A drop-in centre for people experiencing homelessness in Moncton, which a New Brunswick cabinet minister said would open in October, is now expected to partly open next week.

Subscribe now

A Fredericton man who beat a woman in the head repeatedly a year ago saw his stay in jail extended Monday, but the judge was initially reluctant to impose what he viewed as a minimal sentence.

Kyle Brennan McCoy, 35, of Irvine Street, had originally been scheduled to stand trial Sept. 15 on several indictable charges stemming from incidents of intimate-partner violence.

However, he pleaded guilty that day to four of the six charges, and he was back before Judge Scott Brittain in Fredericton provincial court for sentencing Monday.

McCoy appeared by video conference from jail, as he’s serving a six-month sentence for an unrelated property-damage offence out of another jurisdiction in New Brunswick.

The offender had admitted to assaulting Amber Hawkins, damaging her iPhone 14, threatening to kill her and breaching his probation order, all between Dec. 26 and Jan. 5.

Crown prosecutor Jennifer Bueno withdrew related counts of assaulting Hawkins with a samurai sword and assaulting her by choking.

“Ms. Hawkins was hit multiple times in the head,” Bueno said, adding that after McCoy beat her, he threatened to kill her if she reported the abuse to police.

The offender was using drugs at the time of his relationship with the victim, court heard, and he destroyed her new smartphone worth more then $2,000.

The prosecutor said Hawkins reported in her victim-impact statement she now struggles with other relationships in her life and is suffering from the fallout of the trauma.

Bueno said aggravating factors in the case are the fact the crimes represented abuse of an intimate partner, McCoy’s lengthy and related criminal record, and the fact he was on probation at the time of his offences.

However, she noted there are mitigating factors in his favour, such as his guilty pleas, as late in the process as they were, and his expression of remorse. 

Bueno and defence lawyer Lindsay Paul offered a joint recommendation on sentence Monday of 11½ months in jail, to run consecutively to the jail term McCoy is already serving but reduced to account for remand time.

That would mean McCoy would have an additional three months behind bars after his current sentence is served.

However, Brittain expressed concern that the recommended jail term was contrary to the principles of sentencing.

He pointed to McCoy’s criminal record, which lists 20 prior assaults, including one in 2019 that led to a stint in federal prison.

“We’re dealing here with a record that is littered with similar offences,” the judge said.

The prosecutor who negotiated the joint recommendation with the defence - Matthew Paik - said it was the result of a lot of back and forth discussions between himself and Paul.

Both he and the defence lawyer acknowledged that the 11½-month jail term was in the lower end of the range of sentences given McCoy’s criminal history but it still was within an acceptable spectrum.

Furthermore, Paik said, McCoy’s last sentence for assault was for seven months in jail, so the recommendation before the court is in keeping with the step principle, directing judges to increase sentences for similar offences as time goes on.

Paul said one of the reasons for the negotiated sentence was that there were issues with the Crown’s case. She said the victim was hesitant to proceed to trial, and there were potential evidentiary issues.

The joint recommendation was the result of compromise on both sides, she said.

Furthermore, Paul said her client’s crimes flow from his drug addiction and some unfortunate trauma of his own from his childhood.

McCoy witnessed domestic violence in his home when he was a kid, she said, and that led to learned behaviour on his part.

The offender was diagnosed some time ago with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder but had never been medicated for it until recently, the defence lawyer said, and now he sees a path forward to a productive life and is intent on making real change.

‘Time for some serious soul-searching’

“I just want to apologize to Amber,” McCoy said Monday, noting he’s remorseful for what he did to her and bears her no ill will.

“I just hope she can move forward with her life and heal.”

Paik said similarly, while Hawkins noted in her victim-impact statement she wants no further contact with McCoy, she also expressed her hope he’s able to get the help he needs and turn his life around.

Hawkins was present for Monday’s court proceedings but said nothing.

Brittain said it’s clear from McCoy’s record that he hasn’t gotten the message of deterrence in the past, but he’s encouraged by his apparently sincere comments about wanting to live a clean life going forward.

“It’s time for you to do some serious soul-searching and introspection here,” Brittain told McCoy.

After hearing the additional arguments from the Crown and defence, the judge accepted the joint recommendation.

In addition to the jail term, he imposed a one-year term of probation to follow, during which McCoy is to have no contact with Hawkins, and attend counselling and/or treatment appointments as directed by his probation officer.

The judge also ordered him to submit a DNA sample for inclusion in a criminal database, prohibited him from possessing firearms and other weapons for 10 years, ordered the forfeiture of the samurai sword seized by police and issued a standalone restitution order for the damaged phone for $2,321, which can be enforced in a civil court proceedings.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

Subscribe now

After an early snowfall, the first season for Moncton's new marked bike lanes is ending, with city crews uprooting the bollards — the post-shaped physical barriers that separate cyclists from traffic.

Check out the full list of nominees and winners from this year’s Silver Wave Film Festival. The Silver Wave Film Festival continues this week with virtual screenings running until November…

The post Silver Wave Film Festival Award Winners 2023 appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

Subscribe now

Internet and telephone services were down for parts of the north side of Fredericton and adjacent communities, and it appears to have originated from a theft of copper wiring.

Chatter in local social-media circles Saturday indicated internet, television and phone service were spotty or down in parts of the north side of the New Brunswick capital, including the Devon neighbourhood.

The interruption - which affected both Bell Aliant and Rogers customers - extended at least as far as Noonan, several kilometres east of the Fredericton city limit.

Rogers emailed customers Saturday evening advising the disruption was due to physical interference with the telecom lines.

“Our technicians have determined that the interruption to your home services in your area is due to a fibre cut,” stated the email, sent at about 6:40 p.m. Saturday. “We now estimate services will be restored in 8-12 hours.”

People in the area reported their service started coming back online Sunday morning, and for many the outage lasted more than 24 hours.

The Fredericton Police Force confirmed its officers are investigating a theft of copper wiring that appears to coincide with the outage.

“Police were notified shortly after 8 a.m. on Nov. 4, and it was the wiring for the telecoms in the area,” spokesperson Sonya Gilks wrote in an email to the Fredericton Independent on Monday.

The police force didn’t indicate if any arrests had been made in the case, only that the investigation was in its early stages.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

Subscribe now

Subscribe now

A jury will decide the fate of a man and woman accused in the fatal shooting of a Bilijk (Kingsclear) First Nation man earlier this year in the spring of 2025.

