Several accidents in the Saint John area

Accidents continue to pile up around the metro area as the drive home is underway. Earlier there was an accident involving a school bus and another vehicle at the intersection of King Street East and Pitt Street. All the children in the bus are fine.

Also, a three vehicle accident has been reported at the corner of Union and Patrick Street involving another school bus. No reports of injuries.

A tractor-trailer is stuck in the on-ramp to the viaduct across from Harbour Station.
Traffic is being re-routed to Market Square.

The roads are very greasy so slow down, give yourself plenty of time to hit the brakes and don't be in a hurry.

The Seadogs gain the top spot in the country

After weeks in the number two position.....the cream has risen to the top. The latest rankings for junior hockey teams across the country has the Saint John Seadogs in the number one spot with a record of 38-7-1-0. President Wayne Long tells CHSJ News, it's a great honor not just for the team but for the city and it's fans as well:

Windsor, which held the number one spot for several weeks has fallen to third with the Barrie Colts now in second place. Victoriaville and Drummondville are the only other Q-League teams to show up in the top ten. This is the first time the Seadogs have been ranked the number one team from coast to coast.

Daytime Robbery at Uptown Restaurant

City Police are looking for two men after an uptown business was robbed during the lunch hour. Sargeant Pat Bonner tells CHSJ News, two men walked into the Ming Market at 78 Prince William Street just after twelve o'clock. One had a weapon and told the clerk to empty the register. She did and both men took off into the snow.

The man holding the weapon was wearing a skeleton mask, is between 20-30 years old and is six feet tall. The second man is very skinny, about six foot four and had a yellow scarf covering his face. No one was hurt.

Driving conditions are slippery on regional highways

(King Street)

(photo by Tamara Steele)

Callers to our 648-3000 newsline letting us know the driving is tricky in parts of the region.
Highway 1 between Hampton and Saint John in both directions is slippery and snowpacked. On Route 102, heavy snow is causing reduced visibility near Brown's Flat and in Grand Bay-Westfield.
Greater Saint John could get up to 15 centimetres of snow before it wraps up overnight.

Future of Canadian Blood Services Still Muddy

(Blood Distribution Center in Saint John)
               (File Photo)

The long awaited meeting between doctors and Canadian Blood Services over the planned closure of the blood lab and production centre in Saint John has taken place but it doesn't appear much, if anything, has changed. That was the impression of Dr. Andrea Garland, President of the Medical Staff Association for the Saint John Region from Sussex all the way to St. Stephen.


Dr. Garland tells CHSJ News the blood centre in Saint John should be enhanced and not closed with the operation being transferred to Dartmouth.

Plenty of Cash for Provincial Schools

There is plenty of cash to go around for schools in the Province with this years capital budget for the Department of Education coming in at $95.7 million. It includes confirmation of a new building to be constructed to replace the aging Kennebecasis Park K-5 School in Rothesay. No word on when construction will get started but officials say it will be finished in time for the start of the school year in 2012.


In District Eight......$1.7 million has been set aside for completion of a multi-year project at Bayside Middle. It's the final phase which includes upgrades to electrical and sprinkler systems and improved drainage ar4ound the building.

Premier Graham Re-Works the Proposal

(Premier Shawn Graham)
      (File Photo)

Details of the new look deal between NB Power and Hydro Quebec has been presented in Fredericton and instead of selling all of NB Power, pieces of the public utility will be sold. Hydro-Quebec will purchase all of the hydro-electric facilities and Point Lepreau for $3.2 billion. The Province retains ownership and control of the utility including transmission and distribution functions. Premier Graham says the Government has listened and acted.


Graham adds the ""do-nothing"" approach by the Conservatives and other political opponents involves far greater risk for everyone in the Province.

Green Party Answers the Challenge

(Green Party Leader Jack McDougall)
           (File Photo)

The Green Party is answering that challenge by Premier Graham releasing it's energy policy. In some of it's six points, the Green Party would provide significant energy supply through a long-term power purchase agreement with Hydro-Quebec. Deliver a provincial energy policy based on maximizing energy efficiency and adoption of renewable sources of energy in all sectors.

They would also re-organize NB Power as a public energy service utility using locally-produced natural gas as a transition fuel, reform the Energy and Utilities Board and targeted industrial subsidies, if justifiable, should be administered through Business New Brunswick on a case-by-case basis.

K-V Fire Department Budget Controversy

Quispamsis is notifying Rothesay an arbitrator is going to be needed to handle the Kennebacasis Fire Department budget issue. Deputy Mayor Emil Olsen tells CHSJ News Quispamsis wants a new firefighter to even out the number of employees at each station. Olsen says the town needs a new fire fighter now and is not willing to wait for K-V Fire Chief Larry Greer to retire before continuing discussions. The debate was sparked after the department needed to cut 100 thousand dollars from it's budget and not hiring a firefighter was one of the cuts.

