Fatal Shooting Outside Saint John

A 35 year old Baxter's Corner man has been arrested after a shooting late yesterday afternoon that has left one man dead and two others injured outside a home on Raymond Street in Baxter's Corner.
 
Three men had gone to the house and while there they got into some sort of an altercation with a man who was there.
 
All three men who had gone to the house were shot. A 31 year-old man from Baxter's Corner was killed while the two others were taken to the Regional Hospital with serious injuries.
 
There were other people in the home at the time of the shootings but they were not injured. 

The name of the man who was killed has not been released.

Prisoner Released From Jail By Mistake

The Provincial Government is conducting a review of what went wrong after the early release of an inmate last month from the Regional Jail on the Old Black River Road in Saint John.
    
The Department of Public Safety reports the inmate was released October 15th before being arrested by Saint John Police on an unrelated matter November 4th.
    
Public Safety Minister Robert Trevors said the unidentified inmate was let out by mistake but he didn't offer any further details.

Man Stabbed In Saint John

Another stabbing in Saint John is under investigation by police.

This one happened on the east side shortly before 2:30 this morning on Ellerdale Street. One man is in hospital where he had to undergo an operation while another man was arrested.

Rothesay Regional Police reporting they arrested two men after a high speed chase along the McKay Highway. It came to a conclusion on the Dolan Road and no one was injured. Police say the pair will be facing lots of charges. 

Police in the Kennebecasis Valley also arresting two men and one woman for possession of drugs at the end of Gondola Point Road.

St. Stephen Man Goes For Bodybuilding Championship

Is that a 6-pack... an 8-pack... or a 12-pack?


St. Stephen native Randy Madsen is all trained and ready to go to the 2012 NB/PEI Bodybuilding & Figure Championships tomorrow in Fredericton.

Madsen tells Tide News he graduated at St. Stephen High School in 2004 and sports were his passion. He says he got to meet and work with a lot of fantasic people, most notably the late Nick Desilets, who coached football at SSHS. Madsen says Desilets molded his mind and his outlook on reaching for higher goals. He adds Desilets was one of the best people he could ask for as a role-model, especially coming at a time when he suffered a great loss in his family.

Madsen tells us he decided to enter his first-ever competition and train for the 2011 Bodybuilding Championship last year. He says he put all of his effort into training, stayed with his meal plans, and really worked his tail off at the gym. He ended up winning the Men's lightweight bodybuilding category.

Tomorrow's championship will take place at the Fredericton Playhouse, but, Randy says, the show has been sold out for week's. He adds, "If you can get to Fredericton by 10am, you may be able to get tickets for pre-judging."

Madsen says his next goal is the 2013 Canadian National Bodybuilding Championships in Halifax next July.
He says it will be a very costly endevour so he will be opening up an online donation page for anyone who would like to contribute to his journey. He says every bit of money goes to training and nutrition, and he will be giving credit where it is due.

Randy encourages everyone and anyone to follow him personally on Facebook or Twitter ( handle is @MadsenRandy), or you can subscribe to his updates and follow his team's progress on the Blueprints Athletics Fan Page on Facebook.

Madsen says, "The support that I get from people is the strongest motivator that I have because I really enjoy being able to share my story, share my tips and tricks and hopefully I'm able to help people by doing what I do and with the information that I learn."

Woman Is Safe After Fire Dept Rescue In St. Stephen

One of St. Stephen's finest rescuing a woman from an apartment fire this week.


The St. Stephen Fire Department receiving a call to a fire at 80 Union Street at around 1:20pm on Tuesday, November 6th.

Lt. Mike Theriault tells Tide News when he arrived at the scene, he started to get the hose lines ready when a resident told him a woman was still trapped in the burning building. The resident said he was unable to get the woman out. Theriault says he went inside the apartment building, and noticed smoke coming from under the woman's door. He says the door was locked and it took a few tries before he could bust through it using his shoulder.

He says once the door opened, heavy black smoke poured out, making it extremely difficult to see. Theriault says he took a few steps into the woman's apartment with his hands out infront of him. He grabbed what he thought could be an arm and it turned out to be the woman. He describes the woman as covered in soot and ash and her hair was sizzled.

