North End Fire Leaves Nine Homeless

Three adults and six children are homeless after a fire in an apartment building in Saint John's North end. 

The blaze at 37 MacLaren Boulevard was reported shortly before 6:00pm. Platoon Chief Barry Oickle of the city fire department says fire crews could see very heavy thick black smoke and fire coming out of the windows of the first floor apartment. The blaze was quickly knocked down.

The first-floor apartment was heavily damaged by smoke and fire while the apartment above it sustained minor smoke and fire damage—because of the damage, several other tenants are temporarily displaced while their apartments are cleaned and ventilated. No humans were hurt, however, four pets died in the fire.

The Canadian Red Cross is helping the victims, giving them a place to stay, food and clothing. A housing coordinator will be working with the nine people who are permanently homeless to find them alternative housing.

Free Well Testing For Flood Damaged Homes In Charlotte County

How did your well hold out during the latest flood?

The Department of Environment and Local Government offering free bacterial testing of private wells in Charlotte County that were affected by the most recent storm.

Municipal homeowners are also eligible if their plumbing was compromised and had their water shut off.

On Friday, July 26th,  St. Stephen recieved 165 mms of rain, causing flash floods.

Residents can now pick up sampling kits at the Service New Brunswick location in St. Stephen.
The province will test for free at the labratory in Fredericton.

Man Escapes From Bear Attack

A forester who was scouting areas for tree cutting in the Brockway area this week, about 80 kilometers south of Fredericton, says he was attacked by a black bear and barely escaped by the skin of his teeth. 

Natural Resources is now looking for the bear.
    
Pierre Mezzetta tried to run away when confronted by the bear which he estimates weighed over 300 pounds and was chased up a tree.
    
The bear still managed to sink its teeth into his boot and leg before finally leaving.
    
Such attacks by black bears are considered rare.

Pedway To Get Fixed Up This Fall

The Chipman Hill portion of the Pedway will be getting some major repairs in the near future in Saint John.

You might remember the late January wind storm that loosened the glass wall in the middle of the daily lunch rush. After that episode, the section of the indoor connection had to undergo some temporary repairs.

Now, the City has issued a call for tenders until September 4 for the replacement of the curtain wall. They stipulate it would ideally be finished by the end of October.

The pedway was originally built in the early 1980s and is Atlantic Canada's longest indoor, climate-controlled pedway system.

Government Touts Jobs For Recent Grads

500 new jobs have been created for recent university graduates according to the Alward government.

The One Job Pledge gives eligible businesses a wage incentive when they hire people who have graduated from a post-secondary school within the past 4 years.

145 of the 524 jobs created are in the Fredericton area and pay at least $14 an hour, and the premier says the overall number is double what they had initially predicted.

Doucet On Flooding: "We Need To Look At The Bigger Picture"

A local MLA is calling on the Alward government to do more in preparation for flooding.

Charlotte-The Isles MLA Rick Doucet says after hosting a meeting in St. George, he saw a lot of frustration and anger from residents who feel they are left vulnerable to the next storm.

Doucet tells Tide News we need to look at the bigger picture. "These rain events are going to happen more and more often, so it really brings that bigger question of how do we better prepare for it? Let's not think of this happening every ten years or every twenty years or every hundred years. These are going to happen more and more often and as communities, we just need to be ready for it."

Doucet is proposing the legislature appoint a select committee on flood damage control with a mandate to visit flood-prone areas, gather ideas from residents and dam operators, and then make recommendations on further action.

The MLA goes on to say he has a clear mandate from the people in Charlotte County to re-introduce the amendment to the Emergency Measures Act. He says the community is going to rally with him, be better organized, and get in contact with government members who voted against it last December. "As a matter of fact, all the government members did a standing vote and voted against it. So they're going to start the lobby process prior to the fall session, but I think they are going to make a stronger presence with a stronger voice to the government members to see that this goes through and not be defeated."

Former Sea Dogs In Court

A couple of former Sea Dogs appearing in court in London, Ontario on assault charges. 

Montreal Canadiens defense prospect Nathan Beaulieu and his father, former Sarnia Sting coach Jacques Beaulieu pleaded guilty and were given conditional discharges. This means they will not have criminal records which allows them to continue their hockey careers. 

