Miss Scoops To Open May 9th In St. Stephen

Mr. Scoops is now Miss. Scoops.

Owner Cynthia Foster says she has bought the dairy bar that has been a staple in St. Stephen for the past nineteen years, re-named it and re-vamped it into a new and inproved business.
Foster tells Tide News, "It's a completely different business. A new business. But you're not going to be able to tell the average Joe in St. Stephen when they see the same two faces behind the counter, it's still the same place as far as they're concerned."

Foster says she will be opening the store at their new location on Milltown Blvd in St. Stephen, directly beside Chocolate Park, with lots of new things added to the menu. Foster says, "We will still have over 50 flavors of hard icecream, and over 50 flavors of soft icecream, but we are intruducing fresh fruit smoothies, frozen yogurt, coffee, and baked goods." Foster adds, your favorite desserts will be much fresher. "Your apple crisp for your apple crisp sundaes, they will be made. Your strawberry toppings are going to be made from the strawberries I buy from Tuddenham's and make the simple syrup out of. Same with your blueberries and anything like that, everything will be locally purchased, locally broke down into a syrup. Everything will be local. Local, local, local."

Foster says Miss Scoops Dairy Bar will be never close again, making the new business open all-year-round, offer birthday parties for kids, and all of their supplies from icecream containers to cleaning items are eco-friendly. Foster says, "I want to make the store as "green" as possible so an icecream dish isn't still kicking around when my grandbaby grows up."

Miss Scoops will open Thursday, May 9th.

Retired Doc Says Healthcare Needs To Be Redone

The Independent M-L-A for Fundy-River Valley says there has to be a long term plan to revamp healthcare in the province because the fiscal situation demands it. 

Dr. Jim Parrot tells Tide News the dispute between doctors and the provincial government with a threatened lawsuit is just a small part of a larger problem.
 
Dr. Parrot warns if this dispute does go to court, there may not be a resolution by the time the next provincial election rolls around.

Fundy Baykeeper Calls Cooke Statement Shocking And Scandalous

For the Fundy Baykeeper, the half million dollar fine that Kelly Cove Salmon has to shell out for using an illegal pesticide in salmon farms, is a bittersweet victory. 

Matthew Abbott tells Tide News that while he's appreciative of the work Environment Canada enforcement did to bring the case to light, he admits it's frustrating that one of the biggest companies in the province used the products in the first place.

Glen Cooke, the CEO of Cooke Aquaculture, which owns Kelly Cove Salmon, released a statement after-the-fact where he said he questions the allegations, but wanted to avoid a drawn-out court case. You can read Cooke's statement here. Abbott says they're contradicting themselves, since they plead guilty.

Man Charged With Stabbing Bus Driver In Court Today

A stabbing last month left an intercity bus driver in hospital undergoing surgery for multiple wounds, and today the Dalhousie man charged with the attack is due in court today in Grand Falls. 

27-year-old Ryan Jason Hickey is being charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault. Police say the attack happened when the driver pulled into the parking lot of a gas station in Perth-Andover. 

Two RCMP officers who happened to be inside the station were flagged down.

Teen Apprenticeship Program Launches In Southern New Brunswick

Teens who want a future as a carpenter or a electrician can get their career on track early with a new career training program. The Teen Apprentice Program is recruiting 30 grade 10 students from five high schools in southern New Brunswick to learn a skilled trade. 

Mark Sherman of program founding member, Irving Oil, tells CHSJ News that the average age of the building trades journey-person in the province is 50 years old, meaning many jobs will need to be filled in the future. He estimates that between 5000-8000 jobs will need to be filled just to replace a retiring workforce.

20 businesses will taken on the students, and by the time they graduate from high school, they will have completed the skilled trade apprenticeship block 1 training hours in their trade of choice.

Mother Petitioning Horizon Health for Independent Patient Advocate

Health problems are bad enough without feeling out of the loop about your treatment, and Fredericton activist Monica McNally is petitioning the board of Horizon Health for an independent patient advocate to make sure people get the answers they're seeking. 

