted firmly in the ditch and are about two feet high. There are clusters of them everywhere. They are unsightly and they are dangerous.  Of course, at first you could plainly see them. Now they have grayed out with weather and ferns, weeds, grass, etc have grown up to hide them from view.

There are a lot of cyclists and pedestrians around and this road is quite narrow. One bad driver, road hog or vehicular incident could easily cause someone on the side to have to jump out of the way. With nowhere but the ditch to go, it would be an awful way to die, being speared to death by alders. I shudder to think of the outcome.

I am aware money is tight everywhere, but by cutting corners doing it this way, an even more dangerous situation exists. I wonder if there is any way these ditches could be cleared out properly?

Sincerely

Lynn Sponagle

Continue reading →

SUMMER HIGHLIGHTS

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The Pulse was on vacation this summer and so we look back on a few of the top things or events that took place.

Two of the items that were often on the Pulse were the Old Town Hall and The Legge-Shot water troubles.

Regional council resolved the Old Town Hall issue with Sherman Hines and as they say “Sherman has left or is leaving the building.”

Word was given to Hines and he will soon be moving out and the Museum of Photography will find a new home in the Rosingnol Centre.

And, believe it or not, the Jean Legge-Kendra Shot water problem has been fixed for now as the Region did what they should have done for months and did some work on the drainage issue.

More on this item tomorrow.

Also, for the first time in years there was not a Brooklyn Seafest.

 

MAYOR SAYS NO COUNCIL MEETING DUE TO “LACK OF ITEMS”

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Mayor Chris Clarke says the reason there is no council session on Tuesday September 9th is “there are not items on the agenda”.

The mayor responded to the Pulse call to the region.

Council meets twice a month.

Some of the meetings are short (under an hour) and some can be very lengthy.

It is the first time since we’ve covered council for QCCR and the Pulse that this explanation has been given.

….HELLO THERE,THE PULSE IS BACK….

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The Pulse has returned from summer holidays  and there are a few changes.

For the first time since I got a computer I am no longer with Eastlink but with Bell Aliant as I took their free 42 inch Tv and that means the Pulse and my Eastlink  email address have gone.

The Pulse will get its own email but for now please send emails to: alexwalling@gmail.com or hit the reply button on the Pulse.

There is also a Liverpool number to phone in stuff or to reach me.

Labour Day is here meaning summer has “unofficially” ended.

We’re glad to be back.

NEW EMAIL AND PHONE NUMBER FOR THE PULSE

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The Pulse of Queens County has a new email address and a new phone number.

Starting immediately you can reach the Pulse in three fashions.

1.  Hit the “REPLY” button on any story on the Pulse.

2. the email is:  alexwalling@gmail.com

3. Pulse Phone is 902 350-2719

Keep us informed of news around your area or PSA (Public Service Announcements)

Thank You Alexj (Walling)

PULSE FINAL EDITION, NEWS WISE, TILL SEPTEMBER

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This is the last edition of the Pulse, news wise, until September 1st.

After nearly four-years of doing the Pulse of Queens County we are taking the summer off.

The Pulse however will continue with two features.

We are going to continue the PSA’s (Public Service Announcements) so keep those coming in.

Also I will try to daily put one reason that I’ve so enjoyed living in Summerville Centre for nearly seven years.

I’ve immensely enjoyed my near seven years of living on the ocean in Summerville Centre  and that ocean view and location I will miss very much but due to a health issue of a family member I feel I belong close to this person who lives around Halifax and that  is the right thing to do.

I have totally and thoroughly enjoyed being in Queens.It is way more than I expected.

It is certainly the smallest place (population wise) that I have ever lived. The closest one, population wise, was a year, my only year, in Western Canada where I spent 12 months managing a radio station in Swift Current, , SK.

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The population of Liverpool and area might hit 4-or-5 thousand while Swift Current itself is over 16,000.

Other than that I spent two years in Woodstock, Ont (population in 1969-70 was 27,000. and there are so many cities around there), Halifax was my home for the past 25 years prior to coming down here. I spent 9 years in Corner Brook, NL and that city was nearly 30.000.

So this part of the world is the smallest that I lived.

