Upcoming Provincial Budget Worries CTF

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is a bit uneasy about the next provincial budget that will be unveiled on Tuesday.
 
It's Atlantic Director Kevin Lacey fears an increase in taxes and license fees. He tells Tide News to look what's happening with the property assessments which are tax increases by another name.

Some homeowners are outraged by the increase they're being hit with.

Lacey says it would be a mistake to roll back the 2008 tax reductions that were implemented by the previous Liberal government under then Premier Shawn Graham.

Those tax cuts are seen by some, including Rod Hill of U-N-B Saint John who ran for the NDP, as making the provincial deficit worse and not achieving the economic growth that was hoped for.

CUPE Wants Solution To Overcrowding In Jails

Following a Saint John man's extended jail sentence for a prison beat-down, the union representing prison workers is raising the red flag about overcrowding. 

Thomas Jack was attacked by his cellmate Jeremy David in November 2011 and will never work and drive again due to the impact of his injuries.

Mike Davidson of CUPE tells Tide News they have concerns about the current management at the provincial jail on the Old Black River road.

He says under the current management they have had a riot, an assault on an inmate and the early release of an inmate involved in a homicide.

Davidson calls overcrowding a serious issue and they haven't been too successful with the province on resolving it.

Our newsroom has an interview request into Public Safety Minister Robert Trevors for his take on things.

Three Teens Face Charges After Local Police Seize Loaded Guns

Three teenagers from St. Stephen are facing charges after a search from local police turned up with loaded guns.

Police tell Tide News yesterday morning, (March 20th, 2013) District 1 RCMP executed a search warrant at an apartment on Ross Avenue in Milltown.

Police say they seized firearms, several of which were loaded, cash, and other items thought to be related to criminal activity.

Sgt. Bob MacKnight says, "The unlawful possession of firearms, particularly firearms which are not properly stored and loaded, pose a threat to public and police safety."

Two young men, ages 17 and 18, and an 18-year-old girl were arrested and released on conditions to appear in court at a later date.

Winter Storm For Last Day Of Winter

As usual, Mother Nature likes to be ironic.

Today is the last official day of winter, with a winter storm touching down on our area tonight.

Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for St. Stephen and northern Charlotte County, Grand Manan, and coastal Charlotte County.

The Network is calling for up to 20 cms of snow by tomorrow afternoon, with strong winds, and the temperature will stay below freezing.

Blaze Considered Suspicious In Milltown

Police say a house fire on Queensway in Milltown/St. Stephen is being called suspicious.

Firefighters from St. Stephen and Calais responding shortly after midnight yesterday morning (March 18th, 20130) to a two-storey home.

Police say the only resident at the home discovered the fire at the back porch area and was unable to put it out, so they ran to the neighbours to call 911.
Police say noone was hurt in the fire.

Anyone who may have witnessed any suspicious activity is being asked to contact local police or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Local Firefighters Battle Two Blazes In One Day

Local firefighters being put to the test with two house fires in one day.

Yesterday around 4pm, fire departments from Moores Mills, St. Stephen, and Western Charlotte responding to a blaze on Route 745, on the corner of the Oak Hill Road and the Moores Mills Crossroad.

Moores Mills Fire Chief Steve Smith tells Tide News a passer-by called 911. He says it was difficult getting past the metal roof to put the fire out. Smith says by time the first firefighters arrived, the floors of the home were already burned out.

He says there was noone at home, no pets were inside the home at the time of the fire and the cause is being investigated by the Fire Marshal.

Fire Departments from St. Stephen and Calais responded only a few hours before to a house fire in Milltown on Queensway Way, shortly after midnight. Police say both homes have significant damage.

Organized Labour Says No Need To Change EI

The Employment Insurance program is seen by the federal government, regardless of which party is in power, as being its cash cow to be used when needed to reduce the deficit even though it doesn't contribute a nickel to the fund. 

That charge being leveled by Serge Landry of the Canadian Labour Congress who was in Saint John speaking at a town hall meeting and warning workers the appeal process is being made harder.
 
Landry tells Tide News the E-I program doesn't have a funding problem at all. In fact, the C-L-C has suggested there's a surplus and benefits could be increased.

Landry says last year in New Brunswick, there were 35 thousand unemployed workers with only 38 hundred available jobs.

Propane Truck On Highway 1 Flipping On Side Today

A propane truck tipping over this morning is tying up a lot of emergency personnel resources today.

