Belmont House, once home to some of New Brunswick's best-known families, is now divided into apartments. And in one tenant's mind, there's no doubt the place is haunted.

Moncton council voted Monday for staff to review its zoning rules in order to access millions in federal housing funding, a move that could allow four-unit buildings in any residential area.

New Brunswick's RSV season is underway with 11 confirmed cases so far, but any seniors interested in getting the new vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus will have to pay for it themselves.

Police lay fraud charges following an investigation at the request of Service Canada

The Woodstock Police Force charged a 64-year-old Woodstock man with fraud following an investigation into the illegal collection of unemployment benefits.

Woodstock Deputy Chief Mark Bennett said the force’s Street Crime Unit launched the investigation in 2023 after receiving a complaint from Service Canada.

He said the complaint identified possible irregularities in unemployment benefit claims made by a Woodstock resident. 

After conducting an investigation, investigators determined that an individual had been receiving unemployment benefits inappropriately for an extended period of five years.

He said the inappropriate benefits resulted in an overpayment of more than $40,000.

The post Woodstock man charged in alleged unemployment fraud first appeared on River Valley Sun.

Sunday's ceremony celebrated 11 current graduates of the program, and 26 recent grads, marking one year of drug-free living.

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One of the boys charged after a stolen Mercedes smashed into a downtown gas station last week was released from custody on conditions after bail hearings Monday, but the other was remanded.

Two teenage boys from Bilijk (Kingsclear) First Nation were arrested Thursday morning after a stolen car smashed into the doors of the Irving and Circle K store at 181 King St.

The defendants are aged 14 and 15, so they can’t be identified, as per the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The Crown objected to the boys’ release during a brief appearance in youth court Thursday afternoon when both were charged with attempted robbery and other counts, and they were remanded pending bail hearings.

Those hearings were held Monday in Fredericton youth court.

The evidence presented at the hearings is subject to a publication ban until the cases against them conclude. Also subject to the same ban are Judge Cameron Gunn’s reasons for his decisions in both hearings.

Both defendants were charged with attempted robbery, possession of a stolen 2018 Mercedes C300 and masking their faces during the Thursday morning incident.

The 15-year-old also faces counts of assault with a weapon (the Mercedes), dangerous driving, mischief causing damage to the gas station and breach of a youth probation order.

Gunn ruled Monday the prosecution had shown cause why the older boy should remain in custody pending the outcome of his case. As such, he ordered the boy be remanded to the New Brunswick Youth Centre in Miramichi and ordered him to appear again before the court Nov. 8 to enter pleas.

The 14-year-old charged in the case was charged with additional counts as well: indictable assault, uttering threats to cause death and/or bodily harm and breach of a police undertaking.

But Gunn ruled his circumstances didn’t merit continued detention, and he released him on strict conditions.

Among them are to remain at his father’s home under house arrest except for medical emergencies and appointments, meetings with legal counsel and for attendance at school.

He must also present himself at the door of the home should authorities check to see if he’s in compliance with his conditions, attend court as required, abstain from alcohol and other intoxicants, participate in counselling and have no contact with the other boy charged in the case.

The judge ordered him to return to court Nov. 14 to enter pleas.

The charges arose after the stolen car smashed into the gas station and convenience store at about 5:30 a.m. Oct. 19.

The Fredericton Police Force said it received a report of a robbery in progress, and officers and firefighters were dispatched to  181 King St.

“Upon arrival, they discovered a car had entered the front of the building, causing significant damage,” police spokesperson Sonya Gilks said Thursday. 

“The two male individuals who were involved were arrested at the scene. One person sustained minor injuries and was taken to the hospital by [emergency medical services].”

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Tenants will be able to start moving into a new building in Miramichi in about a week.

Local brewery creates purple beer to help raise funds and awareness

Cross Creek Brewing and Woodstock Rotaract are hosting a special event to promote World Polio Day on Tuesday, Oct. 24. 

The event, which takes place from 8 to 10 p.m., will feature a special brew from the brewery’s brewmaster. 

Cross Creek has created a purple glitter beer in honour of the day. 

Purple is World Polio Day’s colour. The pub will also donate 50 cents for every beer sold to the cause. The night will also feature live music from John Bulman and Devon Cullins and special purple-themed finger foods and desserts. Entry is by donation. 

