Humidex Advisory For St. Stephen

It's official. The dog days of summer are here, and they're scorching.

A humidex advisory is in effect for St. Stephen today, among many other places across the province, including Fredericton, Oromocto and the Kennebecasis Valley. 

The communities will see a high of 35 today, with a high UV index.

Truck Stolen From Toronto Found In NB

A stolen truck has been found a long way from home. 

A 2003 Dodge Caravan stolen in Toronto earlier this month was recovered in a gravel pit near Musquash by the community's fire department, who reported it to the St. George RCMP. 

They're asking the public for any information they have in connection with the case. You can contact them by calling 755-1130 or Crime Stoppers at crimenb.ca or 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Mounties Investigating Fatal ATV Rollover

Police in the northern part of the province investigating a fatal ATV crash on a beach east of Miramichi. 

A 36 year-old man died on the scene from his injuries after the vehicle flipped over as he was driving on L'abbature Beach. RCMP did not release his name, however they're confirming he is from Pointe-Sapin.

Home Invasion Causing Injuries

A man sustaining minor injuries after a home invasion in the uptown area of Saint John.

Sergeant Magee of the Saint John Police Force says the 43 year old man in the house was hurt in the incident, which happened in the early morning hours.

No arrests have been made, and it's currently being investigated by the city police's Major Crime Unit.

Driver of Overturned Dump Truck Hospitalized

After being treated at the scene by firefighters, the driver of an overturned dump truck was taken by ambulance to the Saint John Regional Hospital with injuries.

The vehicle veered off the road, and was empty when it rolled over, landing on the driver's side along the shoulder of Highway 1, westbound near kilometre 76. 

Both the Musquash Fire Department and Blacks Harbour Fire Department responding to the rollover and working to contain and diesel fuel leak from the truck. Firefighters spent several hours on the scene, as the dump truck was taken away by a wrecker.

It's the second rollover the Musquash Fire Department has responded to in as many days.

Minister Says No To Drive Thru

Provincial Tourism Minister Trevor Holder says it's time we bury the myth that we are a drive through province.
Holder says he only hears that from New Brunswickers and he tells CHSJ News his department has been promoting our unique features like the Bay of Fundy - our river systems - beaches - and - Acadien culture that attract new visitors and new money to the province.
The Minister says if we continue to focus on those things and show our pride in what we have then the sky is the limit in terms of reaching our potential.
And he says that potential will translate not only into new money for tourism operators but also provincial coffers that will help fund schools - hospitals - and - roads.

Is Bilingualism Forcing New Brunswickers To Alberta?

Would less people leave for Alberta -- if bilingualism wasn't an issue?

That question being raised by Joyce Wright, a concerned citizen in St. Stephen, who claims English-only people are being denied government jobs because the province is keeping a 50% bilingual workforce in keeping with the Official Languages Act.

"Our bilingual population here in Charlotte County is only 8.07%. So requiring 50% of our government employees to be bilingual is discriminating against the majority of the population saying 'because you can only speak English, you can't have this job', and it's driving more and more people out west."

Wright tells Tide News, "At the Charlotte County Hospital, it's my belief that instead of denying an English-only speaking person a job, the government should say 'we have all this technology available to us, let's set up a translation center that an English employee can link into instantly to a translator' rather than enforcing a discriminatory hiring ratio."

Wright is welcoming anyone and everyone to contact her about a hard-copy petition as well as an online petition on www.change.org .
She says, "Let's get this going so more of our people are employed and we can stop saying goodbye to our friends and family who are moving out west by the droves because they can't get a job in New Brunswick."
To contact Joyce Wright, call 1-506-466-2431 or email at djwright@nbnet.nb.ca .

Gas Prices Rise Significantly

As the price of oil continues to rise on world markets, we're feeling the effect of that in Saint John after the weekly setting of gas prices. 

Self serve regular is over 5 cents a litre more expensive this morning at $1.29.6 in the city. Diesel rising, as well, to $1.33.1. 