In the latest update, Highway 1 just west of Spruce Lake is open to traffic one lane in each direction.

A technical issue has prevented the removal of the propane at this time.
It was decided it would best to wait until after rush hour to close the roadway.

The roadway will now be shut down after 6pm to remove propane from the truck and remove the truck itself.

Cause Under Investigation After Fire On Queensway

A house fire in Milltown over the weekend is under investigation.

Local police say the home on Queensway is a total loss with significant damage after it caught fire Sunday night (March 17th, 2013).

RCMP say noone was hurt.

Sgt. Bob MacKnight tells Tide News the cause of the fire is under investigation with assistance from the local Fire Marshall.

Nurse Championing Green Porch Light Community Challenge

When you choose to donate your organs and tissue after death, you're giving somebody a chance at life. 

Registered nurse Betty-Anne Waugh says that signing your medicare care and talking to your family about your plans to be a donor, could make all the difference for a patient waiting for a life-saving donation in the future. 

Waugh says studies have shown that 75% percent of people who have said no to organ and tissue donation said if they had been better informed they would have said yes, and that they regret it down the road.

Waugh is currently championing the Green Porch Light Community challenge, which coincides with national organ and tissue donor awareness week from April 21-28. She's asking people to change one regular light bulb in their home to a green light bulb during that time frame, to bring attention to the cause.

Stanley Local Calls Flooding Worst in 40 Years

A huge ice jam on the Nashwaak river has created what one local has described as the worst flooding Stanley has seen in 40 years. Bethany Ryan, a store clerk, says that around 35 homes were evacuated on Thursday as the water spilled onto the banks. Ryan says the main road the village center were covered in about a half metre of water in a mere 15 minutes.

The water has since receded from the village, located north of Fredericton. A spokeswoman for River Watch says water levels should continue to go down over the next couple of days, but says that residents should stay alert.

White-Tailed Deer Farming Allowed In NB

The Alward government had talked about banning deer farming after a man in northern New Brunswick was killed sometime ago by one of his own deer, but the province will allow the farming of white-tailed deer. 

A review was done after the government got some pushback on a ban.
 
The provincial government will not allow pen hunting and farmers will not be permitted to sell white-tailed deer meat and other white-tailed products within New Brunswick.
 
Deer farmers will have to comply with provincial rules on fencing standards and identification of farmed deer in order to obtain a permit to keep white-tailed deer. 

They will also be required to comply with any federal requirements in order to lessen the risk to wild populations of white-tailed deer.

Atlantic National Home Show This Weekend In Saint John

Another sign that spring is just around the corner is when Harbour Station hosts the annual home show. That's happening this weekend with more than 130 exhibitors and it usually draws a big turnout from the region.

Denise Miller of Master Promotions tells Tide News a growing number of people come armed with definite ideas they may have gotten on the internet on what they want done to their homes.

The Saint John Animal Rescue League will also be at the Station if you want to adopt a shelter pet.

Locals Give Opinion On New Mandatory Course On Rinkside Behaviour For Parents

The parents of the youngest hockey players in the province will be required to take a course on rinkside behaviour beginning in the fall. 

Brian Whitehead of Hockey New Brunswick says the organization is planning to introduce the online course in September.

Whitehead says the course will be mandatory for any parent registering children aged four to eight years old. The course will also be free of charge to parents, unlike a similar course offered in Nova Scotia which charges parents a $12 fee.

In the meantime, The Tide's Facebook page is getting a lot of action on the issue.

Stephanie says, "I get so embarrassed when parents behave badly at games. Hopefully this will help to stop the cycle!"

Brenda says she doesn't think the course will change anything.

Jason says, "I don't believe there are any reasons not to have parents know the rules and conduct of the game."

One comment told of a situation on the weekend in Fredericton where a parent allegedly went into the opposing team's locker room to have words with the coach.

Shannon says, "As a hockey parent myself, I think it should be mandatory for all of us, on an annual basis!"






Most of the comments were positive towards the new course, however, a high percentage thought it was sad that children's hockey has come to this.

Special Police Unit Investigating 5 Child Sex Abuse Cases In SJ

The Internet Child Exploitation Unit of the Saint John police force reports they are investigating 5 child sex abuse files in the Saint John area in the last week alone, and there are currently 50 suspected cases of pedophiles sharing abuse images across the province.

