HEADLINES for Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009

John Gardner/Courier
Emergency crews respond to an overturned ambulance on Highway 1 in Waweig on Friday, Feb. 20. The ambulance was being used to transport a patient to Charlotte County Hospital from Saint John Regional Hospital. One paramedic suffered minor injuries in the crash, however the driver and patient escaped unharmed.

To subscribe to the Courier and Courier Weekend, call 466-3220

LOCAL NEWS
Ambulance crashes en route to hospital
Okay winter, we give up -- Neither rain, nor sleet will stop the mail... but Monday’s snowstorm sure did
Long hours taking toll on snow plow crews
Council okays civic centre land purchase
Business leaders applaud civic centre location
Teacher accused of Internet luring asks for trial delay
‘It has been a rough winter’
LNG project a bright spot, says economist
Kiwanis pool will open
Barrys celebrate 70th anniversary

COLUMNISTS
Chuck Brown - A style guide for real guys
Mark Taylor - Book of Leafs heroes a short read
Gerald McEachern - Sorry Madonna, it's not a material world anymore

SPORTS
Phantoms best Vikings for NB title
Spartans boys title hopes dashed

CIVIC CENTRE POLL UPDATE

At stcroixcourier.ca we're asking what you think about the site of the new Charlotte County Civic Centre. So far the majority of voters say the civic centre should not be built at all.
Have your say NOW. Visit www.stcroixcourier.ca

VOTING AS OF TUESDAY MORNING

Where should the Charlotte County Civic Centre be built?
St. Stephen waterfront/Budd Ave.	34.2%
Near the highway	10.5%
Milltown/Industrial Park area	5.3%
Boundary Street	5.26%
It shouldn't be built at all	44.7%

Civic Centre going to Budd Ave.

Read the press release HERE

In the Courier Weekend, Feb. 20, 2009

Kathy Bockus/Courier
Charlotte County Civic Centre board president, Richard Fulton, left, and site selection committee chair, Bob Coates, right, announce Thursday that the $15-million complex will be built here, at Budd Avenue in St. Stephen.


DOWNTOWN BOUND - Civic Centre to be built on St. Stephen waterfront at Budd Avenue
Business as usual - NB salmon industry reviews landmark BC court ruling on aquaculture
Charlotte County gets hit again
Bayside LSD rejects quarry meeting
Woman charged with defrauding Quick Set Foundations
Fat bank account costly to teen
Drug trafficking case delayed a week
Fiddle legends expected at championship
Chamber elects new executive
Jail release short lived
Flu closes nursing home

DOWNTOWN BOUND
Civic Centre to be built on St. Stephen waterfront at Budd Avenue

By KATHY BOCKUS
kathy@stcroixcourier.ca

ST. STEPHEN – A site long favoured by the Charlotte County Civic Centre committee and the town has been chosen as the future home of the $15-million recreational, retail and business complex.
“We are very pleased to announce that we have selected Budd Avenue as the site for our civic centre,” said Richard Fulton, president of the CCCC board of directors, as he made public the long-anticipated location for the civic centre in a press release Thursday, Feb. 19.
“After extensive analysis of several possible sites, our committee feels we have definitely made the right choice,” said Bob Coates, chair of the CCCC board’s site selection committee.
Budd Avenue is located along the St. Croix River and near the Visitor Information Centre, the Town Square and the St. Croix Public Library.

For details, see the Courier Weekend, on newsstands Thursday evening.

In the Saint Croix Courier, Tuesday, Feb. 17

Rosetta Gallant displays a selection of chocolates that will be available at the new Ganong Chocolatier, expected to open in Riverview June 1.


Ganong is growing
Civic Centre project poised to take big leap
Dialysis unit on hold
Speedo-clad joggers chill out for charity
Passamaquoddy lovers unite
Legion seeks military photos
Lobster on menu for ministers meeting
St. Andrews performer up for ECMA
LNG developer faces lawsuit
General public yawns over marine planning opportunity
Brad Henderson and three Seahawks take aim at World Pond Hockey Cup

GANONG IS GROWING
Despite recession, St. Stephen's famed candy maker is opening a new shop in Riverview

