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.

Police Block Off Saint John Street

City police and forensic services are blocking off 80 Princess Street in uptown Saint John with yellow tape.

Police are tight lipped about the situation, but have been on scene since 9:30 this morning.

Blood can be see on the entrance of the building. We've attempted to contact City Police for more information.

Good Cruise Season For Aquila Tours

It's been a very good cruise season for Aquila Tours.

The tourism company saw over 70,000 passengers on their tours, celebrated their 30th and their 1 millionth guest.

Beth Kelly Hatt of Aquila Tours says those are major milestones for the company. She says they've shown around 200,000 tourists our city and region in the past 4-5 years.

This years cruise season saw 74 cruise ships over a period of 146 days. We've had about 190,000 visitors, boosting our local economy by about $30 million dollars.

Police Unsure Who Was Home Invader In Stabbing

Photo Courtesy of Doug Epton

Police are interviewing people from the scene of a weekend double stabbing that resulted in the death of an 18-year-old teenage boy in Saint John.

The second stabbing victim -- a 21-year-old man -- is still recovering in hospital. City police say it's still unclear who invaded or lived in the home on Prince Street West where the stabbing occurred.

Police were called for aid at 4:30 am on 348 Prince Street West, where the 18-year-old headed for help after the stabbing that occurred at a different location.
 
Police don't believe this is a random act and say the two knew each other.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact police.

Time Change Affects Alertness

You're not the only one feeling the effects of the time change!

UNBSJ psychology professor Dr. Michael Bradley tells Tide news you're mood could go up and, more often than not, down. The biggest difference is a change in judgement and alertness. Bradley says there's evidence during both the fall and spring time changes that car and household accidents go up.

Bradley says there's not too much you can do to fight these side effects, except to be more careful and wait until you're back to normal in 3-5 days.

Bradley finishes by saying anything that throws off your schedule will most likely bring you down slightly, rather than pick you up.

Teenager Dead From Morning Stabbing

An 18-year-old teenage boy is dead after a stabbing early this morning.

Saint John Police Force were called to 348 Prince Street West around 4:30 this morning. Police say there was a home invasion where two young men had been stabbed.

Both the 18-year-old and a 21-year-old man were sent to hospital. The 21-year-old is in stable condition and is undergoing medical treatment.
 
Police do not believe this is a random act and say the two knew each other.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Saint John Police Force at 648-3333 or Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477.

Bonnell Found Guilty Of First Degree Murder

A man accused of killing his 16-year-old cousin has been found guilty of first degree murder.

The jury delivered its verdict today after deliberating late Friday and Saturday morning in the case of Curtis Bonnell, who had pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder in the death of Hilary Bonnell.

The 32-year-old Bonnell had testified that he woke up from a night of drinking and drugs on Sept. 5, 2009, to find his cousin dead in his pickup, but he insists he doesn't know how she died.

He says he panicked and buried her body in a wooded area in Tabusintac.

When the trial opened six weeks ago, Crown attorney Bill Richards told the jury that Bonnell held Hilary against her will, sexually assaulted her and killed her.

He said Bonnell buried her body near an old firing range to avoid detection.

Courtesy of The Canadian Press.

New Bus Company Takes Over For Acadian

The President of the Maritime Bus Network is confident he can make a go of intercity bus service in the region where Acadian had trouble. Mike Cassidy concedes there are challenges.

He says ridership in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia used to be in 2005 close to 500,000 passenger trips where now it's about 250,000 passenger trips.

Cassidy tells Tide News university students are being asked what kind of service they would like to have along with promotions, pricing incentives, changing the schedules and making the transfers more seamless will build up ridership.

World's Most Famous Magician Linked To Saint John

Everyone's heard of "The World's Greatest Magician", Harry Houdini--but did you know he had a major connection to the Port City?

Bruce MacNab is the authour of The Metamorphosis: The Apprenticeship of Harry Houdini. He tells Tide News the great escape artist came to Saint John as a young man and stayed here for a period of eleven days.

