NB Students Want Real-Life Experience At School

New Brunswick students are saying they want more real-life experiences before leaving high school.

New Brunswick was the first stop the "It's My Future" summit, a cross-country tour capturing the student 
 voice on education. Students from eight school boards in the province and the NBCC attended the summit.

Akela Peoples is President and CEO of "The Learning Partnership," the national charitable organization that held the summit.

She tells CHSJ news the goal of the summit is not only to find opportunities for enhancement, but to find out the kind of information that is and isn't useful to students.

She says money management is one real-life experience that students are asking for more of.

VIDEO: Remembrance Day At Harbour Station

Very few empty seats at Harbour Station this morning for the Remembrance Day ceremony.

After the ceremony, attendees gathering in the arena to place their poppies on the cenotaph.

Police Keeping An Eye On Bacchus

The police continue to keep an eye on the Bacchus Motorcycle Gang. City Police Chief Bill Reid says they have been watching them, so it's no surprise there have been arrests made. He tells CHSJ News, make no mistake, they are a criminal organization.

 Back in August,The president of the group and six others were arrested following a six-month investigation by four local police agencies. 
 

"They will do things that will make you think they're just people that enjoy bikes," says Reid, "but at the end of the day the reason they're together is for criminal activity. We know that and we're well aware of it."

44-year-old Brian Schofield of Public Landing, president of the group, recently plead guilty in court to two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Sparks Of Hope In Economic Forecast

It's not all doom and gloom for the economic fortunes of our province.

The Atlantic Provinces Economic Council does not paint a pretty picture when speaking of the zero growth this year due in part because of the closure of a mine up north.
 
Senior Policy Analyst Fred Bergman says there are some projects that they could not factor in.

He says the Oxford announcement of a 184 million-dollar investment into blueberry processing and production in the province. 

He says that will cushion the chances it will be positive.

Bergman says the Trans Canada Pipeline project should it go forward is valued at about 2.2 billion-dollars.

Two Fires Overnight In Saint John

City Fire responding to two fires overnight. 

Crews were called to a fire at Highmeadow Drive, where a fire was reported in an oven at a home. Crews smothered the fire, took the contents from the oven outside, and ventilated it. 

The other fire was at Shamrock Park. Crews confirming that a Porta Potty was on fire and was destroyed.

House Fire In Rothesay

KV Fire responding to a call around 1:30 last night on Fox Farm Road in Rothesay.

The fire started in the chimney and went undetected, causing a wall to catch fire in the basement.

Two people were sent to hospital for smoke inhalation. Everyone was out of the home before fire crews arrived. Smoke damaged parts of the house, but it's still livable. Fire fighters were on scene for three hours.

First Remembrance Day Ceremony At Q-plex

For the first time ever, a Remembrance Day Ceremony will be held at the Q-plex today.

Organizer and Legion member Gordon Friars tells CHSJ news, this means there will be more space for people to attend. The capacity is about 1,200.

"I think it will allow a far greater number of people to attend, many people have certainly voiced their interest in attending," he says.

After veterans were polled, all responded that moving the ceremony indoors would allow them to continue attending.

Remember In Your Neighbourhood

Thousands will be gathering at their neighbourhood memorial to remember the sacrifices generations ago.

If you are coming to the Habour Station ceremony, you are asked to be in your seat

It's a first for the qplex..the KV Legion is hosting a service of Remembrance today and you are asked to be in your seat at 10:30am.

In Grand Bay-Westfield....ceremonies will be held at River Valley Middle School.

In Sussex...the Remembrance Day parade leaves from the Legion at 10:30 to the Cenotaph via Main Street for the ceremony.

In Bordertown today,  there are two services...one at the cenotaph on Milltown Blvd in front of the St. Stephen's University and another at the war memorial in Milltown by the grandstand.

Both begin at 10:30am.

VIDEO: Gaudet Says Veterans At Ridgewood Are Well Cared For

By today's standards he would be considered a triple threat having served in the army, navy and in the air force. 

86-year-old Maynard Gaudet of Black's Harbour tells CHSJ News his trade was meterology so he could go anywhere they flew planes or be stationed where they needed weather reports.

He tells us he spent three years in France with the occpational forces following World War Two and from there went to Ottawa, Cold Lake and then Halifax.

