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Two people were arrested early Thursday morning after what appears to be a vehicle crash into the doors of a downtown gas station and convenience store.

The Fredericton Police Force advised on social media early Thursday that officers and other first responders were on the scene at 181 King St., the location of the downtown Irving gas station and Circle K store.

“Two individuals have been arrested,” the force posted on Facebook just before 6:30 a.m.

Chatter on social media suggested a vehicle had smashed into the main doors of the business, and the aftermath at the scene was certainly in keeping with that.

The doors were smashed and tilted as though they’d been struck by a large object with great force, and windows were shattered as well.

The pumps were cordoned off with yellow tape Thursday morning, and vehicles and signs were used to block vehicular access to the premises.

There was no police presence on site after 9 a.m.

Officials with the business said Thursday morning it would definitely be closed for the day. They said no one was injured in the incident.

The Fredericton Independent has inquired with the police force about the incident and is awaiting a response.

More to come…

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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A Geary couple accused of 3D-printing firearms at their home this summer are set to return to court next month to elect mode of trial and enter pleas.

Leslie Dawn Boyd, 26, and Brady Geoffrey Storey, 30, both of Broad Road in Geary, made their first appearances in Fredericton provincial court to answer to seven joint charges alleging firearms crimes.

They’re accused of the following:

• manufacturing firearms - 3D-printed handguns and eight 3D-printed handgun frames - without authorization

• possessing those 3D-printed items for the purpose of transferring them, knowing they’re weren’t authorized to do so;

• possessing prohibited firearms (the 3D-printed handguns) with readily accessible ammunition without authorization or a licence;

• possessing prohibited firearms - a resolver and two 3D-printed handguns - without a licence;

• possessing the same three firearms without a licence or registration certificate

• possessing prohibited weapons - five sets of brass knuckles;

• and possessing prohibited devices, namely one auto-conversion kit and six overcapacity magazines.

Fredericton defence lawyers Patrick Hurley and Robert Digdon addressed the court Wednesday on behalf of Boyd and Storey, respectively, though both noted they hadn’t been officially retained as counsel for the defendants.

They said Boyd and Storey needed time to finalize that process and to obtain disclosure of the Crown file, and they asked for a three-week adjournment.

Judge Cameron Gunn set the matters over to Nov. 8 for election of mode of trial and pleas.

The charges against the couple arose after an RCMP raid and search at a Geary home.

The New Brunswick RCMP, in a news release issued June 23, said members of its provincial crime reduction unit launched an investigation that month into the manufacture of 3D-printed guns after its members received information from the national police force’s integrated firearms trafficking team at its Montreal division.

That investigation led to officers obtaining a search warrant and executing it at a residence on Broad Road in Geary on June 20, it said.

“During the search, police seized 11 firearms, including restricted and prohibited firearms, eight 3D-printed handgun frames, eight prohibited devices (over-capacity magazines), four body-armour carriers with plates, and six prohibited weapons,” the release said.

“Police also seized prohibited 3D printed firearm devices, one prohibited firearm conversion kit, several thousand rounds of ammunition and other firearm manufacturing parts.”

It noted a man and a woman - now known to be Storey and Boyd - were arrested at the scene and released on conditions with promises to appear in provincial court at a later date.

The local investigation was part of a larger police operation led by the Sûreté du Québec called Project Reproduction, a nationwide operation focused on the manufacture and sales of privately made firearms, the release said. 

“Privately made firearms are illegal, untraceable, and pose risks to the general public as well as the user,” it said.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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The union representing teachers in New Brunswick wants to intervene in a lawsuit against a new gender-identity policy, and has filed an internal policy grievance with the province.

A community hub aimed at connecting homeless people in Fredericton to mental health and addiction services, and housing opportunities, will be opening in the city next month, according to a local advocate.

Homemade food is an essential part of Indian culture, and the need for it follows Indians wherever they move, including to Moncton, where a growing number of vendors offer tiffins — also known as lunch boxes — for people who can't get them at home.

Day 3 of an RCMP officer's trial heard more testimony from the mother of the complainant and from two former coworkers.

Joedin Leger's parents told a Moncton judge Wednesday that their world was shattered by the shooting death of their 18-year-old son last year.

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The RCMP says someone trashed an outdoor classroom in Gagetown last month, and investigators are turning to the public for help in tracking down those responsible.

The Oromocto detachment of the RCMP issued a news release Wednesday stating that it’s investigating an incident of vandalism that destroyed property at the Gagetown School.

“The incident occurred sometime between 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 21 and 3:30 a.m. on Sept. 22, 2023, at a school on Loomcroft Lane in Gagetown,” the release said. 

“One or more individuals on all-terrain vehicles drove through the yard and into the outdoor classroom, causing significant damages to the lawn, and proceeded to light a fire in the outdoor classroom, where they burnt various items including a roof vent that they had ripped off of the building.”

