Taxpayers Group Warns More People Will Be Leaving Province

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation predicts the hike on Canada Day in provincial income tax will not only put a damper on economic growth because people will have less money to spend. 

The Federation's Atlantic Director Kevin Lacey tells CHSJ News it will send more people from this province out west because people vote with their feet these days. He estimates in the last five years, something like 34 hundred people have left for Alberta from New Brunswick. 

Lacey maintains the only way you can get a handle on the deficit and keep people from moving away is to grow the economy but raising taxes won't accomplish that especially when the provincial deficit is expected to rise to 479 million dollars in spite of the provincial income tax going up.

The Conference Board of Canada's Help Wanted Index has dropped in New Brunswick for the second month in a row.

Common Council Approves Expansion Of Trailer Park But Not With Trailers

Common Council has overruled both city staff and the Planning Advisory Committee by approving in principle the expansion of the Glen Falls Trailer Park off Glen Road but instead of trailers, 80 mini homes will be constructed. 

Ward 4 Common Councillor Ray Strowbridge is on board after hearing there will be an underground pond to store water and ease any concerns over flooding. The other councillor for Ward 4, David Merrithew points out revenue from building permits has dropped off significantly and Councillor at Large Shirley McAlary says Saint John needs this type of development.
 
Kamal Debly of Debly Construction says it means much needed revenue for city coffers. The project will add 7 million dollars to the city's tax base with additional revenue from building permits for the mini homes that area constructed. 

In addition, the city will not be responsible for garbage collection and snow plowing which will be done privately.

Three Golden Grove Road Fires Not Connected

The East side has been a hotspot lately, with three buildings catching fire in a little over a week, however the fire department says the individual blazes are not connected. 

Division Chief Mark Wilson tells CHSJ News in this case, it's merely a coincidence.

They've determined a shed fire on June 22 was accidental, in the electrical area, however the vacant building blaze on June 27 is suspicious, as is the structure fire on June 30. Both files have been turned over to Saint John Police Department.

Contest Winner Visits Saint John

The winner of a free cruise that brought over 4,000 page likes to the Cruise Saint John Facebook page is visiting the port today.

Liza Gavigan and her husband Tracy from Lyndonhurst, New York were the lucky winners and are visiting on the Carnival Glory.

The pair will also be going on a kayaking and lobster bake shore excursion through Go Fundy events.

The Carnival Glory is in port until 7pm.

Some Disagree With Foggy Fireworks

Could you see the fireworks last night? 

As some communities postpone their annual July 1st sparkle fest, Saint John's went ahead.

Some of our listeners are wondering why.  

Terri thinks they should have waited as they could only see red or green fog once in awhile.

Cindy wishes they could have waited until the next clear day.

Tyler says its not the first time we've had fog in this city and all the people complaining about that will just have to use their heads next year.

Lucinda says her kids loved it adding its hard to please everyone.

Board Of Trade Hires David Duplisea

The Board of Trade announcing David Duplisea as their new Executive Director.

He has held executive positions in marketing, business development in Saint John, New York and Toronto.

He was a founding member of the Board of Directors of Propel ICT and recently served as a Policy Advisor in Renewable Energy and Energy Innovation with the provincial department of energy.

In a release, the Board thanks Dick Daigle who served as the interim Executive Director over the last six months.

Final Arguments Presented In Saia Brothers Trial

The Saia twins trial in a deadly home invasion on the lower West side is wrapping up, with the jury hearing closing arguments in the case. 

The defense saying the case boils down to the three witnesses who testified: Melissa Perry, Christopher Reid and Amber Wilson, as well as the DNA evidence. The defense challenged Perry's credibility, saying she has a record of lying to police and the jury should be careful in believing anything she says. 

They also say it's clear DNA evidence is inconclusive, and you can't place guilt on the brothers based on that evidence.

The prosecution comparing the eyewitness accounts to chapters in a book, saying, when you look at all of the evidence, including testimony from Perry, Reid and Wilson, the story comes together. 

She says it's clear they intended to and did use violence to take Reid's belongings from his home on Prince Street West on Nov. 3, 2012.

Food Banks Need Help In The Summer

In the summer, people tend to forget about food banks, but the need does not go away.
 
The Community Food Basket serving central Saint John is low on supplies right now.

Carolyn Dannells tells CHSJ News they really need peanut butter, coffee, salt & pepper, pickles and cereal.

She says right now they don't have any to give out to the families coming in with little kids.

Dannells tells us the number were up in the month of May with 575 orders given out to 1000 people.
 
If you would like to help the food bank or you need their help, you can drop by on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday between 8am and 3pm at 215 Charlotte Street.

To make a donation of food or money, you can drop by or call 652-2707.

Traffic Disruptions

The Department of Transportation telling us they're down to one ferry at Gondola Point because of mechanical problems.

And in another traffic note, a sanitary sewer project in the intersection of the Pettingill Road and Cedar Grove Drive is going to cause a traffic disruption starting today until sometime on Friday. 

Construction work will deny access to traffic onto Pettingill Road from Cedar Grove Drive.

Provincial Cabinet Minister Explains Why Your Taxes Went Up On Canada Day

Provincial Health Minister Ted Flemming is refuting criticism of provincial income taxes going up as of Canada Day, saying the government's hand was forced because of an irresponsible tax cut implemented by the Liberals under then Premier Shawn Graham in a shameless bid to stay in power. 

Flemming charges the Liberals said they would raise the H-S-T and bring back tolls when they lowered taxes but didn't carry through and, as a result, the deficit ballooned to a billion dollars. 

Flemming goes on to explain, the tax levels now are what they were back in 2006 under then Premier Bernard Lord, and as such, doesn't really view it as a tax hike.