The two were charged back in April after some sort of altercation at a house party during which two people suffered minor injuries. 

Jacques Beaulieu was fired as general manager and coach of the OHL's Sting in late May because of the incident.

Protests Over Proposed West To East Pipeline

Despite the enthusiasm for the proposed West to East pipeline in Saint John, it's getting a rough ride in Ontario where there have been protests. 

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne is promising to address environmental concerns which she says have to be at the center of any talk about the movement of fuel through the province. 

Eighteen people were arrested at one blockade. They oppose Enbridge's plan to reverse the flow of oil in a stretch of pipeline northwest of Hamilton to Montreal, saying the move could lead to a possible breach.

Bust Nabs SJ Prez Of Bacchus Motorcycle Club

6 people including the President of the local chapter of the Bacchus Motorcycle club are in custody following a 6 month investigation involving 4 local police agencies.

Simultaneous raids at Nature's Way in Saint John, Shamper's Bluff Road in Kingston and Route 102 Public Landing where meth, pot, prescription pills, guns, bullets, brass knuckles and 4 grand in cash were seized.

44 year old Brian Schofield of Public Landing , also President of the Saint John Bacchus Motorcycle Club,  pleading guilty to possession for the purpose of trafficking.  He was released on house arrest and will reappear in court for sentencing on September 5th and to plead on other charges.

39 year old Ryan Wallace of Kingston, a former member of the motorcycle club,  faces drugs including possession and trafficking and for having two unlicensed rifles.  He remains in custody and is due in court on Monday for a bail hearing.

28 year old Lia Olde Damink of Kingston faces several charges including possession of percocet for the purpose of trafficking, possession of two unlicensed rifles and with stealing a drug from the Regional Hospital. She has a court date next month.

39 year old Blaine Beddow of Saint John, a former striker of the Saint John Bacchus Motorcycle Club,  faces multiple drugs charges for production, trafficking and more. He's being held in custody until a bail hearing on Monday.

A 32 Saint John woman and a 42 year old Public Landing woman will be in court later to face drug charges.

Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued For St. Stephen

Keep your eyes to the skies.
Environment Canada issuing a severe thunderstorm watch for St. Stephen and northern Charlotte County this afternoon.

The national forecaster says there is the potential for severe thunderstorms with large hail, damaging winds, and heavy downpours.

It says thundershowers could bring up to 20 mms of rain.
Other areas under the thunderstorm watch are Fredericton, Oromocto, and the Woodstock area.

Weapon Pulled On Cab Driver

A heated argument in Saint John ending with a weapon being pulled on a cab driver.  

City police tell us it happened late yesterday afternoon on Peters Street, just off of Waterloo Street. A 20 year old man got out of the car, kicked the door, took out the weapon before being arrested. The driver wasn't hurt in the incident and no cash was stolen.

Police say they also nabbed two car prowlers in the area of Carlisle Crescent on the east side.

MLA Hosting Meeting Tonight On Flooding In St. George

Wild weather is here to stay it would seem.

One Liberal MLA wants to make sure homes and businesses in his riding are prepared and protected as much as they can be.

Flash flooding in Charlotte County last month was a scary reminder of the devastation water brought to the area in 2010.

Residents of St. George, Lake Utopia, Boney River, and everyone in between are welcome to attend a meeting on the topic tonight.

Charlotte the Isles MLA Rick Doucet is hosting the meeting tonight at 7pm at Magaguadavic Place.

Logan Pleads Guilty To Manslaughter

A guilty plea from a Saint John man charged in connection with a brutal beating at an uptown rooming house that led to a 66 year-old's death.

35 year-old Nicholas Logan pleading guilty to manslaughter after Duncan MacDonald died in hospital on April 10 from injuries he sustained from the March 16 incident on the corner of Duke and Prince William.

MacDonald had a broken neck, punctured lung and a severe brain injury. The official cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. 

After the incident, Logan told police he had felt "a strong desire to wipe out everyone in the building." Logan has been undergoing mental health assessments at a hospital in Restigouche, where he's been remanded until his next court appearance on August 30: a disposition hearing before sentencing. 

Judge Henrik Tonning calling cases like this one "very complicated."

