2009-03-23
21:37:34
No matter what, when it comes to poverty it must be a made in New Brunswick solution--- that from Saint John Portland Conservative M-L-A Trevor Holder who tells CHSJ News the province wide dialogue sessions are a step in the right direction---
Holder cites the Crescent Valley area as a recent example of success in poverty reduction--- the neighbourhood boasts a resource center and a community police officer.
21:33:50
2009-03-23
There is still a long road ahead but things are coming together in building a poverty reduction plan for the province--- About fifty Saint Johner's turning out to the second public dialogue session held in the city last night, co chair of the project Gerry Pond tells CHSJ News he is still in a listening mode but there are some issues which keep coming up:
This marks the fourteenth meeting, with one left to go in Fredericton-- the three phase initiative will next hold round table discussions with experts on issues of poverty, they will discuss proposals put forth in the public sessions. Finally, a forum will be held to establish the Poverty Reduction Plan. If you missed your chance to attend a dialogue session you can still participate, to get involved with the initiative visit gnb.ca/poverty
2009/03/23
15:39:45
Irving Oil crews continue to work to drain the storage tanks at the refinery after a leak was found last week.
Spokesperson Jennifer Parker tells CHSJ News, the crews expect to have the tanks completely drained in a day or so.
She says luckily the wind is blowing in a direction that diverts the smell of gasoline away from houses in the Champlain Heights area.
A foam is also being used during the process to keep the odour down.
Still no word on the cause of the leak.
2003/03/23
14:43:29
The RCMP is ending the investigation of an eight year old murder, after finding out the person responsible for the death is also dead.
The body of Robert Joseph Lobb was discovered in his home in Val D'Amour in November of 2000.
Evidence gathered over the years has identified the man responsible for shooting Lobb died in 2005.
No charges can be laid, and it is believed Lobb's death is related to a drug deal.
13:37:00
The Loch Lomond Villa is once again open to visitors after lifting the ban due to several cases of influenza.
Director of Care Terry Lee Martin says visitors are permitted, but if they are feeling unwell they should wait until they are better before stopping in.
The ban has been in place since March 13th.
2009-03-23:
11:19:23:
The former East Saint John School continues to undergo a transformation. The building is being converted into new office space for Irving Oil. Spokes-person Jennifer Parker tells CHSJ News, due to the cold weather, work was halted for a few weeks but has resumed. The space is still needed regardless of whether or not the company is granted approval to build a new office tower on Long Wharf.
Parker says if everything stays on schedule, the building should be open by the end of the summer.
2009-03-23:
11:17:06:
The Quality of Life Initiative will hold the latest in it's series of public meetings tonight. They continue to protest the proposal by Corridor Resources who want to drill into salt beds, flush them out and make caverns to store natural gas to pipe in through the Penobsquis field and onto the United States. Spokes-person Otty Forgrave tells CHSJ News, there is a possibility other products could be piped in to the same holding area.
Tonight's public meeting gets started at 7:30pm at the Upham Rec Center on the Titusville Road.
2009-03-23:
11:16:04:
A city councilor is asking city staff to prepare and advertise a business improvement levy for the west side. Bill Farren tells CHSJ News, the recommendation to complete the levy was made last year and the West Side Business Association has asked him to intervene in finding out it's progress. Farren says he wants city staff create and advertise for a public hearing to create a business improvement area on the west side over the next 5 days.
Farren says he hopes progress is made soon.
2009-03-23:
11:14:51:
Business partners Irving Oil and British Petroleum are still deciding whether to go ahead with the construction of a second oil refinery in Saint John. Gordon Dalzell with the Clean Air Coalition tells CHSJ news if environmental concerns won't deter them, maybe the economy will in North-Eastern United States where the oil would be shipped.
Dalzell says the existing refinery emits about 35 pollutants into the city's air--and-- a second refinery would further impact the health of Saint Johner's for generations to come.
2009-03-23:
11:13:29:
The latest stats from the RCMP say drug seizures involving methamphetamine are on the rise. Officers say of particular concern is that in a number of cases, what people are buying as “Ecstasy” is in fact primarily methamphetamine. As a result, some people have unknowingly become addicted and have had to seek treatment.
Even though police are seeing more cases involving meth, abuse of the drug is not prevalent in most of the province, with the exception of communities in the Edmunston area. Reports from the Northwest of the province indicate an increase in methamphetamine addiction in the area.
2009-03-23
10:56:38
(Gagetown ferry is one of three being cut as of Friday - photo courtesy DOT)
There's a bright spot coming out of the provincial government's decision to axe the Belleisle - Gagetown - and - Hampstead ferry services.
Transportation Department spokesman Andrew Holland confirms to CHSJ News 11 of the 15 ferry workers have been offered jobs on other river ferries.
And Holland says the Human Resources branch is working with the other 4 to secure employment for them.
The three ferries will stop plying the waters as of Friday as part of the Graham government's cost cutting measures.
2009-03-23:
04:28:42:
You can have your say, again, on poverty in the province. The New Brunswick Poverty Reduction Initiative is returning to host an additional dialogue session tonight at the Somerset Community Center. The session will run between 6:30 until 9:30pm. The first session held in Saint John back in January saw over 100 participants.
To participate, you must register by calling 1-888-315-6606 and for more info or to participate online, you can go to gnb.ca
2009-03-23:
04:27:38:
Ever wonder when motions get followed through with after being passed at Common Council? Well so does Councillor Gary Sullivan. Sullivan tells CHSJ News, a better line of communications need to be made to find out the progress of motions passed in the chamber:
Sullivan says some motions should be passed very quickly, such as forming the committee concerning the public inquiry on the pension plan. Common Council is meeting tonight in their chamber at 7 o'clock.
2009-03-23:
04:26:44:
A foul stench in an East Saint John apartment drove people from their homes yesterday. Fire crews and the Haz-mat Unit were called to 80 Coldbrook Cresent just before noon to find elevated levels of hydrogen-sulphite.
Crews discovered the smell was coming from the septic system where one of the traps was not working causing the odor to linger in the building. A plumber was called in to fix the problem and everyone was allowed back into the building a few hours later.
2009-03-23:
04:25:41:
They say if March comes in like a lion.....she will roll out like a lamb but today's weather forecast could throw a wrench into that plan. Environment Canada is tracking a system that will kiss most of the province and leave us with close to 10cm's by tomorrow morning. Snow is expected to start falling late this afternoon and into this evening.
Nova Scotia will get the brunt of the action with most of that province expected to wake up tomorrow with anywhere between 15-25m's of snow. The full three-day forecast is coming right up.
