Project Bringing Greenery To Saint John SPCA

Expect to see a lot more greenery at this local animal shelter.

It's all because of a partnership that's been formed between the Saint John SPCA Animal Rescue and Cedarcrest Gardens, who have trees, shrubs and other plants at their Sandy Point Road location for people to buy and donate to the shelter.

The SPCA's Melody McElman tells Tide News they're located in an industrial area, so the plants will help cut down on the noise. She says the extra greenery will be stimulating for the animals, especially the cats.

When Tide News spoke with McElman, half of the available plants had already been sold.

Crown, Defense In Snook Case Explain Sentencing Submissions

The Crown prosecutor and defense lawyers in Donnie Snook's sentencing hearing speaking out on the rationale behind their respective sentencing submissions. 

Prosecutor Karen Lee Lamrock tells CHSJ News the sentence needs to act as a deterrent. She's recommending 21 years, and that Snook not be eligible for parole until at least half of his sentence is served.

Defence Dennis Boyle tells us it was difficult but he recommended 12 years because Snook cooperated, is a good candidate for rehabilitation and was victimized himself as a boy.

Snook will be sentenced by Judge Alfred Brien on October 10th.

NB Says Federal Gov't Can't Abolish Senate Alone

As Ottawa advances senate reform, the Attorney General of New Brunswick sending a document to the Supreme Court of Canada arguing the federal government can't abolish the senate without getting the green light from all of the provinces. 

The 53-page factum says not getting unanimous approval would undermine Canada's constitutional foundation, and it's inconceivable that a fundamental component of Parliament could be eliminated without having every province on board. 

So far, Alberta is the only province to take the Harper Government's side, that the requirement would be the consent of seven provinces representing at least 50% of the population.

Car Crashes Into Front-End Loader

A driver is suffering from some minor injuries after crashing into a front-end loader on the East side of Saint John.

The equipment was parked on Westmorland Road, near Loch Lomond Road where construction is taking place.   

Police tell us the driver was not brought to hospital, and that alcohol was not a factor in the crash.

Police Dismantle Outdoor Marijuana Grow-Op

An outdoor marijuana grow-op getting shut down by police. 

Officers from the Nackawic and Woodstock RCMP and the Woodstock Police force seizing marijuana plants from two locations in woods between Nackawic and Hartland. The plants could have produced up to 42,500 joints.

If you think you've stumbled upon a marijuana grow-op, police urge you not to go near it but to instead contact them with the location details. That information can then be reported to your local police or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at www.crimenb.ca or 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). For tips on how to spot an outdoor grow-op, click here.

Sentencing Hearing Is Told The Liklihood Of Snook Reoffending

The prosecution at the sentencing hearing of former Common Councillor Donnie Snook is recommending he get 21 years in prison and serve at least half. 

He is described as being on the high end of a moderate risk to reoffend although he is willing to participate in rehabilitation treatment. 

The court was told he did not empathise with his victims and did not have an emotional relationship with them....It was just about the sex. 

One of the victims was Snook's own foster child whom he used to get access to other children and he had unprotected sex with many of the young people. 

The court also heard that because he was offering money, some of the young people who come from disadvantaged backgrounds approached him to trade sex for cash.

Prosecution tells Court How Much Time Snook Should Serve In Prison

The sentencing hearing of former Saint John Common Councillor Donnie Snook has been told he was sexually abused as a child himself and has poor coping skills to deal with his lonliness and personal losses. 

Dr. Mary Ann Campbell told the court Snook felt better while sexually abusing the young people but regretted it afterwards. 11 children were hands on victims of sexual abuse while 4 others were victimised online. 

Prosecutor Karen Lee Lamrock says she calculated what Snook should serve by offense, it worked out to 75 years in prison but she's recommending 21 years. Snook showed no emotion after hearing what her recommendation is.

Quebec Premier Open To Pipeline Project

Quebec Premier Pauline Marois appears to be supportive of the West to East pipeline project that would move Alberta crude east to Saint John. 

