Elm Street Park Getting A Clean-Up

The President of the Elm Street Park Society is preparing for a cleanup tomorrow.


Wilf Torunski says the Society wants to get the park ready so the Town can declare it safe.
He says they want to open the south side where all the trails are, hoping by the end of this weekend the park will be safe enough for Town Council to rule it open again.

The clean-up starts at 10am Saturday (April 28th ).

Torunski is also running as a candidate for St. Stephen Town Council.

Let's Get This Dam Issue Resolved!

There is alot of anxiety for residents in the St. George area.


Liberal MLA for Charlotte and The Isles, Rick Doucet says many people are worried they will lose their homes to flooding again.

He points out we had a tremendous rainfall this past week and we need to look at the question, "What can be done differently with the dam situation in St. George?"

Doucet says he was turned down by the government last year, when he tabled a petition with over 800 signatures from local residents, asking for a review into flooding and prevention for the Magaguadavic River.

The reason he was turned down? Doucet says the provincial government didn't think a review in our area was necessary.

He says now, the Alward government has announced, they WILL be doing a review for Perth-Andover.

Doucet says Charlotte County residents are being treated as second-class citizens by not getting the same treatment.

Doucet sending a message to Premier David Alward, quote "might I suggest the Premier put on his big boy pants and get this dam issue resolved."
Premier Alward was unable to be reached for comment.

Closing Arguments in Ferguson Trial

The John Ferguson defamation trial resuming today with the closing arguments. First up is Ferguson's lawyer Rod Gillis, who was scathing in his criticism of senior city staff.


He tells the jury the Pension Board launched lawsuit to stifle discussion of what had to be done to get a handle on rising pension plan deficit. Rod Gillis also points out each senior city staff member who served on Pension Board has a pension worth more than a million dollars.

Gillis says no one on the Pension Board had an obligation to taxpayers and senior city staff frustrated Common Council on the city pension plan's rising deficit -- even though solutions to erase deficit were known in 2005.

John Ferguson, as a member of Common Council, had a duty to pursue issue.

Ferguson is currently the Chief Administrative Officer of St. Stephen.

Premier Says Shale Gas Being Handled In Responsible Manner

It may be a controversial issue - but - Premier Alward isn't making any apologies for exploring the possibility of developing a shale gas industry.
In an exclusive interview with Tide News - Alward says his government has a responsibility to see what future opportunities may exist if the resource is developed and how any revenue will be shared.
And the Premier says New Brunswickers will have a say on new regulations being developed for shale gas exploration -- deflecting any comment on how that will happen by saying the process will be up to Natural Resources Minister Bruce Northrup.