Joshua Christopher Raines, 47, of Route 565 in Holmesville, between Perth Andover and Florenceville-Bristol; and Samantha Mary Butler, 22, of Karen Drive in Rusagonis, appeared in person and in custody at the Burton Courthouse on Monday for motions day to schedule their jury trial.

The pair is charged jointly with second-degree murder in the March 12 death of Lucas Richard Solomon Polchies, 27, of Bilijk First Nation.

The RCMP’s major crime unit reported earlier this year that after receiving a 911 call reporting a gunshot, officers and other first responders were dispatched to the 2300 block of Route 102 in Lincoln at approximately 4:10 a.m.  March 12.

They found Solomon Polchies at the scene, a police news release said, and he was rushed to hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Justice Terrence Morrison confirmed Monday that Raines and Butler’s jury trial is set to begin March 17, 2025, and is scheduled to run for five weeks.

The judge also noted a voir-dire hearing to determine evidentiary issues ahead of the trial is scheduled for the month before, beginning Feb. 3, 2025.

Raines and Butler had been scheduled to go through a preliminary inquiry in Fredericton provincial court in December. Such hearings are held in the lower level of court to determine if there’s sufficient evidence to set them over for trial in the Court of King’s Bench.

But as it’s done with other recent murder prosecutions, the Crown prosecutors’ office filed a preferred indictment in the Raines/Butler case, allowing it to skip the preliminary-inquiry step.

As has been the case during previous court appearances in the case, numerous members of Solomon Polchies’ family and community were on hand at the Burton Courthouse on Monday, most of them wearing attire emblazoned with the words “Justice for Lucas.”

Raines and Butler are subject to court orders barring them from communicating with one another and with six other individuals: Patrick Harris, Victoria King, Abigail King, Tyler Sabattis, Bethany Paul and Hannah Kilfillen - who are likely to be called as witnesses at trial.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

Subscribe now

As an Atlantic salmon advocacy group raises the alarm over escapes from New Brunswick salmon farms, two scientists are divided over whether farmed fish are a risk to their wild counterparts.

Legion, ANAVETs and community gather to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice

A large crowd gathered in the Canterbury High School auditorium on Sunday, Nov. 5, to remember.

The Woodstock Royal Canadian Legion Branch 11 hosts Canterbury Remembers annually on the Sunday before Remembrance Day to honour those who fought for their nation’s freedom. Legion and ANAVETs Unit 95 members joined local officials and more than 50 members of the public for the solemn ceremony.

Lakeland Ridges Mayor Tanya Cloutier, serving as MC for the ceremony, was joined on stage by Pastor Trevor Williams and Rev. Canon Walter Williams, who delivered the message of Remembrance.

Williams noted Remembrance Day provides an opportunity for today’s generations to pay homage to the previous generations who fought for the freedoms they enjoy today. He said that, unfortunately, the perils of war are not limited to our grandparents and great-grandparents. He noted we need only watch the news to see the threat of expanding wars in the Middle East and Kuwait.

“Remembrance is a time to think about what happened in the past and what’s happening today,” Williams said.

He recounted a story of a student program called “No Stone Left Alone” in the Oromocto area, where students are given poppies and the names of veterans in local cemeteries. He said the students, during a visit to the cemetery, search for their named veterans and place their poppies on their headstones.

He praised the program, saying the students diligently searched for the names and gained an understanding of the veteran’s sacrifice.

Canterbury students offered their reflections on Remembrance Day through hand-drawn stories and posters taped to the front of the stage.

Led by Piper Kate LaFrance and under the command of Sgt-At-Arms Bruce Hendry, a colour guard featuring Legion and ANAVET members opened and closed the ceremony.

The ceremony featured prayers, Scripture readings, hymns, the reciting of Flanders Fields, and the playing of The Last Post and The Reveille, separated by a moment of silence.

It included the reading of the Honour Roll naming Canterbury area men who made the ultimate sacrifice in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean Conflict and the laying of dozens of wreaths and crosses.

Photo captions

Woodstock Royal Canadian Legion President Nick Thomas salutes after laying a wreath on behalf of Branch 11. (Jim Dumville photo)

Canterbury Fire Chief Clifton Furrow places a poppy for each name called out by Mayor Tanya Cloutier during the reading of the roll call. (Jim Dumville photo)

A large crowd attended Canterbury Remembers on Sunday, Nov. 5. On stage, from left, Rev Canon Walter Williams, Pastor Trevor MacMillan and Mayor Tanya Cloutier. (Jim Dumville photo)

Members of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 11 and ANAVETS Unit 95 in Woodstock attended the Canterbury service. (Jim Dumville photo)

Legion and AVAVETS form the colour party to open the Remembrance ceremonies. (Jim Dumville photo)

Piper Kate LaFrance prepares to begin the Canterbury Remembers ceremonies, as from left, Pastor Trevor MacMillan, ANAVETS Leonard Canam and Beth MacFarlane and Rev. Canon Walter Williams prepare to enter the Canterbury High School auditorium.

Student drawings, essays and other writings about the meaning of Remembrance Day lined the stage. (Jim Dumville photo)

The post Canterbury Remembers first appeared on River Valley Sun.

Subscribe now

A Fredericton construction company facing a count of criminal negligence in the death of an employee has admitted to a provincial offence under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The Fredericton Police Force had previously laid a charge of criminal negligence causing death against Springhill Construction Ltd. stemming from the death of Michael Anthony Henderson while he was in the firm’s employ.

Henderson, 18, drowned at the bottom of an eight-foot hole when a safety plug came loose and pinned him as the hole quickly filled with water during a leak test Aug. 16, 2018, at a project at City of Fredericton’s Barker Street Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Springhill had previously elected to be tried in the Court of King’s Bench by a judge alone, and its trial had been scheduled for January.

However, the company re-elected last month to be tried in provincial court, with the consent of the Crown, and the matter was back on the lower court docket Monday.

Defence lawyer Clarence Bennett - appearing in court by video - entered a guilty plea on the company’s behalf, but not on the criminal negligence causing death allegation.

Instead, he said his client admitted to a charge under Section 47(1) of the provincial Occupational Health and Safety Act that the business failed to provide training necessary to ensure an employee’s health and safety..

Springhill and its former site supervisor, Jason Andrew King, had originally faced Occupational Health and Safety Act charges from WorkSafeNB stemming from Henderson’s death, but those counts were withdrawn and replaced with the criminal counts.

Monday’s proceedings appeared to revert Springhill’s case back into a matter overseen by WorkSafeNB rather than the city police force.

