WWW.LIGHTHOUSENOW.CA WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2018 A DIVISION OF ADVOCATE MEDIA INC. BRIDGEWATER, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA Proudly Independent Since 1875 $2.17+HST PROGRESS BULLETIN Publication # 40031078 142nd Year • No. 42 Queens County man Thanksgiving refugees acquitted of charges connected to deadly 2015 crash Michael Albert Anthony found not guilty of allegations associated with Highway 103 accident By KEITH CORCORAN [email protected] M@NewsmanKeith A Queens County man charged in relation to a Highway 103 crash three years ago where a pregnant woman died was acquitted on all counts because, in part, the Crown didn’t prove he intended to cause the crash and didn’t have the evidence to establish his ac- GAYLE WILSON PHOTO tions were a “marked departure from the norm.” Michael Albert Anthony, 28, of Milton was found Joe and Faith Grant won third- and fifth- place respectively in the turkey competition that took place at the end not guilty October 10 of criminal negligence causing of September at the South Shore Exhibition grounds as part of the annual 4-H provincial show. See page 12 for death and dangerous driving causing death to Nicole more. Ezute-Thomas, and criminal negligence causing bodi- ly harm and dangerous driving causing bodily harm to Charles Ezute-Thomas and Kenneth Croft. Nicole’s mother and sister, both wearing shirts with adorned messages calling for justice for Nicole Ocearch wraps up and her unborn child, were among family members who wept after hearing the decision of Justice De- nise Boudreau in Nova Scotia Supreme Court in Bridgewater. Nova Scotia expedition Annie Parnell, Nicole’s mother, speaking to LighthouseNOW outside the courthouse, suggested she doubts the family - dealing with the death of a Researchers tag great white sharks off coast mother, grandchild, daughter and sibling - can move on from an incident that also resulted in serious inju- ries to other innocent people. of Lunenburg County The court outlined testimony and evidence heard at an earlier, multi-day trial, before rendering a deci- By KEITH CORCORAN derful people of Lunenburg.” sion. [email protected] Mayor Rachel Bailey called it “a great honour” for Ezute-Thomas was behind the wheel of a Toyota M@NewsmanKeith the town to share the namesake with an animal that’s Corolla on December 3. 2015. He and his wife, Nicole, helping Ocearch cultivate data necessary to better were heading to Bridgewater to do some Christmas Lunenburg’s mayor calls it an honour to have the protect the species. shopping. They were parents of two young children largest great white shark tagged on Ocearch’s Nova “It’s been very exciting to have a research proj- and Nicole was four months pregnant at the time. The Scotia expedition named after the town’s citizens. ect like that in and out of Lunenburg,” Bailey told children stayed with caregivers while their parents Luna, the name bestowed upon the shark by the LighthouseNOW during a break in town council’s journeyed to the Main Street of the South Shore. The U.S.-based research organization, is a four-and-a-half October 9 meeting. “It’s very important work and it’s couple left Liverpool around 12 noon. Road conditions metre mature female white shark. She was captured, exciting that we have, kind of, had a first-hand look at were clear and the pavement dry. tagged and released on Thanksgiving Day. Ocearch what they’re doing.” said the animal, the second largest of its kind they’ve See ANTHONY on page 2 tagged in the North Atlantic, is “named after the won- See OCEARCH on page 2 SOCIAL COOKBOOK IN THIS ISSUE PORT MEDWAY MEDIA STAR AUTHOR Comment ............. 4 Lifestyles .............17 HAVEN United breaks Sauce Solution Sports ................. 10 Log ......................19 Grocer and cafe guitars Page 28 Rural Ink .............13 What’s On ..........22 Page 13 Page 16 Arts ......................14 Classifieds ..........25 Tell us what you think: www.lighthousenow.ca/survey We care about our environment Please recycle this newspaper DRIVEWAY & DRAINAGE Culverts 158003.indd OPERATION HOURS Phone: 902-543-2446 A publication of 2232 Hwy 325, Bridgewater [email protected] LIGHTHOUSENOW.CA 7:00 am - 3:30 pm (MON-FRI) & 8:00 am - 12:00 pm (SAT) Toll Free: 1-877-370-3403 Page 2 LighthouseNOW Progress Bulletin, Wednesday, October 17, 2018 WWW.LIGHTHOUSENOW.CA Ocearch wraps up Nova Scotia expedition OCEARCH from page 1 Ocearch tagged six white sharks in tain’s mother, respectively. total, having had success fishing in the All six tagged sharks were caught via Ocearch last week wrapped up its three- areas off the coast of Upper Kingsburg and set lines where there was no chumming. week Nova Scotia