McNally tells CHSJ News under the current system, patient advocates are hospital employees and as a result aren't exactly impartial. She'd like to see a totally independent advocate, like an ombudsman, to answer questions and make sure patients are treated with respect.

She says her son, Laurie, was misdiagnosed and treated disrespectfully by some hospital staff as he recovered from a life-altering bowel surgery. She says the province can't afford to make errors with people's treatment.

Half Million Dollar Fine For Using An Illegal Pesticide In Bay Of Fundy

Kelly Cove Salmon has been ordered to pay 500 thousand dollars after pleading guilty to two charges in St. Stephen under the Federal Fisheries Act with all other charges being dropped.

Kelly Cove Salmon is owned by Cooke Aquaculture and was charged with using an illegal pesticide in 2009 and 2010 to get rid of sea lice but hundreds of lobsters were killed in the Bay of Fundy.

400 thousand of that half million dollars will go to the Environmental Studies programme at U-N-B and scholarships. The C-E-O of Cooke Aquaculture, Glenn Cooke releasing a statement that the company decided not to fight the charges even though it questions the allegations  to avoid a long and public legal battle in court.

Fundraising and Awareness Walk For Alzheimer's Education and Support Programs In The Province

As the baby boomer generation gets older, the rates of Alzheimer's will get higher. Jamie Matthews of the Alzheimer's Society of New Brunswick tells CHSJ News it's projected that in the next quarter century, the number of people suffering from the disease will more than double. 

He tells that even though it's a disease that's all around us, we still have some misconceptions. One of which is that we often think dementia is isolated to nursing homes, but in fact, 50% of those diagnosed still live in the community. The other is that people with dementia can't make new memories, which Matthews says is untrue.

Matthews tells us there are over 13,000 people currently living with the disease in the province, and in the next year alone it's predicted we'll have 2500 new cases. If you want to help out, you can sign up for Walk for Memories, an Alzheimer's fundraising and awareness walk in Saint John. For event details and to register, click here.

Duck Watching Season Is Here

For the next 6 to 8 weeks nature-lovers will have a chance to see more wild birds than usual in their natural habitats. 

It's the season where ducks come out in droves to feed and mate before they start to settle down and build their nests. Andrew Holland of the Nature Conservancy of Canada tells CHSJ News it's a great activity for families. He says it's a beautiful and spectacular sight.

Holland says most local ponds, streams and rivers will have more wildlife activity at this time of year.

Layoffs Could Mean Longer Wait Times At Hospitals

The Horizon Health Network has announced it must find $12.5 million in efficiencies in its budget by the end of this fiscal year.

The sheer size of that sum means nearly 80 healthcare workers will be seeing layoff notices on their desks in the near future. Horizon Health Network CEO John McGarry tells Tide News the cuts will be happening on all levels from administration on down.

On the one hand, McGarry tells Tide News the cuts will not mean decreased quality of care; however, he also says the cuts will mean people have to travel to get certain types of care and wait longer for others. He says while Horizon will attempt to be as compassionate, the fact is the majority of the corporation's resources are spent on people, and thus jobs are what will need to be cut.


He blames the so-called "out of control growth" of the system in previous decades for the current cuts, adding Horizon's situation is hardly unique--on the contrary, it's a pattern that's playing out worldwide.

Country Legend George Jones Dies At 81

George Jones, the hard-living country singer who recorded dozens of hits about good times including "He Stopped Loving Her Today'' has died at the age of 81.

Publicist Kirt Webster says Jones died today at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville after being hospitalized with fever and irregular blood pressure.

Known for his clenched, precise baritone, Jones had No. 1 songs in five separate decades, 1950s to 1990s, and was idolized not just by fellow country singers, but by Frank Sinatra, Pete Townshend, Elvis Costello, James Taylor and countless others.

In a career that lasted more than 50 years, ``Possum'' recorded more than 150 albums and became the champion and symbol of traditional country music, a well-lined link to his hero, Hank Williams.

Many Elderly Patients Should Not Be In Hospitals

It is a sad fact of our healthcare system that many elderly people--especially those with dementia--end up in hospital beds when their needs would be much better provided for in nursing homes. 

