Trial Date Set After Home Invasion

A trial date has been scheduled for a 21 year old man who was stabbed and then charged after a home invasion where he lives on the lower west side of Saint John back in early November.

Christopher Reid of 341 Prince Street has pleaded not guilty with a trial set to go on September 25th on a charge of possessing a knife.

Two other men and a 16 year old youth are accused of trying to force their way into 341 Prince Street and carry out a robbery.

18 year old A-J Dennison died after he was stabbed and a warrant has been issued for the arrest of 21 year old Bradley Saia ( as seen in picture ) .

Maine Toddler Missing 1 Year

Today is a sad day for the State of Maine.


Many residents are remembering 20-month-old Ayla Reynolds who was reported missing from her father's home in Waterville, Maine on December 17th, 2011. One year ago to the day.
State police, game wardens, dive teams, and FBI agents searched neighbourhoods and lowered streams in hopes of finding the blonde-haired, blue-eyed child.

The toddler's father, Justin DiPietro insists the girl was abducted, even though he and two other adults were in the home at the time of her dissappearance.

Police say traces of Ayla's blood were found in DiPietro's basement, but he was never charged.

Officials with the Maine State Police say the case is still open, however, they believe Ayla is most likely dead.

Car Accident Traps Two Women

Two women being sent to the Saint John Regional Hospital after a two car accident on the corner of Carmarthen and Union street in uptown Saint John last night.

Saint John Fire Department Platoon Chief Roy Byers says the two women were trapped in an SUV that was flipped on it's side. Fire crews managed to pull the roof off and free the two.

The accident happened around 8 o'clock.

True Growth 2.0 Support Grows

True Growth 2.0 is getting full support from communities in Greater Saint John.

The initiative, steered by Enterprise Saint John, is a regional development strategy to develop our business and culture. When it started in 2003 it focused on improving 4 sectors (energy, health and life sciences, tourism, and ICT) but now it's hoping to attract and keep new people to the region.

The town of Rothesay is committing $86,000 a year for 3 years, or about $3,000 a year more than before. Mayor Bill Bishop tells Tide news economic development is the answer to improving our way of life and getting more tax dollars. He says if Saint John grows, it benefits the outlying communities.

Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll agrees, saying if more business is brought to Saint John more people will move to Quispmasis. Driscoll says True Growth 2.0 has such a healthy attitude and provides fresh opportunities for the region. He says when that happens you can expect better things to come.

Update On Yesterdays Fire At Fuel Storage Facility

There's no damage to the environment, injuries or other damage involved in yesterdays fire at a large storage facility containing 15,000 tons of petroleum coke (or pet coke).

After 12:30 yesterday afternoon fire crews, Saint John Port Authority, Department of Environment and NB Power were on scene responding to the fire at 12 King street.

Acting Platoon Chief Roy Byers says there was a metre square burning at the base of an 11,000 ton of pet coke. The material is used as fuel by NB Power during peak demand times. The huge fuel and combustible covering the warehouse was a major concern but crews managed to safely put the fire out.

Fire crews were on scene for 5 hours.

Executive-Director Of The Boys And Girls Club Has New Job

Debbie Cooper, who has been the Executive-Director of the Saint John Boys and Girls Club, is moving on up to a new job.

Cooper will be the Regional Director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada. Cooper sees lots of potential for further development and improvement of what the Boys and Girls Clubs can offer such as early childhood education.

Cooper warns community groups are being asked these days to do alot more but without adequate support, there comes a breaking point. She will be based in Saint John but do alot of travelling throughout the region.

Pension Reform Continues To Be Hot Topic

Pension reform is a hot topic these days in the Port City and beyond--and the provincial government will host a pan-Canadian summit in 2013 to look at how governments can address pension issues.

The two-day summit will tackle challenging questions related to the future of public and private sector pensions. Human Resources Minister Troy Lifford says NB's Shared Risk Model has become of great interest to other municipalities because it offers employees better protection and reduces liabilities for taxpayers.

Ski Season Starts Today

Attention, snow bunnies and boarders: it's that time of year again!