The RCMP reported officers have followed up on several leads but have come up empty, so it’s turning to the public for tips in the case.

Anyone with information that could help further the investigation is asked to contact the Oromocto detachment at 506-357-4300. 

For those wishing to remain anonymous, tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), by downloading the secure P3 Mobile App or online through Secure Web Tips at www.crimenb.ca.

The Fredericton Independent can be reached by email here.

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The Policy 713 debate that divided the Higgs government in June was back at the top of the agenda in the first regular sitting day of the new session of the New Brunswick Legislature.

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A Fredericton man will be back in court next to find out when his trial will be held on several charges alleging firearms crimes committed this summer.

John Robert Roberts, 35, of Canada Street, appeared in Fredericton provincial court Monday accompanied by defence lawyer Michael Mallory to answer to several charges, most of them involving illegal possession of firearms.

The defendant faces indictable counts of possession of a Cooey 12-gauge shotgun knowing its serial number had been defaced, possession of a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun without a licence, possession of that Mossberg firearm knowing he didn’t have a licence to do so, careless storage of the Mossberg shotgun and breach of an Ontario court release order requiring him to remain in Toronto.

Those charges all allege events in Fredericton on July 4.

Roberts elected to be tried in provincial court and pleaded not guilty to all those counts.

He also denied a May 11 charge alleging he possessed a stolen Premium BMX bicycle in Fredericton belonging to James Davis.

Crown prosecutor Jennifer Bueno said it’s expected a day would be needed for trial, so Judge Natalie LeBlanc set the matter over to Nov. 16 for a case-management conference to see if the issues for trial could be narrowed.

A trial date will be set at that time.

It appears the Roberts case is connected to another prosecution that got underway this month as well.

Kaitlyn Diana McIntyre, 30, of Mainfield Lane in Minto, appeared in Fredericton provincial court last week for the first time on the same four firearms charges that Roberts denied Monday.

Her charges have been set over to Nov. 2 for election of mode of trial and pleas to give her time to retain defence counsel.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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A transient man facing a serious drug charge alleged to have occurred in a rural area near Nackawic denied the allegation Wednesday.

Vincent Donald Sharpe, 61, of no fixed address, appeared in Fredericton provincial court Wednesday with defence counsel Michael Mallory to answer to a charge alleging drug-trafficking activity.

Sharpe elected to be tried in provincial court and pleaded not guilty to an Aug. 10, 2022, count of possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking at or near Barony, a community located about 50 kilometres west of Fredericton, near Nackawic.

Crown prosecutor Derek Weaver said he expects the case will take a day for trial, so Judge Cameron Gunn set the matter over to Nov. 30 for a case-management conference.

A trial date will be set at that time.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Arthur Irving is no longer in his leadership role at Irving Oil and his daughter, Sarah Irving, is no longer part of the leadership team, according to the company's website, fuelling further speculation about the future of one of New Brunswick's largest employers.

The post Quality Transportation is looking for company drivers first appeared on River Valley Sun.

The Western Valley Regional Resiliency group is hosting a Western Valley Housing Forum on Tuesday, Oct. 24. Their goal for this event is to enhance participants’ knowledge about safe, secure, affordable, and inclusive housing in New Brunswick and then share that knowledge and information with the communities in Western Valley for action planning.

The event is taking place at St. Leo the Great Church at 60 Perkins Way in Florenceville-Bristol from 1 to 5 p.m. This is a free event, but attendees must register. Click on the QR code in the poster above, or go to eventbrite.ca and search Western Valley Housing Forum.

Presenters include the New Brunswick Housing Corporation, Habitat for Humanity NB, Rising Tide, Housing Hub of New Brunswick, Miramichi Regional Housing Authority, and NB Non-Profit Housing Association.

The post Western Valley Regional Resiliency hosts housing forum first appeared on River Valley Sun.

Kristen Shannon missing since Monday, Oct. 16

Woodstock Police Force is asking for the public’s assistance in locating a missing person.

Kristen Mary Dawn Shannon was last seen on Monday, Oct. 16, 2023.

Shannon is approximately 5’4″, has a slim build, long brown hair, and brown eyes. She was last seen in jeans with tears in them with a red jacket. (See photo)

If you have seen Kristen or know where she may be, please contact Woodstock Police Force at 506-325-4601.

The post Police ask public to help locate missing person first appeared on River Valley Sun.

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Police are hoping members of the public might have some information on the location of a young Fredericton woman who hasn’t been seen for several days.

The Fredericton Police Force issued a news release Wednesday morning advising that city resident Chelsea Sacobie, 19, had been reporting as missing.

“Sacobie was last seen on Fredericton’s north side on Oct. 14,” the release said.

