The Snow Is Done Falling, But The Temperature Isn't

Now that we're done shoveling snow -- it's time to throw on an extra sweater.


Environment Canada reporting 22 cms of snow falling on St. Stephen yesterday (Sunday, December 30th) with higher amounts being reported outside of town.

Meteorologist Linda Libby tells Tide News Charlotte County may see a few flurries over the next week. She says, "Primarily tonight and tomorrow, we will see a chance of flurries for New Year's Day. After that, we are either looking at sunshine, or a mix of sun and cloud with no weather systems at this time in our near forecast."


Libby says in the New Year, the temperature is going to drop. She says, "It won't be too bad for the next day or so, but by time we get to Wednesday or Thursday, where we are under a ridge of high pressure, we will see daily highs of minus 12 degrees ( C ) which is considerably colder than normal for this time of the year." Libby says the overnight lows will drop to the mid to low teens, which is just slightly colder than normal for this time of year.

Economy The #1 Issue For 2013, Says Liberal Leader

As we enter 2013, Provincial Liberal Leader Brian Gallant has no hesitation in saying what the number one issue is in New Brunswick these days. He says our major challenge is the economy, with a 11.2% unemployment rate and a rising deficit

Despite that, Gallant says the Liberals still favour a moratorium on shale gas development with too many unanswered questions. He tells Tide News even Provincial Energy Minister Craig Leonard can't say how many jobs will be created, what impact it would have economically and how it would affect the environment.

Rplex? Rothesay Looks Into New Rec Centre

Quispamsis has the Qplex, and now Rothesay is looking at creating its own recreational centre.

Mayor Bill Bishop tells Tiude news there's 2 million dollars in their capital budget for a design study, but that will only be used if Rothesay Council gets enough information on funding and size to go ahead.

Bishop says the rec centre would have a focus on indoor sports, with small rooms for martial arts, an indoor walking track and courts for basketball and volleyball.

New Brunswick Gets First Dumping Of Snow

Hopefully you don't have anywhere to go today, because most of southern New Brunswick is snowed in.

Gelas Duguay, a meteorologist from Environment Canada, says the worst of the snowfall is mostly over, but there's still snow coming. He says we've received as much as 15 cm of snow at the airport that started late overnight. Duguay says the heaviest of the snow fall will end around 8:30 am, but we will continue to get 5-6 cm of lighter snow throughout the day. Although the snowfall will end tonight, we'll still have strong winds up to 70 kilometers an hour.

The winter blast is dumping as much as 30 cm of snow across Nova Scotia, PEI and southern and eastern New Brunswick. It will then head to Newfoundland, bringing winds gusting up to 140 kilometers an hour.

The high will be zero today, with a low of minus 12 for tonight.

The Princess of Acadia ferry crossing the Bay of Fundy has been cancelled for the day because of the storm. City transit says buses will start running at 10 am, but warn to expect delays and service may be stopped if the weather gets worse. Delays and cancellations have started at the airport.

Another Big Snow Storm To Hit Atlantic

Just when the streets start to get clear and delayed flights finally get home, more snow is coming to the Atlantic provinces.

Environment Canada says a low pressure system in the US is expected to move into the region and bring heavy snow and strong winds tonight and tomorrow. Forecasters expect anywhere from 15 to 25 centimeters of wet, heavy snow.

Here in New Brunswick, we're expected to get 5-10 cm of the white stuff starting at midnight tonight and throughout Sunday.

Traveling Saint Johnners Happy Despite Delays

Saint Johnners still in good spirits, despite enduring multiple flight cancellations and delays at multiple airports while trying to get home from their Christmas vacations after Thursday's heavy snowfall.

Roy and Muriel Marr had been traveling from Florida with their family for over 24 hours to get back to Rothesay. Their original flight from Toronto had been cancelled, so they had to transfer at the Halifax International Airport. The two say they don't blame the airline, and say the ticket agents have been working hard to get them home -- including giving a hotel and meal vouchers.

