Government officials are warning New Brunswickers to prepare for Hurricane Lee, which is expected to remain near Category 1 strength as it moves into the Maritimes on Saturday.

Vacant home was fully involved when Woodstock firefighters arrived on the scene

An early morning blaze destroyed a house on Cape Road in Newburg, northeast of Woodstock, Thursday morning, Sept. 14.

Woodstock Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Gould said the fire call occurred at approximately 12:55 a.m. Thursday morning.

“The fire was fully involved when we arrived,” he said. “It was pretty well gone.”

Gould said the house, which was for sale, was vacant.

He said the department contacted the Fire Marshal’s Office, but they did not attend the scene.

Gould said they did not determine the cause of the fire or whether it was suspicious.

He said the RCMP attended the scene, adding any further investigation “is in their hands.”

Gould said NB Power workers responded to disconnect the power leading to the house.

The deputy chief believes a neighbour reported the fire.

He said no one was injured.

The post Blaze destroys Newburg house first appeared on River Valley Sun.

A judge on Thursday denied a request by the man accused of killing an elderly Dieppe couple to delay the case for several months until his other unrelated trials are complete.

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A teenager was sent to hospital after being swarmed by a mob of youths earlier months, the RCMP reports, and investigators are hoping the public can provide information on the case.

“On Sept. 2, 2023, at approximately 1:40 a.m., members of the Oromocto RCMP detachment responded to a report that two male youth, aged 17 and 18, were chased by a group of approximately 15 other teenagers,” the RCMP wrote in a news release Thursday.

“The 17-year-old was able to get away from the group, but the 18-year-old was assaulted before he got away.”

The incident occurred in Upper Gagetown, the release stated, and the mob of youths fled the scene before police arrived..

Officers searched the area with the assistance of a canine unit, it said, and that enabled them to locate the 18-year-old victim.

The complainant was seriously injured, the release said, but it wasn’t believed they were life-threatening.

The RCMP is asking anyone who may have witnessed those events or who may have other relevant information to contact the Oromocto detachment by calling 506-357-4300.

Those wishing to provide tips anonymously can do so through Crime Stopped 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 release noted the investigation is ongoing.

The Fredericton Independent can be reached by email here.

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Events prompting a significant police response in the Hanwell area Thursday morning has led to investigations into thefts, an alleged hit-and-run incident and two arrests, authorities report.

Shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday, the RCMP issued an advisory on social media noting that Mounties and members of the Fredericton Police Force were in the Hanwell area responding to “a series of theft-related incidents.”

“Three youth are now in custody, and there is no threat to the public,” the RCMP posted on Facebook.

However, an official with the Fredericton Police Force, responding to an inquiry from the Fredericton Independent, indicated officers were investigating a hit-and-run incident, and that a different number of suspects had been arrested.

“On Sept. 14, 2023, at approximately 6:15 a.m., the Fredericton Police Force, as well as RCMP, responded to a report of a hit-and-run collision in the vicinity of the Hanwell mini-home community,” Fredericton police spokesperson Sonya Gilks wrote in an email to the Fredericton Independent.

“Two suspects have been taken into custody, with no risk to public safety.”

Photos circulating on social media Thursday morning showed a traffic jam around the entrances to the Hanwell Trailer Park and Kingswood, stemming from the police response in the area Thursday morning.

Gilks said around noon Thursday that Fredericton police officers remain on the scene, but no further details would be released for the time being.

Note: The Fredericton Independent will update this story if and when additional details or clarifications become available.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Family, friends and community benefited from Brian Hayden’s ‘strength of character’

As Carleton County mourns the sudden death of community leader Brian Hayden, they also reflect upon his lasting legacy of commitment to family, friends and community.

They also know he leaves a void that can’t be filled.

“He’s a big, big community figure,” said lifelong friend and Woodstock resident Stuart Kinney. “His death leaves a big void in the community.”

Hayden died on Aug. 18 after suffering cardiac arrest at the Vancouver airport.

The 70-year-old’s sudden death shocked his family, friends and community. Still, they reflect on the vibrant community leader’s life that delivered positive change that will live forever.

From the children in Woodstock Minor Hockey and Woodstock Skating Association to seniors at the Carleton Manor, the collective and individuals benefited from Hayden’s devotion to their needs.

Kinney noted Hayden’s role in the CanSkate program, where he helped and encouraged children to take those first scary steps onto the ice.

“Brian was just so generous in helping those young kids acquire confidence and feel a sense of achievement,” he explained.

At the other end of the spectrum, Kinney, a long-time board member at Carleton Manor, would don a Santa Claus or Easter Bunny costume or share his sense of fun to improve the lives of often overlooked seniors.

“Brian had a lot of room in his heart for people in those circumstances,” he said.

Hayden’s efforts as a community leader followed many paths — a local government advisor, a business leader, an advocate for children, seniors and indigenous needs and charitable, church and sports organizers.

Born in 1953, the Woodstock High School grad obtained his Bachelor of Science from Mt. A in 1975 before returning to his beloved Carleton County.

In 1978, he married Susan, whom he met at university. Together, they raised a family, pursued business interests and devoted their lives to community projects and organizations.

Kinney said Brian and Susan worked side by side on many pursuits and shared a common respect for family, friends and community. He said the couple practised hospitality openly and generously.

“Their home was a focal point in their community for gathering,” Kinney recalled.

Upon his return from university, Hayden joined his father’s car dealership and then moved into real estate. Twenty-seven years ago, he and Susan opened Hartford Realtors and later Hartford Modular Homes.

Through it all, Hayden devoted time and energy to the community, including many years as a leader in the Woodstock local service district and the regional service commission.

Former Woodstock Mayor Art Slipp said vital community facilities such as the AYR Motor Centre stand as a monument to Hayden’s gigantic impact on the greater Woodstock region.

Slipp explained Hayden travelled door to door to convince residents in Woodstock’s neighbouring communities about the importance of the proposed Carleton Civic Centre’s positive impact on the area.

“He was instrumental in drumming up support in the local service districts,” Slipp said. 

He said Hayden played the same role during the expansion of the sports facility into the AYR Motor Centre.

The former mayor explained Hayden led the way in bringing four of the six LSDs, representing 90 per cent of the population, on board.

“I believe without his support, the expansion wouldn’t have happened,” said Slipp.

Hayden, with decades of experience with the Western Valley Regional Service Commission and as chair of the Woodstock LSD advisory committee, played a pivotal role in guiding last year’s amalgamation of the town and local service districts.

He and Slipp sat together on the transition team.

“His input certainly led to a much better transition than what we would have had without his leadership and support,” said Slipp.

He said Hayden’s remarkable knowledge of every corner of rural Carleton County proved pivotal in determining ward boundaries for the expanded Woodstock.

“We asked him to take the lead in defining the boundaries of the rural wards,” recalled Slipp.

Slipp and Kinney grew up in the same Woodstock neighbourhood as the Haydens. They both noted the foundation for Hayden’s strength of character lies in the neighbourhood’s commitment to family and community.

Kinney recalled the particularly close generational bond between three families: the Haydens, the Parkers and the Kinneys.

“We were very, very close. We spent a lot of time together. Vacationing together. Had Saturday night dinners together.” said Kinney.

He had a front-row seat to watch Hayden’s strength of character develop. He said his friend’s love of fun and silliness, boundless energy and desire to help others was grounded in his commitment to family, friends and community.

As noted in Hayden’s obituary:

“Brian possessed seemingly boundless energy for all aspects of the social, cultural, and political life of his community. His involvements over the years included Woodstock Minor Hockey Association, St. James United Church, Woodstock Rotary Club, Carleton Manor, Carleton Manor Foundation, Woodstock Figure Skating Club, Children’s Wish Foundation, Western Valley Regional Service Commission, and the Woodstock Local Service District.”

Brian Hayden was predeceased by his father and mother, Ivan and Carrie Hayden; his daughter Amanda Reynolds and granddaughter Grace Reynolds; aunts and uncles Don and Irma Parker; John Fream, James and Dorothy McBride; Sam and Emma Hayden; cousin David Fream, father and mother-in-law, Michael and Marie Conoley; and brother-in-law Tim Conoley.

