Relay For Life Changes Time To Get More Spectators

One of St. Stephen's biggest community events is a little over a week away.

The Relay for Life 2014 has made some changes this year.

In an effort to attract more participants and spectators, this year will not be an overnight event -- instead taking place behind the St. Stephen High School from 12noon to midnight, next Saturday, June 7th.

The Relay for Life raises money for the Canadian Cancer Society.

It's not too late to start a Relay team. If you would like to get involved, contact the Relay For Life Chair Alan Gilmore at 466-4236.

Playground Grand Opening Tomorrow

Built by volunteers -- rebuilt by volunteers.

The St. Andrews Community Playground will be holding its Grand Opening tomorrow and families, friends, and children of all ages and abilities are invited.

Restoration Fundraising Chair Isabelle Micheud tells Tide News the Shriners will be putting on a parade and a BBQ to celebrate. She says the parade will begin at the W.C. O'neill Arena at 10:30, go down Harriet Street, Water Street, Up Frederick Street and end at the playground, where there will be a BBQ, a clown, a Mega Bloks play area, and lots of playtime.

Micheud says it was a major rebuild, and the playground is now much safer and is accessible for children of all abilities -- including wheelchairs and strollers.

Nursing Home Week Is June 1-7

There are 65 nursing homes across New Brunswick--and Nursing Home Week from June 1-7 is a good time to appreciate the hard work that nursing home employees do to care for our seniors.

Social Development Minister Madeline Dube released a statement applauding their hard work, and expressing support for new technologies and  investments in nursing home renovation and replacements.

According to the statement 354 nursing home beds are being created across the province.

Rough Night Out For 25-Year-Old Man With St. George Warrant

You might call it a rough night out, but that would be a bit of an understatement.

A 25 year old man was picked up by police around 12:30am for causing a disturbance at a bar on Dorchester Street in Saint John. 

He started vomiting then passed out while being questioned by police and was taken to hospital, but once he got there got rowdy and assaulted one of the police officers.

Sergeant Jay Henderson explains he was then found to be wanted on an outstanding warrant out of St. George.

He's now facing additional charges for uttering threats and assaulting the cop.
He'll be appearing in provincial court today.

St. Mac's Students Win Award for Their Green Video

Two St. Mac's students getting some green for their earth-friendly video.
Brittany Steeves and Rachel Milne receiving $1000 each being chosen one of the winners in the Department of Environment's video contest.

17 year old Rachel Milne is the actor in the video and tells Tide News she learned a lot during the process.

She says after the video she does feel more passionate about the environment adding the youth can do something about it.

16 year old Brittany Steeves also wins the award for doing the filming and editing.
The school will also receive $1000 because of Rachel and Brittany's win.

UNB Saint John Students Graduate Today

The dream of a degree coming true for the students at UNB Saint John today.

The 40th Spring convocation happening this afternoon in the G. Forbes Elliot Athletics Centre.

Back in May of 1974, the first convocation for grads took place in Saint John.
The school will be marking it's 50th anniverary this year with celebrations beginning in September.

Employment Insurance Is Seen As A Cushion

The Premiers of Atlantic Canada have voiced opposition to changes being implemented by the Harper Government on Employment Insurance while a new Harris Poll shows 56 per cent of respondents who are unemployed say they haven't had to look for work as hard as they might because of unemployment insurance.

77 per cent of the respondents to a Harris Poll, who are without work, say unemployment insurance has been a cushion with almost three-quarters adding it has allowed them to take time for themselves. 86 per cent say it gives them time to find the right job but 39 per cent have given up looking for work entirely. Only 8 per cent of those surveyed say they spend more than 31 hours a week looking for a job with 32 per cent spending five or fewer hours.

As for relocating to another city, 37 per cent say they're not willing to do that and 62 per cent say they wouldn't be willing to move to another province. Just over half of those surveyed say they have no plans to go back to school to enhance their employability.

Medical Society Putting Political Parties In The Province On The Spot

The Medical Society is calling on all of the provincial political parties to support legislative change to ensure Public Health Officers are able to speak independently about issues, no matter how controversial and even if their views differ from those of the government.

Other provinces have such legislation in place but not New Brunswick.