Horizon Health Board Member Linda Forestall tells Tide News in NB there are 415 patients currently in that situation, which results in back logs in the hospitals. In addition to contributing to overcrowding, the hospital environment can hasten the progression of dementia and decrease the quality of life for the patient.

Those 415 represent almost 28% of all hospital beds. Forestall says better home care, getting families involved wherever possible, and developing a comprehensive plan for more nursing home development are all essential.

3 Teens Arrested For Drugs Outside SSHS

The police are closing in on our local high school.

The RCMP arresting three people as part of an ongoing investigation into the sale of illegal drugs near St. Stephen High School.

An 18-year-old man and an 18-year-old woman, both from Oak Bay have been nabbed for trafficking in marijuana. 

A 15 year old youth was also arrested for possession for the purpose of trafficking.

RCMP Says "Bottle Bombs" Are More Than Just A Prank

It might seem like a harmless childhood prank to some; however, the St Andrews RCMP is warning the public that so-called "bottle bombs" are serious business.

The RCMP is investigating reports that as many as five "bottle bombs" were set off in a residential area of the seaside village. Remnants from one of the devices indicated that plastic bottles were used to create the explosions.

Sgt. Robert MacKnight warns the public that it's more than a prank, and people caught setting them off could face criminal charges such as mischief, endangering life, or arson.

Body Indentified Near Sussex As Wanted Man

Sussex RCMP have identified the body found yesterday in a vehicle parked in the woods near the Carsonville Road in Smiths Creek.

The body is that of 49-year-old Robin White, who was wanted by Sussex RCMP in connection with a stabbing of a woman on February 27.

An autopsy has been completed and the cause of his death isn't considered suspicious.

NB Doctors Suing Alward Government For Medicare Cuts

The province's doctors are taking the Alward government to court.

The New Brunswick Medical Society is saying they've lost trust in the Tories as a result of Medicare cuts and a long line of "disrespected" written agreements. The signed agreement the government is allegedly refusing to honour binds doctors to a 0% fee increase and lasts through this year. The society says the lawsuit stems mainly from unilateral cuts Medicare, violating that agreement and their commitment to 0%.

New Brunswick Medical Society President Dr Robert Desjardins tells Tide News the history of clashes between the NB government and its doctors could be scaring off medical professionals who would otherwise want to practice here.

The last time the Medical Society pursued legal action against the province was in 2009 against the Liberals--and on the campaign trail the Tories had promised never to let that happen again.

Thousand Of Dollars In Damage After Frontloader Stolen

The RCMP in Oromocto looking for some help in finding whomever stole a front loader from a construction site near the new Highway 8 in Taymouth and caused thousands of dollars damage to highway road signs and blockades. 

At one point, a concrete barrier was lifted over an overpass and dropped on a secondary road below. The front loader was abandoned in the woods near Penniac. 

Police believe the front loader was stolen sometime between April 12th and the 14th.

Capital Region Crime Stoppers will pay up to $2,000.00 for information leading to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for this, or any other crime. 

You can contact the RCMP at 506-357-4300 or 1-888-506-RCMP (7267) or anonymously through Crime Stoppers online at crimenb.ca or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Remains Found In Riverview Indentified As 18 Year Old From NS

The RCMP say human remains found last week in Riverview are those of an 18-year-old Halifax-area man reported missing nearly six years ago.

Police say the skeletal remains of Emmett Price were identified through dental records.

His remains were discovered in a wooded area and the cause of death remains under investigation but evidence gathered so far does not point to foul play.

At the time of his disappearance back in 2007, police in Halifax said Price left his home in Fall River with no money nor identification and without his medication for schizophrenia.

Chief Says A Closed Door Prevented Further Fire Damage To Home

Our local fire chief says closing a door prevented a house fire from spreading further.

St. Stephen Fire Chief Jeff Richardson tells Tide News the department responded to a call that came in just after 3pm yesterday (Wednesday) of a house fire in Burnt Hill, just outside of St. Stephen.

Richardson says the cause appears accidental, most likely starting from an electric heater in the bedroom and is not suspicious.

