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A judge said Thursday a Fredericton man’s assaults on family members and a police officer were aggravating issues, but he had to factor in the offender’s unfortunate background, addictions and mental health.

Judge Cameron Gunn sentenced Aaron Glen Narvey, 32, of no fixed address, to 44 months in prison Thursday, less credit for time he’d served on remand since his arrest.

Narvey has been in custody since early March, and Gunn noted that after the customary 1½-to-one remand credit was applied, that means his prison term going forward is about 34 months, just shy of three years.

Narvey pleaded guilty in July to numerous crimes.

Among them were a Sept. 14, 2022, breach of probation; an assault on his mother Shelley Brewer, damage to her property and another probation violation Sept. 25, 2022; and a failure to attend court Nov. 14.

But the more serious offences were an assault on a city police officer with a car, flight from police, possession of a stolen car, dangerous driving and a breach of probation Oct. 13, 2022; and assaults with a weapon (bear spray) on his mother and brother Kristopher Narvey, unlawful confinement of his mother, threats to her, and breaches of his probation and a police undertaking March 8.

Narvey’s sentencing hearing was held in Fredericton provincial court Tuesday, but Gunn reserved his decision to Thursday morning.

He said the difference between the Crown and defence positions on sentence - four years versus three years, less remand credit - merited the extra time to consider the appropriate sanction.

The judge said Thursday that Narvey’s pre-sentence report painted an unfortunate picture, detailing a troubled upbringing.

He said the offender is largely disconnected from his Indigenous heritage, and that has added to his difficulties.

Narvey also suffers from addictions and mental-health issues, Gunn said, and those have to be considered along with the historically systemic challenges that complicate the lives of Indigenous offenders.

“He has a long and somewhat continuous [criminal] record,” the judge said, and that’s among the aggravating factors in the case.

He also said past rehabilitative sentences haven’t proven effective.

Also concerning, Gunn said, was who Narvey victimized.

“The victims in this case are his mother, his brother and police officers,” he said.

But Narvey has accepted responsibility for his actions, the judge said, and he’s expressed a desire to get help for his issues.

Furthermore, Gunn said, the offender’s mother remains supportive of him.

In arriving at the overall sentence of 44 months, he said, he considered the totality principle, which directs judges that cumulative sentences can’t be excessively punitive or overly onerous.

In addition to the prison term, the judge ordered Narvey to submit a DNA sample for inclusion in a criminal database, prohibited him from possessing firearms and other weapons for life, and barred him from driving anywhere in Canada for three years following his release from prison.

Fredericton Police Force officers arrested Narvey the night of March 8 after a three-hour standoff at a Cliffe Street residence. That was the same day that he’d bear-sprayed his mother and brother.

He was initially unco-operative with the courts during his early appearances on the charges, cursing out judges at times or refusing to emerge from a jail cell to attend court virtually.

Narvey underwent psychiatric assessments, and they found he was fit to stand trial and not exempt from criminal responsibility due to a mental disorder at the time of his crimes.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Dartmouth indie rockers Book Buddies will kick off a Canadian tour at The Cap October 12 with Gizmo and Dad Patrol.  Last year, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia’s Book Buddies released one…

The post Book Buddies play The Cap October 12 appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

Saint John Mayor Donna Reardon defended council's decision to suspend committee appointments to two councillors who are alleged to have supported striking city workers amidst negotiations.

The Dirty Nil are touring the East Coast in December with shows in Charlottetown, Halifax, Moncton and Fredericton.  Hamilton power rock trio The Dirty Nil will be heading east following…

The post The Cap Announces The Dirty Nil (TWO NIGHTS) in December appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

Appointments can be booked online or by calling or visiting a participating pharmacy beginning Oct. 6

People across New Brunswick will soon be able to book an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine so long as they have not received a dose or been infected with it over the past six months.

Health Canada recently approved updated Moderna- and Pfizer-manufactured COVID-19 vaccines for people six months and older, specifically targeting the Omicron XBB.1.5 subvariant.