The missing woman is described as being about 5’10” tall, weighing about 205 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair, though the photo the force released Wednesday showed her with red hair. 

Anyone with information on Sacobie’s whereabouts is urged to contact the city police force at 506-460-2300 or to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 if they wish to remain anonymous.

Tipsters should cite file no. 2023-26190.

The Fredericton Independent can be reached by email here.

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Warning: This report contains graphic details of sexual crimes against minors.

The Crown has ditched its effort to challenge a lenient sentence given to an elderly Southampton man for molesting his granddaughter over the course of a decade.

The 74-year-old man was convicted after trial earlier this year of touching an underage girl for a sexual purpose for over a decade.

There’s a court-ordered publication ban in place protecting the victim’s identity, and given the offender’s relationship to the girl, the Fredericton Independent isn’t naming him so as to comply with the order.

During the Court of King’s Bench trial, evidence showed the offender started molesting the child when she’d stay over at his home, beginning in April 2006 when she was four years and continuing until she was 14.

While the Crown sought a prison term of six years, Justice Thomas Christie accepted the defence’s recommendation for a conditional sentence of two years, to be served in the community under house arrest.

The judge cited the elderly offender’s poor health as the reason for the leniency.

But prosecutors with the provincial Office of the Attorney General filed a notice of appeal of the sentence with the New Brunswick Court of Appeal in early August.

The main grounds for the appeal was that the sentence was insufficient and wasn’t in line with other sentences imposed in similar cases.

“The trial judge imposed a sentence that is demonstrably unfit and clearly unreasonable and one which fundamentally disregards the parity principle, as well as the sentence guidance set out by the Supreme Court of Canada,” the Aug. 3 notice of appeal said.

However, the Fredericton Independent has learned that the Crown’s office has changed its mind on the appeal.

It filed an abandonment notice with the Court of Appeal on Sept. 7, bringing the case to a close. No reason was cited for the change of course.

Evidence at the offender’s trial showed the victim would frequently stay with her grandfather because her home life was unstable and volatile.

The girl testified her grandfather would enter her room, lie down in bed with her and touch her breasts. She also said there were occasions when she’d wake up to find his penis in her mouth.

During the sentencing hearing, the victim said her family has been torn apart by the revelation of the abuse and she’s no longer able to connect with other people.

“You made it so I cannot even trust a single person in my life,” she said last month. “I had 10 years stolen from me.” 

On top of the two-year term of house arrest, Christie imposed probation for three years.

The judge also barred the offender from attending public places where kids can be expected to be present, such as parks, pools and community centres, for the rest of his life, and he’s to have no unsupervised contact with minors under the age of 16.

He’s also prohibited from possessing firearms and other weapons for 10 years and must comply with a sex-offender registration order for 20 years.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Saint Mary’s Academy embraces kids of all ages and skill levels — all for the love of ‘the beautiful game.’

Moncton city staff say they are exploring a bid to host the 2029 Canada Summer Games which will be hosted in New Brunswick. Saint John says it too is considering a bid.

City staffer Brad Cameron is recommending councillors fund community safety services project again next year, citing fewer calls for some types of crime.

The father of a teenage girl who accused an RCMP officer of repeatedly assaulting her during a brief courtship when she was 16, said the officer liked to “flex” or show off his power and his weapons. 

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Editor’s note: The defendant in this court report and the journalist covering the case share the same first and last names, but they aren’t related or connected in any way.

A Noonan man charged earlier this year with six counts alleging he sexually assaulted and touched two minors faces new charges alleging child-pornography offences earlier this year.

The New Brunswick RCMP's internet child exploitation (ICE) unit laid two new charges in Fredericton provincial court this week against Donald Ashley MacPherson, 64.

The charges allege MacPherson accessed child porn between Feb. 12 and April 16 and that he possessed it May 3, both times in Fredericton.

The defendant made his first appearance on those counts Tuesday in provincial court, and the indictable charges were set over to Nov. 7 for election of mode of trial and pleas to give him time to retain counsel and review disclosure.

MacPherson appeared in Fredericton provincial court earlier this year to answer to Fredericton Police Force charges alleging six sexual offences against two underage complainants.

Last month, he elected to be tried in provincial court and pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting one minor, touching that child for a sexual purpose and touching them while in a position of trust or authority, all between Oct. 1, 2022, and Jan. 1 in Fredericton.

He also denied charges alleging that between Jan. 1 and March 1 in Fredericton, he sexually assaulted, touched and exploited a second child while in a position of trust or authority.

MacPherson’s trial on those charges is scheduled for Feb. 16 and 20.

Court heard previously that those two children - whose identities are protected by a court-ordered publication ban - are now eight and 10 years old.

A similar publication ban was imposed Tuesday on the child-pornography offences, suggesting the children depicted the images alleged to have been found might be known victims.

