Police Looking For Dangerous 24 Year Old

City police are looking for a 24 year old man they say is dangerous and has a history of violence.

William Edward Hayward is 6 foot 1, 272 pounds with a shaved head, blue eyes and many tattoos.

Hayward may be in Saint John or Moncton. 

If you see him, you are asked to contact City police or Crime Stoppers at 648-3333 or 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Tory Registers Dog To Vote In Liberal Leadership

Is this proof that politics has gone to the dogs... literally?

The executive director of Provincial Conservative party was able to vote using his dog's name for the Liberal leadership.
Jean-Paul Soucy says he registered his dog to vote online.
 
Liberal party president Britt Dysart says verification efforts have been made and the party is confident their voters list is solid.

City Man Faces Charges After Trafficking Ring Bust

A 28-year-old Saint John man is expected to face drug trafficking charges in connection with an inter-provincial investigation by Quebec police.

Operation Coyote targeted a drug trafficking ring believed to be operating between Quebec, Nova Scotia and this province.

RCMP with help from City police arrested the man on September 21st and about 10 pounds of pot was seized at the time.

The man is due in court later to face charges.

Fright Fans Can Check Out A Haunted House

If you like a dark twist on classic nursery rhymes then you might want to check out this Haunted House.

The Simonds Fire Department is hosting its  5th annual Haunted House at 184 Range Road tonight and tomorrow night.

Deputy Chief Bill Peacock tells Tide News you expect to see a different version of the 3 little pigs and more

He says Goldilocks cut the heads off three bears and mounted them and the house has a clown theme as well.

The Haunted House opens at 5pm tonight at 184 Range Road.

Halloween Fun Run Raises Money For Community

Runners of all ages will be getting in the Halloween spirit this morning!

The 4th annual "Creepy Crawl" fun run will be kickin' off at Beaconsfield Middle School in Saint John at 9:30 am. There's a 1 km kids run, 3 km challenge for middle school students and 5 kilometre run/walk for adults.

Organizer Connie Coffin tells Tide news there's lots of fun Halloween decorations along the course and suggests runners wear costumes.

Coffin says every year their run club votes on where the money should go. This year proceeds from the run are split between PRO Kids and the Carlton Community Centre on the west side. Coffin says those two were picked because the centre gives their run club space to meet and PRO kids helps kids in sports and recreation. Last year the group raised just over $1,100. They'll also be collecting non-perishable food items for the food bank.

The run is $10 for adults, $5 for kids and little ones are free.

CUPE Protests At Route 1 Opening

Not everyone in the crowd at the Route 1 Gateway opening was celebrating.


A Protest by CUPE local 963 representing the employees of NB Liquor attending the event at the Pennfield Elementary School yesterday (Thursday, October 25th).
CUPE representative Marcos Salib tells Tide News they are concerned over the privatization being done by the province. Salib says, "..obviously, when you have assets, you should not be selling those assets. That's money that brings tax revenues, money that stays in the communities." He adds, "We are very concerned about those closures and the loss of employment as well."
The provincial government previously announced the closure of NB Liquor stores in St. George and Bristol, replacing them with much smaller agency stores that will be privately owned.

Joanne Murray who currently works at the St. George NB Liquor store tells Tide News after 33 years, she was asked to pick a different store. She says she was given the option to pick between a location in St. Stephen, St. Andrews, or any location in Saint John. Murray says she is not sure what she wants to do, as her husband is sick and at the moment she works only four minutes from home. She says she is worried what the winter months will bring having to travel on the highway so far between home and her job if she chooses another NB Liquor location. Murray adds that NB Liquor offered her another position for the same pay and travel expenses would be paid, but only for the first three months.

CUPE Local 963 President Martha Thompson tells Tide News they are upset over the privatization of taxpayer-owned NB Liquor stores. She says, "I want them (the provincial government) to reverse their decision. The agency stores don't give the customer service, they don't have the product knowledge we have, and the people in those communities deserve a real liquor store."

