More Parking For South End

      (Common Councillor Patty Higgins)
                   (File Photo)

A rezoning application has been approved to allow for more parking in the south end on Ross and St. James Street for the students attending a dental assistant's school. Not everyone is pleased about this. Common Councillor Patty Higgins remembers there was a planning study report which determined there wasn't a need for more parking in that part of the city.

She also points out it's also close to Rainbow Park which will see alot of money spent on it and where Harbour Passage is being extended to. Common Councillor Donnie Snook doesn't like to see parking where there could be multiple housing units.

Reunion 2010 Just Days Away

One of the biggest concert events to hit Saint John is just ten days from getting started.

The Reunion 2010 Music Festival as part of Saint John 225 get started on August 5 and runs til the 8th.

Spokes-person Lisa Hrabluk tells CHSJ News, she is hearing from a lot of people who can't wait to check out Harbour Country and Rocks shows at Fort LaTour.


Hrabluk adds there is something for everyone's musical taste including Jazz on Princess, Harbour Rocks and Country at Fort LaTour and classical Saint John at the Imperial Theater.
 
Tickets are available at the Imperial, on it's web-site or by calling 674-4100.

New Color For the Tops Of Fire Hydrants

(New Look Hydrant on King Street)
        (Photo By Jim Hennessy)

No doubt you have noticed the fire hydrants in the South Central Peninsula are sporting a new color.

The tops are blue and Acting District Chief Richard Marks tells CHSJ News, this is a new regulation from the National Fire Protection Association.

Marks says the light blue hydrants let fire-fighters know they can expect over 5600 litres a minute when battling a blaze.

The other colors in order of water pressure are green, orange, and red.

Sunwing Is Coming Back To Saint John

       (Saint John Airport)
            (File Photo)

Sunwing Vacation is already making plans for it's fifth year at the Saint John Airport after another successful spring.

Starting next spring, there will be two weekly flights to Varadero beginning March.18th til May.10th.
There is also a weekly departure to Cancun beginning March.27th until May.15th.
 
No word at this point on the passenger volumes Sunwing had over the spring.

New Radio Station For Nova Scotia

Country music and up to date news is being enjoyed on the south shore of Nova Scotia at 100.7 CJHK Hank FM.

The new radio station is up and running and is owned and operated by Acadia Broadcasting which also owns Country 94 and sister station 97.3 the Wave.

Company Vice-President Jim MacMullin says it is exciting to launch our new station after two years of planning, approvals and construction.

Hank Fm is sharing broadcasting space with it's sister station, CKBW.

The launch of the new station coincides with another exciting event for the Bridgewater stations a move into new state of the art studios and offices.

City Manager Optimistic About City Pension Plan Being Straightened Out

             (City Manager Pat Woods)
                        (File Photo)

A solution to the long term financial problems facing the city's pension plan should be ready by early September. That, according to City Manager Pat Woods who warns this is no time to panic and make rash spending cuts.

According to Woods, the pension fund has more than 325 million dollars to meet its obligations for years to come. The solution he's talking about will deal with what's going to happen 30 or 40 years down the road.


     

MADD Stepping Up Efforts To Nail Drunk Drivers

There's a new billboard on McAllister Drive asking people to call 911 if they see an impaired driver. The sign was put up thanks to Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Saint John Police Force.

Rick McNulty is President of MADD Saint John and tells CHSJ News it's a very successful program with 30 per cent of impaired driving cases brought before the courts being the result of 911 calls.

McNulty says Saint John is the second jurisdiction in the country to adopt the 911 program against impaired drivers.

Film Production In Maritimes Appears To Be Coming Back After Slump

Film and television production appears to be on the rebound in some Canadian provinces, including this one, thanks to enhanced tax credit regimes and a strong stable of domestic producers. Ghislain Labbe, who handles financial services for New Brunswick Film, says there is optimism in many areas of the country despite the high value of the loonie and increased competition from U-S states.



Labbe says the bulk of New Brunswick's film production is French, which is thriving in part, because of assistance of federal funding for French language projects shot outside the province of Quebec.


Tim Hogan, of Fredericton-based Dream Street Pictures, says extra help from federal and provincial funding sources is key in an increasingly competitive landscape but he doesn't see much potential for growth for New Brunswick's English language companies who currently aren't getting enough business from Canada's large private broadcasters.


Halifax-based independent filmmaker John Wesley Chisholm believes the challenge is to produce interesting stories. His company, Arcadia Entertainment, specializes in ocean-related documentaries and specials. Chisholm looks at the proliferation of specialty channels as more opportunities than ever existed before.