Background on World Polio Day

Every year, Rotary members around the world mobilize for World Polio Day. They raise awareness of polio and gather support for our global effort to make sure that every child is protected from it. 

For more information on polio, visit https://www.endpolio.org/resource-center

The post Western valley service group promotes World Polio Day first appeared on River Valley Sun.

Cassidy Lake’s Portage Atlantic recognizes 11 youth who completed the program.

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A homeless man set to go to trial next month on assault and sexual-assault charges denied a related perjury allegation last week, and will stand trial on that count at the same time as the others.

David LeBlanc, 36, of no fixed address, previously pleaded not guilty to numerous charges and was released on conditions following a bail hearing in Fredericton provincial court Aug. 14.

LeBlanc was back before the court last week, charged with perjury stemming from his testimony at his bail hearing.

The new charge alleges he falsely testified he didn’t live under the Burton Bridge and doesn’t consume illicit drugs, and he did so with intent to mislead a court.

He elected Wednesday to be tried in provincial court and pleaded not guilty.

Defence lawyer Edward Derrah said LeBlanc has a trial date set for Nov. 23 on other charges, and he suggested his trial on the perjury allegation be scheduled for that date as well.

The other charges allege LeBlanc assaulted a woman, assaulted her with weapons (a glass bottle and a wooden pallet), assaulted her by choking her, assaulted her and caused her bodily harm, sexually assaulted her and uttered threats to cause her death and/or bodily harm, all on Aug. 10 in Maugerville.

Given the sexual-assault charge, the Fredericton Independent isn’t identifying the complainant.

LeBlanc also previously denied counts of breaching a police undertaking between Aug. 11 and 12 to refrain from communicating with the woman and breaching a release order Aug. 17 to reside at an apartment on Green Street in New Carlisle, Que., to observe a nightly curfew at that location and to abstain from alcohol and non-prescribed drugs.

Judge Cameron Gunn scheduled the defendant’s perjury trial for the same date as the trials on all those other matters and remanded him again until Nov. 23.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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October 26 | Saint John Arts Centre | 6 p.m. | PWYW Maudie | 116 min, USA, 2016, English Principal Cast: Sally Hawkins, Ethan Hawke Maudie is based on the…

The post Third Space Film Night: Maudie appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

October 23 | Tilley Hall, UNB Campus | 7:30pm Past Lives | 106 min, USA, 2022, English, Korean Principal Cast: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro Two deeply connected childhood…

The post Monday Night Film Series: Past Lives appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

Those looking to buy their favourite dishes at the Dieppe Market no longer have to wait for the weekend. The market on Gauvin Road will now see a rotating selection of five vendors with ready-to-eat options between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Over the past 20 years, Saint John runner Jeff Queen, 42, has moved provinces, had two kids, married and switched jobs. He's also completed a marathon in 10 Canadian provinces.

New Brunswick Court of King's Bench Justice Kathryn Gregory, who sided with a landlord in a case involving the way provincial tenancy officers have been phasing-in large rent increases, owns an apartment building.

Since New Brunswick’s Policy 713 came under review, sex education has been a subject of some debate. We break down what is taught between kindergarten and Grade 12.

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The people involved in a situation thought to be an abduction Saturday night have been identified, says the Fredericton Police Force, but officers determined there was no crime committed.

The city police force issued an advisory on social media Saturday night describing what was believed to be an abduction of a woman on a road on the city’s north side.

“On Oct. 21, 2023, at approximately 10:20 p.m., Fredericton police responded to multiple calls in the area of Ring Road and Claudie Road for a woman who was involved in a physical altercation with three people,” the social media post said.

“The woman was reported to have been forced into a vehicle which fled the area before police arrived.”

Police asked the public for tips that might lead to the various individuals to be identified.

However, police spokesperson Sonya Gilks told the Fredericton Independent on Sunday morning that it turns out things were not as they appeared to be to police based on initial reports.

“The individuals were identified and the matter resolved,” she wrote in an email. “The suspected kidnapping was deemed unfounded.”

The Saturday night alert indicated the woman was Caucasian, in her mid 20s, with a medium build and brown hair, wearing a white shirt, white pants and no shoes.

