Two Arrested In Lower West Side Assault

Two men arrested for assaulting another man with a weapon on the lower West side of Saint John.

Sergeant Cowan of the Saint John Police says the incident happened on Rodney Street just after 10pm yesterday night and a man was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Police are still working to figure out what type of weapon was used. 

Cowan says this assault was not random. The two men who were arrested will be appearing in court at a later date.

Power Out For Many New Brunswickers

Many New Brunswickers are off the grid today. 

Over 1500 NB Power customers are without heat and lights in the province with Fredericton and Mirimichi bearing the brunt of the outages. NB Power estimating the power will be back on in the later part of the afternoon. 

Yesterday, thousands in St. Stephen were in the dark after a Harvey substation was vandalized.

Turbine Travelling To Point Lepreau Tomorrow

Another turbine is making the trek from the Port City to Point Lepreau.

The large, approximately 130-tonne turbine rotor being transported to the generating station tomorrow, weather permitting. The journey will take about six hours and there will be police escorts for the duration of the trip.

Drivers being advising to avoid travelling on King Street West, Market Street and Ludlow Street between 6 and 8am. You can expect delays on Route 1 between 7 and 10:30am on the east and westbound lanes from Ludlow Street to Route 790 at Lepreau.

Last week, one of the rotors made the journey from Saint John to the station.

Pacifier Holder Clips Recalled Due To Choking Hazard

A warning to new moms and dads, Playtex is recalling their Pacifier Holder Clips because they can crack and a small part can break off, posing a choking hazard to small kids.

The company getting almost a hundred reports from consumers, including forty-three from here in Canada, of the clip cracking or breaking. Health Canada getting one report of the clip breaking where a small part broke off. No injuries have been reported to either organization.

About 150,000 of these were distributed in Canada. They were sold from July 2010 through October 2013 here and in the U.S. They were sold in green with a monkey figure, pink with a flower and blue with a tow truck.

Police & Fire Respond To Explosion In Fredericton Apartment

Police and fire crews in Fredericton responding to reports of an explosion at an apartment building on the city's south-side.

When they first arrived they found significant damage in a vacant apartment. The Fredericton Police Force Explosive Disposal Unit did a secondary search and secured the location. The Major Crime Team and the Forensic Identification Team were also on the scene investigating. 

No one was hurt, and the cause has initially been determined to be misuse of cleaning supplies.

Fire Destroys Farmhouse, Leaves Three Homeless

A fire destroying a farmhouse in the rural community of Holmesville, leaving three people homeless.

Firefighters from Bath and Florenceville-Bristol responding to the blaze at 6am on Thursday to the home on Doherty Road. A retired couple along with the woman's mother escaping the home unhurt.

No word yet on the cause of the fire.

Man And Woman Facing Charges In Cocaine Bust

A man and woman from Halifax are facing charges in connection with a coke bust at a traffic stop near Havelock.

RCMP stopping a vehicle traveling on the TransCanada Highway near the community seizing about five and a half pounds of cocaine along with cash.

38-year-old Lajuane Bruce and 26-year-old Debonnie Pearce appearing in Moncton Provincial Court on Friday to be charged with trafficking cocaine, possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine and possession of property obtained by crime.

Both will be back in court again on Monday.

CCHP Says Payments Were Made -- The Rest To Come Shortly

The Charlotte County Hospitality Partnership -- who is responsible for the management of the renos at the iconic Algonquin Resort -- issuing a statement on the big bill that several companies reportedly say is owed to them.

The CCHP says they have been working with sub-contractors over the past 6 weeks to reconcile work with each contract, significant payments were made in December and January, and they expect the accounting to be completed in early February.

Here is the full statement issued:

“In a statement issued in December 2013, we noted that Charlotte County Hospitality Partners has assumed responsibility for the management of the renovation of the Algonquin Hotel.

Over the past six weeks we have been working with the sub contractors to reconcile work performed against each contract and significant payments were made in December and January. With the cooperation of all the sub-contractors we have been able to

continue working towards full project completion for May and a possible partial opening in February or March. As the account reconciliation continues, some sub-contractors have exercised their lien rights. We understand that this is a legal precaution to protect their interests and we appreciate the continued support we are getting from the subcontractors.