He is survived by his wife Susan; his son Gregory and daughter-in-law Susan and their children Kinley and Ivan; his daughter Katie and son-in-law Chance McGrath and their children Abigail, Breanna, and Isabelle; son Daniel; daughter Rachel and her children Jaxon and Huxley; son-in-law Chris Reynolds and his wife Andree; his brother Bob and sister-in-law Elaine and their children Matthew, Ivan and Amy; brother Rick and sister-in-law Lynne and their children, Jeff, Michael, and Kristina; and his brother Brent and sister-in-law Pam and their children Connor and Mackenzie. He is survived as well by sisters-in-law Karen Conoley and her spouse Thomas Hintze, Maureen MacNabb and her spouse Larry; as well as aunt Greta Fream; and numerous cherished cousins.

The post A void that can’t be filled first appeared on River Valley Sun.

Latest contribution of fund established in 1989 is directed to URVH Foundation’s $3.5 million MRI project

With a donation to the Upper River Valley Hospital Foundation, the Martin Kilfoil Memorial Fund continues a legacy that began more than three decades ago — supporting Upper St. John River Valley healthcare services.

In a brief ceremony on Aug. 31 at the Knights of Columbus Hall, Kilfoil Fund representatives donated $9,000 to the hospital foundation’s $3.5 million MRI project.

The donation was the latest in the fund’s almost $100,000 delivered to the Upper River Valley Hospital since 2008.

Before URVH’s opening in Waterville, the Martin Kilfoil Memorial Fund spent two decades providing financial support to the former Northern Carleton Hospital in Bath.

With close ties to the Martin Kilfoil Memorial Fund board members, Susan Lockhart represented the foundation at the donation presentation. She stressed the importance of such donations to the foundation’s efforts to meet the $3.5 million goal to install the state-of-the-art MRI at the Waterville Hospital.

Stephen explained his brother Martin died in 1988 from injuries sustained in a car accident in Ontario. He said Martin died in the Bath hospital only a day after being air-transferred closer to his Johnville family home with the help of the McCain company jet.

The following year, his mother, Anne Kilfoil, established the fund in Martin’s memory.

Stephen said family friends and neighbours Cecelia Boyd and Frances Cullen helped his mother establish the charity.

In the early days, he explained, the three women, with support from the community, raised most of the fund’s money in support of the Bath hospital through rummage and bake sales.

“They did a lot of the heavy lifting,” Stephen recalled.

All three founding members are now gone, but the fund has grown and expanded upon the foundation they laid.

Stephen explained Cullen died several years ago, and he lost his mother in 2019. They lost Boyd earlier this summer.

Cullen’s daughter Patricia Brennan is a Martin Kilfoil Memorial Fund board member.

Stephen said after returning home to Carleton North, he joined the Kilfoil Fund as a board member and treasurer in 2014. He later became the board chair.

Stephen said the well-established fund now raises most of its funds through donations, most of which come through donations at wakes and funerals.

Other board members joining Stephen at the Knights of Columbus were Susan McLaughlin, Alma Kilfoil, Joe Brennan, Dr. Colin Lockhart and Dr. Bruce Lockhart.

Susan Lockhart said the foundation will soon update its fundraising progress for the MRI project, but it already sits close to $2.3 million.

The foundation has already purchased the modern 1.5 Tesla MRI. The next step is erecting the modular building attached to the hospital to house the unit.

The new MRI unit will replace the aging portable unit shared with the Campbellton hospital.

The post Martin Kilfoil Memorial Fund continues long-running support of Upper Valley health care first appeared on River Valley Sun.

No part of New Brunswick likely to escape Lee’s wrath

With Hurricane Lee threatening wind gusts up to 100 km/hr and rainfall potentially to exceed more than 100 mm across New Brunswick, including the Upper St. John River Valley, on Saturday, Sept. 16, EMO officials urge everyone to be prepared.

While the strength of Hurricane Lee is dropping as it approaches landfall somewhere between Grand Manan, N.B. and Shelburne, N.S, Saturday morning, it remains a threatening storm, said Kyle Leavitt, the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization director.

“The storm is getting weaker, but it is growing in size,” he said. “Today and Friday are the time to prepare for this storm. There is and will be a lot of information to help you make good decisions, but perhaps the easiest and best thing you can do is exercise common sense. Stay informed and stay safe.”

Environment Canada and Climate Change meteorologists forecast Hurricane Lee’s landfall for Saturday morning, with hurricane warnings expected for Grand Manan and the Charlotte County coast in New Brunswick and southwestern Nova Scotia.

Currently, under a tropical storm watch, forecasters expect to issue a warning on Friday for Saint John County, Fundy National Park, and Moncton and Southeast New Brunswick.

Environment Canada warns the storm’s impact will deliver a heavy blow to the entire Maritime provinces.

Areas under the hurricane warning could experience wind gusts as high as 120 km/hr. Those under tropical storm warnings, including Saint John and Moncton, could face potential sustained winds of 60 km/hr, with gusts between 90 and 100 km/r.

Forecasters suggest residents of other parts of New Brunswick, including Woodstock and Carleton County, prepare for wind gusts of 80 km/hr or higher.

The remnants of Lee will also deliver flood-threatening rains across Woodstock, Carleton County, northwestern New Brunswick, well into Quebec.

“Rainfall totals in excess of 100 mm are possible, especially in areas to the left of the track,” said Environment Canada and Climate Change officials on their website.

New Brunswick Public Safety Minister Kris Austin, EMO officials and NB Power spokesman Trent Martin, executive director for transmission and distribution operations, said the province is preparing for potential electrical outages, road closures and other storm damage.

Martin said NB Power had already established an emergency operations centre and will stage its 600 personnel in critical areas across the province.

Austin noted the full foliage and the rain-soaked ground from the province’s wet summer and recent rain add to the concern about falling trees.

As they prepare for the worst and hope for the best, Austin said EMO and Public Safety officials will stay in communication with local government officials.

He said New Brunswickers can stay updated with the latest developments online at the NBEMO, Public Safety and Environment and Climate Change Canada websites and associated social media sites.

Woodstock Mayor Trina Jones said town residents can stay abreast of local efforts on the Town of Woodstock website.

Chief Operating Officer Andrew Garnett said town officials met on Wednesday to map out a response plan when needed.

“We had a meeting with police, fire and public works yesterday to ensure all departments are prepared and ready for anything that may arise,” he said. “All departments are continuing to monitor the storm and will through the weekend.”

Garnett said the town is working with the Red Cross to establish the AYR Motor Centre as a shelter if required, but the plan still needs to be implemented.

“If it gets to a point where these spots are needed, we will be informing the public of the next steps,” he said.

Hartland Fire Chief and council member Mike Walton said first responders, town staff and emergency measures officials will remain on alert until the storm threat passes.

He said the Hartland fire hall and community centres in Coldstream and Lakeville will serve as shelters and charging stations if required.

All officials stressed the importance of preparations before the storm hits.

All residents should secure their property.

— Bring in furniture and other items that the wind can toss around.

— Seal basement windows and doors.

— Trim and remove damaged trees and blankets

— Clear storm drains and gutters

— Ensure sump pumps are working

The Woodstock website storm stresses the importance of preparing an emergency kit, outlining what is needed. That includes

— 2 litres of water per person per day

— Non-perishable food

— Manual can opener

— Battery or cranked-power radio

— Prescription medications

— Specialty items. E.g., infant formula, pet food, etc.

— First aid kit

— Flashlight

— Candles, matches or a lighter

— Batteries

— Cash (ATMs may not be operational)

— Spare keys

— Copies of your emergency plan

— Copies of important papers like your driver’s license, birth certificate and insurance papers.

The post Hurricane bearing down on New Brunswick first appeared on River Valley Sun.

In an upcoming episode of Theatre New Brunswick’s podcast Behind the Play, Fredericton playwright Len Falkenstein shares the story behind his new play Wood Buffalo which makes its world premiere…

The post Len Falkenstein Makes His TNB Debut with Wood Buffalo appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

A website that used to promote New Brunswick's cybersecurity sector has been repurposed by an anonymous new owner and is now promoting a number of online casinos. 

Crews are battling an overnight fire at a Saint John metal recycling facility.

Three former Progressive Conservative cabinet ministers are bringing a new level of inquisitorial zeal to the New Brunswick Legislature’s public accounts committee.

New Brunswick opposition have accused the government of trying downplay COVID-19 by changing the way it reports on the virus.

N.B. Liquor posted an increase in revenue last year but figures show the improvement was mostly generated by price increases and people dining out, the Crown corporation revealed in its latest annual report.

Saint John’s Bruce Tennant reflects on his years of fair winds and following seas, weathering storms and stemming the tide.