He brought the woman outside and asked her if anyone else was inside the building, which she replied, "Yes." He asked her again and the woman said, "Well, my cat is inside." He agreed the department would try to recover the cat after she was out of harm's way. Theriault says he handed the woman over to paramedics and she was treated with smoke inhalation.

Theriault says he started working with the St. Stephen Fire Department in 1992, and in Pennfield four years before that.

The department has not yet determined the cause of the fire.
Theriault says the woman's cat made it out safely as well.

Police Search For St. Stephen Arsonist

Police are looking for an arsonist in St. Stephen.


District 1 RCMP tell Tide News early Monday morning, someone set fire to the St. Stephen University.

The Mounties say the building was evacuated and there was damage to a portion of the building.

If you have any knowledge of this crime, please call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Crimestoppers will pay up to $2000 for information leading to an arrest.

MLA Speaks Out On Doctor Protest At Fundy Health Centre

The people of Charlotte County are taking another hit to healthcare.


As of November 30th, four doctors from the Fundy Health Centre in Blacks Harbour will be walking out in protest against a policy that charges the doctors $1.50 per outpatient visit.

Liberal MLA Rick Doucet tells Tide News the doctors received a letter from the Horizon Health Network which gave them a "take it or leave it" option. He says, "I think it would have been an opportune time for them to sit down with all of the doctors that work in that facility, and say 'Here's what's happened over the past number of years, and here is what we have to do,  how can we work together on this?' But instead, 'this is it, bottom line, we're going to start collecting this fee', and the doctors are rightfully very upset about it."

Doucet says there are about 30 thousand people per year that use the facility. He says many residents do not have family doctors. He adds there are also many transit workers for the fish plants, they may be from Newfoundland, Romania, or the Phillipines, but they've relied on this service that has been open to them for a number of years. He says everyone will now be cut off.   Doucet wants Health Minister Ted Flemming to intervene and assure the people of Blacks Harbour that outpatient care will continue at the Fundy Health Centre. He adds that a long discussion is needed between the doctors and Horizon to settle this matter.

Police Investigating Property Damage In Scotch Ridge And St. Andrews

Local police still busy from the Hallowe'en season.


District 1 RCMP is investigating damage to property on Route 735 in Scotch Ridge.

Police say between the 24th and 25th of October, a number of windows were shot out of a camp.

The owner is now faced with an extensive cleanup, and a costly repair fee for the damage.

Police also looking into property damage in St. Andrews.

Between the 27th and 28th of October, the Vincent Massey Elementary School had a number of windows broken to the amount of $500.

Police are asking if anyone has any knowledge of these crimes, please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Crimestoppers will pay up to $2000 for information leading to an arrest.

Police Say No Foul Play In Fatal Crash

An autopsy concluding no foul play was involved after a fatal car crash in Charlotte County.


District 1 RCMP tells Tide News on Friday afternoon (November 2nd, 2012), a vehicle headed north in Lawrence Station crossed the yellow line and rolled into the ditch.

The driver, and only occupant, died at the scene.

Police say there were no witnesses and foul play was not involved.

Hockey Returns To Fundy High With Big Rival Game

Hockey fans worldwide are waiting for the lockout to end -- but here in Charlotte County we have our own comeback.


After 7 years without a team, the Fundy High School Mariners are returning to play their long-time rivals -- the St. Stephen Spartans.
Coach Matt Murray tells Tide News reasons the Mariners team ended were from a lack of interest, a lack of coaches, and because players wanted to play in a midgit league, instead of a high school league, where they couldn't play both.

Murray says one of the best things for this season is it is a trial season for the Mariners. The team is not yet registered with the NBIAA until the school can determine where the kids' interests are. Because of this trial, Murray adds, the boys team is able to play in both leagues and the kids are getting a lot of hockey.


Unfortunately, the Mariner's first home game is still up in the air. Murray says it is because the Blacks Harbour rink still doesn't have ice. He says the rink needed to order new parts for a piping issue and they have told Murray the ice will hopefully come in December. Until then, Murray says, "right now, it's kind of us going out there saying 'Hey, we have a team, we can play you, but we can't quite reciprocate just yet.'"

