Tips For Your Holiday Shopping

Whether you're kick-starting your holiday shopping, or maybe you just need a few more things. RedFlagDeals.com has some tips for you.

Fiona Story, spokesperson of the company, says make sure you do your research before heading to the store.  "Have you're list ready, go to the store and make sure you have your coupon or deal codes," she says. 

Adding, make sure you've updated your apps as well, because in a lot of cases you can just show the app or the deal at the cash. She says a lot of hot deals are on televisions and cameras. 

Many retailers have specific deals going live at certain times. Story says, "really keeping up to date on what's being pushed when, is a good way to capitalize on the best savings."

Don't Forget About Winter Parking Bans

Don't forget, the yearly winter overnight parking restriction goes into effect on Sunday at midnight, and stays in effect until March 31st.

This means no parking on most city streets between midnight and 7 a.m.

Some streets are exempt from the parking restriction. For a map of those  streets, go to saintjohn.ca/winter.

Saint John Jewish Community Celebrates Chanukah Tonight

The Saint John Jewish community celebrates the festival of Chanukah tonight, and everyone in the community is invited to attend the menorah-lighting ceremony.

Chanukah began on Wednesday, and the menorah-lighting starts at 6pm, at the Saint John Jewish Historical Museum and synagogue, 91 Leinster Street. 

Chanukah songs, educational information, and light refreshments are all on the program.The eight-day festival celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over the Greeks which allowed the the Jews the freedom to worship God. All are welcome to participate.

Premier Says Former Council Made It More Difficult To Reach Agreement

It was no secret Premier David Alward and former Mayor Ivan Court did not see eye to eye on solving the city's pension problem and a public-private partnership for clean water. 

Alward says the better the relationship the city has with the province and federal government, the better it will be for Saint Johnners.

Court, who has spoken out against the shared risk pension model for provincial retirees like himself, will be seeking the Liberal nomination in Saint John Lancaster for the next provincial election.

Power Coming Back For Charlotte County

Progess for those without electricity today following the nasty storm.

NB Power reports just over 1200 are off the grid now across the province.    


Around here in Charlotte County only 39 people left without power.

It's expected you should have your lights back by this evening.

Hospital Patients In Province Surveyed

With Horizon Health asking for patient feedback and Provincial Health Minister Ted Flemming's wish for patient centred care, the New Brunswick Health Council has released the results of its own survey of patients. 

C-E-O Stephane Robichaud tells Tide News there could be better communication with patients when it comes to transitioning from hospital to their homes and about the proper use of their drugs.

Robichaud says the main area for improvement would be cleanliness. Only 53.2 per cent of patients across the province say their room and washroom were always kept clean. That percentage is lower than it was in a similar survey done back in 2010.

Three out of four patients give their hospital stay a thumbs up.

Simonds High Evacuated After Bomb Scare

Part of Simonds High school in Saint John has been evacuated around noon after a student claimed to have a bomb and weapon.

Police have formed a perimeter around the high school and are checking it over as a precaution.

No weapons or bombs have been found and no one has been injured. Police are now dismantling the perimeter and say all the students are safe and

Charlotte County Hit Hard By Nor-easter

The high winds causing power outages throughout the region.

More than 2 thousand homes and businesses were in the dark in the St. Stephen region including Beaver Harbour, Pennfield and Musquash. 
 

Wind speeds peaked at 91 kilometers an hour at Saint John Airport and got up to 100 kilometers an hour at Point Lepreau.

Environment Canada reports Saint John received 88.5 millimeters of rain yesterday, and 61.5 mms in St. Stephen.

Power Outages For Thousands Due To High Winds

3166 NB Power customers in the dark throughout the province with outages in Fredericton, Bouctouche, and St Stephen.


High winds have hit Charlotte County the hardest with over 2-thousand people without power.

Crews are working to get power back no but there's no word yet on when that will be.

Local Companies Encouraged To Join Shipbuilding Supplier Registry

Local companies being encouraged to try and get a piece of the shipbuilding action in Halifax. 

Enterprise Saint John hosting an information session for people looking to learn more about joining the supplier registry for the Irving Shipbuilding program.

Janet Scott of Enterprise Saint John tells Tide News there are over 100 different categories of materials and services that will be needed throughout the modernization program.

Scott says there are over 70 companies from the Port City on the registry, and about five have already have contracts, including Hemmings House Pictures who are documenting the upgrades to the Halifax shipyard. Mary Keith of JDI tells us there are about 2000 businesses in total currently registered on the site.

Irving Shipbuilding investing $300 million to upgrade the shipyard in Halifax.

One Swallow Does Not A Summer Make For Grits

One swallow does not a summer make--and just because the Liberals came close to toppling the Tory stronghold of Brandon-Souris in Manitoba doesn't mean they're a shoo-in against the Tories despite Justin Trudeau's apparent confidence. 

UPEI political science professor Don Desserud tells Tide News the Conservative Party needs to listen carefully to the rumblings of discontent with the Harper government.

