Daily News Archives » Page 6 of 231 » CHMA, Voice of the Marshes

Mitton defends her record on public works and role of Greens in future governments

On today’s show, two local interviews: We check in with Sappyfest board member Amy Segal who gives a snapshot of what to expect during Sappyfest 19, happening this weekend throughout Sackville.

Then we talk with Memramcook-Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton, who confirms she is running for the Greens this October in the newly redrawn riding of Tantramar. Mitton responds to claims by fellow candidate John Higham that an MLA in a government seat would have better luck with infrastructure projects than an opposition MLA.

Plus, Tantramar’s director of community and corporate services Kieran Miller is moving on to a new opportunity, as the municipality’s strategic planning initiative gets off the ground with three public sessions planned this month. … Continue

Sappyfest 19 has arrived with a weekend full of art and music, including free, community events

Sappyfest board member Amy Segal (third from left) and OSO planning + design crew at work on their WEAVE installation outside of Struts Gallery on Lorne Street. Photo: Erica Butler

It’s that time of year again. The New Brunswick Day long weekend has arrived, and Sappyfest is setting up on Bridge Street for the 19th annual festival of music and art.

CHMA sat down with Sappyfest board member Amy Segal outside of Struts Gallery on Thursday, as three artists from OSO planning + design started construction of WEAVE, an outdoor installation which they describe as “part woven sculpture, part seating and part performance.”

Segal says that over 100 community volunteers, including a working board of directors, contributes to making the three day music and art festival a reality. There’s also cooperation from local businesses. “Bagtown is lending their space for band food to take place. Ducky’s is going to be hosting a concert,” says Segal. “Of course, there’s music at the Legion, and everyone from young people who are teenagers to older people who are retired are jumping in to make this festival happen.”

The music for Sappy kicks off on Friday evening with some local youth performances (The Drama Queenz + Kids Corner Power Jam) and continues into the night with Absolute Losers, Puberty Well, and Sick Puppy, ending with ‘dance party music’ from Ontario with Slash Need.

Segal says there’s musicians coming “from near and far to participate in the festival,” including Baie Verte’s Jon McKiel and band performing a new album, retro country band Nicolette & The Nobodies from Guelph, Sappyfest veterans Dog Day from Halifax, and Papal Visit from Saint John.… Continue

Part-time clinic at Sackville hospital aims to fill gaps in primary care

On today’s show, we revisit a feature story on a new, part-time nurse practitioner clinic running out of the Sackville Memorial Hospital ambulatory care unit. We talk with nurse practitioner Darla MacPherson and hospital manager Sarah Brown about why primary care has found a temporary home at the hospital.

Plus in briefs, Amherst is celebrating Emancipation Day this Saturday, and unveiling a new permanent memorial for the No. 2 Construction Battalion. And the town of Tantramar is calling for vendors and event organizers for this year’s Fall Fair, slated for September 19-22. … Continue

Keagan Hawthorne is gearing up to take over Gaspereau Press, and bring the esteemed operation to Sackville

On today’s show, we talk with Keagan Hawthorne, founder of The Hardscrabble Press, about his plan to take over beloved Nova Scotia letterpress publisher Gaspereau Press, and move the operation to Sackville. The move is planned for early 2026, and Hawthorne is working with Gaspereau’s founders toward a smooth transition.

Plus in briefs, it’s unofficial Climate Change week in Tantramar, with a Climate Imagination session in Dorchester tonight, and a lunch and town hall on Thursday in Sackville, to discuss actions and solutions to cap emissions and accelerate a transition to cleaner energy.… Continue

EOS calls on citizens to collect local waterway samples for August 9 testing blitz

On today’s show, EOS Eco-Energy is inviting residents from around Sackville, Port Elgin, Baie Verte and Murray Corner to take part in a water testing blitz on Friday, August 9. We talk with Rachel Francis, the summer watershed intern at EOS, to find out more about how residents can contribute by collecting water samples from their local streams or brooks.

Plus in briefs, Liberal leader Susan Holt, Moncton area MLAs about 50 members of the New Brunswick Liberal party gathered Monday evening to officially nominate John Higham as the candidate for Tantramar in the upcoming provincial election. And New Brunswick public health warns of a case of measles in the province. … Continue

Climate Imagination Sessions invite residents to ‘dream big’ about the future of Tantramar

Quinn MacAskill wants people in the Tantramar region to dream big and use their imaginations.

“We’re at a time when we really need our imaginations more than ever,” says the student and community organizer, “because if we want a different future than the one that we’re headed towards, which I think most people do, then we need to imagine a different possibility.”

MacAskill is home in Sackville after her first year in the Environment, Sustainability and Society program at Dalhousie University. In cooperation with EOS Eco-Energy, she is hosting two Climate Imagination Sessions this month, in Dorchester on July 31 and Sackville on August 14 (rescheduled from August 10).