The vehicle involved in the situation was described as a dark-coloured car that was last seen heading west on Ring Road toward Douglas, the original release said.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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The Hindu community in Moncton is celebrating Navratri, a nine-day festival about the victory of good over evil.

A new project at the marine centre in Saint Andrews is asking for help finding and cataloguing new species in the Bay of Fundy.

Using porcupine quills for beadwork or roaches is a way to honour the animal’s life.

A new community centre has opened on White Head Island. It is only spot on the island where residents can meet and chat with their neighbours since the lone store closed down.

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The Fredericton Police Force is investigating what’s described as a possible abduction on the city’s north side Saturday night, and it’s hoping the public can shed some light on the incident.

“On Oct. 21, 2023, at approximately 10:20 p.m., Fredericton police responded to multiple calls in the area of Ring Road and Claudie Road for a woman who was involved in a physical altercation with three people,” the city police force said in a news release Saturday night.

“The woman was reported to have been forced into a vehicle which fled the area before police arrived.”

The release said the woman was described as Caucasian, in her mid 20s, with a medium build and brown hair, wearing a white shirt, white pants and no shoes.

Two males involved in the reported incident were described as wearing baseball caps, and one of them was said to have been wearing a camouflage coat.

“The vehicle is described as a dark-coloured car which was last seen travelling west on Ring Road toward Clements Drive, toward Douglas,” the release said.

Anyone with information is urged to call the Fredericton Police Force at 506-460-2300 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 to remain anonymous.

Those calling in with tips should cite file #23-26928.

The Fredericton Independent can be reached by email here.

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A Fredericton man headed to trial next year on sex-crime allegations without legal representation will ask a judge to order the attorney general to pay for defence counsel.

Earlier this year, Lance Thomas Sappier, 29, of Saunders Street, elected to be tried in provincial court and pleaded not guilty to three indictable charges alleging sex-related offences.

He’s charged with communicating online with a person he believed to be under 16 for the purpose of committing a sex offence, inviting that minor to touch themselves for a sexual purpose with a hairbrush and exposing his genitals to that complainant.

It’s alleged he committed those offences in Fredericton between Dec. 27, 2015, and Dec. 26, 2018.

Sappier was back in court Thursday to schedule his trial and to provide an update on his efforts to retain counsel.

Court heard Sappier, after being denying legal aid based on his income, appealed that decision, but it was denied as well.

His plan is to make what’s called a Rowbotham application to the court for state-funded defence counsel to be appointed.

Such a process is named for the precedent that established it, and for Sappier to be successful, he’ll have to show he can’t afford to hire a defence lawyer privately and that his right to a fair trial would be compromised if he were forced to represent himself.

Judge Mary Jane Richards told the defendant Thursday that at his Rowbotham hearing, he’ll have to testify about his financial circumstances and why the court should grant his application.

The judge scheduled Sappier’s Rowbotham hearing for Jan. 31.

It was suggested trial dates should be set after that hearing, but Richards said the court isn’t waiting for that to happen. She set Sappier’s trial for Sept. 4 and 5 next fall.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Although the investigation isn’t complete, the Fredericton Fire Department has determined the location, but not cause, of the fire that destroyed a north side apartment building last month.

A new mural at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery is combining Wolastoqey culture with graffiti influences.

Morgan Daye of Quispamsis had her cat Peter go missing five years ago. But just last week, he was found far from home and reunited with his owner.

New Brunswick's outgoing chief medical officer of health will publicly answer questions next month about her role in the province's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Department of Transporation and Infrastructure issues requests for proposals

In a news release issued late Friday, Oct. 20, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure said it is preparing for the next phase of repairs to the Old Florenceville Bridge. 

A request for qualifications was issued this summer to gauge contractor interest and qualifications in undertaking a repair and replacement project under a design-build agreement, said the release. The department said the submissions were reviewed, and the proposal request was issued Friday, with a closing date of Dec. 15. 

“We understand the importance of this bridge to the region, as well as the historic significance of the covered bridge portion,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Richard Ames. 

“Our government recognizes this structure is a central link, and I am pleased plans are moving along.”

After discovering structural issues, the bridge was closed to all vehicle traffic in November 2020.

The release said an assessment of the bridge’s condition was conducted, and the covered bridge section would be repaired, with the remainder of the structure would be repaired and replaced as necessary.