An example being cited is Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Eilish Cleary being asked to give her opinion on what impact shale gas exploration and fracking would have on human health.

The Provincial NDP has been first off the mark to come out in support.

Concern Over Hypersexualisation of Girls

The hypersexualisation of young girls has captured the attention of Atlantic Canadian ministers who are responsible for the status of women.

They are worried about what the effect will be on the girls themselves in how they view themselves and how they are viewed by others.

The cybersafegirl.ca website will be expanded with a new section containing information on the hypersexualization of young girls.

This is an effort to counteract what the ministers see as the hypersexualization of girls who are being bombarded with hypersexual images on TV, in music videos, music lyrics, movies, magazines, video games, the internet, social media and advertising.

New Strategy Released On Flood Prevention

The province released a new strategy today to try and minimize the damage from flooding in New Brunswick. Several government departments and stakeholders worked on the report.

The strategy centres around recognizing where the flood risks are, planning for communities, and ways of lessening the existing flood risk. It also contains measures arelated to public education, engagement of residents, and sharing resources.

To read the full text, click here

Waiting On Progress Report From Mayor

Will the Civic Center ever open? We will hopefully hear that answer soon.

The Town of St. Stephen announcing yesterday the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony -- the 1st event scheduled for the Garcelon -- has been moved to the Algonquin Resort in St. Andrews.

A press release from the Town stated "the facility will be unable to accomodate".

Though Garcelon Manager Natalie Reid and Mayor John Quartermain both denied interviews with Tide News... Town Hall said Quartermain was hoping to have a progress report on the Civic Center for tomorrow.

Want The Kids To Do Some Reading This Summer?

Want to get the kids reading this summer?

Libraries will be launching their summer reading clubs in just a few days.... they run from June until August. This year's theme for the free programs is "Dive In!"....encouraging reading about all things water-related and the connections they have to New Brunswick waterways.

Kids can learn about the highest tides in the world, the people who make their living off the water, or the creatures that live in our oceans.

Each year, about 10,000 young people in the program read more than 200,000 books.

You can get more information at your local library, including the St. Croix Public Library in St. Stephen, or Bookmobile.

Traffic Disruption In South End

The city of Saint John warning drivers that traffic will be reduced to one lane at Crown and Broad Streets at the entrance to the Potash Terminal for road repairs from 3 this afternoon to 3 in the morning.

BREAKING: Workers Sent To Hospital After Exposure To Hydrogen Sulfide

Around 8:30 this morning, fire crews responded to an EMS call at Irving Paper on Bayside Drive.

3-4 people were sent to the hospital as a precaution after accidentally inhaling hydrogen sulfide.

Hydrogen sulfide is a dangerous gas with a rotten-egg odour that is generated as a by-product in many industrial processes.

Fire crews and WorkSafe NB are on the scene ventilating the area and checking out the processes to make sure it's safe. The condition of the workers isn't thought to be serious at this point.

Garcelon No Longer Venue For Sports Hall Of Fame

Just when we think it's ready to go -- another delay.

The Garcelon Civic Center will no longer be the venue for the NB Sports Hall Of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony.

The ceremony was supposed to be the first event to be held in the Civic Center, but it won't be finished in time.


The Town of St. Stephen sending out a release stating, "The facility will be unable to accomodate the NB Sports Hall Of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony taking place on June 7th."

The venue will remain in Charlotte County, however, same date and time, at the Algonquin Resort in St. Andrews.


The Hall of Fame will refund ticket-holders if they are inconvenienced by the venue change.

Both St. Stephen Mayor John Quartermain and Civic Center Manager Natalie Reid denied further comment with Tide News.

St. George Warns About Road Closures

Be prepared for delays if you're traveling in St. George.

Closures and interruptions can be expected as the Town upgrades its water and sewage systems for the year.

Today, Riverview Ave. is down to one lane, as is Prince William Street. All of Prince William will be without water for the remainder of the day as well.

Tomorrow, starting at 8:30am, water will be shut off for all homes on Kennedy Court and traffic will be down to one lane.

100 Women Who Care Donate $10 Grand To Little Acres

100 Women coming to the rescue once again.

The Charlotte County Organization donating $10,000 last night to the Little Acres Community Residence.