Heating oil is up to a maximum of $1.15.8 a litre but propane is down a bit at a maximum price of 95.7 cents.
  
The price of oil closed yesterday at its highest level in 16 months. The price has jumped 14 per cent in the past two and a half weeks because of rising demand in the U.S. and upheaval in Egypt.

Bad Luck For Wanna-Be Thief

A 30 year old man is now facing a list charges as long as your arm in connection with an incident shortly after 1am today in Saint John.

Sergeant Jay Henderson tells Tide News police spotted a man looking in windows and checking cars near McLaren Boulevard. When they ran the name of the person, they found he van was stolen.When the man realized he was caught, he tried to run and a short foot chase followed.

He's now facing 6 charges including possession of stolen property, theft of a vehicle, possession of break and enter tools, drug possession,  resisting arrest, and assaulting a police officer.

He is also being investigated for a theft earlier in the evening at Sobeys on Westmoreland Road.

Alward Thanks NB Volunteers

The Premier is thanking people in the province for stepping up to help in the wake of summer tragedies.

David Alward also thanks the Red Cross for guiding the efforts to help the victims of Alberta and Ontario flooding and those suffering following the train disaster in Quebec.

He points out the Atlantic team of volunteers also provided help to those displaced after the Wabush forest fire in Labrador and another in northern Quebec.

You can donate to the Red Cross to provide help to those impacted by Alberta flooding and the aftermath of the Lac Megantic train derailment.

To make a donation, call 1-800-418-1111.

St. Stephen Wins Bid To Host 2015 Horseshoe Championships

Horseshoe Canada is putting a ringer on Chocolate-Town.

St. Stephen winning the bid to host the Canadian Horseshoe Pitching Championships in 2015.
Local Club President Jason Rideout says Horseshoe Canada was very impressed with with the club's bid and believe St. Stephen is an excellent host town.

Rideout tells Tide News this is a great opportunity for our economy because some 200 pitchers will come here with most of their friends and family and think of it as a vacation.

He says pitcher's will only compete for about 3 hours a day and that leaves another 21 hours people will be scoping Charlotte County for things to do and things to buy. Rideout predicts the 4-5 day event will bring between 200-250 people to St. Stephen.

Rideout tells Tide News they now have two years to raise the money to cover the budget, which he estimates will be between $30-$40,000. "Through fundraising and trying to get some grants, business sponsorships, bake sales to ticket drives to fundraising within the Blub and using some of our tournaments. It's nothing we can't handle, but it was a big decision for the Club to make."

Rideout was also elected as President of Horseshoe Canada for the next two years.

Man Killed In Train Incident Identified

The Saint John Police Force are confirming that the victim of July 6th, 2013 train incident involving a 48 year old man, who was killed on the train tracks is Paul Kenneth Lorne Hayward of Saint John. 

The incident occurred at or near Marsh Creek at approximately 5:45 AM.

Little NB Restaurant Getting Major National Attention

A little restaurant in the countryside outside of Sussex is going to be getting some national attention.

Giermindl's  Old Bavarian Restaurant is being featured in the reality show "You've Gotta Eat Here". Founders Adolf and Olga Giermindl along with 9 of their 11 children immigrated to Canada in 1976. They chose the Knightville, Kings County property to settle on because the rolling hills reminded us of their native Bavaria region in Germany.

Manager Claudia Giermindl tells Tide News it was quite the experience working with show host John Catucci -- even though she had a thing or two to teach him about traditional German cusine

The family-owned restaurant raises all their beef, lamb and pork on their own farm and specializes in traditional dishes like cabbage rolls, pork hocks, and schnitzel. To check out the website click here

Child & Youth Mental Health Services Research Gets $2.5 Million

A group of researchers from the Maritimes trying to make life a little easier for parents of children and youth suffering from depression, anxiety or other mental illnesses, getting a financial boost.