Pat Teehan is visiting his girlfriend in Saint John, and wasn't bothered by his flight being cancelled Thursday night since he had a place to stay in Toronto. He says it's frustrating to be on standby, but says it's expected this time of year.

Lilly Both from Quispamsis was ready for the delays by packing a carry-on bag full of extra clothes and food. She says she had to drive 2 hours to the airport in Edmonton to find out her flight was delayed and she missed all her connecting flights. She says what bothered her was that she only received one ticket to Ottawa, instead of all to Montreal, then Saint John. She says she received no compensation because the cancellation was weather related. Despite that, she says she's not cranky, just a little tired. Both says it hasn't ruined her vacation, since it happened towards the end, not the beginning.

Carolann Hatt from Back Bay is also in good spirits, despite having flight cancellations and delays from Ottawa. She says she's happy since she had good Christmas and just hopes everyone gets home safe and sound.

Overnight Snow Parking Ban Towing Tons Of Cars

It's not going to be a good start to the weekend for many people in the Southern and Central Peninsula.

According to Saint John City Police, over 25 cars have been towed overnight from parking on the street while the snow parking ban was in effect.

The ban runs from 11 pm to 7 am.  Those cars towed have been taken to a compound at Ashburn Lake.

And with more snow expected tonight, you can park your car overnight at Brunswick Square and Market Square for a discount rate of $4 between 8 pm and 8 am.

Garbage Day Changing Due To Holidays

Residents of Milltown will need to take the garbage out early.


Due to the holidays, the Town of St. Stephen reminding everyone that the garbage collection day has been bumped up to Monday, December 31st, instead of the regular Tuesday pick-up.

Make sure your bags are curbside by 7am, Monday morning.

The regular garbage collection day will resume on Tuesday, January 8th.

Storm Warning For St. Stephen And Charlotte County

Environment Canada has posted winter storm warnings for much of New Brunswick.


The storm has already pounded the midwest U-S and hit southwestern Ontario and Quebec.

Locally in Charlotte County the forecast calls for a mix of snow, ice pellets, and rain, with 70 km an hour winds.
20 cms is expected to fall today with another 10-15 cms coming tonight.

Bill To Help Prevent Flooding Washed Out In Legislature

A bill dealing with flooding in the province has been rejected in the legislature.


Bill 25 would make it mandatory for areas with dams to work with the EMO to get an emergency plan put in place incase of rising waters.

Local MLA Rick Doucet tells Tide News it was a simple amendment that would give residents in flood zones confidence in dam operators. He says, "Furthermore, the operators of the dams following the respect of pre-planned responses -- if they have some pre-planned responses put in place -- they would be well above critism and blame. If anything, let's end some of the finger-pointing that's gone on over the last couple of years." That coming after many residents in the St. George and Boney River areas questioned the actions of dam operators during the Flood of 2010.
Currently, a plan doesn't need to be made until the province calls a state of emergency for that area.

Doucet says the amendment was for people, like those in Boney River and Perth Andover,  to have confidence in dam operators that they will do all they can to prevent flooding.

Doucet says he will be having future discussions on the amendment. But, as for trying to table the amendment again, in his words, Doucet says the bill was squashed because the holidays were coming up, and it was easier for the legislature to kill it now rather than deal with it in the spring. He says he is sure they would do it again.

No "Ask" Yet For Subsidies For Possible Pipeline

   Premier David Alward says there hasn't been any "ask" by the private sector for government subsidies for the proposed west-east oil pipeline to Saint John.

    In a year end interview - Alward says the private sector is busy building a business case for the proposal:

Alward says companies like Enbridge that would operate the pipeline and the producers the companies in Alberta that produce the oil.

    Alward says government's role will be to ensure the regulatory process for the project is open - responsible - and - will allow the project to move forward in a timely manner.
   

The RSC's Get To Work January 1st

The new year will see 12 regional commissions in the province get down to work.
 
The Alward government announcing back in February the creation of the commissions to promote increased planning and communication among communities.
 
Chair Grace Losier announced last week that Jack Keir will be Region 9's Executive Director.

