A Moncton man whose trial dates on an attempted murder charge have twice been cancelled after changing lawyers now has new dates set for late May, though there's a risk the case could be delayed again.

The central areas of the province will be in the direct path of a total solar eclipse.

Woman reports incident in Walmart parking lot

The Woodstock Police Force announced Monday, Jan. 22, that it is actively investigating the report of indecent exposure on Friday, Jan. 19, in Woodstock. 

In a media release, Deputy Chief Mark Bennett said the incident allegedly occurred at 8 a.m. in the parking lot of the Walmart store located in Woodstock.

“A female victim reported that as she was exiting the Walmart store and walking toward her vehicle, she noticed a male individual behind a nearby vehicle,” the WPF said in the release. “As the victim approached her own vehicle, the male suspect appeared from behind the adjacent vehicle, exposing himself to her. The victim was able to safely get to her vehicle and leave without further incident.”

Police described the suspect as a middle-aged Caucasian male with dark hair wearing a winter toque and jeans.

The Woodstock Police Force asked for public assistance in its investigation.

“Individuals who may have witnessed the incident or have dashcam footage from the area are urged to come forward and contact Sgt. Seth Cahill at (506) 325-4601,” the WPF statement asked.

Those wishing to provide information anonymously can contact Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit tips online at www.crimenb.ca.

The post Police investigating indecent exposure in Woodstock first appeared on River Valley Sun.

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A Fredericton man will be back in court next month to elect mode of trial and enter pleas on allegations he had hard drugs in his possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Ian Floyd Ross, 46, of Biggs Street, made his first appearance in Fredericton provincial court Friday to answer to indictable drug charges.

He’s accused of possessing cocaine and methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking, and driving with a suspended licence, all on Sept. 22 in Fredericton. 

Duty counsel Michael Mallory told court Friday that Ross believes he’s retained counsel but needed time to finalize that arrangement and to obtain disclosure of the Crown file against him.

Judge Mélanie Poirier LeBlanc adjourned the case to Feb. 9 for election and pleas.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Third annual fundraiser honours memory of Matthew Tweedie

Friends, family, and District of Carleton North residents gathered on Jan. 17, 2024, for the third annual Matthew Tweedie Memorial Hockey Game between the Carleton North Stars and Hartland Huskies.

Tweedie was an avid athlete and hockey coach. He died in a snowmobile accident in 2022.

Matthew’s father, Paul Tweedie, opened the game by reflecting on the contribution his son made to the Carleton Minor Hockey program during his years as a coach.

“Every person on the ice here is a product of Carleton Minor Hockey,” he noted, calling out the five remaining North Stars that Matthew had personally coached: Colby Watson, Tanner McIntosh, Riley Lunn, Bradley Kilfoil and Ethan Trites.

Paul then went on to offer his family’s heartfelt thanks.

“These things mean a lot to us. Thank you for coming,” Paul told the crowd.

The game opened with Matthew’s widow, Brianna, and their two children, Brielle and Brinlee, dropping the ceremonial puck.

Later, a “Chuck a Puck” and a 50/50 draw were held, raising additional funds for the Matthew Tweedie Memorial Fund.

By night’s end, $2335.55 was raised in support of the family.

Both teams fought hard, and the game went into overtime, with the Carleton North Stars winning over the Hartland Huskies by a score of 5-4.

The post Memorial hockey game remembers special player, coach first appeared on River Valley Sun.

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A Burtts Corner man was sentenced Friday to seven months in jail for three drunken escapades at the wheel last year, but he’d already served the equivalent of that time on remand.

Barry Joseph Lindsay, 41, of Dorne Ridge Road, appeared in Fredericton provincial court in custody Friday for a sentencing hearing.

He’d previously pleaded guilty to three counts of having a blood-alcohol level in excess of the legal limit within two hours of driving, as well as numerous related charges, including two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, and individual counts of dangerous driving, flight from police, breach of a release order not to drive and driving while suspended.

Crown prosecutor Geoffrey Hutchin said Lindsay ran afoul of police three times last year in incidents that showed an escalating pattern of impaired driving.

The first instance occurred at about 1:50 a.m. Feb. 13, he said, when Fredericton police on patrol spotted a vehicle with a burnt-out headlight.

Police pulled the vehicle over, court heard, and Lindsay was at the wheel, showing signs of impairment.

After he failed a roadside screening test, the prosecutor said, Lindsay was taken to the city police station, where a breathalyzer test revealed his blood-alcohol level to be 160 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, twice the legal limit.

Hutchin said the next set of offences occurred Aug. 26. Police received a complaint at about 3:50 p.m. that day about a hit-and-run.

Motorist Randy Moss reported he was crossing a one-lane bridge in the Keswick Ridge area when a red SUV came across the span while he was already on it, court heard, and the SUV scraped against Moss’ vehicle and kept going.

The prosecutor said Moss followed the SUV to Burtts Corner.

“Mr. Moss said the driver seemed very impaired,” Hutchin said.

When police arrived on scene, he said, they asked Lindsay if he’d been drinking, to which he answered, “Not much, just three beers.”

But his blood-alcohol level told a different story, court heard, as a breathlyzer test that day revealed it to be 220, almost three times the legal limit.

Lindsay was detained on the new charges, but he was released from custody on a court order, the conditions of which included a prohibition against driving.

But the defendant was at it again about a week later, court heard, in what was the most dangerous and egregious of his intoxicated excursions yet.

Risky retreat from cops

Hutchin said RCMP officers on patrol along Route 640 in Hanwell at 4:22 p.m. on Sept. 4, when they saw a Saturn SUV pulled quickly into a parking lot as they passed and then make a sudden zigzag motion.