The Chief tells us there is significant smoke damage to the home, but because the bedroom door was closed, fire damage was restricted to that room alone.

He says two pets were injured in the incident.

Man Arrested With Machete Outside Of Saint John

A 51 year old man armed with a machete was arrested by Rothesay Regional Police on the Marr Road.

Police tell Tide News he was threatening his girlfriend in a car outside the Superstore in the parking lot but was disarmed and arrested without anyone being injured. 

The man, whose name can't be released until he's formally charged will be appearing in court today. 

Several charges are expected to be laid including assault with a weapon, forcible confinement and uttering threats.

Saint John Candidates Gearing Up For By-Election

Ward 3 Candidates Have Chance To Sell Themselves

More people turned out for a Meet the Ward 3 Candidates forum in the south end than expected although there was no debate. Each of the candidates got a chance to make their pitch and then answered questions.

 Former Deputy Mayor Michelle Hooten says she would not be in favour of getting rid of Enterprise Saint John but Anne Marie Mullin argues the city has to be more aggressive in attracting new businesses and jobs and Brian Boyd maintains there has to be more accountability.

Allen Leslie coming out against a 4-Plex ice surface at Long Wharf, claiming it would kill the uptown. Gerry Lowe also expressing his reservations with the worry that the neighbourhood arenas would be killed and would there be enough parking if the Sea Dogs, for instance, are playing at Harbour Station. Graeme Stewart-Robertson says he's in favour of a multi-ice surface but the big question is whether Long Wharf is the right location. 

Hooten says people want value for their tax dollars. Mullin argues the city's unionised workers will have to give a little because the city doesn't have any money and Lowe is suggesting the city, in its contract negotiations, should never opt for arbitration like it did with the firefighters. 

Lowe, Mullin, Hooten and Barb Ellemberg all touting their business experience.

One of the candidates Mark LeBlanc did not show up saying he didn't like the format because there was no debate among the candidates themselves.

Another Meet the Candidates Forum will be held tonight at the Carleton Community Centre with a starting time of 6:30.

Lawyer Argues Publishing Names in Richard Oland Murder Case Infringes on Rights of Innocents

Final arguments have been this afternoon on whether or not to release more information from the Richard Oland search warrants.

While the representatives of certain interested parties int he case called for a moratorium on the so-called "never-ending barrage" of media coverage, media lawyer David Coles tells CHSJ News enough will only be enough when the public is satisfied the police and judiciary have done their jobs.

A decision on whether to overturn the publication ban imposed by Chief Judge R. Leslie Jackson must be made within 6 months, but it's expected to take much less time than that.

Desserud Says Trudeau Is A Good Example Of A Celebrity Politician

Justin Trudeau's first week as Liberal leader has been a bit of a tough go.

The Harper government wasted no time in putting out attack ads hours after his win and a Parti Quebecois cabinet minister accused him of acting like royalty.

UPEI Political scientist Don Desserud tells CHSJ News Trudeau is the perfect example of the celebrity politician.

He says it doesn't mean he can't or won't do a good job but the point is that's not why he is there right now adding he's there to bring in new voters and if it works he doesn't have anything against it.

Desserud calls the Tory attack ads a mistep saying it shows the negative party politics these days.

Hikers Find Human Remains in Riverview

Two hikers found human remains in a wooded area near Moncton on Saturday afternoon.

RCMP say they came across the remains on the east side of Gunningsville Boulevard, about a kilometre from Coverdale Road. 

A forensic identification team is working to find out the identity of the person whose remains were found, and also the cause of death.

Chemotherapy Underdosing Leads to New Conditions for Drug Companies

Temporary new conditions have been put into place for companies creating medications, after five hospitals in New Brunswick and Ontario administered watered down chemotherapy drugs to more than 1200 patients.

Heath Canada is saying that companies can keep making the drugs can if it's done within a hospital and meets provincial requirements, outside the hospital under the eye of provincially licensed pharmacist or in a way that's in keeping with licensing and manufacturing requirements of the Food and Drugs Act. Dr. Supriya Sharma, senior medical adviser with Health Canada, says the conditions mean the companies can keep providing service until a long-term plan is figured out.