Woodstock provincial court news

1. Arrested and released with conditions

Jacob Alexander Roy, 26, of Windsor, appeared in provincial court in custody on Sept. 12 and was released with conditions. He returns to court for plea on Oct. 10 at 9:30 a.m.

RCMP charged Roy with assault involving a female victim and unlawful confinement concerning an incident on Sept. 11 in Windsor. He was ordered to reside at a residence in Woodstock and must have no contact with the complainant.

2. 45 days in jail or time served

Daniel Jr. Francis, 33, of Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 12 and was sentenced to 45 days in jail or time served after pleading guilty to two charges laid by RCMP. He was also placed on probation for 12 months.

RCMP charged Francis with two counts of uttering threats and resisting arrest following an incident on Aug. 2 at Neqotkuk. He pleaded guilty to the threat charges, and the crown withdrew the third charge. He appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 8 and was remanded to jail after waiving his bail. Francis had a prior criminal record.

The court heard the charges were laid following an argument outside a residence in Neqotkuk. Francis made threats against another man in the community, as well as a police officer. Francis told the court he was now participating in a drug rehabilitation program.

3. Suspended sentence, probation for obstructing police

Brandon Kirk Leach, 26, of Anderson Road, Victoria County, received a suspended sentence and 12 months probation after pleading guilty to one charge laid by RCMP. He was also fined $100.

RCMP charged Leach with obstructing police following an incident on May 19 at Tobique Narrows. The court heard police found him asleep behind the wheel, but he refused to comply with orders to exit his vehicle. Leach had a prior criminal record. The crown withdrew another charge of driving while suspended.

4. Arrest warrant issued

The court issued an arrest warrant for Marc Morin, 24, of Aroostook, after he failed to appear in provincial court on Sept. 12 for plea on two charges laid by RCMP.

Police charged Morin with possession of a stolen snowmobile and obstructing a police officer in connection with an incident on March 6 in Carlingford. 

5. Sentencing set for assault

Cassidy Guest of Perth Andover will appear for sentencing in provincial court on Dec. 12 at 1:30 p.m. after pleading guilty to assault.

Guest was charged with assault, causing bodily harm to another man following an incident on June 21, 2022, at Perth Andover. He appeared for trial on Sept. 11 and changed his plea.

6. Held for bail hearing

Trevor Crain, 49, of Killoween, appeared in provincial court in custody on Sept. 12 after being arrested on a warrant for failing to attend court. He was remanded for a bail hearing on Sept. 14 at 11 a.m.

Crain appeared in provincial court in custody by video on June 21 for a bail hearing. He was released with conditions until his next court appearance on July 11 but then failed to appear.

RCMP charged Crain with breaking and entering a dwelling house, breaching an undertaking on June 15 at Moose Mountain, and committing an assault involving a female victim on June 11 at Killoween. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. They also charged him with theft of gas from the Co-op Country Store in Florenceville-Bristol on Jan. 13.

7. Trial dates set for series of charges

Kelsey Janetta Brooker, 29, of Florenceville-Bristol, appeared in provincial court on Sept. 12 for monitoring and confirmed she would be ready to proceed to trial.

Brooker pleaded not guilty to a series of charges by Woodstock Police and RCMP. Trial dates were set for April 5, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. and April 24, 2024, at 9:30 a.m.

Brooker appeared in provincial court for a bail hearing on April 28 and was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to her ankle.

She was arrested by Woodstock Police and charged with failing to stop for police and breach of a release order for an incident on April 22 in Woodstock. RCMP also charged Brooker with failing to follow a curfew on April 21 in Florenceville-Bristol.

Brooker appeared in provincial court in custody on March 21. She was released with conditions and was scheduled to court for plea on April 25 but was arrested. RCMP charged her with breach of an undertaking by failing to follow a curfew in connection with another incident on March 11 at Florenceville-Bristol.

She was also charged by RCMP with break and enter at a dwelling house, transporting a firearm in a careless manner; possession of a firearm (a rifle) for the purpose of committing an offense; possession of a firearm without a licence; being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a firearm, and committing mischief causing property damage to a door, driveway gate, and security system in connection with an incident on Jan. 26 in Holmesville.

8. Awaiting plea on two charges

Tusha Mae Sawyer, 45, of Carlingford, appeared in provincial court on Sept. 12 for plea on two charges laid by RCMP. The matter was adjourned until Oct. 3 at 9:30 a.m. at the request of her defence counsel.

Sawyer was charged with aggravated assault against another woman and indictable breach of probation in connection with an incident on July 29 at Gladwyn. The court heard she was also subject to a release order on Aug. 3.

9. Florenceville-Bristol woman awaits sentencing

Brandi Bowmaster, 26, of Florenceville-Bristol, will appear for sentencing in provincial court on Nov. 14 at 1:30 p.m. after pleading guilty to theft.

Bowmaster was charged by RCMP with possession of stolen property (a debit card) and theft of money under $5,000 following an incident on Feb. 13 at Florenceville-Bristol. She entered her guilty plea on Aug. 15 and then made a subsequent court appearance on Sept. 12.

10. Returning to court for plea

Hailey Vandijk, 23, of Beardsley Road in Woodstock, will appear in provincial court on Oct. 3 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on two charges laid by RCMP.

Vandijk was charged with break, enter and theft at a garage and committing mischief causing property damage to two vehicles in connection with an incident on May 6 at Holmesville. She appeared in court on Sept. 12 when the matter was adjourned to the new date at the request of her defence counsel.

11. Plea adjourned for Woodstock man

Jonathon Perry Bustard, 44, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 12 to face three charges laid by Woodstock Police. The matter was adjourned for plea until Sept. 14 at 9:30 a.m. at the request of his defence counsel.

Bustard was charged with break and enter at a dwelling house, indictable assault against another man, and breach of a peace bond concerning an incident on July 19 at a residence in Woodstock. He waived his bail at a court appearance on July 27.

12. In custody awaiting plea

Kristopher Joseph McConnell, 31, of Hartland, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 12 for plea on several charges laid by RCMP. The matter was adjourned until Oct. 10 at 11 a.m. at the request of his defence counsel.

McConnell was charged with breach of a release order for an incident on July 15 in Hartland and possession of a stolen utility trailer on Aug. 22 in Greenfield. He also faces charges of criminal harassment and breach of probation on July 23 and breaching an emergency intervention order on June 7. He was also charged with possession of stolen property (an ATV) and breach of probation in connection with an incident on June 26 at Lansdowne.

McConnell appeared in provincial court in custody on June 27 and was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He failed to return to court for plea on July 25, and an arrest warrant was issued. He appeared in court on Aug. 23 for a bail hearing but waived his bail until later.

13. Pair to enter pleas following manhunt

Wyatt DeLong, 28, of Cloverdale, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Aug. 29 for a bail hearing. The hearing was adjourned until later. DeLong returns to court in custody for plea on Sept. 26 at 11:30 a.m.

DeLong was charged with discharging a firearm with intent, flight from police, dangerous driving and breach of probation, in connection with an incident on July 14 at Florenceville-Bristol when shots were allegedly fired at a police officer.

Janis Buchanan, 27, of Perth-Andover, was charged with robbery with violence stemming from an incident on May 29 at Florenceville-Bristol. The alleged theft involved a car, wallet and cell phone.

Buchanan reserved her bail hearing until a later date. She was remanded to jail and returns to court for plea on Sept. 19 at 11 a.m. She made a court appearance on Sept. 12 when the matter was adjourned to the new date.

They were arrested after a manhunt in Victoria County in connection with a series of incidents in the Upper River Valley.

14. Trials scheduled on several charges

James Blair Hovey, 27, of Perth Andover, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 12 for plea on charges laid by RCMP.

He pleaded not guilty to break and enter at a dwelling house and theft, concerning an incident on May 12 at Neqotkuk (Tobique First Nation), and not guilty to failing to attend court on June 13. A trial date was set for Nov. 23 at 9:30 a.m.

At an earlier court appearance, Hovey pleaded not guilty to 12 other charges, including two counts of assault on a female victim, two counts of assault with a weapon (a knife and bear spray), three counts of possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, pointing a firearm at another person, careless use of a firearm, possession of a firearm (a shotgun) without a licence, assault while threatening to use a weapon (a machete), and committing mischief causing property damage to an iPhone, laptop computer, and a flat-screen TV. The incidents occurred at Plaster Rock between Dec. 14 and Dec. 20, 2022, and between Feb. 1 and Feb. 28 of this year. A trial date was set for Nov. 8 at 9:30 a.m.