100 Women Who Care is a St. Stephen-based group of women who each donate $100, 3 times a year, and then vote on the recipient.

Little Acres says they plan to use the money for new mattresses, furniture, and renovations.

The 1st donation earlier this year went to the Volunteer Centre of Charlotte County.

Ande Mosher with 100 Women says they now have 103 members and are always looking for more.

If you would like more information on joining 100 Women Who Care, you can call Ande at 465-0992, or check out the 100 Women Who Care St. Stephen Facebook Page. 

(Photo provided by Facebook)

Frost Advisory At The End Of May

Sometimes it feels like this winter will never end.

Today is May 28th, and Environment Canada is calling for a frost advisory overnight in St. Stephen.

The forecaster says temperatures will dip to zero degrees -- but it won't hold for long.

Charlotte County can expect temperatures into the 20's through to next week.

Atlantic Premiers Discuss EI Changes

The four Atlantic premiers getting a look at a draft of a report put together of the potential impact of federal changes to Employment Insurance on Atlantic Canadians. 

The Premiers were asked about the urgency of getting this report out since its been a year since the changes were first announced.
 
PEI Premier Robert Ghiz says they were still be work to be done after this report comes out.

Ghiz says we won't see the full impact of the changes to E.I. for another year so more research will have to be done and they will be expressing that to the Federal government.

Premier David Alward points out this report is being compiled by an independent panel across all sectors and all provinces.

New Head Of NB Trauma Program Appointed

Dr. Erik St. Pierre has been appointed the new medical director of the New Brunswick Trauma Program, Health Minister Hugh Flemming announced today.
The previous director was Dr. Marcel Martin.

Dr. St. Pierre has served as an emergency department physician, director of an emergency department and as chief of staff for a community hospital. He has also practiced emergency medicine at the Regional and  Moncton Hospital.

The Trauma Program works on injury prevention, clinical care, education and research on serious and critical injuries in New Brunswick.

University Students Graduate Today

Time for university students to start planning the rest of their lives....

The University of New Brunswick will award degrees to almost 18-hundred students at its spring graduation ceremonies starting today.

Ceremonies will start in Fredericton at the The Richard J. Currie Centre on the UNB Fredericton campus today with more to be held tomorrow. Graduating students and their families will be informed which ceremony they should attend.
 
In Saint John, the 40th Spring Convocation will be held on Friday at 2 p.m. at the G. Forbes Elliot Athletics Centre.

Elderly Man Wakes Up To Stranger In His Bedroom

A nightmarish situation in McAdam, with an elderly man waking up to find a stranger in his bedroom.

 

The man stole the victim's wallet and billfold and while there were keys to a truck and ATV in the wallet, neither vehicle was stolen and the elderly man was not hurt.

 

RCMP calling on the public for help finding the suspect in this home invasion. If you have any information, you're being urged to contact them at (506) 784-1205 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Saint John Sign Occasionally "Ain't On"--But Not For Much Longer

The Saint John sign on Fort Howe has been known to have letters burnt out on occasion--you might call it the "Ain't On" sign.

Common Councillor Susan Fullerton says you leave your porch light on when you're expecting guests to show that they're welcome, and the Saint John sign is our metaphorical porch light.

If the city goes through with its proposed change to LED lights, they would have a 10 year lifespan.

Strikers At Three Radio Stations In City Returning o Work

After a bitter strike and lockout over the past couple of years, 7 employees at three Maritime Broadcasting radio stations in the city will be returning to work June 16th. 

The Canadian Media Guild says the tentative 4 year contract agreement came about with the assistance of Federal mediation and conciliation services. 

There's language in the tentative contract on job security and includes a signing bonus along with new wage scales.

Traffic Delay And Detour in Saint John

The City letting us know that Rothesay Road will be reduced to one lane from 7 this morning until 7 tonight between Ashburn Road and the rail overpass for paving.

Milford Road between Kingville and Violet will be closed in both directions from 7 to 7 over the next four days because of construction.