When he was originally charged with the sexual-assault and touching counts, MacPherson’s address was listed in court files as Canada Street in Fredericton, but with the child-porn charges laid this week, the file now lists his address as Hughes Street in Noonan.

The RCMP issued a news release Tuesday afternoon stating the ICE unit’s investigation began in February after it received information from the RCMP's National Child Exploitation Crime Centre.

“On May 3, 2023, members of the RCMP ICE unit, RCMP digital forensic services and the Fredericton Police Force executed a search warrant at a home in Fredericton in connection with the investigation,” it said. 

“A 64-year-old man was arrested at the scene, and was later released.”

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Single-vehicle accident occurred on the Trans Canada Highway near Woodstock

A truck driver sustained injuries when his transport left Route 2, the Trans Canada Highway near Woodstock, Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 17.

The southbound big rig left the highway just north of the Jacksonville turnoff, coming to rest in the right-side ditch.

RCMP officers on the scene confirmed the Ambulance NB transported the driver to hospital with undetermined injuries.

Police said the driver was the only person involved in the single-vehicle accident at approximately 2 p.m.

The RCMP, the Woodstock Fire Department, Ambulance N.B. and Sharp’s Towing Service responded to the accident towing scene.

The accident reduced southbound traffic to a single lane while police investigated the scene and oversaw the removal of the damaged truck and trailer.

The post Driver injured when big rig leaves highway first appeared on River Valley Sun.

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An Upper Hainesville man convicted of criminal negligence causing the death of teenage worker under his supervision five years ago has been released from prison pending his appeal.

Jason Andrew King, 46, of Central Hainesville Road, was charged with criminal negligence in the wake of the Aug. 16, 2018, death of Michael Anthony Henderson.

Henderson, who was 18 years old at the time, was working for Springhill Construction Ltd. at the City of Fredericton’s Barker Street Wastewater Treatment Plant, clearing debris at the bottom of an eight-foot hole.

While he was in the hole, a pneumatic plug gave way, pinning him to the side of the hole as it filled quickly with water. He drowned.

King was the jobsite foreman, and Court of King’s Bench Justice Thomas Christie found him guilty after trial, finding King blatantly disregarded his duty to ensure the safety of the workers under his supervision.

Fredericton lawyer Patrick Hurley, who represented King at trial, filed a notice of appeal with the New Brunswick Court of Appeal last month, seeking to overturn the conviction.

He also applied for King’s release from incarceration pending the outcome of the appeal, as Christie had imposed a prison term of three years for the offence.

The matter had been scheduled for a hearing Monday, but the Court of Appeal file shows that the provincial Office of the Attorney General consented to King’s release on a number of conditions.

The order - dated Oct. 6 - requires King to be of good behaviour, abstain from alcohol and non-prescribed drugs, to wear an ankle monitoring bracelet, report by telephone to the Fredericton Police Force every Monday and to appear in appeal court as required.

King is also required to remain under house arrest at his home except for work, medical appointments, emergencies and Saturdays between 2 and 5 p.m. to attend to personal business.

He must also present himself at the door of his residence whenever authorities stop by to check that he’s complying with his conditions.

No date has been set as yet for his appeal to be heard

At trial earlier this year, King testified he hadn’t reviewed any of the safety protocols, procedures or guidelines contained in manuals on site, noting he wasn’t much of a reader.

Christie also found King recklessly ordered water flow into the pipe leading into the hole knowing that Henderson could be in that space at the time, and that his plan should something go awry was just to pull someone in distress from the hole, something the judge said was woefully inadequate.

Springhill Construction was also charged with criminal negligence causing Henderson’s death, and it had been scheduled to stand trial in the Court of King’s Bench as well in January.

However, earlier this month, counsel for the company filed a notice of re-election of mode of trial, opting to take the case back to provincial court, though a date for its plea in the lower level of court has to be set.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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At least two New Brunswickers died from COVID-19 during the first week of October, while hospitalizations, ICU admissions, outbreaks and confirmed cases all increased from the previous week, the latest figures from the Department of Health show.

The Higgs government has laid out a mostly vague agenda for the coming year that promises few new initiatives while trying to lower the temperature in the polarized gender-identity debate.

Council sets sights on money for turning lanes in Nackawic and new paving in Millville

The Nackawic-Millville Rural Community Council will seek provincial funding to improve safety along Route 105 in Nackawic and new pavement along Route 104 in Millville. 

At the Oct. 4 regular meeting, council approved an application for funding for 2025 and 2026 under the newly named Provincial-Municipal Highway Partnership Program four-year plan, formerly called the designated highway program. 

Nackawic-Millville’s proposed project for 2025 requests $1.5 million to “design and install left-hand turn lanes at two separate locations on Route 105.”