Marchese Hospital Solutions gave the watered down drugs to the hospitals, but they say the problem wasn't with their drugs, it was with how they were administered. Sharma admitting that the new conditions might not have prevented the underdosing, as Marchese was believed to have been working under appropriate supervision.

Lincourt Manor Closed To Visitors

One of our local nursing homes is closing it's doors to visitors until further notice.

Lincourt Manor in St. Stephen issuing a release today that states the facility is closing its doors to all visitors as a precautionary measure.

Lincourt Manor states an outbreak of flu-like symptoms has plagued residents.

Locals Stuck In Boston Lock-Down

A number of locals are in Boston today, many of them having traveled down for the Fleetwood Mac concert. 

Jody Wheaton works for Valley Concrete and he tells Tide News the lock-down has turned the normally busy city into a ghost town.

He says when they got back to the hotel they heard a lot of sirens all night and today he can only see a couple of people on the street.

Former Acadia Broadcasting employee Andrea Henderson tells us it's been maddening trying to get around.

She says all the buses and shuttles and every form of transportation are shut down.

Wheaton says he's been nothing but impressed with the strength of the city in this senseless situation.

Local Woman Creates Her Own Job Due To Lack Of Employment In St. George

I love my small town -- but there are no jobs here. Sound familiar?

One local resident from St. George deciding to take her unemployment matters into her own hands by opening a new clothing store in town.

Mandy Lee says she was born and raised in Charlotte County, and just wants the same thing for her young son. "I was on unemployment because there were no jobs around, so the only thing left for me to do was to create a job for myself and take a chance at it."

Lee tells Tide News she feels the government has let the economy down by cutting back any available employment, which in return, is forcing locals to move away to other provinces for work.  "It's horrible. I didn't want to pack up my young family to move away. It's not right. This is my hometown and I'd rather be here." Lee says as it is now, her husband will be leaving in the near future to work outside the province because there was nothing available for him here.

Lee decided to take a chance and open a clothing store called "Mandy's Apparel & More". She says, "I will be selling clothing, beauty products, aluminum decorative signs, scarves, purses, belts, a little bit of everything, with more to come."


The Grand Opening will be at her location in the St. George Mall tomorrow (Saturday) from 9am to 7pm, with local dignitaries in attendance.

BREAKING NEWS: Boston, Watertown Neighbourhoods In Lockdown As Search For Suspect Continues

The world is watching Boston as the hunt continues for the surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings. 

Governor Deval Patrick is telling the residents of Boston, Watertown and 5 other neighbourhoods to stay inside.

The suburb of Watertown has a huge police presence with armoured vehicles and a swat team in one area. 

A witness saw fresh blood in the area and police have been heard yelling at a building to come out. 

Police are also conducting searches in the Cambridge area where the two suspects lived.

The two suspects are from Chechnya but have lived in the US since the early 2000's.
The older brother, a 26 year old, was killed in a gunfight overnight.
 
A 26 year old MIT police officer was killed in his car. 

The search continues for 19 year old Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

CUPE Says Jobs Cuts At Horizon Are Just The Beginning

The Canadian Union of Public Employees is claiming the Horizon Health Network is looking to cut 4 per cent of its workforce which would be from 400 to 500 jobs.
 
131 job cuts have been announced but Ralph McBride, provincial co-ordinator for CUPE local 1252, tells Tide News that's just the beginning of the reductions because Horizon still has to reduce its budget by almost 14 million dollars and it's that amount which has healthcare workers so anxious.

McBride warns if front-line workers are cut then patient care will be adversely affected.  
Provincial Health Minister Ted Flemming argues health care should not be used to create jobs and McBridge counters that by saying it isn't because each of his members has a specific role to play to keep the system functioning.

Gas Down This Week

Drivers who have to fill up won't be displeased with gas prices which have decreased again after the weekly setting. 

They're down by a few cents with self serve regular being sold in town for $1.22.9 a litre and diesel is going for $1.26.6. 

Heating oil is also a bit less expensive with a maximum price of $1.09.4 as is propane at $1.04.1.

