Public Speaks On NB Liquor Closure In St. George

With NB Liquor closing their stores in St. George and Bristol, replacing them with much smaller agency stores, employees -- including 7 in St. George -- are being given the option to relocate to other corporate stores in different towns.

Tide News spoke with two employees from the St. George location who said they were told by their employer not to make any comments to the media.

So we asked the general public.

It was a mixed opinion with some people making comments, "I don't really care about the closure."
One man noted, "This would be cheaper for taxpayers in the end."

Most residents we asked about the closure paid concern to the employees.
One women says, "To put people out of work who live around here, to place them in other positions around the province, it's not right. They (provincial government) need to look at the people in this community."

Another man says, "It's sad really, because this community needs the stability of this business. We strive off of that store and not having it will have a big impact on the community."

Between the two stores, six full-time, permanent jobs will be lost in the small towns. The closures are slated for the end of 2012.

CUPE Asking NB Liquor To Reconsider

The union representing NB Liquor store employees is asking the corporation to reconsider closing the stores.


CUPE Local 963 President Martha Thompson says this decision is another blow to the economy of these communities, that these communities are not only losing good paying jobs, they are losing tax revenues as well.

The NB Liquor stores in St. George and Bristol are slated to be closed by the New Year. They will be replaced with much smaller agency stores, and employees are being given the option to transfer to another corporate store.

Thompson says the agency stores will offer a much smaller selection with practically no customer service, adding, it seems New Brunswickers don't deserve the same level of services and selection from NB Liquor than people living in larger centres.

Thompson says they believe this is part of a scheme by the Alward government to privatize NB Liquor, and instead of facing the public backlash by privatizing all at once, the government is privatizing the corporation, piece by piece.

Run For The Cure Today

Today is the 21rst annual Run for the Cure. The major breast cancer fundraiser kicks off in Saint John at 1:30 this afternoon, and will also be a BBQ and events for the kids, weather permitting.

 Karen McCumber tells Tide News they're hoping to raise a lot of money in this big push: they have already raised close to $80,000 with the goal being $235,000.

Individuals can still come sign up to run 5k or walk 1k. For more information, click here

Historic Saint John Church To Close

The bells toll for the last time today at St Jude's as a separate congregation...as of October 1, parishioners at Saint John's historic West Side church will join the nearby congregation at Saint George's Church.

Reverend Rob Salloum tells Tide news while it's sad to see the church close after over 100 years, it makes sense in the face of a declining church population  and both congregations need to look toward the future.

Saint George's final non-combined service will be held tonight.

Major Crime Investigates Blaze on Winslow

Another abandoned building has been destroyed by fire: this time, on Saint John's West Side. Fire crews responding to the call around 2:30 in the afternoon to reports of a fire at 158 Winslow Street.District Fire Chief Joe Armstrong tells Tide News the fire was already somewhat advanced by the time they arrived.

Smoke and fire were visible in the rear of the wooden building on both the first and second floors.

Crews performed an aggressive interior attack and managed to knock the fire down, but remained on the scene for over 3 hours. The blaze is under investigation by the city's Major Crime Unit.

Pot Seized After Truck Tips Over

A 31-year-old man is in hot water after a car accident resulting in the seizure of several marijuana plants.

Police responded to a call around 6pm of an accident on the East side of Saint John. When crews arrived, a pickup truck was tipped over on the median at the intersection of Barnesville Road and Loch Lomond Road.

After examining the scene police found a number of marijuana plants in the vehicle. As a result, the suspect is expected to appear in court at a late date.

Over 50 Trucks & Cars At Long Wharf Today

A new event and fundraiser will be rolling into Saint John today.

"Touch A Truck" will feature over 50 trucks at Long Wharf today, and proceeds go towards First Steps Housing Project which helps young mothers.

First Step's Sharon Amirault tells Tide news kids will be able to climb in many of the vehicles, which range from antiques, to construction, and military. Amirault hopes to raise between $10,000-$20,000.

Tickets are $5 which can be purchased at Harbour Station or at the event. Children under 2 are free. The vent is rain or shine and runs from 10:00-3:00 pm.

Test Drive & Help School Programs

You can take a car for a test drive and Ford will donate $20 for Samuel de Champlain school.