CAO Kathryn Clark explained the application, if approved, would see the left-turn lanes installed at Campbell Settlement Road and Clearview Court. 

The funding report presented to the council outlines the importance of the proposed turn lanes for the safety of motorists travelling Route 105, a heavily travelled provincially designated highway. 

“These two locations are extremely dangerous for motorists to stop and wait to turn left as the area preceding Campbell Settlement Road is rounding a turn at the beginning of a decline, and a second area is further down the hill.” the report explained. “Route 105 has heavy truck traffic due to hauling to the mill, and trucks are unable to slow down and come to a complete stop for a motorist waiting to make a left-hand turn onto Campbell Settlement Road or Clearview Court.”

The request notes many “close calls” at these intersections. 

The funding report noted significant upgrades, such as widening the highway, excavation of ditches and the requirement of engineering. 

“Without a survey and conceptual design, it is challenging to accurately estimate the scope of excavation and ditching required for this part of the project,” the report stated. “To accommodate this, 20 per cent contingency has been added to the estimate.”

The project along Route 104 in Millville, targeted at $1.8 million for 2026, calls for the milling and asphalt paving over a three-kilometre stretch of highway. 

It described the section of Route 104 as in “poor condition and requires rehabilitation.” 

Deputy Mayor Greg MacFarlane, who chaired the Oct. 3 meeting in the absence of Mayor Tim Fox, welcomed the recommendation.

“This is great for Millville,” he said. 

CAO Kathryn Clark said the rural community’s share of the project’s cost remains to be determined. She told the River Valley Sun the Provincial-Municipal Highway Partnership Program calls for rural communities to pay between five to 15 per cent of the project’s total cost. 

Safety along Route 105 also came to council’s attention in the form of a draft letter to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure asking it to reduce the speed limits of a section of the highway from 70 km/hr to 60. 

The letter notes the section of Route 105 between Smythe Lane and Pinder Road will see significant residential growth in the future, creating a danger for pedestrians, including children. 

Noting the stretch of road is already a residential area, Coun. Katie Nozzolillo questioned why not request a 50 km/hr speed limit. 

While council agreed speed limits should be reduced, some noted they must consider the truck traffic heading to the AV Nackawic Mill, which needs to generate enough speed to climb the hill. 

Coun. Errol Graham said the residential area in question stretches beyond the Smythe to Pinder section as far as Mariners Point Campground and the old Nackawic town limits. 

Council agreed with Graham’s suggestion to request a speed limit reduction to 60 km/hr “all the way” from the bridge to the campground. 

The post Nackawic-Millville seeks provincial highway funds for improvements to Routes 104, 105 first appeared on River Valley Sun.

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A Fredericton man will learn next month when he’s going to trial after denying numerous criminal charges Monday, including allegations involving firearms and stolen property.

Bradley William Boone, 32, of Burpee Street, appeared in Fredericton provincial court Monday to answer to numerous charges.

He pleaded not guilty to May 10 counts of possessing a 22-calibre Cooey rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun for a purpose dangerous to the public peace, possessing ammunition for those firearms for a dangerous purpose, possessing the firearms knowing they were stolen, being the occupant of a motor vehicle in which he knew those firearms were there, possessing those guns without a licence and storing or transporting them improperly.

He also denied a related count of possessing stolen property - namely, a pellet gun, a chainsaw and a tool set, a MasterCraft Skilsaw, a camouflage cot bed, a propane burner, a solar-charge controller green air mattress, a floating device and a knife with a red handle, all belonging to Chris and Hollie Spilman.

Boone was also charged with another May 10 firearms count, but that one was indictable. He elected to be tried in provincial court and pleaded not guilty to possessing non-restricted firearms - the same rifle and shotgun, knowing that he was not the holder of a licence to possess them.

Those charges are alleged to have occurred in Taymouth.

Finally, Boone pleaded not guilty to an unrelated count of shoplifting at the northside Walmart in Fredericton on May 9.

Crown prosecutor Jennifer Bueno said at least a day would be needed for the trials.

As such, Judge Natalie LeBlanc set the matters over to Nov. 16 for a case-management conference, and a date for trials would be scheduled at that time.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Fredericton Arts Alliance annual Fundraiser, For Art’s Sake: Gala and Art Auction, coming Up Thursday.  The Fredericton Arts Alliance is hosting its annual fundraiser, the gala and art auction, For…

The post Eat, Drink, and Buy Art! appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

Moncton council took an initial step Monday toward building an indoor pool over the coming years, voting for city staff to explore potential locations and partnership models for aquatics facilities.

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The Fredericton Police Force says an officer who’d been accused of stalking his former spouse last year is back on active duty, but it won’t say what, if any, disciplinary measures were taken. 

