Deer Island Will Get A New Ferry

A Saint John company is partnering with the Province to build a new 24 car ferry for Deer Island to replace the John E. Rigby next spring.

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Claude Williams is happy the work will be done in the province by Custom Fabricators and Machinists.

Williams adds the deal with CFM will include other provincial suppliers up north stimulating economic activity.

The project will create work for about 35 full-time skilled tradespeople at CFM.

Senior Arrested In Suspicious Powder Incidents

A 79-year-old man has been arrested after two suspicious packages were sent to Saint Joseph's Hospital and a local funeral home late yesterday morning. Sergeant Jay Henderson tells Tide News it caused quiet a commotion, since part of the hospital had to be quarantined and employees decontaminated as a precaution.

The envelopes containing a white powder were tested and found to be powdered milk.

Obviously, no one was hurt.

Police people if they ever find a suspicious package to not open, it but call police. The senior citizen was taken into custody and is facing charges.

Who's Getting The Money From 911 Charges?

The Alward government is coming under fire for taking money out of 911 services to pay for the Emergency Measures Organization. Liberal MLA Rick Doucet tells Tide News the 911 charges on everyone's phone bill has been paying the salaries of EMO workers.

Doucet claims the government has misled the people by changing the definition of the telephone service to include co-ordinating emergencies -- in turn -- paying EMO workers while volunteers like the Fire Departments are still giving their time.

On the other side of things, Conservative MLA Curtis Malloch tells Tide News the government has to find places to find money to deal with emergencies.

Malloch says he doesn't understand why Doucet is acting like this is a surprise because the Minister stood in the house and clearly said the amendment was taking place. He accuses Doucet of politically grand-standing during an election year.

Cardy Speaks To BOT on Education, Energy and Jobs

For the first time in many years, the Saint John Board of Trade inviting the Provincial NDP leader to come and speak to its members.Dominic Cardy hit many topics including education, small business and the energy sector.

Cardy tells Tide News the security is built in with the Energy East pipeline but the prospect of controlling a shale gas industry is another matter.

He says with shale gas you have hundreds if not thousands of wells scattered all through the backwood of the province in many cases and we don't have the inspection regimes so he can't see where we can safely regulate this industry.

Irving Oil was on hand at the Delta luncheon today along with Port Saint John and Mayor Mel Norton.

Flemming Says Healthcare Costs Have Been Reined In

Provincial Health Minister Ted Flemming has unveiled details of the 2.6 billion dollar healthcare budget for 2014-2015.

He says health care expenditures are expected to be under budget for the second year in a row because the province can't afford to do otherwise.

Flemming maintains the cost of healthcare was rising at such a yearly rate, it was becoming financially unsustainable.

As for the Liberals' plan for healthcare, Flemming charges they don't have one.

The budget includes 27 million dollars for the drug plan, more than 367 thousand dollars to improve the health of expectant moms and newborns and 2.2 million for mental health initiatives.

Flemming also announcing no one will have to pay for the cost of an ambulance as of April 1st. 70 per cent of New Brunswickers are covered by their own private plans if they have to use an ambulance.

Ice Storm Cost NB Power Big Bucks

NB Power has reduced its net debt by $55 million and expects a fourth consecutive year of earnings in 2013-14 despite incurring millions of dollars in storm expenses during the last quarter and some of the most volatile natural gas market prices in years.

Restoring power to more than 88,000 customers following a series of destructive winter storms cost NB Power about $12 million. The 12 million was made up of nearly $9 million for contracted crews from within and outside New Brunswick as well as $3 million in extra costs for utility crews and materials plus meals, travel, vehicles, and lodging.

NB Power says it's preparing for an expanded tree trimming program which is expected to get underway in April and May. 

Police And Fire Investigate Suspicious Envelopes Containing White Powder

The Saint John fire department's Haz Mat Unit called to St. Joseph's Hospital late this morning after a suspicious envelope arrived at one of the offices containing a white powder which resembled pancake mix.

4 people were in the office where the envelope was discovered but none of the powder escaped from the envelope and no one was exposed. They will still be decontaminated along with the office area.

At about the same time, another envelope with something suspicious inside was found at Fundy Funeral Home on Westmorland Road. That was taken away for analysis and again, no one was exposed.

