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Monday, January 20, 2014

Fishing Group Warns Of Two-Foot Wide Ice Crack

 Photo Courtesy of Dwight Conwell
The Renforth Fishing Association warning the public about a two-foot-wide crack in the ice at the end of the wharf, running through the fishing shacks and through to Kennebecasis Park.

President Gary Gower tells CHSJ News anyone walking around the fishing shacks is at risk of falling in, so the organization went out and put branches and trees in the hole and taped it off.

Gower says the crack was caused by a shift in the ice, and that the mild temperatures we've been experiencing is playing a role in the ice moving around. He says there's more water than usual in the river system due to runoff from brooks, streams and rivers which is lifting the ice and causing it to float.

Gower tells us there's no need to take the shacks off the ice right now, because that section of the river is still fairly solid. He says it's also safe to walk on, but you have to be paying attention.

Brrr!!! How Do The Homeless Stay Warm?

Winter is back and with that people living outside need to find a warm spot for the night.  

The Out of the Cold shelter may be busy over this week with very cold temps in the forecast.
 

Organizer Jillian Driscoll tells CHSJ News they probalbly don't need anymore socks but they could use other items.

She said they can use men's winter jackets and boots, travel size toiletres and $5 coffee gift cards.

Food is also a welcome donation.    Ross Mavis formerly of the Inn on the Cove recently brought in Shephard's Pie and whole wheat bread.

Registration begins at 9pm every night and the  shelter is located inside Grace Presbyterian Church and they ask that you use the Hazen Street entrance.

McKenna Gets Life For Geary Murder Last Spring

Charlie McKenna gets a life sentence with no chance of parole for 15 years for his role in the shooting death of a Geary man last year.

RCMP responding to a mobile home on the Branch Road early on the morning of May 1st where 61 year old Kirk Blair and McKenna both lived.    Blair was found dead.

In Fredericton court today (Mon.), McKenna learned he is also banned for 10 years from owning firearms and that begins when he is released from prison.

He must also pay a victim fine surcharge of $100 or have 5 days added to his sentence and he must submit a DNA sample.

Imperial Theatre Gets $100,000 From PotashCorp

There's an endless to-do list when it comes to maintaining a more than century-old building like the Imperial Theatre, but the heritage facility will soon be able to tackle some tasks thanks to a $100,000 contribution from PotashCorp.

Executive Director Lee Bolton tells CHSJ News the money will be used for restoring and preserving the theatre. She says they need to fix the facade, carpet, the 20-year-old black stage curtains that are starting to deteriorate and more.

The donation represents funds matched in year one of a three year commitment by PotashCorp New Brunswick. Early last year they agreed to match donations to the theatre, dollar for dollar, to a maximum of $250,000. 

Bolton says the $100,000 they raised came from a variety of sources, including regular supporters, donations from several foundations and the Tracy Friars Family & Friends fundraising Christmas concert which raised more than $45,000 for the theatre.

Busy Weekend For Saint John Police Department

City Police getting 300 calls for service over the weekend, including being called to a home on Douglas Avenue for a dispute over property.

Sergeant Jay Henderson says police were speaking to the man they believe made the call, when he pointed what looked to be a handgun at the officers. Henderson says they quickly pushed it out of his hands and the 53-year-old man was taken into custody.

After examining the handgun, police discovered it was a BB gun. The man is facing charges of assault and assaulting a peace officer by pointing a weapon.

Officers also searching a home on Tilley Avenue and finding pot, hashish and a weapon. A 31-year-old man has been arrested and is facing charges of possession of drugs and possession of a prohibited weapon.

Henderson says they're still looking for a car stolen in the early morning hours on Friday from an address on Rodney Street on the West side. It's a black 2013 Nissan Sentra with the New Brunswick license plate J-E-L 7-3-8. 

Anyone who has any information is asked to contact the Saint John Police Force at 648-3333 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Two Teachers And A Student Hurt In School Stabbing

Fredericton police shedding more light on a stabbing incident at Eastern College on Prospect street this morning.

Police arrived just before 830 to find two teachers and one student had been hurt by a machete-style knife and one man was arrested.

Three victims were sent to hospital and media reports have one teacher requiring surgery.

Fredericton police chief Leanne Fitch says if a student had not intervened and subdued the suspect a bad situation would have been a lot worse.

Fitch adds they believe its an isolated incident and they do not believe there is any additional threat to the community.