We expect to have the accounting work completed in early February and for additional payments to be made shortly.

When we set out to revitalize the Algonquin, we knew there would be challenges.  We’re certain, however, that when the final results are unveiled it very quickly will become the hospitality landmark of Atlantic Canada and make all New Brunswick very proud.  Our booking pace is extremely positive and we anticipate an exceptional spring and summer.”

Charlotte County Hospitality Partnership.

Sub-Contractors Say Algonquin Owes Them $

Our iconic hotel may be in some hot water.

Reports say several companies have filed liens against Southwest Properties and Newcastle Developments, the owners of the Algonquin Hotel and Resort in St. Andrews, for money they say are owed to them for the renovation.

Reports say four of the liens also name Avant-Garde Construction, the general contractor for the reno.

The claims apparently add up to $881,000.

Kent Building Supplies is claiming the largest amount owing at $481 thousand.

Southwest President Gordon Laing giving a statement saying payments were made to sub-contractors in December and January, with another due in February.

Funeral Arrangements Announced For Former St. Stephen Mayor

St. Stephen saying goodbye to one of its former Mayors.

Jed Purcell -- who served as mayor from 2008-2012 -- passed away last Saturday, January 18th, 2014, while in Florida.

Visitation with family will be held at Mehan's Funeral Home on Main Street in St. Stephen, on Sunday, January 26th from 2-4 and from 7-9.

Mehan's announcing Jed's funeral will be held on Monday, January 27th at St. Stephen's Roman Catholic Church, 407 Milltown Blvd at 11am.

For a link to Jed's obituary, click HERE

No Tax Increases In Upcoming Provincial Budget But There Are Job Cuts In Health

One thing is for sure, you won't have to worry about taxes going up in the near future. Finance Minister Blaine Higgs saying taxes aren't going up in the next budget, scheduled to come out next month. 

Kevin Lacey of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation saying while this is good news for the province,we still need to pay attention to government spending.

"There are positive signs for the future that things are going to get better, so we want to see the Finance Minister address the government's spending problem, and not just hope that a lot of the longer-term projects are going to come on and save the day for the province," he says.  

 At the same time, he says the Minister's decision is really the only option right now, and 
new projects such as the pipeline, can help drive up provincial revenue.

 He tells Tide News, "when you consider that someone earning sixty-thousand dollars in Saint John would pay about seventeen-hundred dollars more in taxes than someone earning the same income in Edmonton, New Brunswickers can not take anymore tax increases."

Still with the province's bottom line......Horizon Health estimates it will save half a million dollars with 8 job cuts and not filling 4 vacant positions in radiology and nuclear medicine in Saint John, Fredericton and Moncton.

Latest Layoffs At Horizon Health Criticised

Liberal Healthcare critic Donald Arsenault believes the Alward Government is shooting itself in the foot with the most recent layoffs at Horizon Health.

There are 8 layoffs in radiology and nuclear technology while four jobs will stay vacant in Saint John, Moncton and Fredericton.

Arsenault doesn't buy the claim by Horizon Health that the quality of patient care will not be compromised, telling Tide News these are skilled positions and he fears the province will get a reputation that will make it harder to recruit front line medical professionals down the road.

He also says people are going to work in healthcare unsure about whether they'll have a job the following week and this is damaging morale.

Cellphone Saves Pilot's Life After Crash

The 22 year old trainee pilot whose small plane crashed between Fredericton and Minto is expected to make a full recovery.

 He managed to crawl from the wreckage and used his cellphone to get help. It still took rescuers a couple of hours to find him in dense brush with bitterly cold temperatures but Fredericton's Assistant Deputy Fire Chief David McKinley says using the cellphone to provide GPS co-ordinates saved his life. 

The Transportation Safety Board is investigating to try to determine what sort of problem occurred to force the pilot to make an emergency landing.