Hovey appeared in court in custody on July 26 and was denied bail. He appeared in provincial court in custody on June 27 after being arrested on a warrant. He was charged with breach of a release order between June 10 and June 12 in Grand Falls and failing to attend court for plea in Woodstock on June 13.

Hovey appeared in provincial court in custody on May 18 for a bail hearing and was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He appeared in court in custody on May 1 for a bail hearing and was released with conditions but allegedly breached his release order.

15. Woodstock man gets trial date

Jace Maddox Anderson, 18, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court on Sept. 12 to set a date for his trial after pleading not guilty to two charges laid by Woodstock Police.

Anderson was charged with assault and uttering threats in connection with an incident at a Woodstock apartment on May 25. His trial date was set for July 4, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. A monitoring date was also set for Dec. 12 at 9:30 a.m.

16. Thomas awaiting trial, McLean to enter plea

Connell Ross McLean, 27, and Issak Tedford Thomas, 27, of Centreville, remain in custody on charges related to a series of incidents, including a police chase and shots fired.

Thomas appeared in court in custody by video and waived his bail until later. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and returned to court on Aug. 30, when his trial date was set for Jan. 18-19, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. A monitoring date was also set for Dec. 19.

McLean also appeared in court in custody by video on Aug. 23 for his bail hearing. The hearing was adjourned until Sept. 13 at 1:30 p.m. at the request of his defence counsel. McLean did not enter any plea at his court appearance.

They were each charged by RCMP with discharge of a firearm (a rifle) with intent, improper storage of a firearm, possession of a firearm without a licence, being an occupant of a vehicle knowing it carried a firearm, obstructing police, and possession of stolen property (a side-by-side).

Thomas was also charged with possession of a firearm while prohibited and breach of probation. McLean faces additional charges of flight from police, driving while suspended, and assaulting a police officer.

The two men were arrested following a collision between an off-road vehicle and a police cruiser on Route 105 in Lower Brighton, south of Harland, on July 17. The arrests were related to a Monday morning incident in Speerville, south of Woodstock, which included shots fired at a Speerville resident.

The suspects fled Speerville, leading to an hours-long police search and investigation in several communities, including Lakeville, between Centreville and Woodstock, and Lower Brighton.

17. Held in custody for plea

Brandon Schriver, 21, of no fixed address, appeared in provincial court in custody by video for plea on several firearm charges laid by RCMP. The matter was adjourned until Sept. 27 at 1:30 p.m. at the request of his defence counsel.

Schriver appeared in provincial court in custody on Sept. 1 for a bail hearing and was remanded to jail. He was charged by RCMP with assault, possession of a firearm without a licence, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public peace, impaired driving, possession of a firearm while prohibited, possession of a restricted weapon, and breach of probation following an incident on Aug. 30 at Craig’s Flat in Victoria County.

The court heard Schriver was a parolee from federal prison. He was sentenced to two years in prison in January 2022 for a series of thefts across Victoria County.

Woodstock man to enter plea

Tristan Mathias Kelleter, 25, of Woodstock, will appear in provincial court on Oct. 4 at 10 a.m. for plea on two charges by Woodstock Police.

Kelleter was charged with two counts of uttering threats concerning an incident on May 27 near Jacksonville. He appeared in provincial court on Sept. 12 when the matter was adjourned to the new date at the request of his defence counsel.

18. Returning to court for plea

Curtis Brent Hatheway, 43, of Woodstock, will appear in provincial court on Oct. 3 at 9:30 a.m. for plea on charges by Woodstock Police. He appeared in court on Sept. 12 when the matter was adjourned to the new date at the request of his defence counsel.

Hatheway appeared in provincial court in custody by video on July 6 for a bail hearing. He was released with conditions, including house arrest and wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He is residing at a Woodstock apartment.

Hatheway was also ordered to have no contact with the complainant and to attend court as required. Woodstock Police charged him with assault involving a female victim, breach of probation, and breach of a release order stemming from an incident on June 22 in Woodstock.

On June 6, Hatheway was arrested on a warrant and released with conditions. He was charged by Woodstock Police with assault with a weapon (a shovel), assault involving a female victim, breach of a release order, and breach of probation, following another incident on May 9 in Woodstock.

19. Sentencing set for Clearview man

Clay Nicholson, 25, of Clearview, appeared for trial in provincial court on Sept. 8 and changed his plea to guilty on charges laid by RCMP. A sentencing date was set for Sept. 26 at 1:30 p.m.

Nicholson was charged with uttering threats, assault, mischief, and dangerous driving. He changed his plea to guilty to a portion of those charges while the rest will be withdrawn at sentencing.

20. Sentencing set on a raft of charges

Vinal Todd Hatto, 38, of Woodstock, will appear in provincial court in custody by video for sentencing on Oct. 11 at 1:30 p.m. on multiple charges laid by Woodstock Police. His sentencing was first set for Aug. 15 but was adjourned to the new date at the request of his defence counsel.

Hatto was charged with possession of methamphetamine, breach of probation, and two counts of possession of a handgun while prohibited concerning an incident on April 4, 2022, in Woodstock. He pleaded guilty.

Hatto also pleaded guilty to flight from police, dangerous driving, and breach of probation on May 11, 2022; guilty to breach of a release order on Aug. 9, 2022; guilty to breach of an undertaking, breaching curfew, and breach of probation on June 29, 2022; guilty to possession of stolen property (cheques) on June 30, 2022; guilty to breaching curfew on Aug. 4, 2022; and breaching curfew on Aug. 5, 2022.

Other charges of flight from police and assaulting a police officer on May 2, 2022, were withdrawn by the crown. Hatto was denied bail and remanded to jail following his bail hearing in October. He was arrested on a warrant after he failed to appear in provincial court and was taken into custody and charged with breach of a release order. The court heard he is also facing more charges in Fredericton.

21. Trial dates set for Woodstock man

Jesse Adam Shaw, 32, of Woodstock, appeared in provincial court in custody by video on Sept. 12 and pleaded not guilty to all charges laid by Woodstock Police. Trial dates were for Oct. 20 at 9:30 a.m. and Nov. 24 at 9:30 a.m.

Shaw appeared in court in custody on Aug. 31 for a bail hearing and was remanded to jail. Woodstock Police charged him with breach of a release order by violating an order to have no contact with a female victim on June 24-25 in Woodstock.

He appeared in provincial court in custody by video for a bail hearing on June 19 and was released with conditions, including wearing an electronic monitoring device attached to his ankle. He was scheduled to return to court for plea on July 11 but was brought back into custody.

At his previous court appearance, he was charged by Woodstock Police with several offences, including assault, uttering threats, and committing mischief concerning a series of incidents between April 20 and May 8, between May 1 and May 8, and between June 11 and June 14 in Woodstock.

22. Remanded for bail hearing

Steven Frank Powers, 60, of Plaster Rock, appeared in provincial court in custody on Sept. 11. He was remanded for a bail hearing on Sept. 14 at 1:30 p.m.

Powers was charged by RCMP with breach of probation and taken into custody over the weekend.

In August, he was sentenced to 45 days in jail or time served and was released from custody after spending 117 days in remand. He was sentenced after pleading guilty to charges related to an incident in Plaster Rock in April.

The post Arrested and released with conditions first appeared on River Valley Sun.

Special council meeting to address plans for tennis court repairs, new soccer pitch, outdoor running track and more.

With the future of sports and recreation on the agenda, Woodstock council will seek input from the leaders of the Woodstock-based sports organizations.

The town will host a special council meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3, to gain feedback before deciding on several recreation-related issues. 

The town asks leaders to confirm their organization’s attendance at the meeting by notifying the town office by phone at 506-325-4000 or by email at [email protected] before Sept. 22.

Recreation facilities were part of the agenda at the Aug. 29 council meeting, with the poor conditions of the current tennis courts and the feasibility of building a competitive level soccer pitch and running track in the town gaining council’s attention.

A presentation by Western Valley Special Olympics Regional Coordinator Debbi Graham drove home the need for a provincially approved level track and field facility.

Graham explained a rubberized track would open opportunities to host provincial, national and international events.

She explained Special Olympic officials approached the Western Valley Region to host the Summer Special Olympics in Woodstock as early as 2025.

Graham said the region has the facilities to host bowling, basketball, bocce ball, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and gymnastics. However, she explained, it lacks a track and field facility.

She urged the mayor and council to consider building a facility with a rubberized track and turf pitch, which could serve the town and the region.

