Deep Freeze To Last Until Next Tuesday

Put on your long-johns, the cold snap is holding strong.

Environment Canada issuing a wind chill warning for all of New Brunswick for tonight and tomorrow. Meteorologist Claude Cote tells Tide News the temperatures in Charlotte County are well below normal. He says, "Typically for this time of the year we should have afternoon temperatures near -4C, and overnight temperatures at -16C. Overnight tonight (Wednesday) Charlotte County will dip down to -24C and Thursday afternoon will se a high of -17C."

Cote says Charlotte County will be under the deep-freeze all week. "Beginning on Saturday, the temperature will start to recover somewhat, but we will have to wait until next Tuesday before the temperatures will return to seasonal value , around -3C to -4C, and by then we're probably going to find it mild."



Cote says a cold, arctic air mass from northern Canada and the Arctic has moved south to cover Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. He says there is nothing in the upper atmospheres to push the air mass away from us that would make the cold last only a day or so. He adds, as a result, we've been under the same air mass for the past week and it is only going to be pulling out of the region late over the weekend or early next week.

Maxwell Crossing Closed After Crash Causes Extensive Damage

The short-cut through Maxwell Crossing has been cut off.

Local Police report a single car crash yesterday afternoon caused extensive damage to the Maxwell Crossing covered bridge, which has now been closed to through traffic.

RCMP say three people traveling east in a car lost control of the vehicle just before the bridge around 3:30pm.

All three people were injured and taken to hospital by ambulance, the car was totaled, and the bridge is now missing a large section on one side.

Sgt. Bob MacKnight tells Tide News alcohol was not involved, but high speeds, slippery conditions, and driver inexperience were all factors to the crash.

MacKnight says DOT has closed the bridge because of the damage and it will likely remain that way for quite some time.
(Top Picture taken by Murray Weeks)

At A Grow-Op Near You...

With winter upon us, criminals often move their illegal operations indoors....

Crime Stoppers and New Brunswick RCMP asking the public report any information they may have about possible indoor marijuana grow ops. Growing marijuana indoors can pose a number of risks, including criminal activity and risks of fire and toxic chemical exposure.

Signs of a grow-op include heavy condensation and dark coverings over the windows, an unusual number of vents, increased security measures, and a strange odour coming from the house.

If you have a tip regarding a grow-op in your area, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). There is a $2,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Nursing Homes Open To Visitors, But Screening For Flu-Bug

A ban on public visitation has been lifted for two local nursing homes.

The Passamaquoddy Lodge in St. Andrews and Lincourt Manor in St. Stephen both confirming they are now allowing family and friends to visit loved ones at the facilities after a ban was put in place December 31st to keep the influenza virus from coming into contact with residents.

Karen Lord from the Lodge tells Tide News they are open, however, she asks anyone showing cold or flu-like symptoms to please stay away.


Lincourt says they are currently screening visitors before allowing them to visit.

Cold Snap Could Get Costly With Electric Baseboard Heating

A prolonged cold snap focuses the mind wonderfully on what you can do to keep your heating bills from exploding.

Carl Diuvenvorden says electric baseboard heating is inefficient and tells Tide News from first hand experience he knows what effect the installation of heat pumps or mini splits can have.

He says, "I can tell you, my mother lives in northern New Brunswick and she installed two mini-splits and a few other upgrades as well, and her power bills fell by 50%. In the case of a mini-split, they are several thousand dollars each."



Diuvenvorden says with baseboard heating you get one unit of heat for each unit of electricity.

Snook Stays In Jail

Former Saint John common councillor Donnie Snook will remain in provincial jail until March 11. Snook waiving his right to a bail hearing due to the amount of evidence still remaining to be processed by city police.

According to crown prosecutor Kelly Lamrock the police predict the investigation will take 4-6 weeks to complete. Police are currently working to identify victims in images found on Snook's computer and other potential victims. A number of people have also approached city police and the RCMP since the initial charges came to light, saying they too were abused.

Snook's laywer, Dennis Boyle, says Snook will be entering a plea on March 11.

More Alleged Victims Coming Forward Against Snook

Several people coming forward to both Saint John City Police and RCMP alleging they've been sexually abused by former Saint John Councillor Donnie Snook.

In a release, police say they're also trying to identify victims from the computer images seized from Snook's laptop. 40-year-old Snook is facing 8 charges in total, relating to child pornography, child exploitation, and sexual interference with a child under 16.