Malloch Looking For Awnswers To Flooding Issues

With the clean up pretty much completed in the wake of another flash flood in the St Stephen area - attention is turning to what steps are needed to better deal with changing weather patterns.
Charlotte - Campobello M-L-A Curtis Malloch tells Tide News it's time for serious soul searching by trying to determine what to look at - where to look at it - what can we do different as we move ahead with infrastructure.
Malloch says he will continue to push the issue with his government colleagues in Fredericton - he says he also wants to make sure the best support is available to emergency responders and volunteers when dealing with natural disasters.

East Side Apartment Complex Evacuated

Light smoke and a strange smell filling an apartment complex causing an afternoon evacuation. 

Platoon Chief Eric Garland says they evacuated everyone in the 48-unit apartment building at 10 Woodhollow Park while crews looked for the source—which they found to be a malfunctioning ventilation system that's now in need of servicing. 

Fire crews were on the scene for about an hour, and everybody was allowed to return home. One older woman was brought to hospital, but Garland says it's nothing serious.

Target Hosting Job Fair Throughout Week

As the Port City holds onto the title of highest unemployment of all cities in a Stats Canada survey, this announcement could bring some hope to Saint Johners looking for work — a major retail chain is doing some hiring.

Target is hosting a job fair throughout the week at Loch Lomond Place. It runs from 8:30am to 5:30 on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and from 11:00am to 8pm on Wednesday.

The store itself will will open sometime before Christmas.

Jewish Historical Museum Gets $25,000 Donation

The Saint John Jewish Historical Museum fund has just received a big donation from a man who passed away last week.

Author, lawyer, educator and human rights advocate Lorne Rozovsky has given the group $25,000. In a letter, he wrote that he wanted to make a lasting contribution to the preservation of the history of the city's Jewish community.

Rozovsky died last Monday at the age of 70 after a 15-month battle with pancreatic cancer.

Cheap, Unique Entertainment For The Entire Family

Acrobatics, costumes, bagpipes and standup comedy: just a few of the wild and wacky performance styles you can expect at the Port City's most unique theater festival....which you may not have heard of yet.

Fundy Fringe Fest is a brand-new theater festival coming to the Port City. The  titles range from "Morlock the Warlock" to "That Boob Show" and "I Get Naked," and the performers are from all over Canada.

Sandra Bell of the Fundy Fringe Fest tells CHSJ News it's not your usual highbrow theater experience, and there's something at Fringe everyone can appreciate.

The Fundy Fringe Festival festival runs from August 21 to the 25 and a $50 festival pass gets you into 8 different shows of your choice. For more information, click here.

Firefighters Find Cause Of Gas Smell On West Side

Fire crews getting to the bottom of a strong smell on the West side of Saint John.

The calls started coming in just after 10pm, with numerous West side residents reporting a strange smell in the air—many saying it smelled like natural gas.

Firefighters tracked down the source of the odour—a Maritimes and Northeast substation on the West side that had released a small amount of gas. Wilson says the low atmosphere and the fog at the time made the smell seem much worse than it actually was.

He says there was no danger.

Harper: Feds Will Review Exotic Pet Store Rules

The federal government will review whether or not it needs to play a role in how exotic pet stores are regulated says Prime Minister Stephen Harper. 

Early on Monday, two young brothers in Campbellton were killed by an African rock python that escaped its enclosure in an apartment located above exotic pet store, Reptile Ocean. 

As Harper made the vow yesterday, zoo staff seized 23 reptiles—among them, snakes, lizards and a Cuban crocodile—and euthanized four American alligators belonging to the store. Officials say they had to put the animals down because no zoo would take them.

The species of python is banned in the province unless you have a special permit. Environment Canada spokesman Mark Johnson says the department was enlisted to help transport the python to Reptile Ocean 11 years ago after it was abandoned at the SPCA in Moncton.

Funeral Today For Brothers Killed By Python

A funeral service is being held today for the two boys killed by a python in Campbellton. 

Four year-old Noah Barthe and his six year-old brother Connor were found dead on Monday morning after a 45-kilogram African rock python escaped its enclosure in the apartment, which is above an exotic pet store.

Preliminary autopsy results show the boys died of asphyxiation.

