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Friday, September 13, 2013

Education Partners Recognized At Luncheon

A luncheon was packed with dignitaries at the Trade and Convention Center this afternoon to honour some long time philanthropists in the Port City.

Chairmen Gerry Pond and JK Irving received nods for their contributions to education in the province. Irving described the province's need to prioritize education first, because trickle down benefits to everyone follow from that basic entitlement.

The keynote speaker, Frank McKenna explaining kids today need to experience the magic of reading rather than what he called the "opium" of TV and video games.

Oromocto Man Gets Human Rights Award

Lt.-Gov. Graydon Nicholas presented the 2013 New Brunswick Human Rights Award to Oromocto'sJohn Wood in a ceremony at Government House in Fredericton.

Wood has overcome physical limitations, and was described as never letting his disability stop him from putting others first. Through his work with various fundraising initiatives, Wood has raised thousands of dollars for Muscular Dystrophy Canada.

 The award was established by the commission in 1988 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Mother Of Missing Toddler Still Looking For Answers

With no charges in her daughter's case, a Maine mom is reaching out to the public.

Trista Reynolds tells a Portland TV station she will release information given to her by police in an effort to get the case moving.

20-month-old Ayla Reynolds was reported missing from her father's home in Waterville in December 2011.

Maine State Police have said Ayla's blood was found in Justin DiPietro's basement.

Trista says police told her child's blood was also found in Justin's bedroom, truck, and on his shoe.

She says she will release more information September 24th on her website.

Reward Out For Fugitives

Crime Stoppers offering a  $1,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrests of two Nova Scotia men wanted by police in New Brunswick, and possibly up to $2,000.

28-year-old Brandon Mombourquette and 26-year-old Andrew Hudder are wanted by police in Nova Scotia for a variety of offenses. Police think they may be in southeastern New Brunswick.

Both are considered armed and dangerous. If you see either of them, do not approach them and call 9-1-1 immediately.

KV Fire Responds To Spill

KV Fire crews responding to a spill in the area of Gondola Point Road and the Vincent Road on the lunch hour.

While the light oil involved covered a large area, we are told it was not a lot of product on the road.

The substance which came from a vehicle is not flammable.

KV Fire says the incident has been turned over to the Department of the Environment.

Higgs Thinks We Should Jump On The LNG Opportunity

Finance Minister Blaine Higgs was in the crowd at the UNB Energy talk with Frank McKenna.
 

He says the LNG was built when the shale gas potential didn't exist and he says now we are in strategic position having the only plant of its kind in Canada.

Higgs says when McKenna mentions that 25 other LNG export facilities are being considered in the US that means our time is now to convert that and get to market first.

Higgs is calling for more political cooperation in other areas like we saw with the pipeline project.


McKenna Talks Energy With UNB Class

Frank McKenna draws a crowd and an energy chat put on by UNB was no exception.
 

Participants in the Energy Fundamentals for Leaders course at Saint John College asking questions of the former premier about the shale gas industry, the Energy East pipeline and more.
 

McKenna tells CHSJ News the pipeline received unanimous support because the benefits can be seen in terms of jobs and the potential for the Refinery.

He thinks the fact that we have had tanker movement for over 40 years and a refinery made it a much easier sell for us.

McKenna says we don't need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to shale gas extraction since it's been happening for more than 40 years and we can learn from what other locations have done. 


Saint John High Tech Company Expanding

A Saint John I-T company, based in the Red Rose Tea Building, is expanding. 60 new jobs are being created and Premier David Alward says the province is going to help Mariner Partners out with a payroll rebate of 750 thousand dollars which will be paid only when all the jobs are filled. 

Alward says 27 of the jobs have already been filled and rejects criticism of the rebate programme based on what happened at Radian 6.

As for what the future holds, the President of Innovations at Mariner, Peter Storey says the sky's the limit when it comes to growth.


Mariner also announcing a deal to provide one of the world's largest TV operators with video quality monitoring for more than 10 million devices by the end of this year. Plans call for that to go up to 20 million devices within 5 years.

Pedestrian Struck Near Old Burial Ground

One person taken to hospital with undetermined injuries yesterday after being struck by a vehicle. The fire department telling us this took place on Elliot Row between Wentworth and Carmarthen Streets.

Gabrielle Losing Strength

Tropical storm Gabrielle is not expected to pack as much of a punch as feared when it moves into our region. 

According to the Hurricane Centre, Gabrielle will accelerate northeastward and should become post tropical well before reaching the coast of Nova Scotia. Most of its energy and moisture will be absorbed by an existing frontal trough over the Maritimes.
 

As for rain, the Saint John forecast is calling for 10 millimeters through the day and another five tonight.St. Stephen will get more......15 to 25 millimeters during the day and another 5 to 10 tonight.

Work On Maxwell Bridge Should Begin Soon


It's been an 8 month wait before news struck yesterday on the future of the Maxwell Crossing Covered Bridge.
 

The bridge will be repaired back to it's original state, but many residents are wondering why it took so long to decide?
 

Charlotte-Campobello MLA Curtis Malloch says the Minister of Transportation was negotiating with the insurance company to get taxpayers "the best bang for their buck".

Malloch tells CHSJ News they are wrapping up the final paperwork adding they are waiting for the engineering report from DOT to compare it to one from the insurance company.

Malloch says when that report comes in they will be able to set exact dates for construction adding it should begin this fall.
 

The bridge was damaged back in January after a driver lost control of his car and crashed inside it.