By JOHN GARDNER
john@stcroixcourier.ca

ST. STEPHEN – Ganong Bros. has made St. Stephen famous as Canada’s “Chocolate Town” and now, despite the recession, the company is expanding and opening a new retail shop on the Chocolate River.
The town of Riverview is creating a new tourist destination called Fundy Gateway and Ganong Bros. is making plans to be part of the development. The old firehouse on the shores of the Peticodiac River (also known as the Chocolate River) is part of this project and will house three prominent retailers. In addition to a Ganong Chocolatier, the facility will feature Rocky Mountain Maple and local soap manufacturer, Olivier.
Don’t expect to find the usual Delecto label at this new location, said Ganong Chocolatier Manager Jeff McShane.
“The shop will exclusively showcase our handcrafted products We will definitely do the boxes that are exclusive to the store here, and the pieces out of the showcase that are exclusive to the store,” he said.
“Riverview is the start of the Fundy experience so we positioned ourselves there for the tourist market as well as the Moncton – Riverview population.”
It is expected the new operation will open June 1, just in time for the tourist season. Bryana Ganong has been instrumental in establishing the new outlet.
The Chocolatier, at approximately 84 square metres, will be significantly smaller in size than the shop in St. Stephen, and just a small part of the 1,000 square-metre Fundy Gateway complex.
Dave Muire, the Chief Administrative Officer of the town of Riverview, said the fire station is ideally suited for the $2.2 million project. The structure, built in the early 1970s, has sat unused for the past three years.
“Over the last few years we have tried to find methods to develop it and we had some projects come forward we weren’t really keen on. And then this project came forward from a local entrepreneur with a proposal and worked on with my economic development officer,” says Muire.
“The theme is chocolate and tempting your senses so it should be a good fit.”
The exterior of the cement block structure is being resurfaced and the interior is being gutted.
Special events and demonstrations are going to be a part of the business, McShane said.
“The other facilities are actually demonstrating their products. The soapery is going to make soap on the premises. The Rocky Mountain Maple is actually going to make maple syrup, it’s done behind plexiglass. So we are in the process of actually adding something in the store that we are actually going to be making on site, whether it be fudge or things with chocolate. We are definitely leaning toward parties there, such as birthday parties or private events,” says McShane.
The complex is also expected to house artisans and there will be a restaurant there.
“Our part is that we are going to have another exclusive store in that part of the Maritimes,” says McShane.
Although a big part of the business is expected to be tourism based, the facility will be open year round, and employ four or five people at that location. McShane is responsible for setting up this new operation and will manage the Riverview location while continuing in his role as manager of the retail store in St. Stephen.
“We will have someone on site as a supervisor,” says McShane.

Animal shelter needs volunteers

The Charlotte County Animal Shelter is looking for some new ‘Friends’!

Join us for the first meeting of the “Friends of the Charlotte County Animal Shelter”, a new group for people interested in helping raise money for the shelter. We are looking for people to help organize and work at a variety of old and new fundraising events throughout the year. All are welcome on Thursday, February 26th at 7 PM at the St. Stephen Superstore upstairs meeting room.

School bans sweatpants

A Moncton high school principal has outlawed sweatpants in his school.
Are sweatpants a problem in your school? Let us know.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2009/02/12/nb-sweats-suspended.html



Are sweatpants a problem in your school? Let us know.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2009/02/12/nb-sweats-suspended.html


SALUTE YOUR SWEATPANTS

Moving Day at St. Stephen Town Hall

Photos By JOHN GARDNER

This Week on DVD

Frozen River
3.5 Stars out of 5
Courier Review
By CHUCK BROWN


Frozen River might be one of the best movies of 2008 you've never heard of (unless you're an independent film fan or festival follower – it won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival).
Set along the Canada-U.S. border in bleak communities where the biggest of dreams include striking it rich at high-stakes bingo and saving up to buy a new double-wide, Frozen River is a chilling exploration of a border town’s dark side – something those of us who live here and read the news have been learning about recently.
Life is harsh in Massena, N.Y., but this story could just as easily have been set in St. Stephen-Calais. It is dark, it is tense and it is real -- not exactly a good escape from what has been a depressing, at times horrifying, winter here in Charlotte County. No, this is certainly no National Treasure or Journey to the Center of the Earth. Frozen River is real life and in the worst way, a story about the impoverished and their desperate struggle to earn enough money to simply survive. It is a story about women, about race and about how morals shift depending on perspective and how doing the “right thing” can be so different, depending on a person’s station in life.
This is the story of two single mothers, one white, one native. Ray Eddy (played by Melissa Leo, who is nominated for an Oscar for this role) plays a mother of two boys, aged 5 and 15, who, in the film's opening scenes, learns her gambling addicted husband has deserted the family and taken, or lost, the down payment for their new double-wide trailer home. Ray’s is a life of repo men, scrounging change for her kids’ school lunches and even, between paychecks, serving popcorn and Tang for dinner.
In her half-hearted search for her husband at the Mohawk-run bingo parlour, she encounters Lila (Misty Upham), a Mohawk widow whose mother-in-law "stole" her baby. The first meeting wasn’t a positive one – Ray sees Lila driving off in her husband's car. She follows Lila through snowy woods roads to her tiny trailer home and, in a tense confrontation, makes it clear Lila won't be keeping what belongs to Ray.
But Lila has an intriguing offer – she tells Ray she can sell one of her cars to a smuggler, who she knows will pay more than its worth.
Lila is known to authorities, on and off the reservation, as a smuggler - at one time of cigarettes when, she said, everyone was in on it, even the troopers. But now her cargo is human. Lila takes Ray on a tense journey across the frozen river into Mohawk territory in Canada. There is no border, Lila tells Ray. This is Mohawk country. This is free trade.
They pick up their passengers - two Chinese men - who climb into the trunk. The women are handed an envelope of cash and we later learn that "snakeheads" pay to bring the immigrants illegally to the U.S. at a cost of $50,000 then make them work it off doing who-knows-what. The women's cut for each pair they transport is $2,400 and, while protesting the legality of the operation initially, Ray can't resist the cash and the dream of making the payment on that trailer. It's something she'd never be able to do the honest way at her part-time job at the dollar store where she has to beg, unsuccessfully, a smarmy young manager to give her full-time hours.
After a few relatively easy scores, Lila decides she has to give up the smuggling life but Ray, desperate to make the trailer payment, convinces her to do one last run. Their final cargo is a couple from Pakistan - "Where's that?" Ray asks. She also becomes suspicious of a duffle bag placed in her back seat and wonders if it contains explosives, if her cargo is a couple of terrorists. Lila doesn’t care. A job’s a job. Scary. But Ray dumps the cargo on the middle of the frozen river and is later shocked to learn what she left behind. I won't give it away.
Frozen River is a bleak and depressing tale that illustrates how desperation, strength and a love for their children will drive these two women. It is pretty much a perfect indie movie and would warrant four stars or better on that merit. I’m giving it 3.5 out of five only because I know this is not a film for everyone and I like to save scores of four or higher for movies I think most anyone would enjoy.