CUPE is asking the provincial government to reverse their decision to close the NB Liquor locations in St. George and Bristol as the communities need the local jobs.

Route 1 Gateway Officially Open

The new Route 1 Gateway is officially open.


Premier David Alward told the crowd gathered at the Pennfield Elementary School yesterday (Thursday, October 25th), this highway is not just infrastructure -- but a tool. He says, "It is a tool to allow efficient movement and safe movement of goods and services in and out of New Brunswick. The highway is going to allow us to do better business in a more efficient way, but more inportantly, in a safe way for many years to come."

The $540 million project by Dexter Contruction is finished nearly a year ahead of time, and at it's peak created about 700 jobs.

South-West New Brunswick MP John Williamson says his government's top priority is building the economy and protecting jobs. He says, "On behalf of the Harper Government I am very pleased to mark the completion of the Route 1 Gateway Project. It's very rare that large infrastructure projects come in ahead of schedule and under budget, thereby saving dollars from taxpayers that we can use for other projects and initiatives."

Williamson spoke on behalf of Minister Keith Ashfield who is recovering from a heart attack.

Transportation Minister Claude Williams says everyone in New Brunswick can now travel safely on the highway. Williams says, "I join all New Brunswickers in saying thank you to all those involved in making the Route 1 Gateway a safe highway to travel on."

The entire 240 km stretch between St. Stephen and River Glade is now a divided, four-lane highway.

MLA Calls For Change To Air Ambulance Policy

More controversy on Grand Manan about taking patients to the mainland.

Liberal M-L-A Rick Doucet of Charlotte-The Isles tells Tide News a woman who had suffered a heart attack had to wait for a few hours for the Air Care plane to arrive even though an Atlantic Charters plane was nearby.

Doucet says "If the Air Care flight is going to be delayed at a point where they don't understand how long it's going to be, then the doctor should have the last say , 'Look, we're going to get this patient off the island immediately,' and that's the bottom line here."


Doucet is calling on the new Health Minister Ted Flemming to get the policy straight. Doucet says he received an email from a relative of the person who suffered the heart attack charging the system in place now isn't working and quite frankly "sucks".

3 Teens Arrested During Lunch At SSHS

Three teens from St. Stephen High School getting a set of handcuffs for lunch.


Yesterday, (Monday, October 22nd, 2012) during lunch hour, a 17 year old boy, a 16 year old boy, and a 15 year old girl being arrested at St. Stephen High School.

All three teens are from the St. Stephen area.

Police say charges of trafficking marijuana and possession of marijuana are anticipated, and the arrests were the result of information District 1 RCMP received regarding drug use and trafficking around school property.

The Mounties say the teens have been released from custody to their parents.

Sgt. Bob MacKnight says "District 1 RCMP and local educators are commited to ensuring school is a safe environment for students. It's important to disrupt the drug trade influence on teens in our community, as we know that drug use is the root cause of crime."

Two Teens Stabbed On School Bus

The trip to school would have been really scary.

Two teen boys making their way to school this morning got hurt by a 17 year old in a stabbing incident on a school bus.

It happened around 8:30 this morning on Canterbury Street in front of Saint John High School.

Grade 11 student Kyle Soucy was standing outside the school when the bus pulled up and he tells Tide News he saw the bus driver pointing to the back of the bus and he could see fists flying and then someone got off the bus saying someone had been stabbed.

Sgt. Chuck Elgee of the Saint John Police Service tells Tide News the 17 year oldis  in custody.

The two teen victims were treated in hospital and released.

School District spokesperson Debbie Thomas tells Tide News that parents would have received a direct message from the school and they are working directly with the police on the matter.

Speeder Fined Almost $900 In Bethel

Local RCMP say a driver has been charged after speeding more than 50 kilometres over the speed limit.