She says he did rise to the top because of his past experience with the Crane Mountain landfill reporting to a public board of directors.

The service commissions will be responsible for the solid waste commissions when their work officially starts in January.

Christmas Prep Is Tough Without Power

Just over 600 people in the province are off the grid but, likely not by choice.

Over 100 NB Power customers in Fredericton and St. Stephen are without power.

Crews working for the utility have been hard at this week trying to restore power after Wednesday's massive snowstorm so last night's wind and rain didn't help matters.

Need Some Help With Your Heating Bill?

Winter heating bills can be a major stress if you're getting by on a small income and the provincial government is offering a helping hand if you make less than $28,000.


Families can apply for a $100 subsidy to offset the costs but be warned, you should get your name in soon: 50,000 applications were received last year, and the program has benefitted over 95,000 families since first starting in 2010. The applications are available on Janaury 3.

You can apply online, in person at Service NB, or by phone toll-free at 1-800-669-7070.

Alumni Spartans Skate Again For Fundraiser

The lock-out is still on -- but here in St. Stephen -- it's almost game time!


Members of the Spartan Hockey Alumni, who are players from the past 30 years, are coming together this Sunday for a fundraising hockey game.

One of the original coaches from 1982, Mike Bronson tells Tide News when he coached they were all like one big family. He says, "Noone missed any time unless they were absolutely sick. It really worked out well. Looking back on the high school and doing the extra-curricular thing, coaching and helping start that team was one of the highlights of my career."

The "Spartan Hockey Legends of the Past" game will give proceeds to help our local kids on the Spartan 2012-13 team.

The game will be at the Border Arena, Sunday, at 4:25pm. Tickets are $3.

Grand Manan Fisherman Lost At Sea

It's a sad day on Grand Manan Island as one of their own is lost at sea.


Local fishing boats, along with helicopters and rescue vessels searching the entire night in the Bay of Fundy for a local lobster fisherman who fell overboard.

East Coast Navy Captain Tyrone Grande tells Tide News the call came in to the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Halifax yesterday around 5:45pm.

He says at 7am this morning ( December 21st, 2012 ), there was still no sign of the man and the search was downsized due to weather and consideration to how long the man had been lost at sea.

Grande says the search has now been taken over by the RCMP as a missing persons case.

Cost Of Canadian Passports To Go Up Next Year

Border crossers will be digging a little deeper into their wallets in the new year.


Passport Canada announcing on their website that the cost of getting a five-year Canadian passport is jumping from $87 to $120 dollars in the new year.

Passport Canada says the increase is needed to maintain current operations, and offer security-enhanced travel documents.

The new fees come into effect July 1st, 2013, along with the introduction of the 10-year ePassport.
Passport Canada also states in March 2014, they will charge an additional $45 to replace a stolen or lost passport. Currently, that is a free service.

It's The End Of The World As We Know It

In the busy lead up to Christmas, you may have forgotten that the world is supposed to end tomorrow.


According to the Mayan calender, the world should end on December 21st.

Dan Riskin of Discovery Channel's Daily Planet tells CHSJ he can pinpoint an exact time everything will stop. He says, "No problem, the world will end in a few billion years. It will be because the sun expands and engulfs the earth. There's nothing to worry about for tomorrow, but just to be on the safe side, Daily Planet is doing a special on the Mayan 'supposed' apocalypse".

The Daily Planet special called 'End of the World 2012' premieres tonight at 8pm on the Discovery Channel.

Power Outages Getting Under Control

NB Power says there are still over 1700 people in the province without power.


Locally in St. Stephen, the number of outages has dropped to 4, with only 16 customers without juice.

Sussex and Woodstock are the darkest communities, with around 500 people each without electricity due to damage in yesterday's storm.

Opposition Trying To Stop Changes To Employment Insurance

Seasonal workers of Charlotte County -- cross your fingers.


The Opposition Liberals are calling on members of the provincial government to sign a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper to oppose changes to employment insurance.