Judge Jeff Lantz, chief judge of the P.E.I. provincial court, presided over Monday’s proceeding by video, and he set the matter over to Dec. 15 for sentencing to allow for the preparation of victim-impact statements.

It’s expected the Crown will withdraw the criminal-negligence charge at the conclusion of the sentencing hearing next month.

Foreman convicted on criminal count

King, 46, of Upper Hainesville - who was working as the supervisor in charge of site safety on the day in question - also opted for a trial by King’s Bench judge alone on his criminal-negligence charge, and Justice Thomas Christie convicted him on that count earlier this year.

He sentenced King in September to three years in prison, though King’s lawyer has filed a notice of appeal, and he was released last month on conditions pending the outcome of his appeal.

During King’s trial, court heard Henderson was at the bottom of the hole over the lunch hour, cleaning up debris as directed, when an inflatable plug holding back water flow came loose.

The weight of the plug and power of the water pressure pinned the teenage worker to the side of the hole.

As the hole filled with water, Henderson’s older brother Eric, who was also employed on the worksite, tried to rescue him, but to no avail.

King testified at his trial that he hadn’t reviewed any of the safety manuals on site, noting that he wasn’t much of a reader.

He ordered a water test to the line feeding to the hole despite knowing Henderson was likely going to be working in it, and his plan in case of an incident - just to get someone to haul him out of the hole - was grossly insufficient, Christie ruled.

King testified Springhill hadn’t provided him with training when it made him a site foreman, and he wasn’t up to the task of fulfilling the supervisory and safety requirements of the position.

King was terminated from Springhill’s employ shortly after the fatal incident.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

Subscribe now

A coroner's inquest began Monday into the death of 16-year-old Lexi Daken, who took her own life in February 2021, just days after being sent home from the Fredericton emergency department without receiving any mental health intervention.

Subscribe now

Two of four people accused of killing a Minto man earlier last year will stand trial before a judge and jury in 2025.

The RCMP’s major crime unit charged Joshua John McIsaac, 33, formerly of Penniac, and Erica Lea Ann Blyth, 40, of Newcastle Creek near Chipman, jointly with first-degree murder this summer, alleging they killed Brandon Patrick Donelan, 27, on Jan. 28, 2022, in the Chipman area.

The case was before the Court of King’s Bench at the Burton Courthouse on Monday for motions day to schedule their trial.

Both defendants appeared before Justice Terrence Morrison

Normally, the matter would first proceed to a preliminary inquiry in provincial court to determine if there’s sufficient evidence to set the charge over for trial at the higher level of court.

But the Crown filed a preferred indictment in the case last month under a rarely used section of the Criminal Code of Canada, allowing it to bypass the preliminary inquiry and proceed directly to trial.

Morrison scheduled their King’s Bench judge and jury trial for six weeks beginning April 23, 2025.

The judge also noted that two weeks have been set aside for voir dire hearings on the admissibility of evidence, beginning Jan. 6, 2025.

Blyth and McIsaac will remain in custody until their case concludes.

Also charged with first-degree murder in the Donelan death but in a separate prosecution are Devon Mark Hood, 26, and Matthew David LeBlanc, 29, both of Fredericton.

Their case is due back in Fredericton provincial court Nov. 15 to schedule their preliminary inquiry. It remains to be seen if the Crown is going to file a preferred indictment in that prosecution as well.

All four defendants are subject to court orders barring them from communicating with one another while their cases make their way through the courts.

McIsaac, Hood and LeBlanc are all incarcerated at Dorchester Penitentiary, serving unrelated sentences, while Blyth was remanded this summer to the New Brunswick Women’s Correctional Centre in Miramichi pending the outcome of her case.

Donelan was reported as missing to police Jan. 30, 2022, and the RCMP launched a major search effort on the ground and from the air.

His body was found March 31, 2022, along a snowmobile trail.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

Subscribe now

An ambitious energy plan by N.B. Power announced two years ago has been put aside.

The first of five buildings planned for the long-awaited Fundy Quay development on the old Canadian Coast Guard site will start going up in the next couple of weeks, delivering 79 badly needed residential units.

As a newcomer, Ramneet Kalra faced challenges finding a space to showcase his work and gain recognition as an artist. He was recently invited to curate a show at Shediac's Pattes de Mouche Gallery’s BIPOC Art Collective.

Melanie Laagland-Winder was on her way home to Fredericton after a trip to Cap-Pelé, N.B., when she noticed she was low on gas. She was driving through Jemseg, and the closest gas station was 10 kilometres away. She ran out about two kilometres from the station.

A Wolastoqey artist performed scenes from her new play in Fredericton.

About 900 Bell Aliant customers are without internet following a copper wire theft in Fredericton. A spokesperson for Bell Aliant said the cable theft is affecting internet, TV and home phone services for customers in Fredericton North, Barkers Point, Pepper Creek, Lower St. Marys and Noonan.

Subscribe now

A man riding an all-terrain vehicle died early Saturday morning as a result of a crash in Taxis River, the RCMP reports.

The Doaktown detachment issued a news release Saturday indicating that a 56-year-old man from Porter Cove lost his life as a result of an ATV crash earlier in the day.

“On Nov. 4, 2023, at approximately 1:30 a.m., members of the Doaktown RCMP detachment, Ambulance New Brunswick and the Upper Miramichi Fire Department responded to a report of an ATV crash on Route 625 in Taxis River,” the release said.

The sole user of the ATV died at the scene, it said.

Taxis River is located about 65 kilometres north of Fredericton, near Boiestown.

“The crash is believed to have occurred when the driver of the ATV lost control of the vehicle on the shoulder of the road, left the roadway and struck a power pole,” the release said.

“An RCMP collision reconstructionist and the New Brunswick coroner's office are assisting with the ongoing investigation.”

The Fredericton Independent can be reached at [email protected].

Subscribe now

A 56-year-old man from Porter Cove, N.B., has died following an ATV crash in Taxis River. Doaktown RCMP and emergency services responded to a report of an ATV crash at 1:30 a.m. AT on Saturday on Route 625. 

The water temperatures are getting colder, and for sea turtles, this could be bad news. If a sea turtle ends up in water that's 10 C or below, it could become cold-stunned, and eventually blow onto shore, where it would die if exposed to the elements for too long.

New Brunswick has finally established its own spelling bee chapter. Until now, spelling champions like Austin He of Quispamsis had to travel to nearby provinces to qualify for the nationals.

Born visually impaired in Grand-Barachois, a small eastern New Brunswick community on the Northumberland Strait, Ysabelle Vautour connects with herself — and with others — through art.