Houdini and his wife, Bessie, were traveling with the Marco Magic Company and stayed in what is now the Admiral Beatty in 1896. According to McNab, it was here in Saint John at the city's Lunatic Asylum that Harry Houdini first encountered the straight jacket which was later incorporated into his most famous escape routine. Houdini challenged the Saint John Police Force to find a device that could restrain him. He managed to escape from a special leather restraint known as the Dreaded Saint John Maniac Cuff, although it took him several minutes.

Houdini also traveled extensively throughout Nova Scotia in the same period.

He died 86 years ago this week, on Halloween 1926. 

Bruce MacNab's book on his early life in Atlantic Canada is available from Goose Lane editions here, at the New Brunswick Museum in Market Square, and select local bookstores

Your Bear's Boo Boo Fix Is Here

Kids have been having Teddy's boo boos fixed at the Regional's Teddy Bear Fair for 21 years.

Regional Hospital Foundation Director Victoria Clarke tells Tide News when kids come through it has a lasting impact.

She says if the child has to go to the hospital the next time for any kind of specimen collection they know its quick with a slight pinch and over.

Kids will notice a fire truck, ambulance and police car at the main doors of the Regional.

The entertainment includes Bernard the Magician and Kidsing and the kids can choose a healthy lunch for themselves.

The Irving Oil Teddy Bear Fair is free but you do need to bring a Teddy Bear and it runs tomorrow at the Regional Hospital from 9am to 3pm.

Time Change Tomorrow

Fall back and spring forward!

It's that time of year again, where you get an extra hour sleep but the days get a bit darker.

Sunday you'll get an extra snooze as you move your clock back one hour as the time changes to Standard Time. The time change will take effect at 2:00 am.   

The province is also reminding you to make sure your smoke alarm batteries are working as well.

Black History Society Host Genealogy Event

A strong part of Canada before it was even a country.

The New Brunswick History Society will host a black history and genealogy event at the Atrium in Market Square recognizing and sharing our province's rich black history.

President of the New Brunswick Black History Society David Peters tells Tide news our history starts before Canada became a nation, when blacks arrived here in 1783 as free loyalists. Peters says African-Canadians have served in WW1, WW2, Korean wars, and have reached some high positions. He says when he was young no one would hire him here in the province, so he moved to receive education and get a job. He said the same was for business and trade workers. He says although that doesn't exists today, once you move and start a family, you stay where your kids are.

The free event from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm will feature displays from PRUDE (Pride of Race, Unity, Dignity by Education), Kings Landing, a genealogists, and the Black History Society.

Stabbing On West Side

Two men in their early twenties are in hospital after a stabbing on the west side in Saint John.

Saint John City Police say they were called to a private residence on Prince Street just before 5:00 am.

One of the men has serious injuries.

CUPE Speaks Out On Photo Flop

It was quite the Photo Fail.


The Province of New Brunswick website issuing an apology after an altered photo was posted for the Route 1 Gateway opening -- blurring images of a protest.

The picture showed children from Pennfield Elementary School who sang the anthem at the event last Thursday (October 25th), with several blurry protest signs by CUPE local 963 representing NB Liquor employees partially removed.
The website apologized stating "(the photo) was altered by an outside photographer. It was posted in error to the government newswire and then removed. It should not have been altered, and we apologize."

National CUPE Representative Marcos Salib tells Tide News he's not going to attack anyone without knowing every detail -- but its still disappointing. He says, "You would think democracy would be respected, but at the same time, it is difficult to prove if it was intentional or not." He says, "I think the photographer did admit to altering the photo and is taking the whole responsibility of it on his own, saying the government didn't tell him to do it. So I think we would have a hard time proving if it was true or not."

Salib says he was surprised to hear about the photo-flop. He says "certainly to me it's an issue of transparency and credibility." He adds, "The reality is they can certainly try to hide and alter photos, but the issue isn't going away. The privatization is still there and alive and that can't be altered."

(Picture is not the photo mentioned in the story.)