Called "Drive One 4 UR School" program, the fundraiser hopes to raise $6,000 to help pay for sports, arts and technology programming.

Ford sales manager David Brown tells Tide news there will be 15 vehicles to test drive at the school.

There will also be a car wash, BBQ and soccer tournament from 9 until 3 today.

Anti-Bullying Advocate Paints Fundy Pink

It's time to paint the school Pink!


Today, Fundy High School in St. George welcoming an anti-bullying advocate who made headlines 5 years ago by creating "Pink Shirt Day".

In 2007, Travis Price and friend David Shepherd decided to stand up for a fellow student who was being bullied for wearing a pink shirt on the first day of school. Overnight, they bought pink shirts from a women's clothing store, and through Facebook, were able to get much of the student body to wear pink the next day to class.

Price tells Tide News he never expected his actions to spread so far. He says it was one of those things he didn't think would fly because bullying had gone for so many years without a face, nobody to inspire kids. He says he really feels that he and David were able to do this, where kids could point and say "I'm going to be like them, I'm going to stand up for myself."

Price is now working with the Canadian Red Cross on the "Beyond The Hurt" program, which gives kids a place to find information and resources about bullying. Price says he really wanted to expand on more than just a "pink shirt", and the "Beyond The Hurt" program gives him that option. He says the Red Cross are a great group of professionals and he is very excited to be working with them.

( In Picture: Fundy High School Principal John Tanner with Travis Price )

Local MLA Against NB Liquor Closure

NB Liquor announcing the closure of two stores by the New Year leaving St. George feeling dismal.


The corporate-owned stores in St. George and Bristol will be replaced with privately owned agency stores.

Charlotte-The Isles MLA Rick Doucet says the net gain by opening the agency store would be minimal. He says the jobs would be amalgamated with another location so therefor you wouldn't see any net gain in jobs. As well, residents will be left with about an eighth of the selection of booze available now.

Doucet adds this is another slap in the face to rural New Brunswick, with the government basically saying "Go move out west where there are more jobs."

NB Liquor president Daniel Allain says the stores are no longer efficient, each are more than 50 years old, and staff will be moved to other locations.

In total, Doucet says 7 local jobs will be taken by the closure.

Murphy Wants To Help Young People Stay In NB

"Help with university loans and tax credits for businesses that hire local grads."


That's what Provincial Liberal leadership candidate Mike Murphy would like to see.

Murphy, who made a stop in St. Stephen this week tells Tide News he's concerned students have a mind set they have to move out of the province once they graduate because there are "no jobs".

He says it's very difficult to ask people from outside of New Brunswick, or even young people inside New Brunswick, to come and stay in the province when we don't even invest in ourselves.

Murphy adds he'd create a youth investment bank to help with student loans.

The liberal leadership election will be held next month.

Local CEO Going Undercover

Ever wonder how your boss would make out if he did your job?

Now you can see for yourself!

Cooke Aquaculture CEO Glenn Cooke worked undercover in this season of Undercover Boss Canada.

The hit TV show invites CEO's to go undercover and work with their employees at a base level, to learn more about their workers and to find what is lacking in the business.

Cooke spent a week with the men and women who care for his fish, and hearing their remarkable stories.

The Cooke episode debuts tomorrow night ( September 27th, 2012 ) at 10 pm on W Network.

Teen Faces More Charges After Multiple Car Thefts

A teen from Wards Creek, near Sussex, will re-appear in Hampton Provincial Court later this month to face an additional 22 charges for a rash of car thefts and thefts from vehicles.


Five vehicles in Kings, Saint John, and Charlotte Counties were reported stolen between September 11-15.

There were also a number of thefts from vehicles and break and enters around the same time. It's believed the teen was stealing cars in order to travel around committing more thefts.

All of the vehicles had their doors unlocked and keys inside, say Corporal Pat Cole--which should be a lesson to drivers.

Ousted Conservative MLA Overwhelmed With Support

The independent M-L-A for Fundy River Valley, Dr. Jim Parrot says he wouldn't join the Liberals even if they called him and will remain a Tory until they throw dirt on him.

Dr. Parrot tells Tide News he was told of his expulsion from the Conservative caucus by the Premier over the phone.