Campbellton's deputy mayor, Ian Comeau, says the brothers will be buried together in one casket and that the service will celebrate their short lives. The funeral will be held at St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church.
  
Both the apartment and store are owned by Jean-Claude Savoie, a family friend, who took the boys shopping and to a farm before hosting a sleepover on Sunday with his son.

Two Hospitalized After East Side Crash

A two-car crack up on the East side of Saint John.

Division Chief Mark Wilson of the Saint John Fire Department says two people were brought to hospital after the crash, which happened just after nine o'clock in the evening on the corner of Westmorland Road and Retail Drive. 

Their injuries are not life-threatening.

Milltown Blaze Leaves Man Temporarily Homeless

A Bordertown blaze gutting a mobile home in the Milltown area, leaving a man temporarily homeless. 

Crews from St. Stephen and Calais, Maine, responded to the fire which was reported at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. No word yet on a cause. 

The Canadian Red Cross is providing emergency lodging for the man, who they say is focusing on his daughter's wedding today.

Fire In Milltown Trailer Park

Fire crews from Calais and St. Stephen responding to a fire today at the Milltown trailer park.

No word yet on the extent of damage or any injuries.

New TV Ad By Premier Drawing Some Fire

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation says it should be the provincial Conservative party paying for the new TV ad featuring Premier David Alward. 

He's talking about turning around the economic fortunes of the province and bringing New Brunswick workers back home from out west but the Federation's Atlantic Director Kevin Lacey tells CHSJ News he doubts taxpayers in the province want to foot the bill.

The ad cost 15 thousand dollars to make and another 75 thousand dollars to air. 

A spokesperson for the Premier says they're just trying to be transparent but Lacey views it as the first ad of next year's provincial election campaign.

Report Complete On Chemo Underdosing At Regional Hospital

Health Canada should regulate the mixing of drugs outside a licensed pharmacy. 

That conclusion emerges from a report on why more than 12 hundred cancer patients at the Regional Hospital and in Ontario were receiving lower dosages for their chemotherapy than they should have, some for as long as a year.

Saint John To Be Visited By Prime Minister

Prime Minister Harper will be making a brief stop in Saint John at noonhour. 

He's here for what is described as a photo op with Premier David Alward and Arthur Irving at the Irving Oil refinery. 

This comes just a few days after the announcement that Trans Canada is moving ahead with the West to East pipeline which has the support of the federal government as a way to reduce dependence on foreign oil, get more money for Alberta oil and spur some economic activity.

Alward Government It Is Doing Something To Combat Food Insecurity

The Minister of Healthy and Inclusive Communities isn't taking issue with the estimate of 24 per cent of children in the province growing up in homes where getting enough food is a problem. 

Dorothy Shephard, who's also the M-L-A for Saint John Lancaster, tells CHSJ News the Alward Government is not sitting back, waiting for the provincial economy to get better. 

She says the government spends about 1 and a half million dollars a year on 29 different programmes which include community gardens, one of which just opened on land leased to the Carleton Community Centre by the Port Authority.
 
Shephard also says food mentors go into communities to teach people how they can shop well by buying nutritious foods that are cheaper than processed food. She points out the community gardens are full of people.  

Patient Registry Matches 800 NBers With Family Doctors

A provincially-run registry that matches doctor-less patients with family doctors is showing results.

800 New Brunswickers have been matched with a family doctor or nurse through Patient Connect NB, and another 300 are being matched right now. 2000 people have signed up for the service in total.

Patient Connect NB was established at the end of May. To register for the service, click here.

Councillor Confident Simms CEO Will Help Unemployed Workers

With the announcement the West side icon will be shutting its doors, the CEO of Simms has said he'll help out of work employees find new jobs — and Ward One Councillor, Bill Farren, believes he'll be true to his word.

Farren tells CHSJ News he knows Tom Simms will do his best to take care of those who find themselves unemployed when the Simms Corner factory shuts its doors this fall.

Farren says that's just in Simms' make-up, calling him a man of the people and a good, true businessman.

In a release Simms said it was a tough choice to let go of a team of employees they've worked with for decades. No word on how many people will be out of a job.