Construction is expected to begin next summer.

MORE TO COME…

The post Request for proposals issued for repairs to Old Florenceville Bridge first appeared on River Valley Sun.

As speculation swirls about a possible sale of Irving Oil, an industry analyst says potential buyers could include another major oil company, some smaller firms, or even a government.

Premier Blaine Higgs was forced to explain Friday why he’s not rushing to implement new measures to help New Brunswickers cope with inflation, after saying Thursday he was holding off because of a potential election.

Woodstock Police Force officers tried to save a man who was ‘in distress’ after jumping into Meduxnekeag River

A 20-year-old man is dead, and two Woodstock Police officers are recovering from hypothermia after an incident in downtown Woodstock on Thursday, Oct. 19.

Around 11 p.m., officers were responding to an incident near the Community Rose Garden on Broadway Street.

While en route, officers were told the man had left the area and was headed toward Water Street.

According to a Woodstock Police Force news release issued Oct. 20, before the officer’s arrival, the young man, unaware that police had been contacted, entered the Meduxnekeag River.

Two Woodstock Police officers entered the river hoping to rescue the man, who the news release described as ‘in distress.’

The officers successfully brought the man to shore, but the release said that, unfortunately, despite the dedicated life-saving efforts of police, firefighters, and paramedics, they could not revive him.

Following the rescue attempt, the two Woodstock police officers who entered the water were treated for hypothermia at the Upper River Valley Hospital and later released.

The post One man dead, two officers treated for hypothermia after incident in Woodstock first appeared on River Valley Sun.

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A Geary man is headed to trial on a long list of criminal charges, including counts alleging firearms offences and possessing stolen loot.

Brian Robert Dobson, 34, of Intervale Road, appeared in Fredericton provincial court alongside defence lawyer Edward Derrah on Wednesday to answer to 14 criminal charges.

Derrah noted his client was electing to be tried in provincial court and pleading not guilty to all counts.

The charges are as follows:

• possessing a sawed-off Cooey Eatonia rifle for a purpose dangerous to the public peace;

• possessing that rifle without a licence and registration certificate;

• possessing a prohibited weapon - the sawed-off rifle - knowing it was stolen;

• possessing that same prohibited weapon without a licence;

• storing the rifle improperly;

• possessing a 2015 Arctic Cat ATV belonging to Ian Leavitt, knowing it was stolen;

• possessing a stolen a Kohler generator belonging to Samuel Lalonde;

• possessing a stolen boat belonging to Jordan Smith;

• possessing a stolen Avion Visa card belonging to A &.P Concrete;

• possessing a stolen Scotiabank Visa card the property of Shawn Cormier;

• possessing a stolen Royal Bank business client card the property of 700934 NB Inc.;

• and possessing a green camo helmet, a Pelican case containing tools, and a Department of National Defence “restricted area” sign, all belonging to Base Gagetown.

The charges all allege events between Nov. 23 and 24 in Geary.

Given the amount of time expected to be necessary for trial, Judge Cameron Gunn adjourned the matter to Nov. 17 for a case-management conference to see if the evidentiary issues to be explored can be narrowed.

A trial date is expected to be set at that time.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Theatre New Brunswick host the Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre’s New Brunswick Playwrights Cabaret, October 25 at the Open Space Theatre. For more than 30 years, the Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre…

The post TNB Host New Brunswick Playwrights Cabaret appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

Evolving out of Emma Chevarie’s well-established reputation hosting live music events in Fredericton for more than a decade, the newly announced MRTI Agency will offer a variety of industry services…

The post Introducing The MRTI Agency appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

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Two teenagers arrested after a car crashed into a downtown gas station early Thursday have been charged with attempted robbery and remain in custody pending bail hearings.

Two teenage boys - ages 14 and 15 - from Bilijk (Kingsclear) First Nation appeared in Fredericton youth court Thursday afternoon after being arrested earlier that morning at the corner of King and Northumberland streets.

The defendants can’t be named because their identities are protected as per the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Their arrests stemmed from an incident at the Irving gas station and Circle K convenience store at 181 King St. around 5:30 a.m. when a car crashed into the front doors of the business.

Both teens were charged Thursday with attempted robbery, possession of a stolen 2018 Mercedes C300 and masking their faces during the commission of a crime.