The Moderna vaccine, approved last month, will be available to New Brunswickers starting on Oct. 16. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are expected to be available in late October or early November.

These vaccines contain the same ingredients as previous versions, except the formula has been updated to target the XBB.1.5 strain rather than the previous B.A.4 and B.A.5 strains – much like the seasonal influenza vaccine changes from year to year.

While the first vaccines will not be administered until Oct. 16, appointments can be booked online or by calling or visiting a participating pharmacy beginning on Oct. 6.

Public Health recommends that all New Brunswickers aged six months or older receive an updated vaccine if they have not received a dose or had a COVID-19 infection in the past six months.

Getting the updated vaccine is strongly recommended for:

• People aged 65 and older.
• People who are pregnant.
• People with underlying medical conditions that place them at higher risk of COVID complications, including those who are immunocompromised.
• People living in long-term care facilities include nursing homes, special care homes, or adult residential facilities.
• People who work in health care, particularly those who have direct contact with patients and other caregivers.
• People who are of First Nations, Métis or Inuit descent.

“As we know, COVID-19 continues to circulate in New Brunswick, and across the globe, we are asking New Brunswickers to stay up to date with their vaccines,” said Dr. Jennifer Russell, chief medical officer of health. “In New Brunswick, nearly all circulating COVID strains are of the XBB family, so the updated vaccines are designed to offer improved protection compared to previous COVID vaccines.”

Russell said both vaccines are safe and provide similar levels of protection. Anyone choosing to delay their COVID-19 vaccinations should carefully consider their risks and perhaps consult their primary care provider.

In addition, New Brunswickers are encouraged to make appointments for their influenza and pneumococcal vaccines, which can be administered simultaneously as a COVID-19 vaccine.

Influenza vaccines will also be available from participating immunizers starting on Oct. 16.

Russell said anyone 65 and older should also consider rolling up their sleeve for the pneumococcal vaccine.

“We know that COVID activity has increased slightly in recent weeks, and we expect that to continue through the respiratory illness season. Getting one of the updated vaccines and the influenza and pneumococcal immunizations will help reduce the risk of severe illness,” said Russell. “And to make it convenient, eligible citizens can consider getting these vaccines at the same time.”

The New Brunswick Medical Society is encouraging people to take advantage of these vaccine opportunities.

“With respiratory illness season now upon us, I encourage New Brunswickers to take steps to reduce their risks of severe illness and complications,” said Dr. Paula Keating, the society’s president. “Vaccines are effective, and we hope that people take advantage in the days and weeks ahead to improve their chances of a healthy fall and winter.”

New Brunswickers can book COVID-19 vaccine appointments starting Friday, with the doses available starting Oct. 16, says the Department of Health, and flu shots can be administered at the same time.

Four people have now been charged in the murder of Brandon Donelan, whose body was found in 2022 near a snowmobile trail in Chipman.

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A Fredericton man who skipped his sentencing hearing on drug-trafficking charges last month is in custody, where he’ll remain until his new sentencing date.

Christopher James Arbeau, 45, of Paul Street, pleaded guilty in Fredericton provincial court earlier this year to three counts of possessing illicit, hard drugs for the purpose of trafficking.

He was supposed to be sentenced for those and other crimes Sept. 25, but he didn’t show up for the hearing.

Judge Scott Brittain issued a warrant for his arrest.

Arbeau was back before provincial court this week, this time in custody, after that warrant was executed last week.

He was scheduled to go through a bail hearing Tuesday, but he waived his right to bail and was remanded pending sentencing.

The charges were back before Brittain on Thursday morning, but there was also a new count before the court.

Arbeau pleaded guilty to a Sept. 25 charge of failing to attend court.

Defence lawyer Edward Derrah said he and his client had hoped to proceed to sentencing Thursday, but court heard prosecutor Brett Stanford wasn’t prepared for that, as another Crown had handled the file previously.

