🚩 Watchdog flags credit-fix promises

Good morning, Saint John! It’s National Sandwich Day. Don’t have to tell us twice. A breakfast sandwich, a lunch sandwich and a dinner sandwich sounds like three square meals to us.

Here’s what’s between the bread this morning:

Let’s get into it!

-Geoff Walsh, Publisher

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Credit where credit’s due 💳

A company promising to fix your credit score overnight deserves a closer look before it gets eyes on your wallet.

New Brunswick’s Financial and Consumer Services Commission is warning residents about credit-repair services that guarantee better scores or immediate results. These companies charge for help improving your credit, but the commission says there’s no quick fix for a low score.

Your credit history can affect renting an apartment, getting a loan or signing up for a phone plan. A useful first step is to request your credit report and check it for mistakes. Contact the credit reporting company directly to correct errors. FCNB regulates those companies, but can’t change your report or score.

Before hiring a credit-repair service, understand what you’re agreeing to and what you can do yourself. The commission’s Finfo.ca website explains how reports and scores work, along with credit habits that can help over time.

An easier way in 🛠️

Getting together at Grand Bay-Westfield’s River Valley Room now comes with a safer, more accessible entrance.

The town’s Age-Friendly Committee received $8,000 in provincial funding for improvements to the walkway leading to the seniors’ gathering space inside the Community Centrum.

The completed work includes a support railing, concrete improvements, interior siding and weatherproofing. Together, the upgrades help make access safer and more comfortable, particularly for seniors with mobility challenges.

The room provides a place for local seniors to gather and take part in activities, with these improvements helping more residents comfortably get through the door.

A slight change of passage 🚶

A small section of Harbour Passage near the skate park closes this morning for drilling work, with pedestrian and cyclist detours marked on-site. Work could take up to three days, depending on weather and site conditions. The rest of your waterfront walk is still on.

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Theatre Talk Tuesday 🎭

Sophie’s Surprise 29th | November 5
Circus, comedy and cabaret meet a ’90s house party in this production featuring performers with credits including Cirque du Soleil and The 7 Fingers. Expect acrobatics, audience interaction and adult humour, with a soundtrack featuring The Killers, Basement Jaxx and Sugababes. The 75-minute show starts at 7:30pm at the Imperial Theatre. Tickets are $50, or $45 for members.

PIAF: Karine x Atlantic Sinfonia | November 6
Jazz vocalist Karine joins chamber ensemble Atlantic Sinfonia for an evening celebrating Édith Piaf. The program includes “La Vie en rose” and “Non, je ne regrette rien,” bringing the French singer’s music to BMO Studio Theatre. Doors open at 7pm, with the concert running 7:30–9pm. Tickets are $40–$45.

Nathaniel Rankin: Astonishment | November 7
Saint John magician Nathaniel Rankin returns home with a show combining magic, mind reading, comedy and circus skills. The Canadian Champion of Magic has performed in 45 countries, and this time he’s taking the stage at Lily Lake Pavilion. The all-ages performance starts at 7pm, with doors at 6pm. Five dollars from every ticket supports the pavilion.

Men of the Deeps: 60th Anniversary | November 8
Cape Breton’s coal miners’ chorus marks 60 years with an evening of music and stories drawn from life underground. The anniversary production honours miners past and present, and the communities built around their work. Men of the Deeps performs at the Imperial Theatre at 7:30pm. Tickets are $58.75.

Golden Boy | November 10
Josh O’Connor stars as a gifted violinist drawn toward professional boxing and the promise of fame in Depression-era New York. Clifford Odets’ drama explores what he stands to lose along the way. This National Theatre Live screening was filmed at London’s Almeida Theatre; it is not an in-person performance. Watch at BMO Studio Theatre at 7:30pm. Tickets are $25, or $20 for subscribers.

Symphony NB: HeartStrings | November 12
Symphony New Brunswick explores love, longing and rediscovery through works by Wagner, Sibelius and Canadian composer Marjan Mozetich. Concertmaster Danielle Sametz is the featured violinist for the program, which includes Mozetich’s violin concerto. The performance begins at 7:30pm at the Imperial Theatre.

Mass for Shut-Outs | November 14
Using the framework of a Catholic mass, this performance explores faith, doubt, belonging and organized religion through poetry, humour and music. It welcomes believers, non-believers and those still working out where they stand. Catch it at the Imperial Theatre at 7:30pm. Tickets are $40, or $35 for members.

Coming soon…

HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis | November 21
Colin Mochrie joins hypnotist Asad Mecci for an improvised comedy show featuring hypnotized audience volunteers. Mecci begins with 20 willing participants, then selects volunteers to perform alongside the Whose Line Is It Anyway? veteran. The show starts at 8pm at the Imperial Theatre, with doors at 7:30pm. Advance tickets range from $56.25–$66.25, increasing by $5 on show day.

Frozen | November 25–29
Saint John Theatre Company brings Disney’s Broadway musical to the Imperial Theatre, following sisters Anna and Elsa through a story of family, fear and a kingdom trapped in winter. Performances run November 25–27 at 7:30pm, November 28 at 2pm and 7:30pm, and November 29 at 2pm. Tickets are $70 regular, $65 for seniors and $40 for students.

TNB: To Every Thing There Is a Season | November 30
Four siblings remember a Christmas that changed their family in this Theatre New Brunswick production, adapted by Ryan Griffith from Alistair MacLeod’s short story. Set in Cape Breton, the play combines family memories with traditional and original Celtic music. The 90-minute performance begins at 7:30pm at the Imperial Theatre. Tickets are $45 for adults and $25 for students.

📍Discover tons more upcoming events across the Saint John region.

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📸 Chris Higgins | 📍 Harbour Passage

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Today’s Tides 🌊

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Thanks for reading SJ Today - If you found it useful, share it with someone who agrees with the experts…a hotdog is actually a sandwich 🌭!

-Geoff Walsh - Publisher