Constable Tonia Williams of the ICE Unit tells Tide News law enforcement is constantly trying to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to technologies predators have at their disposal.

The ICE Unit gave a presentation to Police Commission outlining how they respond to cases of child porn sharing. The unit advises parents to monitor what their kids are doing even if the computer is in a common area -- because they've seen videos that show the parent was even in the same room when their child was chatting on webcam with a pedophile.

Challenges Hindering Snook Child Sex Abuse Case

With the child sex abuse investigation into former Saint John common councillor Donnie Snook continuing to bring forward new victims, Police Chief Bill Reid is hoping they can help everyone affected find some kind of justice.

Reid tells Tide News the wheels of justice turn more smoothly if you can get everyone to come forward in a timely fashion. He says it's vastly preferable to deal with all the complaints in one shot than see them trickle in over 6 or 7 years.

Reid says investigators are dealing with a number of challenges, including the fact that some kids are too young to articulate the information and some families are in denial that abuse has occurred.

Donnie Snook reappears in court on May 29th.

White Smoke Signals New Pope

White smoke is pouring out from the Sistine Chapel chimney in St. Peter's Square, signalling that a new pope will appear on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica within the hour before many faithful waiting to witness the first new pontiff in eight years.

River Watch Warns Of Possible Flooding

You might want to keep an eye on water coming into your basement.

An advisory today warning locals about the possibility of flooding from River Watch because of ice jams due to the milder temperatures and heavy rainfall.

A special weather statement being issued by Environment Canada for St. Stephen and northern Charlotte County, Grand Manan, coastal Charlotte County, Saint John, and Fundy National Park with up to 40 millimetres of rain falling before it ends tonight.

Callers to our 466-2222 news line report water coming over the Reardon Road near Digdeguash (as seen in picture ), rising waters under the Rollingdam covered bridge, as well as near the King Street traffic Circle in St. Stephen.

Prison Time For Former Investment Dealer

A 48 year old former investment dealer has been sentenced in Moncton to 3 and a half years in prison for defrauding several of her clients. 

Catherine Darlene Ford pleaded guilty to six charges. 

The court was told she illegally withdrew 1.3 million dollars from the accounts of six of her clients, many of whom were elderly. They have since been reimbursed by Scotia McLeod. 

Several of her clients had more than 100 thousand dollars taken from their accounts without consent.

New Brunswick Takes #1 Spot As Seafood Producer In Canada

New Brunswick is number one... at least when it comes to seafood. New Brunswick ranked as Canada's largest exporter of seafood for 2012, with exports valued at $967 million. 

Nova Scotia and British Columbia came in second and third.

In a statement, Premier David Alward acknowledging the importance of the seafood industry in creating new jobs, especially in rural communities. Local producers from Charlotte County participated in the Boston International Seafood Show this week, promoting their products to more than 16,000 buyers and sellers from more than 90 countries.

In recent years, the province has turned to Asia and Europe as markets for its seafood.

Traffic Delays At Reversing Falls

If you plan on traveling to Saint John in the near future, you can expect delays over the next several weeks.

The city telling Tide News beginning today and for the next several weeks, the Reversing Falls Bridge will be down to one lane and there will be no vehicle access to Douglas Avenue from Bridge Road or Chesley Drive. 

There will be temporary traffic lights in place at both ends of the bridge but, as you might expect, there will be continual delays. 

The traffic flow is being disrupted to allow upgrades to be done to the east-west water main below the bridge.

Court Adjourned For More Possible Charges On Snook

About 50 spectators did not get to see Donnie Snook in court today. The matter is being adjourned until late May because more charges are pending.

The former Saint John common councillor would normally have appeared by video conference but the technology was not available due to the move to the new justice building at Peel Plaza. He had been expected to enter pleas today.

Snook is facing 8 charges including sexual interference on a child under 16, possession of and making child pornography as well as making it available.

Snook is due back in court on May 29th.

One Dead And One Injured After Snowmobile Crash At MacDougall Lake

A crash at a local lake causing one death and sending another man to hospital.

Police tell Tide News a 23-year-old man from St. George -- who was driving a snowmobile early yesterday morning at MacDougall Lake -- died after crashing the machine on the shoreline.

District 1 RCMP say a 22-year-old passenger was sent to the Saint John Regional Hospital with serious, but not life-threatening injuries. He remains in hospital.

Investigators believe the men may have struck a large bed of rocks while they were crossing the lake, causing them to lose control and crash the machine.