The Future Of Recycling And Composting In Region

Fundy Region Solid Waste wants your opinion on what future recycling and composting should look like. Your feedback is being sought at public meetings this week and next. 

There are three options on the table according to Brenda MacCallum of program development with the most expensive being both curbside recycling and curbside composting at a cost of 2.5 million dollars. The other options are curbside recycling which would replace composting or stay with what we have now. 

It will be up to the Regional Services Commission to make the final decision in June. 

Public Meetings

Tues Jan 21 Rothesay/Quispamsis -  KV Library Community Room 4:30 to 7:30 pm
Wed Jan 22, Saint John Central -  Peel Plaza Community Room 11:30 to 1:30  & 4:30 to 7:30
Mon Jan 27 Grand Bay-Westfield – Brundage Point River Centre  4:30 to 7:30
Tues Jan 28 Hampton – Hampton High School Cafeteria, 4:30 to 7:30
Wed Jan 29 Saint John East – HOPE Centre Loch Lomond Rd, 4:30 to 7:30 pm
Thurs Jan 30 Saint John West – St Mark’s United Church, Dexter Dr  4:30 to 7:30

 

Saint John M-P Says He Wants To Help Rothesay

Saint John M-P Rodney Weston says he's committed to helping the town of Rothesay expand recreation. 

The town plans to build a new arena and convert Rothesay Arena to other uses which would include basketball and volleyball. Weston tells CHSJ News Rothesay Arena was built back in 1972.
 

The town is hoping to start construction of the new arena later this year and will take from 8 to 10 months to complete.

Price Of Milk Increasing Next Month

You'll be paying a little more for milk starting next month, with the New Brunswick Farm Products Commission announcing the price is going up by 3.1 cents per litre.

Commission chair Bob Shannon they needed to raise the price because for several reasons, the most significant being the cost of production, processing and the delivery of milk to consumers.

The increase will be divided among dairy producers, dairy processors and retailers. Producers will receive 1.32 cents per litre, processors will get 1.37 cents per litre, and the balance goes to retailers. Pricing under the School Milk Program will remain unchanged for the school year.

Possible Stabbing at Fredericton College

Fredericton police are looking into an incident at Eastern College that may have been a stabbing.

Police responding to the school just after 8 this morning and one man was arrested.

3 people have gone to hospital with injuries ranging from minor to serious.

Police will be holding media briefing at 12:30pm today.

Street Closure In Uptown

The city letting us know a portion of Canterbury Street from King Street to Grannan Lane will be closed today until 5:00 this afternoon as Saint John Water repairs a watermain.

Missing Boy Found

A 14-year-old boy from Fredericton who was reported missing late last week has been found.

Josh Wood was last seen around Leo Hayes High School Friday morning but is now back home safe and sound. 


Police believe he may have spent the time at a friend's home.
 

Local Utility Learning From Ice Storm



Saint John Energy conducts a debrief after every storm and that knowledge goes into their emergency response plan.

President and CEO Ray Robinson tells CHSJ News thinks their crews have done a good job preparing for winter storms.

He says they have done a lot of removing trees and trimming trees back and we able to get their customers lights back on in 24 hours or shortly thereafter.

Crews were out last week trimming trees hoping to avoid further outages in the next storm.

Union Defends Wage Demand

The Canadian Taxpayers Association has called the demand of a wage increase of 26 per cent over 4 years by striking professors at U-N-B in Fredericton, Saint John and Bathurst as outrageous when their average salary is 100 thousand dollars. 

That characterisation is being refuted by Union President Miriam Jones who tells CHSJ News the university finds the money to spend on non-academic projects.  She claims taxpayers would not have to pay any extra because U-N-B has the money but Jones has an issue with how the university is spending it.

According to Jones, over the past ten years, 48 academic positions have been lost but the university added 84 non-academic jobs for the projects it wants.

Rothesay Council Worried K-Park Could Get Trapped

Rothesay Town Council wants the entrance to Kennebecasis Park redesigned because of concerns over rail safety and is asking Common Council to have the city represented on a committee to come up with options. 

The entrance and exit is in the city while Kennebecasis Park is part of Rothesay. There's only one entrance and exit to and from Kennebecasis Park which has 350 homes and an elementary school.

Rothesay Council points out there's no adequate plan for evacuation in the event of a train derailment that would block the lone exit from the neighbourhood. 

Common Council has been told Saint John M-P Rodney Weston supports the idea, saying the timing is good because funding could be available through the Building Canada initiative and he's looking for options.