100 Women St. Stephen Donate $8700

The inaugural meeting of 100 women St Stephen took place last night. 

Their 87 members voted on donating their collective funds $8700 to the Volunteer Centre of Charlotte County- the local food bank. 

With this money and other capital the volunteer center will install a basement door. This door will allow easier access to their lower level where they will soon be installing a walk-in refrigerator. 

Easy access to a cool space results in fresh, healthy food in the bellies of food bank clients. 

The next meeting for 100 Women is in May. 

Any interested women can join by signing up here

Should You Be Able To Will Your Property To Whomever You Choose?

An estimated quarter of a million dollars in ancient artifacts, coins and documents that once belonged to Saint Johner Robert McCorkill is in legal limbo, because McCorkill bequeathed them to the American antisemitic and white nationalist organization, the National Alliance.

The court heard that it's not the job of lawyers to decide whether a beneficiary of a will is morally worthy of receiving it. That, argued lawyer Andy Lodge for the Canadian Association for Free Expression, would create  a slippery slope wherein none could then argue that a drug dealer or a rapist shouldn't be able to inherit property.


McCorkill's will itself is legal and does not specifically say the funds should be used to promote hate--just that they be given to the National Alliance. The National Alliance also  paid for McCorkills final expenses.

Little information had been revealed about McCorkill other than that he was a friend of one-time teacher and noted Holocaust denier Malcolm Ross who was present in the courtroom.
Conversely, lawyers representing McCorkill's sister who is challenging the will argued that leaving the estate to the National Alliance would be contrary to public policy in Canada.

Saint John M-P Finds Criticism Of Harper Government Over The Senate "Ironic"

The federal budget will be unveiled on February 11th. Finance Minister Jim Flaherty is promising to present a balanced budget in 2015 without raising taxes or cutting transfer payments to the provinces.

While the Harper Government wants to steer clear of the Senate expense scandal and concentrate on the economy, the opposition has other ideas.

Saint John M-P Rodney Weston tells Tide News he finds what has transpired very odd because it's the Harper Government that wants to reform the Senate, yet it's getting all the criticism.

Weston accuses the Liberals of not having anything to say about reforming the Senate and the NDP just wants to abolish it which may be popular these days but could very well be unconstitutional unless all the provinces agree.

Weston applauds the Alward Government for coming out in favour of an elected Senate.

Police Search for Thieves From Power Station

Police asking the public for help in a  break & enter and theft that took their power this past weekend.

On Saturday, January 25th, 2014, between 2:30 and 3:30 a.m.,the fenced-in NB Power substation in Harvey was broken into along Route 3, and copper wiring was stolen.

The theft caused an explosion that caused a number of homes in the area to lose power.

Sgt. Bob MacKnight tells Tide News it can not be over-emphasized how dangerous this illegal activity is -- that in the past --  has resulted in death.

If you have any information on the theft, please call local RCMP or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crimestoppers will pay up to $2000 for information leading to an arrest.

Rally Gets Two Prize Bikes For Harley Draw

This year's Harley Draw will be double the excitement.

The Rally In The St. Croix Valley announcing they will have two 2014 Harley Davidson motorcycles for 1st and 2nd prize at the annual Harley Draw. 1st prize will be a 2014 HD Street Bob. 2nd prize will be a 2014 HD Sportster low. 3rd prize will be a HD leather jacket.

Spokesperson Bob Hamel tells Tide News having two bikes as prizes instead of one will not effect the draw itself. He says it will still be 1 draw, with 800 tickets available, at $50 a piece.

Hamel says the winners will also have a chance to upgrade, using their prize bike as a down-payment towards the bike of their choice at the dealershipin Saint John.

The Rally will take place July 4th-6th at the St. Stephen Legion.

Province Appoints Outside Mediator In Faculty Strike

Postsecondary, training and labour Minister Jody Carr announcing the appointment of a special outside mediator while directing both sides in the UNB faculty dispute back to the bargaining table.
 
Carr says Brian Keller will meet with both sides on Wednesday and Thursday.

Carr adds he has the endorsement of both sides and this move adds a new level of urgency to the process.