The SUV parked, and a male - later determined to be Lindsay - emerged to check something on the vehicle, court heard.

The RCMP cruiser had turned around to approach the SUV, the prosecutor said, butLindsay hopped back in and left the scene. As the Mounties followed and activated their emergency equipment, he said, Lindsay sped up and was clearly trying to flee.

The pursuit quickly became dangerous, Hutchin said, as Lindsay was passing other cars on the right, narrowly missing other traffic and he almost went into the ditch while doing so.

Police broke off the pursuit out of safety concerns, Hutchin said, but it wasn’t long before the RCMP officers spotted Lindsay’s vehicle again, travelling in the opposite direction.

Around the same time, 911 calls were coming in, he said, advising that the same SUV almost ran over a resident in his driveway in Hanwell and the driver of a white Dodge Ram reported a Saturn SUV had struck his vehicle and took off.

Peace officers in the area were on alert, the prosecutor said, and a public safety officer soon spotted Lindsay on foot behind a church and detained him.

There was a strong smell of alcohol coming from his breath, court heard, and he exhibited slurred speech, among other signs of gross impairment.

“He was unsteady on his feet and was struggling to walk,” Hutchin said.

This time, his blood-alcohol level was found to be 210.

At the time, court heard, Lindsay’s driver’s licence was on an administrative suspension due to the earlier incidents and he was subject to a court order prohibiting him from driving.

Hutchin and defence lawyer Michael Mallory offered a joint recommendation on sentence: seven months in jail in total for all of the offences, as well as a three-year driving prohibition and a $500 fine for violating the Motor Vehicle Act for driving while suspended.

Court heard Lindsay - who’s remained in custody since the Sept. 4 incident - has served 140 days on remand, and once the customary 1½-to-one credit formula was applied, that means he’s served the equivalent of that seven months already.

Aggravating factors in the case, Hutchin said, included Lindsay’s 2019 conviction for impaired driving as well as the escalating nature of the dangerous conduct in which he engaged over several months last year.

“The behaviour’s getting worse,” he said.

Mallory said Lindsay’s prior record is limited, and his criminal behaviour was driven by a series of personal blows.

Lindsay’s mother died in 2022, which hit his client quite hard, the defence lawyer said, amd Lindsay lost his job as a web designer.

“This really exacerbated his alcohol abuse,” Mallory said. “He began to drink quite heavily.”

The offender has also been taking medication for depression and anxiety, he said.

Lindsay’s time in custody has opened his eyes, court heard.

“He’s had a lot of time for self-reflection,” Mallory said, noting Lindsay now acknowledges he’s an alcoholic and has been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in jail.

“He’s dedicated to maintaining his sobriety.”

Judge Mélanie Poirier LeBlanc accepted the joint recommendation, imposing the seven-month sentence.

She also barred Lindsay from driving for three years, fined him $500 and ordered him to pay $1,000 in restitution to the driver of the Dodge Ram to compensate him for his insurance deductible.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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The Humanity Project, a Moncton non-profit that serves meals to people in need, has been working for several years to turn a187-acre farm into a “therapeutic community,” with a focus on people who are not being served by existing shelters and services in the city.

After three storms hit the Fundy Coast in a month, residents are worried about continued erosion of their properties.

An Irish pub in Miramichi is the setting for a new TV show about the trials and tribulations of working at a bar.

David Shipley says a passkey is a machine-generated password, and they're getting more common on modern devices.

Rachel Burke and her mother Melissa Bear teach a workshop at the Maqiyahtimok Centre in Sitansisk (St. Mary’s) First Nation on how to make mittens the way Indigenous people did hundreds of years ago.

Enjoy a scroll through some beautiful photos from around New Brunswick.

Jones looks back at 2023, looks forward to 2024

Before the New Year, the River Valley Sun reached out to elected officials in our coverage area to reflect on the past year and look at plans and challenges for the coming year. 

Here is Woodstock Mayor Trina Jones’ response to our question regarding her community. 

RVS: What were the Council highlights in 2023? 

TJ: The council worked well together this year and I’m proud of that, especially being a relatively new council overall. 

One main focus was analyzing current staffing levels and organizational structure to ensure we have the right staffing support to be well-positioned to grow and succeed in providing the levels of service our community members expect. 

We did a lot of assessing and a lot of listening, and the result was some modifications to the organizational structure and the addition of some staff this year that we felt were necessary to both stabilize current operations and position ourselves for the future and budgeting for some additional staff in 2024. We are still analyzing gaps that exist into 2024, which may lead to further changes.

RVS: Going forward, what are your challenges, and what are the council’s top priorities for 2024? 

TJ: Council will be working together to set our goals for 2024 in January, but we are already working on a few top goals. 

We are aiming to have a coordinated approach with all five wards for Emergency Measures Orders, ensuring we have at minimum power and/or warming centres in an emergency throughout our community identified and prepared to operate in power outages with proper communications plans for the community. 

We will be strategically planning in the first quarter and likely into the second quarter of the year for future recreational, arts and cultural needs, as well as for infrastructure maintenance and upgrades for water, sewer, stormwater systems, and roads. 

We will also be placing a large focus on development needs for housing in our community and working with our local developers to revisit current incentives and barriers preventing development to determine how to best work together to support the building of all types of housing.

RVS: What should the province’s plans for financial restructuring include for municipalities? 

TJ: We rely largely on property tax revenue for our main revenue stream. Affordability is a challenge for many community members, and we don’t want to continue to have to rely only on raising property taxes to maintain current services and pay for additional services that have been handed down to the Regional Service Commissions and at the local level. 