Iconic Saint John Company Was Founded By Civil War Vet From Maine

The Simms Company, which will no longer be making its brushes in Saint John, had its beginnings in 1866. That's when Thomas Stockwell Simms, an American civil war veteran, invested his soldier's back pay and bonus in a small brush and broom operation in Portland, Maine. This fledgling enterprise moved  in 1872 to Saint John. 

David Goss knows more about Saint John history than just about anyone else and tells CHSJ News Simms played a huge role in the lives of many people on the west side. He says you will hardly meet anyone over 60 in that part of the city who hasn't had some connection with the company over the years.


Simms Corner used to be known as Avery's Corner and the company, which employed up to 500 workers at one time, had a building across the road on the former Centracare property which was used to house 60 factory girls if they had nowhere else to live.
 
Simms travelled all the way to the far east back in the early 1900's to get the best bristles and established a Baptist church in India which is still standing today.

Public Support For Big Industrial Projects Harder To Come By

The rules of the game have changed when it comes to winning public support for big industrial projects. 

John Herron of the Atlantica Centre for Energy says the old argument of compromising the environment for the sake of jobs and economic growth isn't being accepted as readily anymore. 

Shale gas development has run into strident opposition but Herron tells the Tide other jurisdictions have managed to get their publics on board with energy development.

Herron says protests occur when people feel they're not being listened to and there have been intensified protests in Kent County with arrests being made.

Proposed Pipeline Could Get Rough Ride In Quebec

Provincial Green Party leader David Coon says there might be overwhelming support for the West to East pipeline in Saint John but such is not the case in Quebec. 

He claims there's alot of concern and Quebec Premier Pauline Marois has been hedging on where she stands so as not to alienate her populist base. Coon points out environmental concerns in Quebec have been heightened because of the train disaster with tankers of oil exploding at Lac Magentic last month.

He tells the Tide the pipeline project will increase carbon pollution and that will have unforseen consequences, pointing out not many people around here are aware the Bay of Fundy is becoming more acidified because of climate change and increased carbon pollution. He warns that acidification could damage the fishery over the long term.

Two Young Boys Strangled By Snake As They Slept

Campbellton is in a state of shock........The RCMP say two young boys, aged 5 and 7, are dead after they were strangled by a python that escaped its enclosure at an exotic pet store.   

The RCMP say the boys were sleeping in an apartment above Reptile Ocean and it's believed the snake made its way into the apartment through the ventilation system sometime through the overnight hours.
    
The snake was captured and is in the possession of police.  The boys were visiting the apartment of the pet store's owner at the time.

Autopsies will be performed on the two victims today in Saint John.
  

Order Of New Brunswick Recipients Named

Premier David Alward announcing ten people in the province being recognised with the Order of New Brunswick. 

They are Joanna Bernard, of Madawaska Maliseet First Nation, for her tireless efforts to ensure the well being and economic prosperity of her community as well as of all First Nations communities in the province.

Édith Butler, from Paquetville, for her remarkable contributions to the advancement of Acadian culture and heritage.

Alida Clément, from Dieppe, for her dedication and volunteer efforts to ensure the well being and quality of life of disabled persons, seniors, and her community at large.

Eugène Durette, from Edmundston, for the impact he has had in advancing business in Edmundston and throughout the province, as well as the many ways in which he has given back to his community.
 
Dr. Dana Hanson, from Fredericton, for his outstanding leadership in the medical profession in New Brunswick and around the world. Dr. Hanson is a former President of the Canadian Medical Association.

Jean Irving, from Rothesay, for her passion and commitment to bettering the quality of life of communities throughout the province.

Freeman Patterson, from Shampers Bluff, for his exceptional talents as a photographer and his passion for sharing his skills and knowledge the world over.
  
Gerry Pond, one time head of NB Tel, for his innovative spirit and for being the driving force behind so many of New Brunswick's information technology and telecommunications success stories.

Gordon Porter, from Woodstock, for his efforts in advancing inclusive education and the rights of persons with disabilities in New Brunswick and throughout the world.

Lionel Poitras, from Saint-André, for his contributions to ensuring the sustainability of the potato farming industry in the province.

Mill Rats Get Fifth Pick In 2013 NBL Canada Draft

To play on the Saint John Mill Rats, you can’t just play a good game, you’ve got to have a good personality. 