The changes to the E-I program take effect January 6th, and Opposition Leader Victor Boudreau says they will have a devastating impact on seasonal industries and the provincial economy. Boudreau says, "Whenever it involves speaking out against the federal government and their Tory friends in Ottawa, you know, they just lose their voice and they don't want to put action in place to send out a clear message."
Premier David Alward says he opposes the changes and supports the united position taken by the Atlantic premiers on the matter.

The new regulations will mean that recipients of the program will face stricter, more complex rules for keeping their benefits.

Woman And Child OK After Car Flipped On Roof In Bayside

A woman and her child are safe after a car crash today in Bayside.


Local police tell Tide News they received a call around 9am this morning ( December 19th, 2012 ) from the woman's cell phone.

RCMP say she lost control of her car on Route 127, near Ghost Road in Bayside, and the vehicle ended up on its roof in the ditch.

Cpl. Ross Davis of District 1 RCMP tells Tide News the woman and child were stuck inside the vehicle and unable to get out on their own.

Police, fire, and ambulance services were dispatched and still on the scene at noontime.

Davis says no injuries were reported, but the road was closed off for a short time.

Over 9000 Without Power In NB

Over 9000 people in the province are without power today.


Locally in St. Stephen, there are currently 349 customers affected by the outages. Just before 12 o'clock noon, that number was 746.
In Fredericton, more than 5000 NB Power customers are without electricity.

More than 900 customers in Woodstock are in the dark, almost 400 people in Dairytown do not have juice and it's the same story for over 1600 folks in Moncton.
In a release, a spokesperson for the Utility tells Tide News that due to the weather conditions and the high number of incidents they cannot predict when the power will be restored adding it will be sometime in the next 24 to 36 hours.

Anniversary Of Flood Brings Proposed Changes To Emergency Measures Act

We need to be proactive. We need to be prepared.


Local MLA Rick Doucet tabled a bill today in the provincial legislature that would make it mandatory for municipalities with dams to work with the EMO and have an emergency plan -- before -- flooding happens.

Doucet tells Tide News "When an emergency happens, like the flood in 2010, things change quickly, and we need to be sure things are done at just the right time." He adds, "Basically, right now what happens is operators of dams on the rivers have emergency measures plans to put in place when flooding occurs, but, the problem with the act is the enforcement of these plans does not kick in until a state of emergency has been declared by the Minister."


Doucet says the bill he introduced today will make it mandatory for areas with dams to have an emergency plan -- before there is an emergency.

Doucet tells Tide News two years ago, when the flood of 2010 hit, people in the Boney River area were upset thinking the dam had not done all it could to reduce damage. He says he sees the same thing after the flood this year in Perth Andover. "Let's get it all out in the open, so we can all work together and collaborate on some very important trigger mechanisms that are suitable for the communities."   In December 2010, much of Charlotte County was submerged under 174 mm of rain that caused widespead flooding and forced people from their homes and businesses.
During the most severe point, over 120 roads were either underwater or washed away in Charlotte County. (Picture - King Street traffic circle in St. Stephen, December 2010)  

Rainfall Warning For Charlotte County

The prospects for a white Christmas are looking worse in Charlotte County.


Environment Canada is sending out a rain warning for St. Stephen, Saint Andrews, Saint John, and Grand Manan.

Charlotte County can expect between 25 to 50 millimeters of rain by Wednesday afternoon, sometimes mixed with heavy snow.

Other areas in the province will be colder than us with a mixed forecast of warnings.
Environment Canada is calling a heavy snow warning, beginning this afternoon and continuing tonight and tomorrow for Fredericton, Quispamsis, Sussex and Woodstock.

EC says to expect between 20 and 40 centimeters of snow.

Trial Date Set After Home Invasion

A trial date has been scheduled for a 21 year old man who was stabbed and then charged after a home invasion where he lives on the lower west side of Saint John back in early November.

Christopher Reid of 341 Prince Street has pleaded not guilty with a trial set to go on September 25th on a charge of possessing a knife.

Two other men and a 16 year old youth are accused of trying to force their way into 341 Prince Street and carry out a robbery.