One of the boys was also charged with assault with a weapon (the Mercedes), dangerous driving, mischief causing damage to the gas station and breach of a youth sentence requiring him to be of good behaviour.

The other faces additional charges of indictable assault, uttering threats to cause death and/or bodily harm and breach of a police undertaking.

The Crown objected to the boys’ release, and Judge Mary Jane Richards remanded them to the New Brunswick Youth Centre in Miramichi pending bail hearings scheduled for Monday.

The Fredericton Police Force reported Thursday morning that officers and firefighters responded to the downtown Irving station after a call came in about a robbery in progress.

“Upon arrival, they discovered a car had entered the front of the building, causing significant damage,” police spokesperson Sonya Gilks said Thursday. 

“The two male individuals who were involved were arrested at the scene. One person sustained minor injuries and was taken to the hospital by [emergency medical services].”

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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An RCMP officer accused of assaulting a man during an arrest says he delivered repeated punches to the man, but these were "distraction blows" to get the situation under control.

MNB’s awards gala kicked off MNB Week, taking place in Moncton until October 21, 2023. The New Brunswick music community celebrated the resilience and the creativity of their fellow artists…

The post Congrats to this Year’s MNB Award Winners appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

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Two people accused of killing a Minto man last year are now facing drug-trafficking charges stemming from a search conducted at a home this summer when they were arrested.

Erica Lee Blyth, 40, of Wasson Road in Newcastle Creek, and Devon Mark Hood, 26, of Fredericton, appeared in Fredericton provincial court Thursday remotely from custodial facilities.

They’re charged jointly with possession of crystal meth, cocaine and hydromorphone (Dilaudid) for the purpose of trafficking. The RCMP charges allege events in Newcastle Creek, near Minto, on June 21.

Hood and Blyth are both facing first-degree murder charges in the Jan. 28, 2022, death of Brandon Patrick Donelan, 27, of Minto.

Blyth is charged jointly in that homicide prosecution with Joshua John McIsaac, 33, formerly of Penniac. Hood is charged jointly with Matthew David LeBlanc, 29, of Fredericton, in a separate information laid in court by the RCMP.

Hood and Blyth both expressed confusion and surprise at the new drug charges during their brief court appearance Thursday morning.

“I didn’t even know I was being charged with this charge until my parole hearing the other day,” said Hood, who is serving a federal prison sentence in Dorchester Penitentiary after being arrested for a parole violation this summer.

He asked that the disclosure of his Crown file be sent to the prison while he seeks legal aid representation on the drug counts, and prosecutor Jillian Jordan said she’d arrange that.

Blyth noted Fredericton defence lawyer T.J. Burke is representing her on the murder charge.

“As far as I know, my lawyer is not aware of this,” she told court Thursday.

“I just learned about these charges this morning.”

Judge Mary Jane Richards said while Blyth might have a legal-aid certificate for counsel on other charges, she should make a new application to ensure she has a lawyer for the drug charges.

The judge set the drug counts over to Nov. 9 for election of mode of trial and pleas.

Blyth, Hood and the other two murder suspects are all subject to court orders barring them from communication with one another.

Despite that, as the proceeding was concluding Thursday, Hood called out, “Love you, Erica!”

Hood and Blyth were both arrested at Blyth’s home June 21.

The RCMP issued a news release in late June about the circumstances giving rise to those arrests, though it didn’t name Blyth and Hood.

“On June 21, 2023, at approximately 10:15 a.m., members of the New Brunswick RCMP provincial crime reduction unit assisted members of the RCMP major crime unit in executing a search warrant at a residence on Wasson Road in Newcastle Creek in connection with a homicide investigation,” the release said.

“During the search, police seized four non-restricted firearms and four prohibited firearms, all of which were unsafely stored. Police also seized 45,000 contraband cigarettes, as well as quantities of what are believed to be methamphetamine pills, shady 8 pills, hydromorphone pills, cocaine, crack cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, unknown pills and drug-trafficking paraphernalia.”

Blyth was charged with Donelan’s murder the next day, while Hood was returned to prison on a parole violation for previous offences.

While the murder charges against the four suspects allege Donelan was killed Jan. 28, 2022, he was reported missing to the RCMP on Jan. 30, 2022.

