Power Outages Update

                                 In St. Stephen, 3744 are currently without power.

About 58 customers are still without power in Rothesay.

That number going down from over 400 earlier today.

Saint John Energy reporting power outages affecting the West Side earlier today. Customers in the lower West side should have power back at this time.

A New Treatment Center Will Be Built For Mentally Ill Teens And Kids

This province is in dire need of new facilities to treat teens and children struggling with mental health issues.
 
No ones knows that more than Maureen Billerman of Dots NB who created a non-profit group after struggling to find help for her child with mental health challenges.
 
Billerman tells Tide News the province is seeking request for proposals for a 15-bed treatment centre for children and youth.

She says the facility for children and youth in crisis who need serious help. 

She says they will work intensely and the idea is that they will get back into their communities as quickly as possible.

Billerman calls this move a really good step that will serve a deep need.  

She expects it will be open a year from now.

For more info on Dots NB, click here

Proposed Medical Marijuana Factory In St. Stephen

A business in St.Stephen has put forward a proposal for the building of a medical marijuana factory in the town. 

Darren Marshall is VP of Tidal Health Solutions. The business has applied for a license, under the new Health Canada regulations. 

He tells us the factory will add 15 more jobs and will be regulated under the new Health Canada Rules.

"This whole new system is going to be centered around license producers, so we've made an application to become a licensed producer," he says.

 Right now, patients who use medical marijuana can grow it themselves or can have a licensed producer do it for them.
 
After the new rules take effect on April 1st, growing medical marijuana will only be permitted to licensed producers. 

Marshall tells Tide News, "some of the challenges will be educating people on what it is and how it's used, and getting away from some of the stigma that surrounds the product now."

The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year Or The Most Stressful?

For many of us it's not the most wonderful time of the year, it's the most stressful.

 But the C-E-O of the Canadian Psychological Association has some advice on how to stay calm and collected this holiday season. Dr. Karen Cohen says it's important to set realistic expectations.

"If you're go into the holidays hoping Uncle Jim and cousin Bob are going to get along really well this year, and mom is going to something different, and everyone is going to be happy. We may end up being disappointed because that's not always the way it works out," she says.

She says you should keep things in perspective if something doesn't go according to plan and try not make a mountain out of a molehill. She also says its important to pay attention to your own feelings and ask for help if you need it.

Holiday Fire Safety Tips

As you're decorating your home for the holiday season, Regional Fire Marshall in Saint John, Jeff Croft, has a few fire safety tips to keep in mind. 

He says, check your extension cords for damage before use.

"Make sure that they're not damaged, or that they aren't running under carpets, or in a high traffic area."

He adds, make sure you inspect your Christmas lights for cuts in the wires before putting them on. Especially if you use them year after year. 

Two Rexton Protestors Opt For A Trial, One Gets Time Served

27 year old Coady Stevens of Nova Scotia pleading guilty to five charges dating back to October's shale gas protests in Rexton.

Stevens faces several charges including assaulting a police officer.   He's been in jail since his arrest and was sentenced to time served with several conditions including that he stay away from any SWN Resources equipment, compound or work site.

20 year old Aaron Francis of Nova Scotia pleading not guilty to 16 changes stemming from incidents on October 17th.
The charges include two counts of assault on a police officer, assault on a corrections officer and eight charges relating to firearms.

21 year old Germain Breau of Upper Rexton was also in court pleading not guilty to 19 charges in connection with his actions on the same day.

Francis and Breau are due back before a judge on December 30th to have trial dates se

Expect Slippery Conditions Tonight

Expect slippery conditions tonight with freezing rain, and ice pellets headed our way. 

 Cindy Vallis is a meteorologist at Environment Canada. She tells us, the worst of the weather is going to around be midnight.

"Periods of rain through the evening hours, then changing to periods of rain around midnight," she says.
 
Expect about 10 to 15 centimeters of ice pellets.  She adds, the weather will gradually improve tomorrow as the system moves.

MADD Canada Launching Project Red Ribbon

Mothers Against Drunk Driving Canada and Irving Oil launching Project Red Ribbon in Atlantic Canada.
 
The red ribbon is a symbol many of us are familiar with, and is a reminder to never drive impaired. The campaign has been around for 26 years. 

 Dawn Regan speaks for MADD Canada, and tells us impaired driving is the number one criminal cause of death in Canada. 

"It just such a preventable activity there's no reason for this crime to happen. People just need to make the right decision and never drive impaired," she says.

She adds, 1,200 to 1,500 people die in impaired driving related accidents per year, averaging about 4 deaths per day.

More Than $1.5 Million In Unclaimed Lottery Money

 No one wants to miss out on winning some cash, especially during the holiday season.

 Atlantic Lottery telling us there's more than 1.5 million dollars in unclaimed lottery money. That's just for the month of December. 

Carla Burque of Atlantic Lottery, tells Tide News, 

"People have these ticket on their counters, in their wallets, in their purses. They're worth some money." 

She says smaller prizes may not change your life, but they could pay for dinner, coffee or something you may have had your eye on for a while.

After a year, unclaimed prizes are returned to a special fund and offered back to players through some form of prizing.

Tonight Is Algonquin Night!

Tonight is Algonquin Night at Kingsbrae Garden.

The annual Festival of Trees in St. Andrews is a silent auction on Christmas Trees loaded with goodies from local businesses, as well as collecting food and monetary donations for the food bank.

Volunteer Centre of Charlotte County Co-ordinator Donna Linton tells Tide News people are encouraged to donate non-perishable food items or a suggested donation of $3 for admission to the Festival of Trees.