Last Friday, October 19th, 2012, District 1 RCMP stopping a vehicle on Highway 1 in Bethel for driving 184 km/h in a 110 km/h zone.

St. Stephen Police say after stopping the vehicle, the driver then attempted to escape on foot, but, police say he was quickly apprehended.

RCMP say he was fined $604.50 for speeding more than 50 km/h over the posted speed limit, as well as $292.50 for failing to stop for police.

One Of The Biggest Redneck Fundraisers In Charlotte County

It was one of the biggest redneck fundraisers in Charlotte County.


The 2nd Annual CCSPCA Mud Bog yesterday (Sunday, Oct.21st)  raising $2641.91 and an SUV packed to the brim with supplies for our local animal shelter. This is over double the amount raised at last year's event.

Organizer Aaron Anderson tells Tide News he -- and the rest of the Offroaders Crew-- were worried not many people would come to the mud bog since the event was post-poned on Saturday due to rain. Anderson says he and Vice President of the Charlotte County Offroaders, Joe McFarlane were surprised over 1200 spectators signed in at the entrance with many more coming through a back way.

In total, 19 trucks attempted the 200 foot mud bog. In the competition there were two classes. Class 1 had entries with 35'' tires and under, and Class 2 had entries with tires 36'' and above.

1st place in Class 1 went to Anthony Hatt, who says this was the first time getting his Jeep dirty, since he just finished building it.

1st place in Class 2 went to Billy Fournier with his RAV 4 on 39'' tires.
Anderson says after such a successful fundraiser the Offroaders are already planning for next year.

You may want to clean the dirt off of your calendars.

New Sushi Restaurant Set To Open Uptown

A new restaurant is rolling in uptown, Saint John.

Work has begun to create Ta-Ke Sushi, which will be opening on King Street this December. Tidenews spoke with Glen Lee, who came up from Toronto to help his father Yang open the Japanese restaurant. Lee says his dad has been in the business for over 20 years, opening restaurants in Kingston (Ontario), Toronto, and Charlottetown. They noticed there weren't a lot of Japanese restaurants in Saint John, or even New Brunswick. Lee says his dad fell in love with the city, and that we can expect good food when it opens.

According to Lee they do traditional maki, but also have a variety of unique rolls with names like "Las Vegas."

They'll also be hiring 10 people to work for the restaurant, which is being built in the former Quality Convenience Store location. The name 'Ta-Ke' (pronounced 'tah-kay') means bamboo.

QPlex Winning Active Living Award

The QPlex getting provincial recognition for the healthy changes it's made in Quispamsis.

The facility won the Recreation New Brunswick Active Living Award, which Director of Community Services Dana Purton Dickson says comes from being a very open and accessible facility. The QPlex has a free hour of public skate and swim, as well as a walking track, dog park and community garden.

The QPlex has been open for just over a year and a half.

Irving Tractor Trailer Containing Diesel On Fire

Saint John Fire Department responding to an Irving tractor trailer on fire.

Platoon Chief Mark Wilson says crews were called to the trailer which was at the Seely Street exit, just above Rockwood Court, at the exit of Highway 1. Wilson says crews quickly put out the heavy fire found at the rear of the tractor trailer and cooled the truck.

The rest of the diesel was transferred to another tractor trailer.

Firefighters Save Wheelchair Bound Man From Fire

A 61-year-old man who uses a wheelchair is recovering in hospital from smoke inhalation after being rescued from a house fire in Quispamsis.

KV Fire Department tells Tide news they were called to the bungalow at 695 Hampton Road just after midnight. Smoke was billowing out of the home while they searched for the homeowner. Fire crews managed to put out the fire, which they say was mainly confined to the living room and was crawling up the ceiling.

Rothesay police say they received the call saying a cushioned chair in the home was on fire. Police add his neighbors say the homeowner is a chronic smoker. Police tell Tide news the "KV fire department are the heroes, they're the ones that saved that man from dying."

