SO THE FEDS MIGHT PAY?
Prime Minister Stephen Harper says federal officials will review the extra costs New Brunswick faces because of delays in the refurbishment of the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant.
But he also says the province understood there were risks involved with the first-of-its-kind refit.
Harper made the comments in a letter to Premier Shawn Graham obtained by the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal.
Graham maintains the cost overruns are ``100 per cent'' the responsibility of Atomic Energy, the federal Crown corporation behind the refit, and the government of Canada.

SUSPICOUS FIRE PROBED
Police in Moncton, N.B., are investigating a suspicious fire that damaged a home early Thursday while three people, including a child, slept inside.
Firefighters and police were on a nearby street around 3 a.m. attending to a medical call when one of the officers noticed the fire.
Three people inside the burning home, two adults and an eight-year-old boy, were woken up and ushered out of the house.
Eric Arsenault, chief of the Moncton fire department, said the blaze was knocked down quickly, which limited the damage.
Still, Arsenault said the outcome could have been much worse.
RCMP Const. Chantal Farrah said investigators are trying to determine if accelerants were used to start the fire.

STAGGERING FIND IN NB
A discovery made in New Brunswick is exciting scientists who believe they've unlocked a key step in evolutionary history.
Scientists have found 318  million-year-old reptile footprints in rock slabs near St. Martins, along the eroding Bay of Fundy.
They say it shows reptiles were the first animals with a backbone to move inland away from the swampy coasts.
The slabs were discovered by a British paleontologist in 2008, but the findings are just being published now after a peer review.

GAS LEAK PLUGGED
Enbridge Gas crews and firefighters responded to a natural gas leak in Fredericton on Thursday afternoon.
Capt. Jeff Storey of the Fredericton fire department said a call about a minor leak on Eglinton Street came in at 4:15 p.m.
Storey said the leak occurred while a crew was putting in curbs and something struck a line.
The leak was capped within 30 minutes of the initial call.
Storey said the fire department took the proper precautions to ensure nearby residents were safe.
He said homes were checked and residents were advised to open their windows and not have any open flames.

CAMP FIRES FOR THE LONG WEEKEND
The campfire hopes of New Brunswickers readying for the long weekend haven't been completely doused.
A campfire ban in place across southern New Brunswick was lifted Thursday afternoon.
As of 2 p.m., the only part of the province under a burn ban was Charlotte County.
The rest of the province was under a restricted burn that permits burning between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.
But officials are warning people who plan to enjoy the New Brunswick Day weekend with a campfire to check again before lighting up.
Jeff Betts of the provincial forest fire centre in Fredericton says there could be restrictions because of recent dry conditions.

OFFICERS NEED TO OBEY THE LAW AS WELL
Provincial RCMP officers are being reminded to follow parking regs after a pair of pictures surfaced of RCMP cruisers parked in spots reserved for the disabled.
Ashley MacNeil snapped a photo of an RCMP cruiser parked in a handicap parking spot at a gas bar and agency liquor store in Barnesville a while ago.
MacNeil says she had forgot about the photo until yesterday, when she saw a similar one on the internet
That pic showed an Oromocto RCMP squad car in a handicap parking spot in Fredericton Junction last weekend.
Christyne Allain, the executive director of the Premier's Council for the Status of Persons with Disabilities, said the police should be setting a better example for the public.
District Commander Mike O'Malley says it was not a proud day for the officer or his police force, and while it was not intentional, it was very embarrassing.

MILITARY FUNDRAISER
Details are coming today about a major fundraiser to benefit members of the military and their families in New Brunswick and P-E-I.
Premier Shawn Graham and New Brunswick M-P Keith Ashfield are among those attending the announcement this morning in Fredericton.
It involves an organization called the True Patriot Love Foundation.

DEATH OF 81 YEAR OLD PEDESTRIAN CONFIRMED
Officials with the BNPP have confirmed the death of an 81 year old pedestrian.  The woman was struck and killed at about 9:30 last night on route 134 in Petit Rocher sud. Details are limited as the investigation continues, but offials do say speed and alcohol were not factors.

PROVINCE WARMS UP TO NEW IDEAS
The provincial government is warming up to the idea of a national securities regulator. The Premier  is hopeful the province will be able to land future jobs.
Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty revealed his intentions in May to set up a single commission to replace 13 provincial offices.
Alberta and Quebec are leading the way for in opposition to the idea.
Businesses have complained that dealing with 13 different  regulators is simply inefficient. So Ottawa has proposed a single entity to oversee companies selling investment products.
Shawn Graham wrote the Prime Minister to say his government could live with a national regulator if some of its functions and jobs are based in Saint John, which is the home of the provincial commission.
Provincial Justice Minister, Bernard Leblanc, says the provincial government also get about $7 million a year in revenue from the commission.
LeBlanc said the New Brunswick government will be fighting for those jobs if the national regulator proceeds.