Affordable Housing To Be Announced In Grand Bay-Westfield

      (Provincial Energy Minister Jack Keir)
                   (File Photo)

Another affordable housing project opens today. Energy Minister Jack Keir and Greg Thompson, MP for New Brunswick Southwest, will both be in Grand Bay-Westfield for the of the project at Inglewood Manor. Things get started at 2pm.

Blow Up Dragon Stabbed

They'll be no inflatable dragon welcoming people at the entrance to the Busker's festival today.

City police say the giant blow up mascot was stabbed 20 times last night.

A nearby security guard saw the attacker, but they managed to get away.

Buskers Rap Up Today

(The Daredevil Chicken Club performs for a crowd in Loyalist Plaza)
(Photo By Sherry Aske)

The buskers rap up their four day visit to the Port City today.
 
The acrobats, stilt walkers, puppeteers and performers have been performing on the Boardwalk since Thursday as part of the festival's 20th Anniversary.
 
Every year the Busker's Festival attracts over 35,000 Saint Johners and tourists to the Boardwalk.

Illegal Dumping Still A Problem

Even with the focus of living greener, areas of the Saint John River are still having problems with illegal dumping.

Tom Benjamin is the Executive Director of the Hammond River Angling Association and tells CHSJ News it's an ongoing problem. 

He says while they're not seeing as much litter around, people are still dumping their things on back paths and wherever they can back a truck in. 

Benjamin says the big thing is education as people shouldn't be dumping this material to begin with.

New Bus Route For Valley

(File Photo)

Saint John Transit is launching a new bus route in the Valley starting August 3rd.

Mayor Murray Driscoll tells CHSJ News the new Quispamsis Comex 53 will stop 2 or 3 times along the Vincent Road, including at the site of the new Q-Plex.

Driscoll says the added route will help get more cars off the road and lower carbon emissions.

To see the bus schedule for the Comex 53 go to http://www.quispamsis.ca/pdf/comex53.pdf.

Funeral For John E Jack Irving

(Trinity Anglican Church On Charlotte Street)
              (Photo By Jim Hennessy)

Plenty of emotions on display as friends and family have said goodbye to John E Jack Irving.


The full house on hand at Trinity Anglican Church remembered a man who was a true professional, a father, a brother and a friend.

Premier Graham may have said it best that Irving was a true gentleman who not only employed thousand around the Province but always remembered where he came from and gave back to his community time and time again.

Irving passed away on Wednesday at the age of 78 following a short illness.

Another French Day-Care For Saint John

With demand for the service growing, Saint John has it's second licensed french immersion day-care.

Hawthorne Child care is now accepting registration and owner Michelle Deschenes tells CHSJ News, the reaction to this point has been very enthusiastic.

Deschenes says she has spoken with Samuel De Champlain, which operates the other french speaking day-care, and they support her business.

For more information you can call 696-0978.

Campus Station Recruits Youth

Have you ever thought you might have a career in radio? If the answer is yes, Saint John Youth Radio is looking for you.

With help from a federal grant, the campus radio station is developing a current affairs program and is looking for boys and girls ages 16 to 20.

Spokes-person Holly Johnson tells CHSJ News, this is a very hands on program.

Johnson says they are hosting an open house at the campus station this afternoon at one on the second floor of the student union building.

If you have any questions you can call 608-9129.

Funeral Today For Jack Irving

Family, friends and well-wishers will gather this morning to say goodbye to John E. (Jack) Irving.

He passed away on Wednesday of this week after a short illness at the age of 78.

Tributes have been rolling in all week from the municipal, provincial and federal levels speaking of the great things Irving accomplished both on a professional and personal level.

Today's public funeral service gets started at eleven at the Trinity Anglican Church on Charlotte Street.

Fishing For Research

It's part research, part tournament this weekend at the Hammond River Angling Association.

Tom Benjamin is the Association's Executive Director and says their Kayak Fishing Tournament starts early tomorrow morning, but it's not your average competition. 

He says says it's not how many fish you catch, or who catches the biggest fish, but who catches the most different species.

Benjamin says they'll be keeping a tally of what kinds of fish are caught, to learn more about what's in the river system.

He says says everything is catch and release so be sure to bring your digital camera.

For more information go to www.hraa.ca.

Up, Up, And Away On The West Side

(Photo by Deborah MacDonald)


Residents in the Duke Street West area somewhat surprised this evening to see a hot air balloon in the park next to the Carleton Kirk complex.
The company was offering flights in the tethered balloon - an offer which proved highly popular with neighborhood kids.