That prompted a major search effort in the Grand Lake area, including an extensive ground search and an air search as well. 

The victim’s body was found March 31, 2022, along a snowmobile trail in that area.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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A monument honouring fallen soldiers and a facility that supports veterans are the latest structures to fall victim to vandalism in the capital region.

The Fredericton Police Force issued a news release Thursday asking the public for information about vandalism at the Royal Canadian Legion on Smythe Street, on the Capital Exhibition Grounds.

It said the damage was done over Wednesday into the early-morning hours of Thursday.

“Along with the physical damage to the building, the monument out front bearing the names of fallen soldiers has been defaced,” the force said in a social-media post.

There have been a series of instances of vandalism at locations designed to remember and honour the deceased, notably at cemeteries in Fredericton and surrounding capital-region communities.

Anyone with information about the damage wrought at the Legion this week is urged to contact the Fredericton Police Force by calling 506-460-2300 or emailing [email protected].

Those wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 as well.

Tipsters should cite file #23-26628.

The Fredericton Independent can be reached by email here.

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After sitting empty for almost a decade, a century-old school building on Saint John's west side just sold to a developer for 19 times what it fetched seven years ago, the first time it was sold.

Jerry Roy and his wife Linda are trying to make their home in Belle-Baie, north of Bathurst, fully accessible so they can continue to live there for as long as possible. But they’ve run into obstacles paying the hefty price tag.

Two new COVID-19 variants, Omicron BA.2.86 and  FL.1.5.1, have both been detected in New Brunswick, says the Department of Health.

Social media is blowing up with theories about the unlikely connection between Doja Cat’s cat, Irving Saint John, and New Brunswick’s Port City.

Day 4 of the trial of RCMP Const. Osama Ibrahim heard from co-workers about his habit of spending long periods of time in Saint John, outside his patrol area.

Fredericton Mayor Kate Rogers is proposing the creation of a new "design guide committee" to preserve the look and feel of the city's neighbourhoods amid expected zoning changes that will allow more densification.

Premier Blaine Higgs says he is holding off on cost-of-living relief for New Brunswickers in case he needs to announce those measures in a possible election campaign.

Need a good book to cozy up with this fall? Check out this list of buzzworthy Canadian titles out right now.

Waterville hospital set to break ground in 2024 to install permanent imaging device

The Waterville hospital will soon be home to a permanent state-of-the-art MRI device thanks to the Upper River Valley Hospital Foundation and generous community donations.

The foundation confirmed Thursday morning, Oct. 19, that it reached the $3 million goal to purchase the 1.5 Tesla MRI device and the required modular accommodation unit.

The foundation’s most recent project started with a remarkable anonymous family donation of $1.4 million late last year, covering the purchase of the MRI device. Further community support quickly provided the additional $1.6 million funding needed to purchase the modular unit, which will be attached to the hospital to house the MRI.

Foundation Co-Chair Betty Lou Craig stressed how thankful the board is to reach the funding goal.

“The final gifts came about a week after Thanksgiving, but to say our Board of Directors is thankful would be an understatement,” she said. “The community really delivered on this project, which I think demonstrates not only the need for the MRI but the incredible community spirit in donating to a project that will help friends, family and the Upper River Valley area.”

Past co-chair Dr. Wayne McLaughlin, who, with Dr. William Mutrie, founded the URVHF in 2019, commended the generosity of the anonymous family when announcing their donation in January.

“The credit for this fantastic donation goes 100 per cent to the family, who approached me fully motivated to supply the permanent MRI machine,” McLaughlin said at the time. “My role was to answer any questions that the family had. When the foundation began this campaign at the start of this year, we never dreamed we would secure a donation of this size: you never know what generosity is out there!”

URVH’s new MRI will replace a portable MRI the hospital shares with Campbellton, which performs about 1,400 scans per year at the facility in Waterville.

Margaret Melanson, Interim CEO of Horizon Health Network, explained the new permanent unit will feature new capabilities, expanding the number of patients who will benefit from important MRI services.

“Foundations are our strongest partner in helping us deliver on our critical action priorities to improve health care in New Brunswick — access to services, recruitment and retention, patient flow and patient experience,” she said. “The work that URVHF has done here certainly will help expedite the project, and our medical imaging team is thrilled.

