5000 NB Power Customers Are In The Dark Tonight

Crews from NB Power are busy with over 5000 customers in the dark. The biggest impact is being felt between Fredericton and Woodstock.


High winds and heavy rain causing tree branches to make contact with power lines and NB Power telling CHSJ News their crews are working as safely and quickly as possible to restore power.

Because of the high volume of outages, the utility says restoration times will vary but, they are monitoring the weather closely.
For more info, go to http://www.nbpower.com/

Marco Polo Replica To Stay West For Now

The Marco Polo replica is staying put, on the west side and will be moved uptown next year.
Longtime organizer Barry Ogden tells CHSJ News while they did want to have the tall ship replica at Harbour Station for the upcoming musical, he calls this a practical decision.

He says Uptown Saint John is doing a study to find a permanent location so, he wants to give them some time to do taht and because of it's size, the replica is too large to move it several times.
Ogden adds he thinks the local performers will do a fabulous job with the Marco Polo Musical at Habour Station on the 23rd.

Men Facing Several Break And Enter Charges

A 22-year-old man is facing two charges after a series of Break and Enters in businessses in the Lorneville Industrial Park.

A 16-year-old is being charged with break and enter after an investigation in the Latimore Lake area and a 19-year-old man facing three charges relating to Break and Enters in the uptown area.
A robbery complaint last month leading to a charge of misleading police into false invesigation. A 52-year-old man facing a charge after rings were stolen from a Pitt street home.

Weather Creating Some Problems

(Saint John Energy crews removing branches on Douglas Avenue - photo submitted)

Police are cautioning motorists to be a little more vigilant on the way home this afternoon.
The wind and rain combined with the falling leaves are making for some slick driving conditions.
R-C-M-P say the possiblity of hydroplaning is high with the water on the road -- and -- around the city some storm drains have become clogged with leaves causing mini-lakes to build up.
In addition -- Saint John Energy crews have been busy removing branches from power lines but no serious outages have been reported so far -- meantime -- NB Power is reporting some outages in the St Stephen - Fredericton - and - Woodstock areas affecting almost seven thousand customers.

(Plastic Tarp Flies Over Top Of The Admiral Beatty)
             (Photo By Jim Hennessy)

City Fire crews have been called in after a section of the protective tarp on the side of the Admiral Beatty Building broke away.


It happened just after one o'clock on the top level and District Fire Chief Kevin Clifford tells CHSJ News, no one was working under that section when it ripped.


The work site remains active as construction crews continue their re-facing of the building.


Saint John Energy Crews were called in as well to make sure any debris didn't hit power lines in the area.

Saint John M-P Frustrated Over Delays In Lepreau Refurbishment

(Saint John M-P Rodney Weston)
           (File Photo)

Premier David Alward and Energy Minister Craig Leonard will be meeting with officials of Atomic Energy of Canada next week to talk about who's going to pay what for the replacement power while the Point Lepreau generating station is offline. It's costing the province a million dollars a day.

Saint John M-P Rodney Weston is frustrated by the continuing delays and frankly admits there have been too many screwups.

Weston says he's urging the new provincial government to do whatever it can to protect the financial interests of ratepayers but adds you have to distinguish between the cost overruns and replacement power.

 According to the contract, the cost overruns will not be borne by New Brunswick ratepayers but the issue in dispute is the cost of replacement power.

Rate Freeze Still On Despite Lepreau Delay

(Seated Are Provincial Energy Minister Craig Leonard, Premier David Alward and Jennot Volpe From Left To Right)
                       (Photo by Brian McLain)

Premier David Alward making his first stop in Saint John since winning the election to announce former provincial Energy Minister Jennot Volpe and Conservative party insider Bill Thompson have been appointed to the new Energy Commission which has been given six months to come up with a new energy policy for the next ten years.

Alward also announcing a special Legislative Committee will be formed in the coming days to oversee the refurbishment of the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant which is now three years behind schedule.

The new Energy Minister Craig Leonard says the election promise to freeze power rates for three years hasn't changed in spite of the latest delay.

Alward says the work being done to refit the nuclear generating station at Lepreau will be the number one focus of NB Power.

