MLA Praises Efforts Of Emergency Personnel

Charlotte-Campobello M-L-A Curtis Malloch is singing the praises of emergency personnel in the wake of last week's flash flood in the St Stephen area.
Record rainfall dumped on the area causing road washouts and flooded basements - and - Malloch can't say enough about the efforts of volunteers and first responders trying to help those affected by the rising water levels.
Malloch says he toured a number of businesses and homes in the area - the flooding wasn't near the disastrous levels experienced in the December 2010 flooding - but - he says it did cause damage and upset for a lot of people.

Liberal Leader Comes To See Flood Damage First Hand

"It really opens your eyes when you see someone's driveway ripped apart."

That word from Provincial Liberal Leader Brian Gallant after touring the devastation in St. Stephen caused by Friday's flood. On July 26th, 2013, St. Stephen was drenched under 165mm of rain.

Gallant meeting in Border-town with St. Stephen Mayor John Quartermain, Deputy Mayor John Ames, and MLA for Charlotte-The Isles Rick Doucet to tour the devastation in flood-prone areas.

Gallant tells Tide News it's imperative that we find out exactly why this happened. "You hear people talking all over the community and they keep saying, 'We thought last time was a once-in-a-hundred-year storm and we'd never get it again,' and obviously two and a half years later having something very similar happen raises concerns."

Gallant tells Tide News he supports local MLA Rick Doucet in his push for amending the Emergency Measures Act. "As Liberal leader, if there is ever anything we think we can push in the legislature, we'll be glad to do so. Rick Doucet, he is obviously very attuned to this, and he has proposed many legislations and many ideas as to how we can make sure that this doesn't happen again and doesn't affect communities in the future, so we will continue to do that as a Party."

Gallant says they are working with Doucet to organize public consultation so everyone can fully understand the impact of the situation from engineers and other officials.

A public meeting has been scheduled in St. George at the Magaguadavic Place on Tuesday, August 13th.

Poverty Seen As The Key Factor Affecting Your Health

A newly released report concludes how much you earn, what sort of housing you have, early childhood development and how well you eat are viewed as key factors that affect your health. 

Those conclusions were reached after the Canadian Medical Association held a series of town hall meetings and heard from something like a thousand people.

The provincial co-ordinator of the Common Front for Social Justice Jean-Claude Basque isn't surprised at the extent of food insecurity in New Brunswick. He says the main problem is that people in the province on the lower end of the income ladder just don't make enough money.
 
He claims if you're working, you should not be in a position where it's tough to eat well because you're not making enough money.

Basque tells Tide News if you have to rely on food banks, as more and more people in the province are doing, you likely won't have access to fruits and vegetables.

Pension Coalition Hires Lawyer

The New Brunswick Pension Coalition is pulling out the legal big guns in their fight to get the provincial government to adopt the Shared Risk Model for its pension plan on a go-forward basis only. 

Coalition spokesperson Clifford Kennedy tells Tide News their goals haven't changed since they've hired Toronto lawyer Ari N. Kaplan, who has a track record of successfully counseling public sector pensioners. He says they simply want the existing agreement to be respected.
 
Kennedy says they decided to hire a lawyer now because the government has been clear that they want to go ahead with the Shared Risk Model---and the Coalition wants to make sure the plan members are protected.

Pair Arrested In Norton Home Invasion

The RCMP have arrested a man and woman who allegedly forced their way into a home in Norton and threatened the owner.

The 25 year old homeowner fired a shot into the floor of the house, after which the pair took off in a car. He was arrested but later released.

Police say this was an isolated incident. The homeowner and one of the suspects knew each other.

Another Attempt Finding Common Ground On Shale Gas

The Atlantica Centre for Energy taking another step toward trying to find common ground on the energy future of the province with the release of another video. 

Opinion is divided right down the middle on shale gas and it doesn't appear as if minds can be changed. Atlantica's John Herron tells Tide News the videos will be offering up different perspectives on how the province should proceed.

He says neither industry nor the government should lead the discussion and believes it could be the Energy Institute through Louis LaPierre with a citizens roundtable.

Herron warns protests happen when people don't think they're being listened to.