We need the province to commit to providing municipalities with a permanent additional revenue stream. That could be from an increased portion of the commercial tax, portions of taxes from cannabis sales, liquor sales, HST or other sources.

RVS: In Woodstock, the overall assessment went up by nine per cent, and then you raised taxes by 5 cents per $100 of assessment for the old town boundaries (Ward 4). You cited higher staffing, wage and policing costs in 2024 as primary reasons for the increase. What should taxpayers expect in the coming year, financially?

TJ: In 2023 we’ve hired an additional two net new positions. A new Director of Human Resources for one full new position; a new Director of Utility (splitting the combo role from Greg Stokes, who is now solely Director of Public Works instead of both) for a net new half position and a new CAO (splitting the role from former CAO Andrew Garnett who was doing both CAO and Director of Development and Planning) for a net new half position.

For 2024, we have budgeted for, but not yet hired, three WPF officer positions, a recreational coordinator role at the AYR Motor Centre (in the hiring process now), and we have budgeted for three seasonal labourers in Utility and three seasonal labourers in public works. Those positions would not be hired until April of this year. The details around those jobs are not yet solidified but the money is budgeted for them. 

The other contributing factors to the overall increase in wages in operating costs was an overall increase in wages for 2023 of three per cent for all employees, and another three per cent for all employees in January of 2024, both of which were previously agreed upon. There are no further automatic increases set for the future. 

NOTE: The River Valley Sun also asked Mayor Jones about resolving ongoing problems at Woodstock’s second water source. The mayor said she hopes to make a public announcement as early as February addressing the problems, solutions and costs of resolving the well issue. 

The post Year-end reflections from Woodstock Mayor Trina Jones first appeared on River Valley Sun.

The weather so far this winter may have created a roller-coaster season for skiing and outdoor skating, but it's always hiking season in New Brunswick.

Where is home? For those who had to move across the world for a better life, there’s no easy answer.

Katelin Dean and Isaiah Richards started the Kate & Isaiah Living Large podcast to talk about life as a larger person and issues around size. They are hoping to change the the way people talk about and perceive what it's like to be obese. 

The first part of winter this year was marked by green — or brown — grass and warmer temperatures than most are used to in December. For skiers, it was less than favourable.

Being a woman in New Brunswick’s male-dominated lobster fishing industry has never been an issue for Maisie McNaughton. That’s because her mom blazed the trail almost 25 years ago.

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Several people were taken in custody after a pursuit and subsequent crash of a suspect vehicle, the Fredericton Police Force reports.

“On Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024, Fredericton police attempted to stop a vehicle as they believed there was a wanted individual on board,” police force spokesperson Sonya Gilks wrote in an email to the Fredericton Independent on Friday.

The vehicle in question didn’t stop as directed Thursday night, she said, and in fact, it fled from police.

“Police pursued the vehicle, and it eventually slid off the road,” Gilks wrote.

“The individuals in question were taken into custody.”

Despite the vehicle rolling over in the crash, she said, there were no injuries.

The people in the vehicle were taken into custody, Gilks wrote, and the matter remains under investigation.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Premier Blaine Higgs’s flirtation with an early election call last fall cost taxpayers more than $1.7 million in expenses that turned out to be unnecessary, according to New Brunswick’s chief electoral officer.

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A Fredericton Police Force photo released Friday might look like evidence recovered from a bowl at a suburban swingers’ soirée, but they’re actually lost or stolen keys it’s trying to return to their owners.

As it’s done in the past, the police force published a photo on social media Friday featuring  a variety of keys -  both traditional metal door keys and numerous vehicle key fobs.

“Recognize the keys featured in this post?” the alert said.

The city police force is trying to pair the keys with their owners.

Police spokesperson Sonya Gilks said the keys pictured in the social-media post Friday came to the police’s attention as a result of one incident.

“The keys were found as a result of one single investigation,” she wrote in an email to the Fredericton Independent. 

“At this time, we’re not sure if they are lost or stolen; we hope that comes to light as the investigation progresses.”

Anyone who thinks any of the keys might belong to them can call the Fredericton Police Force at 506-460-2300 or email [email protected].

The force will be looking for proof of ownership to arrange the keys’ return.

Those contacting the police force can cite file number 24-923.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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The New Brunswick government will spend $4 million over three years on "hubs" for youth healthcare around the province, though aspects of the plan were unclear.

Mayor looks back at 2023, looks forward to 2024

Before the New Year, the River Valley Sun reached out to elected officials in our coverage area to reflect on the past year and look at plans and challenges for the coming year. 

Here is Hartland Mayor Tracey DeMerchant’s response to our question regarding her community. 

RVS: What were the council highlights in 2023?

TD: Highlights include the opportunities we’ve had working with developers who are interested in building in Hartland, working with Carleton North regarding policing review, and continued development of strategic planning. 

Another highlight was meeting with ACOA, Tourism NB, and others to have a round table discussion and give a tour of Hartland for future projects. 

Highlights include the opportunities we’ve had working with developers who are interested in building in Hartland, working with Carleton North regarding policing review, and continued development of strategic planning. 

I have the great pleasure of working with a hard-working council and dedicated community leaders.

RVS: Going forward, what are your challenges, and what are the council’s top priorities for 2024?

Priorities include working with Horizon and the Western Valley Regional Service Commission to bring doctors and nurse practitioners to the River Valley. 

We also want to continue working on projects on the waterfront.

