A "Sense Of Place" Is SJ's Best Resource

As part of this week's feature on the future of Saint John...one young professional is urging the next generation to building on the traditions of the past...

Claire Ryan is on the board of FUSION Saint John, and was recently selected by 21inc as one of the province's top young leaders. She says the key is giving people not just jobs, but a sense of place.

Ryan tells CHSJ News the future depends on growing a diverse community of people to work together on Saint John's socioeconomic problems.

She says she already sees it happening and with the success of networking groups like Fusion, Saint John will recapture some upward momentum in the uptown area. 

Listen to CHSJ News tomorrow as our feature on the Future of Saint John continues.

Dairytown Adult Store In Hot Water With Town

A new store is Sussex is causing some people to blush and Dairytown council to act.

Crystal Henderson of Intimate Desires tells CHSJ News the first issue she had with her store is the town classifying her store under the adult entertainment bylaw as adult retail.


She says they didn't follow procedure by going before town council, that she didn't get a building permit for work on her store and that she hasn't followed the zoning by-laws.

She's been told by her lawyers that if she stay opens she'll be going to court but she tells us she has no intention of closing her shop.

Henderson adds if part of the problem is the community being shy to have a shop that sells adult toys, it's better to have it in Sussex where the money stays local instead of people going elsewhere to buy them.

Could Groundwater Be Answer For City Water

Groundwater might be the wave of the future when it comes to solving SJ's water woes...TerrAtlantic Engineering coming back with the results of a groundwater study showing large reservoirs on the West Side near South Bay, out east and as far afield as Nerepis.

Researcher Dean Price warns groundwater might be easier to treat but it isn't a magic bullet in terms of reducing chemicals but there could be savings for the city of 50 to 60 million dollars.
 
Mayor Mel Norton tells CHSJ News it's clear that a better water treatment plan needs to be put into place and he would like to see funding finalised during the current mandate of Common Council.
 
Currently council is conducting a value for money study which is expected back in early 2013.

Warning On Shale Gas From Chief Medical Health Officer

We're expecting to hear more later today from the province's chief medical health officer on her shale gas industry report.
    
The report by Doctor Eilish Cleary warns the province's infrastructure and legislation aren't strong enough to ensure public health is protected should the shale gas industry be expanded and she makes 30 recommendations. 

Those recommendations include monitoring the health of people who live or work near a shale gas site, disclosing all chemical compounds used by the shale gas industry in fracking and provisions for the handling and disposal of wastewater. 

She also warns that a rapid change in population and prosperity in a community can lead to social ills such as crime and drug and alcohol abuse.

Another report prepared by University of Moncton biologist Louis LaPierre is recommending the Province should proceed with shale gas exploration but limit it to one to three sites to allow for research and development.

Management Shakeup At Saint John Airport

The Saint John Airport Board of Directors announcing the appointment of David Allen as Chief Executive Officer effective immediately, following the departure of Bernie LeBlanc after 4 and a half years.
 
Allen has more than 35 years of experience in the airline industry across a variety of functions including as a pilot, flying instructor, operations director, aircraft engineer, sales and marketing executive and aviation business consultant. 

His experience includes helping to revitalize the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport.

Airport Authority Chair Norm McFarlane says Allen's top priority will be to manage and market the Airport in a way that helps it to grow.  

Also leaving the Airport is Communications Director Colleen Mitchell.

City Woman Dies In Hoyt Crash

RCMP are looking into a single vehicle crash in Hoyt that claimed the life of a 26-year-old woman.

It happened about 4:30 Sunday morning.

The woman from Saint John died at the scene from her injuries.
She was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle.

The Mounties say alcohol and speed are factors in this crash.

New Liquor Store Opens

A new NB Liquor store officially opened today in the Kennebecasis Valley.

The new store is located at 115 Campbell Dr next to the Superstore in Rothesay.

The store employs 10 full-time and three permanent part-time staff.

Fire & Police Investigate Two Blazes

On the day demolition was set to wrap up, fire causing significant damage to what's left of the old Animal Rescue League in the North end.

Fire crews were also called to Ludlow Street street for a vehicle on fire.