In the past, Marois has shown an openness to the idea of permitting oilsands bitumen to travel across her province, saying it could benefit Quebec because it would supply oil refineries in Montreal.
    
She says the Alberta oilsands bitumen would be cheaper than oil purchased from abroad.
    
The Parti Quebecois government will begin a formal examination of the proposal next month.

NB Power Earnings Released

Another good financial year for NB Power.........For the third consecutive year, NB Power is reporting positive financial results with net earnings of $69 million in 2012-13. 

By comparison, in 2011-12, net earnings amounted to 173 million dollars and in 2010-11, the crown corporation finished the year with net earnings of 67 million dollars. 

NB Power's debt at the end of the year rose by about $180 million to $4.7 billion.

More Bizarre and Disturbing Revelations At Snook Sentencing Hearing

Bizarre and disturbing facts continue to come to light regarding former Saint John Common Councillor Donnie Snook's crimes against children.

The facts in the 46 counts against Snook include blackmail, coercion, and attempts to secretly spy on and film kids as young 5 and 6 in the nude.

Snook admitted posing online as a girl, getting nude pictures from boys, then blackmailing them to send more--to the degree that one victim even threatened commit suicide. Snook not only did not stop, but later contacted the victim's 7 year old brother to further harass him. The court also heard Snook--a non-drinker--stocked his home with alcohol and allowed the children to drink and use drugs.

Numerous complaints were made against Snook by children and parents but no charges were laid.

The court will be hearing recommendations for sentencing on Friday. Victim impact statements will also will read, one of them by the victim himself and the results of a psychological profile will be heard.

More Radian 6 Layoffs

A new round of layoffs at Radian 6 are not good news in a province where jobs are hard to come by.

Salesforce, the company's parent company, announcing it's cutting 200 jobs to its global workforce, more than 60 in New Brunswick.

Premier David Alward was asked about it while in the City and says the information was not confirmed for him.

NDP leader Dominic Cardy says the layoffs were yet another indication that the economic development ideas of the Alward government and the Liberal opposition need to be scrapped.

Meanwhile, the premier says significant accountability mechanisms are in place between the province and any company that has received payroll rebates and he has full confidence that the companies will live up to their responsibilities under the agreement. 

Just over a year ago, Radian 6 received a $3.8-million payroll rebate offer to help create 300 full-time jobs in Fredericton and Saint John over five years.

Snook Hearing Continues With More Grim Detail

As the sentencing hearing continues, we are hearing Donnie Snook devised elaborate games & tricks to have kids undress and film them without their knowledge.

One of the victim's behaviour became so out-of-control he was placed in foster care.

One child's mother alerted police to odd behaviour on Snook's part including taking kids out until wee hours and bringing them home drunk.
 
The court heard Snook bribed his victims with money, trips and alcohol and allowed them to take drugs in his presence. 

Word spread among the kids that if you let Snook do certain things to you, you might get paid.

Taxpayers Federation Releasing Info On Sick Time By Government Workers

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation, using the Right to Information Act, to make the claim that provincial government employees take 50 per cent more sick days than the rest of us......10.7 sick days a year compared to 7.1 in the private sector last year. 

The Federation's Atlantic Director is Kevin Lacey who tells Tide News the sick days taken by just the core workers employed by the province costs about 14 million dollars. 

The Federation also revealing unionised employees ran up 60 per cent more sick time per employee than the non-unionised workers. 

As for federal government employees, Lacey says they're taking even more time off sick than their provincial counterparts.

Graphic Evidence As Snook Sentencing Hearing Contiues

It has been a disturbing day in court as Crown Prosecutor Karen Lee Lamrock presented the facts of 46 child sex abuse charges again former Saint John common councillor Donnie Snook. 

More than 14, 400 unique child sexual abuse images were found in Snook's possession along with more than 600 child porn vidoes--and only some victims have been identified. 

Former Friend Darrell Bastarache tells Tide News he expected to see more visible emotion from Snook as the court heard the evidence, stating that those in the gallery seem to be in more pain than Snook.