Pricing approved for Aquatic Center at Garcelon Civic Center

The St. Stephen Town Council has now approved the pricing for the Aquatic and fitness Center for the The Garcelon Civic Center.  Individual day passes for adults start at $8 with the Annual membership costing $486.
The new Garcelon Civic Center will feature a 25 meter pool and will offer fitness orientation and consultation, lap swims, public swims, aquatic fitness classes.   Youth memberships are also available.
No official date has been set for the opening.

By The Sea Playground Grand Opening This Weekend

A local tourist attraction for children is back up and running.

The Grand Opening of the St. Andrews Community Playground will be held this Saturday, and families, friends, and children of all ages and abilities are invited.

A parade will begin at the W.C. O'Neill Arena, go down Water Street, and end at the playground, where there will be a BBQ and clown will be provided by the Shriners, and a Mega Bloks play area will be open.

Mayor Stan Choptiany and MLA Curtis Malloch are expected to be there.

The Grand Opening begins at 10:30 am.

Over $40K In Equipment Stolen From Business

City Police's Major Crime Unit is investigating after more than $40,000 in equipment was stolen from a commercial business on the Manawagonish Road on the West side.

Sergeant Jay Henderson explains two diesel plate compactors worth up to $18,000 each were swiped, and he says they are very heavy and the thief or thieves would have needed a large truck or trailer to move them. 300 traffic pylons were also lifted worth an estimated $9000.

Henderson says they believe the theft happened between Sunday May 18 and Tuesday May 20 of this year.

Perry Family Says They Won't Give Up

A sad, delayed, painful matter--that's Mr Justice Hugh McLellan's estimate of the Serena Perry case.

 Perry died at the Regional Hospital back in February 2012. Today at the Court of Queen's Bench, members of the family and lawyers were present for yet another tiny step toward setting a date for the inquest, which has become mired in questions over which parties should get standing and what information can be made public.

The victim's mother, Rose, says she won't give up.

According to John Gillis, the lawyer for the family, we're still no closer to setting a date for the actual inquest into Perry's death.

New Markets Being Explored For Canaport LNG

More attention has been focused on Saint John of late as a place where natural gas could be exported to Europe in light of what has been happening in Russia and the Ukraine. 

The Europeans are said to want to lessen their dependence on Russian natural gas. Irving Oil President Paul Browning can see the potential for Canaport L-N-G. He says Europe would be the most obvious choice as a market, and also talks about South America and India.

Browning says what the company needs before anything else takes place is an abundant supply of natural gas that's cost competitive.

It appears Irving Oil and all four Atlantic Premiers who met in Saint John agree on the need on commercializing natural resources.

Shale Gas Protester Sentenced

A 34-year-old man from the Elsipogtog First Nation has been ordered to steer clear of any shale gas protests in the future and placed on 18 months probation.

Jason Augustine pleaded guilty to mischief, two charges of obstructing a police officer and one count of assaulting a police officer. 

Those charges were laid after violence on October 17th near Rexton when police moved in to control what they called a dangerous situation involving firearms, improvised explosive devices and other weapons.
 
Augustine also pleaded guilty to mischief in connection with another incident July 27th near Harcourt where he was blocking equipment.

Large Container Ship Visits The Port

The largest container ship to ever visit Saint John is on the west side of the port until 11 tonight.
 
Andrew Dixon of Port Saint John tells Tide News they are very pleased with the growth in the container sector.

He says Tropical Shipping continues to be a regular service caller and MSC has been coming to Saint John for two years and they are continuing to grow in volume every quarter.

$25,000 donation for Charlotte County Hospital Foundation

 
The Charlotte County Cancer Society's board of directors unanimously voted to donate $25,000 to the Charlotte County Hospital Foundation's fundraising campaign to raise $175,000 for their new mammography machine for the Charlotte County Hospital.  
The new state of the art piece of equipment will make it more convenient for county residents to be screened for breast cancer.
Since it's inception, Charlotte County Cancer has been directly assisting residents of our county with financial help while living with cancer.

Premiers Agree on Apprenticeships in Saint John

The four Premiers reaching agreement on a harmonized strategy for apprenticeship training.

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil saying it was rolled out a bit differently in each location.

All 4 premiers signed a memorandum of understanding on harmonizing apprenticeship training.

