Child And Youth Advocate Wants Input From Saint John Autism Community

The acting child and youth advocate encouraging families with concerns about the services available to autistic children in Saint John to contact him.

Christian Whalen extending the invite at the Art for Autism showcase at the Community Autism Centre which showcases the artistic ability of youth diagnosed with autism.

Over 800 famillies use the non-profit centre that helps people and their famillies living with autism spectrum disorder.  For more info or to reach Whalen, click here

PotashCorp Gives $50K To Hospital Foundation

PotashCorp NB handing a cheque to the Regional Hospital Foundation to the tune of 50 thousand dollars. The Foundation now has 70 per cent of the money needed to purchase equipment for a new stem-cell lab at the Regional. PotashCorp GM Stewart Brown tells CHSJ News raising that much money in such a short period of time is a huge accomplishment.

He says reaching this point required an agressive fundraising campaign that began earlier this year. Brown says the company decided to donate because a new stem-cell lab is something that will benefit everyone in the region. He says says you'd be hard pressed to find someone who hasn't been impacted by cancer.

ACAP Gets Funding Boost For Ongoing Projects

3 environmental projects from the Atlantic Coastal Action program getting a boost thanks to 51-thousand dollars in funding from the Department of the Environment.

Executive Director Tim Vickers tells CHSJ News a portion of the money will go towards their online education program on watersheds.

Other programs getting support is their Green Network Program which organizes community clean-up projects and their management plan for local watersheds.

Mayor Says Council Will Take A Closer Look At Chalk Art

With chalk art on King Street being considered vandalism by police and the ensuing public outcry, Mayor Ivan Court says city council may have to take a closer look at the graffiti by-laws. 

He tells CHSJ News he believes it warrants a closer look but one man's art could be another's graffiti.

He says things like how long the art will last and who will clean it up are all issues to consider.

Listeners Think Sidewalk Artists Should Stay Put

It would appear the citizens support two young artists and their right to create street art on King Street.  Some of our listeners taking to our Facebook page to vent their frustrations that the young couple have been told to move along.

Kerry Ann says i guess we can't let the kids use chalk cause it's called vandalism.


Wendy says the police should do something useful such as find the vandals who spray-painted the brick building at Rainbow Park.   She adds chalk washes away and it looks nice.
Betty says if someone is not hurting anyone drawing pictures on sidewalk and as long as they are not vulgar and they are not panhandling he is sharing a gift with tourists walking by and should be allowed to do so. She adds it's a shame because she enjoyed looking at the amazing art that people create.
To add your voice to the conversation click here

Crews Fight Fire In St. Martin's Business

Crews responding to a fire in St. Martin's this morning.

The blaze in an apartment of the building that houses the Flying Colours gallery on Main Street across from the XTR gas station.

Sidewalk Artists Sent Packing

If you have enjoyed the chalk street art on King Street the last few weeks, you're out of luck now.
Artist Eric Couture tells CHSJ News he's been told by the police that he can no longer draw on the sidewalk.

He says it's because chalk art is considered graffiti and he gets caught doing it again on City property he will be fined.

He said his girlfriend has done chalk art all over Canada and this is the first time they have been told not to do it.
He says they have been doing street art as an alternative to pan-handling.

City Seeks Input For Public Plaza

A landscape architect being hired to help design the space around Peel Plaza that will become a public plaza. Project Manager Bill Edwards says open sessions concerning the space have been well attended and helpful.
 He says they are looking for input on the type of amenities and on how the space should look and feel.

Edwards says it's just a matter of blending what the public wants with what the city can afford. Earlier this year council electing not to begin construction on the public plaza until next spring because of the amount of work being done in the area.

Fundraising Campaign Update In Sussex Today

The Regional Hospital Foundation and the PotashCorp scheduled to make an announcement this afternoon in Sussex. The Foundation is trying to raise 680 thousand dollars to purchase state-of-the-art equipment for the hospital's new stem cell lab. An update on how the campaign is going will be given at the PotashCorp offices in Sussex today at 2 o'clock.

Jack Layton's Letter To All Canadians

Jack Layton wrote an open letter to all Canadians on August 20th, 2011.