Carr says Keller is an expert in labour law practicing in the field since 1972 and has served as vice chair of the Canadian Labour Relations Board.

New Reading Program Launched By Sea Dogs

The aim is to get young children who are in kindergarten to grade 3 at St. John the Baptist-King Edward School reading books. 

The Sea Dogs, Canaport LNG and the Anglophone School District  have launched the program that will see those students who read three books be eligible for Sea Dog tickets. 

Sea Dogs President Wayne Long tells Tide News they want to make reading fun for the kids and he's hoping the program will be expanded to other schools from St Stephen to Sussex next year.
 
School District Superintendent Zoe Watson says it's essential children know how to read by grade 3, otherwise it becomes more of a challenge later on and can result in behaviour problems. 

It's estimated 60 per cent of people in the province 16 years of age and older have problems with literacy.

Liberals Calling For Health Plan

People in the province need to know what the future of healthcare is going to be. 

That, from Liberal healthcare critic Donald Arsenault who's calling on Health Minister Ted Flemming to come up with a health care plan in light of the latest layoffs in radiation and nuclear medicine at Horizon Health.
 
Arsenault claims the people who work in healthcare are uncertain about what the future holds and for the first time ever, no nurse practitioners have been hired and other provinces are coming in to approach these graduates.

Researchers Exploring High Salmon Mortality Rate During Early Migration

Photo Courtesy of Tom Moffatt/ASF

Researchers with the Atlantic Salmon Federation are closer to getting to the bottom of why wild salmon are dying off in large numbers once they swim into saltwater. 

Director of Research Jon Carr says his team is launching new studies to try and figure out what's causing the high death rate. He tells us they've been tracking juvenile salmon for over a decade and now, they're going to be tracking striped bass as well.

Carr says while the population of striped bass has been booming, they found in 2006 smolt survival through the estuary of the Miramichi was about 60-per-cent and by 2012 survival had dropped to about 26-per-cent.

They'll be looking to see if striped bass are found in the same areas as smolt, and at what's inside their stomachs. They will also be looking at the potential impact cormorants may be having on smolt survival.

The tracking of smolt starting in 2003 on the Miramichi and Restigouche rivers in New Brunswick and the Cascapedia river in Quebec. A-S-F researchers will be back in the field tracking salmon starting in May.

Laubach Literacy Holding Family Literacy Day

Highlighting the importance of literacy in all of our lives.

Laubach Literacy New Brunswick is holding Family Literacy Day on January 27th. The day features literacy events and fairs across the province. 

Executive Director Deanna Allen tells us the organization has been providing one-on-one adult literacy services for 35 years across the province.

In New Brunswick approximately 60 per cent of the population aged 16 and over, have what are considered to be below the level of literacy skills that would allow them to function day to day in work, and in personal matters, according to Allen.

She adds, literacy is the foundation of prosperity in the province. For information on Family Literacy Day events, visit the organization's Facebook Page.

Better Business Bureau Has Advice On Choosing A Safe Kennel

If you're looking for a place to house your pet while you're away, the Maritime Better Business Bureau has some tips for finding the right kennel.

Jill Atkinson of the bureau tells us many times consumers aren't aware of who they're dealing with and aren't satisfied with the service they received. She says the first thing you can do to avoid getting into a similar situation is to simply ask around. Get recommendations from friends and family and also check with the Maritime BBB to see if they've had any complaints.

Atkinson adds you should ask a lot of questions especially if your pet has health or behavioural issues and make sure to get a contract in writing so you know exactly what you're getting into.

January Is International Crime Stoppers Month

This month is dedicated to celebrating and promoting the work of one of the largest crime-solving and crime-fighting programs in the world. 

In New Brunswick, Crime Stoppers has helped solve almost 8000 cases since it started back in 1985. Provincial Police Coordinator Sergeant Noel Cyr tells us one of the challenges the organization faces is raising their profile and finding enough volunteers to help out.

Tips to Crime Stoppers resulting in more than 8000 people being arrested, $8-million in property being recovered and an estimated street value of over $67-million worth of drugs seized.
 
If you have information on any unsolved crime, and wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or submit your information online at www.crimenb.ca.

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.