Gaudet lives at the Ridgewood veteran's wing in west Saint John which he describes as a must adding the vets there are very well taken care of.

Police Aim For Arrest In Oland Case By End Of The Year

It's the most high-profile unsolved mystery in Saint John's history.

Police say they hope to have an arrest in the murder of Richard Oland, by the end of the year.

 Police Cheif Bill Reid tells CHSJ News says he's sticking to what he said all along. "I'm still confident as I was, when I said that we will have an arrest by the end of the year."

Reid says he's never seen so much media scrutiny surrounding sealed search warrants in his entire career. He says, whether the public wanted more information about the case or not, they've certainly got it.

Royal Canadian Legions Receiving Tax Cut

 

 The Alward government has announced a tax cut for Royal Canadian Legions in New Brunswick.

 The province is re-classifying the property tax reduction for Legions, from a 90 per cent reduction to a 100 per cent.

The initiative is expected to affect 11,000 members of the Royal Canadian Legions Command. Across the province, 55 Legions will directly benefit from the tax cut.

Smoke Detector Heard By Neighbour Helped Save A Home

What could have been a house fire, turning out to be minor problem thanks to a neighbour hearing a smoke detector.

KV fire was dispatched to Queensbury Dr. in Quispamsis this morning. The smoke was caused by an unintended pot on the stove, taking fire firefighters about an hour to clear up.

Saint John - Digby Ferry Back In Service At 4

The Princess of Acadia will be back in service today at 4 pm, on it's run from Digby to Saint John.

The ferry touched ground after an electrical problem near the Nova Scotia terminal, on Thursday.

In June, Saint John MP Rodney Weston and Tourism Minister Trevor Holder were part of a splashy announcement on board the vessel, saying that the Federal government is starting to look for a replacement for the boat. It was built back in 1971.

Fall Cyclocross Race Starts Tomorrow In Quispamsis

The 7th annual Fall Cyclocross Race is taking place tomorrow in Quispamsis. It's one of the oldest cycling sports, and is a mix of mountain biking and road biking. 

Becky Consolvo,the co-owner of the Darlings Island Bike shop, tells CHSJ news, it's older than the Tour de France.

The races have been held throughout New Brunswick, including Fredericton, Miramichi  and Moncton.

A previous cyclocross event in Nauwigewauk had 56 riders, even in the pouring rain.
The race start at 11 am, and is open to the public. Registration opens tomorrow at Quispamsis Qplex from 9:30 am to 10:30 am.

Canadian Soldiers May Have Saved D-Day

Remembrance Day will be commemorated Monday at ceremonies around the province and a U-N-B professor says Canadian soldiers who landed in France during Operation Overlord saved D-Day from being destroyed. 

Dr. Marc Milner of the Gregg Centre at U-N-B tells CHSJ News he has discovered it was the Canadian soldiers whose role it was to stop the Panzer divisions from driving the Allies back to the sea.

Dr. Milner also points out the Canadians were outnumbered and the fighting was intense. 35 hundred soldiers of the 3rd Canadian Division were killed, wounded or missing in just four days of combat. 

Dr. Milner is writing a book about the critical role played by Canadian soldier entitled "Stopping the Panzers" which he hopes to publish in the spring.

Full House In Saint John Hears From Provincial Liberal Leader

Provincial Liberal Leader Brian Gallant speaking at the party's biennial convention in the city and vowing to make promises he can keep after accusing Premier David Alward of breaking most of his. 

Gallant says the Alward Government's record on job creation has been abysmal with New Brunswick having the dubious distinction during the summer of having the highest unemployment rate of any province and losing jobs since the Premier assumed office.

Gallant also coming out in support of the Energy East pipeline from Alberta to Saint John but adds there has to be a plan in place to maximise benefits. 

In response to criticism from the NDP, Gallant says the Liberals will vote against switching the provincial pension plan over to the shared risk model.

Industrial Accident At Moosehead Breweries

A Moosehead Breweries employee taken to hospital after an industrial accident. 

Sgt. Jay Henderson of City Police says it happened at the building on Main Street West just after 5am on Friday. The employee was hurt while on the job, however the injuries are considered to be minor. 

Work Safe NB has been notified.

