Regiment Recruit Camp begins on Sunday

More than 100 Bermudians will descend on Warwick Camp on Sunday for the Bermuda Regiment's 44th Annual Recruit Camp.

Starting at 8 a.m., the recruits will work through two weeks of 18-hour days, learning the basic skills required for service including drill, weapons training and survival skills.

The programme, based on British Army training, is designed to instil confidence, self-discipline, teamwork and national pride.

While service can seem intimidating, Commanding Officer of the Regiment Lieutenant Colonel Brian Gonsalves said that the experience had many merits.

"Like many new challenges, it is always what we make of it that will determine how well we do or whether or not we enjoy the experience," he said.

"They are joining a unique team that thrives on team work discipline, respect for others and loyalty.

"The experiences they encounter will be positive and will remain with them for the rest of their lives."

The Regiment reminded all recruits that they should be ready at Warwick Camp in uniform no later than 7.45 a.m.

The public is also advised to be careful driving along South Road in front of Warwick Camp for the next two weeks.

Winter storms behind further postal delays

Winter storms in the US have caused a backlog of mail being shipped to Bermuda.

Postmaster General, George Outerbridge said: "We have experienced major lift issues with our primary airline over the holidays due to heavy passenger capacities. The United States Postal Service has had to find an alternative airline for shipping the mail to the Island.

"I am asking the public to be patient as we work through this challenge. As we receive packages, the post office team is delivering as quickly as possible."

The Bermuda Post Office has apologised for the delay and will provide updates when more information becomes available.

Two collisions on Wednesday

Police attended two damage-only road collisions both in Pembroke.

The first happened at 3.20 p.m. on Wednesday at the junction of Marsh Folly Road and Cedar Avenue and St. John's Road.

A van was travelling west on Marsh Folly Road and a SUV was travelling north on Cedar Avenue, St. John's Road when the vehicles crashed.

The drivers of the vehicles, a 30-year-old Devonshire man and a 48-year-old Hamilton Parish man, were not injured.

Later that night at 8.10 p.m. Police attended a reported single vehicle damage only accident on Happy Valley Road.

The car was travelling east on Happy Valley Road when the driver, a 56-year-old Pembroke man, lost control and hit the fence of Pitt & Company.

He was uninjured but the car received extensive front end damage. The fence was also damaged.

UK rescue dog finds home in Bermuda

A rescued dog in the UK has found a new home in Bermuda.

Two-year-old Cleo was given to Boxer Dog Rescue Northern England after her owners could no longer care for her.

Soon afterwards however, dog behaviour expert Nicky Platt, of Merseyside, fostered the bitch until a new home could be found.

Just three weeks later, Brian Weakly of Bermuda made contact with Boxer Dog Rescue looking for a dog following the death of his beloved Boxer.

The Bermuda Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) interviewed the Weakly family prior to the adoption, and last month Cleo moved to her new Island home.

She was accompanied by Ms Platt to help her get settled in and so she could advise the family on the Boxer's likes and dislikes.

Ms Platt, a dog trainer with Bark Busters, told K9 magazine in the UK: "Cleo is a great dog, she's been the perfect foster pet and I'll be sad to see her go.

"Providing owners with the correct information as soon as possible can make a real difference to a dog's life."

Canadian cleared in drug case dies

An elderly Canadian man has died, just days after being cleared of involvement in an alleged multi-million dollar cannabis importation plot.

Conspiracy charges were dropped just before Christmas against Edide Plourde, 69, of Quebec, Canada, and his co-accused, Jeannie Harden, 58, of Charleston, South Carolina, after a Magistrate conducted a preliminary inquiry into the evidence.

According to Mr. Plourde's lawyer, Llewellyn Peniston, he arrived home on Christmas Eve, and died of what's believed to be cancer just days later. "He was pretty sick while he was here, and pretty frail," said Mr. Peniston.

The pair had been in custody since the charges were first laid against them on October 6, 2009.

Meanwhile two others continue to face charges over the allegations, which are understood to centre on the movements of a yacht intercepted by the authorities around 14 miles off Bermuda last September.

Andrew Blatchley, 58, also of Charleston, and Peter Sagos, 35, of Ottawa, Canada, are due back in Supreme Court on February 1 and Magistrates' Court on January 11 respectively. They remain in custody.

Dive marker prompts alert on beach

Police located a dive marker on a beach in the vicinity of Jobson's Cove on South Road in Southampton.

The object did not pose a threat to the public and no further Police action was necessary, a Police spokesperson said.

They were called to the beach to investigate the "suspicious object" after receiving a report around 11.20 a.m. on Tuesday.

Alcohol stolen in burglary

A Pembroke home was robbed of four cases of beer, a bottle of alcohol and a quantity of loose change.

Police report that around 7.15 p.m. on Tuesday they received a report of a burglary at a Vaucrossons Crescent home. The occupier said that sometime between 8.45 a.m. and 7 p.m. a person entered the home while they were away.