18 year old A-J Dennison died after he was stabbed and a warrant has been issued for the arrest of 21 year old Bradley Saia ( as seen in picture ) .

Maine Toddler Missing 1 Year

Today is a sad day for the State of Maine.


Many residents are remembering 20-month-old Ayla Reynolds who was reported missing from her father's home in Waterville, Maine on December 17th, 2011. One year ago to the day.
State police, game wardens, dive teams, and FBI agents searched neighbourhoods and lowered streams in hopes of finding the blonde-haired, blue-eyed child.

The toddler's father, Justin DiPietro insists the girl was abducted, even though he and two other adults were in the home at the time of her dissappearance.

Police say traces of Ayla's blood were found in DiPietro's basement, but he was never charged.

Officials with the Maine State Police say the case is still open, however, they believe Ayla is most likely dead.

Car Accident Traps Two Women

Two women being sent to the Saint John Regional Hospital after a two car accident on the corner of Carmarthen and Union street in uptown Saint John last night.

Saint John Fire Department Platoon Chief Roy Byers says the two women were trapped in an SUV that was flipped on it's side. Fire crews managed to pull the roof off and free the two.

The accident happened around 8 o'clock.

True Growth 2.0 Support Grows

True Growth 2.0 is getting full support from communities in Greater Saint John.

The initiative, steered by Enterprise Saint John, is a regional development strategy to develop our business and culture. When it started in 2003 it focused on improving 4 sectors (energy, health and life sciences, tourism, and ICT) but now it's hoping to attract and keep new people to the region.

The town of Rothesay is committing $86,000 a year for 3 years, or about $3,000 a year more than before. Mayor Bill Bishop tells Tide news economic development is the answer to improving our way of life and getting more tax dollars. He says if Saint John grows, it benefits the outlying communities.

Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll agrees, saying if more business is brought to Saint John more people will move to Quispmasis. Driscoll says True Growth 2.0 has such a healthy attitude and provides fresh opportunities for the region. He says when that happens you can expect better things to come.

Update On Yesterdays Fire At Fuel Storage Facility

There's no damage to the environment, injuries or other damage involved in yesterdays fire at a large storage facility containing 15,000 tons of petroleum coke (or pet coke).

After 12:30 yesterday afternoon fire crews, Saint John Port Authority, Department of Environment and NB Power were on scene responding to the fire at 12 King street.

Acting Platoon Chief Roy Byers says there was a metre square burning at the base of an 11,000 ton of pet coke. The material is used as fuel by NB Power during peak demand times. The huge fuel and combustible covering the warehouse was a major concern but crews managed to safely put the fire out.

Fire crews were on scene for 5 hours.

Executive-Director Of The Boys And Girls Club Has New Job

Debbie Cooper, who has been the Executive-Director of the Saint John Boys and Girls Club, is moving on up to a new job.

Cooper will be the Regional Director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. Cooper sees lots of potential for further development and improvement of what the Boys and Girls Clubs can offer such as early childhood education.

Cooper warns community groups are being asked these days to do alot more but without adequate support, there comes a breaking point. She will be based in Saint John but do alot of travelling throughout the region.

Pension Reform Continues To Be Hot Topic

Pension reform is a hot topic these days in the Port City and beyond--and the provincial government will host a pan-Canadian summit in 2013 to look at how governments can address pension issues.

The two-day summit will tackle challenging questions related to the future of public and private sector pensions. Human Resources Minister Troy Lifford says NB's Shared Risk Model has become of great interest to other municipalities because it offers employees better protection and reduces liabilities for taxpayers.

Ski Season Starts Today

Attention, snow bunnies and boarders: it's that time of year again!

Poley Mountain is opening today for the season after having been manufacturing snow since the end of November. General Manager Bill Anderson tells Tide News even if you're a total newbie there's something for you to enjoy at Poley, including ski camps for kids and ski school for adults.

The Chute, Snow White and Lazy Way will all be open today. Anderson says this is the earliest they've been able to open for a few years, because of last winter's weirdly warm temperatures.