Police and the fire department appear to have a good idea of the source.

Final Home Game For The Spartans Tonight!

Tonight will be your last chance to cheer on the Spartans on Home turf.

The final league home game of the season for the High School Men's hockey team will be held at the Border Arena against the rival Fundy Mariners.
Tonight is Senior's Night so graduates on the hockey team will be honored.

And you're also being asked to bring food donations for the Volunteer Centre of Charlotte County, our local food bank.

Warm-up starts at 7pm.

Warrant Issued For Teen After Drugs And Gun Seized In Pennfield

The West District RCMP are looking for help finding an 18-year-old Fredericton man in connection with an incident that occurred in December of last year.

18-year-old Nicholas Daniel Bain is wanted in connection with a Boxing Day incident in Pennfield.

RCMP seized a significant quantity of drugs, a loaded handgun and body armor during a traffic stop.  He's facing several charges related to alleged drug trafficking and weapons offenses.

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Nicholas Bain is asked to contact West District RCMP at 506-755-1130, their local RCMP detachment or Crime Stoppers at www.crimenb.ca or 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Liberals Accuse Alward Government Of Not Having A Plan On Education

The opposition Liberals are accusing the Alward Government of having no plan for education. Moncton East M-L-A Chris Collins wants to know how the province is going to produce better educated students.

Education Minister Marie Claude-Blais disputes that contention and calls it insulting to suggest those people who work in education are flying by the seat of their pants ever since the Alward Government abandoned the 21st century learning agenda. Collins is pressing Blais to be specific about what has taken its place.

Blais maintains incredible work is being done just on inclusion alone.

Missing Saint John Woman Last Seen On King Street

The Major Crime Unit of the SJPD is looking for your help finding Karen Lynn Ogden.....the 35 year old was reported missing on Sunday. She was last seen on the 19th at an uptown bank on King Street.

She is described as being 5'7"- 5'8", about 170lbs, wearing black ¾ length jacket, dark pants, shoulder length brown hair with blond highlights, brown eyes, facial piercings including- an eyebrow ring, nose ring, a loop earring in her lip, a tribal style tattoo on her lower back with "Jamie" written in it.

The Saint John Police Force is continuing the search and is asking anyone who has any information in relation to this missing person to contact the Saint John Police Force at 506-648-3333 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Local Men Charged With Motel Arson Elect To Be Tried By Judge And Jury

Two men charged with arson on the Blue Moon Motel elcting to be tried by judge and jury.

The owner of the motel, Gordon Lankisch of St. Andrews is charged with arson and conspiracy.

Robert Levesque of Saint John is also charged with arson.

Judge David C. Walker set May 22nd for a preliminary inquiry.

The Blue Moon Motel was detroyed by fire in June of 2010.

Nominate A Worthy Volunteer For NB Human Rights Award

The NB Human Rights Commission is seeking nominations for the 27th annual New Brunswick Human Rights Award.

The awards recognize outstanding volunteer achievements and leadership----either by individuals or organizations-- in promoting equality and human rights in the province.

The deadline is April 1. The award was founded in 1988, and last year, the recipient was John Wood of Oromocto.

For the nomination form, click here

NB Power Now Testing Smart Grid Technology

Data Science will allow NB Power to be more efficient and could even reduce your electricity bill if it costs the utility less to operate.

Brad Wasson who's in charge of rolling out the smart grid tells Tide News someday NB Power might even be able to predict when an outage might happen with the use of sensors.

Wasson says if there is an outage, Big Data would allow NB Power to respond faster instead of waiting until someone gives them a call.

He estimates the smart grid technology will be implemented in stages over the next five to ten years.

What Does Big Data Have To Do With Healing Rates For Chronic Wounds?

"Big data" isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think about treating diabetic ulcers and chronic wounds--but actually, the vast information doctors collect on patients could be used more efficiently, speeding healing by as much as a year.

Health Outcomes Worldwide CEO Corinne McIsaac presented this morning at the T4G Big Data Congress. She tells Tide News users of their database have the tools to heal patients faster. On a yearly basis, $3.9 billion is spent on would care in Canada.

Doctors, RNs, and other healthcare professionals can access the database from their phone or computer and see a graph of all the information about a particular patient.