Movies for This Week on DVD are provided by Movie Gallery in St. Stephen.

WIN NHL LEGENDS TIX

THE NHL LEGENDS ARE COMING TO ST. STEPHEN...

And the Saint Croix Courier has 5 pairs of tickets to give away!

On March 11, at the Border Arena at 7 p.m. see the NHL Legends face off against some of Charlotte County's finest rink rats.

Bryan Trottier
Butch Goring
Battlin’ Billy Smith
Terry (Taz) O’Reilly
Rick (Nifty) Middleton
Glenn Anderson
Gary Leeman (from the Leafs famed Hound Line)

WATCH THE SAINT CROIX COURIER AND COURIER WEEKEND FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO WIN!

Fundy Bay department gets new fire truck

On Monday, Feb. 9, the Fundy Bay Fire Hall held an open house to show visitors the department’s new fire truck. The event was organized by the Fundy Bay Local Service District (FBLSD) and the Fundy Bay Fire Department (FBFD). Refreshments were made available for those in attendance. Pictured in front of the new fire truck, from left, are FBLSD members, Carl Leeman, Ella Mae Hanley and Heather Hatt, FBFD Fire Chief Jason Hatt, MLA for Charlotte-The Isles and provincial Minister of Fisheries Rick Doucet, and FBFD member Geoff Hatt.

NEWS ALERT - MILLTOWN BOULEVARD CLOSED WEDNESDAY

St. Stephen Town Hall is on the move, but traffic may be snarled.
On Wednesday, Feb. 11, town hall will be moving to the new location in the Ganong Complex. This move will require two large moving vans on Milltown Blvd. As a result traffic will be blocked in the area of the town hall at 34 Milltown Blvd. beginning at approximately 7 a.m. This is expected to remain blocked for most of the morning.

Battle of Charlotte County resumes

Jeremy Townes/Courier photos
Blacks Harbour Silverkings Nick Theriault, left, is all smiles during a bout with St. Stephen Seahawk Brad Burns Friday night at the Border Arena. Blacks Harbour won 11-5.