Cuts Announced In Healthcare

Job cuts announced by the Horizon Health Network which wants to reduce spending by almost $22 million in the 2013-14 fiscal year. 

There will be 131 union, non-union and administrative management jobs cut. That move, along with not filling vacancies and attrition, is estimated to save $8.7 million but another 12.5 million dollars in savings will still have to be found. 

Facilicorp, meantime, is consolidating its laundry operations to save 2.4 million dollars. Laundry and linen from the hospitals in Moncton will be processed by the laundry facility in Saint John.

Music NB Week To Come To Saint John

For the first time, Saint John will be hosting Music NB Week this coming October with music showcases and public performances featuring musicians from around the province. 

The event culminates with a gala awards ceremony at the Imperial Theatre with members of the public voting for the winners online.

Peter Asimakos, the General Manager of Uptown Saint John, tells Tide News this is a perfect fit with all the available venues in the city along with talented performers.

The Executive-Director of Music NB Jean Surrette tells Tide News music lovers in the city will be in seventh heaven with public performances being staged around town.

There will also be music industry types from abroad in the city searching out talent to perform overseas. Surrette says the best of the talent will be showcased to the talent spotters.

Former Saint John MP Says Trudeau Should Stay Positive

Now that Justin Trudeau is the new leader of the federal Liberals, can he turn their fortunes around and present them as a viable alternative to the Harper Government which is already out with the first attack ad? 

Former Saint John and Fundy-Royal M-P Paul Zed tells Tide News Trudeau has a good foundation to build upon having received 100 thousand votes in the leadership contest.
 
Zed says Trudeau is well connected to the Maritimes, visiting Saint John three or four times, and  he should continue travelling the country to reach out and present a positive vision for the future as a contrast to the federal Conservatives and their U.S. style negative ads.

Tide News asked Zed whether he would consider running again with Trudeau as leader and tells us "in politics, you never say never".

Weed Growers Moving Operations Outside

Spring is here: which means pot growers are increasingly taking their operations outside.

Crime Stoppers and the RCMP are asking the public to keep an eye out for people growing marijuana outdoors. Often, growers will use Crown land to avoid prosecution. The plants are sometimes surrounded by chicken wire to keep out animals with legal plants used as camouflage.

ATV and walking trails  are commonly used to get to the crops. Unsuspecting people have been known to locate a grow op simply by accident or by recognizing the 'skunk like' odor that the plants produce.Anyone with any information concerning an outdoor marijuana grow operation can call N.B. Crime Stoppers Inc. at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), or visit www.crimenb.ca. If your information leads to an arrest, you could qualify for a cash award of up to $2,000.

Less Trips And Longer Trips For Grand Manan Islanders

The Grand Manan ferry will have its daily round trips cut from four daily runs to three during the low traffic season, and from seven daily runs to six during the high season. The crossing time between Blacks Harbour and Grand Manan Island will also be increased from 90 to 120 minutes.

The exact timetable is being worked out with the operator and the final schedule will be shared before any changes are made; however, it's expected the last run of the day off Grand Manan Island will be roughly 6 p.m and the last return trip from Blacks Harbour will be about 8 p.m. 

 The changes will come into effect in the next few weeks and are expected to save as much as $1.5 million. The operation and maintenance of ferry services to all the Fundy Isles costs taxpayers $13.8 million per year.

Police Seize Over 150 Marijuana Plants

Over 150 marijuana plants have been seized from a house in Mainstream. 

Police officers with the Hartland RCMP, helped out by Florenceville RCMP and the Woodstock Police Force, executed a search warrant where they found the plants, in various stages of growth and a quantity of marijuana.

They detained a 56-year-old man and a 43-year-old woman from Mainstream, but they were later released. The pair will appear in court at a later date to face charges related to the marijuana seizure.

Worst of the Snow Is Behind Us

A blanket of snow on the ground is not sight anyone would want to wake up to in the middle of April. But Mel Lemon, a meteorologist with Environment Canada tells us that snow this time of year is normal.