Author Stephen King Surprises Sussex Students

Students at Sussex High School getting quite a surprise yesterday.

Well known suspense and horror author Stephen King making a special trip into the school on Friday to do a writing workshop.

Teacher Sarah-Jane Smith tells Tide news the students spent the past year convincing King to come to the school. She says they sent over 1,200 persuasive letters, which King read all of. The students also made music and film projects posted to YouTube. Smith says King talked about how to make a story suspenseful, worked with them one-on-one and read their work out loud.

King is from Bangor, Maine and is known for writing The Green Mile, The Shining, The Stand, Carrie, The Dark Tower series and more.

Clean Out Your Closet & Lend A Helping Hand

Those old bikes and sneakers lying around your closet could mean the world to someone else.

The Rotary clubs from across Greater Saint John are joining together for "Boots, Bikes & Band-aids". Rotary club member Grant Kimball tells Tide news they're collecting gently used bikes, shoes, band-aids, hard vitamins and school supplies to ship down to the Dominican Republic. Kimball says they give the items to sugar cane workers who live outside the city and have no water or electricity. He says when they did the fundraiser two years ago it had a huge impact. Kimbal adds cash donations are also welcome.

Collection will be taking place today from 11:00am-3:00pm at Superstores in Saint John, Rothesay, Sussex and Hampton.

It's Fundraising... Charlotte County Style

Things are about to get Dirty!


This Saturday, October 20th, the Charlotte County Offroaders are bringing out the big trucks for the 2nd Annual Charlotte County SPCA Mud Bog.

Organizer Aaron Anderson tells Tide News last year's event was a little disorganized. He says the Offroaders have attended "mud-runs" throughout the year and have found many ways to improve this year's event. He says approximately 30 trucks participated last year, and due to a lot of thanks to social media, they are expecting many more vehicles this weekend, some coming as far away as Fredericton.

Anderson says they have a 200 foot long mud bog, which he calls "a see how far you can make it" pit. He says if you can drive the whole way through to the end, you are doing really well and you may get a trophy.
Anderson says he was very surprised to see how much support the community has given to the fundraiser with many businesses in St. Stephen donating prizes and trophies for the participants.

He says if you would like to participate and enter your own 4-wheel-drive, registration ends at 11am on Saturday, with the competition beginning at 1pm. For entry inquiries, you can call Aaron Anderson at 467-1793, or Joe MacFarlane at 467-7242.

Anderson says he is very happy for the support throughout the town and wants to invite everyone to the Mud Bog because they plan on putting on a good show. He says "..it's a blast, whether we break or not, or get stuck, it's just a blast."
Admission for the general public is a free-will money, food, or litter donation to the Charlotte County Animal Shelter.

The 2nd Annual CCSPCA Mud Bog will take place Saturday, Oct 20th, at 1pm at the end of the Cleland Road -- across from the Red Rooster Country Store.

(Picture provided by the Charlotte County SPCA Mud Bog Facebook Page)

Anglophone South Takes On Bullying

The Canadian Red Cross is taking a different approach to bullying, and is including our local schools as they do it.

This week, 13 teachers from the Anglophone South School District are being trained in the "Beyond The Hurt" program, an anti-bullying campaign that looks at more modern resources to deal with the issue.
Guidance Counsellor at St. Stephen High School Jennifer Grant tells Tide News her school has made changes to deal with bullying like re-arranging the locker areas and installing cameras, and they are going on 12 years with their anti-harrassment group. However, she adds, bullting used to be physical and verbal, now it is taking a modern face in the digital world.

Grant says through facebook messages, improper texting, and the fact that many bullies feel safe behind a computer screen, cyber-bullying can create a viscious cycle very quickly. She says bullies are getting braver through cyber-bullying because they don't have to physically see the effects they cause on their victims.

Red Cross Instructor Stacy Coy tells Tide News what they have found is youth need to be engaged in the solutions. She says instead of having an adult deliver bullying-prevention presentations, they have a student deliver the presentations.
Here, they are training teachers within those schools to do the training with the students so those students can then make the presentations to their peers.

