EUB Says Disco Increase Was Unnessary

If seems the Province's Energy and Utilities Board agrees with the critics and that NB Power's distribution wing did not prove it's case in hearings last month justifying a 3 per cent rate increase that came into effort on June 1st wasn't necessary.

The EUB's released a report to Energy Minister Jack Keir on its website late today.
It says they are not convinced that information given by Disco on the the precise amount of earnings of 28.3 million dollars for 2010 and 2011 is necessary.
Our newsroom contact NB Power for comment, they are reviewing the document and will issue a response tomorrow.

Motorcycle Driver Dies

A Dieppe man is dead after a weekend motorcycle crash in McGraw Brook.

RCMP say the victim is 38-year-old Danis St. Laurent of Dieppe.


Police say he died from his injuries after his motorcycle left the road on Route 108 on Saturday.

Premiers Pledge Unity On Energy

Premier Shawn Graham along with Premiers Darrell Dexter of Nova Scotia, Robert Ghiz of Prince Edward Island and Danny Williams of Newfoundland and Labrador are talking about working together for clean and renewable energy across the region.

The premiers are in Massachusetts for the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers, where energy issues have been a major focus of discussions. PEI's Ghiz is represented by Deputy Premier George Webster.

All four Atlantic Canadian provinces have been working together on energy issues through the Council of Atlantic Premiers, and they want to build on that work with Ottawa through the Atlantic Energy Gateway Initiative.

RCMP Make Arrests After July 4th Stabbing

RCMP offering an update on a stabbing from July 4th.


Police tells CHSJ News a 32-year-old Parlee Brook man was stabbed several times after a fight between several men at a home on Pleasant Avenue in Dairytown.


He is in hospital in Moncton recovering from his wounds and at the time a 20-year-old Sussex man was arrested and released.

Since then RCMP have arrested the stabbing victim from Parlee Brook and another man from Sussex and charged them with Break and Enter and Assault. The 20-year-old of Pitt Street in Sussex who was previously arrested and released has now been charged with assault causily bodily harm.
All three will be before a judge at a later date.

Sussex Man Stabbed

Sussex RCMP are looking into incident on the weekend where two men in their 20's got into shouting match with another man.

It quickly became physical when the 24-year-old man was stabbed twice.
He was taken to hospital where he was treated and released.
Police have recovered a knife.
The suspect is described as in his late teens or early 20's, about 5 foot 10 inches tall and skinny with short dirty blond hair.

Replica Of Marco Polo Could Be Used As Set For Musical

(Barry Ogden Of Marco Polo Project)
               (File Photo)

It might be a bit of a challenge but those people who go to Harbour Station in late October to see the Saint John Theatre Company perform a musical about the Marco Polo might also be able to get a gander at the replica of the tall ship itself. The chief organiser of getting the replica built, Barry Ogden couldn't be happier. He says there are six companies who say they can bring the tall ship over the harbour from the lower west side and he has been told it is possible to get it inside Harbour Station.
They're just about ready to get on with the painting but are still waiting to hear about where it will be permanently anchored along the waterfront. Ogden tells CHSJ News, if need be, the ship could be wrapped up for the winter.

Collision With Moose Near Welsford Leaves One Man Dead

A 66 year old unidentified man has been killed after his car collided with a moose along highway 7 near Welsford late last night. Two passengers were taken to hospital. One suffered just minor injuries. The other sustained what are described by the RCMP as serious injuries. They were all wearing their seatbelts and alcohol was not a factor and the road was wet at the time.

Moose Draw Results In

Hunters who entered the moose license draw can now find out if they got a license for this fall's draw.

The province received 62,900 applications for 3,554 licences with the 2010 moose hunting season coming up in September.

Callers will be asked to enter their provincial medicare number using the telephone keypad and if you are checking online, you need to enter your medicare number into the required field before you find out if you are successful in the draw.

Validation stickers will be sent to all successful applicants.

To find if you got a license call 1-800-459-3729 on a touch tone telephone or by checking online at www.gnb.ca/naturalresources.

Alot More Work Still Needs To Be Done To Help Earthquake Victims In Haiti

                   (Haitian Earthquake Victim)
                            (File Photo)

Today marks the six-month anniversary of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. The quake killed over 220,000 people making it the most deadly on record for the Western Hemisphere. The Canadian Red Cross says that even half a year later, more than half of the 1.3 million people who were displaced are still living in makeshift camps. They says transitional shelters are still needed to safely house families for several years while permanent reconstruction takes place. The Red Cross says they've delivered more than 11,000 tons of emergency relief materials. Transitional shelters are still needed to safely house families for several years until more permanent construction can take place. At the time of the earthquake, schools and businesses rallied in Saint John to donate thousands of dollars to Haiti as well shoes and even jeans.

Native Of Rothesay Dies In Maine Accident

A 27-year-old man, originally from Rothesay, has died after a car he was in that was traveling from New Brunswick to a concert in Massachusetts struck a moose on the Maine turnpike over the weekend. According to the State Police in Maine, the car rolled over several times after hitting the animal near York before colliding with a tree. Christopher Miller, who was a passenger, died in the crash. Police say his parents live in Rothesay but his driver's licence listed his address as being in Whitby, Ontario. The driver, Andrew MacDonald of Quispamsis suffered serious head injuries and is being treated in a Maine hospital. A woman, also from Quispamsis, was in the back seat and she suffered with just cuts and bruises.

Condos In Rothesay

(Map of proposed development)
(File Photo)

A housing project for Rothesay will be discussed tonight at a public hearing.