Police and the RCMP'S Internet Child Exploitation Unit are asking anyone with information relating to this matter to contact them.  Saint John Police Force at 506-648-3333, RCMP at 1-888-506-7267 or N.B. Crime Stoppers anonymously online at www.crimenb.ca  or 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Snook was arrested at his home on January 9th and resigned as a councillor on Thursday. He's set to appear in court tomorrow for a bail hearing.

New Affordable Housing In Fredericton

Those searching for affordable housing in the Fredericton area may soon have a little more choice...

The government announcing the opening of 8 new units for low-income individuals at 411 St. Mary's St., and 75 units for seniors, non-elderly singles and people with disabilities at Brookside and Terrace Courts.

The Feds contributed $3 million in funding for the  Brookside Drive development, and the provincial and federal government contributed equally to the $75 million dollar costs for the development on St Mary's Street.

Human Resources Minister Troy Lifford referred to the developments as part of the mission to enhance taxpayers quality of life while also living within their means.

Liberals Call On Health Minister For Apology

The opposition critic of health is not impressed with various actions by Health Minister Ted Flemming this week.

Donald Arsenault tells Tide news he knows Flemming has a plan in place to reduce 22 emergency rooms to 15, but it's the way he's doing it that's frustrating. Arsenault says the way he's attacked doctors and referred to New Brunswicker's as hillbillies for not jumping on the shale gas bandwagon is not a proper comment to make.

He says if the minister is thinking about shutting down ER's to save money, he should be honest with the public and say where they are. Arsenault worries it's the province's rural areas that would suffer the reduction in health care.

Arsenault is calling on Flemming to make an apology, and be more open with the public in a less aggressive way.

Doctors' Pay Will Not Be Made Public

The idea, put forward by provincial Auditor-General Kim McPherson, to make the individual pay of doctors public has been rejected by the Alward Government.

Health Minister Ted Flemming met with the New Brunswick Medical Society to talk about the concerns raised by her about double billing on the part of some doctors.

Anthony Knight of the Medical Society says it supports addressing what he calls rare inconsistencies but tells Tide News the doctors have gone out of their way to help out the province financially with a two year freeze on any increases in their Medicare fee schedules. He questions how much value the provincial government has placed on that.

The Medical Society has told us doctors believe they have been under attack of late in some sort of campaign to taint the public's perception of them but adds they're looking forward to a stronger relationship with the Department of Health.

Snook's Seat To Remain Empty Until Spring

With the official resignation of Saint John Councillor Donnie Snook, the picture of will happen to his seat around the council horseshoe is becoming much more clear.

Mike Quinn of Elections NB tells Tide News the are regular scheduled by-elections to fill vacant seats that arise throughout the province.

The next round of by-elections is scheduled for Monday, May 13th, so Snook's seat will remain vacant until then. There are currently 6 different requests for by-elections from 6 different municipalities throughout the province, and the number will be 7 if Saint John council votes to move in that direction.

Those Drowning In Debt Seek Help

Now's the time the credit card bills from Christmas are coming in and that's putting a strain on the finances of many households.

John Eisener, the President of Credit Counselling Services for Atlantic Canada, tells Tide News the average debt loads of the people who are coming into his office for held are anywhere from 26 to 28 thousand dollars.

He says if you made minimum payments each month, it would take you from 20 to 30 years to pay it all off.

Eisener says the rising cost of living is putting a strain on households and if your finances are causing you to lose sleep at night or arguments at home then you need some help to get out of the hole.

Another Person Is Sick With E. Coli

An investigation is underway to determine the source of a new case of E. coli which has been confirmed in the province.

Lab results show there's a link with six other cases already reported and Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Eilish Cleary says the most likely cause is shredded lettuce distributed by FreshPoint.

Seven people have now been diagnosed with E. coli in New Brunswick. There are other cases in Nova Scotia and Ontario.

She says if you're going to eat lettuce or cabbage, throw the outer leaves away and then remove the remaining leaves before thoroughly rinsing them in water for about 30 seconds.

Operation Cat Nip Takes Off Today

There's many four-legged early risers this morning.