Big Winnings and Gambling Intertwined

Those late nights spent emptying your wallet at the VLTs, could point to a problem. One of the first indications of gambling addiction is pouring time, money and energy that you can't afford to spend into gambling. Social worker Annie Pellerin tells CHSJ news that gambling addicts will often keep their distance from their home and those close to them.
 
She says that people who have gambled and struck it rich are prone to gambling addiction, as might try to recapture the high of winning over and over again. There is a direct correlation between gamblers who have won big, and addiction. However, Perellin adds, there are a variety of factors that make a person prone to gambling addiction.
The last gambling prevalence study was undertaken in 2009, where they found that VLT's are the most common form of gambling in the province. To seek help for a gambling addiction, call 1 (800) 461-1234, an information line and referral service.

Springing Forward

Many people don't mind the spring time change because it gives us an extra hour of daylight to enjoy....but it can also play havoc on your internal clock, particularly if you're already sleep-deprived. Dr Charles Samuels is the VP Clinical for the Canadian Sleep Society says there's data to support a greater frequency of accidents after time change.

Samuels says coffee is your friend this week and the Canadian Institute of Health Research actually recommends you get caffeinated before you get behind the wheel as your body adjusts to the time change.

Teens Charged In Saint John Assault Released For Now

Two of the teenage suspects in a brutal beating in Glen Fall have been released from jail but remain under house arrest.

John Alexander Adams and  Robert Hachey, both 18,  have been ordered to keep the peace and be of good behaviour and have no contact with a number of people before they return to court on March 26th.

Adams, Hachey, and a teen who cannot be named are charged with aggravated assault and stealing cigarttes from a man who was allegedly beaten with a baseball bat in a shed in the East Side suburb. He remains in hospital in serious but stable condition.

Spring 2013 Will Be A Bit Warmer

After a more typical Canadian winter with a lots of snow and cold temperatures, what does Spring hold for us?

The Weather Network is out with its Spring forecast.
Meterologist Gina Wressler tells us we are looking at more seasonal temperatures.

She says when you average out March, April and May for temperature we are looking at temps slightly above normal.

Wressler adds typical daytime highs average out at 2 or 3 degrees during March.

Producers Hopeful For A Better Maple Syrup Season

How sweet it is.....with warmer temperatures over the past few days, maple sugar producers are testing their equipment and gearing up for another sugary season. 

Yvon Poitras, the General Manager of the NB Maple Sugar Association, tells us a fine balance of factors is needed to keep the sap flowing.

He says if doesn't freeze at night and it's too warm during the day the season is over.

He says the freak heat wave last March, coupled with flooding in the Florenceville area played real havoc with the season last year so they're hoping mother nature will cooperate this time.

Mounties Seek Sussex Area Man After A Stabbing

A woman remains in hospital after a stabbing last Wednesday outside of Sussex....and there's now a warrant out for 49-year-old Robin White's arrrest.

White is charged with attempted murder after stabbing a woman he knew at a home around 8am leaving her with serious injuries. 




He is described as white, about 5 foot 11inches tall, with brown hair and brown eyes.

He was last seen wearing glasses, a black coat, blue jeans and black boots. 

He may be driving a 2009 grey Honda Ridgeline truck with N.B. license plate CPM 926.
 
If you see White or his vehicle do not approach him and contact police or Crime Stoppers immediately.

Injured NB Police Officer Heading Home

A police funeral for an officer killed in northern Quebec on the weekend during a domestic dispute could be held in the nation's capital.
 
Constable Steve Dery was originally from the Ottawa area.

 His partner Joshua Boreland is from Quispamsis near Saint John and n an email he tells us he wants everyone to know he's alright and will be returning home this week.

Copper Pipes Stolen In St. Andrews

RCMP in St. Andrews are investigating a break-in into a house during which the thieves made off with some copper piping.

Sometime between Friday night and Saturday morning (February 22nd and 23rd), someone broke into a home on Mowat Drive and took an unknown amount of copper piping, causing considerable damage.

Anyone with any information is being asked to contact the police or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
Crimestoppers will pay up to $2000 for information leading to an arrest. You can remain anonymous.

Wear Pink To Stand Against Bullying

Today is Pink Shirt Day, not just here in Charlotte County, but across Canada, people are wearing pink T-shirts to show they are standing up against bullying.
   
