Big Announcement Coming On Harbour Bridge

(Saint John Harbour Bridge)
          (File Photo)

It's good news for thousands of commuters using the Harbour Bridge. Our sources in Ottawa confirm Prime Minister Harper will announce a deal to remove the tolls from the bridge during a news conference this afternoon.

Harper will be joined by Saint John M-P Rodney Weston and Premier David Alward for the news conference being held at the Marco Polo cruise terminal.

The deal will see the 23-million dollar debt on the bridge eliminated with Ottawa paying for half of the 35-million dollar repair job underway - the province will assume ownership of the bridge and scrap the tolls.

Norton Bank Held Up By Armed Robber

The RCMP are looking for your help in nabbing an armed robber who, just before noonhour yesterday, held up the National Bank on Route 124 in Norton.

The suspect, armed with a handgun, is described as being from 5'10" to 6 feet tall. He was wearing, at the time, a black hat and mask, long black coat and black wind pants. He left the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash and then stole a black Lincoln Navigator from a person who happened to be in the bank at the time.

The Lincoln was found a short time later in a parking lot on Route 124 across from an Irving Station.

Anyone who was in a vehicle or saw the Lincoln coming or going from the public parking lot between 11:00 yesterday morning and 12:30 in the afternoon is being asked to get in touch with the RCMP at 433-7700 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Chance Harbour Fire May Have Been Set Deliberately

(Musquash Firefighters Battle Blaze In Chance Harbour)
     (Photo Courtesy Of Captain Andrew Sanojca)

The RCMP are investigating a suspicious fire in the Musquash area. A house under construction on Route 790 at Chance Harbour went up in flames last night. A nearby volunteer firefighter noticed the blaze shortly after 9:30 but the structure was fully engulfed in flames and a pile of debris was found burning behind the unfinished home.

Saint John "Y" Awards Peace Medal For 2010

A tireless worker for the City's poor and a giving student receiving awards from the Saint John Y.

Juanita Black will receive the 2010 Peace Medal Award for 35 years volunteering and fighting for those living in poverty.

Black tells CHSJ News she thinks the Alward government will continue the work began by the Liberals on this issue because more has to be done to help the poor.

Black and this year's Youth Peacemaker Award winner, St. Malachy's student Heather Atcheson, get their awards this morning at the Lily Lake Pavillion.

Quispamsis Announces Court Date Over Dogs Case

The Town of Quispamis is going to court next year over the case of two dogs they have impounded.

In a news release the town says since June 2010, they have received six separate complaints about these dogs and two involved biting.
They say the facts and information that support their decision to bring this forward to the courts will come out at the trial.


In the meantime, the dogs are being boarded at a reputable facility and they are living indoors in a safe and healthy environment.

They maintain the dogs are being well cared for receiving proper attention, exercise, food and water and veterinarian care as needed.
The dogs will remain there until a ruling on their fate comes from the Provincial Court.

The trial is set for January 12th.

Enbridge Says Their Customer Numbers Are Going Up

The large industrial customers are complaining one reason for Enbridge Gas applying to increase its delivery charges for natural gas in the province is the company's failure to sufficiently grow the number of customers. Enbridge General Manager Dave Charleson tells CHSJ News the number of people in the province using natural gas has been going up year by year.

He says it's increasing between 8 and 10 per cent a year and they would like to see more and he says it's reasonable pace of growth.
Charleson says the biggest challenge is the number of people living in homes with electric baseboard heating which costs many thousands of dollars to switch.

CAA Approves Of Proposed Legislation To Curb Driver Dristraction

The Canadian Automobile Association is applauding the introduction of provincial legislation aimed at reducing accidents caused by driver distraction. The legislation would prohibit drivers from using texting devices, portable entertainment devices and hand-held cellphones. The C-A-A's Gary Howard says it's welcome news.


He says they believe it goes further than dealing with the issues of distracted driving and enforcement will be the next step and the final and most component they think is public education are the dangers of distracted driving.

Howard points to research showing 25 per cent of all traffic collisions are caused by distracted drivers and most of these can be traced to the use of mobile devices.

ACAP Saint John Also Vying For Aviva Contest Funding

ACAP Saint John also has an entry in the Aviva Community Fund contest.


Executive Director Tim Vickers tells CHSJ News their project centres on the Marsh Creek Eco Challenge.

He says it would put people into the Marsh creek watershed and see what it has to offer and it would also include a bio blitz where students and biologists and students would identify to fish, birds, reptiles and mammals.


He adds it will also include the Eco Challage that may involve mountain biking, canoeing or kayaking.
This round of the voting ends tomorrow but, Vickers feels with their entry in third place now they will make into the top ten.

Saint John has two other entries, one from the Saint John Community Loan Fund and a memorial playground at Seawood school.

To vote for the ACAP project click here

Two People Trapped After Truck Leaves Road

City firefighters responding to a pickup truck leaving the Old Westfield Road last night between the Co-Op and Sobeys shortly after 7:30 . District Fire Chief Eric Garland says the truck rolled over and wound up in a ditch on its side. A man and woman were trapped inside. They were eventually lifted out and taken to hospital.

Unions Are Divided Over Planned City Pension Changes

The city's outside workers union has accepted the proposed changes to its pension plan but Jim Stanley of the Canadian Union of Public Employees tells CHSJ News the members aren't happy about it but recognised the economic realities.

He says they were confronted with the possibility of the city tax rate rising by 17 cents. Despite that, the inside workers at City Hall have voted against the planned changes but Stanley says discussions are continuing and that could change. The Firefighters Union has not spoken publicly about what it thinks.