ASHFIELD ON A ROLL
Kieth Ashfield, the Minister of National Revenue and of ACOA was joined today by Victor Boudreau the Minister for the Atlantic Gateway; as well as company officials from Maritime Hydraulic Repair, to announce more than $1.1 million in funding toward the Maritime Hydraulic Repair Centre in Moncton.
The feds, through ACOA, contributed $325,000 toward the purchase of new equipment, while the company is matching dollar for dollar the funds spent on new gear. The Province provided a half million dollars towards the acquisition of a new building and $300,000 in payroll rebates for up to 40 new employees. These investments are aimed at helping Maritime Hydraulic, strengthen its ability to compete in global markets, boost its sales, and create viable jobs.

MIRAMACHI MILL DEAL ON THE ROCKS
Talks aimed at selling off the Weyerhaeuser mill in Miramichi, have hit a wall... again
Weyerhaeuser had been negotiating with a potential buyer for the mill that has been closed since 2007.
The deal seemed to be all but done with Quebec-based TAG Enterprises. However a Weyerhaeuser spokesperson says the potential for a deal is now fading.
Ken Hardie, the manager of the New Brunswick Federation of Woodlot Owners, says re-opening the mill would be a huge boost for Miramichi and the surrounding area.
The provincial government offered TAG a wood allocation last year. The DNR says that wood is still available to the company if it wants it.
Officials say selling the mill remains a priority, but he added if that doesn't happen soon, they'll have to look at other options, like decommissioning.

THEME PARTY? OH THEME FOR A PARTY...
Conservative Leader David Alward says putting New Brunswick first will be his party's theme for the upcoming provincial election, but the Liberals say Alward doesn't have a good track record of doing that.
Alward says over the last four years, the Liberal government has made a lot of promises but has failed to deliver and consult with people on important issues such as eliminating the early French immersion program and the attempt to sell NB Power.
Alward says the Liberals are intent on helping a few political friends and that he would focus on helping all New Brunswickers, if elected.
But Liberal deputy premier Donald Arseneault says for seven years, Alward sat in a Tory government that didn't take into account New Brunswick's concerns.
Arseneault says the Bernard Lord government closed hospitals, cut agriculture programs, allowed car insurance rates to skyrocket, broke up NB Power and secretly tried to sell the Coleson Cove and Point Lepreau power plants.
The provincial election is set for Sept. 27.

INVESTMENT IS MUSIC TO SOME EARS
It's the kind of news Brian Thornton likes to hear.
The wood room superintendent at the A-V Nackawic mill listened yesterday as plans were released for more than two million dollars in funding for the plant.
In all, the A-V Group is receiving 36 (m) million dollars from the federal government for upgrades to improve the environmental and economic efficiency of its mills in Nackawic and Atholville.
The first round will pay for and install machinery that will improve the Nackawic plant's use of biomass energy.
Thornton says there's a sense of optimism at the mill, which has faced its share of problems in the past.
Thornton began working at the mill in 1972 and was among those left in the lurch when the previous owner suddenly shut it down in 2004.
The 60-year-old lost two-thirds of the value of his pension.
He says he also saw the toll it took on the community that relied so heavily on the mill.

FIRE BLAMED ON COOKING
Investigators say unattended cooking is to blame for a house fire yesterday near Fredericton.
Firefighters were called to a single family home on the Nevers Road early yesterday morning.
Flames were coming through the roof.
There were no reports of injuries, the investigation is on-going

PROVINCE LOOKS TO BOLSTER E.U.B.
The provincial government is planning to add some teeth to the Energy and Utilities Board, through a series of reforms designed to strengthen the regulator.
Among the proposed changes announced yesterday by Energy Minister Jack Kier is a requirement that all rate increases by NB Power go before a full hearing of the board.
Right now, only teh bumps above three per cent need a review.
The new regs would also remove cabinet's authority to reverse or modify a board decision regarding rates.
According to Kier, the changes are meant to hold NB Power and New Brunswick's municipal utilities accountable
The changes are the reult of a public consultation process launched earlier in the summer.
Whether or not the reforms actually make it to the legislature will depend on the results of September's provincial election.

TWO SISTERS CHARGED UNDER SPCA LAWS
Two sisters from New Brunswick have been charged under the province's SPCA Act after the seizure of 38 horses two weeks ago.
The animals were taken into protective custody after a complaint was made to the provincial animal welfare organization.
Sandra and Beverly Tomalin were charged Tuesday with failing to provide adequate food, shelter and care.
They are due in court on Sept. 7.
The SPCA says it will continue to care for the horses in Fredericton.
The horses range in age from foals to mature mares and stallions.