Energy Commission Is Unveiled

(Premier David Alward)
       (File Photo)

Former cabinet minister Jeannot Volpé and former energy deputy minister Bill Thompson have been appointed to a new energy commission.


It's role will be to develop a long-term plan for a stronger energy future.


The commission will recommend a progressive energy policy and offer advice on the future direction of NB Power.


It will also release a 10-year strategy with specific recommendations in six months.

Close Call For Home-Owner in Nauwigewauk

One man was hurt but will recover from his injuries after a house fire in Nauwigewauk last night.


Fire and RCMP were called to the home just after 6:30pm to find the man was trying to start his wood stove with a fluid when the fire broke out.

The home was saved by fire crews and officers are still looking into the matter.

Rain And Wind But Nothing Major

Wet and windy is the forecast for the next 24-36 hours in Greater Saint John.


Up to 40 millimeters and winds gusting between 65-75 kilometers an hour is the prediction from Environment Canada.


Meteorologist Claude Cote tells CHSJ News, this type of weather, as most people know, is not unusual for this time of year.

Cote adds the winds could be a bit stronger and a little more rain-fall west of Point Lepreau, in Charlotte County and Grand Manan.


The weather is expected to clear by tomorrow and roll into Nova Scotia.

Major Milestone Reached in Q-Plex Construction

Following a 15-hour pour, the concrete floor of the Q-Plex is now in place but it will take 28 days for the mold to harden before it can be used.


Despite a close to two month delay in the scheduled opening date, Mayor Murray Driscoll tells CHSJ News, he is pleased with how every piece of this puzzle has fallen into place.


The scheduled opening date for the new state of the art facility is January.1st.

What To Do If You Run Into A Bear

A question on the mind of many home-owners in the Kennebecasis Valley is what should I do if I run into a black bear?

A close to 400-pound animal has been spotted the past several weeks eating out of garbage and compost bins recently in French Village.

Kevin Craig, a bear management biologist with the Department of Natural Resources says DON'T PANIC.


Most bears fear people and will leave when they see you.


However, if a bear woofs, snaps its jaws, slaps the ground or brush, or bluff charges, then you are too close.

You should back away slowly, get into your home or vehicle and wait until the animal leaves the area.

DNR has set up a pair of traps for the bear that has been roaming around the past couple of days in the French Village area but no luck yet in snagging it.

New Energy Commission To Be Announced In Saint John

(Premier David Alward Talking To Reporters In Saint John)
                          (File Photo)

Premier David Alward and Energy Minister Craig Leonard will be in Saint John today to announce the members of the new provincial energy commission.This comes just one day after word of yet another delay in the refurbishment of the Point Lepreau nuclear power plant.

The President of Saint John Energy says like most people in the province, he is disappointed and concerned about the impact it will have on future costs increases. Eric Marr tells CHSJ News the delays are outside of the government's control right now. NB Power has announced the refit will be complete in the fall of 2012, three years behind schedule.

NB Power CEO Gaetan Thomas says the revised schedule is necessary to ensure the power plant's safe and reliable operation for 25 to 30 years. Premier Alward has promised to freeze power rates for three years but his election promise was based on Point Lepreau resuming operations in February 2012.

Tim Currie of the Atlantica Centre for Energy says getting the plant online and operating for the next three decades is the way to go.

Parade Tomorrow As HMCS Brunswicker Marks Freedom Of The City

(City Hall On King Street In Uptown Saint John)
                  (File Photo)

HMCS Brunswicker will exercise its Freedom of the City in Saint John tomorrow.

Everyone is welcome to watch the parade that will start in from of the fire hall on Leinster Street and end at the foot of King Street in front of City Hall where the ceremony will take place.

At City Hall, the Naval Reserve Division will be met by the Chief of Police. After being challenged, the Commander Officer of HMCS Brunswicker, Commander Elizabeth Syvertsen-Bitten, will be escorted by the Chief of Police to the doors of City Hall where she shall knock on the door with the pommel of her sword.

Mayor Ivan Court will read the proclamation and the parade will then perform a march past to pay respect to the mayor.

The Freedom of the City is the highest honour a city can bestow on a Canadian Forces unit.

The ceremony begins at 11 tomorrow morning.