That’s according to the President and General Manager of the team, Ian McCarthy, and the philosophy he’ll be bringing to the National Basketball League of Canada’s draft later this month as they add a few new faces to the team.

McCarthy tells CHSJ News the players have to be willing to be involved in the community, they have to be amiable and willing to sign autographs for the kids. In terms of on-the-court play, he says the top two things they're looking for is athleticism and talent.

The Mill Rats have fifth pick in the 2013 National Basketball League of Canada draft on Monday, August 19 in Markham, Ontario.

Cherry Brook Zoo Seeks Closure After Tiger's Death

As the Cherry Brook Zoo comes to grips with the sudden loss of its young Siberian tiger, their Director of Zoo Development says they’re focusing on the present before they start to think about the future. 

Linda Collrin tells CHSJ News another tiger will be brought into the zoo eventually—she says it would be a dishonour to six year-old Nyla if they didn't—but first, they want to find out exactly what happened to her through a necropsy.

The tiger became sick on July 18, going blind, having seizures and losing weight and the zoo was forced to euthanize her on Wednesday. While results have shown she had an pneumonia, Collrin says she caught it as a result of being in such a weak state. That doesn't tell them why she became sick in the first place. 

Collrin says they'll be working with the SSP Program or International Species Survival Program again when bringing in a new tiger.

Swimmers Brave Northumberland Strait For Charity

A group of swimmers are back on dry land after diving into the frigid waters of the Northumberland Strait. 

The 34 participants in the Big Swim fundraiser swam a 15-kilometre stretch from New Brunswick to Prince Edward Island to raise money for people living with chronic illness and disease.

They brought in more than $130,000 dollars during this year's swim, most of which will be split between Cystic Fibrosis Canada and Brigadoon Village. Since it started three years ago, The Big Swim has raised more than $230,000 dollars for charity.

Todd McDonald is the co-founder of the event, and he says they set two records this year: the largest group to swim the Strait at once and the youngest female swimmer to make the crossing—15 year-old Jessica Plummer from Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia finished her swim in four and half hours.

Smoke From Kitchen Fire Wakes Homeowner

A man and woman evacuating their smoke-filled home as a fire burned in the kitchen.

Platoon Chief Eric Garland says crews were called around 5:30am to 401 Churchland Road in Saint John and knocked down the blaze. 

Garland says the woman was woken up by the smoke, and she woke up her husband—the smoke detector didn't go off.

The house has some smoke damage and there is fire damage in the kitchen, but nobody was hurt and the fire is not considered suspicious.

Development Of Former Coast Guard Site in Saint John "Signifcant"

Development of the former Coast Guard site down by Market Square will take 7 years to complete over 4 phases. 

The General Manager of Saint John Waterfront Development Kent MacIntyre predicts this will have a significant impact for the good on the uptown and tells the Tide whenever you have a developer from outside showing confidence in the city, it can build momentum because local businesspeople take note of that.

MacIntyre points out there will be a strong residential component to the development and with more people in a neighbourhood, you tend to get new businesses springing up.

Stock Car Driver Dies During P.E.I. Speedway Race

Tragedy on the race track—a 30 year-old stock car racer from Riverview died after his vehicle flipped onto its roof during the 98th lap of a 100-lap competition. 

He started to take off his own safety equipment while suspended upside down, but the effort somehow strangled him, leading to his death.

The race was hosted Saturday at the Oyster Bed Speedway race track, about 15 kilometres north of Charlottetown.

RCMP say reasonable safety protocols were followed during the race.

New Nature Preserve On Saint John's West Side

A large parcel of land on the West side of Saint John is now under protection. 

Jane Barry of the Nature Trust of New Brunswick says 122 acres of marshland, shoreline and forests in Saints Rest have been donated to the group for preservation. 

Barry tells CHSJ News the land has a rich history—about 300 years ago it was diked by Acadian settlers, and the settlers used the dried-up area for harvesting hay. In the 1940s, the the dikes were washed away and the land became reclaimed by the Bay of Fundy. Now, it's one of the largest salt water marshes in the area.

The area is home to the American black duck and the Savannah Sparrow, along with a number of rare plant species.