One of Saint John’s oldest sporting franchises is celebrating 100 years with a party, and a sneak peek at new facilities.

Along with continuing to feature local and regional artists, the Imperial Theatre wants to bring in names as big as possible for the size of the venue, which has 872 seats.

Hôtel Shediac, a five-star hotel in downtown Shediac, has declared bankruptcy.

As domestic abuse numbers climb, Woodstock Sanctuary House kicks off Family Violence Prevention Month with Purple Lights Night

The demands upon Woodstock’s Sanctuary House and other shelters for abused women and children continue to grow as intimate-partner violence remains a constant threat for many families.

To bring awareness to the plight, Sanctuary House hosted its second annual “Purple Light Night” event in Woodstock on Wednesday, Nov. 1, to kick off the Purple Nights campaign to run through November. 

The event, held at Citizen Square Park on Chapel Street, included music, giveaways, the lighting of purple lights and remarks from special guests, including Woodstock Police Force Chief Gary Forward and Mayor Trina Jones.

Sanctuary House intervention team member Melody Dickinson said Chief Forward shared “an alarming statistic” surrounding intimate partner violence (IPV) in Woodstock.

As he noted with concern during recent reports to Woodstock council, the chief cited a 47 per cent increase this year in IPV calls by his force.

During the Purple Lights Night event, Forward said his officers responded to 263 IPV calls since the beginning of this year.

Mayor Jones, who attended the Purple Lights kickoff and the Take Back the Night walk in September, described those numbers as shocking, pointing out those numbers represent almost one IPV call daily.

While designing the Purple Light Night event as a fun family outing, it also strived to deliver a stark and troubling message.

The event opened at 6:30 p.m. with music by Wyatt Morrel, followed by the addresses from Forward and Jones.

“There was hot chocolate, treat bags filled with purple candy and purple stickers for the kids and a cake made by Lana Dickinson,” said Melody Dickinson.

She explained each person attending the event received a purple glow stick, which they cracked open following a countdown to 7 p.m. in sync with the lighting of the trees and silhouette.

“We ended the night by giving away a purple hat donated by King Sports and a box of purple lights to the winner of the lucky ticket,” Dickinson explained.

The startling statistics highlight the need for increased awareness. Dickinson explained the rising IPV numbers combined with tough financial times and a housing crisis place an additional burden on victims and shelters.

“Our calls have increased, as well as the number of emergency intervention orders we do,” said Dickinson. “At the present moment, our shelter is full. In fact, we’ve had to turn some women away because of us having a full house.”

While the shelter, which serves a large section of the Upper St.John River Valley, offers emergency support for abuse victims, it is not designed as a long-term solution.

“Women who come to stay at the shelter often end up having to stay past our 30-day stay due to the shortage of housing,” Dickinson said. “And if they can’t find housing in their preferred area, they will either return to their partner or relocate elsewhere.”

In addition to serving as an emergency shelter, Woodstock Sanctuary House strives to educate, empower and support abuse victims.

Dickinson and co-workers and board members at Sanctuary House and other shelters encourage everyone to display purple lights outside their homes and businesses throughout November in recognition and awareness of Family Violence Prevention Month.

They hope the purple glow lights the path to brighter days for the still too many victims of violence.

The post Hoping purple lights guide abuse victims to a better life first appeared on River Valley Sun.

The 15-year-old girl was last seen Oct. 27

The Western Valley Region RCMP reported on Nov. 2 that they had found the 15-year-old girl from Bath, N.B., who was reported missing to police on Oct. 27.

The RCMP would like to thank the public for their assistance.

Police released a statement asking for public help to locate the teenager last seen at 10 a.m. on Oct. 17.

The post Update: Missing Bath teen located safe and sound first appeared on River Valley Sun.

N.B. Fire Marshal reminds residents to use the time change as a reminder to protect themselves and their families

As New Brunswickers turn back their clocks one hour on Sunday, the New Brunswick Fire Marshal reminds them to replace the batteries in their smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

Daylight time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 5.

“Ensuring that smoke and carbon monoxide alarms work provides an early warning to help escape a fire,” said Provincial Fire Marshal Mike Lewis. “Check that these alarms are working properly by replacing batteries and testing them.”

The Office of the Fire Marshal urges people to follow these steps to ensure their home is protected:

— Install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside each sleeping area, and every level of your home, including the basement.

— Take note if the alarms are battery-powered or hard-wired.

— If you have an attached garage or any device that burns wood, gas, oil or propane, install a carbon monoxide alarm outside all sleeping areas. Replace these alarms every seven to 10 years, depending upon the manufacturer’s guidelines.

—  Press the test button on each smoke and carbon monoxide alarm. If it sounds, it confirms power is present and circuits are operating.

— Create and practise an escape plan with your family.

Additional fire safety tips are available online.

The post Move clocks back and change smoke alarm batteries on Sunday first appeared on River Valley Sun.

Subscribe now

A Napadogan man who’s been on remand for months for weapons-related incidents was sentenced to time already served Friday, and he was urged to take his medications as directed.

Richard Andrew Hunter, 47, of Third Street in Napadogan, about 70 kilometres north of Fredericton, appeared in Fredericton provincial jail by video from jail Friday for his sentencing hearing on various charges.

He’d pleaded guilty to several offences Oct. 20.

Crown prosecutor Gwynne Hearn said Fredericton police officers were dispatched to the Tim Hortons on Union Street the morning of Feb. 14 after receiving a report of a disturbance.

“Mr. Hunter was swinging a mallet inside the store,” she said.

“He threatened the staff with the mallet, stating he would kill them with one swing.”

Defence lawyer David Lutz said while his client acknowledges he threatened the workers, he wanted to clarify what it was he had in his hand.

“It wasn’t a mallet. It was a judge’s gavel,” he said.

Officers found him outside the Tim Hortons location and detained him, court heard.

Hunter then came to the attention of police again June 30, Hearn said, when they got a report of a man uttering threats at a northside residence.

They discovered Hunter was in the backyard of a Mill Street residence, threatening to enter the house and to kill Frank Barrett, she said.

As a result, Hunter was charged with uttering threats and breaching a police undertaking requiring him to follow a curfew.

Hunter told court Friday he didn’t know the victim was inside the home at the time, but admitted he uttered a general threat.

Finally, the prosecutor said, Hunter got in trouble again when two officers with the City of Fredericton’s community safety unit encountered him by the city trail near Cliffe Street the morning of July 23.

Hunter was homeless at the time, court heard, and the officers were trying to move him along from a northside homeless encampment.