2010 Senior Canadian Little League Championships Set For Next Month

Players, Coaches and Famillies will be in the Port City next month for the 2010 Canadian Senior Little League Championships.
It's the second year in a row Saint John will host the event.
Victor Fitzgerald tells CHSJ News there will be 18 games during the tournament.
Fitzgerald says all the action will be at Memorial Field on the west side.


For more info, go to www.leaguelineup.com/championships

Province Gives More Money To K.V. Fields Project

The province is giving another $200,000 to help complete the K.V. fields project.

The project involves the construction of an artificial turf surface on the field behind Kennebecasis Valley High School.
The Graham government already contributed $300,000 to the project last June.

Construction Set To Get Started At Saint John Airport

(Aerial Shot Of The Saint John Airport)
               (File Photo)

Expect to see a lot more activity than usual at the Saint John Airport starting next month.
Starting August.3rd, crews will begin replacing the taxiway and apron edge lighting and wiring at a cost of just over half a million dollars.
The new LED lighting will result in more modernized and more energy efficient airside lighting system.
It will also save 7200 KW hours per year and produce 16 fewer metric tonnes of greenhouse gases.
The work should be finished by September.30th.

Saying Goodbye To Jack Irving

(Line-Up Outside The Trinity Anglican Church)
            (Photo by Jim Hennessy)

They are coming from all walks of life to pay their respects to a man being remembered as a dedicated professional and a wonderful brother.


A steady line-up of people are making their way into the Trinity Anglican Church to say goodbye to John E Jack Irving.


He passed away on Wednesday following a short illness at the age of 78.


From former councilor Albert Vincent to Senator Joe Day, it seems like all of Greater Saint John is paying their respects.

Visitation will continue tonight until eight o'clock with a public funeral at the church getting started tomorrow morning at eleven o'clock.

Money for Curling Club

(Club President Debbie Easton stands with Ministers and MLAs at the Carleton Curling Club's scoreboards)
(Photo by Sherry Aske)

The Carleton Curling Club in the Lower West Side is getting $25,000 dollars from the province for renovations.

Club President Debbie Easton says the money is a tremendous gift. 

She says the club is 115-years-old and needs a new roof and a water recovery system.

The club has three sheets of ice and hosts between 9 thousand and 12 thousand curlers every year.

Growing Trouble For City Pension Plan

              (Saint John City Manager Pat Woods)
                            (File Photo)

With no solution in sight, the numbers continue to balloon for the city pension plan.

In a letter to council dated July.14th, City Manager Pat Woods says left un-resolved, this could result in a nine to ten million dollar additional yearly payment to the plan which in turn translates to a tax hike that could reach as a high as 17 cents.

Woods points out the alternative is to reduce services by roughly the same amount.


The pension plan has over $325 million in assets and Woods says it can meet it's obligations for many years but requires a long term solution not drastic short term action.
 
Woods is expected to present council with a plan to fix the debt laden plan in September.

Conservatives To Host Public Forums

(Conservative Leader David Alward)
             (File Photo)

Energy will be the topic of conversation at five open forums being hosted by the Conservative Party next week.

As the Party continues to put together it's policy, it is looking for feed-back from rate-payers.

Leader David Alward has committed to setting up an Energy Commission that would report back to government with-in six month if his party wins the September vote.


The first of the five meetings get started Tuesday night in Bathurst with a stop in Saint John on Thursday between seven and nine at the Fort Howe Hotel.

Armed Robbery In Oromocto

(Robbery Suspect at Canadian Tire Gas Bar in Oromocto)
               (Photo Supplied By RCMP)

The search is on for a man after the Canadian Tire Gas Bar Wassis Road was robbed last night.

RCMP tell us a man, about five nine with a slim build, walked into the store at ten o'clock with a knife.


He told the clerk to give him some money and he took off.

Committee Will Look At Future Development As Part Of Peel Plaza

           (Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase)
                      (File Photo)

A committee will be formed to guide future development in the Peel Plaza area. That word coming from City Manager Pat Woods who says the facades of the so called Jellybean buildings on Wellington Row will be retained even though they are not designated as heritage.

Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase is looking for guarantees that some of the buildings in that area, such as the former Synagogue, will not be demolished.

Chase maintains too many beautifal old buildings in the city have been torn down but Mayor Ivan Court says the city isn't in the business of holding on to buildings for indefinite periods of time.

A First For The Province With Expansion Of Amber Alerts

A first for the Province where Facebook users can sign up for AMBER alerts directly in their new feeds.

Amber alerts provide the public with info that can help locate an abducted child. Corporal Todd Chadwick is the Provincial Co-ordinator for AMBER Alert and tells CHSJ News this Facebook page is set up differently.He says you can't write on the wall, it's purpose is to push information out to the public.