CUPW Stand Against Job Cuts And Stamp Costs

If you're a bit older -- or disabled -- it could be a lot harder for you to get your mail.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers says Canada Post wants to cut door-to-door delivery and put everyone in community mailboxes -- which the unions claim will make it harder, especially in the winter months, for everyone to get their mail.

Tony Villeneauve tells Tide News Canada Post also wants to raise the cost of one stamp to $1. He says they need the public support in St. Stephen, for people to sign the petition, call their Mp's, write their MP's, and let them know that this is not what the people of St. Stephen deserve. He calls this an attack on workers, corporations, and on service.

Villeneauve says CP wants to cut 6000 to 8000 jobs nationwide over 5 years. He says that translates into 4 job losses in St. Stephen alone.

CUPW will be marching in front of MP John Williamson's office on Monday, January 27th on Milltown Blvd in St. Stephen.

You can sign the petition opposing the job cuts and raise in stamp prices by going to www.savecanadapost.ca .

Minister To Meet To Discuss Future Of Lobster Industry

Agriculture, Aquaculture, and Fisheries ministers from the Maritime Provinces will be meeting from March 26 - 27 in Halifax to talk about why the price of lobster has plummeted so drastically, and what can be done to strengthen the industry.

The summit will focus on the Maritime Lobster Panel report, given to the three ministers last November. It addresses why the price of lobster dropped in the spring of 2013 and looks at the various cost and revenue aspects of harvesters, buyers and processors.

The report also looks at ways to stabilize and potentially increase prices paid to harvesters, and a possible formal system where the industry would know the price that will be paid in advance.

Anxiety Levels Among Students At U-N-B Rising

As the strike by university professors at U-N-B in Saint John, Fredericton and Bathurst continues, the Provincial NDP is calling for students to be legislatively protected both academically and financially from losing out. 

Pat Joyce is Executive-Director of the New Brunswick Student Alliance and tells Tide News, financially that would mean rebates on their tuition.
 
As for what could be done for them if their semester is lost, Joyce says that would be unprecedented but a semester could very go down the drain, he has heard, if a strike lasted more than 4 weeks. He would hope the provincial government would step in and help the students out if that happened.

Old Man Winter Is Back

The storm which hammered the northeastern U.S. is hammering down on us.

Mel Lemmon of Environment Canada tells Tide News things are turning for the worst this afternoon because of heavier snow accompanied by strong winds. He says we can expect winds gusts up to 60 km/h, and those will continue through tonight before it starts to taper off.

Grand Manan and coastal Charlotte County is also under a blizzard warning with 15-25 cms of snow expected.

St. Stephen is only calling for 10-15 cms of snow with lighter winds.

Plane Crash In Fredericton Area With Pilot Rescued

An investigation will be launched to determine why a small plane with a trainee pilot crashed last night near Highway 10 and Grub Road, between Fredericton and Minto. 

The Fredericton Fire Department says phone contact was made with the pilot who was found near by after an extensive search in dense brush and then was airlifted to hospital for medical treatment. He's listed in critical condition.


The pilot is in his 20's but his name has not been released. He managed to crawl out of the wreckage and called for help on his cellphone.

Meantime, on the east side, there was a two vehicle collision yesterday afternoon at 340 Loch Lomand Road. One person was taken to hospital.

Police Seek Public Help With Suspicious Fire

Police are asking for your help with a suspicious fire on the island.

Police in Grand Manan say they were called to a storage facility on Route 776, around 4am on June 28th.

RCMP say, by that time, the building was fully engulfed in flames and the loss is estimated around $50,000.

After further investigation, police are calling the blaze suspicious since there was no power going to the building.

If you have any information on the fire, please contact Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Storm On The Way For Charlotte County -- Blizzard For SJ

After days of spring-like temperatures, it's time to break out your shovel again. 

A blizzard is on the way for Saint John, bringing heavy snow and blowing snow to the region. A winter storm watch warning is in place for Charlotte County. 

Claude Cote of Environment Canada tells Tide News starting before Wednesday morning we'll see periods of snow, blowing snow and reduced visibility to near-zero. It's expected we'll see winds gusting to about 60 km/hr closer to the city.