Our top priorities are finishing the Central Carleton Community Complex, which we hope will open for the 2024 hockey season. 

We also need to improve and replace the town’s aging infrastructure and strive for more engagement with developers.

RVS:  What should the province’s plans for financial restructuring include for municipalities?

TD: The province should deal more directly with the CAO and administration when it comes to formulas, grants and taxation. A more realistic and fair approach would benefit our municipalities. 

RVS: Policing has been a core focus for your council since the election. If you are unable to get the province’s okay to start a municipal police force, what other options do you have?

TD: Our policing review committee has worked diligently, had public engagement and is now waiting for the province to review our proposal. Should the proposed new police model not go forward, we will continue to work toward ensuring our citizens are receiving a protective, quality police service. 

The post Year-end reflections from Hartland Mayor Tracey DeMerchant first appeared on River Valley Sun.

Crandall University in Moncton says it was within its rights to fire John Stackhouse Jr. with cause after a private investigator found Stackhouse made comments toward students that constituted sexual harassment.

A 37-year-old man has died following a workplace incident in west Saint John on Thursday afternoon.

The Serious Incident Response Team, known as SIRT, is investigating after a 54-year-old man was struck by a Saint John police vehicle early Friday morning.

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Fredericton police officers are still investigating a sudden death that occurred earlier this month, and after almost two weeks, the issue of criminality remains underdetermined, the police force reports.

The Fredericton Police Force issued a news release Jan. 12 indicating officers were investigating a sudden death that happened earlier that week.

“On Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, at approximately 21h20, [the] Fredericton Police Force responded to a call for service of a sudden death at a residence on the south side of Fredericton,” the release said.

“The deceased male was identified as Kevin MacDonald, 69, of Fredericton.  At this time, police are unable to rule out foul play.”

The Fredericton Independent inquired with the police force Friday about whether criminality or foul play has been determined to have played a role in MacDonald’s death.

“It has not yet been determined,” spokesperson Sonya Gilks wrote in an email Friday.

“Regarding the file for Kevin MacDonald, police are still seeking information from the public, are awaiting the results of the autopsy, and it remains under investigation.”

His son, Mike MacDonald, told the Fredericton Independent on Friday that the family was offering no comment and referred questions to the Fredericton Police Force.

The police force hasn’t given any indication as to how MacDonald may have died or how it came to its attention.

In the original news release, police said officers didn’t believe MacDonald’s death was cause for concern for public safety.

MacDonald was a well-known real-estate agent in Fredericton, most recently associated with RE/MAX East Coast Elite Realty, which noted last week on social media that he’d worked in the industry for 35 years.

“His absence leaves a void not just in RE/MAX but in the entire real-estate community,” the company wrote on Facebook.

Anyone with relevant information relevant to the investigation or who had contact with MacDonald in the weeks leading up to his death is urged to contact police by calling 506-460-2300 or emailing Det. Jordan Milbury at [email protected].

Those wishing to do so anonymously can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Tipsters should cite police file number 2024-649.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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The Province of New Brunswick is appealing a Court of King's Bench decision to uphold a $2-million payout to the fired head of Horizon Health Network, Dr. John Dornan.

Woodstock man given a third adjournment

Jason Kuhndel, a former cadet and civilian volunteer with the #318 Woodstock Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corp, is charged with making sexually explicit material available to a minor with intent to create child pornography, as well as child luring with intent to commit a child pornography offence on Nov. 7, 2023. The offences are alleged to have taken place in Fredericton between Jan. 1 and March 30, 2023. A publication ban protects the identity of the victim.

Kuhndel, 19, was expected to enter a plea in Fredericton Provincial Court on Thursday, Jan. 18, but was not present. Instead, his lawyer, Patrick Hurley, requested another adjournment for his client, stating they were “negotiating” with the prosecution.

Previously, Hurley had requested an adjournment on Kuhndel’s behalf while waiting to review crown disclosure documents on Dec. 6 and Dec. 27, 2023. Hurley confirmed that they had received those documents.

Kuhndel was previously still working with the #318 Cadet Corp for several weeks after the initial charges were filed.

On Dec. 18, 2023, Jordan Elliot, Public Affairs Officer of the Regional Cadet Support Unit, the division of the Canadian Forces that manages the cadet program for Atlantic Canada, said Kuhndel was “removed from his duties as soon as we were notified,” adding they were notified of the situation by Alicea Richards, Commanding Officer of the #318 Cadet Corp, that day, shortly after the River Valley Sun contacted the cadet corp about the charges. 

Major Victor Belleville, the Commanding Officer for New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island cadets told the River Valley Sun that it is the “individual’s responsibility to notify their chain of command of any criminal charges laid against them.”

Belleville also stated that “the delay in unit staff and headquarters being notified is concerning” and that they’ll address the delays with the cadet corp, squadron staff, and volunteers to prevent this issue in the future.

Kuhndel is expected back in Fredericton court on Feb. 6, 2024, at 9:30 a.m.

(with files from Theresa Blackburn and Jim Dumville)

The post New court date for former cadet volunteer charged with child luring first appeared on River Valley Sun.

Tim Fox looks back at 2023 and looks forward to 2024

Before the New Year, the River Valley Sun reached out to elected officials in our coverage area to reflect on the past year and look at plans and challenges for the coming year. 

Here is Nackawic-Millville Mayor Tim Fox’s response to our question regarding his community. 

RVS: What were the council highlights in 2023?

TF: Our council hit their stride quickly after municipal reform and amalgamation of the former village of Millville and the town of Nackawic and LSDs of Southampton, Queensbury and Dumfries.  