Brittain adjourned the sentencing hearing to Oct. 12 and remanded Arbeau again until that time.

When Arbeau pleaded guilty to the main charges earlier this year, court heard members of the Fredericton Police Force’s drug section witnessed Arbeau trafficking in drugs on two occasions: Jan. 19, 2021, and Sept. 29, 2021.

On the second occasion, Arbeau was selling meth in front of River Stone Recovery Centre, an addictions treatment clinic in downtown Fredericton.

Both times, officers arrested him and found drugs and cash on his person.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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A study of policing services in the Moncton area released Thursday morning recommends staying with the RCMP, citing a multi-million dollar cost of starting and running a new municipal police force. 

New Brunswick Liberal Leader Susan Holt has announced that she will be running in her home riding of Fredericton South-Silverwood in the upcoming election.

Saint John councillors voted to allow the construction of a ball hockey arena on Manawagonish Road, after hearing from residents for and against it.

Players have been invited to Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) training camps next month, ahead of an expected January 2024 puck drop

A former senior provincial government official accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars has pleaded guilty to a single charge of theft just before going on trial. 

Premier Blaine Higgs has rejected a pledge by six Progressive Conservative MLAs to support his legislation this fall so he can avoid an early election call.

A report on policing in the Moncton area will be made public at a special city council meeting Thursday that sets the stage for a decision on whether to keep the RCMP or switch to a new municipal force. 

New Brunswick reported two new COVID-19 deaths in its Respiratory Watch report Wednesday.

Quebec songwriter Pasteur Papillon joined indie rock legend Tommy Stinson for an intimate performance at The Cap, October 3. Matt Carter Before strumming the first chords of his 75 minute…

The post Tommy Stinson and Pasteur Papillon at The Cap appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

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The RCMP filed a new joint charge against two Fredericton men in a January 2022 murder in the Chipman area, bringing the total number of defendants in the case to four.

An officer with the RCMP’s major crime unit laid a joint charge of first-degree murder in Fredericton provincial court Wednesday against Devon Mark Hood, 26, and Matthew David LeBlanc, 29, both of Fredericton.

The charge alleges they took part in the killing of Brandon Patrick Donelan in the Chipman area on Jan. 28, 2022.

Also charged with first-degree murder in Donelan’s death are Joshua John McIsaac, 33, formerly of Penniac, and Erica Blyth, 40, of Wasson Road in Newcastle Creek near Chipman.

They face a joint charge as well, though it’s a separate one from the information filed with the court Wednesday against Hood and LeBlanc.

The latter two defendants appeared in court by telephone Wednesday morning from Dorchester Penitentiary, where they’re serving unrelated sentences.

McIsaac is serving a federal sentence in Dorchester as well.

Crown prosecutor Darlene Blunston asked the court to impose a non-communication order between Hood and LeBlanc, and she also asked they be prohibited from communicating with McIsaac and Blyth as well.

Judge Cameron Gunn issued those orders.

The Criminal Code of Canada directs that in murder cases, defendants are automatically remanded without a bail hearing. However, they can apply for a bail hearing in the Court of King’s Bench if they so choose.

After consulting with duty counsel Angèle Normand, Hood and LeBlanc, in separate proceedings Wednesday morning, told court they needed to apply for legal aid.

Gunn set their matters over Wednesday to Oct. 25 to give them a chance to retain legal counsel.

With murder cases, there’s only mode of trial open to defendants: a superior court trial with a judge and jury, and in New Brunswick, that would be in the Court of King’s Bench.

The next step in the process is to schedule 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.

A preliminary inquiry for Blyth and McIsaac had been scheduled for April 2024. However, the Crown filed a directed indictment with the provincial court this week on that prosecution, meaning the case will skip the preliminary-inquiry phase and proceed directly to a jury trial, to be scheduled at a later time.

RCMP officers arrested Blyth for murder at her Newcastle Creek home June 21 when they attended the residence to execute a search warrant.