The campaign was started in 2007 by two Nova Scotia high school students who -- overnight -- rallied almost their entire high school student population, mostly through social media, to wear pink in support of a Grade 9 student who was bullied the day before for wearing the color to school.

One of those students was Travis Price, who can be seen here with Fundy High School Principal John Tanner. Price spoke to Fundy students last year on Pink Shirt Day.

MLA Thinks "Creative Approach" Is Solution To Maxwell Crossing Covered Bridge Troubles

A local MLA thinks we can fix the Maxwell Crossing covered bridge -- with a bit more creativity.

Charlotte-The Isles MLA Rick Doucet tells Tide News we have a number of skilled tradespeople who have worked on these bridges for many years. "We should pull some of these guys who used to work out of DOT out of retirement and help out with this project and make it a community project. It could be a great model because there are only so many covered bridges that are left."



He thinks using a combination of a local contractor and a few retired members of DOT who have expertise in covered bridges can get the job done -- with less money. "I've taken the opportunity to talk to some of these retired employees, and they feel that they can do the job, and I think it's a matter of just pushing it through the system. Let's take a creative approach, and get these guys on the ground to make it happen."

Doucet says after talking to some of the retired DOT members, he feels the bridge can be repaired for around $300,000, compared to $500,000 estimated by current DOT officials.

Doucet says he understand that Maxwell Crossing is not in his jurisdiction, but he has taken the time to reach out to Charlotte-Campobello MLA Curtis Malloch as a New Brunswicker who supports the heritage of the province.

Doucet says, as far as he is concerned, covered bridges should be on the endangered species list.

Mayor Sends Letter To Minister For Maxwell Bridge

The Mayor of St. Stephen isn't quite as talkative as others on the topic of the Maxwell Crossing covered bridge.

Mayor John Quartermain sending a letter to the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Claude Williams on behalf of St. Stephen Town Council.

The letter stated many of the factors relating to the Maxwell Bridge, including "The Town of St. Stephen still promotes the 'kissing bridges' as a flash back in time", and "The Maxwell Crossing covered bridge has been an important link to manage the Town of St. Stephen's water reservoir and chlorination pump house. The bridge access reduces response times for our water technical staff by approximately 15 to 20 minutes between the reservoir and the chlorination area."
However, the letter did not ask specifically whether the Mayor wanted the government to repair it to its original state, or to replace it.

In closing, Quartermain wrote, "The Maxwell Crossing Covered Bridge has safety, social and economic importance and I would ask that you consider these important factors when determining the future of the Maxwell Crossing Covered Bridge."

The Local Service District of Dennis-Weston claim Mayor Quatermain's signature is on the petition asking for repairs to the covered bridge.

After the St. Stephen Town Council meeting on Monday night, Quartermain dashed from Council Chambers before he could be reached for comment.

Man Goes To St. Stephen Court In Long-Johns

A brief court appearance for a local St. Stephen man charged with attempted break and enter -- "Brief" being the key word.

26-year-old Edward Davison showed up to court today (February 26th, 2013) wearing only a sweatshirt and long-johns. Police asked members of the family to return to Davison's residence and bring back a pair of jeans for him to wear.

Davison was charged with 7 counts, which include mischief, assault against three police officers, threats to two police officers and their families, as well as the attempted break and enter of a home in Oak Bay, all taking place February 19th.

He plead not guilty to all charges and has elected to be tried by Judge alone.

Davison has been remanded into custody until his bail hearing in Saint John this Friday.

Laundry Services To Close In Nursing Homes

The New Brunswick Council of Nursing Homes lashing out at the provincial government for its decision to close laundry facilities in 16 nursing homes across the province.

They believe this will lead to the loss of 60 jobs despite the government's claims the workers will merely be transferred to other departments. Nursing Home Union President Wayne Brown doesn't buy the assurances.

For its part, the government claims the job-sharing plan will save nearly $600,000 annually; however, the union representatives say if the government had wanted to find efficiencies it should have consulted with them. 

Locally, employees at Passamaquoddy Lodge in St. Andrews andthe Fundy Nursing Home in Blacks Harbour.

900 Signatures For Covered Bridge

A 103-year-old covered bridge damaged in a car crash may get a new lease on life if some petitioners have their way.
Locals are presenting a petition with 900 signatures to Curtis Malloch, MLA for Charlotte-Campobello, urging the provincial government to restore the bridge at Maxwell Crossing.