Town Employee Gets Award For Matthews Cove

An award being presented to a town of Quispamsis employee for the transformation of a decommissioned sewage lagoon into a functioning natural wetland. 

The Director of Community Services, Dana Purton Dickson receiving an award of recognition from Recreation NB at their annual conference in Woodstock for Matthews Cove, located near the Gondola Point Arterial. Mayor Murray Driscoll tells CHSJ News it was a major project that removed over 20 years of sludge.

The clean-up project was completed in October of 2011.

Pasta Recalled Due To Undeclared Milk

Be sure to check the label on the bag before you dig into that bowl of pasta.

Loblaw recalling certain Bella Tavola brand pastas from stores nationwide because they contain milk, which isn't declared on the label. People with an allergy to milk should not eat the recalled products. The recall affecting the 454 gram size meat tortellini and meat ravioli. 

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says one person has reported being sick from eating the product.

Tritap Food Brokers also recalling Minuet brand snack products from stores because they contain egg and milk not declared on the label.

Fire On Winter Street

City Fire being called to a fire just after 6pm on Winter street. 

A fire was found in the basement storage room, of a 24-unit apartment building.
 
The fire was quickly extinguished, but thirty residents were displaced for two hours. They were housed in a city transit bus until the situation cleared.
 
The fire scene is under investigation by the Saint John Fire department investigator and Saint John city police.

Dip In Unemployment Not Cause For Celebration

The provincial unemployment rate not dropping because job-hunters have found work, but because they've given up hope. 

That word coming from the NDP Candidate for Fredericton-North, Brian Duplessis who tells CHSJ News the dip is the result of people dropping out of the job market entirely. He says one of the long term implications of this is that a large part of the population will become chronically unemployed. He says people are leaving New Brunswick because they don't have any other choice.

Between September and October, the number of people in the labour force dropped by over 5000. Participation in the labour force, those in the 15 and older population working and looking for work, dropped from around 63% in September to 62% in October.

Three Arrested In Armed Robbery Hoax

What looked like an armed robbery at a gas bar, turning out to be an inside job.

After receiving a 911 call for a robbery at the Co-Op on the Westfield Road at around 9pm Thursday night, police set up a perimeter in the area. Just after 1am, they stopped a car in Grand Bay Westfield and arrested two girls, ages 15 and 16, and a 20-year old man who was working at the gas-bar at the time of the robbery and was in on the entire thing.

Sgt. Jay Henderson of City Police says the three are facing charges of public mischief, leading the police into a false investigation and theft.

Man Facing Arson Charges Makes Court Appearance

An in-jail assessment being ordered for a man facing two charges of arson.

40-year old Timothy Edward Clements being charged with causing damage by fire to a garage and damage by fire to a vehicle. Those charges in connection with two blazes on the Dever Road, one that took place on Tuesday and the other back on October 22.

The assessment will take several days. Clements will make his next court appearance on Thursday morning.

Princess of Acadia Still Not Running

The Princess of Acadia will not be back in service for another couple of days after the power failure yesterday near the Digby ferry terminal.

Bay Ferries' Don Cormier says inspections and testing of certain vessel equipment continues.

The Saint John to Digby ferry which was built here in the Port City over 40 years ago touched ground yesterday after a power failure.

Cormier adding they want to take the time to conclude all investigations and complete the safety examinations and testing before she resumes service.

Today's 4pm sailing from Digby, both trips tomorrow and Sunday's 9am sailing from Saint John are all cancelled.

For more info, click here  or call 1-877-762-7245

NB Liquor's Sales And Earnings Dropping

NB Liquor experiencing a downturn.

Their total sales for the second quarter were $108 million, down $600,000 or 0.5% from the quarter ending on September 30 of last year. Earnings dropping from $1.3-million, or 2.8% to $46.3 million.

Wine and spirit sales went up, while beer and other beverages went down. Vice-President and CFO of the company, Christopher Evans, says the reason the sales dropped in those categories is because weather-driven demand was again soft in the second quarter.

Liberals Holding Their Convention In Saint John

The Provincial Liberals gathering in Saint John for their biennial convention, which will be the last one before the next provincial election. 

There will be a tribute to the late Andy Scott before Provincial leader Brian Gallant's speech Saturday morning. 