As for the reaction he's getting, Parrot says it takes him about half a day to clear his Blackberry from messages of support, and people telling him he is doing the right thing. Judging by the support he's receiving, Dr. Parrot tells Tide News maybe large numbers of people are getting fed up with a government that doesn't listen.


He vows to continue speaking out on the issues, and denies the Premier's accusations of taking cheap shots and not speaking up about healthcare.

Two St. Stephen Men Busted For Drugs

Two St. Stephen men in their 50's are in hot water after a Bordertown bust.


Mounties doing a search at a home yesterday (Sunday, September 23rd, 2012) found marijuana, pills, cocaine and cash.

Both men were arrested, released on conditions and are due before a judge at a later date.

St. Stephen Man New Leader Of The Provincial Greens

He's pumped and ready for a new challenge. After leading the Conservation Council for 28 years, David Coon is embracing his new role as leader of the Provincial Green Party.


Coon was elected at a leadership convention held on the weekend in Fredericton.

He tells Tide News the transition is not bittersweet. He thinks if we go down the road towards greater local economic alliance and a green economy, we are going to attract young people from across the country because -- in his words -- it's going to be exciting.

Coon tells us his short and long term goals range from learning the Green Party's office number to getting out on the road and meeting more people in the province.

Local Man Getting Creative With An Old Fundraiser

One local man putting a beautiful edge to a dull fundraiser.


Instead of collecting recycled pop tabs to have made into whellchairs, Todd Larsen, a brain injury survivor from St. George is making the tabs into unique jewelery, collecting, cleaning and reconstructing the tabs to sell and raise money to buy whellchairs and other specialized needs for -- as Larsen puts it -- the "Awesome People of Charlotte County".

Larsen says he wants to give back to the community who helped him, not just by buying wheelchairs, but by helping anyone who really needs it with a specialized case.

Todd's Assistant, Mary Rogers tells Tide News Larsen raised $144 at the St. Stephen Fall Fair on Saturday ( September 22, 2012 ), and since they started the project back in May of this year, they have raised around $4000.

Rogers says each wheelchair they intend to buy can range between $2000 to $2500, and with the money raised so far they can buy around one and a half wheelchairs. She says Todd's goal is to get at least five wheelchairs.

If you would like to help Todd with his goal, you can buy your own "Pop Tab Jewels". To place an order call 529-3404.

Missing Man's Body Found In River

The body of a missing man has been found in a car in the St. John River near Aroostook road.

43-year-old Robert Ernest Durost of Aroostook had been missing since Tuesday. RCMP's Underwater Recovery Team recovered his body in his vehicle at the bottom of the river yesterday.

An autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death, foul play is not suspected.

Auction To Save A Friends Life

A family benefit auction is being held next weekend to help save a friends life.

42-year-old John Phillippe has a form of brain cancer that can only be stopped by a drug called Avastin, which costs $10,600 a month and isn't covered by the province or a medical plan.

Friend Janet Holt is gathering gift cards and items for the auction which, she says, is the only way friends and family know how to help him. Holt says one prize they have is a 7 day vacation and RV rental in Hampton. She says the drug has greatly helped John, who was partially paralyzed on one side and is now walking and talking.

The auction is taking place on Saturday, September 29th at the Aquarius Pub & Restaurant. Tickets are $20, a meal is served at 4:30, and the auction starts at 7:00pm.

Tickets can be purchased at Cox Electronics & Communication (843 Fairville Blvd) or by calling Janet Holt at 652-1889.

Quispamsis Is Moving Forward On Lift Station

Quispamsis isn't sitting still on their lift station.

Quispam Mayor Murray Driscoll tells Tide news the idea of them moving the station in 5 to 10 years is simply not true. Driscoll says they have agreed to move their lift station which, according to Rothesay council, has been leaking sewage into Rothesay brooks whenever it rains. Driscoll admits that lift stations do occasionally overflow in various areas across the province, and Quipamsis isn't immune to that.

Driscoll adds if Rothesay does not go forward with the retention pond, it would give Quispam more breathing room in moving the lift station, which could mean inserting a force main first then moving the station second.

Driscoll says Quispam is right on schedule, the design is 80% done and there's no reason to think they're not moving the lift station.

Earlier this month at Rothesay Council Mayor Bill Bishop said their council was writing a letter to Quispam addressing the lift station being moved immediately. Driscoll says he has yet to receive that letter.