Units Will Be Replaced At NB Heart Centre

Next year's Health Department budget includes funding to replace two imaging units at the New Brunswick Heart Centre in the Regional Hospital.

Health Minister Ted Flemming tells Tide News the units in the cardiac catheterization lab are nearing the end of their useful life after a refurbishment 11 years ago.

The equipment uses specialized x-ray equipment that help doctors place stents in precise locations in heart arteries guiding them to ensure they get to the right place.

Flemming adds this equipment is critical to saving lives.

Police Give Details On US School Shooting

Police have confirmed twenty-seven people were killed today at a Connecticut elementary school shooting, including the gunman, with one person dead at another scene.

The dead at the school include 18 children, ranging from kindergarden through to Grade 4. Two other children died later in hospital.

The gunman opened fire Friday morning (December 14th,2012) inside a school where his mother worked.

He blasted his way through the building as young students cowered helplessly in classrooms while their teachers and classmates were shot.

The gunman killed himself. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says someone who lived with him also died.

Photos were taken of young students crying, others looking frightened, while being escorted by adults through a parking lot in a line, the childrens' hands on each others shoulders.

The shooting happened  in Newtown, 60 miles northeast of New York City.

The suspect is 24-year-old Ryan Lanza. Police say his younger brother is being held for questioning as a possible second shooter. A law enforcement official says the boys' mother, Nancy Lanza, is presumed dead and worked at the school as a teacher.
The official added that Ryan Lanza's girlfriend and another friend are missing in New Jersey.

According to the official, the suspect drove to the school in his mother's car. Police say three guns were found at the scene.  A rifle was recovered from the back of a car at the school, and two pistols were recovered inside the school.

Another Recall Hits Atlantic Superstore

It's more trouble for our local St. Stephen Atlantic Superstore.
Grocery chain Loblaw Companies, has recalled two more frozen beef products because of possible.... contamination from E. coli bacteria.

The affected products are Butcher's Choice Hickory Barbecue Beef Burgers with best-before dates of Feb. 1st and Feb. 10th.

The company earlier recalled Butcher's Choice Garlic Peppercorn Beef Burgers with a best-before date of March 3rd.

Beef Recall Hits Charlotte County

It's bad news affecting our local Superstore in St. Stephen.


A burger recall is in place, prompted by possible E. coli contamination.

Loblaw and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are warning the public to avoid certain Butcher's Choice Garlic Peppercorn Beef Burgers.

The affected product is sold frozen with a best-before date of March 3rd.

The C-F-I-A says it is currently testing additional products from across the country and the recall may be expanded.

Retired Nurse Adds Author To Resume

A mother of four, a devoted pastor's wife, and a local nurse.


Melba Anderson can add now add "author" to her resume after completing her first book titled, "Windows Of Worth" a look through a devotional window for one year.


Anderson gets her life experiences from ministry, nursing, parenting, and the aging process for the collection of poems, scripture, and meditations.

Anderson is originally from Grand Manan and currently resides in Oak Bay. She spent many years as a nurse at the Charlotte County Hospital and with the ambulance service in St. Stephen. Anderson was also very active in her husband, Phil Anderson's ministry.
Anderson will be hosting a book signing tomorrow from 1-4 at the St. Croix Public Library.

SSMS Did Not Ask For The New By-Law

The Principal of St. Stephen Middle School is speaking out on a new by-law prohibiting drivers from parking anywhere near the crosswalk on Marks Street.

The by-law prohibits any parking, standing, or stopping within 30 metres and 15 metres of the crosswalk. The No Parking area stretches on one side almost to Union Street, and past the school bus driving lane on the other.

SSMS Principal Alan Dunfield tells Tide News the new by-law was not put in place due to complaints at the school or any specific incident.

Dunfield says he is not sure where it came from other than the basic rules and regulations from DOT and the Safety Board. He says, "I didn't even know about it until October." He says he was first informed the by-law would be implemented in an email he recieved from the Town of St. Stephen on October 5th, 2012.

