Startup Weekend Coming To Saint John

It's a global movement uniting developers, tech gurus, and business people. 

Startup Weekends brings experts together for 54 hours of workshops to pitch ideas, form teams, and start companies. Mark Breen is an Economic Development Officer with Enterprise Saint John and he tells us it's a fast-paced and productive time. 

Startup Weekend has hosted over 400 past events in 100 countries around the world and one is happening in Saint John April 25 to 27. As well, T4G is hosting its Big Data Conference, which is a conference for emerging data science innovators, next week.

Seniors Encouraged To Assess Their Driving Skills

The Canadian Automobile Association believes seniors need to do some self-policing when it comes to their driving skills. 

Gary Howard of the C-A-A says if you notice your reaction time is slowing or you're finding it difficult to drive at night, then you may need to make some changes. Howard tells Tide News it's not necessarily about stopping, it's about making the driving experience safer for everyone.

You can assess your driving skills by going to the C-A-A's new web tool for seniors, which can be found by going to seniorsdriving.caa.ca.

Climbing Gear Recalled Due To Fall Hazard

Rock climbers, rapellers and other outdoor adventurers might want to check their gear.

The Sterling Rope Company recalling three models of their sewn cords because they break at a lower than published weight, meaning you could fall. 

The cords include the 8mm Aztek Sewn Bound Loop Prusik, the 8mm Aztek Elite Edge Restraint and the 8mm Accessory Cord Sewn Eye. About 480 of these were sold in Canada from January 2013 through January 2014. 

For more information about the recall, click here.

Warning From Health Canada

If you take the antiviral drug Telzir to treat H-I-V, you may notice the product label looks a little different. Health Canada says the drug label has been updated to include new safety information. 

According to the federal department, Telzir shouldn't be used in combination with the antiarrythmic drugs amiodarone, lidocaine or quinidine because it could cause serious and/or life-threatening reactions such as abnormal heart rhythm. 

Telzir should also not be used with delavirdine, which is another antiviral drug used to treat H-I-V, because it could reduce delavirdine's effectiveness.
 
Health Canada says do not stop treatment without consulting with your doctor or healthcare professional.

Farmer Wants Agriculture Added To School Curriculum

Reversing the trend of aging farmers starts by teaching students how to grow their own food. 

That, according to 25-year-old Dave Wolpin who runs a farm in Bloomfield, which is located just outside of Hampton. Wolpin tells Tide News he believes it all comes down to education, saying the first subject of the day should agriculture and nutrition.

Stats Canada reporting the structure of agriculture has changed significantly over the last twenty years with fewer but larger farms and the average age of farm operators increasing from 47 and a half years old to 54 years old.

Imminent Spruce Budworm Outbreak Has Forestry Officials On Edge

The spruce budworm is only one and a half centimetres long, but if measures aren't taken this tiny caterpillar could spell big trouble for our forests. 

Population outbreaks of the bug happen about every thirty years and one is thought to be coming.  

UNB Professor in the faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management David MacLean tells Tide News the insects, which feast on spruce and balsam fir trees, are devastating in big numbers. He says during an outbreak of spruce budworm, you go from barely being able to find the insect to seeing hundreds on a single branch.

MacLean says their numbers have been growing in Quebec and they're expected to move east. The last big outbreak in New Brunswick hit between the late '70s and early '90s and half of the province's forests were defoliated.

He says an intervention strategy would involve intensive monitoring and early detection. $18-million being allocated by the federal government for an intervention programme.

RCMP Warn Of Black Ice On Highway

A heads up to those of you who plan on traveling on the Route 7 highway today. 

RCMP telling Tide News the highway is very slippery. They say there's black ice on the road from Saint John to Fredericton so you should be extremely careful when driving.

Woman Brought To Hospital After Assault

City Police investigating an assault on the West side of Saint John.

They tell us a woman was screaming in an apartment in the Duke Street area around midnight and had to be taken to hospital, while another person was taken into custody and will be appearing before a judge.

Police say the woman's injuries are not considered serious.

Higgs Pledges To Fix Problems With Provincial Pensions

Finance Minister Blaine Higgs is pledging to fix the problems plaguing provincial government pensions despite the flak he's getting over the changeover to the shared risk model.

He says when you talk to some of the unions who say it won't work for them now, it's interested that the Shared Risk Model seemed to work for them when their pensions were about to collapse.

Higgs says he finds that ironic.

Draft Regulations For Drug Plan Now Online

Draft regulations for the New Brunswick Drug Plan are now online for public review and comment

The regulations will establish premiums and co-payments, outline the rules for enrolment and also the requirements for insurers and pharmacies.

Health Minister Hugh Flemming claims the plan will help New Brunswickers avoid catastrophic drug costs and ensure that prescription drug insurance is available to every New Brunswicker.

To look at the draft regulations click here

Diabetes Test Strips Not Included In Drug Plan

Provincial Health Minister Ted Flemming is scratching his head wondering why the Liberals are after him about not including test strips for diabetes in the new provincial prescription drug plan.

He says it baffles him as to why anyone would think a medical supply that is not a drug would be included in a drug plan.

Flemming maintains the test strips are not considered a drug but the government is working with people with diabetes and making progress.

Third Storm This Week Hitting Charlotte County Tomorrow

Two storms -- Two snow days -- and another mess on the way.