Cote says the storm will start tapering off at about 8pm or 9am. We can expect to see about 15 cms of fresh snow on the ground by the end of the storm.

The provincial E-M-O reminding you that strong winds can bring power outages and you should make sure you have everything you need to last you at least seventy-two hours after a storm, including an emergency kit for your home and car. They're also encouraging you to avoid driving if you don't have to during and after the blizzard.

Man Arrested In Fredericton Stabbing Incident

A 31-year-old man has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault, and one count of  assault following a stabbing incident at Eastern College in Fredericton yesterday. Luke Thomas Powers of Fredericton appeared in court this morning.

 Police responded to Eastern College on Prospect Street in response to a disturbance, and when they arrived police found that three victims (two instructors, one student) had been injured by a large, long-bladed knife.


Police arrested Powers at the scene. He will appear in court again next month.

Huge Gym Bag Full Of Pot Seized

RCMP are reporting two Nova Scotia men were arrested on the weekend after a traffic stop in Havelock in which a quantity of marijuana was seized

The vehicle was going east on Highway 2 on Saturday shortly before noon. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery and seizure of about  43 lbs of marijuana, as well as cannabis resin. The seized put could have been used to roll more than 63-thousand joints.

Two men ages 30 and 41 were arrested and later released on a promise to appear in Moncton Provincial Court on March 10.

Rinehart Concerned About Students Caught In Strike

As the strike drags on at UNB, former UNB Dean Shelley Rinehart tells Tide News she knows from experience it's very difficult for the university to hire--because the school isn't competitive even with some of its closest neighbours.

She says she's especially concerned about the students in the MBA program, considering it's an 8-week module and they've already lost a week, which could impact their ability to finish on time.

Rinehart says there are some legitimate issues that need to be addressed and nothing would make her happier than hearing everyone is back at the bargaining table tomorrow.

Canadian Shoppers May Have Been Hacked

If you shopped at a Target store in the U.S. prior to Christmas, your name and contact information might have been stolen by hackers.
 
An email from the company has been sent to some Canadian customers which warns their names, mailing addresses, phone numbers and email addresses may have been taken if they shopped at Target stores in the U.S. between November 27th and December 15th.
 
Target has said hackers stole data related to 40 million credit and debit accounts in the U.S.
 
Canadian stores were not affected because they have a separate point-of-sale system.

Union Questions Commitment of University to Revitalising Faculty

As the strike by university of professors continues at U-N-B, a lot of people are getting nervous about when classes might resume. There's pressure to resume negotiations and there has been talk of that happening this week.

Union President Miriam Jones concedes at first glance it appears the professors are making good coin so why are they striking but she argues the faculty is aging and not being replaced by younger professors who would be making less. According to Jones, that's what the older professors would like to see because it means there's a commitment on the part of the university to revitalize the faculty with new blood. 
 
As it is, Jones tells Tide News the university is replacing full-time professors with people who teach course by course for what she describes as "peanuts" or on term contracts.

Date Set For Oland Inquiry

Six weeks have been set aside for a preliminary hearing to determine if Dennis Oland will stand trial in the death of his father, Richard, in July of 2011.

It is scheduled to go from May 12th to June 20th and, in almost all cases, the presiding judge imposes a ban on the publication of evidence.

The body of Richard Oland was found in his office on Canterbury Street in Saint John. 

Man Crashes SUV At River's Edge

A crash on Milltown Blvd this morning could have been a lot worse.

Just before 10am, a man driving an SUV losing consciousness in the back parking lot behind 98.1 The Tide with his vehicle slamming into one of the town's heritage signs -- very close to the edge of the St. Croix River. 

Once first responders arrived, the driver became aware and said he had fallen on the ice a few minutes prior to getting into his vehicle.

He was taken to the Charlotte County Hospital in St. Stephen to get checked out, with no visible injuries.

Two Teachers And A Student Hurt In School Stabbing

Fredericton police shedding more light on a stabbing incident at Eastern College on Prospect street this morning.

Police arrived just before 830 to find two teachers and one student had been hurt by a machete-style knife and one man was arrested.

Three victims were sent to hospital and media reports have one teacher requiring surgery.