Hood was also arrested at that location at that time, and he was returned to the Dorchester prison for a parole violation.

He also saw six months added onto that sentence for recent convictions for fleeing from police in a vehicle in June and being unlawfully at large from his prison sentence.

LeBlanc was sentenced in April to almost three years in prison for possession of meth for the purpose of trafficking and weapons offences, among other crimes.

The Mounties launched a major search effort in the Grand Lake area after Donelan, 27, of Minto, was reported as missing Jan. 30, 2022. His body was found along a snowmobile trail two months later on March 31, 2022.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Saint John councillors Joanna Killen and Brent Harris have been suspended pending a Code of Conduct investigation. 

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A Haneytown man is headed to trial after denying allegations Wednesday that he sexually assaulted and touched an underage complainant years ago.

Mathew Peter Robert Gratton, 28, of Broad Road, made his first appearance in Fredericton provincial court on two indictable charges.

He’s accused of sexually assaulting a minor and touching that child for a sexual purpose, both in Haneytown between Dec. 17, 2012, and Dec. 31, 2016.

Crown prosecutor Wesley McIntosh asked the court to impose a publication ban on information that would tend to identify the young complainant, and Judge Camreon Gunn issued that order.

Defence lawyer Spencer MacInnis, on hand with Gratton as his legal counsel, said her client was electing to be tried in provincial court and pleading not guilty to both counts.

McIntosh said the Crown expects to call seven witnesses at trial, and he and MacInnis suggested two days would be needed for the trial.

However, the prosecutor said a case-management conference could possibly narrow the trial issues and shorten the timeframe necessary to hear the case.

Furthermore, MacInnis said she needed to get more information to prepare.

“I made a further disclosure request to the Crown,” the defence lawyer said.

Gunn set the matter over to Nov. 17 for a case-management conference, and trial dates will be set at that time.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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A Doaktown man whom police suspected last year of being impaired at the wheel will be sentenced just after Christmas after admitting to two offences Tuesday.

Ian Scott Washburn, 53, of Pleasant Street in Doaktown, pleaded guilty in Fredericton provincial court Tuesday to an April 23, 2022, count of refusing a breath demand and a subsequent charge of failing to attend court Aug. 17.

Duty counsel Michael Mallory said Washburn was requesting a pre-sentence report, so Judge Cameron Gunn adjourned his sentencing hearing to Dec. 27 to allow for its preparation.

The judge also imposed a release order barring Washburn from driving until that time.

A charge of driving while impaired was reserved until after sentencing.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Moncton plans to hold public consultations starting this fall about what kind of development to allow across a broad area covering the northern portion of the municipality.

The New Brunswick government has formally released N.B. Power from having to meet a 2027 debt reduction target it set for the utility four years ago.

In a bid to get ahead of an expected surge in COVID-19 and flu cases, Horizon Health Network is bringing back mask requirements for staff, patients and visitors at hospitals where outbreaks are present as of Wednesday.

North Atlantic right whales are endangered with fewer than 350 remaining. This is the first documented sighting of the species, in that area, this year.

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The province’s move to add conjunctivitis to the list of ailments pharmacists can assess and treat demonstrates the vital role they play in health care, says the head of the professional association.

The New Brunswick Department of Health issued a news release Tuesday morning announcing that pharmacists can now treat conjunctivitis, more commonly referred to as pink eye.

The condition is an inflammation of the conjunctiva, the transparent membrane lining the eyelid and eyeball.

The province has added pink eye to the list of health issues pharmacists are now authorized to assess and treat, the release said, and that means government will pay pharmacists for the time they spend doing so.

The department estimates about 1,100 patients with conjunctivitis visited walk-in clinics in New Brunswick in the past year, according to the news release.

“Pharmacists have been able to do this for a number of years,” said Anne Marie Picone, interim executive director of the New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association.

But by adding pink-eye infections to the list of approved conditions, pharmacists will be compensated for those assessments, she said.

