Power Outages For Thousands Due To High Winds

3166 NB Power customers in the dark throughout the province with outages in Fredericton, Bouctouche, and St Stephen.


High winds have hit Charlotte County the hardest with over 2-thousand people without power.

Crews are working to get power back no but there's no word yet on when that will be.

Local Companies Encouraged To Join Shipbuilding Supplier Registry

Local companies being encouraged to try and get a piece of the shipbuilding action in Halifax. 

Enterprise Saint John hosting an information session for people looking to learn more about joining the supplier registry for the Irving Shipbuilding program.

Janet Scott of Enterprise Saint John tells Tide News there are over 100 different categories of materials and services that will be needed throughout the modernization program.

Scott says there are over 70 companies from the Port City on the registry, and about five have already have contracts, including Hemmings House Pictures who are documenting the upgrades to the Halifax shipyard. Mary Keith of JDI tells us there are about 2000 businesses in total currently registered on the site.

Irving Shipbuilding investing $300 million to upgrade the shipyard in Halifax.

One Swallow Does Not A Summer Make For Grits

One swallow does not a summer make--and just because the Liberals came close to toppling the Tory stronghold of Brandon-Souris in Manitoba doesn't mean they're a shoo-in against the Tories despite Justin Trudeau's apparent confidence. 

UPEI political science professor Don Desserud tells Tide News the Conservative Party needs to listen carefully to the rumblings of discontent with the Harper government.

Desserud says the NDP is probably the most disappointed party with very little to grab on to in terms of recent successes, and Thomas Mulcair's attacks on the senate are an easy way for them to score points with very little risk considering there are no New Democrat senators.

Provincial Health Minister and Liberal Leader Go Toe To Toe

Provincial Health Minister Ted Flemming and Liberal leader Brian Gallant locking horns in the Legislature on the Alward Government's promised catastrophic drug plan. 

Flemming refused to be pinned down on an exact date when the plan will be in place and then turned the tables, asking Gallant about his proposed moratorium on shale gas development, calling it a raw attempt to win votes and predicting it will be over the day after the provincial election is over.

Flemming says the catastrophic drug plan will be coming down during the current sitting of the Legislature but anything good takes time to put in place.

Car Goes Off Road At Lepreau

(Photo Courtesy of Lt Paul Poirier)

Musquash Fire reporting a single vehicle crash along Route 790 in Lepreau, likely caused by icy road conditions. 

A car with four people inside went off the road and rolled down a deep ditch before landing on its wheels. 

The people inside managed to get out of the car by the time firefighters arrived. Two of them were taken to hospital with what looked like minor injuries.

No Charges Laid In Pennfield Overpass Crash

No charges being laid in a crash atop the Pennfield overpass.

RCMP tell Tide News a semi-tractor trailer reportedly turned into the opposing lane at the 785/176 overpass at Pennfield and collided nearly head-on with a sedan yesterday around noon.

Cpl. Jayson Hanson says the two people in the car were from Utopia and were sent to the Regional Hospital with injuries.

Police do not believe alcohol or speed were factors in the crash but the crash is still under investigation.

The crash blocked both lanes and stopped traffic for over an hour.

Cardy Calling On Grits & Tories To Join Forces Against Senate

Provincial NDP leader Dominic Cardy is calling on the Liberals and Conservatives to follow what they did at the Saskatchewan Legislature and pass a vote calling for the abolition of the Senate. 

Premier David Alward indicated earlier he wanted to see an elected Senate but Cardy tells Tide News that was then.


A recent poll by Corporate Rsearch Associates found nearly half of people in the province who gave any thought at all to the Senate wanted to see it abolished.

Traffic Disruption Near Lorneville

Traffic being disrupted along Highway 1 near Lorneville this morning after a tractor trailer wound up on the median after leaving the highway. 

The fire department was called to clean up the fuel that spilled. 

One lane going westbound was blocked. Both lanes going eastbound are open but the tractor trailer will have to be towed and, when that happens, traffic going eastbound will also be disrupted.

HHN Wants Feedback from You

Did you have an experience at a Horizon Health facility you think they should know about?  Here is your chance to tell them about it.

Horizon Health Network President and CEO John McGarry says over the 15 to 20 years with more regionalization they have distanced themselves from patients and communities.

He says they want people to give them a call and they'll sit down with them and talk about their experience.     He adds they are not looking for a blow by blow of there event in the hospital but the overall experience.

McGarry says they will inform the board about their progress and try and institute some of the common themes were are hearing about.

He adds they are looking  at everything from the admission process, the care received to parking.

To contact Horizon Health to get involved, call 1-855-661-0661.

$1.5 Million Dam Modernization Project Complete

The dam at the mouth of the Magaguadavic River in Charlotte County looking a little different after the completion of a six-month modernization project. 

The former stop log gates at the old dam site in St. George being upgraded with three new hydraulic steel gates. Before the changes, opening and closing the gates could take up to eight hours, now it takes 30 minutes. Geoff Britt of JDI tells Tide News the process is now quicker and safer for workers.