“He’s known to be carrying various weapons,” Hearn said, and when the officers approached the offender, he grabbed an axe from the ground and charged at them.

Court heard Hunter hit the hood of the officers’ vehicle with the axe. He was charged with assaulting the officers with the axe, threatening to kill and/or harm them and possessing the axe for a purpose dangerous to the public peace.

Hunter told Judge Natalie LeBlanc part of his problems stem from his mental illness.

“I hear voices and stuff too, your honour,” he said. “I was off my medication.”

Hunter underwent two psychiatric assessments since he was remanded in July, and they determined he was fit to stand trial and not exempt from criminal responsibility due to a mental disorder at the time of the offences.

Hearn asked the court to impose a jail term equivalent to the time Hunter had already served on remand, once the enhanced credit that time is applied.

She also recommended a one-year term of probation.

Lutz agreed with the Crown’s recommendation on sentence.

He said Hunter’s circumstances sometimes mean he can’t get his medication, loses his pills or doesn’t take them, but he realizes he needs to ensure he does get them and takes them as directed.

“So Mr. Hunter, if you don’t get your medication, where are you going to go?” the defence lawyer asked his client.

“Right where I’m sitting right now,” Hunter answered. “I’m on my proper medication [now], as you can tell.”

He apologized his actions and again blamed them on his mental illness.

“I wasn’t thinking in my clear mind,” he said.

LeBlanc accepted the sentencing recommendation, noting it was reasonable given the facts of the case.

She said Hunter gave many people real cause for concern, noting the offences were serious.

“There was also an escalation of the violence,” the judge said.

But Hunter accepted responsibility for his crimes and clearly has insight into his issues, LeBlanc said.

In addition to a jail term equal to time served, the judge imposed a one-year term of probation.

During that time, Hunter is to stay off the premises of Tim Hortons on Union Street, have no contact with the victims of his various offences and participate in counselling and/or treatment as directed by his probation officer.

The judge also ordered him to submit a DNA sample for inclusion in a criminal database, and she ordered the axe to be forfeited to the Crown.

Hunter asked if he’d be able to get his gavel back, noting it held sentimental value as it was old and had belonged to a family friend.

Hearn said the offender wasn’t convicted of a weapon offence related to the gavel, so the Crown wasn’t seeking a forfeiture order for that item, meaning it will be returned to him.

However, LeBlanc warned him he shouldn’t use it as a weapon in the future.

She also told Hunter that should he find himself facing challenges in accessing his medications or other treatment, he should contact his probation officer, who would be in a position to help him.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

Subscribe now

After six weeks of hints and preparations, Premier Blaine Higgs now says he will not call an early provincial election this fall.

Subscribe now

A Fredericton man deemed unfit to stand trial this summer on various charges, including a break-in at a church, is now fit after a few months of treatment at a psychiatric facility, a court heard Thursday.

John Paul Clifford Wright, 42, of no fixed address, appeared in Fredericton provincial court by telephone Thursday as prosecutions on various charges from the past year resumed.

Wright - who’s at the Restigouche Hospital Centre, a secure psychiatric facility in Campbellton - was deemed unfit to stand trial at a fitness hearing in July after undergoing an assessment at the hospital.

He was remanded to Restigouche for treatment, and he was back before the court Thursday after being deemed fit to stand trial.

Wright was far more lucid during Thursday’s proceedings as compared to previous appearances in court.

He faces charges of causing damage to a carpet belonging to Robert Curtis on Dec. 19; stealing cash from Moco Downtown and breaching his probation March 4; breaching a police undertaking requiring him to attend court April 6; breaking into the Nashwaaksis Baptist Church and stealing from it May 28; and failing to attend court again June 1.

During his fitness hearing in July, it was suggested Wright might have been suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the offences that could exempt him from criminal responsibility, prosecutor Jennifer Bueno said Thursday, suggesting a new assessment on that issue was likely the next step to take in the case.

“I have no grounds,” said defence lawyer Michael Mallory, referring to the fact he didn’t have a documented basis to request that order.

But Judge Mary Jane Richards said the fitness assessment report pointed to evidence that would merit a psychiatric exam to determine criminal responsibility.

Wright appeared to want to admit to the various charges against him though.

“I’m ready to enter a plea today,” he told the court Thursday, noting he wanted to be placed under the purview of the New Brunswick review board.

The review board oversees the cases over defendants deemed unfit and offenders found to be exempt from criminal responsibility due to mental illness.

Richards explained, though, that for Wright’s case to be referred to the review board, he first needed to be assessed by the staff at Restigouche on that issue.

“I need that assessment in order to find you not criminally responsible,” the judge told him.

One of the potential stumbling blocks, Richards said, was whether Wright’s allegedly criminal conduct was the result of mental illness or his abuse of illicit drugs, because the latter would preclude an exemption from criminal responsibility.

Wright said his actions would have stemmed from a combination of the two.

The judge ordered the new assessment and remanded Wright again to Restigouche. She scheduled a hearing on the criminal-responsibility issue for Dec. 4.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

Subscribe now

Day 5 of the trial of Const. Osama Ibrahim heard from the officer, who denied all of the allegations against him.

Family doctor Shawn Jennings suffered a devastating brainstem stroke 24 years ago that rendered him totally paralyzed. In the long journey since, he has become an inspiring teacher, mentor, presenter, author and the recipient of numerous medical and leadership awards.

Two Saint John city councilors say being suspended from their committee duties without getting a chance to defend themselves was a severe and humiliating sanction, and they're asking a court to reverse it.

The Fredericton-based Silver Wave Film Festival is celebrating 23 years of showcasing multicultural, international, national — and local — films.

These large paintings were found in the attic of a home in Blackville, where the Keough family’s eldest son suffered from tuberculosis in 1902. While isolated for several years, he painted on any surface he could. This is the result.

Kehkimin Wolastoqey immersion school struggles to secure funding after receiving $50,000 less from the province's Environmental Trust fund.

A judge sentenced a 79-year-old man from the Moncton area to 30 days of house arrest for a road-rage assault that included flicking blood on the victim and making a racist remark.

"Political preferences" played a role in New Brunswick's COVID-19 pandemic response, the outgoing chief medical officer of health revealed to a legislative committee Thursday.

Subscribe now

A homeless man from Fredericton who has loudly and disruptively professed his innocence on numerous criminal charges was quiet Thursday as his lawyer entered not-guilty pleas on his behalf.