Today Sgt. Bob MacKnight from District 1 RCMP and Citizens On Patrol were on site at the St. Stephen Middle School, passing out pamphlets and creating awareness for drivers of the new by-law.


Dunfield tells us, for the most part, the response has been great from parents. He says parents are typically good when it comes to honoring the crosswalk. Dunfield adds, in over ten years of standing outside watching the morning rush, he has never had a safety issue.
The RCMP will continue with the public education for the next 2 weeks, at which point non-compliant drivers could earn themselves a ticket.

RCMP Identify Victim Of Fatal Crash

The RCMP have identified the 29 year old man who died in a head on collision last weekend near Sussex as Jeremiah Greenwood of Waterborough.

Greenwood crossed the centre line while going eastbound along Highway 10 at Long Creek and crashed into an oncoming car with a mother and her two children who were taken to hospital.

The RCMP say alcohol and not wearing a seat belt contributed to the collision and death.

NB Health Care Gets "C" Grade

The New Brunswick Health Council giving the provincial healthcare system a grade of "C" which is no change from last year.

Health Council C-E-O Stephane Robichaud says it does well in treating people whose lives are on the line but less so when it comes to managing chronic conditions and then there's getting in to see your family doctor.


Robichaud says, "When you look at the ability to have an appointment within 48 hours, we ( New Brunswick) don't compare as well. Because of lengthier times to get an appointment, people end up going to either the emergency room or an after-hours clinic."

Robichaud says some patients are waiting longer for some surgeries including hip fractures and knee replacements.

New By-Law Says No Parking At SSMS

You'll be asking for a ticket, if you park your car too close to the St. Stephen Middle School.


A Town by-law is being implemented for Marks Street, in the area of SSMS, that prohibits any vehicles from parking, standing, or even stopping within the vicinity of the school crosswalk.

Signage is in place depicting the specified no parking area, however, ( as seen in the picture ) the signs are pointed backwards to oncoming traffic. The specified area runs close to Union Street all the way past the school bus loading exit.

Sgt Bob MacKnight with District 1 RCMP tells Tide News early mornings and mid-afternoons are congested on Marks Street with kids coming and going to school.

He says the intention of the by-law is to open the area up, so that students walking the crosswalk can do so safely.

RCMP and volunteer members of Citizens On Patrol will be educating drivers of the by-law for the next two weeks before non-compliant drivers are issued a ticket.

MacKnight says each ticket will amount to $172.50.

Police Say Snow Storm Was Accident-Free

No crashes, collisions, or ditch-divers.


District 1 RCMP tell Tide News there were no accidents to report today after St. Stephen received a few inches of snow.

Sgt. Bob MacKnight says there was very little traffic to begin with.

Saint Johners Step Up For Romero House

The 6th annual Romero House food drive is a phenomenal success filling a 53 foot trailer and more.

Donations of food and cash were accepted in the parking lot of Ritchie's on Rothesay Avenue for the soup kitchen's only annual food drive.

Carolyn McNulty tells Tide News everything donated will be used to provide meals, to help out in a food crisis, to keep their Mobile Unit on the road and full of supplies and more.

She tells us the operation is a fine balance between getting the food and having enough money to pay her staff who she adds do not make big money.

McNulty says a staff of 6 full time and two part time workers keeps everything going smoothly and in harmony.

Numerous Injuried In Hockey Team Bus Accident

Cuts, bruises and some broken bones were among the injuries of about a dozen people involved in a bus crash on a highway yesterday.

RCMP say the crash happened on Highway 11 near Sainte-Anne-de-Kent.

They say a bus carrying about 20 people from a senior men's hockey team from Cap-Pele was driving home from a game in northern New Brunswick when the driver lost control of the bus.

Police say road conditions were icy at the time of the crash.

(Courtesy of the Canadian Press).

Giving Animals A "Home 4 The Holidays"

Giving the gift of a forever home during the holiday season.

The Saint John SPCA Animal Rescue League is teaming up with Iams and over 4,000 animal rescue groups across North America to give animals a "Home 4 The Holidays".