Dear Friends,
    Tens of thousands of Canadians have written to me in recent weeks to wish me well. I want to thank each and every one of you for your thoughtful, inspiring and often beautiful notes, cards and gifts. Your spirit and love have lit up my home, my spirit, and my determination.
    Unfortunately my treatment has not worked out as I hoped. So I am giving this letter to my partner Olivia to share with you in the circumstance in which I cannot continue.
    I recommend that Hull-Aylmer MP Nycole Turmel continue her work as our interim leader until a permanent successor is elected.
    I recommend the party hold a leadership vote as early as possible in the New Year, on approximately the same timelines as in 2003, so that our new leader has ample time to reconsolidate our team, renew our party and our program, and move forward towards the next election.
    A few additional thoughts:
    To other Canadians who are on journeys to defeat cancer and to live their lives, I say this: please don't be discouraged that my own journey hasn't gone as well as I had hoped. You must not lose your own hope. Treatments and therapies have never been better in the face of this disease. You have every reason to be optimistic, determined, and focused on the future. My only other advice is to cherish every moment with those you love at every stage of your journey, as I have done this summer.
    To the members of my party: we've done remarkable things together in the past eight years. It has been a privilege to lead the New Democratic Party and I am most grateful for your confidence, your support, and the endless hours of volunteer commitment you have devoted to our cause. There will be those who will try to persuade you to give up our cause. But that cause is much bigger than any one leader. Answer them by recommitting with energy and determination to our work. Remember our proud history of social justice, universal health care, public pensions and making sure no one is left behind. Let's continue to move forward. Let's demonstrate in everything we do in the four years before us that we are ready to serve our beloved Canada as its next government.
    To the members of our parliamentary caucus: I have been privileged to work with each and every one of you. Our caucus meetings were always the highlight of my week. It has been my role to ask a great deal from you. And now I am going to do so again. Canadians will be closely watching you in the months to come. Colleagues, I know you will make the tens of thousands of members of our party proud of you by demonstrating the same seamless teamwork and solidarity that has earned us the confidence of millions of Canadians in the recent election.
    To my fellow Quebecers: On May 2nd, you made an historic decision. You decided that the way to replace Canada's Conservative federal government with something better was by working together in partnership with progressive-minded Canadians across the country. You made the right decision then; it is still the right decision today; and it will be the right decision right through to the next election, when we will succeed, together. You have elected a superb team of New Democrats to Parliament. They are going to be doing remarkable things in the years to come to make this country better for us all.
    To young Canadians: All my life I have worked to make things better. Hope and optimism have defined my political career, and I continue to be hopeful and optimistic about Canada. Young people have been a great source of inspiration for me. I have met and talked with so many of you about your dreams, your frustrations, and your ideas for change. More and more, you are engaging in politics because you want to change things for the better. Many of you have placed your trust in our party. As my time in political life draws to a close I want to share with you my belief in your power to change this country and this world. There are great challenges before you, from the overwhelming nature of climate change to the unfairness of an economy that excludes so many from our collective wealth, and the changes necessary to build a more inclusive and generous Canada. I believe in you. Your energy, your vision, your passion for justice are exactly what this country needs today. You need to be at the heart of our economy, our political life, and our plans for the present and the future.
    And finally, to all Canadians: Canada is a great country, one of the hopes of the world. We can be a better one _ a country of greater equality, justice, and opportunity. We can build a prosperous economy and a society that shares its benefits more fairly. We can look after our seniors. We can offer better futures for our children. We can do our part to save the world's environment. We can restore our good name in the world. We can do all of these things because we finally have a party system at the national level where there are real choices; where your vote matters; where working for change can actually bring about change. In the months and years to come, New Democrats will put a compelling new alternative to you. My colleagues in our party are an impressive, committed team. Give them a careful hearing; consider the alternatives; and consider that we can be a better, fairer, more equal country by working together. Don't let them tell you it can't be done.
    My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world.
    All my very best,
    Jack Layton

Anti-Noise Advocate Wants Looking For Signatures

Sam Blue is stepping up his efforts to bring some quiet to city streets and neighbourhoods.

He's taking to the streets to collect petition signatures for better enforcement of laws concerning illegal exhausts, which can cause excessive noise.

Blue tells CHSJ News he's not looking for a new by-law -- he just wants better enforcement.

He says he's hoping to collect at least a thousand signatures for his petition.To sign a digital version of the petition, click here.

St. Martins Mayor Jim Huttges Dies

CHSJ News learning St. Martins Mayor Jim Huttges has died. 

Saint John-Fundy M-L-A Glen Savoie tells CHSJ News Huttges was in the hospital when something unforeseen happened and he passed away. 

Savoie says Huttges' unexpected death is an extreme shock to the community. 

He says there's not a person who met Huttges who didn't appreciate his down-to-earth approach to things.

Savoie sending his condolence's to Huttges family, who recently lost Huttges' twin brother Mickey as well.

Opposition Liberals Says Layton Was A True Fighter

Liberal Opposition Leader Victor Boudreau says Layton was a fighter in both his personal life and as a politician. 

He says Layton was admired by many people in the political realm and brought tenacity, conviction, and commitment to making Canada a better place.

Weston Calls Layton A Skilled Parliamentarian

The MP for Saint John says the country has lost a "skilled parliamentarian".


Rodney Weston tells CHSJ News he sat across from late NDP leader Jack Layton in the last session of parliament and enjoyed watching him in action.
He tells us watching Jack speak in the house was one of the highlights of his day.
Layton says he brought passion to the job and the role he played in Canadian politics.

Legion Approves Name Change For Military

The Royal Canadian Legion is giving a thumbs up towards the name change for the Canadian Armed Forces.

The navy and air force will officially be known as the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Legion spokesperson Bob Butt tells CHSJ News it's a great move that honours our lineage to the monarchy.

He says the only concern the Legion had was if costs associated with the name change would impact operational or quality of life budgets.  He says they were assured that it would not happen.

Grocery Bills Are On The Rise

The Common Front for Social Justice says food prices are getting too high for families to keep up.


According to their latest study, which looks at food prices over the last year, the average cost of groceries has gone up 5.74 percent in one year.

Spokesperson Aurea Cormier tells CHSJ News it's getting harder for families to buy a nutritious grocery order, especially those on fixed incomes.

She says the prices of key items have been steadily on the rise: the cost of bread has gone up 10 percent while fruits and vegetables have jumped by over 40 percent.

She's hoping the figures will spark action on the part of citizens and the government to make grocery bills less of a burden for low-income families.

No Flexibility In Timing Of Good Friday Advance Polls

Advanced voting for the May 2nd federal election begins next Friday -- and -- in case you haven't noticed -- that's Good Friday.


Pastor Edward Powell of the Grand Bay United Baptist Church isn't surprised given we have Sunday shopping and a lot of people not really observing other religious holidays.

Powell says it comes down to those who want to honour God on Good Friday will do so while those who want to vote will do that as well.

Elections Canada says it has no say in how the advance voting falls for the May 2nd federal election.

Spokesperson Karen Janigan says the law states the advanced voting must be held so many days prior to the actual election day -- but -- she tells CHSJ News there are other options available for those who aren't comfortable voting over the Easter weekend including a special ballot that can be cast at your local returning office.

More information on voting can be found here.