Desserud says the NDP is probably the most disappointed party with very little to grab on to in terms of recent successes, and Thomas Mulcair's attacks on the senate are an easy way for them to score points with very little risk considering there are no New Democrat senators.

Provincial Health Minister and Liberal Leader Go Toe To Toe

Provincial Health Minister Ted Flemming and Liberal leader Brian Gallant locking horns in the Legislature on the Alward Government's promised catastrophic drug plan. 

Flemming refused to be pinned down on an exact date when the plan will be in place and then turned the tables, asking Gallant about his proposed moratorium on shale gas development, calling it a raw attempt to win votes and predicting it will be over the day after the provincial election is over.

Flemming says the catastrophic drug plan will be coming down during the current sitting of the Legislature but anything good takes time to put in place.

Car Goes Off Road At Lepreau

(Photo Courtesy of Lt Paul Poirier)

Musquash Fire reporting a single vehicle crash along Route 790 in Lepreau, likely caused by icy road conditions. 

A car with four people inside went off the road and rolled down a deep ditch before landing on its wheels. 

The people inside managed to get out of the car by the time firefighters arrived. Two of them were taken to hospital with what looked like minor injuries.

No Charges Laid In Pennfield Overpass Crash

No charges being laid in a crash atop the Pennfield overpass.

RCMP tell Tide News a semi-tractor trailer reportedly turned into the opposing lane at the 785/176 overpass at Pennfield and collided nearly head-on with a sedan yesterday around noon.

Cpl. Jayson Hanson says the two people in the car were from Utopia and were sent to the Regional Hospital with injuries.

Police do not believe alcohol or speed were factors in the crash but the crash is still under investigation.

The crash blocked both lanes and stopped traffic for over an hour.

Cardy Calling On Grits & Tories To Join Forces Against Senate

Provincial NDP leader Dominic Cardy is calling on the Liberals and Conservatives to follow what they did at the Saskatchewan Legislature and pass a vote calling for the abolition of the Senate. 

Premier David Alward indicated earlier he wanted to see an elected Senate but Cardy tells Tide News that was then.


A recent poll by Corporate Rsearch Associates found nearly half of people in the province who gave any thought at all to the Senate wanted to see it abolished.

Traffic Disruption Near Lorneville

Traffic being disrupted along Highway 1 near Lorneville this morning after a tractor trailer wound up on the median after leaving the highway. 

The fire department was called to clean up the fuel that spilled. 

One lane going westbound was blocked. Both lanes going eastbound are open but the tractor trailer will have to be towed and, when that happens, traffic going eastbound will also be disrupted.

HHN Wants Feedback from You

Did you have an experience at a Horizon Health facility you think they should know about?  Here is your chance to tell them about it.

Horizon Health Network President and CEO John McGarry says over the 15 to 20 years with more regionalization they have distanced themselves from patients and communities.

He says they want people to give them a call and they'll sit down with them and talk about their experience.     He adds they are not looking for a blow by blow of there event in the hospital but the overall experience.

McGarry says they will inform the board about their progress and try and institute some of the common themes were are hearing about.

He adds they are looking  at everything from the admission process, the care received to parking.

To contact Horizon Health to get involved, call 1-855-661-0661.

$1.5 Million Dam Modernization Project Complete

The dam at the mouth of the Magaguadavic River in Charlotte County looking a little different after the completion of a six-month modernization project. 

The former stop log gates at the old dam site in St. George being upgraded with three new hydraulic steel gates. Before the changes, opening and closing the gates could take up to eight hours, now it takes 30 minutes. Geoff Britt of JDI tells Tide News the process is now quicker and safer for workers.

The fish passage also getting some improvements. To watch a video of the upgrade at the dam, click here.

New President Being Sought At Atlantica Centre For Energy

The Atlantica Centre for Energy is looking for a new President. 

Former M-P John Herron has left to join the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board. 

Former President Tim Currie has returned from retirement on an interim basis, telling Tide News the search is on for Herron's replacement and he expects someone will be chosen by the Board of Directors in the new year.

Four Federal Byelections Today May Tell A Lot

Four federal byelections are being held across the country today and polling indicates the Liberals have a chance to take the Conservative stronghold in Brandon-Souris. Conservatives are said to be divided there because of the nomination process but the Senate expense scandal has also been mentioned during the campaign. 

Prime Minister Harper is accusing the opposition parties of blocking his Senate Reform which Beausejour Liberal M-P Dominic Leblanc scoffs at, pointing out Harper has appointed more senator than any Prime Minister in the last 25 years and has not pushed for vote on his proposed Senate reforms. Leblanc adds the P-M has not pushed for a vote on Senate reform. 

A lot of attention is also being paid to Toronto Centre, long considered a Liberal stronghold, where the NDP is running a high profile candidate, author and social commentator Linda McQuaig. The Liberals are going with Chrysta Freeland who has written for the Financial Times and appeared on CNN and Morning Joe on MSNBC.