Changes to Math in District Six

(District Six Superintendent Zoe Watson)
             (File Photo)

District Six is taking a new approach when it comes to teaching math. Armed with a new curriculum, new resources and intervention assistance, it's hoped that sagging scores can improve. Superintendent Zoe Watson tells CHSJ News, there are some areas of concern including Grade Five scores.


Watson adds the teaching of match certainly has changed dramatically over the years and it's important that parents make an effort to learn as well.

Former DEC Member Continues to Speak

(To the Right is Acting DEC Chair Mark Henderson)
                    (Photo by Jim Hennessy)

A former member of the District Six Education Council continues to try and make his voice heard. Tom Oland showed up at last night's meeting and brought up the subject of charter schools, which he feels is the reason why he was dismissed from the DEC to begin with. After touching on that subject, Oland then asked each member to speak up if any of their family was enrolled in French Immersion.



Acting Chair Mark Henderson pointed out specific questions can not be adressed to DEC members but Oland continued to press the issue. After asking the question a third time and getting no answer, Oland reached his boiling point, grabbed a stack of papers and told the Council he would be back for next months meeting.

Early Start to Grass Fire Season in Saint John

There are many benefits to this early thaw but an early start to grass fire season isn't one of them. Since the first of the month, the Saint John Department has been called to snuff out 15 of them. Inspector Mark Wilson tells CHSJ News, there are many dangers associated with a grass fire and taking equipment away from certain medicals calls can be deadly.




Inspector Wilson adds the Saint John Fire Department used to conduct a controlled burn every spring but stopped because of legal concerns and the trouble controlling the flames.

Shaping the Future of Rockwood Park

                 (Lily Lake Pavilion)
                      (File Photo)

The future look of Rockwood Park is up for discussion at a pair of public meetings today. City Hall wants to know what could or should be developed along sections of the Sandy Point Road or should it be left alone because it is encroaching upon park land. A moratorium is in place for any development on city owned land along the Sandy Point Road until staff determines the best use.


Many home-owners in the area are upset that proposed housing developments are taking away greenspace from Rockwood Park. The meetings are scheduled for 3:15pm and 7:15pm at the Pavilion.

Maintenance Work at Canaport LNG

      (Canaport LNG Terminal)
                (File Photo)

Despite recent labour problems, completion of the third storage tank at the LNG Terminal is getting close. Construction crews hope to finish up the work by the end of May and Canaport Spokes-person Kate Marie Shannon tells CHSJ News, over-all, the terminal is operating the way it should.


Marie Shannon adds as part of the work, flaring will take place over the next two weeks. Since the terminal came on line, there have been 20 shipments with the next super tanker set to dock in the next two weeks.

Auxilary Police Play a Huge Role

       (Saint John Police Chief Bill Reid)
                    (File Photo)

The Saint John Police Force has 22 auxiliary members, up from 8 last year. They each contribute about 140 hours of service a year after completing 100 hours of training. Chief Bill Reid says they had 80 applicants for the auxiliary policing positions.
Reid adds the auxiliary officers often come with a deep knowledge of their own community because some already have careers.

Mayor of Saint John Travels to Ottawa

The Mayor of Saint John is in Ottawa over the next two days discussing policing issues. Ivan Court will be in the capital in his role as Vice-President of the Canadian Association of Police Boards. It's the national association which oversee more than 75 per cent of the municipal police services in the country.


On the agenda will be support for a new national strategy on firearms and strengthening laws to criminalize cyber-bullying behaviours.

Community Consultation Underway On Plan To Revitalise Crescent Valley

(Saint John Mayor Ivan Court)

(File Photo)

Finding out what the residents want about what should be included in the Cresent Valley Master Plan has started. The Graham Government earlier unveiled an ambitious revitalisation plan spanning 20-years that would add 1373 new homes in the area along with new and upgrades to green spaces already there. Now comes the community consultation. Mayor Ivan Court tells CHSJ News its a golden opportunity to turn things around in one north end neighbourhood. The key, according to Court, is to have mixed housing with people from all income levels living in the same area.
Court says it's already happening in Saint John where you have people living along the waterfront in 400 thousand dollar condos along with others in the same neighbourhood who are paying as low as 200 dollars a month and enjoying the same view and quality of life.

A Setback For Repairs To The Harbour Bridge

(Harbour Bridge)

(File Photo)

A new development in the ongoing saga of getting the 35 million dollars needed for repairs to the Harbour Bridge. The federal government is not signing off on giving the okay for the Harbour Bridge Authority to borrow the money from a pension plan without alot more detailed information. Bob McDevitt, who chairs the Harbour Bridge Authority, calls it a stalling tactic.
McDevitt warns getting together the information the federal government is looking for will take too much time and there's a good chance the Harbour Bridge Authority may lose out on this upcoming construction season. He tells CHSJ News the Harbour Bridge Authority finds itself stuck in the middle of a dispute between the province and Ottawa with the common thread being the tolls and what's being lost is the need to keep the bridge in top notch condition. Premier Shawn Graham says the province has made the federal governemnt an offer to take over the bridge but has never received a response.