Sgt. Jason Michael Forward, 53, of Fredericton, had been charged earlier this year with criminal harassment with respect to his former spouse in 2022, but the criminal case resolved in July with him agreeing to enter into a peace bond to be of good behaviour.

As a result, the Crown withdrew the criminal charge against him.

In agreeing to the peace bond, Forward acknowledged he had given his wife cause to be fearful for her safety.

The Fredericton Police Force (FPF) also instigated a Police Act complaint process against Forward as a result of the stalking allegations, but that process was placed on hold while the harassment case was making its way through provincial court.

When that process initially began, the force had placed Forward on administrative duty. He was not suspended.

With the conclusion of the court case, the Police Act complaint process would have restarted. The Fredericton Independent inquired with the police force about how far along that complaint process was and what Forward’s status was with the force.

“Sgt. Forward has returned to active duty,” police force spokesperson Sonya Gilks wrote in an email.

The Independent followed up with several questions, asking if the Police Act process had been resolved, if any disciplinary or corrective measures had been taken, if Forward maintained the same rank and if he had returned to his role as the officer in charge of one of force’s four patrol-division platoons and if any corrective or disciplinary measures had been taken with regard to him.

“We will not be commenting further on Sgt. Forward’s status within the FPF,” Gilks wrote.

“For any Police Act inquiries, I’d encourage you to contact the New Brunswick Police Commission.”

But the commission - which handles Police Act complaints against municipal police officers in the province - was even less forthcoming than the Fredericton Police Force, declining even to acknowledge a complaint had ever been lodged.

“ … We are not able to confirm whether a complaint has been filed with the New Brunswick Police Commission,” the provincial agency wrote in an email..

“The Police Act and RTIPPA (the Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act) prohibit the commission from providing information about complaints unless they are referred to an arbitration hearing.”

The complaint against Forward never reached the arbitration stage, as it was never listed on the commission’s website.

Fredericton defence lawyer T.J. Burke, who represented Forward in the criminal case and frequently represents city police officers in Police Act complaints, declined to comment on Forward’s matter.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Members of the New Brunswick Legislature reconvene Tuesday for a final session before the next provincial election — a session that could be brief and tumultuous. 

The trial of a New Brunswick RCMP officer charged with sexually assaulting a minor began in Saint John on Monday morning with testimony from the complainant. 

Flames broke out at Degenhardt’s European Sausage Farm early Sunday morning, and by the time firefighters arrived the building was completely engulfed.

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Joshua Daniel Grant Burden had a brief but banner court appearance in Fredericton on Monday, with no outbursts, no threats and no forcible removal from the proceedings.

Burden, 48, of no fixed address, appeared in Fredericton provincial court in person and in custody Monday to answer to several charges alleged to have occurred earlier this year.

He’s accused of breaking into City Auto on Main Street and stealing a vehicle belonging to Nicolas McPhee on April 19; sexually assaulting a female complainant June 6; and uttering threats to cause death and/or bodily harm to Eric Lanteigne and Terri-Lynn Stewart, and breaching an undertaking to have no contact with the sexual assault complainant June 7.

Burden is also charged with several related counts of breach of probation.

The identity of the complainant in the sex-assault case is protected by a court-ordered publication ban.

Monday’s proceedings were marked by a new defence lawyer - Joshua Adams - taking carriage of Burden’s files.

“I do not yet have disclosure. It has been requested,” he said.

Burden has a history of ranting and cursing during court appearances, and his behaviour has prompted numerous delays in his cases.

However, he was far calmer Monday, though he still complained about his treatment in jail and in the courts.

“Your honour, I was shanked in the county,” he told Judge Natalie LeBlanc on Monday, referring to the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre, which many refer to as the county jail.

He’d reported during earlier court appearances that he’d been stabbed, but it wasn’t clear Monday if he was referring to the same alleged incident or something new.

The defendant has complained repeatedly during previous court appearances that he feels his life is in danger as long as he’s on remand, but he’s been denied bail twice since his arrest in early June.

Burden said Monday jail staff told him to bring up his safety concerns in court, but LeBlanc said she doesn’t have the authority to give directives to correctional officials.

“I can’t do anything about what happened in jail,” she told the defendant.

The judge told him the best way for his concerns to be addressed is to give his new lawyer time to obtain and review the Crown files against him with him.

LeBlanc adjourned Burden’s pleas on the April 19, June 6 and June 7 charges to Nov. 2.

Burden faces another pair of charges related to his unruly courtroom behaviour from this summer as well, but they weren’t before the court Monday.

He’s charged with uttering threats and intimidating a justice-system participant June 19, but since the complainant in those counts is Fredericton provincial court Judge Scott Brittain, a  Nova Scotia judge has been tasked to preside over those counts to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest.

During a June 19 court appearance before Brittain, Burden - who was insisting on being released from custody on conditions, told him, “If you keep fucking with me, you should be worried about what I’m going to do to you.”

