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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

More Spending from Ottawa and Fredericton

Water and waste-water infrastructure in Sussex Corner are getting a much needed upgrade thanks to the Province and Ottawa.Both are investing just over $270,000 dollars towards the projects and the Village will cover the remainder of the cost. This upgrade will provide municipal water and sewer services to residents along Route 111 and in the East Coast Village Home Park of Sussex Corner. No word on what the total cost of the project is, when construction will get started or when it will be finished.

Also, Ottawa has invested $53,000 dollars and the Province $35,500 in a new educational tourist attraction at the Fundy Trail Parkway. The cash will go towards buying and managing a small scale working sawmill.

Merit Awards to be Handed Out

The woman affectionately known as the ""Moose Lady"" is being honored for her commitment and hard work. Cathy McCullom of Welsford will receive one of six Merit Awards to be presented next month. McCullom gained national attention three years ago when she took on the then Lord Provincial Government to put up moose fencing along Highway Seven.

Fundy River Valley MLA and Energy Minister Jack Keir will be on hand to present the awards on Sept.8th at the KBM starting at seven o'clock.

Close to a Million Dollars for Saint John

Along with the Port City....Saint John now has a new title......Cultural Capital of Canada for 2010. It was unveiled during a news conference today at the Arts and Culture Center along with a cheque from Ottawa for $750,000 dollars. This will be used to help celebrate the city's 225th anniversary. Heritage and Official Languages Minister James Moore says Saint John can be proud of it's arts and culture accomplishments.

Quebec was also designated a 2010 Cultural Capital of Canada earlier this week.

Getting Ready for a City Wide Party

Imagine if you can, trying to make plans and organize a year long party? That is the task Peter Buckland and the Saint John 225 Committee are taking on during the city's 225th anniversary next year. Buckland is chair and tells CHSJ News, this ia golden opportunity for all of Greater Saint John.

Details of the year long celebration will be rolled out during a news conference in five to six weeks time.

Grand Bay Westfield Money

Along with Saint John, Federal officials were also in Grand Bay Westfield handing out funding. It totals $90,000 that will go towards new batting cages and improved tennis courts. The batting cages will be built near an exsisting field and the tennis courts will be completely over-hauled.

Ottawa's contribution is just over $31,000 dollars while the Town puts up the rest which comes in at just over $62,000 dollars.

Sears Warns Consumers

Sears Canada is warning consumers about safety hazards with certain models of Frigidaire and Kenmore stoves sold across the country over a seven-year period. The company says the warnings apply to smoothtop freestanding electric ranges with rotary knobs and digital displays. Sears says the stoves' elements may heat up without being turned on, fail to cool down after being turned off, or heat to different temperatures than those specified by users. The ranges were sold in retail stores, online and through the company catalogue between June 2001 and September 2008. Sears says it will contact customers who bought the affected units to arrange a free repair, and urges consumers not to use their stoves until the problem is dealt with. Customers with questions are urged to call Sears at 1-866-691-9948.

St. Andrews Gets Recreation Funding

The town of St. Andrews is getting 75 thousand dollars for improvement to its arena and tennis courts. Federal Minister of State Keith Ashfield made the announcement today saying it will increase the quality of life in the town.

The Town of St. Andrews is providing nearly 128 thousand dollars for the project and the community has raised 15 thousand dollars. Work includes adding two new tennis surfaces and improving the energy efficiency of the W.C. O’Neill Arena.

City Development Officers Given More Powers

Homeowners who want to make small changes to their properties that require city approval can now do so a lot faster and easier. Amendments to the city's planning act give Development Officers new powers that will prevent a number of items from heading to the Planning Advisory Committee. City planner Sarah Herring tells CHSJ news the changes give Development Officers the authority to approve or deny minor variances.

Herring says the changes will not only remove headaches for homeowners, it will also save city staff time and money.