The Premiers hosting a news conference at the Diamond Jubilee Cruise Ship Terminal in Saint John.

Vandals Strike In Hampton

The RCMP in Hampton arresting two 17-year-old boys, one from Lakeside and one from Upham along with an 18-year-old man from Barnesville after at least 18 incidents of vandalism of vehicles and homes in Hampton. 

All of the damage with rocks was carried out between the evening of May 23rd and early the next morning. There was also damage caused to Hampton High School.
 
Police are asking anyone else who was victimised by this spate of vandalism to contact the Hampton detachment at 832-5566. If anyone else has any information about these acts of vandalism, please report it to police or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at www.crimenb.ca or 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Vote For Our Food Bank To Get Worthy Clean-Up

Our local food bank could use a good scrubbing -- you can help them with a click of your mouse.

Scrubbing Bubbles listing St. Stephen as one of its Top 10 finalists in the Let's Bubble campaign.

The nation-wide campaign is a call for Canadians to nominate places in their community deserving of a good clean-up.

Scrubbing Bubbles is collecting votes for the Volunteer Centre of Charlotte County to win the scrub-down by the Bubbles clean-up team. 

Voting ends June 10th.

To place your vote, click HERE

Atlantic Premiers Visit The Refinery

The four Atlantic premiers visiting the Refinery this morning.

Irving Oil President Paul Browning tells Tide News he told them the availabity of crude oil and natural gas is important to the future economies of all the Atlantic provinces.

He says we all stand to benefit by ensuring that access adding there are many projects heading our way that have the potential to drive employment and economic opportunity not only for Irving Oil but for the whole region.

Browning was asked if the proposed Energy East pipeline would lead to lower gas prices in the region, he says with a large supply available it stands to reason that this region would benefit.

Saint John Hosting The Four Atlantic Premiers

The Premiers from the four Atlantic Provinces are in town to discuss various issues. The Council of Atlantic Premiers is being hosted by Premier David Alward and one of those issues is a study on the what sort of impact changes to Employment Insurance have had on the region.
 
This isn't the first study on the changes. There was one done for the Alward Government. It showed the changes would reduce E-I benefits in the province by an estimated 7 million dollars. 

A poll done by Corporate Research Associates found 62 per cent of New Brunswickers were opposed to the changes with opposition strongest the older people were. 

Under the changes, if unemployed you would be forced to travel as far as 100 kilometers for a job and accept as much as 30 per cent less pay. Even without the changes, less than 40 per cent of people who lose their jobs qualify for E-I benefits.

Report Shows How Much Millennials Cherish Their Mobile Devices

A new report from the Bank of Montreal finds Millennials would pretty much give up anything other than their mobile devices.

73 per cent of young mobile users say they would be lost without theirs and they spend more than 78 hours a month using their device which is more than time spent watching TV. 

Half say they would give up their computer rather than their mobile device and 70 per cent would rather do without their TV. Even 33 per cent say they would rather lose their wallet and 46 per cent their keys.

Woman Who Immigrated To SJ Says The YMCA Helped Her

Everyday tasks like using a bank machine can be a confusing and frustrating experience when you're from a foreign country but one immigrant says the YMCA helped make her transition to Canadian life much smoother. 

Lila Gurung is originally from Bhutan and was forced to leave her country and fly to Nepal as a refugee. She tells us in 2008 she received the opportunity to move to Canada. Gurung speaking at a YMCA event saying the Y's newly named Newcomer Connections welcomed her and helped her ease into her new life in Canada.

Gurung says she took the New Brunswick Employment Language Training Program offered by the Y where students learn how to work in Canada and is now employed at a restaurant in uptown Saint John.

Landscape Of Post-Secondary Education In the Maritimes Has Changed

With an aging population and fewer youth graduating from high school, groups like the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission are treading unknown territory when it comes to post-secondary education in this day and age. 

C-E-O Mireille Duguay says they are only beginning to scope out what needs to be done in that sector, saying there are a lot of questions that are still up in the air. She tells us it's a very different population that needs to be served now than in the past, and a lot of changes are happening across the board.

A recent report showing Maritime universities experiencing a turnaround when it comes to the number of degrees, diplomas and certificates being granted thanks to more international students coming to the region.