Upon learning Brittain wouldn’t be granting his release that day, he yelled, “I’ll meet you in the parking lot at the courthouse and punch your fucking face off!”

Burden has also cursed out and refused to co-operate with Judge Diane McGrath, the Sydney-based judge who has presided over proceedings related to the June 19 charges.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Jason King, a former construction supervisor, has been released from prison on bail pending the outcome of an appeal he filed seeking to overturn his conviction of criminal negligence causing death.

Human Resource committee suggests a new full-time fire chief and new employees for recreation and public works

Nackawic-Millville council discussed recommendations from the rural community’s human resources committee to add three new full-time positions to its staff.

In its report introduced at the council’s Oct. 3 meeting, the HR committee recommended hiring a full-time fire chief to oversee the rural community’s three fire departments.

The committee explained the single fire chief overseeing the operation of the Nackawic, Dumfries, and North York Fire Departments would reduce the current duplication of work and reports from three separate departments.

The committee also recommended that the council consider hiring a full-time recreation department employee immediately, then add another for the public works and utility department early in 2024.

Council agreed upcoming budget discussions could consider the costs for next year’s hires, but the town would need to determine where to find the funds to pay for the last two months of 2023 for the immediate addition of a full-time recreation staff member.

Coun Colin Trail, a member of the HR committee, acknowledged that the council will have to address staffing levels “down the road.”

The committee report explained the immediate hiring in recreation would put an extra staff member in place in time for the winter ice season.

CAO Kathryn Clark suggested part of the new employee’s pay could come from savings in reduced cost for casual labour.

The committee’s recommendation to hire a full-time fire chief suggested that the new employee oversee the rural community’s protective services.

“It was thought that possibly creating a new position to take on the administrative role of running the three stations would allow volunteer firefighters more time to concentrate on training and responding to calls,” the committee stated in its report.

The report also noted that an interim fire chief currently heads North York, while the Dumfries chief would like to take on a lesser role.

“A new fire chief would lighten the load of all station chiefs,” said Councilor and committee member Robert Simpson.

During discussions surrounding all suggestions for new staff members, the council agreed it must consider the impact on taxpayers.

Deputy Mayor Greg MacFarlane, who chaired the Oct. 3 council meeting in the absence of Mayor Tim Fox, wanted more information.

“I would like to see more data on the budget,” he said. “We have to see if the money is there.”

Simpson agreed but noted the workload on both the recreation and public works departments is growing substantially. He said both departments’ duties will extend to wards outside Ward 3 to deliver services in the former local service districts.

He also noted the expanding Nackawic waterfront puts additional demands on municipal employees.

Coun. Errol Graham, who, like Coun. Michael Arbuckle, who attended the Oct. 3 meeting remotely, said he agreed taxpayers if wards outside the former Town of Nackawic must share the cost of a new fire chief.

He questioned, however, whether taxpayers in the outside wards should help foot the bill for the recreation and public works employees whose work is primarily confined to Ward 3.

Simpson said he understood Graham’s point but noted residents in those areas regularly use Nackawic streets and facilities.

“I would like to think outside wards feel an ownership of our waterfront, arena, library, etc.,” he said.

The council agreed that before moving forward on an action, it must develop a clearer picture of its impact on taxes.

The issue will be discussed at a future meeting. CAO Clark hopes to present a report with more cost and tax data.

The post Nackawic-Millville council consider adding three new full-time staff positions first appeared on River Valley Sun.

Teams from UNB, the University of Prince Edward Island and the University of Maine build, design and engineer gravity-powered go-karts before racing them down the hill on competition day.

Ten theatre productions over just four weekends will keep theatre audiences busy between now and December 9.  Matt Carter The fall season in Fredericton means a lot of things to…

The post Fredericton’s Fall Theatre Season is Underway appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

Horizon Health Network has pleaded not guilty to four charges alleging it failed to take reasonable precautions for employees at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital who were potentially exposed to asbestos.

The debut video from Paul MacIntosh and The Lost Keys was recorded live at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre.  Following a steady stream of singles released over the past twelve…

The post Video: Paul MacIntosh and The Lost Keys share High Hopes appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

Gardener Kim Fulton was wary after the fire at American Iron and Metal sent clouds of smoke over Saint John. Now the province has hired a consultant to do soil testing on several community gardens in Saint John and surrounding areas.

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The province’s anglophone health authority is headed to trial on workplace safety charges alleging failures to protect workers from potential exposure to asbestos at a Fredericton hospital.

WorkSafeNB charged Regional Health Authority B, better known as the Horizon Health Network, this summer with four counts under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

The charges alleged Horizon failed to follow the established code of practice regarding work around asbestos, failed to educate workers of the risk inherent in handling asbestos, failed to advise workers there is asbestos in certain workspace areas and failed to take precautions to protect workers from being exposed to asbestos.