Graham also suggested the town consider naming the new track after Woodstock resident Patti Connors, Canada’s most decorated Special Olympic athlete.

Mayor Trina Jones and council members recognized the need for a track and field facility, but several questions, including cost, location and funding arrangements, require detailed study.

Jones said the town needs a feasibility study to determine the location and must work with the Western Valley Regional Service Commission to discuss financing what would be a regional asset.

Council passed a motion “to conduct a feasibility study with assistance from the RSC for a turf soccer field with provincial qualifications for a proper running track.”

Council also discussed Woodstock’s McKinley Tennis Courts’ poor conditions.

Jones and council members, including Coun. Julie Calhoun-Williams, acknowledged receiving complaints and inquiries from tennis enthusiasts about the poor state of the courts.

Jones agreed the issue must be addressed, but the cost and method need study. It will be part of the upcoming special meeting.

The mayor noted the town’s lease of an asphalt spreader this summer, suggesting it may provide an economical option to improve the surface of the tennis courts.

Council agreed to consider using the spreader, passing a motion calling for “staff to price and investigate the costs of asphalt for the tennis courts to do a top coat and also the price to do a full tear out.”

Council also addressed the future use and cost surrounding the tennis courts and other racquet sports.

It passed a motion stating, “for staff to work with all racquet clubs to determine the use of the courts and fee structures to be submitted back to Council along with recommendations.”

The post Woodstock to study future recreation needs and financial options first appeared on River Valley Sun.

With Hurricane Lee setting a course for New Brunswick this weekend, some residents have already started preparing for heavy rain, high winds and potential storm surge.

A McAdam man who was the victim of a vigilante beating has been sentenced to six months in jail for sexual assault.

A Saint John strike is delaying garbage collection in the city even though garbage collection workers are not the ones on strike.

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Warning: This story features graphic descriptions of sexual assault.

A Chipman man will learn later next month if he’ll end up behind bars or be allowed to serve time at home for just assuming the woman he had sex with in 2021 was OK with it.

Fredericton provincial court Judge Lucie Mathurin found Brayden Paczay, 23, of Red bank Drive in Chipman, guilty in June of an indictable count of sexual assault that occurred two years ago.

At trial, court heard Paczay quietly slipped into a female friend’s bedroom at her family home July 28, 2021, touched her sexually, penetrating her vagina with his fingers, and then got on top of her in her bed and had intercourse with her.

There’s a court-ordered publication ban protecting the woman’s identity.

She testified she never consented to the contact, never said anything to suggest it and specifically told Paczay “it wasn’t a good idea.”

When he violated her with his fingers, the woman said, she froze.

In her decision, Mathurin said Paczay essentially admitted there had been no communication regarding consent, as he testified “he just assumed” the victim was into the sex.

The offender was back before the judge Tuesday for his sentencing hearing.

Crown prosecutor Nina Johnsen said case law indicates Paczay’s crime was a significant one on the scale of such offences, given the vagina penetration with his penis.

“This would be considered a major sexual assault,” she said.

Paczay hasn’t taken responsibility for his crime, the prosecutor said, pointing to his pre-sentence report interview in which he still maintains his innocence.

The victim has sustained a clear psychological trauma, Johnsen said, noting “a penetrative sexual assault” represents a grave instance of violence.

Furthermore, she argued, such crimes affects the community at large, instilling fear in women that it could happen to them.

While Paczay has no prior criminal history, Johnsen recommended a sentence of three years in prison, with mandatory ancillary orders including a weapons ban for 10 years, a 20-year sex-offender registration order and a requirement to submit a DNA sample.

‘He’s never been in trouble with the law before’

Defence lawyer Robert Digdon countered that given his client’s clean record and good character, a conditional sentence, to be served in the community, would be the appropriate sentence.

He said Paczay is a youthful offender, and in such cases, sentencing judges have been directed to focus on rehabilitation as opposed to denunciation of the crime or general deterrence.

The defence lawyer noted the law calls on judges to refrain from incarceration if less restrictive penalties can still promote respect for the law and the need to deter people from such crimes.

“He’s never been in trouble with the law before,” Digdon said of Paczay, noting his client has been deterred.

The offender has learned from the experience, he said, and will always ask for overt consent in all future encounters.

Digdon filed 10 letters of character reference with the court, arguing his client has an unusually strong work ethic and respect for others that might not be typical of a man of his young age.

“He has a positive attitude towards people in general,” the defence counsel said. “He’s a person of great sincerity.”

Digdon noted that a defendant’s decision to maintain his innocence even after a guilty finding isn’t an aggravating factor and is his right.

“On that note, your honour, Mr. Paczay apologizes to [the victim],” he said, adding his client now acknowledges he could have taken additional steps to ascertain if the young woman wanted to go ahead with the sexual encounter.

He has strong community and family support, Digdon said, and he’s working two jobs to meet his financial commitments.

Digdon said Paczay had been drinking the day of the offence and his judgment may have been impaired.

A conditional sentence would limit Paczay’s freedom in the community, the defence lawyer argued, and would send the right message that such crimes won’t be tolerated.

“I would suggest that he is not a danger to the public,” Digdon said.

He noted the offender has been subject to the conditions of a police undertaking since October 2021 and hasn’t violated any of those conditions since that time. That’s a sign Paczay would also comply with the terms of a conditional sentence, the defence counsel argued.

A court can only consider a conditional sentence as an alternative to incarceration if the total term would be less than two years.

“I’m deeply sorry, your honour,” Paczay told the court Tuesday.

Mathurin said she needed time to consider the Crown and defence arguments and to review the precedents submitted in support of their positions.

She reserved her decision on sentence to Oct. 30 and ordered Paczay to return to court at that time.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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Elm City String Quartet have announced seven concert tours for the upcoming 2023-2024 season beginning later this month.  Matt Carter Fredericton’s Elm City String Quartet have announced plans for its…

The post Elm City String Quartet Announce New Season appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

Canadian folk singer Valdy will be back on the East Coast this fall for a series of dates throughout the Maritimes beginning on September 20 at the Charlotte Street Arts…

The post Valdy Touring East Coast This Fall appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

Juno Award winning songwriter William Prince will bring his Stand in The Joy Canadian Tour 2024 to the east coast early next year.  Released in April on Six Shooter Records,…

The post William Prince Announces Return to the Maritimes appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

Pabineau First Nation is in the middle of a large-scale development it hopes will eventually bring in millions of dollars per year and fund new housing, roads and services. The tiny Mi’kmaw community near Bathurst recently opened a large gas station, is building a five-store retail complex and has plans in the works for a hotel and conference center.

Some residents of a public housing building in Saint John are frustrated by a lack of fresh air in their apartments, and the length of time taking to fix the problem.

A former construction supervisor has been sentenced to three years in prison for criminal negligence causing the death of an 18-year-old employee at a Fredericton job site in August 2018.

Hurricane’s remnants force organizers to revamp weekend’s Canterbury Days schedule

The remnants of Hurricane Lee will deliver wind and rain to Carleton County and western New Brunswick on Saturday, Sept. 16. But how much of either remains unknown.

“We are anticipating it to affect Woodstock and western New Brunswick,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Jill Maepea, but added “uncertainty’ remains about the level of impact.

She said forecasters are confident Lee will weaken significantly as it tracks into the colder waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, but its size and impact area will grow dramatically.

Maepae said almost all weather models forecast a direct hit across Atlantic Canada, but the level of impact remains elusive.

She said the Woodstock and Carleton County region should prepare for heavy rain on Saturday and potential wind gusts as high as 80 km/hr. She noted current forecasts indicate New Brunswick’s most profound impact occurring east of Woodstock.

Regardless of its strength, Lee projects to be an unwanted guest to planned Canterbury Days activities on Saturday.

Lakeland Ridges Mayor Tanya Cloutier said Saturday’s pending bad weather forced festival organizers to cancel some events and move others ahead to Friday evening.

While disappointed to lose Saturday’s celebration, Cloutier still expects a fantastic Friday evening, Sept. 15. 

She said vendors planning to attend Saturday’s market are welcome to set up booths around the evening’s other events on Friday.

“The parade Saturday is cancelled, but we are working on a plan for something possibly for Friday evening as well,” said Cloutier. “This is truly disappointing as so much work goes into these events, but Friday night is going to be amazing.”

Cloutier said one Saturday event remains.

The Canadian Champion of Magic, Nathaniel Rankin, will perform Saturday evening from 6 to 8 at the Canterbury Community Centre.