The bridge was heavily damaged in late January and since then the Department of Transport has suggested the bridge might be replaced with a bailey bridge.

The bridge would cost some $500,000 to repair, compared to an estimated figure of $300,000 from DOT to build the bailey bridge.

(Photo by Murray Weeks)

Shoplifter Hits 3 Stores In 1 Day

A shoplifter making the rounds of 3 local businesses has been busted and will appear in court in the spring.

The 41 year old man was charged with with 3 counts of shoplifting from the Co-op, Grand-Bay Home Hardware and also Guardian Drugs in Grand-Bay all in the same day. 

The shoplifter is due back in court in April.

Princess Auto Opening In Saint John

A major retailer of farm, industrial, garage, and surplus items is opening its doors in Saint John this year.

Princess Auto announcing it will be opening a new location at the East Point Shopping Center at some point in 2013. Previously, the closest location to the Saint John area was in Moncton.

The Canadian retail chain operates 34 stores in 8 provinces and employs 1700 people nationwide.

New Fundraiser For Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy of Canada is asking you to take a closer look at milk cartons.

The organization is partnering with Northumberland Dairy for the second year in a row for a provincial campaign that aims to protect undeveloped areas that are special to New Brunswickers by promoting the organization's land and habitat protection project on all white milk containers.

NCC Director Andrew Holland tells Tide News he hopes the campaign gets residents thinking about those spots they share a connection with in New Brunswick.The goal is to raise awareness, and to match the $50, 000 they made in donations last year.

Police, Fire Have A Few Calls In Saint John

Police were called to a few Friday night upsets in Saint John; however, none of the calls were too serious.

Some residents on the corner of Pitt and Crown awoke to a nasty shock finding some windows smashed out and tires slashed overnight. Police are looking into the cause of the damage.

The Fire Department were also called to deal with a propane leak on McAllister Drive. it's speculated the leak was caused by a leaky ball joint but the situation was soon turned over to mall management.

26 Year Old Charged With Break And Enter On Home In Oak Bay

Two men have been arrested after an attempted break-in to a home in Oak Bay.

St. Stephen RCMP tell Tide News 26-year-old Edward Lloyd Davison has been charged with break and enter and has been remanded into custody until his next court appearance in St. Stephen, on Tuesday,  February 26, 2013.

A 39-year-old St. Stephen man was also arrested, but later released and will appear in court at a later date.

Sgt. Bob MacKnight with District 1 RCMP tells Tide News police responded to a call Tuesday evening around 7:20 that two men were attempting to break into a home in Oak Bay. MacKnight says two people were home at the time, but the men did not get inside. He says the men were arrested a few hours later in St. Stephen.

Police say they expect to lay further charges against Davison.

Bell Aliant Announces FibreOP Coming To St. Stephen

Some state-of-the-art technology will soon be coming to St. Stephen.

VP of Residential Markets for Bell Aliant Andre Leblanc tells Tide News they are investing $12 million in total to bring FibreOP to eight new communities in New Brunswick, including a $1.4 million dollar investment in St. Stephen. FibreOP will be able to reach approximately 2300 homes and businesses in St. Stephen. Leblanc says FibreOp is a state-of-the-art technology that enables almost infinite band-width into your home.




He says FibreOP means having the fastest internet speeds in Atlantic Canada, the best TV product on the market, and amazing apps for Facebook, Twitter, Galaxie Music, and much more.

Leblanc says the network provides the best products and services probably on par with anything in the world. He adds, they are currently working out the boundaries to how far it will reach outside of town and the service will be available in the spring.












Leblanc says the FibreOP should be available in the spring.

Details From Search Warrants On Former Saint John Councillor

We have more technical details from the search warrants in the investigation of former Saint John common councillor Donnie Snook.

The 568-page document describes events leading from March 2011 to Snook's January arrest, including the installation of a surveillance camera on a power pole outside his home. The camera recorded who was at 575 Martha Avenue while explicit chat sessions were happening with undercover police.

On January 9th, an officer observed while all the lights were on at the home, no one answered the door. Snook was the only one inside. The chat logs from that time show a message saying "some one at the door....see you later?"'

The warrants also indicate the person sharing the explicit images was hacking into their neighbour's wi-fi connection. However, the Mac Address of the computer used to transmit them was traced to Snook's home.

The chat user promised the undercover cop "live action" in order to win his trust -- but only with their face covered, because if they were caught, "[they] would die." Cameras, computers, a tablet, phones and other electronic devices were all confiscated in the search. 

