Premier Meets With Chief On Shale Gas

First Nations Chief Aaron Sock, who has been at the forefront of the opposition to shale gas exploration, is meeting this afternoon with Premier David Alward  in Moncton

The Premier believes shale gas is key to turning around the sluggish provincial economy and he doesn't appear ready to make a U-turn on that, saying his government is determined to responsibly develop the province's natural resources. 

Shale gas protestors have blockaded Highway 134 near Rexton and demanded SWN Resources leave the province. 

A judge granted a court injunction late last week ordering an end to the blockade.

St. Stephen Police Looking For Missing Man

RCMP looking for your help finding a missing man.

51-year-old Roger Allen McLaughlin was last seen in the St. Stephen area last Monday. Family and friends have not been able to contact him since. He was reported missing on Friday.

Police say McLaughlin is described as being 5 feet 9 inches tall, 160 pounds with brown hair and a moustache. They don't believe he has a car.

Anyone with any information about where he could be is asked to contact the RCMP at (506) 466-7030 or 1-888-506-RCMP (7267).

Acts Of Bravery Recognized At Firefighters Gala

An awards ceremony honouring the heroic acts of city firefighters at their inaugural gala.

District Chief Donald Walker was recognized with the Award of Distinction for rescuing a woman trapped behind a door during a fire at 45 St. Paul Street. Walker tells Tide News he simply went and did what he had to do. 

Firefighters Peter Alexander and Doug Trentowsky and Lieutenants Peter Woodhouse and Mike Shelley getting the Award of Distinction for rescuing a woman whose car was in the water back in 1995. Shelley tells us he remembers the top of the vehicle was about a foot underwater—they were only able to see it because the lights were still on.

City Fire Chief Kevin Clifford says their actions serve as a reminder of the dangerous situations firefighters put themselves in when they go out on calls. The sold-out charity event marked 227 years of service for the Saint John Fire Department

Certificates of Merit:
Salvation Army Major Rowena Wiseman
Salvation Army Member Dorothy 'Dot' Porter
Former Police Officer George Stackhouse, now of the Salvage Corps
Firefighter Corey Cassidy

Award of Distinction:
Captain Kenneth 'Kenny' MacDonald
District Chief Donald Walker
Firefighters Peter Alexander and Doug Trentowsky and Lieutenants Peter Woodhouse and Mike Shelley

Medal of Valor:
Lieutenant Conrad Northrup
Firefighter Gary Breen

Risk of Listeria, Allergens Prompts Food Recalls

Two food items you can buy at major retailers being recalled.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency warning the public not to eat Reser's Fine Foods brand cheesy macaroni salad because it could be contaminated with a bacteria that can cause listeriosis, leading to high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, and nausea. They are sold in Wal-Mart stores across the province and nationally at Loblaw banner stores.

They're also advising people with allergies not to eat Armella Duo brand Hazelnut Spread with Milk and Cocoa because it may contain almonds which is not written on the label. The product is sold at Dollarama stores across Canada.

Both companies voluntarily recalling the products. The CFIA has not received any reports of people getting sick from eating these products.

Fire Department Celebrating 227 Years of Service

Tonight marks a first for the Saint John Fire Department.

Their inaugural charity gala is this evening, where they will be celebrating 227 years of service and raising money for the Salvation Army's Community Outreach Program. Fire Chief Kevin Clifford tells Tide News he hopes this event is the first of many.

The formal event takes place from 6pm to midnight at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre. For more information about the gala, visit the official website by clicking here.

Search For Missing Teenager Enters Day Five

Search groups continue sweeping parts of the city as they look for clues in a teenager's disappearance.

Police have now confirmed the last time 19-year Gen Cormier was seen was on Sunday in the back parking lot of the Reversing Falls Restaurant. 

Family friend Amanda Hensey tells Tide News that piece of information gives them hope and helps them pinpoint where she's been, saying, the more steps they can trace, the better their chances of finding her and bringing her home safely to her family. 