Fredericton police chief Leanne Fitch says if a student had not intervened and subdued the suspect a bad situation would have been a lot worse.

Fitch adds they believe its an isolated incident and they do not believe there is any additional threat to the community.

Price Of Milk Increasing Next Month

You'll be paying a little more for milk starting next month, with the New Brunswick Farm Products Commission announcing the price is going up by 3.1 cents per litre.

Commission chair Bob Shannon they needed to raise the price because for several reasons, the most significant being the cost of production, processing and the delivery of milk to consumers.

The increase will be divided among dairy producers, dairy processors and retailers. Producers will receive 1.32 cents per litre, processors will get 1.37 cents per litre, and the balance goes to retailers. Pricing under the School Milk Program will remain unchanged for the school year.

Missing Boy Found

A 14-year-old boy from Fredericton who was reported missing late last week has been found.

Josh Wood was last seen around Leo Hayes High School Friday morning but is now back home safe and sound. 

Police believe he may have spent the time at a friend's home.

Union Defends Wage Demand

The Canadian Taxpayers Association has called the demand of a wage increase of 26 per cent over 4 years by striking professors at U-N-B in Fredericton, Saint John and Bathurst as outrageous when their average salary is 100 thousand dollars. 

That characterization is being refuted by Union President Miriam Jones who tells Tide News the university finds the money to spend on non-academic projects.  She claims taxpayers would not have to pay any extra because U-N-B has the money but Jones has an issue with how the university is spending it.

According to Jones, over the past ten years, 48 academic positions have been lost but the university added 84 non-academic jobs for the projects it wants.

Upcoming Renovations To Saint John Regional Hospital May Cause Delays

The Specimen Collection department at the Saint John Regional Hospital will be under renovation from January 28th to February 25th. 

Horizon Health Network says there could be some delays in services. You're being asked to make sure you have an appointed booked with the Specimen Collection department  before going to the hospital.

Your other options during the time of renovations include, the Specimen Collection Departments at St. Joseph's Hospital and the Kennebecasis Valley Clinic. Both are available by appointment.

If you have questions about a specimen collection appointment call 506-648-6683.

Rothesay Council Officially Endorses Natural Gas Exploration

Rothesay council taking an official position on the exploration of natural gas in New Brunswick. 

Town council voting in support of the motion made by Mayor Bill Bishop, who tells us he hopes it prompts the provincial government to keep moving forward with exploration. He says the province's finances are in a sad state and natural resources are the wealth of New Brunswick.

Saint John Council voted to support the exploration of natural gas in the province back in early December.

Missing 14-year-old boy in Fredericton

Fredericton Police are asking for your help in finding a missing person. Fourteen-year-old Josh Wood has been missing since Friday night. He was last seen around Leo Hayes High School Friday morning. 

 A news release from the Fredericton Police Department states, "Wood is approximately 5'6" in height, 130lbs, blue eyes, and was wearing  a Sharks hockey jacket with #9 on the back, black Adidas splash pants, white sneakers and white baseball cap,"

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fredericton Police Force at
460-2300.

Hemmings House Pictures Launches "Instagram Photo Festival"

Here's an idea on what to do with all of your Instagram pictures of Saint John. Simply add #lovesaintjohn, and you'll be part of the "Instagram Photo Festival" being launched by Hemmings House Pictures.

Director of photography Mark Hemmings, tells us, he thought it would be a great way to showcase


 photos of Saint John that are taken on cell phones or tablets, ending up on Instagram.

 "The grand hope is that people will fall in love with Saint John. I think the best way to do that is to photograph your own city and to appreciate how interesting it is," he says.

Hemmings House Pictures will host a mini-festival in March, showcasing the images taken around the Port City. Hemmings hopes people will submit photos that are unique to Saint John, no matter how small.

Millidgeville pharmacy sees spike in the number of people coming in for flu shots

A local pharmacy saying it's seen a spike in the number of people coming in for flu shots this year. 

This after more cases of H1N1 in Alberta, and reports of four flu related deaths in New Brunswick. Ryan Kennedy is a pharmacist and owner of the Millidgeville Pharmasave.