Volunteers and staff at the Saint John SPCA Animal Rescue League are packing up 35 cats and supplies for their trip to UPEI'S Veterinary College. It's the start of Operation Cat Nip, a new initiative where all the cats will be spayed and neutered at a minimal cost to help lower Port City's vast amount of stray felines.

The SPCA calls it a "win-win" for both the shelter and students, who gain clinical experience from the surgeries and the cats are fixed for a low cost.

Cats who have been fixed are less likely to roam, mark their territory, and have a reduced risk of illness. All the cat surgeries will take place today and the felines will be checked over before coming back home to Saint John.

New Hotel To Open Alongside Garcelon Civic Center

The Bordertown now has two big projects to open this fall.

The announcement coming yesterday from local businessman Tom McFarlane that his company Spur Line Properties Inc. will build a 5-story, multi-million dollar hotel complex within feet of the Garcelon Civic Centre on the St. Stephen waterfront.

St. Stephen's Chief Administrative Officer John Ferguson tells Tide News there couldn't be two more opportune developments to work together.

He says you want to fill your seats in your Civic Center and you want to fill your beds in your hotel, adding, they both need participation and will create great economic spin-offs for the community.

The hotel will include 90-100 rooms, a pool, a seafood and steakhouse restaurant, penthouse condominiums that can be leased, and employ 30-50 full and part-time staff.

The date for completion for the hotel is October of this year, corresponding as closely as possible to the opening of the Garcelon Civic Center.

Councillor With Child Porn Charges Resigns

The mayor of Saint John says a city councillor charged with possessing child pornography and sexual interference with a child has resigned his seat.
    A statement from Mel Norton said he received a letter from Donnie Snook's lawyer on Thursday indicating the councillor was resigning.
    Norton said in the one-page statement that it was the result of a ``personal matter'' for Snook and thanked him for dealing with the matter in a timely manner.

    Snook is charged with eight counts, including possessing and making child pornography as well as sexual interference with a child under 16.

Ecoli Cases Leading Back To Shredded Lettuce

It's believed shredded lettuce distributed by Freshpoint is the cause of a new confirmed case of E. coli in the province.
There is an investigation underway to find the source.
 Lab results show there's a link with six other cases already reported.
Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Eilish Cleary says you should throw the outer leaves of lettuce and cabbage away, then remove the remaining leaves and thoroughly rinse them in water for about 30 seconds before eating.

NB Major Midgets Hockey League To Play In Bordertown Sunday

A big game happening this weekend in St. Stephen -- and two of our local hockey players are tying their skates.

Andrew Dempsey and Damian Gallant playing with the New Brunswick Major Midget Hockey League against the Fredericton Canadians.

The League tells Tide News the boys have been traveling to Saint John all winter and hopes the community will come out to support them.

This is the top level of hockey in the province for ages 15-17. The team has members from St. Stephen all the way to Sussex.

The game is Sunday at the Border Arena. Puck drops at 2:30.

Regional With Top Heart Equipment In North America

The Saint John Regional Hospital now has the top heart equipment in North America, thanks to the $775,000 raised from The Give 2012.

Between selling anything from pizzas to t-shirts, to private and company donations, the foundation exceeded it's original goal by $25,000.

Dr. Marc Pelletier, department head of cardiac surgery, says he wouldn't be surprised if the equipment runs longer than 15 years, since there's less moving parts in the machine and more magnets. Pelletier says this equipment will make a world of difference for more complex surgeries and for more vulnerable patients like seniors.

Thanks to the donations, the heart centre now has 13 pieces of new equipment that will make operations safer and better. The top-notch equipment consists of new heart-lung machines, machines that monitor blood levels better, machines that keep the heart strong during operations, and keep watch of oxygen levels.

The New Brunswick Heart Centre performs over 750 open-heart surgeries, sees 13,000 patients annually, and only 20% of those patients are from Saint John.

Unique Sculpture At Regional Hospital

What do you get when you mix a human torso and heart together? A new sculpture at the Saint John Regional Hospital.

The donated work of art is 140-pounds and made from pieces of the old Saint John Jail. It took Richard Arsenau over 300 hours to create the piece. "What inspired me about this was just the fact that the human torso kind of reminded me of the shape of a heart, so I decided to blend the two together in both the human heart and the human torso."

Called "The Heart Prevails", Arsenau says it represents how the heart and soul can overcome adversity.
The sculpture can be seen in the main lobby of the Saint John Regional Hospital.