St. Stephen Goes Smoke-Free

Here is the smoke-free policy approved by St. Stephen Town Council on Monday, February 20th, 2012.

The following locations will be designated as "Smoke-Free."
a) a park on Town property or property the Town is licensed to maintain;
b) an outdoor recreational facility on Town property, including but not limited to a grandstand, seating area or bleacher;
c) the grounds of a Town building;
d) the grounds of an event on Town property that is open to the public, including but not limited to a festival, market or concert, whether admittance to the event is free or for a fee;
e) a cemetary on Town property;
f) a trail or path on Town property or property the Town is licensed to maintain;
g) a street along a parade route while the parade is in progress.

Beckett Frustrated By Ferguson Case

More testimony from Former City Finance Commissioner Andrew Beckett at the defamation trial of former Common Councillor John Ferguson.


Beckett told the jury he was frustrated and bewildered by Ferguson's charges as well as being embarrassed then Mayor Norm McFarlane felt it was necessary to come to the former finance commissioner's defense.

More video from Common Council was played during which Ferguson charged the early retirement programme cost the city more money that was thought and there were errors in the city's audited financial statements. Beckett told the court Ferguson never presented any documentation he claimed to have.
 
Ferguson is currently the Town Manager of St. Stephen.

Plans For Chocolate Fest Start Tonight

Are you craving Chocolate?


Tonight is the first planning meeting for Chocolate Fest 2012.

The public is invited to learn more about the new vision for the festival, and how you can host an event or volunteer.

The meeting will be held at the St. Croix Public Library, at King Street in St. Stephen at 6pm.

Chocolate Fest is scheduled to run from August 6-12th.

Ferguson Lawyer Says Council Minutes Don't Amount To A Hill Of Beans

Former finance commissioner and pension trustee Andrew Beckett taking to the stand once again in the defamation trial of former city councillor John Ferguson.


Pension board lawyer Barry Morrison pulling out emails, council minutes, and other documents from 2004-2005 as background for Ferguson's allegedly defamatory comments about the pension board.

Ferguson's lawyer Rod Gillis tells Tide News all that doesn't amount to a hill of beans, because in a defamation trial the actual words are what's important. A 2005 video clip played in court showed Ferguson saying he was advised by senior legal counsel the pension board comitted gross negligence.

Morrison argued those statements were unsubstantiated.

Ferguson is currently the Town Manager of St. Stephen.

Dexter Working In Musquash and Prince of Wales

More construction zones starting on Monday.


Dexter Construction tells Tide News construction on the Route 1 Gateway is starting in Musquash.

Musquash, week of February 20 - Eastbound lane will be reduced to one lane.

Musquash, week of February 27 - Westbound traffic will be diverted to the eastbound lane creating two way traffic until August 2012.

Prince of Wales, week of February 27 - Eastbound and westbound lanes will be reduced to one lane until September 2012.

Dexter reminding drivers to slow down and drive safely in construction zones.

The Route 1 Gateway is expected to be completed by July 31, 2013.

Beckett Testifies In Ferguson Trial

Saint John's former Finance Commissioner is continuing to testify at the defamation lawsuit launched by the pension board against former Common Councillor John Ferguson.

Ferguson is currently the Town Manager of St. Stephen.


Andrew Beckett told the jury the city's pension plan had an estimated surplus of 29 million dollars at the end of 2000.
 
A year and a half later there was a significant deficit.
 
By 2003 there was the realisation that investment returns were so low, the plan would not get back on track by a rebound in the stock market alone.
 
Both Beckett and Councillor Chris Titus, a pension board member at the time, raised concerns over the cost of disability pensions and approvals.
 
Beckett says there was no reluctance to keep Common Council informed.

Biker Festival Gets Funding For Music Events

Help for music events is coming in the form of $2000.


The Canadian Committee for the Rally in the St. Croix Valley making the announcement today.

The Charlotte Coastal Region Tourism Association providing the funds and joining forces with the Rally for the event this summer.

The biker-fest is scheduled to run from Canada Day through to July 8th.

A Nickel Mine In St. Stephen? Maybe.

A nickel mine in the town of St. Stephen is still a possibility -- but that's all it is.


Manager of Geophysics and Project Generation for Continental Nickel, Sharon Taylor tells Tide News the project in St. Stephen is not a done deal, with many stages left to complete before a decision to build a mine can be made.

She says they have just finished a drilling program, drilling seven holes. She says the plan for 2012 is to evaluate the size of those discoveries, as well as having a lot of untested marks left.
Taylor gave the update last night at the Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner.

Gas Leak Causes Evacuation In St. George

A police officer with a good nose may have saved lives today in St. George.


Shortly after midnight, a member of District 1 RCMP detected a foul smell while patrolling near the intersection of Main and Portage Streets.

The St. George Fire Department and Enbridge Gas were called to the scene to discover the smell was a leaking natural gas meter running to a business.

An apartment building housing ten people was evacuated as a precaution, but they were allowed to return after about an hour.

There were no injuries.

Police do not suspect foul play.