The Nature Trust of New Brunswick is hosting a reception and tour of the new nature preserve, called Saints Rest Marsh-F. Gordon Carvell, on Tuesday from 1-2pm, starting at the Tourism Information Centre.

South End Residents Disgusted By Crude Oil Smell

The stench of crude oil being unloaded near the Courtney Bay train tracks drawing concern and disgust from some residents.

South Ender Julie Dingwell tells CHSJ News the overpowering smell woke up her entire family in the middle of the night last week, and they called the fire department thinking there was a gas leak.

Dingwell says if it's that bad where she lives she can't imagine what it would be like on Bayside Drive.

Irving tells CHSJ News they are investigating but believe it was the result of the type and amount of crude being unloaded at the time, and it won't happen again.

Police Investigating ATV Theft

Police are investigating the theft of an ATV—and they're looking for your help.

The robbery happened overnight on Thursday.

The ATV is a yellow Can Am Renegade with two decals, one the gas tank that reads "Hot Balls" and the other on the front fender that reads "Metal Mulisha". 

If you have any information, you're being asked to contact the Rothesay Regional Police Department by calling 847-6300 or Crimestoppers by calling 1-800-222-8477.

Siberian Tiger Dies At Cherry Brook Zoo

The staff at the Cherry Brook Zoo are mourning the loss of one of their animals—a Siberian tiger named Nyla.

The zoo saying in a release they were forced to euthanize the six year-old animal on Wednesday. 

After becoming suddenly ill on July 18, Nyla went blind, started having seizures and began losing weight—they consulted with other zoos and veterinarians from across Canada and the U.S., but she didn't respond to any treatments. The cause of death has been labelled a pneumonia.

As to whether or not they'll bring another tiger into the zoo, they say they're waiting on necropsy results first. They say they need to know what happened to Nyla before moving on.

The zoo says tigers can live into their twenties.

Brewery Projects How Much Beer NBers Will Buy This Weekend

It's no surprise New Brunswickers love their suds, but what might surprise you is the number of brews we're projected to buy over this long weekend.

Moosehead Breweries says it's expected that 130 to 140 thousand 12-packs of beer will be purchased during the New Brunswick Day weekend.

NB liquor will be open during regular hours tomorrow, but will be closed on Monday. You can visit their store locator site for the complete list of store locations and services available.

Police Increasing Presence On Roads During Long Weekend

Stay sober, buckle up and don't answer that call. Long weekends mean more traffic on the roadways, and police are heightening their presence to crack down on dangerous driving. 

Sergeant Claude Tremblay of RCMP's Traffic Services tells CHSJ News some people say they don't need to wear a seat belt because they're not driving very far, but Tremblay says statistics show that 80% of people drive within 25 to 30 kilometres of where they live, so that argument doesn't hold water. 

He says if you're not wearing a seat belt in a crash, you'll be knocked around or ejected from the car, and if you're ejected, 95% of the time you'll be seriously injured or killed.

The percentage of fatal crashes where the victims weren't wearing a seat belt has gone up, from 23 per cent last year to 40 per cent so far this year.

Charges Laid In Cochran's Country Market Robbery

All three involved in the armed robbery of a small grocery store in Rothesay have now been charged. 

On July 16, three people with weapons entered Cochran's Country Market on Hampton Road, bound two employees and made away with an undisclosed amount of cash.

27 year-old Blake Andrew Smith, 26 year-old Stephen Corey Richard and 47 year old Keith Oliver Dixon have all been charged with armed robbery, wearing a disguise, and unlawful confinement. 

Smith and Richard will be back in court on Tuesday, and Dixon will be in court again next Monday.

Fire Crews Battling Concession Stand Blaze

An old, vacant concession stand in Quispamsis going up in flames.

Rothesay Regional Police say the stand at the old drive-in near Carpenter's Pit off of Parkside Road was set on fire around 3am.

Fire crews from the KV Fire Department battling the fire were able to get it under control, and nobody was hurt.

Boardwalk Rescue In Saint John

An early morning rescue on the boardwalk.

City police say a woman was brought to the hospital with at least one broken leg after falling off of the boardwalk railing and onto the rocks below.

Crews spent nearly an hour and a half on the scene rescuing the woman.