More Snow For Charlotte County

St. Stephen reporting 21 centimeters of snow from yesterday's storm. Grand Manan topping out the snow charts at 35 cms.
Darin Borgel of Environment Canada tells Tide News it's back to the deep freeze with temperatures falling throughout the day.
 
Another weather maker comes into the region on Wednesday.
Borgel says we could be getting another 10 to 15 centimeters of snow.

How To Survive Being "Storm-Stayed" In Your Vehicle.

As we're hit with the first big blast of winter this season, the Canadian Automobile Association is offering up some tips on how to survive being "storm-stayed" in your vehicle.

To be ready for the possibility, C-A-A's Gary Howard says your winter tires should have been put on long ago, you should have a cell phone on you, your battery should be top-notch and have a winter driving kit handy.

Howard says above all, if you have to be out, drive slower than normal if visibility is low and driving is slippery.

Alert family and friends of where you're going and check for road condition reports before heading out.

A Winter Wonderland Today

It has been a busy day for snowplow operators and snow clearing crews in the Maritimers.

Between 15 to 30 centimeters falling in Southern New Brunswick today, and about 15 to 12 in Nova Scotia, followed by rain. 

Many airlines have been cancelled throughout the Maritimes. Make sure to check your local road conditions before heading out. 

Environment Canada telling us depending on where you live in New Brunswick, the snow should end this evening. Expect ice pellets along the Fundy coast this evening. 

The winds are expected to gust northeast 30km/h, gusting to 50.
 

Saint John Council Endorsing Shale Gas Development

Common Council in Saint John offering its official endorsement of shale gas development. Mayor Mel Norton tells us, the timing has nothing to with this fall's tumultuous season of seismic testing by SWN Resources, but rather in what they've heard from business interests.

"We recognize that there's a provincial dynamic, and we recognize that there's another dynamic that's been happening the province. But our interest as city councilors is only in relation to this city," he says.

The Mayor says he's already spoken at meetings in Toronto and Calgary about the importance of shale gas, and he's committed to keep pushing for responsible development.

"Mindful Eating" Over The Holiday Season

The Holidays season is here, and that always mean lots of food.  
Saint John dietitian Vanessa MacLellan tells Tide News, some ways to eat healthy during the holiday season.

"When we're having Christmas gatherings there's are a lot of healthier food choices out there that we could be entertaining with, like whole grain crackers and a lot fat cheese. Fruits and vegetables are always popular," she says.  She recommends mindful eating, and stick to the foods that you're really going to enjoy.

Saint John Hotel On Reality TV

It might be a first for Saint John with one of the city's hotels being featured on a reality TV show "Hotel Impossible" with host Anthony Melchiorri  but that's what happened with Chipman Hill Suites owned by Common Councillor Susan Fullerton. 

She admits it was a nerve wracking experience but accomplished what she was hoping for with Melchiorri concluding Chipman Hill Suites being one of the cleanest hotels he's ever seen. That, according to Fullerton is what Chipman Hill Suites bases its reputation on. 

She does concede Anthony also accused her of being a micro manager which Fullerton does not dispute.

Major Winter Storm To Begin Early Tomorrow

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A major winter storm tomorrow is expected to dump from 20 to 30 centimeters of snow on southern New Brunswick and the south shore of Nova Scotia with up to 40 centimeters in Grand Manan. 

Gelas Duguay of Environment Canada tells CHSJ News the snow will start around daybreak and continue for much of the day before ending tomorrow night. There will also be strong winds.  

More snow is expected on Monday but Duguay doesn't expect there will be very much before turning colder on Tuesday.

Charlotte County Marks 3 Years Since Great Flood

This weekend will mark 3 years since the Great Flood we will never forget.

On December 15th, 2010, 174 mms of rain fell on our area, putting communities such as St. Stephen and St. George under a few feet of water.

All roads and bridges were submerged leading into Bonny River, homes were covered to the rooftops, with some being swept down river.

Premier David Alward was quoted as saying, "The damage left behind is beyond imagination".

At one point, 120 roads were either partially flooded or completely submerged.

Food Bank 2/3 Of The Way To Filling Hamper Boxes

They are 2 thirds of the way to feeding the hungry this Christmas.

Co-ordinator at the St. George Food Bank Sarah Norman tells Tide News they have collected 101 turkeys to fill hamper boxes so far, but they need 49 more to fill the requests of the local families over the holiday season.

She says tomorrow (Saturday) the Food Bank is hosting its annual Hamper Packing Party, inviting the public to spread the holiday cheer, pack a few boxes, and meet with friends and family. That will begin at 9am.
She says last year, they had such a good turn-out, they were finished packing the hampers after only an hour.

Norman tells us the turkeys can be dropped off right at the Food Bank, located at 124 Main Street in St. George, and they can accept the turkeys up until December 20th.

Canadian Medical Association Calling For A National Strategy On Dementia

The Canadian Medical Association saying the number of people with dementia is expected to increase, and the country needs a plan. 

Dr. Chris Simpson is President of the Association. He tells Tide News, families are looking for "assurances that the health care system will provide top notch, safe, appropriate care for patients, and preferably out of hospitals. Supporting them at home for as long as possible is really important to people," he says.

He adds, "The individual stories are really heart wrenching."

There are about 3 quarters of Canadians who have Alzheimer's and Dementia, and is expected to increase to 1.4 million. The cost of caring for these patients in Canada is 33 billion dollars per year. That covers hospital, healthcare costs, and the lost salaries of families taking care of patients.