The fish passage also getting some improvements. To watch a video of the upgrade at the dam, click here.

New President Being Sought At Atlantica Centre For Energy

The Atlantica Centre for Energy is looking for a new President. 

Former M-P John Herron has left to join the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board. 

Former President Tim Currie has returned from retirement on an interim basis, telling Tide News the search is on for Herron's replacement and he expects someone will be chosen by the Board of Directors in the new year.

Four Federal Byelections Today May Tell A Lot

Four federal byelections are being held across the country today and polling indicates the Liberals have a chance to take the Conservative stronghold in Brandon-Souris. Conservatives are said to be divided there because of the nomination process but the Senate expense scandal has also been mentioned during the campaign. 

Prime Minister Harper is accusing the opposition parties of blocking his Senate Reform which Beausejour Liberal M-P Dominic Leblanc scoffs at, pointing out Harper has appointed more senator than any Prime Minister in the last 25 years and has not pushed for vote on his proposed Senate reforms. Leblanc adds the P-M has not pushed for a vote on Senate reform. 

A lot of attention is also being paid to Toronto Centre, long considered a Liberal stronghold, where the NDP is running a high profile candidate, author and social commentator Linda McQuaig. The Liberals are going with Chrysta Freeland who has written for the Financial Times and appeared on CNN and Morning Joe on MSNBC.

Executive Of Alberta Oil & Gas Company Gives Perspective On Shale Gas

A high flyer with an Alberta Gas company stopping off in the province to talk about the evolution of the oil and gas industry.  

Keith Steeves of NAL Resources, tells Tide News, when it comes to getting rid of environmental concerns over fracking with shale gas exploration,"you can never alleviate every concern from every person," he says.  However, he does say you can create a situation that deals with a lot of the concerns. 

  "I would say Alberta is a great example. I wouldn't say that we are completely with people that don't have issues, but I would say that it's fairly well known and a common industry, and people are comfortable in terms of what we do from a drilling perspective," he says.

 Steeves claims shale gas has the capacity to create thousands of jobs.

How Many Hours Should You Be Spending In Dreamland?

When it comes to how many hours you should be spending in dreamland, there is no magic number.

The Medical Director of the Sleep Centre at the Regional Hospital, Dr. Rachel Morehouse says, the question of sleep need is probably the most common question she gets asked.

She tells us, the amount differs from person to person and some of it's based on genetics.

"It's quite simple, you need the amount of sleep that will make you feel rested and energetic the day, but that varies between individuals," she says.

She says there are some people at the extreme ends, who may need up to 12 hours of sleep a night, and some who may only need five. Most of us, she says, need about seven and a half.

Caregiving And Aging Presentation Hosted By Alzheimer Café

Saint John Alzheimer Café holding a caregiving and aging Presentation today.
 
Guest speaker, Dr. Amy D’Aprix is an expert in aging, retirement and caregiving. Much of her work focuses on working with seniors and their caregiving families.

She's the author of two books about caregiving and friendship, and has given presentations across North America.

The presentation being held today at 2pm-4pm, at St. Mark’s Church, in Saint John West.

Locals Building Shelters For Stray Cats

Stray cats in the city will be getting a cozy home, all thanks to a group in Saint John making cat shelters.

It's the first, "Build a Shelter Campaign," where shelters will be made out of donated supplies such as wood, straw, and rubber totes, and distributed throughout the city.

Yvonne Steeves is the owner of Puddy N' Pooch Palace, a pet resort at 688 Rothesay Avenue. The event is being hosted at the shop today from 10am -5pm.

She tells us "Something needs to be done about the stray and feral cats in the city, and unfortunately all of the shelter and reuses are completely full. There's no way to possibly get all the cats off the street."

Wind Knocks Over Power Pole In Saint John

Saint John Police responding to a power pole being knocked out by the wind this afternoon.

The pole fell at the Milford Trailer Park, early this afternoon.

Police tell us there is minimal damage.

Life Long Journey Of Adoption Conference Being Held Today

A conference being held today called the Life Long Journey of Adoption. The event is designed for those considering adoption, have already adopted, or are working in the field.
 
Suzanne Kingston is the Executive Director of the New 
Brunswick Adoption Foundation. She tells us, the conference will touch on themes such as school, transition from foster care to adoption and the connection with birth families. 

The adoption conference is being held at Future Inns Moncton, from 8:30 to 4:30 today.

Police Respond To Report Of Driver Waving Weapon In Vehicle

Saint John Police responding to a report of a driver waving around a weapon in his car.

They didn't find a weapon when they searched his car.

 However, they did find drugs. A 25-year-old man is being charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Overnight Fire At Shamrock Park

Crews responding to a structure fire at the field house in Shamrock Park early this morning. 

Crews found heavy smoke conditions in the building, and were on the scene for about two hours.  

The fire being contained to the rear section of the building.
The fire is now under investigation by Saint John Fire, and Saint John Police. It's suspected to be a case of arson.