We had a number of projects and initiatives early out of the gate in January, such as the Destination Nackawic Smallmouth Open, the Millville ball field project, and a number of infrastructure projects in and around the Nackawic ward.  

We were also the first community in New Brunswick to receive funding under the government of New Brunswick Housing for All strategy to complete planning, pre-engineering and geotechnical work on our proposed housing development.

RVS: Going forward, what are your challenges, and what are the council’s top priorities for 2024?

TF: Being a smaller rural community, inflationary increases in the costs of almost everything the municipality does is a challenge. Our council has been proactive in recognizing that tax base and population growth are the best way to meet those increasing demands on our citizen’s tax dollars.  

Our focus will begin to concentrate more on marketing the community as a great place to live, work and raise a family.

RVS: What should the province’s plans for financial restructuring include for municipalities?

TF: Any financial restructuring considered by the province should include an approach that focuses a bit more on supporting communities rather than regions. With municipal reform, there are a number of new demands on communities that are best dealt with locally rather than regionally.  

We collectively need to look at how the balance of tax revenue is distributed amongst the province, regional service commissions and local municipalities.

RVS: Housing has become a core focus for your council. What is the immediate and long-term housing focus for your rural community?

TF: Our council has invested a great deal of time and effort in our own housing development proposal, but we have also supported other private developments. 

In 2024, we will be looking at other ways to increase opportunities to densify our population. For example, zoning and bylaws will be reviewed to ensure that our municipality is optimizing its opportunities for increasing housing.

RVS: You’ve invested heavily in your waterfront over the last several years? What are the next steps for waterfront development?

TF: We will continue to explore our options for the next phase of development on the waterfront. Future development will focus on adding additional value and increased usage of our waterfront assets.

The post Year-end reflections from the mayor of Nackawic-Millville first appeared on River Valley Sun.

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Yet another arrest warrant was issued Friday for a Fredericton fraudster who skipped out on a sentencing hearing last fall.

Joshua Lee Best, 37, of George Street in Fredericton, pleaded guilty last year to charges of personating Kelly Lee Moses fraudulently for monetary gain and defrauding the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) of more than $5,000, both between Dec. 3, 2020, and July 22, 2021.

He had been scheduled for sentencing in Fredericton provincial court Nov. 14 but he didn’t show up for that hearing.

As a result, a charge of failing to attend court was laid, and that case was before a judge Friday for the first time.

Crown prosecutor Geoffrey Hutchin asked the court to issue an arrest warrant in the first instance, given the nature of the charge, and Judge Mélanie Poirier LeBlanc did so.

The Fredericton Police Force issued its own public advisory through social media Dec. 4 asking residents to be on the lookout for Best.

That alert described Best as being “arrestable on several police files.”

The offender is described as Caucasian, about six feet (183 centimetres) tall, weighing about 240 pounds (109 kilograms), with brown and grey hair and hazel eyes, the advisory stated.

The police force is asking anyone with information about his whereabouts or that could lead to him being found to contact it by calling 506-460-2300 or emailing [email protected].

Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, police said last month.

When Best pleaded guilty to the fraud-related charges in August, court heard he’d taken advantage of Moses’ intellectual disability to pose as him to facilitate his fraud of the federal government agency.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Two days after the province announced that a location for a homeless shelter in St. Stephen was "finalized," the plan has been put on hold, residents say.

Arts Culture NB wants to see your art in two public schools. New Brunswick-based professional artists are invited to submit Expressions of Interest to design, create and install public art…

The post Call for Expression of Interest – Public Art appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

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A Fredericton man will return to court next month to elect mode of trial and enter pleas on allegations of sexually abusing his underage daughter.

The 41-year-old defendant wasn’t present in Fredericton provincial court when his case was called Friday, but defence lawyer Spencer MacInnis appeared on his behalf.

The accused faces indictable charges of sexually assaulting his daughter, who was under the age of 16 at the time, and touching her for a sexual purpose between Dec. 1, 2022, and Aug. 1.

Crown prosecutor Geoffrey Hutchin asked for a publication ban on information that would tend to identify the young complainant, and Judge Mélanie Poirier LeBlanc made that order.

Given the relationship between the accused and the girl, the Fredericton Independent isn’t naming the defendant so as to comply with the order.

MacInnis said she’s yet to receive disclosure of the Crown file, and Hutchin explained it appears a procedural hiccup somehow prevented the disclosure from reaching the prosecutors’ office.

He said the file should be available soon.

MacInnis requested a five-week adjournment, noting she needed time to receive the file, review the material and meet with her client.

Poirier LeBlanc set the case over to Feb. 23 for election of mode of trial and pleas.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Mayor looks back on 2023, and forward to 2024

Before the New Year, the River Valley Sun contacted elected officials in our coverage area to reflect on the past year and look at plans and challenges for the coming year. 

Here is Southern Victoria Mayor Cindy McLaughlin’s response to our question regarding her community:

RVS: What were the council highlights in 2023?

CM: Navigating the transition between being a small village to the new combined Southern Victoria

— 2023-2026 Strategic Plan Development – 6 Key Focus Areas – Healthcare, Public Safety, Economic Development and Tourism, Green Initiatives, Municipal Services, and Capital Asset Management.

— Development of a Solar Project in the industrial park.

— Approval of funding for flood mitigation to raise the Andover Well House, water and sewer line extension, and development of a new municipal building out of the flood zone area.

— Approval for funding to support housing support for VGM staffing.   

— Support for amazing special events such as the Hullabaloo Music Festival, Scots Festival, Tough Muck Competition, Winter Fest, and the Dam Run.