The AMBER alert program in the province began in 2003 and to date it hasn't been used.


To join their Facebook page, click on the link.


http://www.facebook.com/AMBERalertNB?ref=sgm

Province Launches Youth In Care Network

(Partners for Youth Project Coordinator Mathieu Cormier, Social Development Minister Kelly Lamrock, and Partners for Youth General Manage John Sharpe)

Youth-in-care in the Province now have a network of peers to provide a positive influence, support and guidance in their lives.
Social Development Minister Kelly Lamrock made the announcement today.

The government will provide $200,000 over five years to Partners for Youth Inc. to develop local youth-in-care networks as well as a bilingual, provincial youth-in-care network. Youth-led consultations will be held across the province where youth-in-care will be able to offer suggestions about what services and functions should be available through their network.

Attempted Abduction Never Happened

Police has found out the report of attempted abduction made a 10-year-old girl in Memramcook is false.

After she was being interviewed by RCMP investigators, she admitted she made up the incident.

The young girl told police a man tried to grab her at a building yesterday afternoon.
Police tells us because of the age of the girl no charges are being considered.

Fond Memories Of A Brother

     (John E. Jack Irving)

I was very fortunate to have Jack as a brother.

He was a great friend and I always enjoyed his company.

We did a lot of business together – Jack was a steadying hand, he had good judgment.

He lived his life by the important lessons our mother and father taught us – he was thoughtful, sincere and loyal – an example to all of us.


He was very proud of the companies founded by our father.

He was a team player; he worked hard and paid attention to detail.


Jack believed in Canada and was proud of his country.


He was my brother and my friend - a good brother and a good friend. I loved him a lot. I'm going to miss him a lot.


There will never be another Jack.”


 Mr. Arthur Irving

City Saves Big Money By Restoring Old Pipes

(Municipal Works Commissioner Paul Groody)
                    (File Photo)

The new system of cleaning out the insides of cast iron watermains in the city that have become clogged over the years has saved taxpayers alot of money. That word from the head of Municipal Operations for the city,

Paul Groody who says since 2006 more than 36 kilometers of pipe have been restored where the flow of water had been very much restricted. In the past, once those pipes had become clogged, they would have to be replaced. Restoration comes at just a fraction of the cost.

Once cleaned out, Groody estimates the watermains are expected to be in use for another 30,40 or even 50 years. He has also revealed there is a still a pipe in use at Fernhill Cemetery which dates back to the American Civil War.

New Concerns Raised By Residents in Glen Falls

(Saint John Mayor Ivan Court)
            (File Photo)

A couple of new concerns have come to light from the people who have to cope with the flooding in Glen Falls. Mayor Ivan Court says they need immediate attention with one being whether the city can institute a moratorium on development in the designated flooding area for at least two years.



Court says he has also learned there are some people in Glen Falls who have mortgages and if they can't get insurance will have their homes taken back by the lender. The Mayor wonders whether the provincial government might be able to help the affected residents get proper insurance.

Lake Utopia Meeting Tonight

Home-owners in the area of Lake Utopia want to see if increasing algae blooms in the water can be fixed.


A meeting is scheduled for tonight to vote on whether or not to form the Lake Utopia Association.


Spokes-person Alant Hart tells CHSJ News, home-owners believe this is a pro-active move.
Back in February, Lake Utopia home-owners formed a steering committee to give a unified voice to matters concerning the lake.


Tonight's meeting gets started at 6:30pm at St. Marks Anglican Church in St. George.

Agent Orange Meeting in Oromocto

A meeting in Oromocto tonight will focus on Agent Orange spraying at Base Gagetown in the 60's.

Presentations will be made by several groups including Widows on the War Path as they fight to receive compensation.

They have been left out of a $20,000 package offered by Ottawa to military and civilians who worked at -- or lived near the base when the chemical was tested.

Liberal MP Rob Oliphant is the Veterans Affairs Critic and tells CHSJ News, his party wants to ensure that justice is served.

The widows have been shut out of the compensation package because their spouses passed away prior to the start up program in February of 06.

Tonight's meeting get started at seven o'clock at the Days Inn.

Garage Fire In Sussex

Officials can't find anything suspicious about a fire that broke out yesterday afternoon in Sussex.
Fire crews were called to the Waterford Road to find smoke and flames coming from a detached garage just before five o'clock.
The building and some of the stuff in it was damaged from the flames and still no word on how it started.