Coach Murray says the last game the Mariners played was in 2006 -- and he was one of the players.

Murray tells Tide News he's not the only one who is excited for the big game. He says he recently put up the roster for the season and the entire school is buzzing with excitement for the big game.

  The game will take place at the Border Arena tomorrow night (Wednesday, November 7th) in St. Stephen.   Gametime is 7:20.

Stolen Tools from NBCC

RCMP in Saint Andrews, are asking for your assistance into the investigation of stolen tools.

Between the 12th - 19th of October, approximately $500 worth of tools were taken from the Refrigeration Shop at NBCC in St. Andrews.

The tools are each engraved with the unique markings “JJ” and “AT” and were held in a black/beige coloured electrician-style bag.

Police are asking anyone with knowledge of this crime to please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Crime Stoppers will pay up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest.

Police Block Off Saint John Street

City police and forensic services are blocking off 80 Princess Street in uptown Saint John with yellow tape.

Police are tight lipped about the situation, but have been on scene since 9:30 this morning.

Blood can be see on the entrance of the building. We've attempted to contact City Police for more information.

Good Cruise Season For Aquila Tours

It's been a very good cruise season for Aquila Tours.

The tourism company saw over 70,000 passengers on their tours, celebrated their 30th and their 1 millionth guest.

Beth Kelly Hatt of Aquila Tours says those are major milestones for the company. She says they've shown around 200,000 tourists our city and region in the past 4-5 years.

This years cruise season saw 74 cruise ships over a period of 146 days. We've had about 190,000 visitors, boosting our local economy by about $30 million dollars.

Police Unsure Who Was Home Invader In Stabbing

Photo Courtesy of Doug Epton

Police are interviewing people from the scene of a weekend double stabbing that resulted in the death of an 18-year-old teenage boy in Saint John.

The second stabbing victim -- a 21-year-old man -- is still recovering in hospital. City police say it's still unclear who invaded or lived in the home on Prince Street West where the stabbing occurred.

Police were called for aid at 4:30 am on 348 Prince Street West, where the 18-year-old headed for help after the stabbing that occurred at a different location.
 
Police don't believe this is a random act and say the two knew each other.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact police.

Time Change Affects Alertness

You're not the only one feeling the effects of the time change!

UNBSJ psychology professor Dr. Michael Bradley tells Tide news you're mood could go up and, more often than not, down. The biggest difference is a change in judgement and alertness. Bradley says there's evidence during both the fall and spring time changes that car and household accidents go up.

Bradley says there's not too much you can do to fight these side effects, except to be more careful and wait until you're back to normal in 3-5 days.

Bradley finishes by saying anything that throws off your schedule will most likely bring you down slightly, rather than pick you up.

Teenager Dead From Morning Stabbing

An 18-year-old teenage boy is dead after a stabbing early this morning.

Saint John Police Force were called to 348 Prince Street West around 4:30 this morning. Police say there was a home invasion where two young men had been stabbed.

Both the 18-year-old and a 21-year-old man were sent to hospital. The 21-year-old is in stable condition and is undergoing medical treatment.
 
Police do not believe this is a random act and say the two knew each other.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Saint John Police Force at 648-3333 or Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477.

Bonnell Found Guilty Of First Degree Murder

A man accused of killing his 16-year-old cousin has been found guilty of first degree murder.

The jury delivered its verdict today after deliberating late Friday and Saturday morning in the case of Curtis Bonnell, who had pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Hilary Bonnell.

The 32-year-old Bonnell had testified that he woke up from a night of drinking and drugs on Sept. 5, 2009, to find his cousin dead in his pickup, but he insists he doesn't know how she died.

He says he panicked and buried her body in a wooded area in Tabusintac.

When the trial opened six weeks ago, Crown attorney Bill Richards told the jury that Bonnell held Hilary against her will, sexually assaulted her and killed her.

He said Bonnell buried her body near an old firing range to avoid detection.

Courtesy of The Canadian Press.

New Bus Company Takes Over For Acadian

The President of the Maritime Bus Network is confident he can make a go of intercity bus service in the region where Acadian had trouble. Mike Cassidy concedes there are challenges.