Coy says since the program began in 2003, many teachers are saying the kids within their schools seem kinder to each other and they seem understand the impact of their actions.

(Top Picture - Guidance Counsellor at SSHS, Jennifer Grant, Bottom Picture - Canadian Red Cross Instructor Stacy Coy in a training session with the teachers)

CCSPCA On Temporary Quarantine

The Charlotte County SPCA is on a temporary quarantine.


The shelter is currently suspending all adoptions and intake of cats due to a Panleukopenia virus. The virus is a common cat virus, but can be very dangerous to young, unvaccinated kittens.

Evie Gange from the CCSPCA tells Tide News they are doing everything they can to resolve the matter and they appologize for the inconvenience to the community.

Gagne says to keep this problem from happening again, the CCSPCA is looking to increase their list of kitten foster homes, which are temporary safe havens for the animals to stay until they can be vaccinated.

If you would like to be a kitten foster home for a few weeks a year, please call the Charlotte County SPCA at 465-7657, or email at ccspca@nb.aibn.com .

4 / 5 Blooms For St. Stephen

That's 4 Blooms for Chocolate-Town.


The Town of St. Stephen getting a 4 out of 5 Bloom rating and a special mention for Dover Hill during the awards ceremonies for the 2012 National Edition of Communites In Bloom.

Communities In Bloom is a national organization promoting green spaces in community settings.

St. Stephen being one of eight finalists in the 3001-6500 population category, with Sussex being the only other NB contender.

Jasper, Alberta was named the winner of the category.

Get Your Tires Checked This Week For Free

It could be time to get your pressure checked -- and we don't mean your blood pressure.

 Pat McCarthy of Recycle NB tells Tide News it's important to get the pressure in your tires checked regularly, because improperly inflated tires are less fuel efficient and thus bad for the environment.

He says Recycle NB as well as the Rubber Association of Canada are recommending having your tires checked every month. He says to check your tires when they are cold, not after driving down the highway.


Starting today (Monday) through to Friday, October 19th, a partnership between Canadian Tire and Recycle NB means you can stop by any location -- including St. Stephen -- and get your tire pressure checked for free. Your name will also be entered to win a set of winter tires.

Drug Charges For A St. Stephen Pair

Two people from St. Stephen being arrested for drugs.


Sgt. Bob MacKnight of the District 1 RCMP tells Tide News a vehicle was stopped on Route 755, near Tower Hill last Friday, Oct. 12th, 2012.

He says a quantity of prescription drugs, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia were seized, and search warrants were executed at the home of the vehicle owners.

Police say a 42-year-old woman and a 25-year-old man were arrested and later released.

They are due to appear in court in December.

Body Discovered In Long Wharf Waters

City police confirm a body was discovered by a fisherman and removed from the water around Long Wharf in Saint John at 11:55 Saturday morning.

Police spokesperson Sgt. Jay Henderson tells Tide news there is an autopsy scheduled for Sunday to find the cause of death as well as the persons identity and gender, which are all unknowns at this time.

Sgt. Chuck Elgee was on scene and he tells Tide news the body was very decomposed when discovered, so it most likely had been in the water for weeks. Elgee says the body was taken to the Saint John Regional Hospital after it was removed from the waters near where the cruise ships come in. According to Eglee, it's not common to find a body in the water by Long Wharf but it has happened before.

Police were on scene for about an hour. Saint John Police Major Crime Unit with the assistance of the Forensic Identification Unit are currently investigating.

Rescue Boats Sent Looking For Missing Boater

It took just over a two hours for the KV fire department to find a man adrift in his boat the Kennebecasis River.

Deputy Chief Dan McCoy tells Tide news they got the call he was in trouble around 7:30 last night. McCoy says the man had left the peninsula side of the river, had mechanical problems, and was found further down the river. 