Friday’s revamped lineup at the community centre, starting at 6 p.m., includes a corn boil, axe throwing for adults and children, a petting zone, line dancing a bonfire, and live music by Jason Shaw, Trevor Lawson, Tasha Doherty and Tanya Cloutier.

Weather permitting, the musicians will break around 9:30 for a fireworks show.

Cloutier said Canterbury Days organizers will monitor the weather forecasts to determine if more changes are needed.

Maepae acknowledged the forecasts could change as storms like Hurricane Lee become hard to predict.

She advised residents to hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

“I’d rather be prepared,” she said.

While Environment Canada will issue advisories in the next couple of days, Maepae said a weather warning, if needed, probably won’t happen until at least Friday.

While Lee will not come close to the ferocity of Fiona last year, Maepae said even the projected wind speeds of up to 80 km/hr could cause power failures or topple trees.

She noted New Brunswick trees are still in “full foliage” this time of year, making them more susceptible to the wind.

Maepae said Environment Canada is tracking Lee and all other potential weather events on an ongoing basis. 

The post Preparing for Lee’s impact first appeared on River Valley Sun.

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A Central Hainesville man who turned a blind eye to his responsibility for safety protocols on a worksite five years ago, causing a teenager’s death, has been sentenced to three years in prison.

Court of King’s Bench Justice Thomas Christie rendered his decision Tuesday afternoon on sentencing for Jason Andrew King, 46, of Crabbe Mountain Road.

The judge found King guilty after trial of criminal negligence causing the death of Michael Anthony Henderson, 18, of Fredericton, on Aug, 16, 2018.

Henderson was clearing debris in an enclosed hole at the Barker Street Wastewater Treatment Plant around lunchtime that day when an inflatable rubber plug holding back water from the hole came loose.

Henderson was pinned by the plug and the water pressure, and he drowned as a result.

The main courtroom at the Burton Courthouse was nearly packed Tuesday afternoon to learn of King’s fate, almost as much as it was Monday for Crown and defence submissions on sentencing.

During a sentencing hearing Monday, prosecutor Christopher Lavigne argued for a 3½-year prison term, while defence counsel Patrick Hurley asked the court to consider a conditional sentence, to be served in the community subject to conditions such as house arrest or a curfew. 

Christie said Tuesday what was apparent from the case was how the tragedy reverberated throughout so many lives.

“Michael Henderson was loved. He touched many in his family,” the judge said, noting the victim had a large circle of friends as well.

“His journey ended in the most tragic of ways.”

The depth of the pain and grief Henderson’s family members are experiencing can’t be expressed into words, Christie said.

Charges of criminal negligence causing death inherently stem from action or inaction that “shows a wanton or reckless disregard for the safety and lives of others,” he said.

King, as the site supervisor at the treatment plant, admitted when testifying in his own defence that he did nothing to inform himself of his responsibilities for the safety of those working under him.

“As a supervisor, there were certain legislated duties on Mr. King,” Christie said Tuesday, but he didn’t avail himself of the safety manuals available or give any real consideration for work safety.

“He had essentially done nothing,” the judge said.

King told WorkSafeNB officials after the accident that he knew Henderson was likely in the hole when he was making preparations for a water-flow test in that location, Christie said, and he told them his safety plan in case something went awry was to have someone pull Henderson out.

“This plan was no plan at all,” the judge said.

However, he accepted King’s expression of remorse in his pre-sentence report and directly to the court Monday.

Court heard King wants to get the case behind him as it’s been a weight that’s been bearing down on him for too long.

In arguing for a prison term of 42 months, the prosecution pointed to a Toronto case in which a construction supervisor was sentenced to the same sentence for four work deaths in a scaffolding collapse.

But Christie said he didn’t find the two cases to be as analogous as the Crown had suggested.

Conversely, the judge was opposed to the defence’s quest for a community-based sentence. The law notes that a conditional sentence can only be granted if the expected term of incarceration is under a two-year benchmark.

“In my view, the circumstances of this case do not lend themselves to a term of incarceration of less than two years,” Christie said.

Furthermore, the law says a conditional sentence would be available only if it wouldn’t be contrary to the sentencing principles of denunciation of a crime and deterrence, he said, and that wasn’t the case here.

He agreed with the Crown’s contention that King’s prior conviction for a 2006 manslaughter was indicative of a lack of regard for others’ well-being.

Two people are now dead because of King’s actions, the judge said.

The defence had argued King’s moral blameworthiness for Henderson’s death was reduced by his employer’s failure to train him on safety requirements and duties, Christie said, but he wasn’t sure that was so.

Weighing all of the factors, the judge sentenced King to three years in prison, slightly under the sentence the Crown sought.

As a deputy sheriff led King from the courtroom through a side door for those in custody, the courtroom fell silent. There were no outbursts, instead only a quiet sadness that seemed to blanket members of Henderson’s family and those attending to support King.

The Fredericton Police Force also charged Springhill Construction Ltd. with criminal negligence causing Henderson’s death. The Fredericton firm had the contract for the municipal construction job at the treatment plant five years ago. 

The company’s Court of King’s Bench trial is slated for January.

King was working for Springhill at the time of the fatal incident, but he was fired shortly afterward.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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The Fredericton Police Force is turning to the public for tips on the identity of a suspect who fled the scene of an accident Sunday, releasing a photo of the individual.

“On Sept. 10, 2023, at approximately 2:51 p.m., the Fredericton Police Force responded to a hit-and-run collision at the intersection of Pine and Union on the city's north side involving a vehicle and a red 2014 Honda CRF 250 dirt bike, bearing plate number XY0386,” the force said in a news release. 

“The driver of the dirt bike, believed to be male, failed to remain at the scene of the accident and fled on foot using the nearby trail system.”

It said the dirt-bike rider may have kept his helmet on as he ran or may have removed it at some point.

The release indicated investigators think it’s likely members of the public may have seen the suspect in the area and might know where the suspect went.

The police force is asking the rider to come forward on his own initiative.

“The Fredericton Police Force would like to remind the public that failure to remain at the scene of an accident can constitute a criminal offence,” the release said.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the police force by calling 506-460-2300 or e-mailing [email protected].

Those wishing to remain anonymous are directed to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Tipsters are asked to cite file no. 23-22653 when providing information.

The Fredericton Independent can be reached by email here.

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Theatre New Brunswick will host a 3 week workshop for actors, directors and those who are curious about rehearsing a play at a professional level in October. Scene Study is…

The post Theatre Workshop: Scene Study appeared first on Grid City Magazine.

New respiratory report for New Brunswick includes updates on COVID-19 and influenza, new definitions for COVID deaths and hospitalizations, only seasonal vaccination data and a section dedicated to nursing home outbreaks.

RCMP post photo of stolen side-by-side

Off-road vehicles, such as side-by-sides and ATVs, are a tempting target for thieves throughout the Upper River Valley.

On Sept. 12, the Saint-Léonard RCMP posted a photo of a side-by-side stolen from Four Falls in August.

The RCMP asks for the public’s help locating a stolen machine.

Police believe the theft occurred at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 24 from a residence on No.1 Old Route 2 in Four Falls.

They described the side-by-side as a black 2014 Polaris Ranger RZR with the vehicle identification number 4XAVH7EA3EB195894.

Police ask anyone who has seen the side-by-side since Aug. 24 or has information that could help further the investigation to contact the Saint-Léonard RCMP at 506-473-3137.

People can also provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), downloading the secure P3 Mobile App, or by Secure Web Tips at www.crimenb.ca.

The post Thieves grab ORV in Four Falls first appeared on River Valley Sun.

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A convicted sex offender admitted Tuesday he didn’t keep authorities advised of where he was living as required by a court order, and that he failed to attend court previously on that charge.

Mark Douglas Harnish, 25, of Route 101 in Nasonworth, appeared briefly in Fredericton provincial court Tuesday with defence lawyer Edwrd Derrah to answer to two charges.

He was convicted after trial in 2019 for sexually assaulting a woman in 2017, and it was that conviction that led the court to impose an order on him under the Sex Offender Information Registration Act (SOIRA).

Harnish pleaded guilty Tuesday to breaching that order Feb. 28, 2022, but failing to report in person to the registration centre to update it on where he was residing.

He also admitted to a court of failing to attend court May 24 to answer to that SOIRA violation.

At the defence’s request, Judge Lucie Mathurin ordered the preparation of a pre-sentence report at the time of sentencing, which she set for Dec. 4.