RVS: Going forward, what are your challenges, and what are the council’s top priorities for 2024?

CM: Continue to work with Horizon to retain and grow professional medical services for Southern Victoria

— Increase investment in key areas such as public safety, critical infrastructure, and green initiatives.

— Implement a housing strategy that fosters new residential construction.

— Power Distribution and Consumption —increases in NB power rates and changes at Tinker Dam (Algonquin) 

— Implement action items from the Strategic Plan.

— Develop a long-term capital asset management plan for the Aroostook Water network.

RVS: What should the province’s plans for financial restructuring include for municipalities?

CM: Significantly increased pool of funding municipalities.  

— Provide municipalities access to funding for investments in critical infrastructure.

— The province should review the downloading costs/oversight of provincial responsibilities to municipalities via the Regional Service Commissions.

— While Southern Victoria supports varied models of healthcare service delivery, the province should recognize that the rural populations are underserved. 

RVS: With your community having the unique position of owning its own power utility (Pert-Andover Light Commission), how much of a benefit is that for your region as power rates spike across the province? And what plans do you have for the commission’s future? 

CM: The Light Commission continues to be a viable asset for Southern Victoria. The utility is projected to save our customers and taxpayers over $350,000 in 2024.  

— We look forward to our solar project coming online in early 2024.

— Exploring the benefit of expanding our electrical services to all residents in Southern Victoria.

— Several changes on the horizon (power rate increases, potential ownership change of Algonquin) indicate that management of the Utility will be an area of focus. The Mayor and Council consider this a key priority.

The post Year-end reflections from Southern Victoria Mayor Cindy McLaughlin first appeared on River Valley Sun.

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A homeless man who threatened to beat up a Fredericton judge last summer is headed to trial on related charges, though the original plan Thursday was for him to admit to two of three counts.

Joshua Daniel Grant Burden, 48, of no fixed address, was scheduled to go through a preliminary inquiry in Fredericton provincial court Thursday on charges of uttering threats, intimidating a justice-system participant and breaching his probation.

The charges stem from a June 19 incident in provincial court when Burden lashed out angrily at Judge Scott Brittain.

Burden has been a difficult defendant throughout his many court appearances since last spring, and given his repeated refusals to engage in the court process, the court deemed him to have elected trial by Court of King’s Bench judge and jury.

Thursday’s preliminary hearing was scheduled to determine if there was sufficient evidence to merit sending the case up to the higher level of court for a jury trial.

Nova Scotia provincial court Judge Diane McGrath is presiding over the judge-threat prosecution given the potential conflicts for New Brunswick judges.

Things were off to a rocky start even before court convened, as Burden could be heard ranting in the courthouse cellblock, cursing and complaining.

And when deputy sheriffs brought him into the courtroom, he was still primed to lash out.

“Fuck off!” he yelled at the deputies, refusing to remove his ball cap. “I fought for my fuckin’ country!”

Deputy sheriffs told Burden people were required to remove their hats as a sign of respect when in court.

“I don’t care where the fuck I am!” Burden said.

Burden has never served in the military, but in past court appearances, he has claimed his name is Chris Kyle, which is the same name as a decorated U.S. sniper who wrote a book about his military service that was adapted into a movie.

The accused ranted that he’d been stabbed while being held at the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre, claiming other prisoners there think he’s a sex offender because he’d been charged with sexual assault.

“I’m dying of a stomach injury! I’m not guilty!” he yelled.

Burden ranted that he’s been locked up for 40 months - though he’s been remanded since June - and wasn’t going to do a single day more in custody.

Unexpected change of plans 

McGrath appeared by video-link in Fredericton provincial court from Sydney on Thursday and noted that the defence had filed a notice of re-election with the court, seeking to have the charges dealt at the lower level of court.

Crown prosecutor Marc-André Desjardins said the plan was for Burden to plead to two of the three counts, with the clear intent that the defendant was going to plead guilty.

But Burden altered course.

When court convened, McGrath made note of the re-election and asked the accused how he wanted to plead.

He initially muttered his plea, causing the judge to think he’d pleaded guilty, but then Burden screamed, “Not guilty!”

McGrath scheduled his trial for March 27 and remanded him again until that time.

“You guys can fuck of with your trial date!” Burden hollered.

As deputy sheriffs prepared to remove him from the court, the handcuffed defendant threatened them, though he didn’t lash out as they escorted him from the courtroom.

Instead, he said, Fuck you and your country!” and spat in the direction of the big-screen television on which McGrath’s image appeared..

Defence counsel Joshua Adams said during the tumultuous proceedings that Burden had made it clear to him earlier in the morning that he no longer wished to have the lawyer represent him.

Adams was removed from the court record Thursday morning, meaning Burden will be representing himself unless Legal Aid New Brunswick appoints new counsel.

The charges against Burden for threatening a judge arose when Brittain made a ruling on a bail hearing June 19 - Burden’s second such hearing last year - denying him release yet again.

The defendant didn’t care for that result and yelled, “I’ll meet you in the parking lot at the courthouse and punch your fucking face off!”

The Crown had objected to Burden’s release on earlier charges, and those are still making their way through the courts.

He’s accused of breaking into City Auto on the north side and stealing a vehicle April 19; sexually assaulting a woman June 6; threatening Eric Lanteigne and Terri-Lynn Stewart, and violating a no-contact order with the sexual-assault complainant June 7; and breaching his probation repeatedly.

Adams had been representing Burden on those counts as well, but no longer.

He also appeared before Judge Mélanie Poirier-LeBlanc on Thursday for a management appearance on those prosecutions.