The man had left from the Renforth yacht club and was found on his boat in shallow water. McCoy says they were able to find him before external resources like Saint John and Penniusala fire departments arrived on scene. He says the reason it took so long to find the missing man was because the man thought he was in a different location than he actually was.

McCoy says the man was cold and disoriented, but did not have to be sent to hospital.

Historic Name Change For NB Regiment

Members of government and high military officials speaking to a large crowd at the Marco Polo Cruise Ship terminal.

The special announcement marks the official name change of the 3rd Field Artillery Regiment of New Brunswick to it's historic and original title, "The Loyal Company". Being created in 1793, the artillery regiment is one of the oldest in Canada.

UNB's Dr. Lee Windsor tells us the change honours and recognizes the regiments contributions to the War of 1812, World Wars and more. Windsor says "The Loyal Company" is a foundation of our modern Canadian army, and the name change connects us to our past.

The Loyal Company's name was changed in 1975 for multiple reasons, but MP Rodney Weston says in the minds of people here the name never left. Wetson had approached Defense Minister Peter McKay about restoring the name earlier this year.

Lieutenant-Colonel Steve Strachan says the regiment is better equipped than it was 220 years ago, but it's still a citizen army made up of members of the community in Greater Saint John.

Cherry Brook Zoo Might Lose Council Support

One of the only councils that help support the Cherry Brook Zoo is questioning whether it will do it again for their next budget.

According to Mayor Bill Bishop, Rothesay Council was the only municipality to give money to the zoo last year, and the zoo is back asking for financial aid again. When we asked Mayor Bishop if Rothesay is hesitant to donate funds, he said yes he's hesitant himself. Bishop says it looks like the zoo will be going out of business pretty shortly, so putting money in won't improve their desperate financial situation.

Rothesay Council has referred the request to finance.

RCMP Release Video Of Credit Union Robbery

The District 2 RCMP is releasing surveillance video taken on Tuesday during an armed robbery at a credit union in Fredericton Junction is hopes of someone identifying the robber.

The man entered the Citizens Credit Union on Sunbury Drive with a gun around 10:30am An undisclosed amount of cash was taken. No one was injured.

The suspect is described as being of average height, with a medium build. He was wearing a two toned jacket, white and black in colour. To watch a video of the robbery, click here

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the District 2 RCMP at 506-357-4300 or 1-888-506-RCMP (7267) or N.B. Crime Stoppers at www.crimenb.ca or 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Active Living Not Always Easy For Seniors

This weekend kicks of Active Living Week for Seniors, with the government encouraging our seniors to remain active through volunteering, social acitivites, and physical activity.

According to Seniors Resource Center President Sherman Palmer, it's not always easy for people to remain active throughout their golden years due to physical conditions, lack of money, and other factors.

Palmer says while there are lots of activities available for seniors, it would be easier for seniors to stay active if there were better city transit, because with 85% of NB seniors living independently many rely on it to get around.

Haz Mat Called In For False Alarm At Lepreau Post Office

A false alarm causing some hassle this afternoon at then Lepreau post Office around 1pm.

A package had broken open and was leaking an unknown substance in the trunk of a delivery vehicle. The Canada Post employee was not injured, but had been quarantined before the fire department's arrival and the Regional Hazardous Materials Unit was called in from Saint John.

The Regional Haz Mat Team donned protective gear before accessing the package--but as it turned out, the contents were not dangerous. They were on the scene until 3:30.

Home Invasion Causing Injuries

Three people are being held for court and facing charges of robbery with violence in Saint John.

City police say a woman and two men were arrested early this morning after breaking into and robbing a home on the east side, which caused minor injuries to the homeowner in his seventies.

The suspects, in their thirties and forties, were arrested a short time later in the old north end after being spotted by a patrol officer.

Bar Fight Uptown Leads To Arrests

Two men are facing a court date in December after a bar fight just before 2 am in the uptown area in Saint John.