Harnish was previously arrested and detained after his no-show in court, but he was later released on conditions. He remains free on those same conditions pending sentencing.

The offender also has a prior conviction for violating the SOIRA order. He was charged with failing to report to the registration centre between April and June 2000, and he was sentenced to a brief stint in jail for that offence.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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A man who fatally shot his friend in the head two years ago for reasons that remain unclear will become eligible for parole in just under 11 years, a Moncton judge has ruled. 

About 140 city workers in Saint John went on strike Tuesday after giving the city a final warning and not hearing back about a better wage offer.

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A Fredericton man accused of online communication with a minor for a sexual purpose denied the allegations Tuesday, but he finds himself without a lawyer to represent him at trial.

Lance Thomas Sappier, 29, of Saunders Street, was charged earlier this year with three counts alleging sex-related offences, and the case had been adjourned several times so he could retain counsel.

He was back in Fredericton provincial court Tuesday to answer to those charges: that he communicated with a person he believed to be under 16 for the purpose of committing a sex offence, that he invited that minor to touch themselves for a sexual purpose with a hairbrush, and that he expose his genitals to that minor.

The charges allege events in Fredericton between Dec. 27, 2015, and Dec. 26, 2018.

Court heard Sappier had applied for legal aid but was denied, and duty counsel Michael Mallory said Sappier is considering filing a Rowbotham application with the court.

A Rowbotham application - named for the precedent that established the procedure - is one in which a defendant asks a court to order the province to pay for defence counsel in the event one is denied legal aid or is unable to otherwise retain a lawyer.

Nevertheless, Sappier elected Tuesday to be tried in provincial court and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Crown prosecutor Rebekah Logan said she estimates the trial would take two days.

Judge Lucie Mathurin set the matter over to Sept. 28 for a case-management conference and to set a trial date.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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After a public hearing that lasted nearly three hours, Fredericton city council delayed voting Monday night on the rezoning needed for a controversial Fredericton housing development.

Young couple from Seoul has opened a Fredericton café with a fusion of French and Korean recipes.

New Brunswickers as young as 12 will now be able to hunt for bear and deer in the province.

New figures show there was a surge in deaths from heart failure, lung disease and strokes in New Brunswick in 2021, as deaths from COVID-19 were also multiplying.  

People in Fredericton are mourning the loss of Fred Nowlan, who was killed Saturday after he and a truck collided at a downtown corner. He was well known for riding around the city collecting bottles.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association is asking for an expedited hearing as the New Brunswick Education Department and district education councils continue to clash over the new gender-identity policy.

Lawyers made recommendations Monday as to the kind of sentence Jason King should receive for causing the death of 18-year-old Michael Henderson on a construction site in Fredericton five years ago.

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The province’s anglophone health authority is facing workplace safety charges alleging it put workers at risk of exposure to asbestos at Fredericton’s hospital for five years.

WorkSafeNB laid four charges in Fredericton provincial court Aug. 28 against Regional Health Authority B, better known as the Horizon Health Network, all alleging violations of the provincial Occupational Health and Safety Act’s provisions governing asbestos exposure.

The four counts allege as follows:

• that Horizon failed to adopt the code of practice entitled "A Code of Practice for Working with Materials Containing Asbestos in New Brunswick;”

• that it failed to acquaint an employee with the hazard inherent in handling asbestos;

• that if failed to provide the information needed to ensure health and safety by failing to inform workers of the presence of asbestos in a workplace;

• and that it didn’t take reasonable precautions to protect employees’ health and safety by failing to identify the presence of asbestos in the workplace.

The charges allege infractions over a period of almost five years - from Nov. 7, 2017, to June 30, 2022.

While the information filed with the court doesn’t refer to the specific facility at which the violations are alleged to have occurred, Laragh Dooley, WorkSafeNB’s executive director of corporate communications, told the Fredericton Independent the charges stem from conditions at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital. 

“Patients, visitors and health-care workers need not worry as it was contained in an area inaccessible to the general public and most employees,” she wrote in an email. 

“The investigation uncovered that potential exposure to asbestos occurred with employees working in the interstitial space (area between floors).”

Dooley said the maximum penalty for such a violation under the Occupational Health and Safety Act is a fine of $250,000, adding that the biggest such fine levied to date in New Brunswick was $200,000.

The Fredericton Independent inquired with Horizon if it had retained legal counsel, how it planned to plead to the charges, if any employees had fallen ill due to the alleged asbestos exposure, and if steps had been taken to remove the material or mitigate the risk.

“We’ll be declining comment where this is now before the courts,” Horizon spokesperson Kris McDavid wrote in an email Monday.

The health authority is slated to make its first appearance on the charges in Fredericton provincial court Sept. 18.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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A teenager’s death at a construction site five years ago could cost the site foreman his freedom, but the victim’s family spoke Monday of the far greater cost to them.

Jason Andrew King, 44, of Crabbe Mountain Rd in Central Hainesville, was back in the Court of King’s Bench at the Burton Courthouse on Monday for his sentencing hearing.

Justice Thomas Christie found him guilty after trial earlier this year of criminal negligence causing the death of Michael Anthony Henderson on Aug. 16, 2018.

After hearing submissions Monday, the judge reserved his decision on sentence to Tuesday afternoon.

Henderson, 18, died Aug. 16, 2018, in an accident at a construction project at the City of Fredericton’s Barker Street Wastewater Treatment Plant.

He was working to clear debris at the bottom of an eight-foot hole when a large pneumatic plug holding back water flow from the hole gave way, pinning the young man and drowning him.

Springhill Construction Ltd. was handling the construction project, and King was Henderson’s supervisor on site at the time and was responsible for site safety.

Christie, in rendering his decision on trial in June, noted King knew Henderson was going to be in the hole and had arranged for water to flow ahead of a planned leak test.

As the site supervisor, King - whose employment with Springhill ended after the fatal accident - was responsible for site safety.

However, the judge noted King’s own evidence showed he’d read none of the site safety manuals.

“He testified he is not a reader,” Christie said.

King also testified Springhill had offered him no safety training.

The judge found the meagre safety precautions King put in place fell far short of any kind of reasonable plan.

An unimaginable sorrow

The court received 13 victim-impact statements from Michael Henderson’s family and friends, most of which were read aloud Monday.

The most dramatic and powerful of those statements came from the victim’s mother, Diane Henderson, and his older brother, Eric Henderson, both of which Diane Henderson read aloud in the main courtroom at the Burton Courthouse.

Diane Henderson said she was in Ontario with her partner visiting her mother when she got the call from Eric about what was happening. That call was followed by a second one a short time later from the hospital, with Eric “telling me Michael didn’t make it.”

After a desperate and tortured flight home to Fredericton, she said, she had to endure a new horror: being unable to touch her baby boy to say good-bye.

Because Michael’s body was slated to undergo an autopsy, she could only view him through a window at the hospital on a table, with tubes coming out of him. She couldn’t hold his hand, she said, or kiss his head.

Michael’s death shattered the bedrock of the family, many of the victims reported.

Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and even the victim’s best friend from childhood all conveyed how losing him has changed their lives forever and cast a pall over the family that never seems to lift.

As indicated in testimony at trial, Eric was working on the same jobsite as Michael when the latter brother drowned and died, and it was him who jumped into the hole in a desperate bid to save Michael. 

Eric wasn’t present for Monday’s proceedings, but his mother read his victim-impact statement to the court.

“I lost my brother at work right in front of my eyes,” Eric wrote.

“I tried to save him but couldn’t … I tried to pull him out but I couldn’t. I tried to pull on his hands as they turned blue.”

One son lost, another on the brink

Eight years Michael’s senior, Eric told the court he now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and is wracked by survivor’s guilt.

“I felt as though I should’ve been the one who died,” his mother said tearfully, reading her first-born’s words.

As a result of that trauma, Eric wrote, he couldn’t work anymore and turned to drugs and alcohol in an effort to push the pain aside.

Diane Henderson said Eric was so changed by Michael’s death, it was like both of her sons died that day.

“I was grieving the loss of both of my boys,” she said.

“Eric went down a dark path after that day, and it lasted several years.”

Diane said she’d drive around the city looking for Eric, and often would find his car at the cemetery. 

He ran afoul of the law, court heard, but finally managed to get help through rehab and counselling.

“I’ve been clean for 1½ years now,” he wrote.

Eric is now 30 years old, retraining for a new career because he can’t work in construction anymore.