He  says he's concerned about running low on vaccinations, but is hoping to get more stock next week. 

He tells us about the amount of people coming in for flu shots this season. "Multiple people, double digits every day," he says, which is certainly not in line with what we were doing last year." 

Adding, "We've been able to maintain a bit of a supply that was running low. Some of the other dispensaries in the market have run out, so they've been forwarding people here."

He says this has meant longer wait times than usual, but people have been understanding.  The New Brunswick Pharmacy Association recently telling us the number of people getting flu shots has doubled this year.

Staying On Top Of Healthy Eating Resolutions

It can be tough to stay motivated throughout the year to achieve the healthy eating goals you made at the very beginning.

Nutritionist Leslie Fancey has some tips for keeping on top of your New Year's Resolutions. She says it's important to be realistic, which will help you stay motivated. 

"Keeping up with a sensible weight loss of maybe about a pound to a pound and a half a week. That's a much more healthy way to lose weight than setting expectations high and thinking 'oh, I'm going to lose three to five every week.' It's just not sustainable, it's not even desirable to lose that much," she says.

She adds, stocking your cupboards with whole natural foods, can help you resist temptation, along with making a list before grocery shopping to help you stay on track.

She also suggests having an accountability buddy such as "a friend or a spouse, someone who you can show your food diary to, or share issues or challenges that you're facing."

Man Hospitalized After Stabbing In Saint John

Saint John Police responding to an incident at Woodhaven Drive overnight. A male was stabbed at a home and taken to hospital. There have been no arrests.
 
The man had non life-threatening injuries, and has been released from hospital. The incident is under investigation by the Major Crime Unit.

Overnight Parking Restrictions For Lower West Side

There will be no parking on Saturday night and Sunday morning in the following areas:  King Street West from and to Ludlow street, on Ludlow from King Street West to Prince Street, and on Prince Street close to the Ludlow intersection. 

Everyone is bring advised to avoid these streets on Sunday as well. If your park on those streets during no parking hours you will be ticketed and towed. There will be temporary no parking signs.

Tomorrow, and on Jan 26th, turbine rotors will be moved from Port Saint John to the Point Lepreau Generating Station. The City says delays can also be expected on Route 1 between 7:30 and 10:30 am.

MCF Says Rehab Shouldn't Affect Appearance In June

Maritime CountryFest taking to social media to address issues with this year's big name star.

The Fredericton festival posting to Facebook they had received word from Trace Adkins' Agent Darin Murphy.

Murphy says "Trace has entered a treatment facility after a setback in his battle with alcoholism. As he faces these issues head-on, we ask that his family’s privacy be respected. The rehab is a 30 day program."

Maritime adding they are confident this will have no impact on his appearance, set for Saturday, June 14th and wish him all the best with his recovery.

Reports say Adkins got into a drunken brawl this week with a Trace impersonator aboard his Country Cruise to Jamaica. He left the ship for rehab as soon as it docked.

Toby Keith Is Coming To Harbour Station

Country fans will be psyched to hear this one!    Toby Keith is coming to Harbour Station for a concert on May 2nd.

Keith will bring his "Hammer Down" tour to Saint John.     In March, the country star has four concerts in Australia before coming back to the states.

Ticket prices range between $79.95 and $119.95 plus service charge and tickets go on sale next Friday January 24th at 10am.

Expect Delays As Turbines Are Moved To Point Lepreau

You might be wondering what you're seeing on the highways--so we'll tell you now.

On Sunday and again on January 26, two turbine rotors weighing about 130 tonnes each will be transported from the Port at West Saint John to the Point Lepreau Generating Station. Moving them will cause t traffic delays and road closures, as they will be traveling at about 15-20 km/hour for most of the 50 km journey.

There will be police escorts--and a replacement truck and specialized mechanics will also be part of the convoy.

It will take about six hours to move each rotor. They will replace two of the three rotors in service at the Point Lepreau Generating Station.