CHMA spoke with MacAskill last week to find out more:

The sessions will start off with a brief presentation from MacAskill, “to make sure everyone’s on the same page about the climate emergency, knows what the impacts are going to be globally and locally, [and to] give people some ideas for some frameworks that they could use to think about a sustainable future.”

And then, says MacAskill, “I’m just going to turn it over to people, give them the opportunity to just use their imaginations, dream big, brainstorm.”

MacAskill says that for this session, there are “no real limits or boundaries” to the ideas and vision that people can bring to the table. “At this point, we’re just imagining what the future of Tantramar could be.”

MacAskill acknowledges that the climate crisis is “often framed as kind of an insurmountable problem,” which can lead to anxiety and despair.… Continue

‘It’s time to turn Mr. Higgs out’: John Higham set to become Liberal candidate in Tantramar

The provincial election is just three months away, and so far, there’s been only one candidate for the new riding of Tantramar: incumbent Memramcook-Tantramar MLA and Green Party deputy leader Megan Mitton.

But that will change Monday evening, when former Sackville mayor John Higham joins the race as the New Brunswick Liberal candidate. The newly formed Tantramar Liberal Association is expected to officially endorse Higham at a nominating convention Monday at 7pm at the Tantramar Civic Centre, with party leader Susan Holt expected to attend.

CHMA sat down with Higham to find out about why he decided to run, and what he thinks the issues are for the riding of Tantramar.

Higham acknowledges it will be a tough contest against current MLA Megan Mitton. “This has nothing to do with her,” says Higham, noting that he has worked with the Green MLA in the past, and feels she is well-respected in Tantramar. “The reason I would run, and why I will run, is because it’s time to turn Mr. Higgs out,” says Higham. And he believes the best way to do that is with a Liberal majority government.

Higham says he’s not been happy with the Higgs government’s investments in health care, and has found the premier’s education policies “don’t make a lot of sense.”

When it comes to specific issues like the government’s controversial changes to Policy 713 which now requires teachers to get parental consent before using a child’s preferred name or pronoun, Higham says while as a parent he does want to know “what’s going on with my kids,” he is not a fan of “the way in which they’ve endangered people… It reeks of other reasons that they’ve done it,” says Higham.… Continue

Murphy to enter plea on manslaughter charge on September 3

Tyler Murphy made another brief appearance in Moncton provincial court on Friday morning along with his lawyer Pierrette Allain.

Allain told Judge Suzanne Bernard that Murphy had elected to have a trial by judge and jury, without a preliminary enquiry.

When he returns on September 3, Murphy will coming to the Court of King’s Bench to enter a plea on charges of manslaughter. He temporarily waived the right to a bail hearing and will remain in custody until then.

Murphy is charged in the stabbing death of another Sackville man, 44-year-old Shawn Mitton.

Mitton was found by police on the evening of March 16, lying on the side of Lorne Street in Sackville suffering from apparent stab wounds. The 44-year-old father of four was transported to hospital where he died as a result of his injuries.

Some of Mitton’s family members were in court on Friday. Members of Murphy’s family also attended.

… Continue

Former Sackville mayor John Higham set to become Liberal candidate in Tantramar

On today’s show, we talk with soon-to-be-nominated Liberal candidate for Tantramar, John Higham. The former Sackville mayor says, “it’s time to turn Mr. Higgs out,” and believes a Liberal majority government is the way do to that. Higham will be officially nominated at a meeting in Sackville on Monday.

Plus in briefs, about a third of workers in Atlantic Canada make less than $20 an hour, and Tyler Murphy is due back in court today.

… Continue

Former Irving station and library expansion pitched as permanent market locations by visiting youth

Some SHAD students after making their Farmers Market pitches in Tantramar council chambers. Photo: Erica Butler

Teams of high school students from around Canada and the world competed last week for the best pitch for a new permanent location for the Sackville Farmers’ Market.

Six teams of SHAD program students shared their ideas with a panel of local judges last Thursday evening in Tantramar council chambers. SHAD is a month-long enrichment camp for high school students held at 26 university and college campuses across Canada, including Mount Allison.

The event was hosted by Tantramar director of community and corporate services Kieran Miller, and the judging panel included Tantramar CAO Jennifer Borne, Sackville Business Improvement Area president Sahitya Pendurthi, Tantramar recreation programmer Jessica Wilson, and Sackville Farmers Market manager Danielle Latour.

Six different teams of students made their pitch, tackling not only the question of what a permanent market site should look like, and but also where should it be located.

The night’s winning pitch proposed a new building at 63 Main Street, the site of a former Ivring Gas Station, across the street from the Bill Johnstone Park, the current summer home for the market.

The lot at 63 Main Street is owned by Arcadia Sites Limited, an Irving-owned real estate holdings company.

The proposed building would include a multifunction recreation space with one wall that would open up to the outside, to help maintain the summer market atmosphere. The building would including a rock climbing wall, studios for dance and exercise, and a community kitchen space.… Continue

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