Poley Mountain is opening today for the season after having been manufacturing snow since the end of November. General Manager Bill Anderson tells Tide News even if you're a total newbie there's something for you to enjoy at Poley, including ski camps for kids and ski school for adults.

The Chute, Snow White and Lazy Way will all be open today. Anderson says this is the earliest they've been able to open for a few years, because of last winter's weirdly warm temperatures.

Units Will Be Replaced At NB Heart Centre

Next year's Health Department budget includes funding to replace two imaging units at the New Brunswick Heart Centre in the Regional Hospital.

Health Minister Ted Flemming tells Tide News the units in the cardiac catheterization lab are nearing the end of their useful life after a refurbishment 11 years ago.

The equipment uses specialized x-ray equipment that help doctors place stents in precise locations in heart arteries guiding them to ensure they get to the right place.

Flemming adds this equipment is critical to saving lives.

Police Give Details On US School Shooting

Police have confirmed twenty-seven people were killed today at a Connecticut elementary school shooting, including the gunman, with one person dead at another scene.

The dead at the school include 18 children, ranging from kindergarden through to Grade 4. Two other children died later in hospital.

The gunman opened fire Friday morning (December 14th,2012) inside a school where his mother worked.

He blasted his way through the building as young students cowered helplessly in classrooms while their teachers and classmates were shot.

The gunman killed himself. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy says someone who lived with him also died.

Photos were taken of young students crying, others looking frightened, while being escorted by adults through a parking lot in a line, the childrens' hands on each others shoulders.

The shooting happened  in Newtown, 60 miles northeast of New York City.

The suspect is 24-year-old Ryan Lanza. Police say his younger brother is being held for questioning as a possible second shooter. A law enforcement official says the boys' mother, Nancy Lanza, is presumed dead and worked at the school as a teacher.
The official added that Ryan Lanza's girlfriend and another friend are missing in New Jersey.

According to the official, the suspect drove to the school in his mother's car. Police say three guns were found at the scene.  A rifle was recovered from the back of a car at the school, and two pistols were recovered inside the school.

Another Recall Hits Atlantic Superstore

It's more trouble for our local St. Stephen Atlantic Superstore.
Grocery chain Loblaw Companies, has recalled two more frozen beef products because of possible.... contamination from E. coli bacteria.

The affected products are Butcher's Choice Hickory Barbecue Beef Burgers with best-before dates of Feb. 1st and Feb. 10th.

The company earlier recalled Butcher's Choice Garlic Peppercorn Beef Burgers with a best-before date of March 3rd.

Beef Recall Hits Charlotte County

It's bad news affecting our local Superstore in St. Stephen.


A burger recall is in place, prompted by possible E. coli contamination.

Loblaw and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are warning the public to avoid certain Butcher's Choice Garlic Peppercorn Beef Burgers.

The affected product is sold frozen with a best-before date of March 3rd.

The C-F-I-A says it is currently testing additional products from across the country and the recall may be expanded.

Retired Nurse Adds Author To Resume

A mother of four, a devoted pastor's wife, and a local nurse.


Melba Anderson can add now add "author" to her resume after completing her first book titled, "Windows Of Worth" a look through a devotional window for one year.


Anderson gets her life experiences from ministry, nursing, parenting, and the aging process for the collection of poems, scripture, and meditations.

Anderson is originally from Grand Manan and currently resides in Oak Bay. She spent many years as a nurse at the Charlotte County Hospital and with the ambulance service in St. Stephen. Anderson was also very active in her husband, Phil Anderson's ministry.
Anderson will be hosting a book signing tomorrow from 1-4 at the St. Croix Public Library.

SSMS Did Not Ask For The New By-Law

The Principal of St. Stephen Middle School is speaking out on a new by-law prohibiting drivers from parking anywhere near the crosswalk on Marks Street.

The by-law prohibits any parking, standing, or stopping within 30 metres and 15 metres of the crosswalk. The No Parking area stretches on one side almost to Union Street, and past the school bus driving lane on the other.

SSMS Principal Alan Dunfield tells Tide News the new by-law was not put in place due to complaints at the school or any specific incident.