Snook's next court appearance is on March 11 when he is expected to enter a plea.

Lady Ganong Awarded Queen's Jubilee Medal

A local lady has been given a great honor from the Queen.

Diane Ganong, of St. Stephen, being presented with a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal by the Lieutenant Governor.

The award was given after Diane's many contributions to the community and to Canada.
Some of those contributions include Chairmanship of the Extra Mural Hospital, service on the National Alzheimer's Board, and President of UNICEF Canada.

$2 Million Boost For Garcelon Civic Center

A funding announcement in the form of $2 million dollars being made in St. Stephen today.

The federal and provincial governments each giving an additional million for the Garcelon Civic Center to ensure the project gets done, on budget and on time. A news release from the province states the support is in addition to the project originally announced in 2009. That included $6.2 million from Infrastructure Canada'as Building Canada Fund, $6.2 million from the province of New Brunswick and $5.2 million by the Town of St. Stephen.


MP for South-West New Brunswick John Williamson says, "Investments in projects likr the Garcelon Civic Centre help provide important services to the community and businesses, strengthen the local economy and improve the quality of life for residents." Williamson also stated that job creation and economic growth have always been the main focus of his government.

Premier David Alward tells Tide News the Garcelon and the new hotel will have a significant economic impact on the community. He says, "What that means to solidify the economy and in downtown St. Stephen is exceptional. It means that people can be working in St. Stephen and that is great news for the area."
Alward, who lives in Woodstock, says the impact of their local Civic Center has been phenomenal for his community.

The announcement was followed by a tour of the Civic Centre site in downtown St. Stephen in which Premier Alward, Williamson, and MLA Curtis Malloch were given a tour, among others present, of the soon-to-be arena and pool.

Snook Search Warrants To Be Released Today

We could soon know more about the case against former Saint John common councillor Donnie Snook.

Search warrants in the case are scheduled to be released later today although some of the information will be blacked out.

The two-term councillor resigned last month amid 8 charges relating to child pornography, child exploitation, and sexual interference with a child under 16. The 40 year old was arrested at his home on January 9th and resigned as a Councillor on the 17th.

School Security Getting Boost After Newtown Tragedy

Security at schools in the Anglophone South School District is being enhanced in the wake of the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut before Christmas. 

There will be new I-D badges for school district workers who are not attached to any particular school but perform jobs at several of them when the need arises. 

Superintendent Zoe Watson tells Tide News school safety is always uppermost in their minds at the school district and there are some schools in Saint John which have an intercom outside and you have to be buzzed in. 

The new logo for the school district was designed by a grade 9 student at Hampton High, Melanie Levesque in her art class.

Graham Takes Responsibilty For Atcon Conflict

The Province's conflict of interest commissioner says former premier Shawn Graham broke provincial rules because of his involvement in his government's decision to give financial help to a construction company.

    Patrick Ryan has released his report into allegations that Graham was in a conflict of interest in 2009 when his Liberal government gave a $50 million loan guarantee to Miramichi-based Atcon.
 
    Ryan says Graham should have removed himself from cabinet discussions over the loan guarantee because his father was a director of Vanerply, a Swedish subsidiary of Atcon,  and a paid consultant of Vanerply and other Atcon companies.
 
    Ryan says while Graham didn't check whether his father had ties to Atcon at the time the loan guarantee was offered, it was his responsibility to know.

    Despite the loan guarantee, Atcon went bankrupt in 2010.    Ryan is recommending Graham be fined $3,500 and reprimanded.
 
    Graham issued a statement saying the fault was an oversight' on his part and he accepts full responsibility for his actions.

More Snow And Some Rain For Wednesday

Some of us in Charlotte County are still digging ourselves out from the snowstorm -- but Environment Canada says "Don't put your shovels away just yet."

Meteorologist Claude Cote tells Tide News they are currently watching another low pressure system that will hit Wednesday. Cote says this system will not be as severe as the storm we felt this past weekend. He says we can expect up to 5-10 mms of rain, and another 5-10 cms of snow on Wednesday.




Cote says Charlotte County recieved 20 cms of snow by Sunday evening and winds that reached 93 kms per hour in the St. Stephen and Bayside areas.

NB Power reporting over 55 hundred in the province were without juice this morning, including 625 affected in Charlotte County, most of those being in Pennfield.