Intelligence based policing is working in Saint John

(Saint John Police Chief Bill Reid)

(photo by Tamara Steele)

Positive news from the Saint John Police Force on crime reduction. The Police Commission has been informed that intelligence led policing has resulted in a reduction of the numbers for break and enters and auto theft.
Chief Bill Reid tells CHSJ News that what these numbers really represent is quality of life.
In 2009, they had a 28 per cent reduction in the number of break and enters and a 18 per cent reduction in stolen autos.
To learn more on crime reduction economics go to:
www.saintjohn.ca/crimereductioneconomics

New library for The Valley

A question mark remains hanging over the future of the Ken Valley library. The library board meets this week and is struggling with whether to expand or build new. Rothesay Councilor, Don Shea tells CHSJ News many factors need to be considered.Whether or not it should be located in the centre of the Valley, combined with district 8 or be part of a larger complex. Shea says he prefers the option of building new. The current library in Quispamsis wasn't designed to expand vertically, which would require more land.

Rothesay Meets With Premier Graham

      (Town of Rothesay Coat of Arms)

With a $3 to $4 million dollar solution on the table for recent flooding issues in Oakville Acres, The Town of Rothesay is looking for some funding help from Fredericton and Ottawa. Officials recently had a one on one meeting with Premier Graham and Deputy mayor Blair MacDonald tells CHSJ News, there are no commitments at this time.




The Town is also looking to secure funding for renovations to the Rothesay Arena which incoude re-locating and expanding the lobby and an upgrade for changing rooms. In order to do that, the Town is looking to secure property between the building and Scott Avenue.

Four Open Houses To Discuss Cresent Valley

(Social Development and Housing Minister Kelly Lamrock)
                             (File Photo)

There are four community information sessions regarding the Cresent Valley Master Plan over the next week and the first goes tonight. The Graham Government has unveiled a 20-year, five phase proposal that would add 1373 new homes in the area along with new and updates to current green spaces.


Along with tonight's meeting, there is one scheduled for Thursday of this week and then Tuesday and Thursday of next week as well. They all get started at seven o'clock at the Resource Center in Cresent Valley.

More Conversation Concerning Valley Fire Budget

       (Rothesay Mayor Bill Bishop)
                 (File Photo)

After weeks of bickering, it appears an impasse may have been reached between the Towns of Rothesay and Quispamsis. Both have been at odds about the Kennebecasis Fire Department budget with Quispam looking to hire a new fire-fighter even though there needs to be a $100 thousand dollar cut in the budget. Rothesay Mayor Bill Bishop says the issue was discussed in closed session at last night's meeting and expects an announcement on what conclusion they have come up in the coming days.


Bishop adds it is a delicate issue and wants to make sure the wording of a letter indicates what the Town really means.

Proposed Changes to Scribner Cresent

(Director of Development Services for Rothesay Gay Drescher)
                        (Photo by Jim Hennessy)

Proposed changes to Scribner Court in Rothesay only has one hurdle left to clear. First and Second reading was approved at last night's council meeting with the third and final vote to be heard next month. The application is to re-zone a single property on the northern boundary of the property to residential two family. The area is vacant except for a private tennis court which won't stay if the re-zoning is approved.


The plan for the area is to build a semi-detached building to live in one half and sell the other. There was no one on hand to speak against the proposed re-zoning.

Grand Bay Council Calls for Pay Equity

(Grand Bay Westfield Mayor Grace Losier)
               (File Photo)

Grand Bay council is waiting into the debate over pay equity in the private sector. The council is sending a letter to the premier, asking for legislation. Mayor Grace Losier tells CHSJ news it's a issue whos time has come.


Council picked National Womens day to approve the decision to send the letter.

One City Councilor Wants Streetcars to Return

They roamed city streets years ago -- and -- if Councilor Patty Higgins has her way -- streetcars will once again have a place in our streetscapes. Higgins says with cheaper hyrdo power becoming available -- replacing buses with streetcars makes economical and environmental sense.


Higgins says the streetcars would be quieter and also be a tourist attraction.

Premier Calls Increases In Property Tax Bills "Unacceptable"

(Premier Shawn Graham)

(File Photo)

If homeowners feel they're being gouged after receiving their property tax bills, Premier Shawn Graham says they should be talking to their municipal Mayors and Councillors because he maintains the province tried to keep any increases in the assessments from being over the top. Graham charges the vast majority of municipalities chose not to follow the legislation.
The Premier is promising what he calls a more proactive approach without being specific about what he has in mind. Mayor Ivan Court says a cap on assessments would be the worst thing that could happen in Saint John because the city wouln't be able to operate financially. He claims there are many properties in the city that are undervalued. Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll points out the tax rate in his town has been dropping but housing prices have been escalating well above the rate of inflation and this is a factor in rising property assessments.

Rothesay Mayor Supports Expansion of McKay Highway

(Rothesay Mayor Bill Bishop)

(File Photo)

Making a section of Highway One six lanes between Rothesay and Saint John gets the thumbs up from the Mayor of Rothesay. Bill Bishop tells CHSJ News he is thrilled the area is getting some much needed attention.
Bishop adds traffic in the area near the fire station has been a nightmare to say the least for the longest time. A final draft of the project is expected soon with construction set to get started this summer and finish up in 2013.

Construction Set To Start On The Two Busiest Streets In Grand Bay-Westfield

(Grand Bay-Westfield Mayor Grace Losier)

(File Photo)

Two of Grand Bay-Westfield's busiest streets will get a facelift.
The project includes storm sewers on the Woolastook and Inglewood drive this year and resurfacing next year. Along with River Valley Drive, Woolastook and Inglewood provide access to all of the town's subvisions and streets.
Mayor Grace Losier tells CHSJ news the work begins this spring and will be complete before the summer 2011.