Acting Platoon Chief Marc Carey tells CHSJ News both calls came in just after 1am this morning.

He says the calls came in very close together with a single company handling Ludlow street and more resources diverted to Taylor Avenue.

Carey tells us fire investigators were at the scene today sifting through debris looking into the cause.

Cherry Brook Zoo Not Crumbling Says Director

Cherry Brook Zoo is surprised that Rothesay is hesitant to include them in their next budget.

Linda Collrin is the director of zoo development, and she tells CHSJ news the zoo just received full accreditation from the Canadian Accredited Zoos and Aquariums. This means after an inspection they found the zoo's finances, workers, volunteers and animal care goes above and beyond national zoo standards. She says full accreditation is never given out if a zoo is facing closure.

Collrin admits that the zoo does have financial constraints, but she says they know how to work with a small budget like any other non-profit organization. She says they do depend on people visiting, donations and funding, but after 38 years they don't plan on closing anytime soon.

Collrin adds the Cherry Brook Zoo is actually a 2 million dollar debt-free facility.

BREAKING NEWS: Body Found In Harbour Is A Woman

Photo Courtesy of Tina Durelle

City police confirm the body that was found in Saint John waters over the weekend is that of a woman.

Sgt. Jay Henderson tells CHSJ news at this point in time there's still no details on her identity or cause of death. Police are still waiting for the rest of the autopsy results.

Henderson says we'll know more information either Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, which is when the investigators will meet with the coroner to go over the results.

The body was found by a fisherman around noon this past Saturday at Long Wharf.

Report Supports Shale Gas But With Limits

A new report says New Brunswick should proceed with shale gas exploration but limit it to one to three sites to allow for research and development.

University of Moncton biologist Louis LaPierre released his report today following public meetings around the province this summer.
 
LaPierre says a moratorium on shale gas development as sought by the Opposition Liberals would stop research and not benefit the province.  But interim Liberal Leader Victor Boudreau says research can happen without allowing commercial development. LaPierre says a portion of any shale gas developed in New Brunswick should be reserved for use within the province.

Energy Minister Craig Leonard calls the report ``intriguing'' but says he needs more time to study it.

Opponents of shale gas development are concerned that water could become contaminated as a result of shale gas fracking.

Fracking involves the injection of pressurized water and chemicals to release trapped pockets of natural gas.

Courtesy of the Canadian Press.

MacKenzie Remains Optimistic About City's Future

Saint John is now moving in the right direction and, at least one member of Common Councillor, John MacKenzie from Ward 2 is optimistic that with all the enthusiasm, better days lie ahead.

He says Saint John will definitely grow as a city and he says in three and half years from now, you will see a significant difference.

Common Council is getting ready to launch a campaign entitled Invest Saint John which would be based on the Team Saint John concept of a few years ago.

Recycle NB Suggests Monthly Tire Checks

It could be time to get your pressure checked...and we don't mean your blood pressure.

Pat McCarthy of Recycle NB tells CHSJ News it's important to get the pressure in your tires checked regularly, because improperly inflated tires are less fuel efficient and thus bad for the environment.

He says they recommend that you check your tires once a month and when they are cold.

Starting today, a partnership between Canadian Tire and Recycle NB means you can stop by any location and get your tire pressure checked for free. Your name will also be entered to win a set of winter tires.

Fire in North End

Photo Courtesy of Doug Epton

Part of the former Animal Rescue League Building on Taylor Avenue going up in smoke. 

The first and second floors on the western side of the building were ablaze when fire crews arrived. 

They managed to contain the blaze to that side of the building and there were no injuries but the cause is under investigation. 

The building itself is dilapidated and scheduled for demolition.   

Common Councillor Predicts Big Changes Will Be Happening In The City

Saint John is at a turning point.........That, from Ward 2 Councillor John McKenzie tells CHSJ News you're going to see a far different and better looking city by the time the next municipal election is held in 2016. 

Mayor Mel Norton has said he wants to rebrand Saint John so that it's viewed as a dynamic city open to new ideas and innovation. 

Common Council is enthused about launching a campaign called "Invest Saint John" that would be based on the Team Saint John concept of a few years ago under then Mayor Norm MacFarlane.
 