Playoff pieces falling into place

By JEREMY TOWNES
sports@stcroixcourier.ca

ST. STEPHEN – The final week of the SHL season has arrived following another busy weekend of hockey action that saw all five teams on the ice.
Currently holding down first place with 42 points, the Blacks Harbour Silverkings have a one-point lead over the second place St. Andrews Thrashers with one game remaining in their schedule. But with two games to play this weekend, the Thrashers stand a chance of finishing in first place once again. The final outcome for first and second will be decided Feb. 14 at the W.C. O’Neill Arena in St. Andrews with the victor claiming top spot for the 2008/2009 season.
Despite the narrow points gap between first and second place, the same can’t be said for second and third. The Thrashers have a 20-point lead over the St. Stephen Seahawks, who sit in third and hope to retain that position after this weekend’s games. With 21 points in the standings, St. Stephen is three up on the Nackawic Hawks with 18, and four points up on fifth place Fredericton with 17. The slumping Hilltop Bud Lights will host the Hawks Thursday night. St. Stephen will play St. Andrews Friday night and baring a small miracle it’s unlikely the Seahawks will earn a point, meaning a Feb. 14 meeting between Nackawic and St. Stephen will likely be a battle for third place and a chance to avoid an opening round quarter-final series against Fredericton. The third place finisher advances directly to the semi-final against the second place finisher.
In a recap of last week’s games, St. Andrews thumped Fredericton 6-1 at the York Arena in the capitol city on Thursday night. League scoring leader Craig Soke had a three-goal evening for the Thrashers while Kyle Werner, Kevin Werner, and Warren Toole filled the net for the other three goals. Reg Bourcier made 22 of 23 saves as the winning goalie. Jeff Piercy had the single marker for the Hilltop Bud Lights and Martin Speer saved 42 of the 48 shots he faced in a losing effort.
On Friday, Feb. 6, the Border Arena was the site for the last regular season meeting between long time rivals St. Stephen and Blacks Harbour and it was undoubtedly the worst showing the Seahawks have made all season after winning four of their last five games. 111 penalty minutes were handed out during the game, 60 going toward the Silverkings, but the visiting team still managed to outshoot St. Stephen 52 to 43 en route to an 11-5 trouncing. Anton Mikhailov led the Blacks Harbour attack with a hat trick, while Robbie George and Dave Reynolds each scored a pair of goals. Ryan Locke, Eric Jean, Thatcher Bell, and Rene George all added solo markers for the Silverkings. Aaron Molnar made 38 saves for the win between the pipes. Sean Turner led the Seahawks scoring with a pair of goals. Dave Geris, Fred Walsh and Neil Dalton also found the net. Nick Nozzolillo made 41 saves in the loss.
On Saturday St. Andrews was back at it again, this time at home against Nackawic. Craig Soke scored four times to lead the Thrashers to an 11-4 dumping of the Hawks who have been struggling since the mid-season draft. Tyler Deitrich and Jeff Wilson each had a pair of goals for the winners while Kyle Werner, Kevin Werner, and Andy Diduch picked up solo markers. Mike Vaughan earned the win in goal making 17 saves. Matt Seymour had a pair of goals for Nackawic while Steve Pierce and Kyle Gailey added single markers. Jordan Mean suffered the loss in goal making 29 saves.

In the Saint Croix Courier, Tuesday, Feb. 10

Couple offers support online - Community in shock turns to Facebook group for help... and some venting
Man killed in snowmobile crash
CLASS ACT - St. Stephen principal named one of Canada's best
St. Andrews mayor won’t meet with quarry operator
Economy knocks wind out of project’s sails
Cooke Aquaculture named one of 50 Best Managed Companies
Salmon Growers’ GM migrates to DFO
Town on the move

SPORTS
SHL Playoff pieces falling into place
Fundy hosts Groundhog Jamboree

Couple offers support online

KATHY BOCKUS/COURIER Jennifer and Wayne Fraser founded a Facebook group in
the wake of the alleged murder of an infant near St. Stephen.