The court heard Snook bribed his victims with money, alcohol and trips--and claimed while he would stop sexual activity if his victims complained, some of them seemed to "enjoy" the abuse. Further, Snook admitted to having "groomed" at least one child over a period of 7 years from ages 9-14 to eventually take part in the abuse of other children. Many of the incidents are believed to have occurred when Snook's roommate was also at home, and the former church leader can be heard in the videos "shushing" the victims.

The sexual abuse images were found on a range of electronic media including a laptop, thumb drive and SD card. Some of the abuse videos were filmed with an iPad provided to Snook by the City of Saint John.

Details Being Revealed Of Former Common Councillor's Sex Crimes

We are now learning more about the evidence gathered against former Common Councillor Donnie Snook at his sentencing hearing on 46 charges of child abuse and exploitation. 

The prosecution claims there are thousands of victims. 

More than 14 thousand 400 unique child sexual abuse images were found in Snook's possession along with more than 600 videos of child pornography. 

Videotaped webcam sessions and movies were also recovered. 

There was some sadistic and fetish content but few and far between. Most of the images were of children posing alone.

Snook showed no emotion as all this was being shown.

Illegal Smokes Are More Widespread Than You Think

The Atlantic Convenience Stores Association claims the sale of Illegal tobacco remains a big problem in the province. That conclusion is based on a new study the Association commissioned.

Association President Mike Hammoud says a Montreal-based research firm collected more than 3,000 cigarette butts in June from 23 locations across the province including Sussex, Fredericton and Saint John.
    
The firm found, on average, 15.7 per cent of the butts were from contraband cigarettes. 

In Grand Falls, more than 40 per cent of the butts were contraband and the rate was almost 20 per cent at 10 school sites.

Nearly 2500 Colposcopy Patients Will Get A Letter

Nearly 2,500 patients will be notified following Horizon Health's discovery that unsterilized biopsy forceps were used at a hospital clinic for 14 years.

    The problem at a colposcopy clinic at the Miramichi Regional Hospital began in 1999 and was discovered this May.

  CEO John McGarry says the biopsy forceps were only cleaned and disinfected before being reused but sterilized at the end of the day.
 
   McGarry advises there is an extremely low risk of infection, but 2,497 patients who had these biopsies are being sent letters to advise them to have blood tests for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

Province and Teacher's Federation Reach A New Deal

The province and the Teacher's federation have a new deal.

The new collective agreement applies to more than 9,000 teachers, supply teachers, vice-principals and principals.

The four-year deal provides for two years of zero-per-cent increases, followed by one-per-cent increases every six months.

88 Year Old St. Stephen Woman Awarded With Maritimer Of The Week

A local lady becoming CTV's latest Maritimer of the week.

A reception being held today in St. Stephen Council Chambers to honor Shirley McMahon for over 65 years of volunteering.

Tide News asked McMahon what drove her to volunteer with so many different organizations.

McMahon has been involved with Cure for Cancer, the NB Heart & Stroke Foundation, NB Kidney Foundation, local blood donor clinics, and was known as "Camp Granny" at the Waweig Youth Camp.

Country Artist Julian Austin Performing In Fundy Tonight

Charlotte County getting a special taste of country music tonight.

Julian Austin will be taking the stage at Fundy High School tonight with opening acts Gerald Rushton, Tyler Deveau, and the Devin Cooke Band.

Money raised will be put towards the Old Pentecostal Church in Blacks Harbour to be made into an archive building.

Tickets are $15, the show starts at 7.

For information on tickets, call 456-2333.

Man Tasered After Stand-Off In Baillie

A man was taken to hospital after a stand-off with police outside St. Stephen.

RCMP say they responded to a complaint of a man who threatened to harm himself with a gun at a home in Baillie on Route 3 last night.

Police say the 66-year-old man refused to drop his weapon and police tried negotiating with him for 30 minutes.

RCMP were able to disarm the man after using a taser on him.

The man was arrested, and then taken to hospital as a precaution.