Gallant tells CHSJ News the province needs a more diverse plan to grow the economy. He wants to invest more in education to tackle the skills gap so companies in the province will have workers for the new economy.

Gallant is accusing the Alward Government of putting all its economic eggs in one basket with shale gas development but Premier David Alward has accused Gallant of straddling the fence on shale gas for political expediency.

City Market Wins Great Public Space Contest

Canada's Great Public Space for 2013 is the City Market placing first out of 68 entries.

That word coming from the Canadian Institute of Planners, based on popularity and planning excellence, as judged by a panel of professional planners.
 
City market manager Kevin Loughery  tells CHSJ News he agrees with one of the judges who called the market a historic icon.

He says it's one of very few buildings built back in the 1870's that is still doing what it was built to do adding most buildings of this age have been transitioned into something else but the City market is still an active farmer's market.

The finalists included the McAdam Railway Station.

More than 100,000 votes were cast online across the country over 4 months.

Saint John Unemployment Rate Dips

The unemployment rate in Saint John dropped last month but still has the highest unemployment rate of any city in the Stats Canada survey. 

The jobless rate in October was 9.4 per cent, down from 9.7 per cent in September. 

The provincial unemployment rate also fell from 10.7 to 10.1 per cent despite a decline in employment. 

The jobless rate is lower provincially because fewer people were looking for work last month. 


The national unemployment rate for October was unchanged at 6.9 per cent.

Liquor Store Hours

NB Liquor telling us all of its corporate stores will be closed on Monday, November 11th in observance of Remembrance Day. 

The agency stores will be open that day but the hours will vary depending on the store. 

All liquor stores will be open from noon until 5 on Sunday.

Armed Holdup

An armed robbery last night around 9:00 on the west side. 

It took place at the Co-Op gas bar on the Westfield Road. 

It's believed a handgun was used but police aren't saying. 

They have made two arrests. No one was hurt in the holdup.

Zone SJ Not Popular With Some Rural Residents

Some of those living outside the so-called city core not happy about Zone SJ, because it will make their property essentially worthless. 

That's according to Ward 4 Councillor Ray Strowbridge, who tells CHSJ News those living outside the primary development area won't be able to do anything with their land. He says people in the rural areas of the city often feel like they're being excluded, and this development plan has not changed that mindset.

Strowbridge says everyone in the city pays the same tax rate, so everyone should be treated equally. On a more positive note, he says the new plan will eliminate a lot of red tape.

No More Tickets To Be Had In Hospital Home Lottery

This year's Hospital Home Lottery has been sold out. 

The Regional Hospital Foundation letting us know all the tickets were sold before the Early Bird deadline. Proceeds will exceed 975 thousand dollars. 

The 50/50 jackpot is more 485 thousand dollars with the winner keeping half. 

All the winners will be known on November 27th.

Princess Of Acadia Ferry Runs Aground

It was not the boat ride these 63 passengers signed up for...the Princess of Acadia briefly running aground as it made the approach to the Digby terminal.
 
Don Cormier of Bay Ferries tells CHSJ News the boat lost power touching ground around noon, however the boat was able to dock and the passengers disembarked. Nobody was hurt.

The passengers' tickets were refunded and Cormier says they hope to restore service soon.

Man Pleads Guilty To Robbing Convenience Store

Six years behind bars for a man who held up Shawn's Variety on Broad Street with a knife back in September.

The robbery happening just before noon on September 6, when 35-year old Robin Edward Dillabough came into the convenience store, held a knife to the owner's throat and left with $600. The owner was not hurt. 

Dillabough was arrested later in the day in the uptown, telling police he had been on a crack cocaine binge and needed the money to buy more drugs.

He plead guilty in provincial court, where he expressed some remorse for pain and suffering he caused and a desire to help help for his addiction while in jail.

Eastbound Lanes Open This Weekend

Motorists will see some improvement on the Harbour Bridge this weekend.

The province letting us know that the eastbound lanes will be open this weekend while the westbound lanes are closed as work continues on the expansion joints.

The Chesley Drive on and off ramps will be closed until the bridge reopens to four-lane traffic in the middle of the month.

Signs will be installed between Tuesday and Friday of next week and you should expect delays during that process.

The Department of Transportation expects all the work to be complete by the end of November.