Lemon tells us that approximately 5cm of snow fell, but that it's hard to get an accurate reading when the ground is so warm. The system that brought us snow last night is currently moving south of Nova Scotia, but we'll still see some precipitation today: we'll see between 2-4 centimetres of snow this morning, which will taper off to flurries and showers later on this afternoon.

Snow Is On The Way For Charlotte County

Most of us can't even speak about it we're so annoyed that more snow is on the way in April.
 
Environment Canada issuing a snowfall warning for St. Stephen and northern Charlotte County, Grand Manan Island and coastal Charlotte County with rain turning to flurries and then snow with 10 centimetres overnight.

Saturday brings snow changing to showers and then flurries by noon and ending in the afternoon.
 
We could see another 5 centimetres of snow tomorrow.

Grand Manan will be worse off with ice pellets overnight and up to 15 centimetres of snow.

Son Charged With Murder Of Father While Out West

A 26 year old man from Sussex Corner named Dana Allison Craig is facing a charge of second degree murder in the stabbing death of his father, 63 year old Terrance Craig.

The two were at a motel in Brandon, Manitoba.

Terrance Craig lived in Sussex Corner and was the president of the Sussex Fish and Game Association, even being awarded their Sportsman of the Year Distinction in 1998. He was also the former manager of the Bayview Credit Union in Sussex

Reactions Grows To Teen's Suicide In Nova Scotia

The torment suffered by Nova Scotia teen Rehtaeh Parsons is being called bullycide by a frontline organization which operates out of Fredericton.

Her family says no charges were laid after she was sexually assaulted by four boys at a house party. An embarrassing photo of her was posted online and she was called all sorts of names afterwards.

Rob Frenette of Bullying Canada tells Tide News the posting of compromising photos over the internet seems to be a trend among teens.

Frenette says he would like to know why this one girl was targeted and whether the four boys have been bullied themselves.

He's not surprised at her mother's frustration with school officials because their failure to act has been a common complaint among other parents in similar situations. Frenette says its imperative school officials act quickly when they become aware of bullying and not let it drag on.

Winter Storm Could Bring 15 cms Of Snow To Charlotte County

Another winter storm could be headed our way -- even though it's supposed to be spring.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement which warns a low pressure system is forecast to pass just south of Nova Scotia late Friday night and Saturday. 

As of now, it's possible regions along the Fundy Coast and eastern New Brunswick - including Charlotte County - could get close to 15 centimeters of snow by Saturday afternoon.

Mom Accused Of Leaving Baby Out In The Cold Will Stand Trial

A woman accused of leaving her baby out in the cold on a Saint John street back in January will be tried on a child abandonment charge on September 12th.

27 year old Caleigh Dawn Shea pleaded not guilty to the crime which allegedly took place on a frigid day in January on Paddock Street. She has described the incident as a misunderstanding.

Lawyer Brian Munroe stating there were multiple witnesses and the trial is likely to last all day.

Bus Driver Injured In Stabbing

A man is in the hospital with stab wounds after an incident on a bus in Perth Andover.

 A 27 year old man who was a passenger on the bus was arrested.

The bus pulled into a restaurant parking lot in the village just before 10 o'clock.

Two RCMP officers inside were flagged down and told the bus driver had been stabbed. He remains in the hospital. The man arrested was also taken to hospital for treatment.

Big Weekend For Basketball Fans In Saint John

Basketball fans will be converging on Saint John this weekend for the National Basketball League's all-star weekend which starts with the all-star mixer at Vitos tomorrow at 5pm. 

Mill Rats coach David Cooper tells Tide News there will be a youth clinic held at Harbour Station this Saturday along with the Legends game, 3 point shootout and the fan's favourite... the slam dunk contest.
 
The all-star game itself will be played Sunday afternoon at 2pm.

Cooper says a basketball all-star game is better suited to individual athletic talents being showcased than other sports.

Ticket prices to see the all-star game range from 13 dollars up to 81 for a front row, courtside seat.

Man Dies In Saint John Following March Assault

A senior citizen is dead and another man facing charges is being sent up north for a mental health assessment after an assault in Saint John last month.

66 year old Duncan MacDonald was seriously injured after an incident at a rooming house at Prince William and Duke streets.
He died in hospital yesterday.
 