expedition, which in- around West Ironbound Island. While Ocearch’s activities garnered cluded probing the predators’ migratory LighthouseNOW was the only news positive attention among marine enthu- patterns and trying to zero in on a poten- media on board MV Ocearch, a re-pur- siasts, the practice of chumming, which tial white shark posed 38-metre crab sees fish scraps and bait dumped into the mating site in the vessel-turned-mo- water to attract sharks in the vicinity, was north Atlantic. The “It’s been very exciting bile research base, a bone of contention with some who were work also included to have a research when crews cap- critical of the organization’s tactics. a catch-and-release tured, tagged and Fisheries and Oceans Canada inter- routine that allows project like that in released its first vened as a result of the concerns and for attaching track- and out of Lunenburg.” shark in Canadian Ocearch was prevented from chumming ing tags and science waters September within three nautical miles - or five-and- experts on board Rachel Bailey 24. The three-and-a- half kilometres - of places where marine OCEARCH, PHOTO to collect samples Lunenburg Mayor half metre, 500 kilo- recreational users such as surfers and Luna, the name given by the U.S.-based from a shark as part gram, mature male kayakers could be present. research organization, is a four-and-a-half of the research. ––––––––– white shark was Ocearch had been told to move their metre mature female white shark cap- Fisheries and named Nova, “after operations, but the two sides agreed to the tured, tagged and released on Thanksgiv- Oceans Canada permitted Ocearch to tag the amazing people of Nova Scotia.” chumming prohibition instead. up to 20 white sharks off the coast of Nova Since that time, Jefferson, coined after Robert Hueter, Ocearch’s chief science ing Day. Scotia and Newfoundland late this sum- a corporate sponsor, and Hal, named after advisor, tried to get ahead of what he mer or early in the fall. The size require- Halifax, were tagged. Both males are in called the myths and misinformation that improved public safety through educa- ment for tagging was adjusted on at least the four-metre size range. can play out in public. tion, through better scientific knowledge one occasion during the journey. Ocearch Immature male and female sharks, “We’re not doing anything to change of what animals are here, why they’re also engaged in public outreach and edu- Cabot and Jane, measured in the three- the risk for public safety. We’d never do here, what they’re doing here and then cation events in Lunenburg County and metre range. They were named after the that,” Hueter told LighthouseNOW. “We’re balance that against what people are doing Halifax. famous explorer and the Ocearch cap- trying to, in the long run, make a case for in the water.” Queens County man acquitted of charges connected to deadly 2015 crash ANTHONY from page 1 and into the path of the tractor trailer. Croft said his travelling speed was be- with friends instead. He intended to go to Croft indicated the truck took him by sur- tween 95 and 100 km/h. Ezute-Thomas Bridgewater to deal with a loan issue. At one point, a pickup truck passed by prise; suddenly appearing and striking his was unsure of his speed but believed it Anthony’s defence lawyer, David Hirtle, the Corolla, heading the same direction vehicle at the left front wheel. was below the posted limit. He sustained called no evidence at trial. Anthony didn’t on the 103. The tractor trailer lost control and a broken forearm and ankle, a shattered take the stand. Croft was driving a tractor trailer to Croft tried to steer the rig into the ditch on hip, and a torn spleen in the crash. He Reading her decision, Boudreau de- Shelburne County from Dartmouth, car- the right side but couldn’t and the vehicle required numerous surgeries and was in bunked the Crown’s take that the portion rying a half load of fish in the refrigerated crossed the highway. Ezute-Thomas told hospital for a couple of months following of Anthony’s admissible statement, and trailer. He was near the Brooklyn exit court the big rig began to tumble towards the incident. Meanwhile, Croft escaped his that of his mother, supported the theo- around 1 p.m. when the incident occurred his Corolla before striking it. Croft said wreck by kicking out the windshield. He ry that the crash was done on purpose, on a straight stretch of highway. the tractor trailer turned onto its side and sustained burns to a hand and wrist and saying the evidence “is simply not solid Ezute-Thomas testified the pickup slid into a ditch on the opposite side of the around his forehead, temple and cheek. enough.” truck ahead of him swerved out of the lane road.