They didn't get quite enough votes to secure the $10,000 but, PRO Kids are still better for taking part in the Irving Oil Challenge Cup contest.By voting on Facebook for the KV Rangers, PRO Kids was in the running for the money but, lost to a PEI when the contest closed on Sunday night.PRO Kids Manager Tammy Desaulniers tells CHSJ News it was definitely a nail-biter. Kidsport of PEI wins the money and Desaulniers says they are in the same business as PRO Kids. The Saint John Wanderers football club is hosting a clinic featuring CFL players next month and half of the proceeds will go to PRO Kids.
Housing prices have fallen in Saint John from 1.6 per cent for a standard 2 storey home all the way up to 6.3 per cent for a detached bungalow. John McAloney of Royal LePage is not surprised. He tells CHSJ News it's a buyer's market.
According to Royal LePage, average prices range from 162 thousand dollars for a standard condo to 178 thousand for a detached bungalow and 295 thousand dollars for standard two storey home.
McAloney says the K-V market remains strong because people are still moving there and lower housing prices are remote, if not non-existent.
The cause of an early morning fire in the north end is being investigated by both the fire department and city police.
The blaze started around 2:30 at 28 Albert Street.
There has been heavy fire damage to the 2 and a half storey building.
City Police along with fire crews from the city and the K-V responding to a water rescue in the Bradley Lake area.
The fire department telling us two people were trying to get a dog out of the water when the call was made.
By the time police and firefighters arrived, the two people were safely on shore.
Saint John East MLA Glen Tait unable to make a commitment as to whether the province will be on board with helping to pay for clean drinking water.
He says Premier David Alward needs to be briefed on all the details and the province is keeping a close eye on the chequebook book due to the province's huge debt load.
He calls the 4 year time table for clean drinking water "optimistic."
Tait, when he was a member of Common Council, pushed hard to get Harbour Cleanup up and running.
Common Council is setting a 4 year goal towards getting water treatment facilities up and running in the city in order to provide safe clean drinking water.
The head of Municipal Operations Paul Groody says it's an aggressive target but the time is now because every year the project is put off will cost the city an additional 8 to 10 million dollars.
Total price tag of the project is 172 million dollars over four years with the goal being to have it cost shared with the province and the federal government. That would put the cost for the city at about 57 million dollars.
Land around Rockwood Park is now officially protected.
Council came up short at the last council meeting to protect the land because two councillors were absent.
The decision comes after much public outcry over possible residential and commercial development around the park.
Councillor Chris Titus has been very critical about the lack of public debate on the issue and says council should have held an official public meeting.
A 28 year old truck driver made his first court appearance in Hampton after being charged in the death of a cyclist on Highway 7 last September.
Jason Donald Dickison of Meductic is charged with driving without due care and attention and exceeding his hours of service under the Motor Vehicle Act.
He has not entered a plea yet and the case was put over until May 17th.
23 year old Andrew Wolf of New York City was riding with a group of other cyclists when he was killed in a collision with a transport truck September 16th near the Petersville Hill area.
Hot on the heels of signing a record deal last fall, singer Kevin Chase announcing today a deal with Germany's AGR Televison and Universal.
Chase grew up on the Kingston Pennisula and is now based in Moncton.
The deal will bring his latest record to European audiences as "Hold On Tight" will see a multi-national release.
The first single “Outta Sight Outta Mind” will be sent to country radio stations in several countries including Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands and England by the end of the month. The album “Hold On Tight” will be available in stores and for download later this year and eventually be available in 39 countries.
Chase is preparing to shoot his first video for the album release. He says the concept is coming together with a few location details being worked before shooting can start.
For more info click here
Q League commissioner Gilles Courteau giving a $2000 fine to the Shawinigan Cataractes organization for inappropriate comments made April 7th by the team’s GM Martin Mondou relating to the 2012 Memorial Cup selection process and the Saint John Sea Dogs.
The comments coming a day before the announcement that Shawinagan gets the right to host next year's event and that Saint John lost.
The commissioner says in a release that the accusatory comments made by Shawinigan's GM Martin Mondou were inappropriate and unacceptable. Courteau adds the selection process for the Memorial Cup was conducted by an independent committee that worked hard to analyse all the possible candidates.
He says comments that cast a doubt on the credibility of a member club or committee do not have their place. Courteau goes on to say it's of the utmost importance that clubs operate within an environment of respect.