For "Algonquin Night", the Algonquin Hotel will match the weight of food donations that are raised tonight.

The Festival is open from 5-9, and you will be able to bid on any of the Christmas trees until December 29th.

Slushy And Slippery Roads In Charlotte County This Weekend

Get ready for a big slushy mess.

Environment Canada issuing a freezing rain warning for the weekend in Charlotte County.

The national forecaster says periods of snow will be mixed with ice pellets and freezing rain by tonight.

That will continue into tomorrow evening when the temperature rises to 2 degrees above zero and we'll have some rain showers.

Sunday is also calling for more snow and freezing rain.

2 Hurt In 5 Vehicle Crash On Highway 1

5 vehicles in a major crash on Highway 1 westbound near the Tourist bureau leaving two people seriously hurt.

It happened in the middle of rush hour causing a major traffic problem.

Saint John City police tell Tide News it looks light one of the cars crossed the centre line into the oncoming traffic.

The highway was closed but is now back open to traffic.

Warning About Synthetic Drugs Seized By City Police

The seizure of two synthetic drugs in the north end prompting City Police to issue a warning about their dangers. 

Sergeant Jay Henderson says both D-M-T and 2-5-I (eye) cause users to hallucinate to the point where they could be dangerously unaware of their surroundings.
 
Police say there's no known medical use for these drugs which will be chemically analysed.

Woman Pleads Guilty To Stealing Drugs From Hospital

After stealing morphine, oxycodone, percocet and other types of drugs from the Regional Hospital, Erin Munn says she wants to make things right.

The woman pleading guilty in provincial court to taking drugs from the hospital's surgery department this summer while she was working as a cleaner in the building. Munn was caught after a surveillance camera was installed near the cabinets.

She says she has written a letter to the hospital and wants to get back on track. Her employer has hired her back on and the Crown says she's taking steps to get help for her pill addiction. The judge giving her a six-month conditional sentence saying rehabilitation is the key here.

Smith Inquest Jury Rules Her 07 Death A Homicide

The jury at the Ashley Smith inquest in Toronto ruling her death was the result of a homicide.

The Moncton teen died in her prison cell in Kitchener, Ontario in 2007. She choked to death of pieces of material after jail guards were told not to rush and help her.

Among its many recommendations, the jury is recommending that indefinite solitary confinement be abolished and until that happens, they suggest it be restricted to a maximum of 15 days.

Another recommendation is for Smith's story to be used a case study for front line workers at the Correctional Service of Canada.

For nearly a year, the jury has been listening to thousands of hours of testimony and reviewing hundreds of exhibits of Smith's time in federal prison.

Work Underway On The 2014 Vote

Next year's provincial vote is a big undertaking and the work is already underway at Elections NB.

Chief Electoral Officer Mike Quinn tells Tide News says during the last vote they began a pilot project with full returning offices on campuses in Fredericton, Saint John, Moncton, and Edmunston.

He says they are looking at ways of changing that service around and make it better so that students get to vote all through the election.

Quinn says they are preparing the new polling division map because of the riding changes shrinking the number of ridings from 55 to 49.

Healthcare Budget Will Have Surplus

Tide News has been told by Provincial Health Minister Ted Flemming it appears the healthcare budget is heading for a 26 million dollar surplus. 

Flemming says this turnaround would not have happened had the culture within the healthcare system not been changed and this change has been embraced by the people working in healthcare after years of political interference and bad decision making as a result.

He also says the healthcare budget next year will not be going up from this year and the government has achieved this without touching clinical services.

Man Facing 19 Charges After Shale Gas Protests In October

A 21-year-old man from Rexton, New Brunswick is facing 19 charges, after his actions during shale gas protests.

 Germain Breau was arrested in October and has been in custoday ever since. RCMP say he was arrested after police were trying to control a dangerous situation involving firearms, improvised explosive devices and other weapons.

Some of the charges against him include, careless use of a firearm, pointing a firearm at a police officer, obstructing a police officer and violating a probation order. 

 Yesterday, 15 more charges were laid against him at Moncton Provincial Court, and he will be back in court tomorrow.

New Brunswick Getting More Money From The Harper Government

The Alward Government's bottom line getting a big boost with a five per cent increase in transfer payments from Ottawa. 

Federal transfers will rise next year to over 2.6 billion dollars which comprises one-third of the provincial budget. 

Saint John M-P Rodney Weston blames the previous Liberal Government under Premier Shawn Graham, in large part, for a financial mess by spending more money than it took in, driving up the debt.
 
Weston concedes the province still finds itself in a difficult financial situation in spite of higher federal transfer payments, adding he doesn't envy the challenge faced by Provincial Finance Minister Blaine Higgs.

Shale Gas Protestor Pleads Guilty To Charges

After two months behind bars, a 47-year old man arrested during the violent clash between RCMP and shale gas protestors near Rexton has been released from jail.

47-year old James Pictou of Saint-André-de-Madawaska being sentenced to time served as he was in custody since his arrest on October 17.

Pictou pleading guilty to seven charges stemming from incidents on the Elispogtog First Nation and near Rexton, including uttering a threat towards a First Nation peacekeeper, uttering threats to kill an RCMP dog by saying "Bring that dog, I'll kill that dog" while holding a long peace of wood, and assaulting a police officer by pointing a can of bear spray at him.

He will be under house arrest for there months and under curfew for six months and is not allowed to participate in any shale gas protests in New Brunswick. He is also being ordered to stay a kilometre away from employees and equipment belonging to SWN Resources and its subcontractors.