Another Christmas season in the record books

Another holiday season has come and gone. It will soon be time for the Christmas tree disposal days to begin. Pay close attention to the news updates in the coming days for an announcement regarding Christmas tree disposal.

The year 2011 will also join the record books over the next few days. The past year has been a busy and eventful one. Over the next few days, The Shiretown Blogger will be looking over some of its top stories from the year 2011.

The Shiretown Blogger looks forward to seeing the many great things the year 2012 will likely bring. 

Ten safe items to use for teething babies

Paul Taylor has recently submitted a link via email to The Shiretown Blogger. The link leads to an article about safe items to use when infants are in the teething stage. The link is as follows:

http://www.babysittingjobs.com/blog/10-safe-items-to-use-for-teething-babies/

The Shiretown Blogger would like to thank Paul Taylor for submitting this. Very interesting article! 

Slammers fight their way to a 5-3 victory over Summerside, defeat Campbellton

In a rough game on home ice on Friday, December 16th, the Woodstock Slammers defeated the Summerside Western Capitals 5-3.

The scoring was opened by Summerside winger Brock Morrison on the power play at 7:04. Steven Brazil of the Western Capitals also scored for Summerside at 9:23 in the first period. Evan Carmody netted the Slammers' first goal of the evening.

In the second period, the Slammers' most recent acquisition, Ben MacSwain, scored at 12:02. MacSwain was acquired from the Miramichi Timberwolves along with future considerations and draft picks in exchange for Justin O'Reilly.

Ben MacSwain heads to the penalty box on Friday night. 

Justin O'Reilly (right) following Connor Tresham to the Slammers' bench for the Shootout for Life competition on November 25, 2011.

In period three, Nick Huard scored the only goal for the Slammers, which was the game-winning goal. Huard netted the goal at 14:30. 

Nick Huard. December 16, 2011.

Only seconds later, several other fights broke out at the opposite end of the ice. 

A total of thirty two penalties were given at 14:30 in period three. Woodstock's Colton Stairs received seven of them. Slammers netminder Matt Murphy received two: a five-minute major for fighting and a game misconduct penalty for the second fight on the same stoppage of play. 

On Sunday, December 18th, the Slammers visited the Campbellton Tigers, where the Slammers prowled the Tigers to a 5-3 loss. Woodstock's first goal was netted by Robert Visca only twenty seven seconds into the contest. Connor Tresham scored two goals for the Slammers, one fifty four seconds into the game, and another at 16:28. Tresham netted the rubber for a third time in period three at 18:51. 

Slammers netminder Sam Renault stopped twenty six of twenty nine shots faced against the Tigers. 

The Woodstock Slammers also whipped the Weeks Crushers 4-1 in New Glasgow on Thursday, December 15th. Woodstock's goals were scored by Tim Campbell, Ben Miller, Connor Tresham, and Philip Fife. 

The Slammers will be taking a rest for the holiday season which will span a few weeks. Their next game will be an away game on Friday, January 6th, 2012 against the Bridgewater Lumberjacks. They will go on a three-game road trip, and their next home game is scheduled for Wednesday, January 11th, 2012. The Woodstock Slammers will be facing the Campbellton Tigers at 7:30 pm at the Carleton Civic Centre. 

The Slammers head into the Christmas season with an overall record of 31-2-0-1.


With files from www.slammershockey.ca and www.themhl.ca . 

New website and blog encourage tourists to Visit Woodstock NB

The long list of websites in cyberspace today just got longer.

Visit Woodstock NB, a new site with an emphasis on tourism for the Woodstock area, was launched this morning by Joe DeMerchant, a Toronto-based graphic designer who hails from Woodstock.

The website offers information on everything one needs to know when planning a visit to Woodstock, from accommodations to activities. The site can be accessed by visiting http://visitwoodstocknb.com. 

Woodstock Slammers gain two wins in one week against same team, top Bridgewater by five

The Woodstock Slammers spanked the Dieppe Commandos on two different occasions this past week.

The Slammers commanded the Commandos 7-4 on Wednesday, December 7th, at the Arthur J. Leblanc Arena in Dieppe.

Alex Murray (MHL Image)

Two goals were scored by both Connor Tresham of the Slammers and Alex Murray of Dieppe. Murray, a Woodstock native, has scored nine goals in thirty games with the Commandos.

Slammers defense man Jake Logan opened the scoring in Wednesday night's game at 4:22.

The game-winning goal was netted by Connor Tresham at 19:12 in the third period.

On Friday, December 9th, the Slammers whooped Dieppe 12-1 on home ice. The scoring was opened by Bradley Greene thirty seven seconds into the game. Woodstock's winning goal was scored by Philip Fife at 18:34.

Woodstock netminder Sam Renault blocked a total of twenty of twenty one shots in Friday night's contest. The Dieppe Commandos currently stand at a record of 12-6-1-2.

Brayden Wood (left).