BoatSmart Launching Social Media Campaign

Whether it's a funny fishing trip or a unforgettable family outing, BoatSmart calling on you to post your favourite boating memory on social media. 

President Cameron Taylor explains they will make a charitable donation to camps for disadvantaged youth for every share you get.

To take part in the national social media campaign simply post your memory along with #BoatSmartMoment. For more information about the organization, click here.

Crash In Barnesville

A driver and passenger taken to hospital after a crash on Route 820 in Barnesville. 

Crews from the Simonds Fire Department finding the vehicle in the ditch after the driver swerved to avoid a moose. 

The highway was shut down for a while as the scene was cleaned up.

KVHS Takes On London Central In National Trivia Championships Today

Competition at the National Trivia Championships in Toronto is beginning to heat up.

Kennebecasis Valley High School's Reach for the Top team finishing the round robin portion with 8 wins and 6 losses bringing them from 11th place to 6th place. They take on London Central Secondary School at 5pm Atlantic time today in the quarterfinals and the semi-finals and final will be played tomorrow. 

K-V High won the national title in 2010 and 2011 and have finished in the top five at all nine of the championships they've attended. 15 teams from across Canada take part in the competition in total.

Canadian Employers Get Good Marks For Work-Life Balance

If you love your job, you'll never work a day in your life, according to the old saying.

According to a new study it looks like 66% of Canadians are pretty happy with their jobs, rating their employers highly for promoting a good work-life balance.

According to a study by Kelly Services, Canadian employers also received high ratings on having responsible work practices, and on their diversity record.

58% of Canadian workers rated their employer highly on giving them meaningful, interesting assignments.

NB Recall for Brownie Squares

They sound like a sweet treat but they could make you sick if you have certain allergies.

Goody Shop brownie squares have been recalled due to undeclared wheat and milk.

This recall is only in place in New Brunswick.

For more info, click here

Walking To Support Research and Those Living With Dementia

Lots of people will be walking on Sunday to raise money and awareness about the 13,000 New Brunswickers who are living with Alzheimer's and Dementia in the province.

Melanie MacGillivray tells us proceeds from the Walk for Memories supports their programs and research and the need is growing.

They expect another 2500 new cases will be diagnosed every year so they do get a lot of people calling in asking questions and looking for support.

The Saint John Walk for Memories is at Woolastook park on the West side.
You are welcome to show and take part with registration starting at 12pm and the walk gets underway at 1pm.

For more info, click here.

Canadians Somewhat Optimistic About Starting New Businesses

The job outlook might not be the greatest---but 60% of Canadians still see opportunities for starting a business in the next 6 months. That's the highest rating in the G7, according to a new study.

Optimism is up compared to the last Global Entrepreneurship report in 2003, and the rate of female entrepreneurship in Canada is the highest in the G7 countries.

The same study found that first-generation immigrants in Canada are more likely to start their own business compared to the general population

Four Crashes In Greater SJ Send Six To Hospital

A busy night for emergency crews in the greater Saint John area with several car crashes leaving half a dozen people hurt.

In the city, a two-vehicle crash happening at the intersection of Coburg and Paddock where one man was taken to hospital and a motorcycle driver also brought to hospital after hitting a deer on Riverhill Drive. The Saint John Fire Department says the men's injuries aren't considered serious. A two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Lancaster Avenue and Charlotte Street sending one woman to hospital.

Meantime K-V Fire telling Tide News three people were brought to hospital after a two-vehicle crash on the highway near the Dolan Road Irving.

FlavoursNB To Showcase Creative Dishes From Local Producers

Chefs from all over the region will be cooking up a storm in St. Andrews.

FlavoursNB is a sold-out event being held at NBCC tomorrow.

Culinary Arts Instructor, Chef Darren Dorcas -- who will also be a participating -- tells Tide News the 3 main producers are Ganong's Chocolates, True North Salmon, and Granite Town Blueberry Farms.

Chef Darren says it's a great way to showcase all that New Brunswick has to offer from land to sea with extremely creative dishes.

Proceeds will be donated to the Harbour City Lights campaign which supports all food banks within New Brunswick.