Charlotte County Marks 3 Years Since Great Flood

This weekend will mark 3 years since the Great Flood we will never forget.

On December 15th, 2010, 174 mms of rain fell on our area, putting communities such as St. Stephen and St. George under a few feet of water.

All roads and bridges were submerged leading into Bonny River, homes were covered to the rooftops, with some being swept down river.

Premier David Alward was quoted as saying, "The damage left behind is beyond imagination".

At one point, 120 roads were either partially flooded or completely submerged.

Food Bank 2/3 Of The Way To Filling Hamper Boxes

They are 2 thirds of the way to feeding the hungry this Christmas.

Co-ordinator at the St. George Food Bank Sarah Norman tells Tide News they have collected 101 turkeys to fill hamper boxes so far, but they need 49 more to fill the requests of the local families over the holiday season.

She says tomorrow (Saturday) the Food Bank is hosting its annual Hamper Packing Party, inviting the public to spread the holiday cheer, pack a few boxes, and meet with friends and family. That will begin at 9am.
She says last year, they had such a good turn-out, they were finished packing the hampers after only an hour.

Norman tells us the turkeys can be dropped off right at the Food Bank, located at 124 Main Street in St. George, and they can accept the turkeys up until December 20th.

Canadian Medical Association Calling For A National Strategy On Dementia

The Canadian Medical Association saying the number of people with dementia is expected to increase, and the country needs a plan. 

Dr. Chris Simpson is President of the Association. He tells Tide News, families are looking for "assurances that the health care system will provide top notch, safe, appropriate care for patients, and preferably out of hospitals. Supporting them at home for as long as possible is really important to people," he says.

He adds, "The individual stories are really heart wrenching."

There are about 3 quarters of Canadians who have Alzheimer's and Dementia, and is expected to increase to 1.4 million. The cost of caring for these patients in Canada is 33 billion dollars per year. That covers hospital, healthcare costs, and the lost salaries of families taking care of patients.

It's estimated this will increase to 300 billion dollars by 2040, based on the growing number of patients with dementia.

Schofield In Court For Meth & Pot Charges

44 year old Brian Schofield of Public Landing in court today answering to charges of possession of methamphetamine and marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

Undercover officer Darrell Clark testifying Schofield's phone records show hundreds of texts and dozens of calls in code indicating a pretty serious involvement in the drug trade.

But Schofield's defence lawyer suggesting it was a friends-only sort of operation and it wasn't anything that Schofield would be getting rich on.

Police found several ounces of marijuana and 144 speed pills at the former Bacchus leader's home in Public Landing.

He's due back in court on December 27th for sentencing.

Government Plane Expected To Be Sold For Between $2M-$3M

The Ontario company hired as a broker in the sale of the provincial government's airplane, expects the aircraft will be sold for between $2 million and $3 million.

Transportation Minister Claude Williams estimates the plane is worth about $3.8 million.
 
The Director of Sales and Marketing for Flying Colours of Peterborough, Gary Wood points out there are between 70 and 80 aircraft of the same model already on the market and it could take six to nine months to sell the King Air B-200.

Storm Warning Issued

A special weather statement has been issued by Environment Canada which says an Arctic airmass has brought unseasonably cold temperatures which will remain with us through tomorrow. 

A low pressure system is forecast to develop tomorrow over the Southeastern United States and is expected to intensify as it moves towards Atlantic Canada during the day. 

There is the potential for significant snow, strong winds and blowing snow on Sunday for Southern New Brunswick.
 
Linda Libby of Environment Canada tells Tide News regions along the Fundy coastline can expect 15 to 20 centimetres of snow with strong winds even though the track of the storm is expected to pass south of Nova Scotia.