Andrew Schriver (right)

Chris Rygus

Netminder Sam Renault

On Sunday, December 11th, the Slammers (28-2-0-1) dumped the Bridgewater CIBC Wood Gundy Lumberjacks (11-20-1-0) by a score of 8-3 on home ice. Nick Huard led the Shiretown squad with two goals followed by two assists, and team captain Andrew Langan had two goals and one assist. Bradley Greene and Connor Tresham gave their two cents worth with one goal and two assists each. 

The scoring was opened by Langan twenty nine seconds into the contest, followed by a goal netted by Nick Huard forty one seconds into the game. A power play goal scored by Bridgewater's Mitchell Hennebury at 16:33 in the first period got the Lumberjacks on the scoreboard. 

After a scoreless second period, Bridgewater gained two points as a result of two goals netted by Michael Crawley on the power play at 1:25 and Brennan Saulnier at 2:21 in period three. The Slammers' eighth goal was scored by Evan Carmody at 18:52. 

The Woodstock Slammers will travel to Truro on Thursday, December 15th to face the Weeks Crushers, then will return home to play the Summerside Western Capitals on Friday, December 16th. The game is scheduled for 7:30 pm at the Carleton Civic Centre. 

(With files from www.slammershockey.ca and www.themhl.ca) 

Slammers defeat Ramblers, promote Two Fools on a Roof and Special Olympics, fall to Bearcats

After doubling the Amherst Ramblers 6-3 on Friday, December 2nd on home ice, the Woodstock Slammers fell to the Truro Bearcats on Saturday, December 3rd on the road.

The scoring in Friday night's contest was opened by Amherst centre Jamie Bishop on a power play at 4:31 in period one, while Woodstock's first goal of the evening was netted by Nick Huard at 19:10.

The Slammers' only second period goal was scored by Travis Fernley at 13:52. Scoring in the third period was dominated by the Shiretown side, and the winning goal was scored by Woodstock captain Andrew Langan at 18:29.

Matt Murphy

From left: Andrew Langan, Andrew Schriver and Tim Rose.

Brandon Leonardo #4.

Zach Shannon

Mackenzie Brown

Andrew Schriver and Philip Fife

Colton Stairs

Scott Dunlop and Andrew Garnett (the Two Fools on a Roof) skated out onto the ice during the first intermission to discuss their cause (garnering funds for Relay for Life by camping out on a roof for one whole weekend in May). In the second intermission, the Western Valley Special Olympics paraded onto the ice following behind an ATV donated by Dave's Sports Centre to discuss the Law Enforcement Torch Run. The Special Olympians were escorted onto the ice by Canada Border Services Agency representatives.

The following is a You Tube video of the parade:

On Saturday, December 3rd, the Truro Bearcats shut out the Slammers 2-0. To make matters worse for the Woodstock side, the Slammers took a total of approximately eleven penalties and a total of approximately 35 penalty minutes.

The Slammers will play the Dieppe Commandos on Wednesday, December 7th. They will also face the Commandos during their next home game on Friday, December 9th at the Carleton Civic Centre at 7:30 pm.

Woodstock High School Journalism class takes field trip to CJ 104 radio station and Bugle-Observer office

Woodstock High School's Journalism 120 class took a field trip to the local radio station and newspaper office this afternoon.

Stiles, along with student teacher Jason Wilson, accompanied a class of approximately twenty students to the CJ 104 studio and the Bugle-Observer office for a tour. Angela Ferguson, CJ 104's news director, toured the class around the studio and introduced the class to the staff members and announcers Tim Durling,  Terry Mann and Rick McGuire, who also serves as the station's manager. Ferguson also showed the class her news studio. She allowed The Shiretown Blogger to record a brief news clip as well, which was an interesting experience.

Tim Durling, left, and Angela Ferguson

Terry Mann

Terry Mann and Angela Ferguson

 Students Dallas Tomah, left, and Emma Smith listening to Terry Mann.

 Woodstock's radio station was known as "CJCJ" upon its establishment in 1959. It became "EZ Rock 104 FM" in the 1990s, and was renamed "CJ 104" around 2009.

Angela Ferguson preparing The Shiretown Blogger (Nathan DeLong) to announce a sample newscast.

The class then walked from the CJ 104 studio across Carleton Street to the Bugle-Observer office, where newspaper editor Jim Dumville showed the class a newspaper layout (we got a sneak peek of tomorrow's issue of the Bugle-Observer), and introduced the class to reporter Doug Dickinson. Dumville also showed the class the new and improved Bugle-Observer website, scheduled for launch next week. He even introduced the class to reporter Bryan Tait.

Bugle-Observer Managing Editor Jim Dumville

Reporter Doug Dickinson

Jim Dumville explaining the layout of the Friday, December 2, 2011 issue of the Bugle-Observer.

Jim Dumville explaining the upgraded website for the Bugle-Observer and other newspapers owned by the Irving-owned firm Brunswick News Inc.

The trip was an interesting and informative one. It was a pleasure meeting the CJ 104 staff and the Bugle-Observer crew, and I personally learned a lot about work in journalism in two different settings. The Shiretown Blogger would like to thank Angela Ferguson, Tim Durling, Terry Mann, Jim Dumville, Doug Dickinson, and Bryan Tait.