It's estimated this will increase to 300 billion dollars by 2040, based on the growing number of patients with dementia.

Schofield In Court For Meth & Pot Charges

44 year old Brian Schofield of Public Landing in court today answering to charges of possession of methamphetamine and marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.

Undercover officer Darrell Clark testifying Schofield's phone records show hundreds of texts and dozens of calls in code indicating a pretty serious involvement in the drug trade.

But Schofield's defence lawyer suggesting it was a friends-only sort of operation and it wasn't anything that Schofield would be getting rich on.

Police found several ounces of marijuana and 144 speed pills at the former Bacchus leader's home in Public Landing.

He's due back in court on December 27th for sentencing.

Government Plane Expected To Be Sold For Between $2M-$3M

The Ontario company hired as a broker in the sale of the provincial government's airplane, expects the aircraft will be sold for between $2 million and $3 million.

Transportation Minister Claude Williams estimates the plane is worth about $3.8 million.
 
The Director of Sales and Marketing for Flying Colours of Peterborough, Gary Wood points out there are between 70 and 80 aircraft of the same model already on the market and it could take six to nine months to sell the King Air B-200.

Storm Warning Issued

A special weather statement has been issued by Environment Canada which says an Arctic airmass has brought unseasonably cold temperatures which will remain with us through tomorrow. 

A low pressure system is forecast to develop tomorrow over the Southeastern United States and is expected to intensify as it moves towards Atlantic Canada during the day. 

There is the potential for significant snow, strong winds and blowing snow on Sunday for Southern New Brunswick.
 
Linda Libby of Environment Canada tells Tide News regions along the Fundy coastline can expect 15 to 20 centimetres of snow with strong winds even though the track of the storm is expected to pass south of Nova Scotia.

Resident Cautiously Optimistic About New Drug Plan

Lots of patients have been waiting for the prescription and catastrophic drug plan unveiled earlier this week. 

One of them is Saint John resident Mark Brennan, who tells Tide News, he has a very serious kidney condition called PHP and the medication to treat it would cost 6 figures if he had to pay for it out of pocket.

"If it is covered under this new plan, it would certainly be a big load off of my mind. I know I don't just speak for myself in that regard, a lot of people have been waiting for this," he says. 


Brennan says he's cautiously optimistic that the plan will be a game-changer for him and others in his situation.

Prosecution Argues Snook Should Spend More Time Locked Up

The Prosecution claims former Saint John Common Councillor Donnie Snook should spend more time in prison and is appealing the 18 year sentence he received on 46 charges of sexually abusing boys.
 
Prosecutor Karen Lee Lamrock argues Judge Alfred Brien erred by giving Snook too much credit for time he served in jail prior to sentencing. 

She also says the judge failed to consider a section of the Criminal Code that would require an offender to serve half their sentence or 10 years, whichever is less, before coming up for parole. Snook is eligible for parole after serving just over 6 years of his sentence.

At the trial, Lamrock told the court if Snook were sentenced on each individual charge, he would serve 75 years in prison.

Premier Alward Sings Praises Of New Drug Plan

The Premier says while we can always wish that the new prescription and catastrophic drug plan would have been rolled out sooner, he's more than thrilled it's happening now.

Liberal Leader Brian Gallant had asked the Health Minister if the plan is voluntary in the first phase...David Alward tells Tide News it is to begin with but by May of 2015 it will become mandatory for all New Brunswickers without a health care plan to have insurance. 

He says the plan will be set up based on a person's ability to pay, meaning, that means a person or family's income will determine the amount they contribute.

Alward says volunteers alone spent 6000 hours developing the plan, and that number speaks to the amount of work that has gone into the creation of the program. He says all of that work has produced a good end result for New Brunswickers.

Road Closed

Part of the Lorneville Road is closed to traffic in both directions until further notice because concerns over the structural integrity of a large underground pipe which has compromised the road itself.

Repair options are being examined.

Flemming and Gallant Duke It Out Over The Drug Plan

A lively back and forth on the new drug plan in the Legislature this morning.

Liberal Liberal Brian Gallant asking the health minister if the program is voluntary in the first phase beginning next spring.

He asking Flemming if its true in the second phase of the plan after April 2015 that it will be mandatory for New Brunswickers to pay into the plan.

Health Minister Ted Flemming says the first phase of the plan is voluntary where people can assess their drug use and the extent to which they have to pay and they have the option to make that kind of decision.

Gallant does say the Liberals do support the new drug plan in principle but they do have questions they think the government should answer.

Union Questions Millions Being Paid To Quebec Consulting Firm

When the Canadian Union of Public Employees complained about cuts to the winter highway maintenance program, the more than 6 million dollars that could be paid to a consultant was prominently mentioned. 

The President of CUPE Local 1190 Andy Hardy has more to say on that.

"What they were hired to do was to find a savings of 44.5 million dollars in the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Budget, and if they do that, they're going to be paid 6.2 million dollars," he says.

Hardy says, the consulting work has been going on all year. He has no doubt there will recommendations forthcoming to save the designated amount of money.

Threat Leads To Another High School Evacuation

Police in Fredericton are on the scene at Fredericton High School, which received an unspecified threat earlier this morning.

The students were dismissed to return home beginning at 10:30am--and students were dismissed from the Ecole Ste. Anne location as well.

No word on the exact nature of the threat but Simonds High School received a call earlier this month about weapons in the school that turned out to be the work of online hackers. No one was injured and no weapons were found.