Sex Offender Moved From Saint John To Halifax

Sixty-two-year-old convicted sex offender Roger Ernest Joseph Roberge has been relocated from Saint John to Halifax.

Roberge had been assessed as a high risk to re-offend in terms of both sexual and non-sexual violence. His criminal record dates back to 1969 and his major distinguishing feature is his numerous facial tattoos.

No word on the reason for the relocation. Roberge had been living in a halfway house monitored by the Saint John Police Force's Family Protection Unit.

First Wal-Mart Supercenter In NB To Open In SJ

The first-ever Walmart Supercentre in New Brunswick is going to have its grand opening ceremony tomorrow at the 450 Westmorland Road location in Saint John.

The 129,000 square foot store has been remodeled to include a new fresh grocery section. There are also more dry, fresh and frozen offerings. The store is one of 37 Supercentre projects planned across Canada.

The expansion will create 20 new jobs --and so far, nearly 450 people have applied.  The store will be having Grand Opening Block Party on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with face-painting, live music, refreshments and samples.

Energy East Questions Answered At Open House

A college gymnasium filled with the chatter of questions about the Energy East pipeline being asked and answered.

The kiosk-style event at NBCC is one of many happening around the province. Spokesperson for TransCanada Phillipe Cannon tells TIde News they chose that style for the open house instead of a town hall-style so that the those attending could just go up to a booth and get their question answered directly instead of having to speak in front of a large group.

Cannon says the general tone in New Brunswick seems to be one of curiosity. He says the further east you go in Canada, the less familiar people are with the pipeline industry so people living here have lots of questions. He says they've been getting many questions about safety, how pipelines are built and how they work.

 These open houses are happening all over the province. If you didn't make it to this event, another meeting is being held on September 10 at the St. Alphonsus Parish Hall in Hampton, then the next day at the Legion in Chipman.

Woman Dies In Hampton Collision

A 21 year old woman from Salt Springs is dead following a crash in Hampton.

It happened just after 4 yesterday on Main Street.  

The victim's car collided with another vehicle driven by a 17 year old girl from Norton.

The teenager was injured and remains in hospital.

The Mounties tell Tide News they have determined that the victim was not wearing a seatbelt and that her vehicle was hit by an oncoming vehicle that crossed the center line.

Main Street was blocked to traffic for more than 3 hours at the scene.

NB Power LED Project Ahead Of Schedule

NB Power's project involving the installation of thousands of LED lights in streetlights in many provincial municipalities is about a month ahead of schedule.

Crews began replacing high pressure sodium bulbs with the brighter more efficient LED's this spring.

17,000 LEDs are being installed around the province in places like Riverview, Miramichi and Fredericton, St Stephen and St. George.    Moncton and Grand Manan will have them by the end of September.

Sherry Thomson of NB Power says the lights use less energy every year and a part of the utility's strategy to reduce and shift energy demand in the province.

Thomson adds when all the street lights have been replaced with the new LEDs, the province can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 324,000 tonnes over 20 years.

Sea Dog Foundation Hosts Alumni Weekend

If you have been a fan of the Sea Dogs from the very beginning, you may enjoy an event in Saint John tomorrow.

The inaugural Wallace McCain Memorial Alumni game is taking place at Harbour Station at 130 between Sea Dogs alumni and the UNB varsity Reds alumni.
 
The new event created as a way to remember the late father of Sea Dogs CEO Scott McCain.
Wendy Corscadden of the Sea Dogs foundation tells Tide News longtime fans will be pleased with the turnout by former players.

She says many of the players who are in now in the NHL are coming back including Robert Mayer, Yann Sauve and Jonathan Huberdeau.

Following the Alumni game is a Family fun fair outside from 3 until 6 and then the Sea Dogs take to the ice in pre-season action against the Titan at 7.

People's Alliance Holding Public Meeting Tonight On Bilingualism Discrimination

The People's Alliance Party of New Brunswick is partnering with a St. Stephen woman in sounding the alarm on the Official Languages Act.