Melanson explained the permanent unit will have features to accommodate more conditions, such as pacemakers and bariatric patients, and the accessibility will result in fewer referrals to other facilities and reduce travel and wait times for patients in the area.

“Congratulations to the URVHF Board and to the community for a wildly successful campaign,” she said.

The MRI project is the latest and largest of several foundation equipment purchases for the Upper River Valley Hospital since its formation.

The more than $1 million in previous equipment purchases included new Endoscopy Department equipment, three critical care beds, a video system upgrade for an operating room, a SimNewB simulation mannequin, a fetal heart-rate monitor and a modern Panda infant warmer for obstetrics and the Natal Intensive Care Unit.

Foundation Co-Chair Andy Lenehan praised his and Craig’s predecessors for their creation and dedication to the URVHF.

“Dr. McLaughlin and Dr. Mutrie have established quite a legacy in healthcare and have done a remarkable job in recruiting passionate, community-building board members,” he said. “As in-coming co-chairs, Betty Lou and myself have big shoes to fill, and we look forward to working with the board to continue to elevate patient care in the Upper River Valley area.”

The post Upper River Valley Hospital Foundation completes $3 million MRI campaign first appeared on River Valley Sun.

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An Oromocto resident arrested on an outstanding warrant after they were reported missing to police waived their right to a bail hearing Thursday and admitted to two crimes.

A Fredericton provincial court judge issued an arrest warrant for Brandon Burley McLean, 25, AKA Quinn McLean, after they failed to attend for trial Sept. 26 on a charge of failing to comply with an order under the Sex Offender Information Registration Act (SOIRA).

McLean - who identifies as non-binary - hadn’t shown up to report to the offender registration centre as required between March 1 and April 1, 2022, for an annual check-in.

The offender was arrested on that warrant a couple of weeks ago, and after adjourning their bail hearing a couple of times, the matter was back in provincial court Thursday.

However, McLean opted to waive his right to a bail hearing and pleaded guilty to breaching the SOIRA order and to a newer charge of failing to attend court Sept. 26.

Judge Henrik Tonning remanded McLean pending sentencing, scheduled for Dec. 14. The judge also ordered the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

The RCMP had issued a news release about McLean earlier this month, noting they’d been reported as missing Oct. 5 and that there were concerns for their well-being. The Mounties followed up Oct. 7 that McLean had been found.

The offender was required by a court order to register annually as a sex offender as a result of a conviction for a November 2019 sexual assault.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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A Lincoln man will be sentenced in two months’ time after admitting Thursday morning he subjected his own son to sexual abuse over the course of four years, beginning when the boy was a toddler.

The 28-year-old defendant appeared in Fredericton provincial court Thursday morning by telephone from the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre, where he’s been in custody since he was charged this summer.

There’s a court-ordered publication ban protecting the identity of the victim in the case - the defendant’s young son - so the Fredericton Independent isn’t naming the father so as to comply with that order.

The offender elected Thursday to be tried in provincial court and pleaded guilty to four serious sex offences: touching his son for a sexual purpose, inviting the boy to touch him for a sexual purpose, making child pornography and possessing child porn.

The charges indicate those crimes took place over the course of four years, from July 26, 2019, and Aug. 13, 2023.

Court heard previously that the victim was two years old when the abuse started.

Defence lawyer Edward Derrah asked that a pre-sentence report on his client be prepared for the court’s consideration, and prosecutor Rebekah Logan asked for victim-impact statements from the victim and his mother.

Judge Mary Jane Richards scheduled sentencing for Dec. 19, and remanded the offender again until that time.

The defendant also faced two other serious charges alleged to have occurred over the same timeframe: sexual assault and incest.

Logan told court it’s expected the Crown will withdraw those charges at sentencing.

The defendant’s admission to the sexual-touching crimes but not the incest charge could be significant at sentencing.

Elements of an incest offence include the perpetrator to be a blood relation to the victim and for there to be sexual penetration.

When a sexual violation includes penetration, that’s considered an additional aggravating factor as outlined in key precedents that guide judges in sentencing.

In any case, given the extended period over which the abuse occurred and the offender’s serious breach of trust as a parent, it’s likely he’s facing a federal prison term for the crimes.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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