City police say the two men in their twenties were arrested after assaulting another man in the Princess and Canterbury Street area.

The victim suffered minor injuries, the two other men were arrested then released.

Senior's Complex Coming To St. Andrews

A big rumour in St. Andrews is proving to be true.


Teneo Properties announcing the much anticipated Victoria Terrace Apartment Complex for seniors ages 50+  is scheduled to open in summer 2013.

The complex site is next door to Kingsbrae Gardens. Teneo says the building will contain 33 apartments with one or two bedrooms, a library, a fitness room, a lounge area, elevators, private balconies, and of course, a view of the ocean.
Teneo says the building is designed to bring people together while encouraging independence.

Teneo will be hosting an Information Expose' at the St. Andrews Royal Canadian Legion (270 Queen Street) on Monday, October 22nd, starting at 7pm.

Education Council Approves Upgrades To Local Schools

Some much needed improvements are in the mix for two of our local schools.


The Anglophone South District Education Council giving the nod for upgrades to the Blacks Harbour Elementary School bathrooms, as well as a portion of new roofing for the St. Stephen Middle School.

Anglophone South District Superintendent Zoe Watson tells Tide News the Council approved the upgrades at their last meeting in September, but a few revisions needed to be made about the cost of the bathroom upgrades, which will be $235,000, as well as which portion of the roof will be done at SSMS.
She says the requests will be sent off to the District of Education, and usually around Christmas time the Council will find out which projects are approved.

Watson says both projects will hopefully take place in summer of 2013.

A Public Inquiry With One Opinion

The glass was more empty than full at the Electoral Boundaries Commission hearing in St. Andrews.


The number of ridings will be going down from 55 to 49 before the next provincial election.

The Commission making a stop at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre to get public input on where the changes should be made, with only one resident showing up to share his ideas.

Oak Bay resident Ed Young brought up the option of combining McAdam with Charlotte-Campobello. He says even though he cannot speak for the people of McAdam, McAdam did ask to be included in the Regional Council. He thinks the Islands ( Grand Manan, Deer Island, and Campobello ) should be left as they are, and that the people of Charlotte County need the two ridings we have now.

Young says what he thinks doesn't matter because things are going to change whether we want them to or not.

The Commission's Alan Maher says hearing from people around the province is essential. He says "..we are looking at a blank slate right now, and that's the whole intent, we want New Brunswickers to tell us what they think we should do in various areas to get the constituencies as close as possible to the electoral quotient of 11,269." Maher explains the quotient is determined by dividing the total number of registered voters in the province by the total number of electoral districts, which will soon be 49, and getting each riding as close to that number as possible is where the changes are needed.

The second round of public hearings during the Commission's mandate will be held in February and March of next year.

Reckless Driver Hits Multiple Police Cars & Signs

A 41-year-old man has a date with court after major fiasco with city police Saturday night.

City police say they spotted the man driving a truck in a reckless manner by Main street and Lansdowne avenue in Saint John. Suspecting he was an impaired driver, police called off the pursuit. Sgt. Tanya LeBlanc tells Tide news the driver was later found in his truck in a driveway after striking two street signs and a car in the driveway. When police approached the truck the driver attempted to drive out of the driveway, causing the police officer to jump out of the way before the truck hit a police car.

The truck then drove towards two more police officers, who also had to dodge out of the way before the truck hit a second patrol car. Police then managed to get the man out of the truck.

Alcohol is believed to be a factor.

Hampton High Attempts To Break World Record

One high school is playing it's part in trying to break a Guinness World Record.

Students and staff at Hampton High School will join other schools across the country by participating in the worlds largest practical science lesson. Grade 9/10 science teacher Susan Cochrane tells Tide news the record attempt will take place in the school's gym on Friday at 2 o'clock. She says the two-part lesson is based on the Bernoulli's principle. Cochrane says one experiment will involve taking straws and water to create mist, while the other will work with water balloons and air pressure.