Quick Response Keeps Damage Minimal At Flakeboard Fire

It's business as usual today at the Flakeboard in St. Stephen after a fire stopped production.


The St. Stephen Fire Department says they received the report of the fire just before 1pm yesterday ( October 31st, 2012 ).

Mill Manager Scott Gregor tells Tide News during a regular housekeeping exercize, fiber dust ignited after coming into contact with a quartz hallogen bulb. He says it then quickle spread to the press steam exhaust system. Gregor says quick actions from employees, and a quick response from the St. Stephen and Calais Fire departments kept damage to a minimal.


Gregor says there were no injuries, and the presses were back up and running before 8:30 last night.

Police Say Kids Behaved Well This Hallowe'en

Local police say the kids were behaving pretty well this Halloween.


Sgt. Bob MacKnight tells Tide News there were a few incidents of misbehavior around Charlotte County.

He says some pumpkins were thrown on the highway, some rolls of toilet paper were seized from youngsters before they were able to cause any mischief, and a dumpster caught fire in St. George early this morning.

Sgt. MacKnight says there was no damage caused other than the contents of the dumpster, and no charges were laid.
He says that several District 1 members were on duty, with seven Citizens on Patrol assisting. MacKnight says the COPP members are an invaluable asset to the RCMP, and he sends a thank you for their time volunteering.

Sgt. MacKnight says, all in all, it was a very peaceful and quiet Halloween.

EMO Says Lots Of Rain, But No Major Flooding

There's no doubt Hurricane Sandy is making a mess of Charlotte County.


But, our local Emergency Measures Organization says there's not much of a threat for major flooding.

Director of the NB EMO Greg MacCallum tells Tide News he understands people's concerns for flooding -- especially in the Boney River and St. George areas. He says, "We're not saying this won't be a wet and rainy event with a lot of water moving around quickly, but there is no cause for great concern the capacity of the ( Magaguadavic ) river being able to move the water away.

MacCallum says the EMO is keeping a close watch on rivers -- especially the Magaguadavic -- but he assures residents that major flooding is not much of an issue.

MacCallum says to keep your own home from flooding, make sure eavestroughs and culverts are clear and your downspouts are free so water can flow away from your property. He says the best thing is to do a walk around your property to make sure everything is working properly for drainage.   MacCallum tells Tide News that a power outage may be an issue with high winds tonight. He says it's just common sense how to prepare your home, make sure you have food that can be cooked without electricity, lots of water, batteries and flashlights or candles on hand. He adds, something many people don't think about until it is too late, is make sure you have enough medication to last you a few days.

Health Report Cards Project In 3rd Year At SSHS

St. Stephen High School is getting ready for a different kind of report card.


This is the 3rd year the school has participated in testing Grade 10 students on their health.

Today, students were tested on things such as Body Mass Index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol levels, as well as self-esteem and mental health. They should receive their health report cards by the end of this week or next.

Educational Champion and Vice-Principal Krista Amos tells Tide News health and education go together. Amos says we know what the research says, we know that kids have to be healthy, alert, sleeping well and eating well in order for education to have results. We have 10% of our kids who can't be learning.

Amos says they will provide interventions to students during school hours after the report cards are issued.

She says she feels very passionate that if they can help look after the student's bodies, health, and mental health, that numeracy and literacy ratings will go up.

Nurse Practitioner Yvonne Bartlett tells Tide News they want to stear the kids away from unhealthy dieting.


Bartlett says we want to talk about weight discrimination and what happens. She mentions one thing they found over the past two years was that as BMI -- or Body Mass Index -- goes up, self-esteem goes down. She says this is something these students will carry their whole life and we must be very careful with how we work with them.
Bartlett says last year, they found that 10 % of the students, aged 15, already have 5 or more risk factors for coronary heart disease.

She adds that everything is completely voluntary.
( Picture - left: Nurse Practitioner at SSHS Yvonne Bartlett, right: Vice Principal at SSHS Krista Amos )