Furthermore, it recognizes the key role they play in health care, Picone said.

She said the usual treatment is an over-the-counter medication - usually drops - but there are times when a stronger measure may be required. 

“There are other antibiotics that potentially can be used,” she said.

The change announced by the province Tuesday also means pharmacists can prescribe a different antibiotic if it’s called for, Picone said.

The reasons for needing a more potent, prescription antibiotic for conjunctivitis vary, she said, such as repeated infections or an allergy to a component in the drops.

The practice of funding pharmacists’ treatment of pink eye was already adopted inQuebec, Ontario and Saskatchewan, the release noted.

Pink eye is just the latest health issue the province has approved for treatment at the pharmacy level.

The government announced in May that New Brunswickers could attend participating pharmacies for publicly funded care for the following: contact allergic dermatitis, cold sores, mild to moderate eczema, gastroesophageal reflux disease, impetigo, Lyme disease prevention after a high-risk tick bite, and mild acne.

Funding for conjunctivitis care from pharmacists choosing to take part in the program starts Tuesday, it said.

Picone said the public perception of pharmacists’ contributions to health care have shifted in recent years, notably during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID no doubt opened people’s eyes to what pharmacists can do,” she said.

“Pharmacists are there to help. They’re there to treat.”

As pressures on the health-care system have grown, Picone said, pharmacists have stepped up to take on more responsibilities.

It’s been a two-way street, she said, with government seeking solutions to challenges in the system and the association lobbying for more responsibility and funding to go with it.

The result has been a win-win situation for patients and for the pharmacist profession, she said.

Pharmacists aren’t meant to take doctors’ place altogether, Picone said, and there are clear limits to the services they can offer.

“We can’t do things that are not within our scope of practice,” she said.

But pharmacists know what they don’t know and what they’re not supposed to go, Picone said. But in those instances, she said, they also fulfil a role by redirecting patients to the appropriate health-care provider.

The Health Department released stated a reason for funding treatments for such minor conditions at the pharmacy level is to alleviate pressures on emergency rooms, walk-in clinic and doctors’ offices.

It noted that while the program allows for the pharmacists’ time to be funded by the province, they’re not required to offer the service, and any drops or other products needed to treat the condition aren’t covered by government. 

“People are advised to ask their local pharmacist which services are available, as it is not mandatory for every pharmacist to treat all minor ailments,” the release said.

“While the cost of the consultation for certain ailments is covered, patients are still responsible for the cost of prescribed medications, as well as any fees for injections provided by pharmacy professionals.”

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Network strengthens masking requirements as COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses increase

The Horizon Health Network issued a media release on Oct. 3 detailing new masking protocols, effective Oct. 4.

“With an increase in COVID-19 and an expected seasonal increase in other respiratory viruses in our hospitals and communities,” the release explained, “Horizon is taking necessary steps to reduce the risk of transmission of respiratory illness in our facilities.”

Horizon officials explained its hospitals would require masking in certain situations and settings.

“If a regional hospital has two or more outbreak units and if a community hospital has one or more outbreak units, staff, physicians, volunteers, patients, social visitors, and Designated Support Persons (DSPs) will be required to wear a medical-grade face mask when patient-facing in that facility,” Horizon stated in its release.

It explained the rule includes all inpatient units, emergency departments and ambulatory care/outpatient services, as well as waiting room areas and other clinical settings.

Masking will not be required in public areas, such as lobbies or cafeterias. However, medical-grade face masks remain available for anyone wishing to wear one at any time.

“We strongly encourage anyone planning to visit a Horizon hospital to check our website for updated information regarding which facilities are experiencing outbreaks on a given day. This information will be available on our Visitor Guidelines at Hospitals and Health Care Facilities page as of Wednesday, Oct. 4,” the release explained.

Horizon Health Network officials describe wearing a medical-grade face mask as an effective, proven way to reduce the risk of transmission of respiratory viruses.

