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Crime

Teen arrested in school incident

FREDERICTON - A 13-year-old boy is facing at least one charge after an incident earlier this week at Nashwaaksis Middle School. Fredericton police were called to the school after receiving a call of a possible threat. A knife was later found in a locker. Police said the teen was arrested and later released on a promise to appear in court at a later date. No one was hurt in the incident.

Justice

Woman pleads guilty in senior's death

MONCTON - A 31-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact to manslaughter in the death of an elderly man in a Moncton hotel three months ago. Becky Ophelia Nicholas entered the plea this week in Court of Queen's Bench. She will be sentenced Dec. 16. The charge against Nicholas was amended a day after Norman Robert Gratton, 46, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the death of Durward Jardine of Blackville. The body of the 76-year-old Jardine was found in a room at the Colonial Inn in Moncton on Aug. 18. Gratton was originally charged with murder but pleaded guilty to the reduced charge.

Health

Medical program interviews set

SAINT JOHN - There has been a strong response to the "early-bird" interviews for applicants to the Dalhousie medical program, which included applicants for the first pioneer class of Dalhousie Medicine New Brunswick. The first interviews done by Dalhousie University outside of Halifax will be held on Saturday in Saint John. A total of 96 potential students, who applied by Oct. 14, 2009, will be interviewed at this session. The second round of interviews will be held Feb. 13 - 14, 2010 in Halifax.

Awards

Eight individuals, groups honoured

FREDERICTON - Eight New Brunswick individuals and organizations received Community Star Awards today for their efforts to prevent substance abuse in their communities. The recipients are: Angee Acquin of St. Mary's First Nation; Donat Paulin of Campbellton; Dalton Francis of Eel Ground First Nation; Marie Kryszko of Big River; Audrey Laurent of Au Lac; Opération Nez Rouge - Acadian Peninsula; PASAGE Saint John Inc., of Saint John - Preventing Addiction Substance Abuse and Gambling Education; and Michel Thériault of Grand Falls. The awards are given out by the province as part of Addiction Awareness Week, Nov. 16-21.

Government

New heritage act introduced

FREDERICTON - An act replacing two existing, outdated acts was introduced in the legislature on Wednesday by Minister of Wellness, Culture and Sport Hédard Albert. The Heritage Conservation Act will replace the Historic Sites Protection Act and the Municipal Heritage Preservation Act. The new act will incorporate the concepts of heritage under one statute that will be applicable at provincial and local government levels.

Politics

Federal Green deputy in Moncton

OTTAWA - The federal Green Party's deputy leader will be in Moncton Saturday on a grassroots national training tour for candidates and party officials. Adriane Carr is the candidate for Vancouver Centre. She'll be at a meet-and-greet with Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe candidate Steven Steeves on Saturday night. The party has opened nominations and is seeking New Brunswick candidates.

Justice

N.B. company to appear in N.S. court

AMHERST, N.S. - A New Brunswick company has a court appearance in Nova Scotia later this month on charges under the Environment Act. The charge deals with a roadside spraying program in Cumberland County. Highland Vegetation Management of Rothesay is accused of violating the terms or conditions of its approval to conduct spraying operations.

Demographics

Province short of population target

FREDERICTON - New Brunswick is about 1,500 people short of meeting a population growth target for next year. But Victor Boudreau, the minister responsible for the Population Growth Secretariat, believes the goal can be attained. The two-year target to increase the population by 6,000 people by 2010 was set in April 2007. This year's population reports from July to December have yet to be counted. Boudreau says at the end of the day if they're a few short the trend is still in the right direction.

Education

Microsoft honours teachers, school

FREDERICTON - Three New Brunswick teachers and a school have been recognized internationally for their innovative classroom use of technology to improve student learning. The three teachers were among more than 250 from around the world honoured earlier this month at Microsoft's Innovative Education Forum in Brazil. The teachers are: George Daley, Bathurst Learning Centre, Bathurst; Geneviève Doucet, Carrefour de l'Acadie, Dieppe; and Cline Gideon, Sugarloaf Senior High School, Campbellton. École Régionale-de-Saint-André was one of 30 schools worldwide to be named a Microsoft Pathfinder School.

Agreement

Province, Red Cross sign services pact

FREDERICTON - The New Brunswick government and the Canadian Red Cross signed a memorandum of understanding on the role of the Red Cross in disaster management and other humanitarian programs and services. The MOU, the first provincial agreement of its kind in Canada, outlines the unique "auxiliary" designation of the Canadian Red Cross in supporting the province's emergency management agencies, preparedness and capacity-building for health-related emergencies, as well as educational initiatives and community programs.

Labour

Minimum wage on par by 2011

FREDERICTON - The provincial government says New Brunswick's minimum wage will match the Atlantic average by September 2011. Lori-Jean Johnson, spokeswoman for the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, says the region's minimum wage is expected to be at $10.00 by 2011. Johnson said that was the target wage government was working towards setting. Right now, the hourly minimum wage in New Brunswick is $8.25, the lowest of all Atlantic provinces. The current regional average is around $8.56.