The judge scheduled his trial on those counts for March 15.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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The 114-year-old bridge, about halfway between Fredericton and Moncton, was closed after the devastating 2018 flood. Locals rallied to save the bridge, which had long connected the community.

The leaders of the Liberal and Green parties are both promising to ban out-of-province donations to New Brunswick political parties. 

Efforts among the Maritime provinces to have more housing built quickly show Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia are having more success than New Brunswick, despite the New Brunswick government's loosening of tenant rent protections last year in an effort to boost development.

More than four years after the last show at Moncton's Magnetic Hill concert venue, the head of a committee trying to lure events to the city says "reactivating" the site is a top priority.

New Brunswickers are in for a messy start to the day as snow falls across the province. The storm closed all schools and some universities and colleges have also closed or delayed opening.

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It’s official - Wednesday is a snow day.

Schoolchildren’s prayers were answered early Wednesday morning, as both Anglophone School District West and Francophone School District South announced shortly after 5:30 a.m. that all schools would be closed Wednesday due to the storm.

All of New Brunswick has been on alert for a couple of days since Environment and Climate Change Canada’s weather service issued an advisory for a messy winter storm, which began as expected in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.

“Snow, at times heavy, will quickly move eastward this morning and then transition to rain by early this afternoon.” a renewed snowfall warning issued at 4:39 a.m. Wednesday stated. 

“A brief period of freezing rain or ice pellets are possible during this transition.”

The federal weather service advised that roads may “become difficult to navigate” as snow accumulates on surfaces.

Wednesday’s forecast for Fredericton is calling for snow and ice pellets to amount to 10 to 15 centimetres, with a risk of freezing rain in the morning. Environment and Climate Change Canada also noted that rainfall could amount to 10 millimitres.

Winds are expected from the southeast at 30 kilometres per hour, gusting at 50 km/hour and then increasing to 50 km/hour with gusts of up to 70 km/hour.

Those winds will ease in the afternoon down to 20 km/hour, it said.

The high temperature in the capital region should be about 4 C, but the wind chill Wednesday morning will be -11 C.

Rain will end in the Fredericton area Wednesday evening, giving way to then partly cloudy conditions and fog patches, the weather service said, and the temperature will rise to 7 C in the evening before starting to fall.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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After backing away from a possible early election call last fall, New Brunswick’s governing Progressive Conservatives are accelerating their preparations for a 2024 campaign.

John Stackhouse Jr. is suing Crandall University, his former employer, claiming the Christian college in Moncton wrongfully terminated his employment and damaged his reputation by publishing the details of an investigation into sexual harassment claims.

N.B. Power is preparing to tackle another storm this week with some extra hands ready to help.

The Serious Incident Response Team, or SiRT, has charged New Brunswick RCMP officer Vincent Pageau, 39, with sexual assault against a female known to him. The charge was laid Monday.

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A Douglas man will remain behind bars for a while longer, a judge ruled Tuesday, for erratic and dangerous behaviour that included high-speed pursuits around the Fredericton region last fall.

Dominic Demerchant, 21, of Route 105, appeared in person and in custody in Fredericton provincial court Tuesday for a sentencing hearing.

He’d previously pleaded guilty to Sept. 18 counts of uttering threats and possessing stolen property, and Sept. 26 counts of driving dangerously, driving while impaired by a drug, driving while prohibited, possessing a stolen vehicle and breaching a probation order.

Crown prosecutor Rodney Jordan said the latter crimes arose when Fredericton Police Force officers responded to a report of a stolen vehicle at the Irving station at the corner of Prospect and Regent streets at about 11:30 p.m. Sept. 25.

It was discovered that a Checker Cab driver had parked at the gas station and went inside the store, leaving the Dodge Caravan running with the keys in it.

A male suspect whom a witness identified as someone he knew as Dominic - later identified as Demerchant - jumped in the van and fled the scene, heading down Prospect Street toward Hanwell Road.

A civilian on Hanwell Road took note of the van at about 12:05 a.m. Sept. 26, as it was tailgating him and flashing its lights, the prosecutor said. The van passed and was reaching speeds of up to 140-150 kilometres per hour, court heard, and then slowing down.

The civilian was concerned about the erratic and dangerous driving, Jordan said, and after dropping his girlfriend off at home, he switched vehicles and managed to locate the Caravan in a Hanwell subdivision, speeding up to each driveway then slowing down, as if he were checking out each residence.

“He followed from a distance and contacted police,” the prosecutor said of the civilian witness.

Fredericton police officers were actively searching for the stolen taxi, court heard, and an officer spotted it on Woodstock Road near the Hartt Island Campground.

Police caught up with him at the Mactaquac Dam, Jordan said, and they saw the Caravan go around other vehicles and run a red light at the structure.

Shortly thereafter, a Fredericton police officer following Demerchant observed the van speeding up and slowing down repeatedly, and driving quite erratically, the prosecutor said.

Eventually, court heard, the van’s tires went off the shoulder and off the road.

Demerchant, who was alone, tried to make it seem like he hadn’t been, Jordan said.

“He was trying to tell police the driver had taken off on foot,” he said.

Demerchant was clearly under the influence of something, court heard, as he exhibited slurred speech, jumbled his words and stumbled.

Jordan noted the offender was on probation at the time and was prohibited from driving, for a similar incident involving a stolen vehicle for which he’d been sentenced May 2.

Hubbub at hospital

The prosecutor saidDemerchant ran afoul of Fredericton police just a week before, for which he was charged with uttering threats and possessing stolen property. 

He caused a disturbance at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional hospital Sept. 18 when security guards at the facility ejected him.