I grew up in Quebec City (fluent in English and French) in fact French was my first language and I didn’t know a word of anglaise until my seventh birthday.

My first day in Queens was September 15th, 2008 and I didn’t know a soul and no one know me, or so I thought.

On that day then Premier Rodney MacDonald came down and presented  Mayor John Leefe one of those great big cheques for six-million bucks for the new Queens Place.

I walked into council chambers for the first time and three of Rodney’s crew came over to say hi.  They were all former media guys that I knew from Halifax. So much for being incognito and I believe that Mayor Leefe recognized me from television.

susan

 

Susan MacLeod probably wondered what the fuss was all about, who was this guy and as soon as the presentation was done came over and said “who are you?”.

I told her I was here to set up a community radio station of which a few years later she played an incredible part in the first ever QCCR fundraising telethon.  Thank you Susan you did a great job in organizing it.

Then I went over to Superstore and the manager Wayne recognized me from my TV days at MITV/GLOBAL and my 12 years with TSN. So much for being incognito.

From that point I have met hundreds and I thank you.

I was pleased to set up QCCR and hope it continues to be a community station.  All they are missing to be a dynamite daily force is more power.

QCCR launch June 20th 2008, the Mayor and editor of the Pulse

QCCR launch June 20th 2008, the Mayor and editor of the Pulse

Four years ago I started the Pulse on a whim never expecting it to be as popular as it has become.

The daily on-line newspaper is read by so many for its daily dose of news, controversy, editorials, photos and maybe the strongest part of this website the replies and remarks to items posted.

And they come in droves on stories and comments written here. From “Tims not having sweetener”, to “Schools being closed,” to the “Old Town Hall/Sherman Hines” to the recent “Chandler’s Crematorium issue,” reader’s make their views well-known and that’s not a bad thing.

Here are the tentative plans for the Pulse.

The Pulse will end for the summer months on July 1st. It will shut down for the summer and I have all intentions of coming back. As the song says “See you in September.”

Before the internet it would be very hard to do such an on-line paper but these days with the internet, Facebook, email and the  use of my favourite tool for the last 50 years, the telephone, I can get most stories. Also photography is not really an issue with so many photos emailed to the Pulse.

I have a photo bank of over 25,000 (that’s thousand) pictures of the area. So if I think I can do the same job from Halifax then I will continue.  If not the Pulse will not re-open.

Vern Oickle

Vern Oickle

It would be nice if someone could take it over.

It takes someone who knows and understands journalism, preferably if they have worked in the field, he/she is not afraid of doing interviews,live or by phone and it would be nice if they can handle a website.

There are many who possess some of those skills but to my knowledge one person who possess them all, is Vern Oickle.(hint, hint Vern).

The setting up of a community radio station (QCCR) and doing this daily on-line paper has been a blast.

Thank You and enjoy the summer.

Alex J. Walling

A COMMENT FROM DAILY READER TERRY BUTLIN

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Hi Alex.

 If your announcement earlier this year is correct, we will see The Pulse either shuttered or suspended this coming weekend.  That being so I have a few comments.
First of all.  You have provided a good forum for the citizens of Liverpool to air their views, rant a little, praise some person or event, and to send in photographs of their favourite scenes or their pets.  While everyone has not agreed with what you have written, or not necessarily agreed with what others have written, we have had a chance to read your opinions and comment on them.  For that I am grateful.
There has been many controversial issues raised in The Pulse during the past several months.  Some items like the crematorium situation have been settled.  Others like the Sherman Hines Museum fiasco are still up in the air.  We are going to miss The Pulse bringing such situations to our attention, and providing us that much needed forum to comment on those same situations.
As you are aware, one of my repeated points of view has in fact been the Museum.  We kept reading assurances from our elected officials that a solution was at hand.  In reality, what do we have?  A museum that is advertised as a Liverpool attraction, that is in fact closed!  This is the type of situation where we will miss The Pulse.  Who is going to keep the pressure on our elected officials to rectify this terrible waste of a fine building on our main street?
So in conclusion Alex.  You have done a fine job.  I personally hope to see you return to Liverpool and restart The Pulse when your business elsewhere is taken care of.
Thank you for being there to read while I have my coffee every morning.  Well, most mornings!!
Terry.