Joshua Daniel Grant Burden, 48, of no fixed address, appeared in Fredericton provincial court by video from the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre on Thursday to answer to varied charges dating back to the spring.

He’s been in custody since early June, but his case has made little headway due to disruptive and disrespectful behaviour on his part during most of his previous appearances.

But Burden was quiet for Thursday’s proceedings.

The following Fredericton Police Force charges were before the court for election of mode of trial and pleas Thursday:

• April 19 counts of break, enter and theft at City Auto on Main Street; and theft of a motor vehicle belonging to Nicolas McPhee;

• a June 6 charge of sexual assault on a woman whose identity is protected by a court-ordered publication ban;

• June 7 counts of uttering threats to Eric Lanteigne and Terri-Lynn Stewart to cause them death and/or bodily harm; and breaching a police undertaking to have no contact with the complainant from the sexual-assault charge;

• and related counts of probation violation.

Defence lawyer Joshua Adams said for the various indictable charges, his client was electing to be tried in provincial court and pleading not guilty to all counts.

Judge Mary Jane Richards scheduled Burden’s trial on those matters for March 15 and 27, and she remanded the defendant again until that time.

Burden faces other charges that arose after he was remanded and arising from his volatile behaviour in court this summer.

He’s accused of uttering threats and intimidating a justice-system participant June 19, stemming from angry comments he made to Fredericton provincial court Judge Scott Brittain during a decision on bail that didn’t go Burden’s way.

Given a local judge is the complainant in that prosecution, Nova Scotia provincial court Judge Diane McGrath, based in Sydney, is presiding over that case.

Since Burden was unco-operative in his appearances before her earlier this fall, she entered a default election of trial by Court of King’s Bench judge and jury.

McGrath scheduled his preliminary inquiry in that case for Jan. 18 to determine if there’s sufficient evidence to set the matter over for trial at the higher level of court.

Burden - who repeatedly demanded to be released from custody since that June 19 appearance before Brittain - told the judge, “If you keep fucking with me, you should be worried about what I’m going to do to you.”

When Brittain denied him bail, Burden yelled, “I’ll meet you in the parking lot at the courthouse and punch your fucking face off!”

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

Subscribe now

The New Brunswick Teachers' Association recently held a virtual NetworkEd session for teachers about school air quality, one of several learning and working conditions they share concerns with students and parents about, says the president.

Living Roots Music Festival organizers will bring more than two dozen artists and performers to stages across the city this month for Americana Weekend, November 15-18.   Matt Carter In…

The post Americana Weekend Boasts Festival-Sized Lineup appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

Subscribe now

A Sackville man found guilty after a jury trial earlier this year of robbing a marijuana dispensary in downtown Fredericton is seeking to overturn his conviction and vary his sentence.

Court of King’s Bench Justice Thomas Christie sentenced Kevin Andrew Melanson, 52, of Alice Street in Sackville, to 3½ years in prison in July on counts of robbery and unlawful confinement. 

During his jury trial, court heard he led a robbery at Buddy’s Cannabis Clinic - a now-defunct, private marijuana dispensary on King Street in downtown Fredericton - on June 16, 2018.

Three other men and his wife, Christina Melanson, joined him in the caper.

Kevin Melanson, who was living in the Moncton area at the time, was determined to recoup a $25,000 investment he’d made in the pot shop.

The group made their intentions known violently and wouldn’t let the two employees at the business leave once they arrived, and they took items and equipment from the premises.

Lawyers Nathan Gorham and Adrian Forsythe filed a notice of appeal July 7 - the same day Melanson was sentenced - with the New Brunswick Court of Appeal, challenging both the conviction and the sentence imposed.

It asks the province’s top court to quash the conviction and to order a new trial, or in the alternative, to vary the offender’s sentence to a lesser term.

While the guilty verdict came from a jury, Melanson’s lawyers argue that Christie didn’t instruct the jurors properly on the law and the evidence, which is what gave rise to the allegedly faulty finding of guilt.

“The trial judge erred in determining that the defence of self-defence did not meet the ‘air of reality’ test respecting the robbery charge [or the unlawful confinement charge],” the notice of appeal states.

Other grounds of appeal cited in the document were contentions that Christie erred in how he addressed the issue of “party liability” - referring to the fact there were multiple participants in the incident - and that he gave the jury an “overly broad liability instruction.”

‘Sentence imposed is demonstrably unfit’

With regard to the prison sentence the trial judge imposed, Melanson’s counsel argues he didn’t give proper weight to the mitigating and aggravating factors in the case and erred in how he applied the parity principle.

Parity is a sentencing principle in Canadian criminal law that directs judges to impose similar sentences on similar defendants in similar circumstances.

Two other participants in the robbery - Christina Dawn Melanson, 43; and Chad Gerard, 45 - pleaded guilty to robbery and were each sentenced to three years in prison.

During the sentencing hearing, Forsythe argued for a lesser sentence for Kevin Melanson, but Christie questioned how the court could do that, given the facts that he was the mastermind behind the crime and that he lacked the mitigation of a guilty plea.

Melanson’s notice of appeal also argues the 3½-year prison term was excessive.

“The sentence imposed is demonstrably unfit,” it states.

Melanson’s prison sentence is on hold until his appeal concludes as well.

His lawyers successfully applied for him to be released on conditions pending its outcome, and that order was issued Oct. 16.

Among the conditions of Melanson’s release are to remain under house arrest at his Sackville home except for work, legal and medical appointments, court, hospital visits with his ailing wife, and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. for personal business.

He’s also required to report to the Sackville RCMP detachment by phone every Friday and to present himself at the door of his home for compliance checks whenever the police knock.

Second appeal

This marks the second time Melanson has been convicted of the robbery and challenged it in the New Brunswick Court of Appeal.

Like his wife, Melanson pleaded guilty to robbery in October 2019 and was sentenced to three years in prison.

However, he appealed that conviction, successfully arguing his guilty pleas weren’t voluntary due to the legal advice he received from his original defence counsel, Moncton lawyer Brian Murphy.

He served six months of that original three-year sentence before the New Brunswick Court of Appeal struck his guilty plea and ordered the case to be sent back to provincial court.

Melanson eventually retained Gorham’s firm to represent him, and he opted for a trial in the Court of King’s Bench before a judge and jury.

Ultimately, he ended up getting a longer sentence than he did the first time around.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

Subscribe now

The Higgs government will force N.B. Power to buy electricity from the first pair of small modular nuclear reactors even if that costs the utility more than other sources of electricity

The New Brunswick government is planning to hire a construction management firm to continue building a new courthouse in Fredericton, after cancelling a request for proposals it issued earlier after the sole bid came in more than $30 million over budget.