Gas Prices In the City Up Slightly

Drivers making their way around town will be paying just a bit more for gas after the weekly setting. Self Serve Regular has risen by under a cent a litre to 98.3 cents. Diesel increased by almost a penny a litre to $101.1 and propane is less expensive at 99.6 cents.

More Reaction To The Death Of Jack Irving

(Provincial Conservative Leader David Alward)
                     (File Photo)

The Leader of the Provincial Opposition offering his condolences on the death of Jack Irving at 78 after a short illness.David Alward tells CHSJ News he felt great sadness at the news of his passing.
Alward says Irving has a long legacy including his family and the impact of the Irving empire on businesses across the Province.

Energy Minister Jack Keir is sending his condolences to the Irving family saying he knew both Irving and his wife and they're wonderful people. Keir says it's a sad time for the entire community.

The M-P for Saint John calls Jack Irving a leader in our community and our province. Rodney Weston says the city and province has suffered a major loss as Irving made a valuable contribution to the worlds of business, culture and community.

Buskers On The Boardwalk Getting Underway

(Market Square)
   (File Photo)

Celebrating it's 20th anniversary, Buskers on the Boardwalk get started this morning at 9:00. Stephanie Peterson with the Hardman Group tells CHSJ News, it's four days of fun and excitement for everyone to enjoy. She says the great thing about Buskers is a chance to be interactive with the entertainers.


Peterson adds she is hoping the beautiful weather we've been enjoying holds but if it does rain, the festivities move inside to the atrium in Market Square.
 
 As part of the finale on Sunday, a woman dubbed the human cannonball will be shot down the boardwalk. The event finishes up at 6 Sunday night.

Homeowners In Lake Utopia Meet To Unify

Algae blooms in Lake Utopia are on the rise and homeowners in the area want to see if they can fix the problem.

A meeting is scheduled for tonight to vote on whether or not to form the Lake Utopia Association. Spokesperson Alant Hart tells CHSJ News, if formed, the association will give residents a stronger voice.

Back in February, Lake Utopia homeowners formed a steering committee to give a unified voice to matters concerning the lake. Tonight's meeting gets started at 6:30pm at St. Marks Anglican Church in St. George.

Sussex Health Centre Getting New Tool To Detect Breast Cancer

The province giving $168,000 for a new digital mammography unit at the Sussex Health Centre.

The Department of Health is providing $56,000 over three years to the Health Centre's fund-raising campaign to acquire the new unit. The goal is to have the unit operational in 2012.


Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second-leading cause of death among women in this province.

Geopark Project Gets More Funding

(A child goes rock climbing at Rockwood Park, one of the areas the UNESCO evaluators will be visiting in August)
(Photo by Sherry Aske)

The Geopark project in the greater Saint John area is getting $40,000 in funding from the province.

Chair Bill Merrifield says the money will be used when the evaluators come from UNESCO in August to see the area's geosites.

Merrifield says it's important the evaluators see that the local population is engaged in the geosites and that it's a community driven project.

Merrifield says they'll find out in October if the area is selected as a Geopark. It would be the first Geopark in North America.

Premier Graham Offers Condolences To The Irving Family

The Premier is also sending his condolences to the Irving family.
Shawn Graham says Jack Irving was truly the builder of the family.


He also supported the restoration of heritage properties in the city that have helped revitalize the uptown. He also established a reputation as a generous philanthropist who supported educational institutions and the arts in our province and throughout the Maritimes.

Mayor Court Calls Irving's Death A Great Loss for Saint John

(Mayor Ivan Court)

Mayor Ivan Court says he gives his condolences to the Irving family on behalf of Council. He says Jack Irving was at the the ceremony at the foot of King Street when his son John donated the clock to the city and you could tell he was a proud father.

Court says Jack was very proud of his children who has a gave a lot that people didn't know about.
He calls his passing a great loss to the city of Saint John and a great loss to the Irving family.

Jim Irving Calls Today A Very Sad Day

Jim (JK) Irving of J.D. Irving Limited calls today a very sad day as his family mourns the passing of his brother Jack.


Jim Irving call Jack a great brother and friend and says they enjoyed many years of growing up together both at home and in business.

12 Weeks Of Work On Sussex Overpass

The Lower Cove Overpass on Riverview Drive East near Sussex will be down to one lane for about 12 weeks while repair work is carried out.

The Department of Transportation is replacing expansion joints, repairing the bridge deck, applying new waterproofing and repaving the 42-year-old structure.

Motorists should expect delays during the construction period.

John Ernest (Jack) Irving Has Passed Away

John Ernest (Jack) Irving, C.M., D.Litt., LL.D., was born on January 1, 1932 in Saint John, New Brunswick to Kenneth Colin Irving and Harriet Lila “née MacNarin” Irving.