Green Party Leader Unimpressed With Plans To Protect More Wilderness

The Alward Government plans to double the percentage of protected wilderness in the province. 

That might sound like a good thing to most people but not to the leader of the Provincial Green Party David Coon who tells Tide News there's less to this than meets the eye.

Coon argues the areas that will be protected are those where companies have been restricted to select cutting which is more expensive than clear cutting which he claims is continuing on an unimaginable scale.

He claims New Brunswick is facing a crisis when it comes to protecting habitat and the province is caving in to pressure from the forestry industry.

Parking Meter App Gaining Ground In The Province

After getting the green light from Fredericton for a pilot project, the founder of a parking app has set his sights on Saint John. 

Phillip Curley is a student at UNB and the CEO of Hot Spot Parking, a program that lets you pay for on-street parking through your smartphone.

It works like this: when you sign up for the app online, you register your phone number, and when that number phones the Hot Spot Parking system, it will deduct money from your existing balance.

Curley tells Tide News he's been in talks with Uptown Saint John to set up meetings with retailers to get them on board. Through the app, retailers can choose to pay for their customers' parking.

The pilot project in Fredericton starts on Thursday, and Curley says he wants roll out the app in Saint John by September. He says installing the app in the city may come with an integration fee.

Secret Shopper Scam Targeting New Brunswickers

If you get a suspicious cheque in the mail, beware. A secret shopper scam is targeting New Brunswickers.

The Financial and Consumer Services Commission says a 13 year-old Minto girl received a cheque in the mail for $3,900 saying she qualified as a secret shopper. Her parents intervened by calling police, sharing their story on social media and reporting it to the commission. 

The commission says scams like this one have been making the rounds across the country. At least three other people have been approached.

The scheme starts when you get a cheque and letter from a company asking you to spend the money at a certain store, then asks for a certified cheque or a money transfer in return telling you that you can keep the rest of the money as compensation.

If you've been the target of a scam, get in touch with the Financial and Consumer Services Commission by calling (866) 933-2222.

RCMP Identify Man In Bus Crash

The Mounties have identified the man killed in a crash between a coach bus and a car on Friday as 31 year-old Jean-François Audrain.

They say Audrain is originally from Montreal, but was living in Welsford. He was the driver and only person in the car that collided with the bus on Highway 7, about halfway between Saint John and Fredericton. 

They're still investigating the cause of the crash, however, heavy rains are believed to have been a factor.

Local MLA Calls For Changes To Emergency Measures Act

A carbon copy of the flood of the century is how one local MLA describes what happened in St. Stephen over the weekend. 

With the devastating 2010 flood still fresh in the minds of residents, MLA for Charlotte-The Isles Rick Doucet is calling on the Alward government to do more when it comes to preparing for floods and helping people avoid flood damage.

Doucet tells Tide News he'll be re-introducing an amendment to the Emergency Measures Act to provide better coordination of emergency measures for those in charge of critical infrastructure in flood-prone areas. 

Many people have voiced their frustration to him about the dam in particular. He says they want more communication coming from the operators of the dam so that people are aware of what they're doing and when.

In an effort to get input from residents, he's organized a public meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 7pm at the Magaguadavic Place in St. George.

Residents Urged To Report Flood Damage

Residents in Charlotte and York Counties whose properties were damaged during the latest flood this past weekend are being asked by the Department of Public Safety's New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization to report the damage to Service New Brunswick.

On Friday, July 26th, St. Stephen was hit hardest in New Brunswick with 165 mms of rain falling on the town.

To report damage, you can call toll-free at 1-888-298-8555. Phone lines are open Mon-Fri from 8:30am-8pm, Saturday until 5pm, and Sunday from 9am-5pm.

The EMO says these reports will help officials assess the damage.

Mayor Says Changes Needed After 2nd Flood

Despite washed out streets and over 40 waterlogged basements, St. Stephen's mayor says with more than 165mm of rain falling onto our town, the situation could have been much worse.

Mayor John Quartermain tells Tide News he was on his way back from his lakeside cottage when he first heard about the flooding. On his way back into town, he says he pulled off of the new highway onto King Street and saw the road was completely covered in five or six feet of water.