The WorkSafeNB counts allege events over a five-year period, from Nov. 7, 2017, and Oct. 6, 2022.

Fredericton lawyer Ashley Arbour appeared in Fredericton provincial court as an agent for Jessica Bungay, defence counsel for Horizon in the case.

Arbour entered not-guilty pleas on behalf of the health authority Monday.

No officials from Horizon were present in court for Monday’s proceedings.

Arbour and prosecutor Derek Weaver said it was felt at least a day of court time would be necessary for the trial, so Judge Natalie LeBlanc set the matter over to Nov. 23 for a case-management conference to see if the issues to be tried can be narrowed.  

A WorkSafeNB spokesperson previously informed the Fredericton Independent the asbestos issue was detected at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital in Fredericton, which is a Horizon facility.

Laragh Dooley, WorkSafeNB’s executive director of corporate communications, noted previously the asbestos was located in a restricted area of the hospital and that only a limited number of employees had been at risk of exposure.

The area in question is inaccessible to the general public and most hospital workers, she said, so there wasn’t a general risk to those who had been in the hospital over the relevant time period.

“The investigation uncovered that potential exposure to asbestos occurred with employees working in the interstitial space (area between floors),” she wrote in an email last month.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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A Minto woman will return to court next month after being charged last week with firearms crimes stemming from her alleged possession of shotguns, including one with an altered serial number.

Kaitlyn Diana McIntyre, 30, of Mainfield Lane in Minto, made her first appearance in Fredericton provincial court Oct. 12 to face four criminal charges relating to a firearm.

She’s accused of possessing a non-restricted firearm (a Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun) without a licence, possessing it knowing she didn’t have a licence for it, possessing a Cooey 12-gauge shotgun knowing its serial number had been defaced, and careless storage of the Mossberg shotgun.

All four counts allege events in Fredericton on July 4.

McIntyre told court Thursday she intended on hiring private defence counsel and needed time to do that.

Judge Scott Brittain adjourned the matter for election of mode of trial and pleas to Nov. 2 to allow her to retain counsel and to obtain disclosure of the Crown file against her.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Packed bus rides are getting increasingly common as New Brunswick’s largest city sees unprecedented population growth. At peak travel hours, buses with 38 seats are crammed with upwards of 75 passengers on their way to work or school.

Residents of a fire-damaged apartment building in Fredericton are being told to clear out all their possessions — even the ones that have to go straight to the dump — or risk losing their damage deposit.

Opposition Liberal Leader Susan Holt is calling on the federal government to insist any money in a new, finalized health-care deal with New Brunswick be used to shore up the ailing system.

Andrea Miller got into the gallery business later in life, but has never looked back.

A 19-year-old man from Oak Haven, N.B., is dead following a collision on Saturday.

Fiery remarks made by education minister during WPRC clubhouse dedication

Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development Bill Hogan engaged in explosive rhetoric during a Woodstock Pistol and Rifle Club (WPRC) event last weekend.

“It’s time we take back our country and have law-abiding citizens that can own guns and that aren’t a danger to anybody,” said Hogan in a short speech during the opening of a new clubhouse.

The minister said New Brunswickers have a right to defend themselves.

“We’ve owned sidearms for years, decades, and this is not the United States; this is not Toronto, this is not Montreal, so I think we’re pretty safe. At least we want to be able to defend ourselves.”

Hogan also said that he intends to join the WPRC shortly.

“I don’t know if it’s so much taking back our country, but our countries full of law-abiding citizens and the way the federal government acts, you’d think we are all criminals. Because they’re saying that all parents beat their kids, it’s not true, and it’s about time we start speaking about what’s true and what isn’t.” Hogan said when asked to clarify what he meant by “taking our country back.”

The event, held Oct. 14 at the gun range in Woodstock, celebrated the new clubhouse opening.

WPRC President Floyd Burpee said members wanted a larger clubhouse.

The gathering place is dedicated to the memory of local community member Ray Tibbits, a much-beloved member of the club and the wider community who passed away in 2018.

The club occasionally hosts events like “Ladies Day,” hosted by the Canadian Collation for Firearms Rights, a lobbying organization dedicated to gun rights.

The event included a draw offering prizes such as a .22 Winchester rifle being given to the winner.

Tobique-Mactaquac MP Richard Bragdon also attended, noting WPRC’s importance to the community.

“I think it is important because it’s a place for law-abiding firearms owners to come and practice with their weapons sometimes, and for sometimes just the sport of it, to prove their skill,” he said.

Bragdon stressed the facility’s role in showing people the proper ways to handle and behave around firearms and the camaraderie the WPRC generates among its members.

The post ‘It’s time we take back our country;’ Bill Hogan first appeared on River Valley Sun.