John E. Irving is a Member of the Order of Canada, a Companion of the Order of The Business Hall of Fame, an inaugural member of the New Brunswick Business Hall of Fame, recipient of an Honourary Doctorate of Letters from the University of New Brunswick, recipient of an Honourary Doctorate in Civil Laws from Acadia University and is an Alumnus Honoris Causa of Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration, Boston, MA. He graduated from Rothesay Collegiate School, Rothesay, NB in 1950 and attended Acadia University, Wolfville, NS from 1950 to 1952.


In 1952 at his father’s request he joined his father’s businesses and he worked all his life, along-side his brother Arthur in Irving Oil. In addition, John E. Irving was a Director of all Irving businesses and was responsible for and managed a number of the companies within the varied Irving enterprises.


He is survived by his wife Suzanne Heather Cameron “née Farrer”, his children John Keillor Farrer Irving, Colin Dargarvel Irving, Anne Cameron I. Oxley and six grandchildren.


He died after a short illness on July 21, 2010. Visitation will be held at Trinity Anglican Church, 115 Charlotte Street, Saint John, NB on Friday July 23, 2010, from 2:00 pm until 8:00 pm. The funeral service will be conducted at Trinity Anglican Church at 11:00 am on Saturday July 24, 2010. A private family interment is to take place at a later time.


Arrangements are under the care of Brenan’s Funeral Home, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John (506-634-7424). In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation or the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation.


Online donations and condolences may be made at: www.brenansfh.com.

Court Appearance For Man Charged With Cemetery Vandalism

(St. Joseph's Cemetery After Vandalism)
                   (File Photo)

A 20 year old man making a long awaited appearance in court for the vandalism caused at St. Joseph's Cemetery on Westmorland Road April 25th.

Dana Richard Bartlett pled guilty to mischief exceeding 5 thousand dollars after overturning 330 headstones.

The court was told Bartlett had been drinking and was enraged over breaking up with his girlfriend who was seeing someone else. The two have a child.

Bartlett later felt badly about what he had done after going on Facebook and reading comments from the affected families. There was one particular comment which struck home from a man who had just buried his wife a few days before her gravestone was overturned. Bartlett confessed to his ex-girlfriend and later to Police.

A letter was read to the court in which Bartlett wrote how sorry he is and how his actions were eating him up.

Scam Uncovered By Hampton RCMP

An ad in the local news-paper has been indentified as a scam by Hampton RCMP.

It is a job application looking for a book-keeper and officers have traced the ad as coming from the United Kingdom.

The applicant receives a cheque in an amount more than the salary.


The applicant is then told to cash the cheque and keep 10% for salary and return the rest.

Accident On The Green Bridge In Hampton

An accident yesterday morning has caused some minor damage to the green bridge in Hampton.

It was ten o'clock when a tow truck carrying a baby barn struck the warning barrier on the west side.
There is two thousand dollars worth of damage to the barn with damage to the warning structure on the bridge as well.

Diamond Taxi Locks Up Deal With Airport

Diamond Taxi has locked up a five year deal with the Saint John Airport for ground transportation services.

That means as of August.2nd, the only cab company you will be able to get a ride home with after your flight is Diamond.


As part of the new deal, taxis will provide comment cards in all vehicles and on the airport website.

The drivers will also take part in the Department of Tourism Superhost Training Program.

Energy Task Force Gets Together

The first progress report from the Energy Hub Alliance task force has been released.

It has agreed to forecast regional energy market demand and research all existing and planned products and services in the region.

Also, the task force is identifying specific areas in the hub that need development.

This plan includes setting benchmarks and identifying high priority and longer-term projects.

The task force was formed at last week’s Energy Ignition Summit where more than 90 delegates representing industry, government and community are working together to attain common goals and prosperity.

Feeding Deer Now Illegal In Quispamsis

(Jennifer Loomer Of Quispamsis Arguing For Deer Park)
                   (Photo by Sherry Aske)

Animal lovers in Quispamsis will have to stop feeding the deer now that Council has passed a by law forbidding it. Mayor Murray Driscoll tells CHSJ News he knows it's a difficult by law to enforce, but says some people will stop feeding the deer simply because a bylaw is in place.

Driscoll says if someone is caught there is a voluntary fine with the ultimate consequence being the laying of charges.
 
Someone not so happy with the new by law is Jennifer Loomer of Hampton. Loomer tells CHSJ News Town Council should set aside land as part of town planning and use it as an animal preserve.

