Santa Claus Is Coming To Chocolate Town!

Santa Claus is coming to Chocolate Town!


The Annual St. Stephen Christmas Parade hitting the streets tonight with over 40 float participants.

Watch for your local postal workers because CUPE will be collecting "Letters to Santa" from children during the parade.

The parade will start tonight at 6:30 from the Ganong Factory, with the annual Christmas tree lighting and a visit from Santa immediately following in the St. Stephen Town Square. Cookies and hot chocolate will be served at the Town Square.

Students Speak Out On Health Report Cards

The teachers think it's great, and so do the health professionals -- but what about the kids?


St. Stephen High School students receiving their Health Report Cards this week after being tested in various areas like cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, and body mass, as well as self-esteem and mental health.

Grade 10 student William MacKnight tells Tide News the program is a positive thing for the school. He says, "I think it's a good idea, a lot of students can use the eye-opener and it's a very good opportunity to get to know where we are at."

Grade 10 student Lexi Brisley tells Tide News she thinks some students will ignore the interventions being offered by the school, but she won't be. She says, "I think it's a really good idea because a lot of people just don't know what is going on with their bodies, whether they are actually healthy or not, and this project really gives you the right idea."

Grade 11 student Alesha Baxter tells Tide News she was tested last year and was shocked to see what her results looked like. She says she decided to take the matter into her own hands and change her lifestyle. Baxter says over the course of the summer, she cut out bad foods from her diet, and became involved in many more physical activities. She says she was able to lose around 30 lbs. She says, "It was something I thought I needed to do to make myself happier. I've noticed a big change in my confidence and self-esteem, and I feel a lot happier these days."

Dr. Sohrab Lutchmedial -- who oversaw the project -- says it's not about comparing the statistics of one class to another, but comparing the progress of one student throughout their high school years.

( Picture: Grade 10 Student Lexi Brisley )

Health Report Cards Sees Bright Future For Struggling Students

It's Health Report Card Day at St. Stephen High School.


Grade 10 students were tested in areas such as cholesterol, blood glucose, body mass index, as well as mental health and self-esteem. Today the students receive their results.

The initiative started 3 years ago at SSHS as a way to help unhealthy kids, before they become unhealthy adults.


Dr. Sohrab Lutchmedial, a heart specialist who is overseeing the Health Report Card Day says, "Our kids are the first generation that will live a shorter lifespan than their parents." He says, "Today is all about educating the kids. That's why we realized we have to start where the kids are, which is in school, and not try to drag them out of their environment to a hospital or clinicto try an learn about their health. It should happen here."

Last year's results showed 10% of the students, aged 15, had 5 or more risk factors for coronary heart disease.

Dr. Lutchmedial says, "It's not about comparing the statistics of one class to another, but comparing how one student is doing throughout their high school years. Are they getting healthier as they get better educated? Are they starting to make better choices? With the interventions this year, are they actually going to be feeling better?"

Vice-Principal Krista Amos tells Tide News it is now time to focus on the intervention process. She says, "There will be opportunities during our Academic Intervention, which is a period students currently use to do homework during their school day. We are also going to open up the gym for some after school slots. We know the dietition will be coming to the school to work with students, mental health will be here to look at students who may have scored low on self-esteem. All sorts of good things are about to happen at St. Stephen High School."

The initiative started 3 years ago as a way to help unhealthy kids before they become unhealthy adults.

Amos says the entire program is voluntary and parents are sent a copy of their child's report card in the mail -- as opposed to the bottom of a bookbag.
(Picture: Dr. Lutchmedial (left), Nurse Practitioner Yvonne Bartlett (centre), and Vice Principal Krista Amos (right) explaining the Health Report Cards to the first class to receive them.)

Skilled Trades A Focus In Anglophone South District

Skilled Trades are becoming a popular item in our local high schools.


Coordinator of Technology & Skilled Trades for Anglophone South Moira Sherwood making a presentation to the District Education Council last night on the importance of skilled trades to our students and the connection between co-op courses and apprenticeship.

Sherwood tells Tide News the need for skilled trades workers across New Brunswick is very evident. She says the labour shortage in the province identifies why this is an opportunity to show the students all of their choices for a career.
Sherwood says many courses the students can take now will give them hours that can count towards an apprenticeship later, such as Carpentry, Cabinet Making, Framing & Sheathing.   Sherwood says not all of the schools in the Anglophone South School District have every course, but there is a wide variety of careers to choose from at each school. She says they want students to see all of their possibilities.