The upgraded protocol explains that all patients, social visitors and DSPs are still required to self-screen for symptoms of COVID-19 before entering a Horizon facility.

Everyone who enters our facilities must perform proper hand hygiene (clean their hands) regularly and practice physical distancing from others.

“We urge everyone to do their part to help keep our facilities safe by answering questions honestly and respectfully every time they arrive,” the release explained.

Social visitors experiencing symptoms are asked not to enter our hospitals, while symptomatic DSPs are asked to contact the nurse manager in the appropriate patient care unit to determine their options.

Social visitors are not permitted to visit patients in a Horizon hospital or any long-term care patient care unit that has a respiratory virus outbreak.

Medical-grade face masks will continue to be required for healthcare workers and DSPs on outbreak units.

“We ask the public to treat our physicians, staff, patients and other visitors to our hospitals with kindness, respect and understanding as we take steps to reduce the risk of transmission of respiratory illness in our facilities and do our best to protect our most vulnerable patients,” Horizon officials said in its release.

Ready or not, potential provincial election candidates are now deciding whether to put their names on ballots.

The Elm City String Quartet played its first hometown show of the season on September 29 performing music by Mozart and Tchaikovsky at Wilmot United Church.  Matt Carter It was…

The post Elm City String Quartet Opened Season Last Friday with Hometown Performance appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

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A Fredericton construction company accused of criminal negligence in the death of a teen employee has moved to change the level of court at which its case will be heard.

Springhill Construction Ltd. previously elected to be tried by a judge alone in the Court of King’s Bench on an Aug. 16, 2018, charge of criminal negligence causing the death of Michael Anthony Henderson.

Henderson, 18, was working on a Springhill project at the City of Fredericton’s Barker Street Wastewater Treatment Plant on that day, clearing debris at the bottom of an eight-foot hole over the lunch hour.

An inflatable plug holding back water flow gave way, pinning Henderson to the side of the hole as it filled with water. He drowned despite efforts of others on the jobsite - including his older brother Eric Henderson - to rescue him.

Springhill’s superior-court trial was scheduled to begin in January, but the case was back before Court of King’s Bench Chief Justice Tracey DeWare on Tuesday afternoon.

Crown prosecutor Christopher Lavigne noted the defendant was seeking to re-elect mode of trial to take the case back down to Fredericton provincial court.

“My colleague and I intend to dispose of the proceeding in the court below,” he said.

Defence lawyer Clarence Bennett agreed.

Lavigne said the parties had filed the notice of re-election with the court Tuesday morning, and that they endeavoured to do so at an early opportunity so as to free up trial time in the Court of King’s Bench.

DeWare said the notice of re-election was on the file, and as such, he remitted the case back to provincial court.

Lavigne and Bennett both declined to comment to reporters Tuesday about what will happen with the case once it returns to the lower level of court in the coming weeks.

Diane Henderson, Michael’s mother, was on hand for Tuesday’s proceedings, and she too declined to comment on the latest development in the case.

Her son’s death has already been the focus of another trial. Jason Andrew King, 46, of Central Hainesville, stood trial earlier this year on a related count of criminal negligence causing Henderson’s death.

King’s Bench Justice Thomas Christie convicted him of the crime this summer and sentenced him last month to three years in prison.

However, King’s counsel filed a notice of appeal with the New Brunswick Court of Appeal the day after his sentencing hearing. He also filed a motion seeking King’s release pending the appeal, and that’s scheduled to be heard Oct. 16.

King was the site foreman at the treatment-plant job and Henderson’s direct supervisor.

Evidence at his trial demonstrated he hadn’t familiarized himself with the safety protocols and requirements available to him in manuals on site.

King was responsible for safety on the jobsite, and he testified he hadn’t reviewed any of the manuals, stating that he wasn’t much of a reader.

He said Springhill hadn’t provided him with training when it promoted him to the supervisor position, and he was ill-prepared to take on the greater responsibilities of the job.

Christie found King knew he had a responsibility to ensure the safety of those under his supervision and that he essentially disregarded it.