Warning For Parents About MP3 Players And Ipods

A doctor from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto says music devices like MP3 players and Ipods can damage the hearing of the kids who use them.



Dr. Robert Harrison tells CHSJ News that parents should be concerned because the maximum volumes can cause damage to the inner ear.


Harrison adds the manufacturers are quite responsible in warning consumers who buy the products that listening for long periods at a certain level could damage your hearing. In Europe, manufacturers must limit the sound output in devices like MP3 players making the risk of damaging the inner ear lower.

Reorganisation Of Saint John Water In The Works

As part of the plan to provide safe, clean drinking water in the city, the head of Municipal Operations, Paul Groody says there should be a reorganisation of Saint John Water which would be run more like Saint John Energy as a corporatised public utility owned by the city.

 Groody says water in the city should never be privatised and he can see at some point in the future where Saint John Water will be able to generate revenue by selling its expertise or extending its services to outside municipalities.
 
 He points to Edmonton where this is already been happening with great success. Groody adds he can see the day when water services in the Saint John area will be regionalised.

Exploring A Power Partnership

(Premier Shawn Graham and Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter)

NB Power and Nova Scotia Power are exploring the possibility of building a new transmission connection between this province and Colchester County, Nova Scotia.

The proposed connection would have a transmission capacity of up to 500 megawatts which would more than double the transmission capacity between the two provinces.

Talks will also focus on improving the agreement between NB Power and Emera's Bayside generating station including the potential to expand the facility. The expansion could result in new jobs for this region.

Twinning Of Highway One Is Underway

(From left to right: Eric Desbiens, Southwest M.P. Greg Thompson, Fisheries Minister Rick Doucet, Transportation Minister Denis Landry, Dexter Construction Co Ltd, Project Manager Harry Varjabedian and D.O.T. project manager Dan Deap)
   
The ceremonial turning of the sod has happened in St. George to mark the official start of one of the largest highway projects in the history of the province.

When work is complete, Highway One will be twinned all the way to St. Stephen.

Liberal cabinet minister Rick Doucette, who represents the area in the riding, tells CHSJ News he worked hand in hand with Former federal Conservative Minister Greg Thompson to see this done.


The project will take just over three years to finish.

Kayaker Flips Boat Near Reversing Falls

It's a happy end to a water rescue at Reversing Falls just before noon today after a kayaker flipped.
The Falls shuttle was able pull the kayaker from the water and get him to a nearby wharf.


District Fire Chief Peter Saab tells CHSJ News the Fire department's water rescue unit was sent out but wasn't needed.
Saab says the kayaker was probably a bit cold but, otherwise ok.

Development Along Sandy Point Road On Hold In Spite of City Services Being In Place

          (Entrance To Rockwood Park)
                       (File Photo)

Controversy continues over any suggestion of allowing development inside Rockwood Park on city owned lands but what about along Sandy Point Road adjacent to the park. Chief City Planner Ken Forrest says water and sewage services were extended along that road by a previous Common Council a few years ago for a reason......Development was contemplated. Right now there is a moratorium in place on any new development until Common Council decides what should be done after hearing from the public.
The city's legal department has concluded where Rockwood Park ends is undefined.

Conservation Council Circulating A Petition

(Conservation Council Member Dave Thompson)
                (File Photo)

If you have any concern about future development in Rockwood Park, you can add your name to a petition.
It is being circulated over the next two days in the City Market by the Saint John chapter of the Conservation Council.
Spokes-person David Thompson tells CHSJ News, anyone signing the document believes Rockwood Park should be kept in tact.
At last night's council meeting, the City Solicitor says there is no precise border to Rockwood Park and there are city owned lands within the park that have no restrictions on how they can be used.

Moncton Is A Safe City

Stats Canada's report on crime severity and out of the 33 census metropolitan areas in the country, Moncton is the 13th safest community.

The numbers show the severity of crime in the hub city is less serious than other Atlantic Canadian communities with a population over 100,000.

It’s a drop of three positions from the community’s ranking in 2008. Here at home, the violent crime severity index sits at 109.3 which is up from 102.9.

Over-all, Stats Canada says the number of crimes reported to police fell last year as did the seriousness of the incidents.

Don't Jump From The Green Bridge in Hampton

A warning today from Hampton RCMP about jumping off the green bridge in Hampton.
Officers tell us they have received several calls about children leaping into the water of the Kennebecasis River to get cooled down, but there is shifting sand dunes which makes this very dangerous.
Officers also point out jumping from the East Side of the bridge is dangerous for vehicles as well.

Trying To Get Power Re-Stored

Over 20 of Saint John Energy's transformers were affected during last night's thunder and lightning storm.