By KATHY BOCKUS
kathy@stcroixcourier.ca

ST. STEPHEN – Jennifer and Wayne Fraser want to make something perfectly clear.
They did not create their Facebook page, “A Child is a Child” as a forum for people to hurl insults or threats against anyone.
“We want people to know that this group was not set up intentionally to hurt anyone in any way,” said Jennifer Fraser.
“People just started bashing,” she said.
They say the website was, and still is, intended as a memorial for the innocent victims of violence and death, not only in Charlotte County, but in other communities. The Frasers want their site to be a place where people can pressure the government to expand sex education classes currently offered in schools to include discussions on options available to parents deciding the future of their unborn children.
On the Facebook site, the Frasers’ group is described as:
“For anyone who wants to help stop these killings to newborn babies. Please sign the petition so we can let the judge know that we would like to see a stiffer sentencing than just a slap on the wrist!! Also please send any ideas that you have to help us put an end to this.”
As of late Monday, the group had 723 members and almost 200 people had signed the petition.
Wayne created the group on the day the RCMP arrested Rodney Miller and Sarah Russell and charged them with concealing the birth of their child.
The body of a newborn infant was found in a wooded area near the couple’s Moore Mills home on Jan. 29. Miller has since been charged with first degree murder, Russell with manslaughter and as an accessory after the fact.
The couple has been sent away for psychiatric examinations to determine if they are fit to stand trial and are scheduled to return to court on March 17.
Jennifer said people took their Facebook page the wrong way.
The couple wanted it to be used as an online support group for people who were feeling sad and upset about the baby’s death. Instead, people let loose with comments Jennifer calls “horrible” against the two accused, and bringing up the name of another local woman who was found guilty two years ago of concealing the birth of her child.
“We’re not here to condemn,” said Wayne, 34.
“Or to judge,” said Jennifer, 32.
Both said they were concerned about the families of Miller and Russell. Having to go through this ordeal is bad enough, they said, without having to hear about or read the vicious comments being left on the Internet.
The Frasers think that if the accused are found guilty or plead guilty, it would be up to the judicial system as to what their sentences will be and not the court of public opinion.
Yet they have started an online, as yet unworded petition, that already had 199 names as of Tuesday morning, that they plan to send with a letter to the judge in this case asking him to hand down the stiffest sentence possible in the event the accused are guilty.
They also plan to send a copy of the petition to Charlotte-Campobello MLA Tony Huntjens and New Brunswick Southwest MP Greg Thompson, Minister of Veterans Affairs, asking them to use their influence to create outreach programs to benefit pregnant teens.
The Frasers have been married for 14 years. They chose adoption for the two children born to them when Jennifer was a teenager.
They say they’d like to see drop off points, maybe at the local fire hall or hospital, made available for people who have babies, but don’t want to keep them, as an alternative to dead babies.
“No questions asked,” said Jennifer.
They both would like to see a greater effort by Social Services to look into individual cases more closely, especially where children have been involved previously.
Even though the couple feels education of teens is the key to preventing any future situations like the one police are investigating in Moores Mills, they don’t believe it will put an end to these sad and horrific circumstances.
But the Frasers believe that doesn’t mean people like them have to stop trying to make the public more aware of what programs are needed in the community.
“You can’t end drinking and driving, but they have MADD groups,” said Wayne, referring to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Plans are underway to hold a public meeting some time in March in St. Stephen.
“We want to get everyone’s ideas and points of view on what should take place,” said Jennifer.
“These children are so innocent; they never asked to be conceived.”
Jennifer stresses that people should consider options other than death for their children.
“There are options. Adoption for one,” she said. “And there’s condoms, contraceptives. If you don’t want the child, get on the friggin’ pill or use a condom. That’s what they’re there for.”

Courier Weekend, Feb. 6 Photo Album

LADIES BONSPIEL AIDS CHARLOTTE COUNTY CANCER

Rotarians donate to food bank

CHEF FOR UNICEF

PLOWS AT THE READY

BHES Rock-a-Thon

Scenes from the courthouse

Tuesday, Feb. 3
St. Stephen Provincial Court


Nason

Russell

Miller

RCMP Sgt. Greg MacAvoy talks to reporters

Connell and granddaughter





Father charged with murder

By KATHY BOCKUS
kathy@stcroixcourier.ca

ST. STEPHEN – A Moores Mills couple has been remanded to custody and ordered to each undergo a psychiatric evaluation after the charges against them were upgraded to first degree murder and manslaughter following the discovery Jan. 29 of a newborn baby’s body in the woods near their home.
Amid unprecedented security at the St. Stephen Provincial Court Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 3, Rodney Stuart Miller, 27, stood and showed no emotion while Judge David C. Walker read a charge alleging that between Jan. 15 and Jan. 23, at Moore Mills, Miller had committed first degree murder on a newborn infant the court is calling Baby Russell.
Likewise showing no emotion, Sarah Marie Russell, 19, stood and was charged that between Oct. 1, 2008 and Jan. 23, 2009, she committed criminal negligence to cause death to Baby Russell, thereby committing manslaughter.
Russell was also charged as an accessory after the fact to the murder of Baby Russell.
After the couple’s court appearance, RCMP Sgt. Greg MacAvoy said Russell and Miller are still facing charges of disposing of a body in an attempt to conceal the birth of a child.
Miller is also facing an aggravated assault charge involving another child and dating back to 2007.
Miller and Russell were remanded to jail Tuesday for 42 days during which time the 30-day psychiatric assessments will be carried out. Miller and Russell will be returned to court on March 17 at 1:30 p.m.
At that time, Judge Walker will review the reports from doctors at the Restigouche Hospital, which will offer opinions as to whether Miller and Russell are fit to stand trial and whether they were suffering from any mental disorder at the time of the alleged offence to make them not criminally responsible.
The doctors will also offer a further determination as to whether Russell’s balance of mind was disturbed due to childbirth at the time of the commission of the alleged offence.
Defence lawyer Joel Hansen, representing Miller, told Judge Walker that he had serious concerns over his client’s mental state and did not feel Miller was in a position to properly instruct him. He asked for the psychiatric evaluation to be conducted on his client.
Defence lawyer Randy Wilson, representing Russell, also requested that his client undergo a psychiatric assessment to determine her mental condition.
Both Miller and Russell spoke quietly, answering yes, when the judge asked if they understood the charges and the requests for the assessments.
Prior to the beginning of the court proceedings before a packed courtroom, the two sat between sheriff’s deputies in the prisoner’s docket. Miller shifted between sitting forward on the bench with his arms resting on the half wall before him or his head propped up on his hands with elbows braced on his knees.
Russell barely moved as she sat staring straight ahead, except for the times she glanced briefly at the defence lawyers who were in conversation before her. Once or twice she looked past the female sheriff beside her in Miller’s direction.
Russell mouthed words to an older woman with two younger companions sitting in the front row of the courtroom gallery and one of the sheriffs took something from Miller and gave it to the woman.
It was not apparent if anyone from Russell’s family was in the courtroom.
When Hansen asked the judge to consider more than an in-jail mental assessment of Miller, Miller sat through the ensuing discussion with a set jaw and a sullen expression on his face. Russell showed no visible emotion during a similar discussion of her situation.
Besides members of the media, a probation officer and a large number of employees from child protection services, the rest of the courtroom seats seemed to be filled with people who were curious about the case. There were those who appeared to be acquainted with the accused, who were laughing and talking amongst themselves waiting for the court proceedings to begin.
Outside in the hallway, at least four people with babies or young children were refused admittance to the court along with a man who had shouted obscenities and called Miller and Russell “baby killers” outside the building as they got out of the sheriff’s van and entered the lock up area housing jail cells in the basement.
A sheriff’s deputy used a metal detector to frisk each person entering the courtroom Tuesday afternoon and searched men’s pockets and women’s purses. At least seven RCMP officers were present during the proceedings that saw about a dozen people stage a mildly vocal protest in the hallway outside the courtroom.
Crown prosecutors in the case are Jim McAvity and Randy DiPaolo.