Common Council has been told Plan SJ has become a national success story and is attracting attention from across the country.

Mayor Says You Can't Overstate Seriousness Of Pension Issue

Common Council wants to have a plan in place by the end of the year to revamp the city's financially beleaguered pension plan. 

That emerges from its weekend meeting to determine what the priorities will be for next year and by the time the next municipal election rolls around. 

An Ipsos-Reid poll finds Saint Johnners, by and large, don't understand the scope and extent of the problem but Mayor Mel Norton does. He says it might be the most seriously financial challenge the city has ever faced.
 
Norton says without reforms, the city would have to pay about 24 million dollars into the pension plan next year which is more than the entire budget for one of the protective services.

     

Shale Gas Reports To Come Out Today

The Alward Tories will release two highly anticipated reports on the impact of the shale gas industry.
 
The report from Dr. Eilish Cleary, the medical officer of health, will focus on the health impact while the report by Dr. Louis Lapierre of the Institute for Environmental Monitoring and Research will deal with regulation. 

NDP Leader Dominic Cardy tells CHSJ News the government's decision to not release the report is not surprising.

He says the Tories and Liberals have more in common with each other than with the people and are a little afraid of them so they decide to not tell them things.

Cardy adds they are having a hard time adjusting to a modern world where people do find out and get angry that things are being kept from them.

Adult Store Gathering Support From Petition

An adult store in Sussex is fighting to keep it's doors open.

Crytsal Henderson is the owner of new store 'Intimate Desires', and she's gathering signatures on a petition to keep her store running after the Town of Sussex ordered it closed.

Support for the store has also gathered online, where a facebook group has collected almost 300 members.

The lingerie and marital aids store was open for less than a week when it received a cessation notice from the town.

Cherry Brook Zoo Might Lose Council Support

One of the only councils that help support the Cherry Brook Zoo is questioning whether it will do it again for their next budget.

According to Mayor Bill Bishop, Rothesay Council was the only municipality to give money to the zoo last year, and the zoo is back asking for financial aid again. When CHSJ news asked Mayor Bishop if Rothesay is hesitant to donate funds, he said yes he's hesitant himself. Bishop says it looks like the zoo will be going out of business pretty shortly, so putting money in won't improve their desperate financial situation.

Rothesay Council has referred the request to finance.

Rescue Boats Sent Looking For Missing Boater

It took just over a two hours for the KV fire department to find a man adrift in his boat the Kennebecasis River.
 
Deputy Chief Dan McCoy tells CHSJ news they got the call he was in trouble around 7:30 last night. McCoy says the man had left the peninsula side of the river, had mechanical problems, and was found further down the river. 

The man had left from the Renforth yacht club and was found on his boat in shallow water. McCoy says they were able to find him before external resources like Saint John and Penniusala fire departments arrived on scene. He says the reason it took so long to find the missing man was because the man thought he was in a different location than he actually was.

McCoy says the man was cold and disoriented, but did not have to be sent to hospital.

Autopsy Scheduled Today For Body

Photo Courtesy of Tina Durelle

An autopsy is scheduled today for the body that was found in the waters by Long Wharf just before noon on Saturday.

Police say the body is very decomposed, making it impossible to determine the gender or identity. Members of the fire department removed the body from the water before it was transported to the Saint John Regional Hospital.

VIDEO: Historic Name Change For NB Regiment

Members of government and high military officials speaking to a large crowd at the Marco Polo Cruise Ship terminal.

The special announcement marks the official name change of the 3rd Field Artillery Regiment of New Brunswick to it's historic and original title, "The Loyal Company". Being created in 1793, the artillery regiment is one of the oldest in Canada.

UNB's Dr. Lee Windsor tells us the change honours and recognizes the regiments contributions to the War of 1812, World Wars and more. Windsor says "The Loyal Company" is a foundation of our modern Canadian army, and the name change connects us to our past.

The Loyal Company's name was changed in 1975 for multiple reasons, but MP Rodney Weston says in the minds of people here the name never left. Weston had approached Defense Minister Peter McKay about restoring the name earlier this year.