Even though McIsaac says they've demonstrated the dramatic benefits of the service, McIsaac says they're having a hard time getting New Brunswick to sign on--despite having clients across Canada and overseas. McIsaac says they've met with Health Minister Ted Flemming, but haven't received any word about using the system here in New Brunswick.

Fatal Snowmobile Crash Near Bathurst

A Moncton man being killed in a snowmobile crash in northern New Brunswick.

The 21-year-old died after being ejected from the snowmobile on a trail located about thirty kilometres south of Bathurst.

RCMP did not release the man's name.

Fredericton Police Want Help Finding Missing Men

Joshua Jewett

Police are calling on the public for help finding two missing men from Fredericton.

31-year-old Joshua Jewett disappeared on February 10 while 40-year-old David Watt has been missing since on December 2. Both were last seen in the capital city. The two cases are not related.

Jewett is described as 5 foot 9 inches tall, thin build, approximately 130lbs, mostly likely has a beard or facial hair, has glasses but rarely wears them, brown shaggy hair that may be in a ponytail, and does not have any tattoos, scars or other distinct features.

David Watt

Watt is described as 5 foot 10 inches tall, 150lbs, with short brown hair, and brown eyes.

If you have any information about either of the missing men you're being asked to get in touch with the Fredericton Police Force by calling 460-2300 or Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

NDP Leader Wants To End M-L-A's Influence Over Hiring

Provincial NDP leader Dominic Cardy says people are still fearful of voting for the wrong party at election time because the M-L-A's have too much of a say in who the provincial government hires.

Cardy would like M-L-A's to have their influence limited to just the people who staff their offices.

Cardy created quite a stir recently when he equated the reluctance of the school system to fail students to the province's high rate of illiteracy but he tells Tide News we have a crisis on our hands with 56 per cent of people in New Brunswick considered functionally illiterate.

Cardy argues having a highly trained workforce is the best way to attract business investment to the province rather than handing out grants.

Saint John Hosting Conference On Big Data

 

Big Data is fast becoming big business and T4G is holding a conference on Data Science at the Trade and Convention Centre through tomorrow.

Paul Mansz of Ambir Technology estimates it could be worth in the tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars as companies struggle with sifting through all the data that's available these days before they can make a decision.

Saint John M-P Rodney Weston says a lot is happening under the radar in Saint John.

The conference will be examining how data science can help improve patient outcomes while, at the same time, be cost effective.

The C-E-O of NB Power Gaetan Thomas will be taking part in another session on energy and the smart grid entitled "What can be measure, can be managed".

Cost Cutting In Healthcare Will Continue

The C-E-O at Horizon Health John McGarry has been given the mandate to reduce the cost of healthcare which was increasing year by year above the rate of inflation and swallowing up a greater percentage of the provincial budget.

McGarry tells Tide News the revamping of healthcare will be the norm from now on because the provincial government wants it to run more like a business and, as such, there will be destabilisation among the workers in healthcare.

McGarry says the technology is there to allow lots of things to occur at a distance which will restrain costs. He estimates if 2 per cent in cost efficiencies can be found in the system each year and growth can be limited to 4 per cent, the system should be sustainable with an annual increase in funding of 2 per cent.

One of the messages to be delivered to the Big Data conference getting underway today at the Trade and Convention Centre is that improved patient outcomes and increased cost effectiveness is within our reach with the intelligent application of data science to healthcare.

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

Warning From Fire Department

You should make sure the vents in your home to the outside have been cleared of all the snow we got on the weekend if you use a wood pellets or propane stove. 

That word coming from Divisional Fire Chief Mark Wilson who warns unburned gases will be released back into your home if the vents are clogged with snow.

Fredericton Man Facing a Murder Charge

Fredericton Police releasing a few more details about a fatal stabbing on the city's South Side. 

They were called early Sunday to Angelview Drive where they found a 24 year old man in critical condition who later died. 

An arrest was made some six hours later outside the city. A charge of second degree murder has been laid against 34 year old Kelvin Colburn Constant of Fredericton.

The victim has been identified as Christian Mauric Grueso.

Students Rarely Repeat Grades in Anglophone South

Premier David Alward and provincial NDP leader Dominic Cardy disagree over whether there's a no fail policy at schools in the province. Cardy says there is and it should be done away with but the Premier says there isn't. 

