SouthShoreNow.ca

It's not every day that this reporter is lucky enough to sit down with a superhero, but that's just what happened to me this week.

The brilliant and brave Captain Lighthouse himself - the crime-fighting phenomenon who has pledged to defend the South Shore and the freedom of the press - descended upon my modest office cubicle to share with our readers a few of his secrets.

I have done my best to capture the amazing spirit and excitement of the interview exactly as it took place:

B/PE: There's a lot of speculation about who you really are and where you come from, Captain Lighthouse. The latest rumour says that you come from another planet! So tell me, are you from Mars or Planet X?

Captain Lighthouse: Well, I can assure you, I am a human being from Earth, just like you. I'm proud to say I was born and raised right here in Lunenburg County. This is my home, and that's why I'm doing my best to keep it protected and well-informed!

B/PE: How, exactly, did you become a superhero and have all these cool powers?

Captain Lighthouse: Well, let's just say that I had an encounter with a supercomputer's quantum condenser and some toxic sludge that altered me to the core.

I don't want to give too much away about the source of my powers, for fear of giving an advantage to evildoers - but let's just say it was a scary situation and I was able to survive it, stronger than ever!

B/PE: Captain Lighthouse, I know it's a bit of a secret, but so many of our local citizens have read about your superpowers - what can you tell me about your powers? You seem to be nothing short of invincible!

Captain Lighthouse: Well, I'm certainly not going to give away all of my secrets! But I'm sure everyone by now is familiar with my super strength.

Plus, I also have a truly photographic memory - I can project images from my mind for others to see! That's how the police were able to arrest the nefarious Dr. Spin and shut down that dastardly chemical plant.

Oh! And I always keep my trusty tape recorder at my side - you never know when someone might give you the quote you'll need to save the day!

B/PE: I've got a friend who doesn't think reading the newspaper is important - what should I tell him?

Captain Lighthouse: Oh, Mr. Trent, reading the Bridgewater Bulletin and the Lunenburg Progress Enterprise is very important. That's how you know about the important issues that face your community. It's how you know what's going on - and it's the most accurate and thorough weekly news source you can find.

Plus, it's a great place to find stories about your family, friends, neighbours and community leaders - the people who matter most to you!

And, if you need your news now, you can also go to Lighthouse Publishing's great web site, www.southshorenow.ca.

B/PE: Captain, I know you're a busy person, so I'll only ask one more question - for your young fans in the community, what's the best way to keep up with all of your incredible adventures? Captain Lighthouse: Well, Mr. Trent, I understand that the good folks at Lighthouse Publishing have started a Captain Lighthouse Club. Kids who join up will get cool stuff, plus all the latest on my quest to bring knowledge and security to communities across the South Shore.

Captain Lighthouse was kind enough to take a timeout from his busy schedule and answer 10 questions that help to shed a little more light on this colourful and heroic character.

Question 1: What's your favourite colour?
Captain Lighthouse: Oh, this is a tough one - there are so many good colours out there! But, if I had to pick just one, I would probably choose a deep, dark blue. Like the way an ocean looks on a storm day!

Question 2: Do you have a favourite food?
Captain Lighthouse: Well, I am partial to baked french fries! But, being from Lunenburg County, I also like the tangy taste of sauerkraut, especially on a barbecued hot dog or veggie dog in the middle of the summer!

Question 3: What subject did you like most in school?
Captain Lighthouse: When I was in school, I always thought that history, English and French were awesome subjects. The written word is so remarkable, and it's great that here in Canada we have two official languages! And history is so entertaining! There are so many great stories about people from your very own community who have done amazing things!

Question 4: Have you ever met any celebrities?
Captain Lighthouse: Well, it depends on what you consider a celebrity to be. I've already shaken hands with many important people from Lunenburg and Queens County, both young and old, and I'm sure I'll meet many more in my travels.

Question 5: What's your shoe size?
Captain Lighthouse: Well, as you've probably seen, I've got some pretty big shoes to fill! My shoe size is 13 - but, when I go skating, I prefer to wear size 12, so they fit my feet more snuggly.

Question 6: Do you have a favourite song?
Captain Lighthouse: Now that's a hard question! There are so many songs out there, both new and old. I listen to the Tragically Hip a lot and I really like their song "Phantom Power." Oh, and some of that classic rock stuff, like David Bowie's "Heroes" - that really gets me energized when I need it.

Question 7: Do you like Nintendo Wii more? Or PlayStation? Or Xbox?
Captain Lighthouse: I don't have any of those myself, but my friends tell me they've each got great graphics! I think what I like about the Wii is that you actually get to do physical exercise as you play some of the games. But really, no video game can beat getting out in the fresh air!

Question 8: When's your birthday?
Captain Lighthouse: As a matter of fact, my birthday happens to be July 1 - Canada Day!

Question 9: What's your favourite sport?
Captain Lighthouse: I like a lot of sports. I've tried golf, curling, basketball, football and baseball. But, if I had to pick my two favourite sports, I'd say hockey during the winter months and soccer during the summer months would be the best! With my big feet I can kick a soccer ball a long way!

Question 10: If you could have one other superpower, what would it be?
Captain Lighthouse: Well, it's not so much a superpower, but I always thought it would be neat to have a cool car like Batman to cruise around in! With a car like that, I could really make sure that the people in our region stay safe and well-informed