Charlotte County Residents Helping Local Fundraisers

Local communities were in the giving spirit this weekend.

The Tide's 11th Annual Marathon Food Drive held Friday and Saturday at the Atlantic Superstore in St. Stephen raising 1109 pounds of food along with $566 in cash donations for our local foodbank, the Volunteer Center of Charlotte County.

Meanwhile, Saturday night the Charlotte County Crime Stoppers held their annual community hockey game at the Fundy Arena in Black Harbour.
Locals saw Team 911 beat the Funday High School Alumni 14-9.



The fundraising game raised $1400 for Charlotte County Crime Stoppers.

Buildings Torn Down, Cause Still Unknown

The two buildings on Mecklenburg that received the most fire damage are being torn down today.

The Divisional Chief for Fire Prevention Mark Wilson tells Tide News they're bringing in a private contractor to bring the dilapidated and dangerous buildings down. While that's happening, investigators will be keeping a keen eye on the buildings as they continue their search for the origin of the fire. Wilson says they still don't know what started the fire, but believe it started at the rear of the vacant building.
Witnesses, first responders, and residents will all be interviewed today to help solve the mystery.
As for the frozen cars, a tow truck will move them around the corner in hopes that the sun will melt their icy casing. Wilson says there's been no other damage to the cars, that became encased after water from the fire hose froze on them.

The major fire Saturday morning fire destroyed buildings at 72 and 74 Mecklenburg street, and badly damaged another. 16 people have been displaced.

5 Busted After 4 Month Drug Investigation

Three men and 2 women, all from Saint John, busted after a four month drug investigation with police confiscating drugs with an estimated street value of more than $11,300.

City Police, the RCMP, Rothesay Regional Police and  the Canada Border Services Agency staged raids on Somerset Street, McLaren Blvd and Baxter Road along with a vehicle being searched.

Police say they seized cocaine, marijuana, prescription pills, 4 firearms, ammunition, a prohibited knife, other weapons, contraband smokes and more than $6000 in cash. 

St. Andrews Woman Helping Fire Victims In Saint John

7 kids including an unborn baby from 3 famillies are looking for everything you need to live after a devastating fire on Mecklenburg street in Saint John.

Stephanie Craig lives in St. Andrews but has an apartment on Orange street in the city and is friends with one of the fire victims.
 
She created a Facebook group in the aftermath of the blaze and has seen a tremendous outpouring of support with people offering everything school supplies to baby clothes.

She tells us she is impressed with the support was surprised to wake up this morning and see the group now has 1000 members.

Craig says they need the use of a large vehicle to transport larger items that people are offering to donate.  

To help out, you can post directly on the Mecklenburg Facebook page, click here

Fresh Start Services through the Salvation Army on Prince Edward Street.

Cannon Security on Bayside Drive above Beats and Bytes.

(photo courtesy of Brett Stevens)

Logs Smash Through Cab In Musquash Crash

Plenty of damage after a crash in Musquash last night.

Officers with the Musquash Fire Department tell Tide News a man driving a pick-up crashed his truck into a utility pole around 11pm last night (Sunday) on Route 790.
At the time, the truck was carrying logs, which crashed into the passenger side of the cab from the force of the impact.
Firefighters say they blocked traffic until NB Power crews could arrive. They tell us power and phone lines were down, including one home that had the service entrance ripped off of it.

Officials say the man was able to get out of the truck on his own and walk away from the vehicle before firefighters arrived. The man was sent to hospital to be treated.
(Pictures courtesy of Lt. Paul Poirier with the MFD)