The trial judge also found that King knew the hole in which Henderson was working qualified as a confined space, and that Henderson was likely going to be in the hole when he approved preparations for a water test at the site..

Springhill fired King shortly after the accident that claimed Henderson’s life.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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A court hearing to deal with a temporary injunction the City of Saint John obtained last week against striking inside workers has been adjourned after the union filed a "novel" motion to question the police chief about picket activity.

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A Haneytown man denied allegations Tuesday he tried to stick up an Oromocto bank branch armed with a pellet gun this summer.

Chad Atkinson, 30, of Farnham Road in Haneytown, appeared in Fredericton provincial court by telephone from jail Tuesday morning to answer to serious charges.

RCMP officers arrested him at the TD Bank branch on Onodaga Street Oromocto the afternoon of Aug. 30. There was a major armed police response at that location that day after authorities received a report of a robbery in progress.

Atkinson has been in custody since that time, and his case was back before court Tuesday.

The defendant elected Tuesday to be tried in provincial court and pleaded not guilty to attempting to rob the bank and TD employee Samson Adeyemo of cash, possessing a Crossman Arms Co. pellet gun for the purpose of committing an offence, carrying that pellet gun as a concealed weapon and breaching his probation.

The probation order in question was imposed May 30, just three months before the alleged robbery attempt.

Duty counsel Michael Mallory said Atkinson doesn’t have a defence lawyer yet but noted his legal-aid application is being processed. In fact, he said, he believed it was likely he was going to be assigned Atkinson’s file.

Judge Cameron Gunn set the case over to Oct. 23 to schedule trial dates and to allow time for the legal-aid process to unfold. 

The RCMP reported in a Sept. 1 news release that a male suspect entered the bank at about 2:15 p.m. and demanded money, and he told staff he had a firearm in his backpack.

After receiving the report of the incident as it was happening, officers surrounded the bank branch. A suspect was arrested shortly thereafter without incident, the release said.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Dr. Paula Keating, the new president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, is making recruitment and retention of doctors her top priority. 

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A Sunday morning fire at a home displaced a parent and child, but an aid agency is helping them with a place to stay in the short term and emergency items.

The New Brunswick branch of the Canadian Red Cross reported that an adult and a child were forced from their home - a bungalow on Main Street in Napadogan, about 65 kilometres northwest of Fredericton - at about 10 a.m. Sunday.

“Canadian Red Cross volunteers arranged emergency lodging and purchases like clothing and food for a man and his daughter while they await additional help through insurance,” the organization stated in a news release Tuesday morning.

It said the father and child weren’t at the home at the time of the fire, so no one was injured in the blaze.

The Fredericton Independent can be reached by email here.

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Blaine Higgs is already the first premier to ignore New Brunswick’s fixed-date election law, which dates back to 2007. Now he may also become the first to do it twice.

Sydona Chandon received the 2023 Youth Human Rights Award for her tireless commitment to helping people from underserved communities and breaking down barriers.

The River Valley Sun’s Theresa Blackburn spoke with New Brunswick author Beth Powning about her new book “The Sister’s Tale.”

The book, chosen for this year’s Woodstock Reads, is a national bestseller. The Sister’s Tale is a novel about orphans, widows, terror, hope, and relationships that hold us together when things fall apart. With murder dominating the news, the respected wife of a New Brunswick sea captain is drawn into the case of a British Home Child whose bad luck has turned worse.

Beth speaks with Theresa about her background, how she began writing, where she draws her inspiration, and offers tips to aspiring writers.

Woodstock Reads takes place on Thursday, Oct. 19, at the Best Western in Woodstock. Tickets are $20 and are available at the L.P. Fisher Library and at the Woodstock municipal office.

New Brunswick women in their 40s will be able to self-refer themselves for mammograms next year, a move that is being welcomed by an advocate and an oncologist.

There is a landline telephone outage affecting the area from Woodstock to Perth-Andover, N.B.