He says they're trying to arrange meetings with the provincial government next week to find out how to handle the flooding issue. He says it's happened before, referencing the devastating 2010 flood, and chances are it will happen again. 

The forecast is calling for more rain for Charlotte County this week.
(Picture - The King Street traffic circle in December 2010)

Queen Square Farmers Market Gets Electricity

The Queen Square Farmers Market in Saint John is getting plugged in. Organizer Jody Kliffer tells CHSJ News the market is finally getting an electrical hook-up.

Kliffer believes it's going to have a positive impact on the market. He says electricity means the market can offer a wider variety of hot food items for sale.

The market occasionally used generators in the past, but Kliffer says they're clunky, noisy and emit gas fumes. He says it wasn't in the spirit of the market.

Now, he says, vendors only need to bring an extension cord to get electricity flowing to their stand

Maritime Delegation On Mission To Save Oyster Industry

A group of Maritime delegates are visiting New England for a week to learn how they've dealt with a deadly oyster disease that could have devastating consequences for Atlantic Canada's aquaculture industry. 

MSX, or Multinucleate Sphere X, is caused by a microscopic parasite that kills oysters. The disease decimated Nova Scotia's aquaculture industry in 2001. Executive Director of Nova Scotia's aquaulture industry, Bruce Hancock, says New England has developed fast-growing oyster strains that are also MSX-resistant. Hancock says the cost of the disease in Atlantic Canada is about a million dollars a year.

The aquaculture associations of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are leading a group of about 16 researchers, industry delegates and government officials. The group will travel to Maine, Massachuetts and Rhode to talk about technology and policy approaches against MSX.

The disease poses no threat to humans.

Residents advised to report damages from Heavy Rainfall

Persons whose properties have sustained damage as a result of the heavy rainfall on July 26, 2013 in South-western NB (Charlotte and York counties) are requested by the Department of Public Safety’s New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization to report the damage to Service New Brunswick.

They may do so by calling toll-free, 1-888-298-8555(today, from 3:30pm – 5pm, Sunday 9am – 5pm and regular hours Mon. to Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m) or online.  These reports will help officials assess the damages.

Health and safety information, and tips for flood clean-up, are available on the River Watch website.

LINKS:

•

Service New Brunswick (forms): www.snb.ca/emo

•

River Watch: www.gnb.ca/RiverWatch

 

One Dead In Highway Crash Between Coach Bus And Vehicle

A man is dead after a fatal crash between a car and a coach bus on the highway. 

RCMP say it happened at 5:20pm on Highway 7 near Petersville, which is located about halfway between Saint John and Fredericton. 

The driver, who was the only person in the vehicle, died at the scene. Three of the nine people on the Maritime Bus coach were treated for minor injuries. 

What caused the crash isn't yet known, however, the Mounties say heavy rain may have played a role in the collision. They don't believe speed or alcohol are factors.

A collision re-constructionist is helping with the investigation.

Vehicle Flips On Highway

One person brought to hospital after a vehicle flipped over on the highway. 

It happened at noon on Highway 1, near the Fox Farm Road exit. Division Chief Mark Wilson of the Saint John Fire Department says when fire crews arrived, the person was out of the vehicle and being checked out by EMS. 

He says the person's injuries are not life-threatening.

Basement Blaze On Millidge Avenue In Saint John

Fire crews battling a basement blaze for over two hours.

Acting Platoon Chief Roy Byers of the Saint John Fire Department says they received the call of a structure fire at 876 Millidge Avenue just before 6pm, and the first firefighters on the scene reported seeing smoke. 

Byers says they were able to keep the fire from spreading, nobody was hurt and the cause of the fire has been deemed accidental.

Stay Off Roads

Motorists asked to stay off roads

The New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization has issued the following public alert:

Due to localized flooding, motorists are asked to stay off the roads in St. Stephen and other areas that have recently received high amounts of rainfall.  

The public is reminded that the best way to access emergency services is to call 9-1-1.

All residents should continue to monitor conditions and local forecasts, as conditions could worsen.

A list of weather warnings is available from Environment Canada. A variety of self-help advice is available at the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization public alerts site.

LINKS:

●    Environment Canada http://weather.gc.ca/warnings/?prov=nb

●    New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization http://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/public_safety/emo.html