They are looking for more people to join the search for the missing teen. Hensey says they prefer adults because of the rough terrain and the sensitive nature of the search. There's a table in the area where Cormier was last seen where people can sign up.

Traffic Disruption on Highway

A heads up if you plan on driving on Highway 1 today. The eastbound off-ramp at the exit to Ashburn Lake Road is closed until 7pm so the City of Saint John can fix a water pipe. Drivers are being diverted to the Exit 129 until it re-opens.

Man Pulls Weapon During Domestic Dispute

A domestic dispute in the North End of Saint John escalating as police arrive on the scene.

A man pulling a butcher knife around 7pm yesterday evening on Metcalfe Street. Police say a woman wanted her boyfriend out of the home. 

He was arrested and will be appearing in court today. He faces charges of threats, mischief of property and weapons offenses.

Police Confirm Cormier Sighting On Sunday

City police letting us know they have a confirmed sighting of Gen Cormier on Sunday. 

An email says she was seen walking in the back parking lot of the Reversing Falls/Boaz restaurant.

A family friend telling Tide News that the 19 year old often walked that route to her home on the lower West side.

She was reported missing by family on Monday.

Police want to hear from anyone who was in or near the parking lot of the Reversing Falls restaurant or in the park above that may have seen her.

The Major Crime Unit is looking into the matter and following up on any leads and tips that come forward.

If you have any information, call 648-3333 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Searches Continue Today For Cormier

Confused...that is how the friends and family are feeling since the disappearance of 19 year old Gen Cormier.

There has been no sign of her since Sunday afternoon at 4pm in Saint John.  Over 100 people took part in a search last night.
 
Family family Amanda Hensey tells Tide News more searching will continue along Chelsey Drive and Douglas Avenue today.

They are looking for any sign of her including one of her bracelets that fell off if she slipped it will help them pinpoint where she's been.

Search crews will be out looking along Chesley Drive and Douglas Avenue beginning at 1pm today.
 

Cormier is described as 5'7" or 5'8", about 120 lbs with a  thin build, long brown hair which she will wear straight or in a ponytail. 

She has hazel eyes, pierced ears, a black bird tattoo on her left shoulder and often wears  lot of bracelets.

 

She often wears jeans and a t-shirt or sweater and white Puma sneakers or sandals. 

If you have any information, contact police at 648-3333 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

5 People In Serious Condition After Highway 1 Crash

Five people remain at the Regional Hospital after a serious crash on Highway 1.

RCMP tell Tide News just before 7am yesterday, the driver lost control of the car near the Pennfield / Pocologan Exit, rolled it several times, before coming to a stop in the median on its roof.

Police say all five people in the car were seriously injured, 2 critically.

They tell us a collision analyst was called to examine the scene and found at least one person had been ejected from the car.

RCMP do not believe alcohol or drugs were involved.

Province Pitching The Two Nation Vacation

The Maine Chamber of Commerce hearing from Provincial Tourism Minister Trevor Holder about how the two nation vacation can become a win-win for the state and New Brunswick. 

Holder would like to see them in a combined effort to persuade a good percentage of the people who visit Maine to make the trip further north to the Bay of Fundy.

Holder says there's good potential considering 2.5 million people visit Acadia National Park in Maine each year.

New Energy Plant To Be Built In Saint John

Premier David Alward in town for the Energy Summit but also to make an economic development announcement. 

The Province is giving Atlantic Hydrogen 950 thousand dollars to help build a new plant on Bayside Drive to produce a new, environmentally friendly technology called the CarbonSaver. It processes natural gas to produce clean hydrogen and fit for use carbon with minimal carbon dioxide emissions. 

Atlantic Hydrogen President and C-E-O David Wagner says after ten years of research and development which cost 35 million dollars, they're ready to go global. Germany is seen as a potentially large market.
 
The Premier says this type of world class innovative technology will shine a bright light on New Brunswick on the world stage.
 