Environment Canada Meteorologist Linda Libby tells Tide News the snow depth for Charlotte County this week alone is varied. She says so far St. Stephen is reporting an increase of 14 cms of snow, while Point Lepreau is reporting an increase this week of 27 cms of snow.

Libby says another system will hit tomorrow afternoon, starting with some wet snow that will transition into periods of rain -- with some ice pellets in between.

She says the temperatures will be warming up and could reach over 5'C overnight on Friday and we could receive upwards of 20mms of rain by Saturday morning.

NBers Warned To Watch Out For New Type Of Investment

New Brunswickers are being warned to watch out for a new kind of investment in the binary options market.

Binary options are similar to bets on whether an asset will increase or decrease in value in a fixed, and often very short, period.

They're sometimes referred to as "all or nothing" options." People who buy these options--which are often hawked through ads, email, social media or over the phone--are not protected by New Brunswick securities laws. Buying them may put any money invested at significant risk.

If you've been approached by a company offering these types of investments, you're encouraged to contact the commission immediately. For more details, click here

The 2014 Give Raising Money For Better Cancer Treatment

The 2014 Give to raise 900 thousand dollars for lab equipment that will be used to make cancer treatment better at the Regional Hospital is off to a good start with 250 thousand dollars pledged by Bruce Dowd and his family which has been matched by the John T. McMillan Junior Foundation.

Jeff MacDonald, a member of the Foundation's Board, says John McMillan Junior died from an aggressive form of leukemia in 2005 at the age of 34.

The head of Stem Cell Therapy at the Regional Hospital, Dr. Terrence Comeau tells CHSJ News cancer treatment is changing for the better and the new lab equipment will analyse the patient's D-N-A, which is unique, with the treatment individualised specifically for that person. Both diagnosis and treatment will be quicker.


Dr. Terrence Comeau says analysing D-N-A is how you hit cancer where it hurts and no two cancers are created equal.


The Regional Hospital Foundation also announcing the 2013 Give reached its goal of raising 850 thousand dollars to buy equipment that will be used during neurosurgeries.

You Could Be Breaking The Law Without Knowing It On Rothesay Ave.

If you use Rothesay Avenue and Bayside Drive regularly, you could be breaking the law without even knowing it.

The city is reminding drivers that access to that area has changed with no vehicle access to Bayside Drive from Russell Street.

Trying to cross the multiple lanes of traffic at the intersection is considered a hazardous operation of a vehicle and could result in fines for anyone caught doing it.

You can expect more signage to go up in the near future: right now the road markings don't match up with what the sign says, and they're looking to fix that as well.

Check out a map of the correct route to use here

Dried Eggs Recalled Over Salmonella Concerns

You're being urged to check your cupboard for a breakfast product that could potentially make you sick. 

Ova Easy brand dried eggs being recalled from store shelves because it could contain salmonella.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says you should check your home for the recalled product then throw it out or return it to the store you bought it from. 

Food contaminated with salmonella might not not look or smell funny, but can still make you sick. It can cause vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea in healthy people and can sometimes deadly infections in young kids, pregnant women, seniors, and those with weakened immune systems.

The product was sold nationally.

Small Expedition Ships To Have Home Port In SJ

Saint John is one step closer to becoming a home port  with a $300,000 investment by the provincial government in updating the port for expedition class ships.

That money is to help ready the Port to have cruise ships depart from here. Tourism Minister Trevor Holder tells Tide News we'll start small with so-called expedition class ships, which typically have 50 to 200 people and crew on board.

Holder says the hope is that the Saint John airport will be able to attract more flights at cheaper rates once business takes off.

A new floating dock will need to be built off the Pugsley wharf.

The smaller ships that could depart from here would head to destinations like Alma, Campobello, and even some destinations on the Saint John River, like Gagetown.

A Helping Hand For A Struggling Zoo?

Speculation is swirling about the identity of a private partner potentially offering long term help for Cherry Brook Zoo in Saint John.

Lynda Collrin of the Cherry Brook Zoo tells Tide News money has been extremely tight with recent vandalism to the zoo's sign, escalating costs of keeping animals, and treatment for a sick tiger--and the news that someone may be stepping up to help is very welcome.

Mayor Mel Norton referenced the potential partnership at common council. It's hoped more details will emerge in the coming month.

Irving Oil To Make Its Rail Cars Safer

Irving Oil taking the lead by announcing it will be voluntarily converting its rail cars used to transport oil to higher safety standards by the end of April. 

This follows the investigation into the Lac Megantic rail disaster and recommendations flowing from that investigation by the Transportation Safety Board. 

The oil that exploded into flames at Lac Megantic which destroyed much of the town was on its way to the Irving Oil refinery.

More Awareness Needed On How Age Affects Driving

The Canadian Automobile Association is launching a new tool on the web aimed at seniors and keeping them safe while driving, claiming too few of the elderly are aware.
 
The C-A-A maintains seniors should be aware of changes related to age that can affect their driving. 

By age 60, the average person needs three times as much light in order to see as they did at age 20. That has an impact on driving at night. C-A-A research has found half of seniors have adjusted their driving habits such as reducing how much they drive at night or cutting it out altogether.

47 per cent of us are worried about an aging family member when they're driving.

seniorsdriving.caa.ca