Pension Board Treasurer Takes Stand In Ferguson Case

Saint John's former Finance Commissioner for the city Daryl Wilson taking the stand in the defamation lawsuit between former common councillor John Ferguson and the city's pension board.


Wilson also served as treasurer on the pension board.

He told jurors during his time with the board, he had no knowledge of any illegal activity on the board or anyone abusing long-term or permanent disability benefits.

But he did concede the number of employees who were out on long-term or permanent disability seemed abnormally high.

The point was also made by an actuary who suggested the city had to redefine what constituted long-term and permanent disability.

John Ferguson is currently the Town Manager of St. Stephen.

Sketches Of Suspects In B & E's Around MacDougall Lake

 Police releasing sketches of two men they think broke into over a dozen local camps.


District 1 RCMP say two men were spotted by a neighbour on Route 785, near MacDougall Lake.

The men assaulted the neighbour and left in a blue Pontiac Grand Am.

One suspect is described as caucasian, in his early 20's, with sandy color hair, one pierced ear, and a thin build.

The other is also in his late teens or early 20's, and unknown ethnicity.

Both wore camoflage clothing.

Between December 15th and 16th, over a dozen camps in the MacDougall Lake and Seeley Lake areas were broken into.

If you have any information please contact St. George RCMP at 5-6-755-1130 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Merrill Sheds Light On Fracking

Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is nothing new.


Stephanie Merrill of the New Brunswick Conservation Council says there are seven companies in the province, all in different stages of shale gas exploration.

She says there is actual production in Penobsquis, and they have been producing gas there for almost 10 years.

However, Merril adds, people are just starting to realize now that it's not new and the exploration has been around for awhile.

Merril giving Charlotte County residents the pros and cons of fracking at a meeting last night in St. Stephen.

She wants everyone to have all the facts, before deciding to go for or against the controversial issue.

RCMP Need Witnesses To Collision In St. George

District 1 RCMP in St. George are looking for witnesses.


Last Thursday, an accident between a silver Nissan truck and a grey Ford Focus happened on Route 1 around 5pm.

The crash was located just off the entrance ramp coming from St. George towards Saint John.

Police are requesting anyone with information, or who may have witnessed the accident to call the St. George RCMP at 506-755-1130.

Jurors Picked In Ferguson Case

Over the next six weeks, a jury of 5 men and 4 women will be hearing testimony at the defamation lawsuit launched by Saint John's pension board against former Common Councillor John Ferguson back in 2007.


The jurors have been told there's a lot of documentation that will be presented along with the playing of excerpts from meetings of Common Council.
 
The lawsuit was launched after Ferguson voiced criticisms of how the city's pension plan was being managed.
 
Since that time, Ferguson ran for the Mayoralty but lost and is now serving as the town manager in St. Stephen.
 
The city's pension deficit, meantime, has increased to 190 million dollars.

Office Open For Civic Center

If you have questions concerning the future of the new Garcelon Civic Center in St. Stephen, the Civic Center Office is open this week to give you answers.

Here are the hours of operation for this week.

Tuesday 11am-1pm


Thursday 11am-1pm and 4pm-6pm

Friday 11am-1pm and 4-6pm

The office is located at 103 Milltown Blvd in St. Stephen.

Rally In Support For John Ferguson

The Saint John pension board's lawsuit against former Common Councillor John Ferguson goes to court starting today.

Six weeks set aside to hear testimony.

Ferguson is currently the Chief Administrative Officer for the Town of St. Stephen.

The Pension Board launched the suit back in 2007, after criticisms voiced by Ferguson about what he saw as the mismanagement of the pension plan.

John Campbell, who has already announced he's running for a seat on Common Council, tells Tide News this is a complete waste of time and money, calling it frivalous, and says the only people making money from this is the lawyers.
A rally is also being organised for in front of the provincial courthouse on Charlotte Street where the trial is being held.

Illegal Smokes Seized

A man getting burned in a sting on illegal smokes.

At approximately 7pm on Thursday, the RCMP n arrested a Moncton man on the Trans Canada Highway near Salisbury for being in possession of contraband cigarettes.  


Police stopped the truck he was driving and seized approximately 220,000 contraband cigarettes. 

A 26-year-old man was arrested and is facing charges under the  Provincial Tobacco Tax Act.

Photo Credit: RCMP

Dragonfly Centre For Autism To Open This Weekend

The Dragonfly Resource Centre for Autism will celebrate their Grand Opening  tomorrow between 1-4pm.

Everyone is welcome.

The Dragonfly Centre is located at 36 Milltown Blvd in St. Stephen.

Civic Centre Office Now Open

All questions from the community about the new Civic Centre -- can now be answered.


The Grand opening of the Garcelon Civic Centre office taking place today.

The Town of St. Stephen inviting everyone to check out the office at 103 Milltown Blvd, filled with plans and information about the project.

Deputy Mayor Jim Maxwell says the office will stay open during the construction process as an information centre.

Family Of 6 Burned Out

A fire yesterday in St. Stephen put a family of six out in the cold.

The Canadian Red Cross has stepped in, providing temporary accommodations and food for the couple and their four children.

The kids range in age between 2 and 13.

No word yet on the cause of the fire.