To encourage adoptions, the SPCA will give a hand painted SPCA Christmas ornament to whoever adopts a pet with mistletoe on their cage or if you donate to the shelter. If you donate food or a new toy for the animals, your name will be entered in a draw for a gift basket.

Californian Mike Arms is the creator of Iams Home 4 the Holidays adoption campaign, and he encourages people to give an orphan a chance rather than supporting a puppy mill. He tells Tide news there's a myth that there's something wrong with animals that are up for adoption, but it's usually just that the previous owner couldn't keep them.

Arms says you need to think seriously before getting a pet, knowing they're a 15 to 16 year commitment. He says people often buy the puppy in the window on impulse, but a shelter will match the right pet for your family lifestyle.


Since the Iam Home 4 the Holidays adoption campaign started 13 years ago, over 7 million orphaned pets have been adopted.

Paying It Forward Could Prevent Crime

A new movement called Pay It Forward Saint John isn't only about loving your neighbour.

Constable Dan Weber of the Saint John Police Force tells Tide News committing random acts of kindness could actually help tackle crime. He says it takes a negative aspect to our society and replaces it with a positive, which is always a good thing.

Suggested ways to "pay it forward" include shopping at charity stores, driving friends in need to doctors appointment, or giving a pet store gift card to a homeless person with a pet.

Domestic Violence Rates Rise Around The Holidays

It's a sad reality that the holidays aren't a happy time of year for some families in Saint John.

Saint John City Police Chief Bill Reid tells Tide News some at-risk families find the stress of the holidays too much and domestic violence incidents tend to increase.

The Saint John Police Force has a Christmas card campaign to make sure people are aware of the numbers they can call if they need help. They emphasize the police are there to help stop crime before it happens and not simply deal with it after the fact.

The 24-hour line for the Hestia House women's shelter is 506-634-7570. The non-emergency line for the Saint John Police Force is 648-3200

Birders Get Set For the Christmas Count at Fundy

It's that time of year again.    The annual Christmas Bird count at Fundy National park is coming up on December 14th.

The events encourages participation from both inexperienced and experienced birders.

Binoculars are available for rent and to register for the Bird count you must contact the Fundy Guild.

The count begins on the 14th at 8:30am from the Alma Activity Centre. 

The Fundy National Park is one of 20 sites in the Province being inventoried for winter bird sightings.

For more info on the Christmas bird count including how to get involved,
you can call 506-887-6094 or click here

CBS Production & Distribution Move Next April

Staff at Canadian Blood Services learning the start date to move production and distribution to Dartmouth is now scheduled for April, 13th, 2013.

In a release, Public Affairs Manager Paul McGrath says the new production and distribution site in Dartmouth is finished and currently undergoing validation and commissioning.

Halifax functions will begin being consolidated into the Dartmouth site in February and March.

The Dartmouth Production and Distribution Site will be fully operational by the time the Saint John operations move next spring.

CBS is working with the Provincial Medical Society and others to ensure the province continues to receive the same or an improved level of service when Saint John production and distribution move to Dartmouth.

The process will be monitored before and after to ensure service levels are maintained at the same or an improved level.

5 Saint John Projects Set On Improving Our Community

Five regional projects are hoping to get enough votes to win some money through the Aviva Community Fund.

They range from a skateboard park in Hampton to getting a wheelchair accessible bus for the Kennebec Manor.

The SPCA Animal Rescue League is looking to start a new low cost spay and neuter program. Shelter Manager Kathy Illingworth says a win would mean $100,000 - 150,000 for the program.

Click any link below to view a project and cast your vote.

1. Hampton Skateboard Park

2. Ca-R-Ma Cat Rescue Maritimes, Saint John
For a trap, neuter, return program.

3. SJ SPCA Animal Rescue
For a low cost spay and neuter program.

4.  Joshua Group
Help at risk youth.

5. Kennebec Manor 
Senior facility looking for a new wheelchair accessible bus.

The votes for the semi-finals will be tallied on Wednesday.