MILL VIABILITY GOOD NEWS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
A New Brunswick MP says an announcement Wednesday at the AV Nackawic mill will be good news for the environment and the viability of the dissolving pulp producer.
The AV Group, which runs the AV Nackawic mill near Fredericton and the AV Cell mill in Atholville, is expected to receive $36.3 million from the federal government's Pulp and Paper Green Transformation program.
The $1-billion program is open to Canadian pulp and paper companies that produce black liquor a liquid byproduct of the chemical pulping process that's used to generate renewable energy.
Participating companies must invest the money over three years on approved capital projects that have environmental benefits, including improving energy efficiency.
Mike Allen, the MP for Tobique-Mactaquac, is scheduled to make the funding announcement at the mill.
He says the investment will allow the mill to meet both greenhouse gas and production targets while lowering energy use.

RIGHT TO INFORMATION ACT COULD LEAD TO LEGAL ACTION
A member of the legislature in New Brunswick says he's ready to go to court to demand the release of details about government contracts that went untendered.
Claude Williams, the Tory member for Kent South, requested information in early March about all contracts awarded in 2009-2010 and exempted from Public Purchasing Act regulations.
Williams says he's still waiting more than 145 days later.
The government says it's working to meet Williams' request within the coming weeks, but Williams says he's growing tired of the delays.
He says he filed a right to information request for the information earlier this month and will go to court after the 30-day period has lapsed.
Liberal house leader Greg Byrne says Williams is simply politicking because there's a provincial election around the corner

SALMON ASSOCIATION WANTS IMPROVEMENTS
The head of the Miramichi Salmon Association wants the Department of Fisheries to improve its policy to determine when to close salmon pools. The federal department has closed a dozen pools on the Miramichi River over the past couple of weeks to protect salmon congregating in cooler waters from poachers. But Mark Hambrook says the closures should have happened earlier, when the river was warm during a heat wave earlier in the month. He says rain and lower temperatures over the past week mean the closures are no longer necessary, and according to Hambrook more consultation with people along the river is needed

NEW LIFE FOR LE CHATEAU?
There is a report this morning that someone may have their eye on a boarded up eyesore in the heart of the city. The Northern Light reports interest in Le chateau Bathurst from an unnamed international company, but there is still work to be done before any thing can happen with the facility. An evaluation to determine what work is needed to get the empty hotel up and running has to be completed before any deal can come to fruition.
The report says the study will cost between 30 and 50 grand, and the Downtown Bathurst Revitalization Corporation is currently hunting the expertise required. Councilor Bob Anderson is quoted as saying the final details on provincial funding need to be shored up, before the evaluation or feasibility study can happen.
Le Chateau Bathurst has been boarded up since September 2007, the result of a bitter strike

NB NOT ON THE HOOK FOR DELAY COST
The Harper Tories have come clean; they admit New Brunswick should not be responsible for the spiraling costs associated with the refurbishment delays at the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant - according to a letter written by Premier Shawn Graham.
In a letter to the PM, following a meeting in Moncton last week, Graham says talks on a number of federal-provincial files have moved ahead, most notably on the refit of Point Lepreau.
Either way Graham and Energy Minister Jack Keir are concerned with the ongoing delays, prompting Keir to call on Natural Resources Minister Christian Paradis to "confirm or deny rumors of further delays."
Although the work is now 75 per cent complete, it is still unclear when the reactor will be back online and AECL refuses to give a date before it irons out the latest delay on the installation of the new calandria tubes in the reactor.

FIRE LEAVES 3 HOMELESS
A fire that caused extensive damage Friday to a two-unit apartment building in Fredericton is being blamed on an electrical problem.
Darrell Shannon, an inspector with the city's fire department, said the blaze on
Jaffrey Street
started in an upstairs ceiling near electrical receptacles for a light fixture.
Shannon said a wire shorted out and caused the box to overheat, which ignited material in the ceiling.
The blaze, which broke out around 3 p.m., caused extensive damage to the upper level of the two-storey structure.
While the building is still standing, its roof has been destroyed, and three people are temporarily homeless.
Shannon said the problem that caused the fire may have been an issue for some time.

'LOUSY' TV ADS GET THE HOOK
New Brunswick 's Tourism Department is putting an early stop to a series of television ads.
The 30-second ads which depict a frame-by-frame slide show of some of New Brunswick 's most recognizable tourist destinations will cease to air in the Maritimes over the next two weeks.
The department says it's reallocating the money earmarked for the last three weeks of the 17-week campaign about $40,000 to online initiatives that are yielding better results.
Kim Matthews, director of marketing for the department, says putting the money where the industry will get the most bang for its buck is the ``responsible'' thing to do.
The Conservatives say the ads were terrible and the foreseeable outcome of handing a contract to a marketing company they say has ties to the Liberal party.
Tory tourism critic Wayne Steeves says he believes Revolution Strategy was given the inside track because it has twice been hired to help run the Liberal party's election campaign.

BYE BYE BRISTOL
Atlantic Canadian marketing firm Bristol Group is blaming its demise on its operation in the Middle East .
The company announced yesterday that it was shutting down, effective immediately.
Bristol says its operation in , which opened about five years ago, resulted in substantial losses in Atlantic Canada and the company could not recover.
Bristol also has offices in Halifax, Moncton, New Brunswick and St. John's, Newfoundland .