Pourbaix Speaks To Outlook 2014 In Saint John

TransCanada's Alex Pourbaix visiting the Port City to speak about the proposed Energy East Pipeline.

Pourbaix says they will hiring New Brunswick companies in the first phase for engineering and environmental work.

He says they find in polling people are overwhelmingly support of the project saying Canadians understand that when we have Canadian refineries importanting oil from overseas while producers in Alberta are exporting two-thirds of its production...that doesn't make sense for Canada.

Pourbaix expects a good portion of the oil coming from Alberta via the pipeline will be used by the Maritime refineries and those in the Eastern U.S.

City Man Facing Arson Charges In Dever Road Fires

A 40 year old man is facing arson charges in connection with two fires on the Dever road including one last night.

Crews responded to a fire at 864 Dever Road just before 5 this morning and on arrival found a back building engulfed in flames.

Fire Chief Kevin Clifford says the building was full of 100 pound propane cylinders which should not be stored inside and the building was very secure making it difficult to get access.

Once they gained access, the fire was so intense they had to take a defensive tact on it. 

The blaze was knocked down and no one was hurt.

The man accused of setting the fire is is court today on charges relating to last night's fire and another fire on the Dever Road on October 22nd.

Roadbuilders Claim The Public Is On Their Side

A new poll released by New Brunswick roadbuilders that shows only 13 per cent of people surveyed agree with the current policy of limiting spending on highway maintenance and 90 per cent say making the roads and highways better should be a government priority. 

The Executive Director of the Roadbuilders Association Tom McGinn tells CHSJ News if the province doesn't start spending more now to maintain the roads, it will cost a lot more money a few years down the road. 

McGinn is warning there's a danger some roads may eventually have to be closed although he admits there are some people in government who believe there are too many roads in the province which cost money to service. 

The poll was commissioned by the roadbuilders and conducted by Corporate Research Associates.

Cherry Brook Zoo Has 10 Year Plan Mapped Out

Cherry Brook Zoo is looking for 100 thousand dollars in funding from the municipalities that make up the Saint John region. 

It costs 455 thousand dollars a year to run the zoo which raises 355 thousand of that total. Last year, the zoo received 60 thousand dollars from the city and 5 thousand from Rothesay.

Cherry Brook's director of development Lynda Collrin tells CHSJ they have an ambitious 10 year plan which includes an expanded primate house for endangered species of monkeys. 

The newest addition to the zoo, a two year old Siberian tiger named Karma will be arriving from Winnipeg in a few days.

Fire On West Side

Another fire early this morning at a building off the Dever Road. It was called in shortly before 5:00. 

Firefighters had to be wary in extinguishing this blaze after learning about the presence of propane cyclinders inside the building. 

This is the third such fire on the Dever Road in the last few weeks. The first of those fires destroyed an auto body shop.

A Crash Course In Life After High School

Deciding your career path is a pretty big decision.

Today, Grade nine students in Saint John got to check out their options...at The Unlimited Possibilities Luncheon...an event that goes together with "Take your kid to work day." 

Ryan Witt was one of the three young people who spoke at the event...sharing their personal experiences.

Witt tells CHSJ News, events like this are a great way for young people to see what's out there.

He says it's a great opportunity for kids to come and see what options they have for a career after they finish school.

Crack Falls Out Of Man's Mouth After Foot Chase

46 year old Stephane Giberson pleaded guilty to possession of crack for the purpose of trafficking , breaching curfew, and other charges including assaulting a peace officer and resisting arrest. The court heard officers saw Giberson wandering around the Coburg and Cliff Street area trying the doors or cars and when they ran his name found him to be breaking his curfew.

Giberson then took off running and officers chased him down to Garden Street and then onto another side street. When officers cuffed Giberson on the hood of a car a rock of crack fell our of his mouth. In court Giberson complained he's been having serious medical issues including grand mal seizures for which he needs to get treatment.

Judge Henrik Tonning suggested the running around at 4am with a mouthful of crack cocaine probably wasn't helping the seizures. Giberson has been released on a promise to keep the peace and be of good behaviour.

Seat Sale At Former Paramount Theatre

TransCanada's Alex Pourbaix In Saint John Tomorrow

There will be more talk of the Energy east pipeline and how 2014 looks to be shaping up in our province.
 