Put NB People First Hold Town Hall Meeting

   (Panel Members at Last Night's Town Hall Meeting)
                 (Photo by Jim Hennessy)


""The sale of NB Power must be stopped"" That was the sentiment of 120 people who gathered at Kennebecasis Valley High School last night. It was for the first of two Town Hall meetings being hosted by Put NB People First this week. One of the invited guests was President of the Saint John District Labour Council Ron OldField. He tells CHSJ News, even when the Liberals roll out the ""revamped"" proposal this morning, it's a non-starter for his organization.


The over two hour meeting included comments from NDP Leader Roger Dugay, Green Party Boss Jack McDougall, Conservative MLA Jeanott Volpe and Bethany Thorne Dykstra, President of the Put NB People First. The Green Party says it will unveil it's energy strategy later today.

Rothesay Conservative Comes Out to Listen

  (Rothesay Conservative MLA
        Margaret Ann Blaney)

Margaret Ann Blaney, the Conservative MLA for Rothesay was also at the meeting. She tells CHSJ News, she finds it hard to believe that even though they were invited, MLA's Mary Schryer, Jack Keir or Premier Graham were a no show. Blaney adds it's disturbing to her the first Memorandum of Understanding took ten months to put together but the re-vamped proposal apparently only took days.

According to reports, the new MOU shows N-B Power would remain owned by the Province and the power and distribution systems are no longer for sale. The sale price drops from 4.75 to 3.2 billion dollars.

A Saint John Street could be featured on new edition of Monopoly

Vote often for Saint John is the message a local man wants to get out.
One street in our city could be part of the new Canadian edition of the classic boardgame.
Graeme Weir tells CHSJ News that he put together a Facebook group because Saint John is almost dead last in the voting.
To vote..go to http://www.monopolyvote.ca/ and to join Weir's Facebook group go to 
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=435550230385&ref=mf.

Body found in burned vehicle

RCMP responded to a vehicle fire in Sackville today after a vehicle hit a gas pump at the town's public works building.

A fire broke out and the Sackville Fire Department was able to extinguish the blaze.
A body was discovered in the burned vehicle.
The RCMP’s Forensic Identification Section will assist in identifying the body and an autopsy will be performed to determine the cause of death.

Moore is thrilled and honoured to be appointed a Cabinet minister

(Fundy Royal MP Rob Moore)

(file photo)

Fundy Royal MP Rob Moore is being rewarding for years of service to Harper government.
In today's cabinet shuffle, the 35-year-old has been appointed to the portfolio of Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism.
Moore tells CHSJ News he is pleased and honoured to be asked to fill this role.
He thinks it's a natural fit because small business and tourism is relevant in his riding, in the province and across the country.
Moore says he was thrilled to have his wife Melinda and one of his daughters on hand for the announcement in Ottawa today.

Rothesay Happy with Moore's Appointment

Accolades continue to roll in for Minister of state Small Business and Tourism Rob Moore. Rothesay Mayor Bill Bishop tells CHSJ News, this is a wonderful stepping stone for a man with plenty of character.

Bishop adds the more cabiner ministers in Greater Saint John can only mean good things for the area.

City Hall Sends Congratulations to Minister Moore

Mayor Ivan Court and council are also extending congratulations to Minister Moore on his appointment. Court tells CHSJ News, as a member of team Saint John, any improvement in his standing is a plus for all.

Court adds Minister Moore has a good relationship with Prime Minister Harper and is hoping that translates into good things for Greater Saint John.

16-year-old found guilty of second degree murder in man's death

A sixteen year old girl has been found guilty of second degree murder in the death of a Damascus man last summer. The verdict was handed down today at the Sydney Street Court House after 15 hours of deliberation by the jury.
78-year old Frank Tonge was stabbed to death in his home last June and the prosecution claimed the stabbing was planned and premedatated while the victim argued she acted in self defence.
Victim impact statements and a pre-sentence report will be prepared before sentencing takes place on the 19th of next month.

Promotion for the Riding of Fundy Royal

(Fundy Royal MP Rob Moore)
           (File Photo)

It's a milestone day for the riding of Fundy Royal. It's MP Rob Moore has been appointed to a cabinet post, one of ten in Prime Minister Harper's shuffle today. Moore takes on the portfolio of Minister of State Small Business and Tourism replacing Diane Ablonczy. Jean Pierre Blackburn takes over the Veterans Affairs post from Southwest MP Greg Thompson who stepped down over the weekend.

Also, Fredericton MP Keith Ashfield is the new Minister of National Revenue replacing Blackburn.

Theft in Brunswick Square

Three leather coats were stolen yesterday afternoon from Frank's Furs in Brunswick Square.The jackets were hanging on a rack near the door when there was a commotion.

City Police say a man described as being in his twenties and wearing a red hat took the jackets off the rack and ran.

Reaction to City Budget

Common Council's reluctance to lower the city's tax rate this year doesn't surprise Brian Stone of Citizens for Fair Taxation. Stone tells CHSJ News, the political will just isn't there.

Stone says they will soon have to make the effort to get a handle on making changes to the city's deficit laden pension plan.