“The accused was punching the vending machine as he was leaving the hospital,” Jordan said.

When security personnel approached Demerchant, he said, he brandished a pocket knife

“The accused said he was going to stab and kill the security guard,” the prosecutor said.

When police arrived, Demerchant was yelling in the bus shelter outside the hospital and punching the glass, he said.

Police found he was on probation and arrested him for uttering threats, court heard, and when officers searched his backpack, they found a number of stolen items, including a set of keys for a Dodge Caravan, sunglasses and packs of cigarettes.

Jordan said an investigation revealed the Caravan, different from the one Demerchant would steal the next week, was found and had been stolen as well.

He asked the court to impose a nine-month jail term for the various crimes, with an additional reduction to give the offender credit for time served on remand.

Defence lawyer Gerald Pugh agreed the circumstances merited jail time but asked Judge Scott Brittain to impose a slightly lesser term of seven months.

Pugh emphasized the mental-health and addictions struggles that have plagued Demerchant for most of his life.

Court heard Demerchant had a tumultuous childhood and suffers from such issues as bipolar, oppositional defiance and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders.

The offender apologized for his actions.

“I’ve learned from my mistakes,” he said.

But Brittain said given “considerable symmetry” between Demerchant’s latest crimes and the ones for which he’d been sentenced just months before suggested those lessons hadn’t been learned at all.

“Apparently, it didn’t resonate the first time,” the judge said. “The overall circumstances of the offences are highly aggravating.”

He noted the sentence also needed to address the need to rehabilitate the offender and to help him with his many issues.

“He’s obviously had a very challenging beginning to his life,” Brittain said.

He accepted the Crown’s recommendation, imposing a nine-month jail term.

The judge said Demerchant had served 106 days on remand, and after the customary 1½-to-one credit was applied, that meant the jail term was to be reduced by 159 days for time already served.

Following the jail sentence, the court said, Demerchant will be on probation for 12 months, during which he’s to have no contact with his victims and to undergo counselling as directed by his probation officer.

The judge also imposed a two-year driving prohibition.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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New planning and zoning bylaws will combine former town plan and rural land-use designations into single document

Woodstock council will oversee final amendments and officially pass the amended Municipal Plan and zoning bylaws early in 2024.

While the issue was not on the agenda for Woodstock council’s first meeting of 2024 on Jan. 9, Mayor Trina Jones said following a public presentation on Dec. 12 that council expected to give first, second and third readings of the bill as early as possible in the new year.

Woodstock Director of Planning Andrew Garnett addressed the regular council meeting following the public hearing, recommending council ensure the new plan meets all concerns before approving third and final reading.

“We have lots of time,” he said. “We have six months from tonight to give third reading.”

Garnett said the all-encompassing bill requires detailed study before approval but noted changes would remain possible after the first and second readings.

“There is a lot there,” he said.

During the public hearing, Jennifer Brown of Dillon Consulting, the firm overseeing the municipal plan and zoning bylaw amendments, delivered a presentation to council.

“It’s an important pinnacle this evening,” she told council.

While the amended plan is near completion, Brown explained, she reminded council it has until third and final reading to introduce changes.

Brown outlined the amendment overview, which provided broad public engagement, and, as she had done in several previous presentations, she detailed the goals of the updated plan. She explained the new plan would integrate policy direction from the South-Central Carleton County rural plan into the Woodstock Municipal plan using the new boundaries.

Brown stressed the proposed amendments aim to increase access to affordable housing, maintain rural lifestyles and character, increase employment opportunities, investment and local business and industry, expand transportation options, improve infrastructure, and enhance recreational programs.

Brown explained she, other consultants, Garnett and others set out from the beginning to ensure the expanded municipality’s rural residents and business owners face little change under the new plan.

“The new town of Woodstock is a rural-based community,” she said.

Brown said the new plan hopes to provide more significant innovation to residential development, noting developers reached out to clarify issues surrounding their projects.

For example, she outlined an unnamed developer’s vision for the former Cosy Cabin property in Lower Woodstock.

She explained the developer envisions constructing 90 residential units in three buildings, with the potential to include one or more retail or commercial businesses on the ground floor of the buildings.

Brown explained that this project and others would benefit from a plan that allows high-density residential combined with low-impact commercial space such as offices, laundromats, low-traffic retail, or convenience stores.

Brown also identified the Lockard Mill Road area of Jacksonville as requiring zoning updates. She explained existing businesses such as Tarp-Rite and Valley Refrigeration will require an industrial designation.

Brown also cited Cooks Construction’s ongoing plans to develop a large parcel of land north of Eastwood Drive, including a 200-unit mini-home park and other residential developments.

Brown explained that some residents had raised concerns about potential mining within the new town boundaries. She added the province requested Woodstock to be “open and receptive” to mining options but reminded councillors the proposed municipal plan requires any mining proposal to go through a public process involving PAC and council.

Brown recommended that mining fall under a special section of the industrial zoning designation concerning resource extraction.

The proposed municipal plan includes a regional commercial centre zone along Connell Street from the intersection with Connell Park Road to the Trans Canada Highway overpass.

Brown explained the municipal plan and zoning is a living document which could be amended by approval of council, adding the new plan would remain in place until a full review in 2030.

The post Woodstock eyes approving amended municipal plan early in 2024 first appeared on River Valley Sun.

People in Fredericton were shocked and excited by a blue-green flash across the sky Monday night, and some captured it on their home security cameras.

After finding speed cushions helped slow traffic on an east Saint John street, council voted Monday to put them on more streets.