MICHENER CARTOON

Ted Michener is the Courier's award-winning cartoonist from St. Andrews.

This Week on DVD

JOHN GARDNER reviews Passchendaele



Passchendaele was written, directed and starred Canadian actor, Paul Gross. From the opening scene Gross, pours himself into this production. That scene, set in the First World War, has Sgt. Michael Joseph Dunne (played by real life grandson, Gross) taking out a machine gun nest and is based on a real life incident his grandfather related to him. It is in his memory that the film was made.
The side story is one of love involving Dunne and the pretty Nurse Mann (played by Caroline Dhavernas). Sent back to Calgary to recover from the injuries he receives - both physical and emotional - Dunne is nursed back to health by Nurse Mann. He falls for her without even knowing her first name. It is not until he is leaving the hospital that he learns her name is Sarah.
Mann is tragically flawed in more ways than one. Her father has died on Vimy Ridge. Her young brother, David (played by Joe Dinicol), is old enough for service, but asthma keeps him home. She deals with the pressures of the men around her dying in her own secret way.
At every turn, David feels pressure to help out the war effort. When David has a problem trying to figure out how he can help more, the mayor of Calgary challenges him to “use your imagination.” David’s attempts to enlist are rejected by now recruiter Dunne. When he does succeed in enlisting, Dunne follows him back to the battlefields of Europe because of a need to atone for past sins, (and of course looking after the baby brother is going to win points with the girl).
Gross is known for a wide variety of work, including Const. Benton Fraser in Due South, and Kevin Black on The Red Green Show, and throws in a subtle bit of humour with the inclusion of the Calgary neighbour who David greets with a cheery “Hello there Mr. Harper.”
But war is not pretty, and in Passchendaele no attempt is made to make it so.
The battlefield scenes are desolate and wet. Each day shooting required 15 tankers of water raining down on the crew and set. It took two weeks just to create the battlefield, digging up a field on a hill overlooking the city of Calgary, planting broken tree trunks and turning it into a water-logged mire, complete with bits and pieces of a broken civilization that was the Belgian town of Passchendaele. All this water made it incredibly hard to “keep your matches dry.” When still photos shot during the movie are mixed with historical photos, it is hard to tell the difference.
The Dunne - Mann side story was not entirely necessary, and takes away from the film as a true war movie, giving it a tendency to move it into the whole girl finds (or loses) boy genre and had me checking the jacket to make sure the title was not “Passiondale.”
Because of the historical nature of the film, it is hard to fit in a really unbelievable firefight that sees the hero in a muscle shirt kill off half a platoon single-handedly, Rambo style. Gross’s character is of average build, is capable of complete sentences and has human failings. In a word - believable. Thankfully this movie is a cut above Rambo.
It was shot in Canada with a Canadian crew concerning a subject that still strikes a cord with Canadians over 90 years after the events. The movie shows that Canadians are not just able to make Toronto look like an American city (after you throw a bit of garbage around for set decoration). Canadians can make great movies. Because of its northern roots, this movie is not a huge blockbuster. Nor does it have the star power of a Tom Hanks or Will Smith. If it had had a major studio behind it, it would have been another Bridge over the River Kwai.
Although I enjoyed the movie, it is not one I would recommend to everyone. There are a few love scenes that, while tame by modern standards, may offend some. The battlefield scenes make no effort to hide the horror of war and the movie probably used almost as much blood as it did rain.
I am giving this movie four stars and that is only because the love sub-plot took away from the battlefield action. If you are a history buff, get the DVD and watch the movie, but then be sure to watch the extras. This is the first movie I was able to get through the “making of” without falling asleep.
“Kings may fall, and countries may crumble, but if people look close enough they just might find something to believe in.” - Dunne

DVDs for This Week on DVD are provided by Movie Gallery, St. Stephen.