Two contractors are looking at building 24 condos on land near Rothesay Elementary School.

The project would make Robertson Drive and Clermont Lane moderate density areas instead of low density areas.

Mayor Bill Bishop says a lot of people are looking to downsize but Rothesay lacks condo style living.

Some initial questions were raised about flooding because of wetspots in the area but the contractors say an engineering firm will be hired to minimize flooding.

Anyone with any concerns can attend a public hearing tonight at town hall starting at 7:00.

Conservation Council Not Happy With Task Force

A recent conference on energy has the province's Conservation Council frowning.

A Task Force was established at the conference and Energy Minister Jack Keir says the goal is to get everyone in the community involved in the energy sector.

But David Thompson with the Conservation Council tells CHSJ News the Task Force only represents people who have profited at the expense of the province in the past. 

He says he didn't hear about any poor people being at the conference, and the environmental network for the province wasn't invited. 

There are 11 community and business leaders on the Task Force including:

Dale Knox...President and CEO of Tabufile Records Management
Mike Ashar...President of Irving Oil Operations
Jim Irving...President of J.D. Irving Limited
Andrew Dawson...Building and Construction Trades Department
Rayburn Doucet...President and CEO of the Port of Belledune
Daniel St. Onge
Gerry Pond...Representing the New Brunswick Poverty Reduction Plan
Leopold Pinet
Eddy Campbell...President of the University of New Brunswick
Clair LePage...Deputy Minister of Energy
Gaëtan Thomas...President and CEO of NB Power

Keir Doesn't Want Saint John Ignored

(Energy Minister Jack Keir)
(File Photo)

Conservative MLA Trevor Holder may think the Bernard Lord government looked after Saint John but Energy Minister Jack Keir doesn't agree.

Keir says he sat on Enterprise Saint John when Bernard Lord was Premier and he wouldn't invest in Saint John's emergency room or a medical school at UNBSJ.

Keir says the reason he got involved in 2006 was because he thought southern New Brunswick was being ignored.

Blaney Says Premier Campaigns

(Rothesay M-L-A Margaret-Ann Blaney)
(File Photo)

Conservative M-L-A Margaret-Ann Blaney isn't sure why the Premier says he isn't in campaign mode.

Shawn Graham said at the Areva announcement last week that an election hadn't been called yet so he's not in the middle of a campaign.

Blaney says the Liberal Party has been running attack ads against her for weeks and you typically don't do that unless an election is looming.

The Money Collector's Show Comes To Town

There will be a lot of extra money in Saint John this week.

Canada's Money Collector's Show is setting up shop at the Trade and Convention Center for three days starting on Thursday.

Geoffrey Bell is the past president of the Royal Canadian Numismatic Association and tells CHSJ News, there is a big crowd of people who buy, sell, trade and collect money both paper and coin.

Bell says there is plenty going on at the show including appraisals of your collectables, an auction and the Royal Canadian Mint will have a display of medals from the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

He adds this is sixth time in sixty years the national organization has come to the Maritimes and the first time in Saint John.

Ironically, the countries first chartered bank was in Saint John on Prince William Street in 1820.

It's free to get in and the show runs until Saturday.

Board of Trade Chair Talks Areva

(Mike Murphy, Chair of the Board of Trade)
(File Photo)

The Chair of the Board of Trade is pleased with the signing of a letter of intent between nuclear company Areva and the Province.

Mike Murphy tells CHSJ News, anytime you can talk about significant job growth and education improvement, it is exciting.

Murphy says if you look at the retail growth in the metro over the past ten years, that has come about because of solid investment like the possibility of a second reactor.

As for the possibility the proposal could fall through if the re-election bid by the Graham Government comes up short, Murphy says he likes to think any party would put job creation before political motivation.

Fire In West Side

(Crews respond to a fire at 299 Watson Street in the West Side)
(Photos by Doug Epton)

City fire crews called to a fire on the West Side in the early hours this morning.

A one-and-a-half story two family home was on fire at 299 Watson Street.

District Chief Gerry Morris says when crews arrived on scene at around 4:30 in the morning flames were coming from the back of the building and the roof.

He says the house was empty as the owner had just sold it and the new owner was supposed to take possession on Monday.

While no one was hurt, Morris says the building is a total loss.

Crews are still on scene now investigating although the fire has been put out.

Losier Happy With Proposal For A Second Reactor

One mayor in Greater Saint John is ready for the spin-off's if the proposal for a second reactor at Point Lepreau is to move forward.

Grand Bay Westfield's Grace Losier tells CHSJ News, she isn't afraid of nuclear energy and is thrilled with the commitment to safety Areva has.

Losier says she remembers the boom her town experienced during the construction of Point Lepreau and looks forward to the outcome of this business plan proposal.

Minister Says Six Lanes Still Ago

(Minister of Transportation Denis Landry)
(File Photo)

Any opposition to the new six lane McKay Highway isn't phasing the Minister of Transportation.

Denis Landry tells CHSJ News, he heard no one speaking against the project during public consultation. 

He says as far as knows, the work is carrying on.

Mayor Ivan Court has spoken out against the new six lane highway saying all it will do is provide a quicker exit for those looking to leave Saint John but Minister landry says safety is the reason why the project is on the table.

Howe's Lake Dump Not For Development

Common Councillor Patty Higgins posed a question whether the Howe's Lake Dump could be rehabilitated for any kind of development.

Deputy City Manager Andrew Beckett says there is no way that can ever happen.

Beckett says they would never get environmental clearance and warns that gases are still be emitted from the old dumpsites.