Pennfield Prepares for Annual Christmas Telethon

Pennfield being filled with the Christmas Spirit this weekend.


The Eastern Charlotte Lions Club will be hosting the 18th Annual Christmas Telethon this Saturday, November 17th from Noon to 6pm.

One of the organizers, Karen Tracy tells Tide News the Telethon will be taped this weekend, and played on Rogers Channel 10 on December 1st. She says everyone is welcome to come to the Lions Club on Saturday to pledge and enjoy the entertainment. She says anyone can make a pledge both days,  November 17th or December 1st, and they will accept any donations or pledges in between those days.

Some donations Tracy says the club is looking for are food, winter clothing and home-made items like knitted socks, hats, mittens and scarves as well as Christmas gifts. She adds that children's storybooks were a top item on this year's wish list.

Any money or donations from the event go to help local families in Charlotte County who are struggling during the holiday season. Tracy says last year they were able to help twenty-eight families with forty-six children.

If you would like to make a pledge, call the Eastern Charlotte Lions Club at 755-3713.

New & Old Saint Johners Remember

People from across Saint John coming out in droves and filling Harbour Station with gratefulness, respect and remembrance for our veterans.

10-year-old girl guide Rebecca Crosby tells Tide news she earned a Remembrance Day badge for helping in the ceremonies. She says through girl guides she's met and talked to veterans, and her great-great grandparents fought for Canada.

Lynn Stevens tells Tide news her father and uncles were vets, and her mother was a war bride who immigrated to Canada from England while the war was happening. She was on a boat with two young children while her husband was fighting. Stevens says if you think about everybody from that time, there's so many examples of courage.

Saint Johner Stephen Duggan has been going to cenotaphs all of his life, and tells Tide news he's always had an inner conflict that we might be glorifying war, but know it's to support our veterans. He says Remembrance Day is also a way to celebrate and keep world peace.

Sue Murray's parents were veterans who served over in England and her son served in Afghanistan. She says she does miss outdoor services but loved the ceremony at Harbour Station, saying it's better for people who are getting older and it brings more people out.

Sisters Madeline & Theresa Frauley have been attending Remembrance Day ceremonies for over 60 years. They say they first hated when the ceremony moved inside, but now say it's the best thing they could've ever done. They say it brings in more crowds and it's more comfortable for people both young and old.

Foreign students also experiencing their first Remembrance Day at Harbour Station. 16-year-olds Kwang Cho from Jamaica and Minhquan from Vietnam came with their school friend Adam Teskey. Teskey tells Tide news they're staying at his house over the long weekend and brought them out to the ceremony.
Minhquan says in Vietnam their Independence Day remembers their vets. But no matter when or where the ceremony is, it's important for the younger generations to know their soldiers who fought for their freedom.

TV Star And Comedian Talks About Teaching

Comedian Gerry Dee recently put on a show at the Imperial Theatre and you might remember him from his TV show "Mr. Dee" where he plays a teacher.

It shouldn't be that much of a stretch since Dee worked as a teacher and lived to write about it in a book entitled "Teaching.......It's Harder Than It Looks" and parents need to learn your kids are not angels.

Dee tells Tide News he was bullied at school and he just laughed it off which left his tormentor with nowhere else to go but there are alot of mean kids out there.

Dee has another message for parents.......Don't expect your child's teacher to be a superhero. Keep your expectations low and you might be pleasantly surprised.

As a teacher, Dee says he always tried to make the students laugh while knowing the subject matter well and maintaining order in the classroom. That, to him, is about as good as it gets.

Premier Says Lepreau Compensation Is Not Forgotten

Even though the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant is on the verge of generating power again, Premier David Alward has not given up the quest to get compensation from Atomic Energy of Canada for the billion dollars in cost overruns.

He calls it a high priority and he brings the subject up whenever he meets with the Prime Minister.  

When asked about the liklihood of Ottawa going along with compensating the province, Alward says he doesn't answer hypothetical questions but the number one priority right now is to ensure Point Lepreau returns online without any more problems.

Charlotte County Remembers

The weather looks good for outdoor Remembrance Day ceremonies in St. Stephen with the traditional service taking place at the Milltown Cenotaph. 

In St. Andrews, there will be a march from behind the RCMP headquarters to a service in All Saints Anglican Church.

In St. George, the service will start in the Branch 40 headquarters. 

The commemoration in Blacks Harbour will be held at Stella Maris Church Hall and you should arrive by 10:30. 

Grand Manan Community School will host the service as will Campobello Island Consolidated School.

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.