According to the Saint John Police Association, police department management was not kept in the loop about the changes that were passed by Common Council. The police union is urging M-L-A's to reject the proposed changes claiming there are other options that have not been examined.

Stanley maintains 30 or 40 options were looked at but there was no agreement on what the final package would be.

Child Poverty Rate Down But Future Outlook Doesn't Look Good

17,000 children live in poverty in this province but the child poverty rate is down 5 per cent.

The Human Development Council has released its report card on child poverty with statistics from 2008 that do not reflect the economic realties brought on by the recession.
 
Researcher Kathryn Asher says they expect things to get worse before they get better with increases in the social assistance caseloads and in the usage of food banks.

Asher adds while the child poverty rate is down, the proportion of children living in working poor famillies is on the rise.

Saint John Board Of Trade Honours Outstanding Businesses

(One Of The Awards Handed Out By Saint John Board Of Trade)
                      (Photo by Nelson Hum)


The Saint John Board of Trade hosting the 26th annual Outstanding Business Achievement Awards.The event recognizes companies or individuals in the community that aid business development and increase economic progress in the city.

Kelson and Kelson Limited picked up the Entrepreneurial Achievement Award with its President Terry Kelson telling CHSJ News things look promising for New Brunswick as a place to do business.

Other recipients include Dillion Consulting for Business Excellence, Clinic Server in the Emerging Enterprise Category, Kiera Fraser of Ju Suis Prest Boutique for the Young Entrepreneur Award and the Saint John Kiwanis Club takes home the Big Heart Award for community work.

Price of Diesel Drops After Weekly Setting

Very little change in the price of self serve regular after the weekly setting. It's selling for $105.5 around town. Diesel has dropped a couple of cents and it listed at $109.7 in the city. Heating oil is at 95.3 cents a litre and propane stands at $107.4.

Survey Plane Causes Some Concerns

A plane during a survey along the natural gas pipeline in the Musquash area causing some concern this afternoon -- a motorist saw a plane go below the tree tops in the Five Fathom Hole area.

RCMP tell us checked with Halifax search and rescue along with some airports but failed to turn up any reports of a missing plane -- but -- a helicopter was dispatched from Greenwood to help do a quick check of the area just in case.
It was finally traced back to the plane flying at a low level checking out the pipeline right of way.

Saint John Police Association Accusing City Of Steamrolling Pension Changes Through

(Labour Analyst For Saint John Police Association Bob Davidson)
                   (Photo by Brian McLain)

The Saint John Police Association is accusing the city of not examining all the options with the financially beleaguered municipal pension plan and is appealing to the M-L-A's not to approve the changes.

Retired CUPE Rep Bob Davidson is acting as a labour analyst for the police union. He says Common Council refused to listen to an option that was put together by an actuary commissed by the Police Association. Davidson says that option was presented to the M-L-A's in the Saint John caucus and, in his view, was enthusiastically received.

Peter Haslett of the Police Association accuses City Manager Pat Woods of flying by the seat of his pants with these changes and what they will mean for the bottom line because he doesn't know what the financial ramifications will be.

Davidson says there are several Common Councillors who are on the provincial pension plan which was not cut and he accuses them of being hypocritical in wanting to slice and dice city pensions.

He also warns it will be more difficult to retain and attract new police officers because of the elimination of the disability pension and the fact they will have to work longer to retirement than they do in other cities such as Fredericton.

Councilor Wants Derelict Buildings By-Law Moved Forward

Councillor Peter McGuire wants things sped up when it comes to legislation on dealing with derelict buildings.

According to the latest update from the province, the Department of Local Government plans to hold workshops with municipalities, including one in Saint John, to explore legislation on derelict buildings in early 2011.

McGuire says he wants a more specific and quicker timeline.

He says he will speak with the province in hopes of speeding things up and adds the city built the By-law so all they need is approval from the province.

Saint John Woman Cleared Of All Charges

28 year old Crystal Dawn McKenzie has been found not guilty of 2nd degree murder in the stabbing death of her common law husband, 29 year old Pat Thomas in March on Alma Street just off Waterloo.

A jury of 9 women and 3 men deliberated for 8 hours and asked the judge to define manslaughter before reaching its decision.

Defense lawyer David Kelly describes it as a tragic situation for all concerned.
McKenzie's relationship with Thomas was described as stormy with alot of fighting and abuse.

Eyewitnesses testified to seeing McKenzie pinned against a wall, pulled down to the ground and dragged along the street before she got hold of a knife and stabbed Thomas in the area of his neck and shoulder.

For her part, McKenzie was tearful as she left court saying she wanted to be with her kids.

City Police Speaking Out About Proposed Changes

The Saint John Police Association is responding this morning to the City's pension changes.

City manager Pat Woods says inside workers, fire and police will lose their their disability pension and their benefits will be slashed by nearly 40 percent.

These workers will still get their wage increases.
The news conference gets started at ten.

Local Developer Feels Betrayed By City Hall

A local developer is pulling out of development near Rockwood Park.

Common Council has approved the development of high-rise and apartment buildings near the green-space and developer Darryl Gallant says he won't be building high scale homes because of it.
Gallant says he feels sold out by Council as he has been developing his land for 8 years and has invested about 2 million dollars.

National Housing Week Events Continue

National Housing Week events are focusing on youth homelessness with various events in the city.

Young people from the four Saint John high schools and Rothesay Netherwood are doing outreach with Outflow and serving luch at the Saint John Community Chaplaincy.

Colin McDonald of Vibrant Communities tells CHSJ News, it's about the youth learning from someone who knows what homelessness feels like.


Tomorrow is the Tin Can Challenge where students make sculptures of the food donations they have been collecting for 6 weeks.

After the competition, it will be donated to a variety of local food banks.