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Thursday, August 12, 2010

Penobsquis Residents File Claim Against Mine

Homeowners living in Penobsquis are filing a claim against PotashCorp Inc. after mining activities affected their water quality and health. Residents say blasting created cracks in the ground that led to dirty water or no water altogether.

With 60 wells lost in the area, over 200 people have been affected. Spokesperson Beth Nixon says they respect that PotashCorp has the right to mine, but the community wants to make sure mining companies are held accountable for the damage they cause.

Youth Charged In West Side Vandalism

The Major Crime Unit making two arrests regarding the vandalism of a vehice on the lower West side.
Two youth will be in court at a later date after paint was splashed on a vehicle and symbols that resembled Swastika's.

Premier On The Same Page With Municipalities


(Mayor Ivan Court)
(File Photo)

Mayor Ivan Court is happy with a meeting that took place between Premier Shawn Graham and mayors from municipalities around the province.

Court tells CHSJ News the Premier understands that cities are the economic engines of New Brunswick, and if the cities aren't sustainable, the province isn't sustainable. 

Court says the Premier also recognizes some municipalities, like Saint John, serve large areas so it's difficult for them to pay for infrastructure. 

Court says the provincial and federal governments should really invest between 7 and 9 million dollars into a municipality each year.

New Mentorship Program For Immigrants


(Deputy Premier Donald Arseneault announces the province will give $75,000 to the mentorship program)
(Photo by Sherry Aske)

Immigrants in Saint John can now get help when looking to start a business.

The province is giving $75,000 to Enterprise Saint John to run a business mentorship program for immigrant entrepreneurs.

Project Coordinator Anita Punamiya tells CHSJ News the program will help keep people in the province.

Punamiya says local businesses will partner with an immigrant for half a year and meet with them for at least four hours every month.

Andy He came to Canada to attend UNBSJ and tells us he signed up for the program because he thinks he can learn a lot from his mentor. 

He says his mentor can provide him with local business information and help him meet new people.

The Business Immigrant Mentorship Program began as a pilot project in Fredericton last year and is now available in Moncton as well.

Doucet Refutes MLA's Claim On Church Suppers

(Fisheries Minister Rick Doucet)

Fisheries Minister and Charlotte the Isles MLA Rick Doucet is refuting a Conservative MLA's claim that new health rules could spell the end of church suppers in the province.
Wayne Steeves, the Conservative M-L-A for Albert says the Liberals are waiting until after the election to bring the new regulations into being.
Doucet tells CHSJ News there is absolutely no truth to this.
He says it's irresponsible and misleading and calls this move typical of the Conservatives.

Meanwhile, The Province's Chief Medical Officer of Health says there are no plans to prevent churches from holding suppers.

Dr. Eilish Cleary tells CHSJ News safety procedures need to be followed closely at these events.  Cleary says these suppers are good for public health.

Players Involved In Fight At Memorial Field

Some fisticuffs at Memorial Field after Saint John was eliminated by Edmonton at the Canadian Senior Little League Championships.
Sargeant Pat Bonner tells CHSJ News that police were called after players from the Saint John and Quebec teams began fighting.

He says at the end of the game, a fight took place between Saint John players and players from Quebec in the stands.
A woman in her 70's was knocked down, she was taken by ambulance by hospital to be checked out.
Bonner tells us there will be no charges unless someone comes forward with the details of what happened.

Church Suppers Under Threat According to Provincial Conservatives

The days of traditional church suppers in the province may soon be over.

That warning from Conservative M-L-A Wayne Steeves of Albert. He tells CHSJ news the Liberals plan to bring in new health regulations after next month's provincial election, if they should win, and these will adversely affect many rural communities.

According to Steeves, the Liberals are keeping these new regulations under wraps for the time being to avoid a voter backlash prior to the provincial election next month.

He claims many non profit organisations and community associations depend on the money raised by these benefit suppers which he calls part of the heritage of this province.
Our newsroom has placed a call to the Department of Health and is waiting to hear back from them.

Parking Spaces Will Be Needed As Part Of Peel Plaza Development










                   (Peel Plaza)

The official sod turning hasn't taken place yet but work has already begun on constructing the new Police headquarters building across Union Street from the Chipman Hill parking garage.

Part of the Peel Plaza development is a proposed parking garage which elicits little enthusiam among some members of Common Council who have to give their approval for it to be built.

City Manager Pat Woods warns the people who work at the new justice complex, where all the courts will be, have to park somewhere.

He estimates there will be 300 or so people working at the justice complex, another 200 at the new police headquarters and 220 others have been parking in the Peel Plaza area who will also need new spaces.





            

Fire Deliberately Set In Sussex



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The RCMP in Sussex are on the lookout for an arsonist. Police say an accelerent was used to start a fire in the corner of a building on Murray Avenue.
The fire was quickly spotted and put out with minimal damage but no one has been arrested.

A Mixed Bag On Gas Prices

Not much of a change with gas prices after the weekly setting. Self serve regular is being sold in the city for 99 cents a litre with a slight drop in the maximum price that can be charged. There was a slight increase in the max for diesel and it is going for $103.8. Propane is also a bit more expensive with the listed price at $102.6 a litre.

Roofer Saved From Falling To Ground

Fire crews were called to a home along Douglas Avenue yesterday afternoon after a roofer was left dangling four storeys above a paved driveway.

The only thing that kept him from falling to the gound was his safety harness. He sustained a bit of bruising caused by the harness itself.

It's believed there was some rotten wood at the edge of the roof which gave way.

The accident is being looked into by Workplace NB.

Traffic Along Union Street To Be Affected By Peel Street Development














               (Peel Plaza Traffic Changes)
                  (Photo by Sherry Aske)

With Peel Plaza under construction, nearby streets will be undergoing some traffic changes.

Bill Edwards is the Project Manager of the Peel Plaza Redevelopment Project and says they're looking at ways to alleviate traffic congestion during construction. Parts of Peel Street and Hazen Street are already closed and water and sewer work is expected to affect traffic on Union and Wellington.

Peel Plaza is expected to be finished by the end of December 2011.