Joyce Wright says she is concerned how the Act is affecting Charlotte County in striving to provide a 50% bilingual workforce in every provincial place of employment.

Wright says this doesn't make sense for Charlotte County where almost 92% of the population is English only.
Wright says everyone deserves the right to be served in the language of their choice -- but there are other ways of accomplishing it -- like using technology, instead of denying jobs to English-only people.

The People's Alliance Party will be hosting a public meeting tonight at Wright's home in Heathland.
The address is 14 Family Lane in Heathland, just past the Hall Road and the Ambulance NB Bay.

The meeting gets underway at 7pm.

Local Mother Responds To Ontario Autism Letter

International media attention for an Ontario mom who recieved an anonymous letter from a neighbour, telling her it would be better to euthanize her child with autism because he bothers others in the neighborhood. 

Amanda Hensey has four kids ages one to 10. Her 10 year old and her 3 year old have autism. 

She tells Tide News judgment from strangers pours salt in the wound. Hensey urges people to try and give parents the benefit of the doubt when their kids are having a meltdown, or even help by holding a door or offering to help bring grocery bags out to the car. 

She says in a way she's glad the letter has gotten so much attention because it draws attention to prejudices that still exist against families of kids with autism and other disorders.

Ask Pipeline Questions Today At NBCC In Saint John

Trans Canada is hosting a public information session on the Energy East pipeline today at the NBCC campus on Grandview Avenue in Saint John.

The kiosk-style event will give citizens a chance to ask questions and voice their concerns about the pipeline from 4-8pm in the gym.

The next meetings are September 10 at the St. Alphonsus Parish Hall in Hampton then the next day at the Legion in Chipman.

Newcomer Kissel Is Also A Vet

He got a Canadian Country Music Association nomination when he was just 13 years old and now he's back with a grown up album.
Brett Kissel is a singer songwriter from Flat Lake, Alberta who was nominated for a Rising star award back when the awards were held in Saint John in 2006.

Kissel tells Tide News he loves working in country music because you can write an upbeat party song or something stripped down that's about love or loss.

You can hear Kissel's debut single "Started With A Song" on 98.1 The Tide.
His debut album comes out after the CCMA's in September. 

It's The First Day Of A New Summer City Festival

It's the first day of Saint John's newest summer theater festival.

The Fundy Fringe Festival features 125 shows over five days by 25 acts including dance, music, improv, performance art and stand-up comedy. It kicks off officially at 11:30 this morning at the Sanctuary Theater, and live shows will be held at various uptown venues until the 10:15 tonight.

Most acts cost $10 or less and last less than an hour. For a full description of all the acts, click here and a schedule click here.

New Mill Rat Hopes To Crack An NBA Roster

An Ontario basketball player will be bringing his talents to the Mill Rats this fall.
 
Mike Luby was drafted by the Mill Rats in the National Basketball league of Canada Draft.

Luby says it's been a long road to get this far adding between injuries and other disappointments he thought his career was over but he stuck with it and feels like he can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The 6'11'' Luby says the NBL will give him a good chance to crack an NBA roster.

Local Tim Hortons Installing Second Speaker For Quicker Service

You've always got time for Tim Hortons -- now you'll have more time!

St. Stephen Owner Carl Dow tells Tide News construction at the King Street location is to install a second speaker in the drive-thru.

He says the new speaker will stand where the dumpsters used to be, and a second lane will be created that will merge with the original lane ahead of the take-out window.
He says some people take a long time to order, so this way, others will be able to go ahead of them, and essentially, you will get faster service.

Dow adds the two speakers will be a learning curve for the store, and asks for patience from customers until workers can master the new system.

Dow says construction should be completed before this weekend.

Canada Bread Issues Bread Recall

Before you make that sandwich for work, check the brand of bread you are using.

Canada Bread issuing a voluntary recall for some bread sold in the Maritimes.

It impacts Ben’s Xtra Soft enriched white and whole wheat bread and Super Club white and whole wheat bread with a best before date of August 29th.

It was produced at the Canada Bread facility in Moncton.