New Playground In Rothesay Gets Funding

A big Canada Day announcement in Rothesay.......The Federal and provincial governments are contributing 450 thousand dollars with the town of Rothesay chipping in another 100 thousand to revamp the playhground at Rothesay Elementary School. 

Organiser Amanda Fowlie of the Community Park Committee tells CHSJ News the playground is in pretty rough shape and a danger to kids who fall. Fowlie says what you will see is a natural playground setting, which according to the research, results in less bullying and more imaginative play. 

She's hoping it will be ready by the fall. The committee started this endeavour back in 2010 and raised 63 thousand dollars on its own.

Graffiti Removal Duo Aim To Clean Up South End

Using a combination of determination and chemicals, a graffiti-removal duo is cleaning up tags on the lower South end.

Hilari MacLeod is one half of the Graffiti Guys, the other half is her brother. They're part of P.U.L.S.E., or, People United In The Lower South End. The pair has already cleaned up the steps of the Trinity Church, the Enterprise Saint John building and more.

MacLeod tells CHSJ News graffiti in the city has gotten worse. However, she does make a distinction between graffiti and street art. She says if there's something that is skillfully done and inoffensive in a back alley or in an overpass, she doesn't see anything wrong with that. She says it becomes an issue when people spray-paint tags or mark up private property.

MacLeod says Uptown Saint John is now involved in their project, and while the police department was always involved, they're now plugging the Graffiti Guys more frequently when they get calls for graffiti.

Saint John Riding To Be Renamed

Saint John M-P Rodney Weston making the announcement about the federal contribution for the new playground in Rothesay.

Weston also telling the people on hand in Rothesay Common the configuration of the riding is going to change slightly because of redistribution with the name changing to Saint John-Rothesay. 

Rothesay has always been part of the riding of Saint John.

The entire town of Quispamsis will now be in Fundy Royal which makes more sense, according to Weston. Previously, a small part of Quispamsis was in the Saint John riding.

Mayor Optimistic Pipeline Is Coming To Port City

TransCanada's open season is over, they're analyzing their bids and here in the province we're sitting tight, waiting to hear word on whether a west-east pipeline is coming to Saint John. 

However, after getting a information folder with the words "Energy East Pipeline" on the front, Mayor Mel Norton is optimistic. Norton says it's a sign talks with prospective shippers and receivers were positive.

He tells CHSJ News the packet talks about being responsible in terms of the public engagement process and working with municipalities, unincorporated areas and First Nations communities.

Quispamsis also received a packet before their last council meeting stating three new terminals will be built in Quebec and New Brunswick. We should have official word from TransCanada by mid-August, or earlier.

Quebec Forest Fires Prompts Air Quality Advisory

An air quality advisory has been issued for the province. 

Public health officials warning fires blazing in the forests of Quebec could have an affect on air quality in the northern region.

Dr. Eilish Cleary, chief medical officer of health, says people living there should take precautions when heavy smoke affects air quality. She says infants, children, pregnant women, older adults, smokers, and people with chronic heart or lung diseases should stay inside with the windows shut.

Saint John Celebrates Canada Day

It'll be red and white as far as the eye can see today, as the city marks Canada Day.

A greasy, cheesy poutine cook-off, a good ole' Canadian kitchen party and a rocking twelve-hour concert on the boardwalk. It's all been leading up to today's festivities.

 Pre-Canada Day events have been happening since June 21st, and Stephany Peterson of the Hardman group tells CHSJ News it all culminates in today's July 1st celebration, which she calls the cherry on top. 

There's free transportation from Saint John transit, free admission at the museum all day, and all the day's events are free. The festivities go ahead rain or shine. To see a schedule of events, click here.

Boardwalk Buzzing With Canada Day Countdown Preparations

The countdown is about to begin. 

The 9th annual Canada Day Countdown is a concert that starts at 2pm on the boardwalk and features a line-up of 10 different musical acts, including a tribute to the late Stompin' Tom Conners, who passed away in March. It continues until 2am on July 1st. 

For more information, including a list of the bands playing, click here.

NCC's Moose Sex Project Gets Land Donation From Former Diplomat

The group behind a conservation project that aims to spark cross-border romance between moose has acquired hundreds of acres of land in a wilderness corridor.
 
That's largely comprised of recent land donation from former diplomat Derek Burney and Joan Burney, who donated 781 acres to the conservancy's efforts.

The Nature Conservancy of Canada now has 845 acres in an area that bridges this province, which has a healthy population of moose, with Nova Scotia, where moose are endangered with a population of only 1000 individual moose in the province.

It's called the Moose Sex Project and Andrew Holland of the organization tells CHSJ News by protecting this corridor they hope the animals can move freely between the two provinces. He says if mating between the two provinces is a success, it'll diversify the gene pool for moose in Nova Scotia.

Holland tells us the corridor is not along the Trans-Canada Highway.

Firefighters Rescue Passenger In Car Rollover

Photo courtesy of Musquash Fire Dept.

Fire crews extricating a passenger from a car that rolled over on Highway 1. Musquash firefighters used hydraulic rescue tools to get the person out of the vehicle, which went off of the road on Saturday afternoon. 

One person was already out of the car when firefighters arrived, both people were brought to the hospital by ambulance with what appears to be non-life threatening injuries.

East Side House Fire

A blaze breaking out in a single family home on the east side of the city. 

The fire department's division chief Mark Wilson says they got the call early in the morning and when they showed up to 1845 Golden Grove Road, they were met with heavy fire and smoke coming from the house.

He says they started an aggressive attack on the inside, and with the help of the Kennebecasis Valley Fire Department, it took crews two and a half hours to get the fire under control.

Wilson says the fire is being investigated by the city police's Major Crime Unit and the fire department's Fire Prevention and Investigation Division.