The plant is expected to be up and running early next year with the creation of 8 jobs.

Police Release New Photos Of Missing 19 Year Old

Saint John City police releasing new photos of a missing 19 year old girl.

Genevieve Mary Cormier was reported missing on Monday and was last seen on Sunday afternoon in uptown Saint John.

She is described as 5'7" or 5'8", about 120 lbs with a  thin build, long brown hair which she will wear straight or in a ponytail. 

She has hazel eyes, pierced ears,  a black bird tattoo on her left shoulder and often wears a lot of bracelets.

She often wears jeans and a t-shirt or sweater and white Puma sneakers or sandals. 

If you have any information, contact police at  648-3333 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Sussex Man Back In Court For Murdering His Dad

26 year old Dana Allison Craig from Sussex, who was charged in the murder of his 63 year old father in a Brandon, Manitoba hotel room, has been declared not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder.
 
The Court in Brandon was told Craig had previously been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was in the midst of an acute psychotic episode at the time Terry Craig, a retired banker, was strangled and stabbed. 

The younger Craig had been in Alberta and was returning to New Brunswick with his dad.
 
Craig remains in custody. What happens to him will be decided by Manitoba's Criminal Code Review Board. It can release someone into the community if no threat is posed to the public or detention in a mental health facility for those who pose a high risk.

Burger Warning

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is warning consumers to avoid certain Compliments brand Super 8 Beef Burgers because they may be contaminated with E. coli.
 
The burgers were distributed in New Brunswick at Sobeys.
 
The eight-ounce burgers are sold frozen in packages of six with a UPC code of 0 55742 37055 3.

Five People Sent To Hospital In Highway Crash

The RCMP called to a single vehicle collision on Highway 1 westbound in the Pennfield/Pocologan area.

It happened just before 7 yesterday morning and one lane of the highway was blocked.

Horizon Health confirming to Tide News that five people were rushed to the Regional Hospital.

One car could be seen flipped over on its roof in the ditch. 

The Mounties have not released any information about whether anyone died in the crash

Mom Stands Trial For Leaving Her Baby Outside In Cold

A 27 year old Saint John mother is on trial charged with leaving her baby outside in the cold alone last January along Paddock Street. The court was told the baby was dressed for the weather with only her face exposed and appeared to be no worse for wear.
 
Norma Cusack, who lived across the street, testified it was more like 15 to 20 minutes from the time she heard a baby crying to the time when police arrived. 

Shea maintains the baby was only outside for a few minutes while she took her groceries inside along with her other young children. 

When Police got there, Constable Amy Cunningham told the court Shea came out of the house dressed in a tee shirt, jeans and no shoes. Cunningham believes Shea didn't realise her baby had been left outside after telling her she had looked through the house twice for her baby who was 4 or 5 months old.

BREAKING: Highway Closed, Tanker Car Still Leaking Propane

Propane is still leaking from a railway tanker car behind Haymarket Square. Fire crews are on scene working to isolate the leaking car and determine the cause of the leak.

The call initially came in about an hour ago. Workers on the One Mile Interchange were evacuated as well as a number of buildings in the immediate vicinity.

Due to concerns about the propane drifting over the road, the east and westbound lanes of the highway are closed until further notice from Crown St. to Ashburn Rd.

Three Months To Go--Chief Still Predicts Oland Arrest Before 2014

As 2013 winds down, Saint John Police Chief Bill Reid still has a New Year's resolution to fulfill: an arrest in the investigation into the murder of Richard Oland. 

Reid tells Tide News the Crown will be reviewing the file in the next month, and then will come back with either a recommendation for further investigation or the green light to lay charges. He says it's impossible to magically declare "today's the day" when in fact a legal process has to be followed, as everyone is aware.
 
Reid says only a small amount of information is available to the public so it's discouraging for some people when assumptions are made about the lack of charges. At the same time, the Chief maintains the SJPD is transparent in all of their operations, and he's confident at the end of the day the police will be successful.