Breagh Christie was diagnosed with an eating disorder 7 years ago. She is using her experience to help people with similar stories as a part of a peer counselling program called Body Peace.

Changes to the provincial rules will now allow larger schools to be able to pull students from up to two other schools for league play.

Carleton Victoria Outstanding Citizen Awards handed out to 12 hardworking, dedicated volunteers

Two sisters and a married couple were among the dozen outstanding citizens recognized for their volunteer efforts and dedication to their Carleton and Victoria county communities at an annual event in Plaster Rock on Oct. 19. 

Centreville sisters Barb Swim and Bev Haines and Juniper couple Randy and Judy Lutes made volunteering a family effort as they received the Carleton Victoria Outstanding Citizens Award at the annual awards night held at the Tobique Lions Club. 

Other recipients were Robert Paget, John Larsen, Cheryl Campbell, Nancy Whyte-McCauley, Barb O’Donnell, Nicki Plant, Jodi O’Neill and Elaine White. 

CVOCA chair Doris Dickson and secretary Alanda Banks-McLeod, who served as emcee for the evening, invited Caleton-Victoria MLA and Aquaculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries Minister Margaret Johnson, host Tobique Valley Mayor Tom Eagles, Southern Victoria Mayor Cindy McLaughlin and Carleton North Mayor Andrew Harvey to welcome the recipients and their guests to the event. 

“It’s a great honour to recognize these people,” said Dickson.

Banks-McLeod urged recipients to “feel very proud of your impact” on their communities. 

Johnson outlined the vast impact of volunteers and the importance they play in improving the lives of their neighbours.

“I look forward to this event every year,” she said. 

Mayor Eagles welcomed everyone to Plaster Rock, noting the free time volunteers give up to help others. 

“We can’t afford to pay them what they’re worth,” he said.

Mayor McLaughlin described CVOCA recipients as “exceptional people who dedicated their lives to others.” 

Mayor Harvey thanked the CVOCA committee and sponsors for the awards night, noting the accomplishments of the 12 distinguished 2023 recipients and all volunteers.

“No one does it for the recognition,” he said, “But it’s still nice to be recognized.” 

One by one, in alphabetical order, the dozen recipients accepted their award after the nominee or someone on their behalf shared the award-winner’s volunteer efforts. 

Cheryl Campbell

Tony Wright nominated Cheryl Campbell for her long-time dedication to the Athurette Legion.

“She basically kept the Legion up and going,” Wright said, “doing yard sales, dances, bingos, and the list goes on.” 

Wright said anyone driving by the Legion would see Campbell’s car there. 

“Her commitment is evident as she takes on the role of organizer without a second thought.” 

Bev Haines and Barb Swim

Andrea Callahan introduced Haines, as she did later for Haines’ sister Barb Swim. She praised both women for their life-long dedication to the Centreville Royal Canadian Legion Branch 84, area veterans and the creation of Victory Park. 

Callahan described Haines and Swim as the driving force to keep Legion Branch 84 alive after the close of its aging building. 

“Their idea to create a place of remembrance and recognition for the multitude of veterans from the Centreville area transformed into what is now known as Victory Park,” Callahan said. “They quickly formed a committee to transform the old Legion property into a peaceful place to visit and reflect.

In 2013, Callahan explained, the village moved the existing cenotaph from the front lawn of the Centreville Community School to the new park, where it was refurbished and rededicated to its new home. 

The veterans’ monument now sits surrounded by a beautiful park, which has become Centreville’s focal point. 

“Bev and Barb continue to work for the betterment of Victory Park and have recently embarked on the Victory Park Banner project, another phase of remembrance and recognition for those who fought for our freedom,” said Callahan. 

She noted Haines, in her more than half-century involvement with Branch 84, held every executive position, including the first female Associate President. Her efforts with the Legion’s Upper Valley District earned her a Certificate of Merit and the MSM Meritorious Medal, the highest award granted to any member. 

Callahan said Haines and Swim continue facilitating Centreville’s annual Remembrance Day service, and Haines still chairs the Poppy Committee. 

She commended Swim, who, through the Ladies Auxiliary and the Tracy Mills Women’s Institute, provided additional funds for the project through several fundraising efforts. 

Callahan said Swim received a Diamond Jubilee Medal for her exemplary volunteer work.

John Larson

Sharon Moffatt nominated and introduced Larson, saying, “Volunteering and helping people is embedded in this man’s DNA.” 

She outlined the retired middle school teacher’s many volunteer efforts for several service organizations and campaigns in Perth-Andover and Southern Victoria. 

Moffatt praised Larson’s role with the Perth-Andover Rotary Club, noting the Rotary motto of “service above self,”

“No one fits this better than John,” she said. 

Moffatt outlined Larson’s community contributions as a member of the Perth Elks, Royal Canadian Legion and as a youth curling coach. 

She added Larson was also a long-time organizer with the Larlee Creek Hullabaloo annual music festival. 

Judy and Randy Lutes

Randi Haywood introduced Judy and Randy Lutes and read the nomination from Barb Somerville and Valerie Doherty for their ongoing efforts supporting the Miramichi Headwaters Salmon Federation in Juniper.  

She explained Judy grew up in the riverside community of Juniper, learning about salmon fishing and the outdoors from her family. Randy, who grew up in Salisbury, moved to Juniper with Judy in 1997.

Living along the South Branch of the Southwest Miramichi River, protecting the watershed has become the focus of their lives.

“They have had a major impact on the health of the Miramichi Headwaters and have taught a generation of fishers, boaters, and landowners to respect, enjoy and preserve this unique natural resource.

Randy served as president of the Miramichi Headwaters Salmon Federation since 2007, with Judy as secretary-treasurer. 

Together, the couple dedicate many hours to the conservation organization, organizing events, building and maintaining partnerships with many other organizations, lobbying government and businesses for better conservation practices, and publishing the MHSF newsletter. 

The couple’s efforts for MHSF are almost endless, including holding fly-fishing camps for young anglers, the annual fishing derby and planning the salmon dinner and auction, the federation’s primary fundraiser. 

The couple worked with local businesses and the N.B. Wildlife Trust to establish two satellite rearing tanks for raising salmon. It employs one full-time person and a summer student. 

Together with the Miramichi Salmon Association, they help capture broodstock to ensure the health of the Miramichi’s salmon population.

Among their many awards is the Federal Recreation Award presented to them in Ottawa in 2012 by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, recognizing their efforts with children. 