Cochrane adds Belleisle will also be participating.

Arts & Culture Park Gets "Scary"

What would fall be without scarecrows?

This month the Arts & Culture park in Quispamsis is home to 13 of them.

Organizer Aaron Kennedy tells Tide news the scarecrows are made by local groups like cadets, brownies and the KV figure skating club. He says the annual fall scarecrows have now become a tradition.

Red Head Community Association Up & Running

The Red Head Community Association in Greater Saint John is officially formed.

Twenty residents now make up the group that will celebrate and also address pressing issues in the community. Ward 4 Common Councillor Ray Strowbridge tells Tide news since their first official meeting the association is now planning a website, developing a newsletter, and creating their mission statement.

Now that the group is on their feet, Strowbridge says he and Councillor David Merrithew will no longer have a say in the association's plans.

In August, Strowbridge and Merrithew helped provide ideas on how community associations work to concerned Red Head residents, who felt they weren't being heard or recognized by previous councils.

City Hotel Being Turned Into Apartments

The Courtenay Bay Inn near Haymarket Square is being converted to residential housing made up of studio apartments and ads have already appeared looking for people to move in to Crowne Street Plaza in Saint John.

Ward 3 Common Councillor Donnie Snook couldn't be happier saying affordable housing is just what's needed now near the centre of the city with Plan SJ and the desire for greater density.

Snook earlier suggested the courthouse on Charlotte Street across from Horsefield be turned into housing when the new courts building opens up at Peel Plaza.

Fire On West Side

Fire crews are currently battling a blaze on the west side in Saint John.

Saint John city police telling Tide news they received the call just after 9 am . Police say the fire is at a residence in the Ferry Cove Lane area, no details yet the exact address.

Police say all residents are out safe.

Arts Festival Taking Over King's & Queen's Square

No rain expected today which is good news if you're heading to the 9th annual Harvesting the Arts Festival.

The event at King's and Queen's Square will feature local artists, musicians, community groups and more.

Coordinator Jennifer Waldshutz tells Tide news partnering up with the Queen's Square Farmers Market is new, where they'll have a free horse-drawn trolley ride as a shuttle service between both Square's.

Waldshutz adds they've had as many as two-thousand people in the past.

The free events runs from 9:00am-4:00pm today.

Major Fredericton Fire Destroys Restaurant & Apartments

A major fire in downtown Fredericton leveling a three-story building that contained a ground-floor restaurant, two dozen apartments upstairs and also causing fire or smoke damage to several close buildings.

The Canadian Red Cross says the building at 73 and 75 Carleton Street was nearly a block deep and housed the Isaac's Way restaurant. What was left of the building later collapsed.

The Canadian Red Cross volunteers arranged emergency lodging and food for the 23 tenants. No reports of serious injuries.

Two Car Accidents Sending Three People To Hospital

A couple of noon time car accidents sending three people to hospital.

The first happened yesterday at 12:30pm with two cars at the intersection of Rothesay avenue and Rothesay road where one person was sent to hospital with minor injuries.

Shortly after another accident occurred just before 1:00pm at Somerset street and Milledgeville avenue where two people were sent to hospital with minor injuries.

Fire At East Side Home

An early morning fire on the east side causing some damage at a home in Saint John.

Saint John Fire Platoon Chief Peter Saab says fire crews were called the 27 Todd Street around 4:30 am.

Saab says the fire started in the kitchen, which suffered the most fire, water and smoke damage.

The blaze was extinguished quickly and there were no injuries.

Teenager Girl Struck By Car

A young teenager girl is in hospital after being struck by a pick-up truck and thrown into the air.

Rothesay Police tell Tide news two teenage sisters were walking along Route 119 by the Gondola Point Ferry around 8 o'clock last night when one of them was struck.

Police say the vehicle fled the scene, and with the help of RCMP an 83-year-old man was later arrested.

No word yet on the girls condition.