That knocked close to 500 of the utilities customers off the grid with crews still working in some area's to get power re-stored.
President Eric Marr tells CHSJ News, the storm didn't play favourites but the North End-Millidgeville area's certainly didn't feel the brunt of the storm.

Marr says crews hope to have everyone back on line by the end of the day and crews from NB Power have been brought in to help with the situation.

Home Sales Are Down in Greater Saint John

Home sales are down both in Saint John and around the Province according to the latest numbers from the Saint John Real Estate Board.

232 listings traded hands which is down one per cent from the same time last year.


Sales around the Province for last month are down as well.....eight per cent. President Jason Stephen tells CHSJ News, there is concern about the trend but no reason to panic.


The overall number of homes for sale on the market has stopped climbing after two consecutive years of increases with 1600 active residential listings.

The average price for a home sold last month is just over $175,000 dollars.

Action Plan On Water Approved By Common Council

(Municipal Works Commissioner Paul Groody)
                (Photo by Brian McLain)

Common Council has unanimously approved the action plan on safe, clean drinking water after hearing an impassioned presentation by the head of Municipal Operations, Paul Groody who says the way Saint John treats its water hasn't changed since the time of the Great Depression in the dirty 30's and the city can't guarantee Saint Johnners that their drinkinhg water is safe to consume on a day to day basis.
The big challenge, according to Groody, is finding the money to pay for it. Common Councillor Peter McGuire says M-P Rodney Weston will have a huge role to play for this to happen and he has to be brought on board. Groody also told Council, Saint Johnners use too much water and part of the plan, that was approved, is universal metering so Saint Johnners would pay for what they use.
The revised plan calls for just one water treatment plant to be built, instead of two, at a cost of between 90 and 130 million dollars and the preferred location is at the Little River Resevoir on the east side. The total cost of all the water improvements is estimated at 260 million dollars and if it's a three way split, the city would have to come up with 86 million dollars.

Emotions Running High On Rockwood Park

(Saint John Common Councillor Patty Higgins)
                    (File Photo)

Common Council has been told by the City Solicitor there is no precise border to Rockwood Park and there are city owned lands within the park that have no restrictions on how they can be used. Councillor Patty Higgins is charging there are plans in the works to sell one-quarter of the land traditionally known as Rockwood Park to ease the city's financial crunch that lies ahead. City Manaager Pat Woods says he doesn't know where that's coming from. He maintains no decisidons have been made and it will be up to Common Council to have the final say. A study is underway to determine what sort of development should be allowed along Sandy Point Road adjacent to the park.
Councillor Carl Killen says he doesn't think anyone on Council wants to decimate Rockwood Park .

Recreation Fees In The City Rising

(Saint John Common Councillor Bruce Court)
                     (File Photo)

Common Council has made a commitment to cap any spending increases in the overall city budget to 3 per cent over the next two years. In the meantime, recreation fees are going up by ten percent. Councillor Chris Titus has no problem with that. Councillor Bruce Court spoke out against the increase arguing there are too many obese kids in the city as is even though he doesn't object to raising the user fees for the so-called weekend warriors.
Council was told only about one-third of the cost is recovered through the user fees that are charged.

Saint John Economy To Get Financial Boost From Fastpitch Tournament

(Saint John Harbour M-L-A Ed Doherty)
                  (File Photo)

Providing a one million dollar boost to the local economy, Saint John is playing host to the Canadian Midget Girls Fastpitch Championship August.1st through the 8th. Barry Freeze is co-chair of the event and Memorial Softball Field is one of three venues that will be used along with St. Rose Field and Market-place for a total of eight games. There are 18 teams from across the country going for top spot.
Saint John Harbour MLA Ed Doherty will present a cheque for $25,000 dollars to the event on behalf of the province tomorrow. For more information about the tournament, you can go to www.midgetgirlsfastpitch.ca.

Official Start Of Highway One Twinning

Today marks the beginning of one of the most expensive highway projects in the Province.
A sod-turning ceremony will be held for the Route 1 Gateway project in St. George. The province says the project will deliver jobs and lasting infrstructure that supports economic growth in the region. The ceremonial shovel will go in the ground this morning at 9 in St. George.

"Go Riding" TV Show Is In Province

The "Go Riding" TV show and magazine are touring ATV trails in the Province starting today in Moncton.
The tour with the Province's A-T-V Federation also includes stop in Sussex this week and in Fredericton.
Jacques Poirier of the A-T-V Federation tells CHSJ News in 2005, a national survey found the A-T-V industry in the Province brings in 50 million dollars a year.