MacDonald was hurt on March 16th and the two men were both living in the rooming house at the time.

35 year old Nicholas Logan was arrested and detained, facing charges of resisting arrest and aggravated assault.

He will be sent to Restigouche for a mental health assessment before a court appearance in Saint John set for the 19th.

Sheriff Wants Tighter Controls On Gun Regulations

We don't need gun control -- we need sensible gun solutions.

Washington County Sheriff Donnie Smith says a serious discussion is needed between the NRA, Mental Health, law makers, and others to create better regulations for firearms.

He tells Tide News in regards to the Newtown massacre, some schools in Maine are just a heartbeat away from that. "Schools are isolated. Police response times for some of these schools could be hours, and there's a lot of firearms. So certainly, this could happen to anyone, anywhere. And these children at Newtown, they were babies. Don't they deserve some type of voice from law enforcement or politicians?"









Now, Sheriff Smith says the NRA wants him out of office for taking a stand on gun regulations.
He tells Tide News one of his fellow officers was asked by a member of the National Rifle Association if he would run against the Sheriff in the next election.

Smith says he was a member of the NRA for many years -- adding they are a very powerful organization with a lot of money. "And they're funded, not by their members. Most of their members are avid sportsmen and hunters, and that's why they are members, but the NRA is funded by gun manufacturers. That's where they get their money. That's why they are so powerful. And God forbid you don't agree with them because they're gonna come after you."

Smith says he believes in the 2nd Ammendment, but tighter gun regulations are needed to keep guns out of the wrong hands. He says he does not oppose people carrying concealed weapons, what he is asking is for the restrictions on who is carrying them to be tightened.

Smith says in the state of Maine, it's easier to get a gun than to become a truck driver.

Learn How To Keep Your Child Safe Online

How safe are your kids on the internet?

St. Stephen Elementary School is hosting an information session tonight -- strictly for parents -- called "Internet Safety: Keeping Kids Safe Online; What All Parents Should Know".

Lisa Wiliams from the RCMP will be a guest speaker, along with Technology Coordinator for the Anglophone School District South Moira Sherwood, and Ray Simpson who is the St. Stephen Education Center Senior Information Technology Lead.

The session is free, and will be held in the SSES Library from 6:30-7:30pm.

Higgs Calls Budget Most Difficult To Date

They're cleaning up the mess that the last government made. Provincial Finance Minister Blaine Higgs saying that's what the province is doing with the highly-criticized budget in a post-budget speech he made in St. Stephen.
The St. Stephen and Area Chamber Of Commerce hosting "An Evening With Blaine Higgs" at the Trinity Hall last night (April 8th).

Higgs tells Tide News that the income-tax rollback of 2008 was supposed to be offset by a bump in HST, but that didn't happen.

He says this has been the most difficult budget to date, and he tells us he acknowledges this tax increase hits every pocketbook, but that we need to get out of the hole that's been dug. The income-tax increase is a measure that's expected to generate $136 million in revenue for 2013-14.

(In Picture, left to right, St. Stephen Chamber of Commerce President Dale Weeks, St. Stephen Mayor John Quartermain, Charlotte-Campobello MLA Curtis Malloch, and Finance Minister Blaine Higgs.)

Lung Association Believes Most New Brunswickers Support Higher Tobacco Taxes

The New Brunswick Lung Association releasing the results of a survey which indicates 69 per cent of people in the province support spending more money to get people to quit smoking and 59 per cent support increasing tobacco taxes to come up with the funding needed. 

Lung Association President and CEO Barb MacKinnon tells Tide News even though tobacco taxes bring in 157 million dollars a year, illnesses caused by smoking take quite a chunk out of the healthcare budget to the tune of 111 million dollars a year in direct costs and 429 million dollars in social costs which include lost workdays. 

She also points to research that shows for every dollar spent on smoking cessation, three dollars are save in healthcare costs.
 
The smoking rate in the province at 18.8 per cent is over 2 per cent higher than the national average.
 
According to the Lung Association, it usually takes from 5 to 7 attempts before someone can give up smoking.