Lieutenant-Colonel Steve Strachan says the regiment is better equipped than it was 220 years ago, but it's still a citizen army made up of members of the community in Greater Saint John.

Mayor Gung Ho On Fourplex

Common Council wants to have a fourplex built by the time its mandate runs out 3 and a half years from now.

It would be made up of 3 NHL sized rinks as well as an Olympic sized surface for figure skaters and might have other features like a walking track.

 Mayor Mel Norton says the fourplex would replace the existing rinks around town that are aging and will be in need of major upgrades.
 
Norton says the fourplex would give the city one more additional rink over and above what it has now.

Body Discovered In Long Wharf Waters

City police confirm a body was discovered by a fisherman and removed from the water around Long Wharf at 11:55 Saturday morning.

Police spokesperson Sgt. Jay Henderson tells CHSJ news there is an autopsy scheduled for Sunday to find the cause of death as well as the persons identity and gender, which are all unknowns at this time.

Sgt. Chuck Elgee was on scene and he tells CHSJ news the body was very decomposed when discovered, so it most likely had been in the water for weeks. Elgee says the body was taken to the Saint John Regional Hospital after it was removed from the waters near where the cruise ships come in. According to Eglee, it's not common to find a body in the water by Long Wharf but it has happened before.

Police were on scene for about an hour. Saint John Police Major Crime Unit with the assistance of the Forensic Identification Unit are currently investigating.

Body Found in Water Near Long Wharf

City Police are investigating the discovery of a body by fishermen in the water at Long Wharf by Harbour Passage around noonhour.

The body was taken from the water. There's no word on how long the body has been in the water or whether it's a man or woman.

An autopsy will be carried out.

Bar Fight Uptown Leads To Arrests

Two men are facing a court date in December after a bar fight just before 2 am in the uptown area.

City police say the two men in their twenties were arrested after assaulting another man in the Princess and Canterbury Street area.

The victim suffered minor injuries, the two other men were arrested then released.

Home Invasion Causing Injuries

Photo courtesy of Doug Epton

Three people are being held for court and facing charges of robbery with violence.

City police say a woman and two men were arrested early this morning after breaking into and robbing a home on the east side, which caused minor injuries to the homeowner in his eighties.

The suspects, in their thirties and forties, were arrested a short time later in the old north end after being spotted by a patrol officer.

Three-Quarters Of Saint Johnners Satisfied With City Services

Common Council has started setting the city's priorities with the level of public satisfaction at 75 per cent for city programmes and services, up 5 per cent in one year. 

On the other hand, the satisfaction rate for City Transit, after a series of cuts, has fallen in just one year from 78 per cent down to 56 per cent.
 
Mayor Mel Norton says whether funding for City Transit is restored depends on how well Common Council deals with the pension issue after hearing from the task force on the shared risk model. 

Norton also says he doesn't want a huge list of priorities with no more than 5 with rebranding Saint John as a city open for business to be on that list.
 
The Ipsos Reid survey also finds Saint John is an aging city with 57 per cent of the adult population 45 years of age or older with 1 in five over 65.
 

Haz Mat Called In For False Alarm At Lepreau Post Office

A false alarm causing some hassle this afternoon at then Lepreau post Office around 1pm.

A package had broken open and was leaking an unknown substance in the trunk of a delivery vehicle. The Canada Post employee was not injured, but had been quarantined before the fire department's arrival and the Regional Hazardous Materials Unit was called in from Saint John.

The Regional Haz Mat Team donned protective gear before accessing the package--but as it turned out, the contents were not dangerous. They were on the scene until 3:30.

Get An Early Start For Santa Claus

There's a long way to go yet until we're decking the holls for Christmas...but organizers of the Santa Claus parade are already recruiting businesses and organizations to participate in the 60th annual event.

Organizer Leslie Keating tells CHSJ News it's the amount of preparation that goes into the entries that makes the biggest difference in terms of making the parade better each year.

The theme of this year's parade is children's wishes, dreams, and imagination. To sign up your organization, click here

Haz Mat Unit Called To Lepreau Village

The Hazardous materials unit responding toward to to reports of a suspicious package in the Lepreau Village area.

Fire officials aren't yet able to provide any information on nature of the package or where exactly it was found.