In the Courier Weekend, Feb. 6, 2009

John Gardner/Courier

Rodney Stuart Miller, 27, of Moores Mills, is led from court after his appearance on Feb. 3. Miller is charged with first degree murder after the death of his son in addition to a charge of concealing a body of a newborn baby and an unrelated charge of aggravated assault.

UP FRONT
Father charged with murder
Security tight for couple’s court appearance
Outside the courtroom, emotions run high
Chefs serving up help for UNICEF
Cabinet maker still assessing fire damage
Route 1 twinning moving right along
Trafficking case delayed
Low tides may cause ferry delays

SPORTS
Canada’s Best Speed Skating Story might be in St. Andrews
Playoff buzz begins in SHL
Finding puck brings back childhood memories

To subscribe, call 466-3220.

BREAKING NEWS - Murder, manslaughter charges laid

UPDATE
Feb. 3, 4:15 p..m.


ST. STEPHEN – Charges against a Moores Mills couple in connection with the death of their baby have been upgraded from the earlier charge of concealing a body of a newborn baby.

27-year old Rodney Miller has been charged with first degree murder. 19-year old Sarah Russell has been charged with manslaughter and accessory after the fact.

The police have been able to determine that the baby boy was born sometime between January 5 and January 22, 2009. The RCMP have determined the baby was killed and the body was then hidden. Police have retrieved the body and are continuing to gather evidence as part of the investigation. Further details will be revealed as the case proceeds through the court system.

Both Mr. Miller and Ms. Russell were sent for psychiatric evaluation. They are scheduled to appear again in St. Stephen Provincial Court on March 17, 2009 at 1:30 p.m.


Couple charged in infant's death appear in court

By KATHY BOCKUS
& JOHN GARDNER
Courier Staff

MOORES MILLS – More charges are expected to be laid in court Tuesday, Feb. 3, in what the RCMP are now calling a homicide in connection with the death of a newborn child.
Sarah Marie Russell, 19, and Rodney Stuart Miller, 27, were expected back in court Tuesday afternoon for a bail hearing and at that time are expected to answer to further charges stemming from the RCMP’s investigation.
On Monday, some St. Stephen area citizens were using the Facebook website to organize a demonstration outside the court. By Tuesday morning, the event was listed on Facebook as cancelled.
The sullen looking couple appeared in custody in St. Stephen Provincial Court on Friday, Jan. 30 where they were both charged with disposing of the body of a dead child in an attempt to conceal its birth.
They were remanded to jail by Provincial Court Judge David C. Walker, who denied duty counsel Randy Wilson’s request for their release. The judge ordered Miller and Russell to return on Feb. 3 at 3 p.m.
Miller and Russell were seated in the prisoners’ box together and neither spoke during the brief court appearance.
Miller was also charged with aggravated assault. This charge also involved a child, but not the same child, as Crown prosecutor James McAvity was quick to point out. He said the assault had occurred over a period of time between June, 2007 and November, 2007.
The small house on the Valley Road in Moores Mills where the couple lived remained cordoned off over the weekend as investigators from the RCMP’s Major Crimes Unit and members from District 1 continued their investigation.
A spokesman for the RCMP says the sex of the deceased baby and its exact age has not yet been confirmed. An autopsy will be conducted. He said the alleged offense occurred between Jan. 5 and Jan. 22.
News of the charges shocked the St. Stephen community and over the weekend some citizens used the Facebook website as a tool to vent their feelings. Russell and Miller both have pages on the popular website and over the weekend several vitriolic comments were posted by visitors to their sites.
Both Russell and Miller have photos posted online of themselves with an older baby in albums with titles such as “our baby boys pics by sarah and rodney.” Visitors to the site have left comments on some of the photos as well.
The demonstration, organized through Facebook, was being called a “protest to protect our children that god created.” There was some discussion on another Facebook group – “a child is a child” – about an organized turnout in the courtroom.
This is not the first time the RCMP has investigated a case of this nature. In March of 2007, a 26-year-old St. Stephen woman was arrested and charged with disposing of the body of her infant son in an attempt to conceal his birth.
Becky Sue Morrow, who burned the body of her baby after giving birth to him in a toilet in her home, went on trial and in February of 2008 was found criminally responsible for her actions. She was given a 14-month conditional sentence, two months of which she had to spend under house arrest.
Evidence presented to the court at the time indicated that while Morrow’s full term baby was likely born alive, the fact could not be determined conclusively.