He says ridership in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia used to be in 2005 close to 500,000 passenger trips where now it's about 250,000 passenger trips.

Cassidy tells Tide News university students are being asked what kind of service they would like to have along with promotions, pricing incentives, changing the schedules and making the transfers more seamless will build up ridership.

World's Most Famous Magician Linked To Saint John

Everyone's heard of "The World's Greatest Magician", Harry Houdini--but did you know he had a major connection to the Port City?

Bruce MacNab is the authour of The Metamorphosis: The Apprenticeship of Harry Houdini. He tells Tide News the great escape artist came to Saint John as a young man and stayed here for a period of eleven days.

Houdini and his wife, Bessie, were traveling with the Marco Magic Company and stayed in what is now the Admiral Beatty in 1896. According to McNab, it was here in Saint John at the city's Lunatic Asylum that Harry Houdini first encountered the straight jacket which was later incorporated into his most famous escape routine. Houdini challenged the Saint John Police Force to find a device that could restrain him. He managed to escape from a special leather restraint known as the Dreaded Saint John Maniac Cuff, although it took him several minutes.

Houdini also traveled extensively throughout Nova Scotia in the same period.

He died 86 years ago this week, on Halloween 1926. 

Bruce MacNab's book on his early life in Atlantic Canada is available from Goose Lane editions here, at the New Brunswick Museum in Market Square, and select local bookstores

Your Bear's Boo Boo Fix Is Here

Kids have been having Teddy's boo boos fixed at the Regional's Teddy Bear Fair for 21 years.

Regional Hospital Foundation Director Victoria Clarke tells Tide News when kids come through it has a lasting impact.

She says if the child has to go to the hospital the next time for any kind of specimen collection they know its quick with a slight pinch and over.

Kids will notice a fire truck, ambulance and police car at the main doors of the Regional.

The entertainment includes Bernard the Magician and Kidsing and the kids can choose a healthy lunch for themselves.

The Irving Oil Teddy Bear Fair is free but you do need to bring a Teddy Bear and it runs tomorrow at the Regional Hospital from 9am to 3pm.

Time Change Tomorrow

Fall back and spring forward!

It's that time of year again, where you get an extra hour sleep but the days get a bit darker.

Sunday you'll get an extra snooze as you move your clock back one hour as the time changes to Standard Time. The time change will take effect at 2:00 am.   

The province is also reminding you to make sure your smoke alarm batteries are working as well.

Black History Society Host Genealogy Event

A strong part of Canada before it was even a country.

The New Brunswick History Society will host a black history and genealogy event at the Atrium in Market Square recognizing and sharing our province's rich black history.

President of the New Brunswick Black History Society David Peters tells Tide news our history starts before Canada became a nation, when blacks arrived here in 1783 as free loyalists. Peters says African-Canadians have served in WW1, WW2, Korean wars, and have reached some high positions. He says when he was young no one would hire him here in the province, so he moved to receive education and get a job. He said the same was for business and trade workers. He says although that doesn't exists today, once you move and start a family, you stay where your kids are.

The free event from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm will feature displays from PRUDE (Pride of Race, Unity, Dignity by Education), Kings Landing, a genealogists, and the Black History Society.

Stabbing On West Side

Two men in their early twenties are in hospital after a stabbing on the west side in Saint John.

Saint John City Police say they were called to a private residence on Prince Street just before 5:00 am.

One of the men has serious injuries.

CUPE Speaks Out On Photo Flop

It was quite the Photo Fail.


The Province of New Brunswick website issuing an apology after an altered photo was posted for the Route 1 Gateway opening -- blurring images of a protest.

The picture showed children from Pennfield Elementary School who sang the anthem at the event last Thursday (October 25th), with several blurry protest signs by CUPE local 963 representing NB Liquor employees partially removed.
The website apologized stating "(the photo) was altered by an outside photographer. It was posted in error to the government newswire and then removed. It should not have been altered, and we apologize."

National CUPE Representative Marcos Salib tells Tide News he's not going to attack anyone without knowing every detail -- but its still disappointing. He says, "You would think democracy would be respected, but at the same time, it is difficult to prove if it was intentional or not." He says, "I think the photographer did admit to altering the photo and is taking the whole responsibility of it on his own, saying the government didn't tell him to do it. So I think we would have a hard time proving if it was true or not."