Dunfield says he is not sure where it came from other than the basic rules and regulations from DOT and the Safety Board. He says, "I didn't even know about it until October." He says he was first informed the by-law would be implemented in an email he recieved from the Town of St. Stephen on October 5th, 2012.

Today Sgt. Bob MacKnight from District 1 RCMP and Citizens On Patrol were on site at the St. Stephen Middle School, passing out pamphlets and creating awareness for drivers of the new by-law.


Dunfield tells us, for the most part, the response has been great from parents. He says parents are typically good when it comes to honoring the crosswalk. Dunfield adds, in over ten years of standing outside watching the morning rush, he has never had a safety issue.
The RCMP will continue with the public education for the next 2 weeks, at which point non-compliant drivers could earn themselves a ticket.

RCMP Identify Victim Of Fatal Crash

The RCMP have identified the 29 year old man who died in a head on collision last weekend near Sussex as Jeremiah Greenwood of Waterborough.

Greenwood crossed the centre line while going eastbound along Highway 10 at Long Creek and crashed into an oncoming car with a mother and her two children who were taken to hospital.

The RCMP say alcohol and not wearing a seat belt contributed to the collision and death.

NB Health Care Gets "C" Grade

The New Brunswick Health Council giving the provincial healthcare system a grade of "C" which is no change from last year.

Health Council C-E-O Stephane Robichaud says it does well in treating people whose lives are on the line but less so when it comes to managing chronic conditions and then there's getting in to see your family doctor.


Robichaud says, "When you look at the ability to have an appointment within 48 hours, we ( New Brunswick) don't compare as well. Because of lengthier times to get an appointment, people end up going to either the emergency room or an after-hours clinic."

Robichaud says some patients are waiting longer for some surgeries including hip fractures and knee replacements.

New By-Law Says No Parking At SSMS

You'll be asking for a ticket, if you park your car too close to the St. Stephen Middle School.


A Town by-law is being implemented for Marks Street, in the area of SSMS, that prohibits any vehicles from parking, standing, or even stopping within the vicinity of the school crosswalk.

Signage is in place depicting the specified no parking area, however, ( as seen in the picture ) the signs are pointed backwards to oncoming traffic. The specified area runs close to Union Street all the way past the school bus loading exit.

Sgt Bob MacKnight with District 1 RCMP tells Tide News early mornings and mid-afternoons are congested on Marks Street with kids coming and going to school.

He says the intention of the by-law is to open the area up, so that students walking the crosswalk can do so safely.

RCMP and volunteer members of Citizens On Patrol will be educating drivers of the by-law for the next two weeks before non-compliant drivers are issued a ticket.

MacKnight says each ticket will amount to $172.50.

Police Say Snow Storm Was Accident-Free

No crashes, collisions, or ditch-divers.


District 1 RCMP tell Tide News there were no accidents to report today after St. Stephen received a few inches of snow.

Sgt. Bob MacKnight says there was very little traffic to begin with.

Saint Johners Step Up For Romero House

The 6th annual Romero House food drive is a phenomenal success filling a 53 foot trailer and more.

Donations of food and cash were accepted in the parking lot of Ritchie's on Rothesay Avenue for the soup kitchen's only annual food drive.

Carolyn McNulty tells Tide News everything donated will be used to provide meals, to help out in a food crisis, to keep their Mobile Unit on the road and full of supplies and more.

She tells us the operation is a fine balance between getting the food and having enough money to pay her staff who she adds do not make big money.

McNulty says a staff of 6 full time and two part time workers keeps everything going smoothly and in harmony.

Numerous Injuried In Hockey Team Bus Accident

Cuts, bruises and some broken bones were among the injuries of about a dozen people involved in a bus crash on a highway yesterday.

RCMP say the crash happened on Highway 11 near Sainte-Anne-de-Kent.

They say a bus carrying about 20 people from a senior men's hockey team from Cap-Pele was driving home from a game in northern New Brunswick when the driver lost control of the bus.

Police say road conditions were icy at the time of the crash.

(Courtesy of the Canadian Press).