The group getting $2.5 million from the Department of Health to identify gaps in services available for kids and young people who have mental illnesses. Dr. Scott Ronis is a professor at UNB and the team's provincial representative, and tells Tide News their end goal is to make it easier to get help.

Part of the project is creating a web portal, where people can find and contribute information about the services they're getting. Ronis says that will change over time, so the idea would be to follow what is happening on the ground.

The funding announcement was made by Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq on June 26.

Will St. Stephen Be The Horseshoe Host?

We could find out by tomorrow if St. Stephen will host the 2015 Canadian Horseshoe Pitching Championships.

St. Stephen Pitcher's Club President Jason Rideout tells Tide News Horseshoe Canada's Annual General Meeting is tonight and our town's bid to host will be discussed.

St. Stephen Town Council has already offered to cover costs for rental space in the new Garcelon Civic Centre, should the club be successful in their bid.

The championships would last between 4 and 5 days and bring up to 200 people to Charlotte County.

Our local club is the largest east of Montreal, with more Provincial and Maritime titles than any other maritime horseshoe club since it began in 2006.

NB Premier Sends Condolences To Victims Of Train Derailment

Premier David Alward expressing his condolences to the people of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, and says the province stands ready to offer any material support that may be helpful.

The small town east of Montreal devastated after a train derailment over the weekend. When the train went off the tracks on Saturday, it caused explosions, destroying buildings and killing at least 13 people.

To read Alward's message in its entirety, click here.

Cardy Says Tories Are "Tone Deaf" On Womens' Issues

Women looking for alternatives to a traditional hospital birth are out of luck in New Brunswick---at least for now. 

Provincial NDP leader Dominic Cardy tells Tide News cutting funding to the Midwifery Association of New Brunswick is a backward move which fundamentally infringes on a woman's right to give birth where she chooses. 

According to Cardy, the $10,000 the association needs to function is about equal to the cost of a single ministerial car--and the potential savings associated with midwifery are significant in light of the province's struggling healthcare system.

Using a midwife is $800 cheaper per hospital birth and $1800 cheaper per home birth according to the Ontario Department of Health. Cardy says with doctors in the province already overtaxed it makes no sense to cut a program we already promised to implement back in 2010.

Derailed Train In Quebec Carrying Oil Destined For Saint John Refinery

The train that derailed and exploded in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, killing at least five people, was hauling cars filled with crude oil destined for the oil refinery in Saint John. 

Irving Oil issuing a statement confirming that Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway was transporting the product to the Port City and offering emergency response assistance to authorities. 

About 40 people are missing and 30 buildings have been demolished after the tanker cars, covered in oil, caught fire.

It's not yet completely clear how the train, which was parked for a crew change, somehow slipped its brakes, rolled downhill and left the tracks. Transportation Safety Board investigators are waiting to investigate the train wreckage.

Province Cuts Funding To Midwives

The President of the Midwives Association of New Brunswick calls a funding cut by the provincial government a shameful loss.

Citing financial constraints, the government is suspending the work of the council in implementing policies and standards necessary for the implemention of midwifery services.
 
Association President Nathalie Pambrun tells Tide News cutting funding is short-sighted and makes no sense at this time.

She says they have some good momentum with the work the council has already done and she finds it very unfortunate that it should close for such a small amount of money.

Pambrun says they are disappointed by the government's decision adding people have been waiting for access to these services since the government announced the implementation of the Midwifery Act in 2010.

Parking Lot Being Expanded At SJ Airport

An increase in business is prompting an upgrade of the long term parking area at the airport.
 
Work is underway until July 19th on expanding and reconfiguring the parking lot with the addition of 90 spaces. 

Airport President and C-E-O David Allen says the current lot is at capacity thanks to unprecedented growth in the winter seasonal flights by Sunwing and growing numbers for Air Canada. 

If you have to use the long term lot, access to it may be relocated temporarily but Allen says when it's all done, moving about will be a lot easier.