What we're working on...

With the press set to run on Tuesday's paper, here's what our reporters are working on

* BREAKING NEWS - Fire at Sticks and Stones causes damage - reporter John Gardner is at the scene
UPDATE: Fortunately owner Tom McKnight estimates he should be cleaned up and back in business in a week or two

* Charges laid in infant's death - couple to appear in court Tuesday afternoon. Courier staff will have a full report Friday but watch here for updates.

Civic Centre - what's in it for me?

By NORAH HEELIS Charlotte County Civic Centre Project

Sometimes when you’re very involved with a project or community group you become so familiar with the basics that you forget that everyone else isn’t. We pretty much live and breathe Charlotte County Civic Centre these days. In fact, I most likely should apologize to a few of you (you know who you are) who wish we could change the channel just once in awhile! Sorry, but we are just really excited about making this project happen. That being said, our own immersion in and familiarity with the project may have kept us from sharing the big picture as often a we should have. The reason I think this might be true, is that lately more and more people have been asking about what elements will be housed within the facility. So, in this column, I have decided to outline these as they appear in the official brochure and on our website. It is worth noting that there is fine tuning left to do. Your best way to be part of that process is to join the growing team of project supporters. It’s a very exciting project in and of itself. But the excitement and promise of it grows in leaps and bounds as more and more citizens join the ‘Make it Happen Team’.
Indoor Aquatic Facility - $3.1 Million
The new Civic Centre’s aquatic facility will be designed to offer toddlers through seniors the widest range of water activities possible — from swimming and lifeguard instruction, to recreational and competitive pool time, to warm water therapy. The proposed new aquatic centre will feature an eight-lane, 25-metre training pool, including a free-form play and therapeutic section. The facility will also offer a large spectator area with a clear view of the entire pool, as well as a spacious and accommodating family change room and separate men’s and women’s locker rooms.
Indoor Ice Surface - $8.35 Million
Another prime preoccupation of Charlotte County residents over the past decade has been to resolve the age related inadequacies of the Border Arena. Not only has the existing facility become outdated and no longer able to accommodate the needs of its various user communities, it is not ideally suited to host non-ice activities and cultural and commercial events that can serve as a major draw for the benefit of the citizens of the county at large.
The proposed new arena complex will feature an NHL-sized ice surface with a seating capacity_of 1,500, offering excellent, unobstructed views of the ice surface. The facility will be equipped with ample change rooms and will be ideally suited to accommodate both leisure skating and more traditional competitive sports like hockey and figure skating.
In addition, given the size and versatile design of the arena complex, it will be able to meet a number of other community priorities by serving as an excellent venue for a wide range of events of local and regional appeal. These could include concerts and other artistic and cultural events, fairs and festivals, trade and consumer shows, and much more.
Walking/Jogging Track - $50,000
Although Charlotte County boasts a number of attractive outdoor options for citizens interested in walking or jogging, there are no indoor facilities available to meet such training and health needs during the winter months. Such facilities would be of particular benefit to seniors and others who do not feel at ease exercising outdoors, as well as for rehabilitation purposes for individuals with special needs or medical conditions.
Multi-Purpose Space $1.2 Million
In addition to satisfying the leisure, recreational and physical well-being requirements of the population, another important element of the new Charlotte County Civic Centre will be its multi-purpose space. This will encompass a number of comfortable and inviting areas and rooms where meetings, programs and activities can be held for all segments of the population, including youth and seniors. This multi-purpose component will contribute significantly to the "Town Square" environment and atmosphere the new facility will be designed to radiate, making it the ideal place to promote social interaction and enable people to enjoy their favorite pursuits in good company.
Boys and Girls Club $900,000
In order to provide a welcome solution to the shortcomings of the facilities currently occupied by the group in the Border Arena, the Civic Centre will become the new home of the Boys and Girls Club of Charlotte County and the Boys and Girls Club will become the Civic Centre's first paying tenant. Serving some 350 to 400 youths with a variety of enriching programs and activities, the Club will not only be able to enhance its offerings in its new premises, but also to attract and better serve a greater number of young people. Moreover, by taking up residence at the Civic Centre, the Boys and Girls Club will qualify to become a licensed entity, thus making it eligible for a variety of government funding programs that are currently inaccessible.
Administrative, General and Retail Space $1.4 Million
This space is to be allocated for staff offices, washrooms, lounge and concession areas, as well as for various possible retail operations such as a Pro shop, skate sharpening, promotional materials, and the like.

Need more info? Give us a call we would be pleased to meet with you.

Submitted by NORAH HEELIS fundraising campaign co-chair. For more information contact the Charlotte County Civic Centre at cccc@nb.aibn.com or call 466-5095.

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