Number Of Self-Employed Workers Stagnant Since '98

We all know Atlantic Canada isn't doing so hot in the job creation department...but few people seem to be taking matters into their own hands. A recent study by the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council shows the number of self-employed people in the Maritimes has stayed stagnant since 1998.

Senior Economist David Chaundy tells CHSJ News it's not typical to see so little progess in that amount of time--especially since the rest of Canada has seen growth of 11% in the same time period.

He says part of the problem is that most self-employed people are fishermen, farmers, and forestry--and all those industries are on the decline.

Active Living Not Always Easy For Seniors

This weekend kicks of Active Living Week for Seniors, with the government encouraging our seniors to remain active through volunteering, social acitivites, and physical activity.

According to Seniors Resource Center President Sherman Palmer, it's not always easy for people to remain active throughout their golden years due to physical conditions, lack of money, and other factors.

Palmer says while there are lots of activities available for seniors, it would be easier for seniors to stay active if there were better city transit, because with 85% of NB seniors living independently many rely on it to get around.

RCMP Release Video Of Credit Union Robbery

The District 2 RCMP is releasing surveillance video taken on Tuesday during an armed robbery at a credit union in Fredericton Junction is hopes of someone identifying the robber.

The man entered the Citizens Credit Union on Sunbury Drive with a gun around 10:30am An undisclosed amount of cash was taken. No one was injured.

The suspect is described as being of average height, with a medium build. He was wearing a two toned jacket, white and black in colour. To watch a video of the robbery, click here

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the District 2 RCMP at 506-357-4300 or 1-888-506-RCMP (7267) or N.B. Crime Stoppers at www.crimenb.ca or 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

West Side Wal-Mart Open Today

One stop shopping getting a lot easier for residents of the West Side....the brand new Walmart and Lancaster Mall has opened its doors today.

It was last September that Lancaster Mall originally announced the former Zellers location would be taken over by the big-box giant.

It's hoped that the new store will be a magnet for people from the outlying areas as well as West Siders.

Peel Plaza Police Headquarters Not Ready For Move

Just when the police department will be moving into its new headquarters at Peel Plaza is uncertain with word this week of a delay because the building isn't ready. 

Police Chief Bill Reid told CHSJ News recently he had hoped to gradually start the move into the new building over 3 to 4 weeks beginning at the end of this month. That's when the building is to be turned over to the city. 

For the time being, Police will continue paying 100 thousand dollars a month in rent at City Hall.

Medical School Gets Generous Donation

The Dalhouse medical school on the campus of U-N-B Saint John receiving a big donation of $250,000 from Richard Currie as part of the Bold Ambitions: The Campaign for Dalhousie. 
 
The quarter of a million dollars will be used to support the development of the Research Chair in Occupational Medicine that will promote training, research, and development of better workplace health and safety by, hopefully, preventing accidents on the job.

Many In Freddy Beach Still Without Lights

Making dinner will be challenging in St. Stephen and Fredericton tonight with a significant power outage impacting the towns.

Nearly 1700 households in the capital city are in the dark and over 900 homes and businesses in Bordertown are without electricity.

High winds causing tree branches to hit power lines is the likely culprit but no word and when the lights will come back.

Across the province NB Power reports more than 4000 of their customers are without power.

Metal Fragments Lead To Cereal Recall

Pieces of metal have led to the recall of Kellogg Canada's popular Mini-Wheats cereal.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says the company is recalling most sizes of Mini-Wheats original frosted and brown sugar cereals sold nationwide.

The country's food safety watchdog says pieces of potentially harmful metal were found in the cereal.

The products have best-before dates of between April 1st and July 29th, 2013.

Commissioner Says French And English Need To Be More Equal

New Brunswick's commissioner of official languages is suggesting government take some concrete actions to make a truly bilingual public service.

Michel Carrier says in his 2011-2012 annual report the revisions must do more than maintain the status quo in the province.

 He recommends French upgrading courses and such activities as designating certain days of the week as ``writing in French day.''
 

West Side Search

City police are searching for a person on the west side relating to a home invasion last weekend.

Part of the search area has included from the old DVA property to Lancaster and Duke streets.