There is a possibility the bread may contain fragments of glass from a light bulb that shattered during production.

You can return the bread to the store where it was purchased to receive a full refund.

HotSpot Parking Coming To Saint John

As of late September, you will be able to feed the meter from your cell phone on a trial basis.

Phillip Curley, 21, is an engineer and the developer behind the Hot Spot parking app that's coming out next month. He tells Tide News it's a simple process that allows you to dodge tickets with a touch of your Smartphone: you just text in the number on the meter to subtract from an online balance you pay with your credit card.

The app is already getting rave reviews in Fredericton with over 400 people signing up in just 6 days. Curley says there's another perk: local businesses will also have the option to pay for customer parking at their discretion.

Snook Appears In Newfoundland Court

Former Saint John Common Councillor Donnie Snook appeared in court in Newfoundland this morning on 4 charges related to abusing a boy under the age of 14. 

The charges date back to December of 1995, around the time Snook spent a year as the senior pastor of the former Salvation Army Citadel in Mount Moriah when he was in his early twenties.

A source at the provincial court in Cornerbrook tells Tide News the case has been set over to October 29, when Snook is expected to enter a plea.

He has already pleaded guilty to 46 charges in New Brunswick, and is scheduled to appear in court on August 29th for what defense lawyer Dennis Boyle has predicted will be a lengthy sentencing hearing.

Local Gay Leader Weighs In On Sochi Olympic Boycott

With Russian laws threatening to prosecute anyone spreading gay "propaganda" to minors, many athletes and would-be spectators are fearing they could be prosecuted for simply posting about their relationships on Facebook or wearing a rainbow flag. 

Tide News recently attended Pride Week in Saint John and asked gay rights leader Brian Boyd his opinion, to which Boyd stated it's up to individuals to decide what their stance will be, but personally he will not be supporting any part of of the Winter Olympics.

The Winter Olympics are set to take place from February 7-23 in Sochi, Russia. Athletes attending the games would be prohibited by the Olympic Committee from protesting the anti-gay laws.

Pipeline Info Sessions Begin In Edmundston

We may get a little more information on plans for the Energy East Pipeline as information sessions begin in the province tonight.

Trans Canada is hosting 7 public meeting beginning tonight in Edmundston continuing until next month when they end in Stanley.

Saint John's turn in Thursday between 4 and 8pm at the New Brunswick Community college on Grandview Avenue.

Phillip Canon of Trans Canada tells Tide News the info sessions are a kiosk format where people can come and go as they please.

He says if people have questions on land, safety or the environment they can go to that specific Trans Canada specialist and ask their questions.

Hampton gets a session of its own on September 10th at the St. Alphonsus parish hall.

Deer Draw Results Out Today

You can find out the results of the antlerless deer draw today.

3,450 hunters had their names selected in the random draw for antlerless deer validation stickers. If your name was drawn, you can find out either on the department website or by mail and your sticker will arrive by September.

Hunters with a sticker can harvest either bucks or does in the zone designated on their tag,  or an antlered deer in any area of the province open for hunting. Each hunter can only bag one deer.

For a link to more information, click here

Chris Brown Bows Out Of Canadian Gigs

Drop Entertainment Group announcing all of Chris Brown's Canadian concert dates are cancelled including one in Saint John set for next month.

In a release, the company's owner Stephen Tobin says in light of Brown's recent personal and health-related issues all four shows have been cancelled.

Refunds will be available at the venue where tickets were purchased started Thursday.

Another Ex-Bacchus Member Granted Bail

Another of the six arrested after police carried out simultaneous raids last week has been granted bail. 

Former Saint John Bacchus Motorcycle club member, 39 year-old Ryan Wallace, is facing drug charges including possession and trafficking along with having two unlicensed rifles. 

The other four people arrested include the local president of the biker club, 44 year-old Brian Schofield of Public Landing, who plead guilty to possession for the purpose of trafficking. He was released on house arrest and will is scheduled to appear in court for sentencing on September 5 and to plead on other charges.