Salib says he was surprised to hear about the photo-flop. He says "certainly to me it's an issue of transparency and credibility." He adds, "The reality is they can certainly try to hide and alter photos, but the issue isn't going away. The privatization is still there and alive and that can't be altered."

(Picture is not the photo mentioned in the story.)

Quick Response Keeps Damage Minimal At Flakeboard Fire

It's business as usual today at the Flakeboard in St. Stephen after a fire stopped production.


The St. Stephen Fire Department says they received the report of the fire just before 1pm yesterday ( October 31st, 2012 ).

Mill Manager Scott Gregor tells Tide News during a regular housekeeping exercize, fiber dust ignited after coming into contact with a quartz hallogen bulb. He says it then quickle spread to the press steam exhaust system. Gregor says quick actions from employees, and a quick response from the St. Stephen and Calais Fire departments kept damage to a minimal.


Gregor says there were no injuries, and the presses were back up and running before 8:30 last night.

Police Say Kids Behaved Well This Hallowe'en

Local police say the kids were behaving pretty well this Halloween.


Sgt. Bob MacKnight tells Tide News there were a few incidents of misbehavior around Charlotte County.

He says some pumpkins were thrown on the highway, some rolls of toilet paper were seized from youngsters before they were able to cause any mischief, and a dumpster caught fire in St. George early this morning.

Sgt. MacKnight says there was no damage caused other than the contents of the dumpster, and no charges were laid.
He says that several District 1 members were on duty, with seven Citizens on Patrol assisting. MacKnight says the COPP members are an invaluable asset to the RCMP, and he sends a thank you for their time volunteering.

Sgt. MacKnight says, all in all, it was a very peaceful and quiet Halloween.

EMO Says Lots Of Rain, But No Major Flooding

There's no doubt Hurricane Sandy is making a mess of Charlotte County.


But, our local Emergency Measures Organization says there's not much of a threat for major flooding.

Director of the NB EMO Greg MacCallum tells Tide News he understands people's concerns for flooding -- especially in the Boney River and St. George areas. He says, "We're not saying this won't be a wet and rainy event with a lot of water moving around quickly, but there is no cause for great concern the capacity of the ( Magaguadavic ) river being able to move the water away.

MacCallum says the EMO is keeping a close watch on rivers -- especially the Magaguadavic -- but he assures residents that major flooding is not much of an issue.

MacCallum says to keep your own home from flooding, make sure eavestroughs and culverts are clear and your downspouts are free so water can flow away from your property. He says the best thing is to do a walk around your property to make sure everything is working properly for drainage.   MacCallum tells Tide News that a power outage may be an issue with high winds tonight. He says it's just common sense how to prepare your home, make sure you have food that can be cooked without electricity, lots of water, batteries and flashlights or candles on hand. He adds, something many people don't think about until it is too late, is make sure you have enough medication to last you a few days.

Health Report Cards Project In 3rd Year At SSHS

St. Stephen High School is getting ready for a different kind of report card.


This is the 3rd year the school has participated in testing Grade 10 students on their health.

Today, students were tested on things such as Body Mass Index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol levels, as well as self-esteem and mental health. They should receive their health report cards by the end of this week or next.

Educational Champion and Vice-Principal Krista Amos tells Tide News health and education go together. Amos says we know what the research says, we know that kids have to be healthy, alert, sleeping well and eating well in order for education to have results. We have 10% of our kids who can't be learning.

Amos says they will provide interventions to students during school hours after the report cards are issued.

She says she feels very passionate that if they can help look after the student's bodies, health, and mental health, that numeracy and literacy ratings will go up.

Nurse Practitioner Yvonne Bartlett tells Tide News they want to stear the kids away from unhealthy dieting.


Bartlett says we want to talk about weight discrimination and what happens. She mentions one thing they found over the past two years was that as BMI -- or Body Mass Index -- goes up, self-esteem goes down. She says this is something these students will carry their whole life and we must be very careful with how we work with them.
Bartlett says last year, they found that 10 % of the students, aged 15, already have 5 or more risk factors for coronary heart disease.