Many Without Power In Fredericton

Almost 2500 NB Power customers are without power in Fredericton and Woodstock.

Province wide over 4000 homeowers are impacted by the outage.

The outages are due to today's high winds, particularly branches being blow into power lines.

No word yet on when power will be restored.

North End Food Drive On

Hard times in the Maritimes--that's how North End community activist Tammy Calvin is describing the situation with lots of people out of work and struggling.

Calvin and Andrea Richards are living in the back of the trailer again this year until it's full of food for the North End Food Bank.
She says they have an empty 53 foot trailer that they are hoping to fill in three days.

Calvin says they are looking for non-perishable food but will also accept fruit and vegetables and even winter coats. 

The trailer is starting out in the parking lot at the North end Sobey's and then moving to an auto service centre at Metcalf & Lansdowne.

Brief Search In East Saint John

City police conducting a search over the lunch hour from East Saint John to the Airport.

Police enlisting the help of Rothesay Police on the airport arterial.

A police checkpoint was set up on Loch Lomond Road at Hickey Road.

A missing person report turned out to be a false alarm.

Anti-Bully Charity Facing Closure

A national charity that helps out the victims of bullying facing  closure unless it gets some serious assisstance...Bullying Canada operates a 24/7 telephone support line, a scholarship program, and workshops on bullying.

But Executive Director Rob Frenette tells CHSJ news with monthly operating costs of $5,000 they're not able to make ends meet beyond the end of the month.

BullyingCanada receives no funding from the government or United Way. Frenette says it's not about putting money in their pockets, but rather saving and changing the lives of youth. For more information, click here

Inclusive Hiring Is The Wave Of The Future

The Harper government announcing $30 million in funding committed nationally to helping Canadians with disabilities enter the workforce, and the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work wants to see some of that benefit felt locally. 

Laura Anderson is an Employment Co-ordinator with the CCRW. She tells CHSJ News more and more employers are realizing the benefit of having an inclusive workplace.


Currently 56% of small businesses in Canada have never hired anyone with a disability--but Anderson says they find placements for 50 workers each year and the retention rate is excellent. For more information on hiring a worker through the Opportunities Fund, click here

Agriculture Class Could Be Changed

The enrolled in Agriculture 120 at Sussex High School will be sowing the first seeds of a new project....

Kredl's owner Dave Wolpin is helping the kids understand why the course is important today at 1:30pm. Instructor Danny Reiker’s class has prepared a plot on the lawn of Sussex High School to turn into a school garden.  He says it's important for the next generation to be aware of the land, nutrition, and where food comes from.

The students will learn about extending the growing season, sustainability, and more. For more information, you can contact David Wolpin at 609-4428 or 832-7568.

Power Outages In The Valley

The high winds causing power outages with more than 787 customers in the dark in the Rothesay district which includes the Kingston Peninsula as of 7:00 this morning but by 8, NB Power reports all the power had been restored.

More than 480 NB Power customers are still without electricity in the Fredericton area.

Prison Term for Pot Grower In Fredericton Area

Four years in prison for a 23-year-old Burtts Corner man on drug and weapons charges.
 
Dexter James John Sturge was in court last month charged with possessing marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, producing marijuana and possession of a restricted handgun. 
 
Sturge was arrested last March. The RCMP seized 600 marijuana plants, enough, they say, to produce up to 300,000 joints, marijuana growing equipment and the handgun.

A Big Drop In Price Of Self Serve Regular

If you held back filling up with self serve regular over the past few days, you'll be glad to hear the price has declined by 5 and a half cents a litre after the weekly setting and, in the city, is going for $1.32.4.

 On the other side of the coin, diesel has increased by almost 2 cents a litre and is selling for $1.37.6 around town. And what accounts for these recent wild flucuations in price. 

Kevin McCann of Wilson Fuels tells CHSJ News it all comes down to supply and demand with refining capacity dropping over the last few weeks.
 
McCann says that means production is not up to a level the market is comfortable with but he expects things to settle down soon.
 
Meantime, heating oil is up to a maximum  price of $1.19.4 a litre and propane remains at a max of 93.8 cents a litre.