Former Bacchus Member Released On Bail

A local man who used to be a striker for the Saint John Bacchus Motorcycle Club has been released on bail. 

39 year-old Blaine Beddow of Saint John is facing several drug charges, among them, production and trafficking.

Beddow was one of six people arrested last week as police carried out simulteanous raids in Kingston, Public Landing and Saint John, seizing drugs, weapons and ammunition. The raid followed a six-month long investigation involving four local police agencies called Operation J Turmoil. 

Bail conditions for Beddow include having to stay in the province, having to give over his passport and not having any contact with certain people, including the members of the biker club. Beddow makes his next court appearance on September 5.

Plane Crash In South-Central N.S. Kills Pilot

The pilot of an ultralight plane has been killed in a fiery crash in south-central Nova Scotia. 

The Mounties say the lightweight aircraft burst into flame after it hit the ground near Old Barss Corner Road by New Germany around 10 o'clock this morning. The 65 year-old man from Barss Corner was flying alone when the plane went down.

RCMP, firefighters and emergency health crews are on the scene. Police say the Transportation Safety Board has been advised but they won't be sending anyone to the crash site.

Crews Respond To East Side Blaze

Fire crews going a mile into the forest to fight a pick-up truck blaze. 

They got a call around 10:30 this morning from a resident saying something shook their house. Because the fire was so far in the woods at the end of Baxter road, they weren't able to get the fire engine in—so they brought in ATVs with a portable pump to put out the fire. 

Division Chief Eric Garland says the explosion heard could have possibly been from the vehicle's gas tank. There was nobody with the truck when firefighters arrived, and they haven't yet determined if the blaze is suspicious.

Break And Enter In The North End Of Saint John

A home in the North End being broken into while the owner was away. 

It happened in the Fort Howe area and some items from the residence were stolen. City Police believe it was a random act, and they're still looking for whoever is responsible. 

Sergeant Caswell reminding people to make sure their home is secure—and if you see anything strange going on near your neighbour's house, don't hesitate to report it.

KV Police Bring Back Bike Helmet Ticket Program

Not wearing a bike helmet in the valley can get you a fine, but police are letting first-time offenders pay it off with their time instead of their money.

Rothesay Regional Police have brought back their Bike Helmet Ticket Program—if you've been ticketed, you have the option of taking a one-hour information class on the safety and benefits of wearing a helmet instead of paying the $54.50 fine. The fee is waived once you finish the session. 

Cyclists who don't wear a helmet will be fined, as well as parents who let their child bike without wearing one. The program ends on October 19 and the class is the following week at Rothesay High School.

Port City Pride Parade Marching Today

Saint John is starting to get the message that Pride Week is not just for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, it's for the entire community.

That's according to Pride Week Vice-President Amanda Hensey who tells CHSJ News in the last year alone they've noticed a positive shift in the city's attitude towards the celebration. Their theme this year is Pride In Community, and Hensey says the community is now giving back to them, and they love it.

The 11th annual Pride Parade is happening today with walkers meeting at 1 in the afternoon, and the parade itself is happening at 2 at the top of King Street. You don't have to be a member of the LGBT community to march in the parade, everyone is encouraged to take part. 

Right after the parade is the Pride Community Festival in Queen Square, featuring barbeque, games, music and more. Click here for more information and for a list of events.

Car Fire Prompts Building Evacuation

A car on fire was a little too close for comfort to a building, prompting an early morning evacuation. 

Arriving fire crews saw a Ford Escape fully engulfed in flames, so they and City Police got everyone living at 39 Coronation Court to get out of the building as a precautionary measure. After the car was towed away, the residents were allowed back in the building.

The fire department got the call just before 1:30 in the morning. Crews were on the scene for about 40 minutes.

Early Morning Blaze On Milford Road

The Saint John Fire Department putting out a fire at 268 Milford Road. 

They got the call just after 1:00 in the morning, and arriving crews saw heavy smoke pouring out of the top of the building. They were on the scene for about two hours. 

The top of the building has major fire damage while the bottom has some water damage. Nobody was hurt.