The Atlantic Provinces Economic Council annual conference is coming up in Saint John tomorrow.

TransCanada's president of Energy and Oil pipelines will offer the keynote address.

Alex Pourbaix is expected to discuss the important role that energy infrastructure plays in
ensuring that everyone can safely and reliably benefit from our energy resources.
 
A panel featuring the VP of New Castle Hotels and Resorts will be discussing the Algonquin Hotel in St. Andrew's.

Saint John Hosting The Best College Soccer Teams From Across Canada

If you like top notch soccer, you have to chance to see some quality play live at the Canada Games Stadium through the weekend.  Matches are underway.

The U-N-B Saint John Seawolves are hosting a national tournament featuring the best college teams from across the country. 

Seawolves coach Jason Brown says being at home can be an advantage but on the other hand there's a lot of pressure from family and friends to do well. Brown says the Seawolves will have to pick and choose their moments when they want to open up the game. 

U-N-B Saint John will play its opener against Humber College from the Toronto area this afternoon at 5:30. 


Brown says this tournament will afford younger players a gold opportunity to see what they should be aspiring to.

Premier Needs First Nations To Be On Board

If the Alward Government doesn't get the First Nations on board, shale gas exploration isn't going anywhere. That word coming from Carl Wolpin of Hampton Water First who points to the native cases that have gone to the Supreme Court, all of which have been upheld.
 
Wolpin also argues there has been a huge increase in the last couple of years in the number of New Brunswickers who are questioning whether shale gas exploration with fracking can be done safely, rising from 5 per cent to something like 70 per cent.

Stephen Wants To Change His Guilty Plea

A hearing in the case of 65 year old Gregory Stephen....the Saint John man appeared frail in court as he appeared to answer to charges he robbed the Bayview Credit on the West Side.

Stephen telling the court he suffers from chronic liver disease, was sleep deprived and wasn't in his right mind when he pleaded guilty and now wants to change his plea. He says he has periods of psychosis when he goes off the drug diazepam and was hearing voices when he was locked up for the bank robbery.

Stephen was also charged with theft from Shoppers Drug Mart....and says he doesn't even remember being read the charge so he wants to change his plea on that as well.

The robbery on September 3 resulted in the lockdown of 2 west side schools.

West Siders Hear About Future Direction of New Development In City

Reaction was generally positive on the west side at the second of the Zone SJ open houses to let Saint Johnners know what the city wants to do with future development over the next generation. 

West side Common Councillor Bill Farren tells CHSJ News he has heard from people in South Bay who are worried growth in their part of the city will be stymied under the new regulations. 

The meeting also heard a warning about having too much intensive development in the area around Quinton Heights because it might disrupt the existing stability of the land and cause problems for existing homeowners. 

The city was also urged to implement incentives like tax deferral to offset the upfront costs of redeveloping older buildings which can be steep.
 
Another open house will be held tonight at Lorne Middle School with the final one at Simonds High tomorrow night. They start at 5:30 with presentations at 6.

Former CN Employee Raises Rail Safety Concerns

A former machinist with the Canadian National Railway Company expressing his concerns to town council about inspection standards for our railways.

Quispamsis resident Bernard Beukeveld tells CHSJ News they should be inspected to the highest standards since hazardous materials are coming through our communities, but says they are currently only meeting the minimum requirements.

Beukeveld says train derailments like the deadly disaster in Lac-Megantic this summer, and the recent incident West of Edmonton, should be a wake-up call to cities and towns.

Deputy Mayor Libby O'Hara telling Beukeveld she shares his concerns. Council passing a motion to have a Table Top Emergency exercise to evaluate the response capability of the town to a rail incident next year.

Are Fake Cabs Trying To Abduct Women In Saint John?

You might have heard stories on social media about would-be abductors trying to lure women in vans or even fake taxis.

CHSJ News asked Police Chief Bill Reid once and for all what the truth is, and he wants Saint Johners to know there have been no such cases. Rather, he says it's a matter of something as simple as someone in a vehicle making a comment to a pedestrian that gets exaggerated and blown into something it isn't online.

The Chief says while some people find it interesting to speculate about crimes online after listening to the scanner, they actually end up wasting police time as the police then have to try to correct the misinformation.