She adds that everything is completely voluntary.
( Picture - left: Nurse Practitioner at SSHS Yvonne Bartlett, right: Vice Principal at SSHS Krista Amos )

Keep Storm Drains Clear For Sandy

The Town of St. Stephen issuing a release while we bunker down for Hurricane Sandy.


Rain and high winds are expected to affect St. Stephen, and to prevent flooding, residents are being asked to keep storm drains around their homes free and clear of debris.

Also, residents are being asked to put away or secure any garden furniture or other items that could blow away in the storm.

The Town says to make sure you have extra batteries and food on hand.

Local Police Looking For Youth In Stolen Pickup

St. Stephen RCMP are looking for a stolen 2000 Ford Pickup that is blue/green in color.


The Mounties tell us the suspect is a youth, 5'9, with a thin build, brown or dirty blonde hair, with acne on his face.

Cst. Dave McClarty tells Tide News the truck has New Brunswick plates CJD 091, however, McClarty says they could be removed or altered.

Any suspicious vehicles are asked to be reported to local police or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crimestoppers will pay up to $2000 for information leading to an arrest.

Case Adjourned For St. Stephen Man With Gun Charge

A brief appearance this morning in St. Stephen Provincial Court from a man charged with careless use of a firearm.


Judge David Walker adjourned the case until the lawyer for 22-year-old Michael Kenneth Hanley could be present.

RCMP say in the wee hours of September 12th, they received a report of gunshots being fired in the direction of a car with people inside on Spring Street.

Hanley was arrested and charged later that same day.

Hanley returns to court November 8th.

Heavy Rain & Wind Expected From Sandy

The Canadian Hurricane Centre says heavy rain and gusty winds is what we'll get from Sandy. Forecasters say southern Ontario and western Quebec will get the brunt of the storm.

We could get more than 50 millimeters of rain and gusty winds late Monday night and throughout Tuesday. The centre adds at this point rainfall amounts are still hard to predict.

Maine & NB Join To Promote Vacation Destination

New Brunswick and Maine are working together trying to boost tourism in both areas.

Dubbed the "Two Nation Vacation", it's focus is promoting the great outdoors and nature to city-dwelling New Yorkers. Tourism Minister Trevor Holder tells Tide news he recently travelled to NYC to speak with travel writers about what we have to offer. Holder says those tourists are already visiting Maine, but this advertising is hoping to pull them further north into our province.

With a website already up and running, Holder says they're just in the beginning stages of drawing those tourists, and will now be looking at new ways to market the "Two Nation Vacation".

Holder says they've been working on this plan for years, and adds this would be a new source of revenue for the province.

To visit the website, click here.

Brian Gallant Voted New NB Liberal Leader

Brian Gallant is the new Liberal leader of New Brunswick.

Gallant won the leadership with 59% of the vote, beating out former cabinet minister Mike Murphy who got almost 38% of the points, and farmer Nick Duivenvoorden who finished third with less than 3%.

The 30-year-old Moncton lawyer says he will meet with members of the party caucus over the next few days. Gallant also told Liberals in Moncton that it was discouraging that the Tories would ridicule the thousands of Liberals who took part in their party's leadership vote, after Conservative Jean-Paul Soucy managed to register his dog to vote.

The party says more than 14,000 people across the province cast ballots in the leadership vote, which began last Tuesday.

M-L-A Vows To Question Air Ambulance Service In Legislature

The issue of Air Ambulance service to and from Grand Manan will be brought to the floor of the Legislature by Liberal M-L-A Rick Doucet of Charlotte-The Isles because people are concerned.

Doucet tells CHSJ News Ambulance NB is in damage control after the latest incident involving a 60 year old man who suffered a heart attack and waited 2 hours and 40 minutes to be airlifted to the Regional Hospital.

Ambulance NB C-E-O Alan Stephen has told Tide News the patient needed care on board the plane that was beyond what could be provided by the Atlantic Charters plane and that's why they waited for the Air Care plane to fly in from dropping off a patient in Halifax.

Doucet says he's hearing so many different stories, it's time to get to the bottom of what's going on and if the system has to be fixed, then get it done.

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.