Shriners Provide Big Celebration For Kids At Grand Opening

The Shriners celebrating with the kids this weekend.

The felt-hats were a major contributor to the Grand Opening of the St. Andrews Community Playground on Saturday -- holding a parade, a BBQ, and playtime for the little ones.

Mayor Stan Choptiany was also on hand to officially open the playground, as well as local MLA Curtis Malloch.

The playground is now wheel-chair and stroller accessible, and all surfaces have been coated to minimize splinters. It was originally built by volunteers in 1993 -- 20 years later, the restoration being completed to the cost of nearly $200,000 last fall.

A Lobster-Palooza will be held this Saturday, June 7th, on Water Street in St. Andrews to raise funds for playground maintenance.

Another Court Appearance For SJ Man Charged With Murder

Fred Cormier Junior--who's been charged with second degree murder in the death of 23 year old Spencer Eldridge--made another appearance in provincial court today.

Eldridge was fatally stabbed on the West Side last month near Lancaster and Tower Streets. In connection with the same incident, Anthony Beckingham of Sea Street was charged with assault after a 61 year old man was run over with a car, suffering serious injuries.

Cormier's case was set over until June 11 while he seeks legal counsel.

Things Are Looking Brighter For Provincial Economy

It's not all doom and gloom when it comes to the provincial economy. After a slight dip in 2013, New Brunswick exports are forecast to rebound.

The revival in U.S. homebuilding and a looming shortage of lumber in B-C is bringing explosive growth to New Brunswick's forestry sector with a forecasted 14 per cent surge in exports this year, followed by 8 per cent growth in 2015.

Peter Hall, Chief Economist with Export Development Canada says upcoming projects like the West-East pipeline and the plan to convert the Canaport LNG terminal into an export facility are potential game changers for the province's export picture for years to come.

Higher prices for seafood exports will grow the province's agri-food sector by 3 per cent this year and next.

St. Andrews Man Was Election Observer In Ukraine

A St. Andrews man is back home after serving as one of the election observers in the Ukraine.

Donald Menton was in the western part of the Ukraine and says the people he spoke to see the Presidential election of the Chocolate King as a turning point.

According to Menton, they want someone in power they can trust who can put an end to corruption which has crippled the country's economy.

He goes on to say, with the exception of some technical glitches, everything went smoothly and the turnout was comparable to a Canadian election and, as for the disruptions to voting in the eastern Ukraine by pro-Russian paramilitaries, they took place in limited areas.

From what he saw during his time there, Menton says the Ukraine has tremendous potential with a well educated and well fed population.

Relay For Life This Saturday

Almost 2 thousand people in the province will die this year from cancer and 18 community and business leaders in the province will be out and about over the next few months raising money for the fight against the disease.

They have committed to raising $10,000 each for the Relay For Life, which is the Canadian Cancer Society’s major fundraiser.

Senior Manager Chantal Saucier says every penny counts when it comes to research and a diagnosis of cancer is no longer a death sentence. Prostate cancer is 96 percent curable with breast cancer at 88 percent but she warns cancer will never be eliminated entirely especially with an aging baby boomer population. Saucier adds there are thousands of cancers so it would be a mistake to believe there is just one cure.

Only about 20 per cent of the research applications to the Cancer Society get funding. Last year, 34 communities in New Brunswick hosted Relay For Life events, raising more than $2.5 million for cancer research.

Locally, the Relay For Life 2014 will take place this Saturday, June 7th, from 12noon to 12 midnight, behind the St. Stephen High School.

Mental Heath A Priority In Education

The School board serving southern New Brunswick placing a high priority on mental health training for staff and courses for students.

Zoe Watson tells Tide News the stats show 1 in 5 will experience mental heath issues and it's important to prepare their staff.

Watson says you absolutely can't start too early adding that is why the training for teachers runs from kindergarten to grade 12.