Haywood noted the health, conservation and enjoyment of the Miramichi headwaters continue to be a focal point in their lives. 

“Randy and Judy Lutes have had a huge impact on the area as volunteer conservationists, educators, and promoters of a unique and irreplaceable resource,” the nomination explains. “They are most deserving of the Carleton-Victoria Outstanding Citizen Award.”  

Nancy Whyte-McCauley

Wendy Rae nominated and introduced Nancy Whyte McCauley, recognizing her for her years of dedication and volunteer efforts to Carleton North’s arts and music.  

Since the early 1990s, Whyte-McCauly has sat on the board of the Carleton Victoria Arts Council. Since 2005, she served on the Andrew and Laura McCain Library and Art Gallery boards. 

Rae explained that Whyte-McCauley, who spent almost two decades as a Florenceville-Bristol councillor and deputy mayor, played a central role in promoting literacy, language, arts, music, and the great outdoors.

In 1999, she helped bring the Early French Immersion program to Florenceville and started a local chapter of Canadian Parents for French.

Rae said Whyte-McCauley volunteered at science and heritage fairs, the Carleton North Music Festival, canvassed for the Heart & Stroke Foundation and the Diabetes Foundations and was a founding member of the Valley Outdoor Centre. 

Rae explained how Whyte-McCauley and her husband, Mark, stepped forward to help welcome the first Syrian family to their new home and country in 2016.

Describing Whyte-McCauley as an animal lover, Rae noted her efforts to rescue strays and promote DunRoamin’ Stray and Rescue. 

Rae ended with a quote from Whyte-McCauley

.

“We are so fortunate to live in a community that has so much to offer, and it is a joy for me to give back through volunteering and community involvement.”

Barb O’Donnell

Anne Turner introduced O’Donnell, calling her a steady force for childcare development in the Victoria County region. 

“I have known Barbara O’Donnell both personally and professionally for over 25 years,” Turner said. “Barb is truly an asset to all those around her.”

She explained that after a brief period as a nurse at the hospital in Perth-Andover, O’Donnell started work as a Public Health (P.H.) Nurse, where she continued until her retirement in 2017. 

Turner said O’Donnell went above and beyond the regular duties of her position.

She championed local Early Childhood Initiatives to coordinate and strengthen service delivery in the area.

O’Donnell was one of the co-founders of the annual Connecting for Our Children conference and worked with the local Reaching Out to Read program. 

“She supported almost every newborn in the Bath/Perth-Andover and then Upper River Valley area through the Public Health neonatal program and clinics,” Turner said. 

Jodi O’Neill

Gerald Sullivan introduced Jodi O’Neill from Bath, describing him as a “strong community-minded” individual who volunteers long hours supporting Bath and surrounding communities. 

Sullivan said O’Neill’s vision and organizational skills help others reach goals to improve the community, empower youth and help those struggling with chronic illness. 

As a member of Bath council for 10 years and a volunteer in the village’s recreation department, Sullivan said O’Neill helped improve facilities and programs for area youth. He cited as an example O’Neill’s predominant role in securing funds for the $30,000 upgrade of the Bath Middle School track and soccer field. 

Over two decades, Sullivan said, O’Neill coached and managed basketball, often taking on multiple teams to ensure local youth had a chance to play. 

Sullivan said O’Neill, whose son Colton was diagnosed with C.F., might be most recognized for spearheading the tremendous success of the annual Bath Walk to Make Cystic Fibrosis History. 

Unable to get everyone to Moncton to participate in that city’s event, O’Neill created Bath’s first C.F. Walk, raising over $10,000. 

Over the next 15 years, O’Neill, his family and local volunteers raised approximately $300,000 for C.F. research. 

Robert Paget

Harrison Blizzard nominated and introduced Robert Paget for his essential role in organizing, supporting and promoting the Plaster Rock Minor Baseball Association. 

Blizzard said Paget’s role spans the last decade, but his coaching at all levels dates back much further. 

“Being involved in youth sports in the past,” Blizzard said, “I understand the sacrifice and commitment it takes to run a sports program, and the fact he does this with very little help makes it even more special.”

With little organized sport available in the village, Blizzard said Paget’s efforts to offer the well-run and popular baseball program takes on greater importance. 

“Without someone like Robert spearheading this program, it would not be possible,” Blizzard said. 

He also commended Paget’s role with the District of Tobique’s successful application to the Jays Care Foundation’s Field of Dreams grant, used to improve the community’s ball diamond. 

Blizzard said Paget’s contribution extends beyond summer. He also serves as the Plaster Rock Vice President of the Victoria-Tobique Jr Thunder Minor Hockey Association.

Nikki Plant

CVOCA chair Doris Dickson introduced Perth-Andover’s Nikki Plant on behalf of nominator Wes McLean. 

McLean cited Plant’s deep committee of time and energy to her community’s Elks Club and Royal Canadian Legion. 

“In an age where volunteerism is generally declining, she goes in the opposite direction,” McLean said in his nomination. 

He said that on most evenings, Plant, after completing her day job with the municipality, can be found at either the Elks or Legion, ensuring meetings run smoothly, overseeing hall entails or doing paperwork.  

“We often joke in our community that Nicki must never sleep,” McLean said. “Indeed, so many of her waking hours are spent giving back, in the extreme.” 

Elaine White

Marsha Cougle nominated While, a retired music teacher and school principal whom she has known for approximately 65 years. 

“She was a travelling music teacher who came with her portable keyboard to the Peel schoolhouse where I was a student,” said Cougle.  

White served on several NBTA local and provincial committees, often acting as president or chairperson.

Cougle described White as an excellent music teacher and valued volunteer, which began as a teenager when she sang and played the piano and organ at the United Church.  

 “She continues to perform this role today, which is a commitment for over 60 years,” said Cougle. 

While is an active member of the Provincial Music Festival Committee, Carleton North Retired Teachers Association and United Church Women’s Institute.

Cougle said White, over the last 35 years, played an instrumental role in organizing and developing the Carleton North Music Festival of Arts. White served as chairperson or secretary-treasurer for most of those years. 

The post Giving back to their communities first appeared on River Valley Sun.

Iconic Canadian rockers Honeymoon Suite and The Kings in town this week to perform in support of 12 Neighbours. Phillips PR (Halifax, NS) – Iconic Canadian rock bands Honeymoon Suite…

The post Honeymoon Suite at the Playhouse this Friday appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

Despite a copper wire theft, a beloved Fredericton Christmas tree display will still go on.