The incumbant Conservative candidate in Saint John unveiling in his four major initiatives for the election campaign.They include social housing and support program investments, creating strong minds with education, arts and culture and promoting a strong body in partnership with the YM-YWCA by creating a new facility and working to upgrade the Rothesay Arena.Rodney Weston can't commit to giving the city 57.4 million dollars for his top priority clean safe drinking water.He says that needs to be worked out and he's been meeting with Saint John East MLA Glen Tait who is leading the charge provincially on clean drinking water.Weston says he has also met more than once with Councillor Chris Titus on the subject. Common Council will hear a detailed plan on how to provide clean, safe drinking water at tonight's meeting. It starts at 6:15.
One of the first things David Alward did after becoming Premier was appoint an Energy Commission whose job it is to help formulate a new energy policy. Former Energy Minister Jennott Volpe is a member of that commission.
Alward expects the commission's recommendations by early May. When he was Opposition Leader, Alward hammered then Premier Shawn Graham's government for not having any such policy while trying to negotiate a deal with Hydro Quebec.
Alward also vows to hold the public service's feet to the fire to eliminate red tape and encourage outside investment but, at the same time, promises a balance will be found between development and protection of people in the province.
The RCMP making two traffic stops and seizing 350 thousand illegal cigarettes in the northern part of the province.
One vehicle was stopped in Grand Falls resulting in the seizure of 200,000 contraband cigarettes. A 46-year-old man from Quebec was arrested and later released. He is scheduled to appear in Grand Falls Provincial court on June 14th.
Later, a second vehicle was stopped in Saint-Jacques with 150,000 contraband cigarettes being confiscated. A 66-year-old man from Nova Scotia was arrested and later released. He is scheduled to appear in Edmundston Provincial Court on June 5th.
In both cases, the cigarettes and the vehicles used to transport them were seized and will be forfeited to the government.
An early morning fire causing extensive damage to a mini home in Lorneville this morning at 112 School Bus Road.
No one was at home when the fire started around 3:00.
There were no injuries in fighting the blaze and the cause is being investigated.
The city will be looking for 57.4 million dollars each from the federal and provincial governments to help pay for safe clean drinking water.
That's part of the plan to be presented to Common Council tonight for funding from 2012 to 2016. Councillors are being told water metering will be mandatory for any water system that aims to be sustainable.
The head of Municipal Operations Paul Groody wants to get to the point where there will be automatic metering of how much water you consume.
Mayor Ivan Court says there's no point comparing what metered water will cost in the city as opposed to Fredericton and Moncton which are alot smaller in size. Court maintains the costs will come down if population density increases in the city which is what Plan SJ is all about.
The central feature of the plan will be the water filtration treatment plant to be located south of the Little River Resevoir. In the meantime, the Conservative candidate running in Saint John Rodney Weston will be spelling out today what his priorities will be if re-elected.
The city is proposing the Canada Games Aquatic Centre provide the lifeguards who will be keeping an eye on swimmers at four city beaches this summer from June 25th to August 21st.
As debate got underway on the Alward Government's first budget, work has already started on the second.
That word from Premier David Alward and he warns it isn't going to get any easier with tough choices and sacrifices lying ahead but concedes it's difficult to change the collective mindset.
Alward says the most important job facing his government is to reverse the fiscal decline. He accuses the previous Liberal Government of providing 4 years of mismanagement.
Alward goes on to say all government departments are undergoing a spending review, M-L-A salaries are frozen and their pension benefits will be lowered.
City police want your help in tracking down a man missing for a week.
58-year-old Lionel Daigle is from the New Direction Special Care home on the west side.
He requires medication for mental health issues.
He's described as 5'3", 137 pounds with a slim build, brown eyes, and salt and pepper hair.
He was last seen wearing a 9/11 tribute hat with an eagle,a three-quarter length grey-hooded winter jacket, jeans and sneakers.
If you have seen him, call police at 648-3333.
A 25-year-old Campobello man takes off May 10th on a cross-Canada trek to raise awareness about epilepsy.
Brett Cameron says he met a boy last year inspiring with his joyful look at life despite having a serious illness.
He tells CHSJ News it's the least he can do so, he is busy preparing himself physically for the journey.
He says as long as people are supporting him he has no doubts about being ready when the time comes.
Cameron is lining up sponsors for his cross-country trek and he has some friends who say they want to join him.
There is a Facebook page dedicated to the event, to find it click
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/home.php?sk=group_147870951944929
PRO Kids still needs your votes to win $10,000!
The local group that places youth in positive recreation activities is in the running for the money from the Irving Oil Challenge Cup.
At last check just a few votes are separating the KV Rangers and a team from PEI. Tonight at midnight is the deadline to enter the contest. To vote for the KV Rangers click here