Energy Crunch Coming

The top researcher with non-profit organization Canarie Inc isn't suggesting we abandon nuclear power--but--says investing in renewable energy in the next ten years is vital. Prominent provincial academic at the University of Moncton, Yves Gangnon, says the province should abandon its pursuit of nuclear power in favour of renewable energy. But Bill St. Arnaud says most of North America's aging nuclear power plants will be going off-line in the next ten years.

He says individual businesses and homeowners should be looking for ways to generate their own renewable energy--because those that do will be the ones saving money during the energy crunch.

Concert Announced for Harbour Station

One of the most popular and best-selling artists in the Christian music industry is making its only maritime appearance at Harbour Station this fall. The Newsboys will make a stop on their ‘Way We Roll Tour’ on October 8th. The group has released 15 albums and has been nominated for four Grammy’s.

Tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10 a.m.

Demonstration at Potash Terminal

The Potash Terminal along Broad Street will be the scene of a protest at Noon today. The International Transport Workers Federation is calling out Potash Canada for chartering vessels from Dowa Line. The company has pled guilty and been fined for dumping dirty oil over-board it's vessels in Florida. ITF Inspector Gerard Bradbury tells CHSJ News, they have no evidence this has happened here in Saint John.

Bradbury says the demonstration is to draw attention to the companies actions and try to kep them accountable.
Now that the final report from a group trying to help save two river cable ferries is in the hands of the Province, when can we expect to get a look at it? Village of Gagetown councilor Bob McDowell tells CHSJ News, he and most know that a pay for use service is highly probable scenario.

McDowell points out the Deer Island Island ferry is run by a private operator and they seem to make it work although the numbers they have crunched show for Gagetown, it isn't a feasible solution. The Hampstead Ferry service has already been cut. A spokes-person with the Department of Transportation tells CHSJ News, there is no timeline for a final decision.

Plenty of Funding Announcements Today

The pace picks up again today after a flurry of announcements last week with the first stop this morning at ten at the Saint John Arts Center. MP Rodney Weston will be joined by Mayor Ivan Court and the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages James Moore. Then at one o'clock, Provincial Minister of Tourism and Parks Stuart Jamieson will be joined by Fundy Royal MP Rob Moore for an unveiling.

The Interpretive Centre of the Fundy Trail will provide the back-drop where a new attraction to honor the logging industry will be on display. Minister Jamieson will them make his way to Sussex Corner for another news conference at three o'clock. That is where details of a Provincial-Federal water funding announcement is expected to be rolled out.

Search for a New City Manager

City Hall has activated it's search for a new City Manager. Along with an ad on it's web-site, notices will go out in news-papers and web-sites from coast to coast. Terry Totten took a severance package of half a million dollars back in June to go along with his pension. Pat Woods is the acting City Manager and Mayor Ivan Court tells CHSJ News, he is a good contender.

Court says it wouldn't be fair to bring someone into the posistion in the middle of budget deliberations so they have set a Jan.1st deadline.

Saint John Resident's to Board the Queen Mary

Almost 80 people will be leaving the Port City aboard the Queen Mary when the luxury liner makes a stop in Saint John next month. Tour organizer Rae Wallace of Freedom Travel says the local passengers are very excited to board this ship in Saint John because that chance hasn't been offered in many years.

The tour begins in Saint John on September 6th but also spends two nights in New York City and overnight stay in New Hampshire before returning to Saint John on the 11th.

Seadogs Continue Season Ticket Drive

Just shy of the 2000 mark, officials in the Saint John Seadogs front office are confident they can reach their self-imposed goal. They hope to have 2500 season tickets locked up before the team plays their home-opener next month. President Wayne Long tells CHSJ News, the late showing of the summer season certainly is a strike against them.

Long also expects that once they finalize their roster at the close of training camp, a few more hockey fans will emerge.

Shopping in the United States

Here is something you might not know if your travel across the border on a frequent basis. The Canadian Automobile Association and Health Canada have teamed up to let you know about some of the things you can't bring home after a trip to the good old U.S. of A.

Some of the products include baby walkers, children's sleepwear, cribs, cradles and playpens just to name a few.