The Superintendent of the Anglophone South School District Zoe Watson tells Tide News rarely is a student held back but when it does happen, it's a major decision involving principals as well as parents while others advance even though they may not have passed.

Watson says there's plenty of research that shows having students repeat grades is not in their best interests but there's growing concern in the province about the literacy skills of high school grads being subpar.

Loss Of Energy Efficiency Program Leaves Many Wondering Why

"Boneheaded".........That's the reaction of Provincial Green Party leader David Coon on the decision to stop the Efficiency NB program which offers homeowners financial incentives to make their houses more energy efficient. 

Coon tells Tide News the evidence is clear it doesn't get done without the incentives to help pay for the upgrades.

He says 30 thousand families in the province have taken advantage of the program with their energy bills going down, on average, by 25 per cent which translate into savings of 30 million dollars.

Coon says it has also spurred 300 million dollars worth of economic development in the province over the past six years.

Parking Ban Tonight In The City

An overnight snow parking ban has been declared for the South/Central Peninsula effective 11pm this evening through to 7am tomorrow morning. This means there is no on-street parking allowed anywhere in the South/Central Peninsula area.  Any vehicles remaining on-street after 11 pm when a snow ban has been declared WILL BE TOWED at the owner's risk and expense.

Six Parking Commission snow ban parking lots have been cleared for use by on-street parking residents beginning at 6 pm tonight at:

•             the corner of Princess Street and Charlotte Street

•             King Street East

•             Peters Street

•             Carmarthen Street/Vineyard Church and

•             Mecklenburg Street at Wentworth Street

•             the corner of Charlotte and Queen Streets at Key Industries (entrance on Queen Street)

Vehicles must be removed from all snow ban parking lots by 7 am Monday through Friday and by noon on weekends. Vehicles remaining in the lots after these times may be towed at the owner's risk and expense.

The Carleton-Sewell Parking Garage offers a $5.00 overnight parking rate for nights when a snow ban is declared.  This rate is valid only between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. the following morning.   Regular parking rates will be charged before and after these hours.

Police Investigating Fatal Stabbing In Fredericton

Fredericton police are investigating a homicide on the city's south side.

Police responding to a report of a stabbing finding the victim in critical condition, however, the person later died. Officers determined the suspect had fled the scene, and a few hours later the suspect was caught somewhere just outside of the city.

The name of the victim is not being released at this time pending notification of next of kin. Police say they will release more details as they become available, likely tomorrow at the earliest.

It's believed this is an isolated incident.

Winter Storm Causing Low Visibility

A major winter storm bringing whipping winds and a hefty dumping of snow to the region. 

While the winter storm warning has ended, Meteorologist with Environment Canada Stephen Hatt tells us wind gusts will stay strong throughout the day causing blowing snow throughout the evening.

Hatt says visibility will be very low today.

Local Suppliers Should Get Slice Of Data Centre Work

BellAliant's new data centre in Millidgeville should mean some business for local suppliers - in an email - company spokesperson Katherine VanBuskirk tells us local companies will be used wherever possible but that selection process hasn't been completed.

VanBuskirk will only say work will begin soon on the 25-million dollar fortress like building with construction scheduled for completion by spring of next year.

The provincial government is contributing 5-million dollars to the project which will create about 50-jobs during construction and operation of the centre.

Suicide Preceded By Warning Signs In Most Cases

Our ability to pick up on the warning signs from those who are experiencing thoughts of suicide needs fine-tuning. 

That coming from Forensic Suicidologist Dr. Greg Zed during provincial Suicide Prevention Month, who tells Tide News between 95 to 98 percent of people who have taken their own life have left some type of warning sign or invitation to help.

He says we need to become acutely aware of these red flags, and then engage the person to get on the path to help. And while some people may feel as though they are beyond help, Zed says in his 37 years of working in mental health he hasn't come across a single situation where a person's problem or illness was beyond treatment.

Those needing help are encouraged to call CHIMO helpline at 1-800-667-5005 or Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868. They can also contact their nearest community mental-health centre or consult their family doctor. If you're looking for more information about provincial Suicide Prevention Month, click here.