Striking clerical, administrative and support staff have rejected the latest offer from the City of Saint John as their strike drags on into a fourth week.

Changes could mean a single policy for the entire town and quantity limits on regular waste

Woodstock Mayor Trina Jones sought input from council as town officials prepared to sit down with FERO and J.S. Bellis to negotiate changes to garbage pickup throughout all five Woodstock wards.

Residents outside Ward 4, the old town limits, who remain part of the deal negotiated by the Western Valley Regional Service Commission, noticed the difference in service over the summer. Many questioned why only Ward 4 residents enjoyed regular garbage collection during recycling weeks.

Mayor Jones explained the town responded to complaints from residents that waiting two weeks for regular garbage created a stench, especially during the hot summer months. The town and garbage collectors agreed to ensure regular trash pick up on recycling weeks during June, July and August.

While the current garbage contract will continue for a couple of years, Jones explained the town agreed, and the service provider agreed to renegotiate the existing agreement to include the entire town.

Representatives for the RSC will join the talks.

Jones explained that the town will seek ways to improve the deal, including cost certainty. She explained the current system, which puts no limits on the amount of regular waste, makes it challenging to budget waste collection costs.

Jones said to reduce costs on tipping fees and provide a better handle on budgeting, the town hopes to institute quantity limits. She explained that the town must ensure all residents have the same size bin to do that.

Jones said the town will study ways to make that happen, with the most obvious option being to supply bins in much the same manner it did with recycling bins.

When council originally addressed the solid waste issue, Jones asked councillors to gather feedback from residents in their respective wards.

Coun. Julie Calhoun-Williams said the most common response she heard was the need for more special pickup days.

Coun. Will Belyea said he’s heard several people asking how much of the recycling actually gets recycled and how much is diverted back to the landfill.

“There’s a sentiment out there that recycling is going to the landfill,” he said.

Jones said that is a question they can ask FERO and J.S. Bellis.

The mayor explained the town not only needs to make a workable deal with the solid waste collection teams, but it must also determine the town’s cost.

“Can we afford to provide everyone with the same size bins?” Jones asked.

She said that if the new agreement limits residents to a single bin, they hope to develop a method for homeowners to pay for additional waste if needed.

Jones cited the importance of informing the public of any changes.

“If we make a big change, we have to educate them,” she said.

The mayor said the town expected negotiations with J.S. Bellis and FERO to begin the last week of August.

Staff will inform council of the results at a later meeting. Council members will have the final decision on any changes.

Artists of Gorge Quilt Guild to offer a wide array of handmade quilts, wall hangings, and more

The Grand Falls-based Gorge Quilt Guild looks forward to presenting the Falls Breeze Quilt Show and Sale on Oct. 21 and 22.

Member Cari Giberson said the guild welcomes guilt artists from across the Upper St. John River Valley.

She said the show and sale will showcase the artistic group’s various creations, including “traditional bed quilts, wall hangings, table items and quilted pictures as well as three-dimensional items.”

Giberson said the event will also display quilts from the guild’s ongoing project to make “Victoria Quilts for Cancer patients.”

The Falls Breeze Quilt Show will be held at the Malobeam Centre Malobiannah at 25 Madawaska Road in Grand Falls, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 21 and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 22.

“We are so lucky to have the Grand Falls Malabeam Tourist Centre at the Falls for our event,” said Giberson.

She said the centre offers great lighting and a “gorgeous space” for the show and show.

Admission is $2 and offers door prizes and a quilt raffle.

Outage hits some customers between Woodstock and Perth-Andover

Bell Aliant reported this morning that copper thieves left several of its customers without service.

“Due to a copper cable theft in Bairdsville, N.B., Internet, TV and home phone services for some customers between Woodstock and Perth are impacted,” Bell Aliant reported on Twitter and Facebook. “Crews are on site assessing the damage, and we will keep customers updated here as we work to restore service as quickly as possible.”

More to come…

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