From the city: 

"Motorists and truck traffic are advised to avoid traveling on King Street West, Market Street and Ludlow Street in Saint John West between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19 and Sunday, Jan. 26. Delays can also be expected on Route 1 between 7 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on the eastbound and westbound lanes from Ludlow Street in Saint John West to Route 790 at Lepreau. The northbound and southbound lanes of Route 790 will be affected from Route 1 to the Ridge Road (up to Point Lepreau) from 8:30 a.m. until noon. All delays will be intermittent, but may last more than 30 minutes and will include road closures and detours."

Four Flu Deaths In The Province With 300 Cases

The chief medical officer of health revealing four people have died due to illness relating to the flu with the dominant strain this year being H1N1.

Dr. Eilish Cleary says there are over 300 confirmed cases of the flu with 51 people have been hospitalized.

15 were admitted to intensive care units but Cleary says most of those who were hospitalized have been discharged.

Four New Additions To Efficiency NB

A few new faces joining Efficiency N.B. A new chair and three members have been appointed to the group's board of directors.

The president and C-O-O of Groupe Savoie in Saint-Quentin, Alain Bossé being named the chair, while the owner of Quispamsis-based technology and management consulting firm Horizon3 Ventures, Richard Jones, being appointed vice-chair. Gisèle Levesque and André Benoit joining as board members. 

All of them were nominated based on their professional skills, backgrounds and knowledge in the field of energy efficiency.

The Number Of Fatal Collisions Down 30% In 2013

The number of fatal collisions dropping 30 per cent in 2013. That's the lowest number of in five years. 

 The New Brunswick RCMP saying there were 38 fatal crashes and 48 victims last year. Sargent James Bates tells Tide News, the strategy they're using seems to be working.
 
"Our focus will remain on ensuring that people are wearing their seatbelts, focus on not driving while impaired, reducing speed on our roads and intersections, to avoid dangerous situations," he says. 

Adding, the focus will also remain on decreasing distracted driving in vehicles. A lack of seatbelts, impaired driving and speeding were the leading causes of fatalities in 2013.

Police Association President Weighs In On RCMP Vs. Municipal Departments

As Saint John examines the cost of RCMP policing the city, several other municipalities appear to be moving away from the Mounties.

NB Police Association President Dean Secord tells Tide News as the RCMP have transitioned to three districts,  many communities have been told they'll be getting a so-called "drive through service," in which officers decide what calls they service--and some mayors aren't happy with that.

Saint George has already voted to see if they can be released from the RCMP contract and Black's Harbour voted to do the same last night. In Saint John, City Manager Pat Woods has been tasked with a report comparing the costs of the SJPD to the RCMP.

Black's Harbour Council Votes To End RCMP Contract

Black's Harbour voting to end its policing agreement with the RCMP.

Deputy Mayor Natalie Harris tells Tide News village council voted unanimously last night to seek permission from the Minister of Public Safety to release them from their RCMP contract.

St. George previously voted to stop using the RCMP and has been talking with the Black's Harbour council for about a year on getting a municipal force for their communities.

Combined the village and town pay about $500,000 a year to have the RCMP provide policing.

Trace Adkins Will Headline Fredericton Festival

Trace Adkins coming to the rescue of the Maritime Countryfest in Fredericton this June.

The singer will fill in for Ronnie Dunn who has cancelled all of his tour dates this year.

Other performers include Deric Ruttan, Kelli Pickler, Chad Brownlee and Great Big Sea.

The event coming up June 13 and 14th at Officer's Square in Fredericton.

For ticket info and to see the rest of the talent line-up, click here

Black's Harbour To Vote On Policing Tonight

Black's Harbour Village council has a big vote tonight on whether or not to keep RCMP policing in the community.

St. George has already voted to drop the Mounties.
 
Black's Harbour Deputy Mayor Natalie Harris tells Tide News they looked at what they are spending and whether or not they are happy with the service they are receiving.

She tells us they think they can get a better service if they went with a regional joint police force adding they think this is the best thing they can do for the amount of money they are willing to pay for policing.

Black's Harbour and St. George pay $500,000 combined for their RCMP contact.

If Black's Harbour votes to get rid of the RCMP,  the village then needs permission from the Department of Public Safety to proceed with a new municipal force.