“I could’ve been a journeyman carpenter by now,” he wrote.

Water is now a trigger for Eric, court heard, as he experiences flashbacks just by trying to take a shower and can’t even go to the beach anymore, something to which he looked forward in the past.

He’s haunted by having to be the one to call his mother to tell her his younger brother was drowning in a hole in the ground.

“My brother was pinned and drowned due to someone else’s negligence,” Eric wrote.

“I always have a sense of being lost without him.”

Diane Henderson said in the wake of Michael’s death, she received his new driver’s licence in the mail. She had to cancel his car insurance and go to the bank to close his account.

“I felt I was erasing my son’s existence from ever being here,” she said.

Diane said she’s had to leave a job because of her ongoing grief and now has panic attacks.

There have been times she couldn’t answer the phone when Eric would call because it would take her back to the moment she learned of losing Michael.

“I’ve lost confidence, self-worth, trust and energy … This journey has been a living hell for all of us,” she said.

“I have nothing left to give. I still struggle to get out of bed every day, but I do because I have bills to pay.”

Diane said people told her she’d start to feel better after a year or so

“It’s now the fifth year, and nothing has gotten easier,” she said.

“I apologize to Michael every day for what’s happened to him … The fear he must’ve felt. I wasn’t there to protect him like a mother should.”

Advocating for change

Several family members lamented lax workplace safety and called for reform.

Bessie Wilhelm, Michael’s paternal grandmother said the system needs to do better to ensure workers’ safety. She noted those new to the workforce such as her grandson are especially vulnerable because they’re “woefully unprepared” on safety issues.

Workers also need to feel empowered to advocate for themselves to ensure safety on the job, Wilhelm said, noting it’s a shared responsibility of all.

“We must never leave our safety [solely] to others,” she said.

People need to work together to prevent tragedies such as the one that took her grandson from her.

“We don’t always learn from experience, but rather the aftermath,” Wilhelm said.

“This workplace tragedy should never have happened,” Diane Henderson said.

Christie said the call to action on the issue of worker safety must be heard, but he added there’s little the court can do about it in the context of such a sentencing hearing.

Prison recommendation

Crown prosecutor Christopher Lavigne said a key aggravating factor in King’s case is his prior criminal record, which includes a conviction for manslaughter committed in 2006. That demonstrates a disregard for human life, he argued, noting while he was released from prison early for that offence, he was still subject to certain conditions as part of the sentence up to 2017, just a year before Henderson’s death.

Christie said the Crown’s hurdle there would appear to be the fact that manslaughter arises from an overt act intended to inflict harm, whereas in the case before him, King’s crime stemmed from doing nothing to address safety on the jobsite.

“Does that distinction matter?” the judge asked the prosecutor.

The lack of concern for a person’s well-being is the common denominator between the two crimes, Lavigne argued.

He said the crime called for a 3½-year prison sentence, and pointed to a key precedent: R v. Kazenelson, stemming from a 2009 tragedy in which four men were killed when a construction scaffolding in Toronto collapsed.

The site supervisor in that case was charged with four counts of criminal negligence causing death and was convicted after trial, as he was aware of the precarious nature of the scaffolding in question and the fact there weren’t enough safety harnesses on site for the workers.

While the Toronto case was more serious in that more people died as a result of his negligence, the prosecutor said, the offender in that case had absolutely no prior criminal history.

While King’s negligence may have only cost one life, he said, his criminal history brought his crime up to the same level of the four deaths in Toronto.

The facts of the two cases are similar, Lavigne said, in that they involved site supervisors on construction sites. He argued the similarities brought the parity principle into play, which dictates that similar sentences should be imposed for similar offenders in similar circumstances.

Request for community-based sentence

Defence lawyer Patrick Hurley took issue with the Crown’s contention that the Kazenelson case established a guideline for sentencing for deaths on construction sites. He cited an Ontario Court of Appeal case that spoke of the wide range of sentences available in criminal-negligence cases.

Hurley said that case also noted non-custodial sentences are available in all negligence crimes, even ones involving death, and that even a suspended sentence with probation is an option.

However, the defence lawyer conceded a suspended sentence wasn’t appropriate in King’s case. Instead, he asked the court to impose a conditional sentence to be served in the community, subject to house arrest and/or a curfew.

Courts have recognized conditional sentences are punitive terms, even if the public in general takes issue with them, Hurley said.

Christie pointed out that conditional sentences are only available in certain cases.

“This is all premised on a sentence of less than two years,” he said, referring to the law that condition sentences can only be granted if the expected term of incarceration would have been less than two years, which is within the range of provincial jail terms as opposed to federal prison sentences.

Hurley said his client’s case is distinguishable in a number of ways, and not just with regard to the number of victims.

He said the facts showed Kazenelson was well aware of the risks to workers on the scaffolding, where King testified he had no idea what his obligations were in terms of site safety.

Knowing the risk and taking a chance is more serious, he said, and that’s not what his client did.

A 3½-year prison term “is not the appropriate measuring stick,” Hurley said.

As for King’s manslaughter sentence, Hurley argued it wasn’t a factor for the court to consider since it was such a radically different matter. The two crimes aren’t analogous at all, he said.

“In a case of criminal negligence… there’s no intention,” he said. “That changes the context of this case.”

In arguing for the lesser sentence, the defence lawyer pointed out his client was in over his head from the start when he took on the job as site supervisor.

“He arrived on a site where they’re already pushing to get the job done,” Hurley said.

“Remember, he was a journeyman carpenter up until he became supervisor.”

King wasn’t ready for the job, the defence lawyer said, but his father had been a construction supervisor and he wanted to make his father proud.

Pain ‘on both sides’

Hurley also noted his client has also suffered as a result of his negligence. He lost his job, and he’s experienced negative effects to his mental health as well, which cost him his romantic relationship.

King has severe depression and anxiety, Hurley said, and he’s self-isolated from family.

His client hasn’t had counselling for these issues, he said, because he grew up in a family that taught him to bottle up his feelings.

King’s sentence shouldn’t be the tool used to whip the entire construction industry into shape in terms of safety, he said.

“There may be other ways of sending that message,” Hurley said. “Sometimes the conviction itself sends that message.”

King spoke briefly at the conclusion of Monday’s proceedings. He acknowledged the pain Henderson’s family is going through, but suggested they’re not alone.

“I understand that this matter has caused a lot of pain and suffering for both sides of the courtroom,” he said.

The judge ordered King, who has been free in the community without conditions since the incident five years ago, to return to court Tuesday afternoon to learn what his sentence will be.

Springhill Construction Ltd. also faces a charge of criminal negligence causing Henderson’s death, and its King’s Bench trial is scheduled for January.

The company’s defence counsel, Clarence Bennett, was among the many people who attended Monday’s proceedings.

Also on hand for the sentencing hearing were representatives of WorkSafeNB.

The case originally developed as Occupational Health and Safety Act charges against King, Springhill and the City of Fredericton, filed by WorkSafeNB, but those counts were later withdrawn.

In their place, the Fredericton Police Force filed the criminal-negligence charges against King and the construction company, but not the municipality.

Don MacPherson can be contacted at [email protected].

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The Mounties have released a sketch of a man police believe tried to abduct a child earlier this month in a small community about 15 kilometres north of Perth Andover.

The Western Valley region detachment of the RCMP issued a news release Sept. 5 detailing a serious incident reported the day before in Tilley, N.B. 

“On September 4, 2023, at approximately 9:40 a.m., members of the Western Valley Region RCMP responded to a report of a man who had approached a child and tried to get them into his vehicle on Walker Road in Tilley, N.B.,” the force said in a news release Tuesday afternoon.

“The child fought the man and ran to a neighbouring house. The man left the scene before police arrived.”

Tilley is located about a two-hour drive northwest of Fredericton, and about an hour north of Woodstock.

The RCMP had sought information from the public about the incident and the unidentified suspect, and its investigation has been ongoing.

The force renewed its call for tips Monday, releasing a sketch of the suspect in the case.

“Police have now obtained a composite sketch of the individual and are hoping that the sketch may help identify him,” the RCMP said in a post on social media.

In the original release, police described the male suspect as being heavy-set, standing about 5’5” to 5’8” tall (165-173 centimetres), with black hair, short in the front and longer in the back.

It also noted the suspect was in a white vehicle in the Walker Road area of Tilley believed to have been in the area between 9 a.m. and noon Sept. 4.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Western Valley detachment at 506-423-8719 or to provide tips anonymously 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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