Red Cross Working To Be More Prepared For Disasters In The New Year

2010 was a significant year for natural disasters, according to the Canadian Red Cross. Bill Lawlor, director of disaster management for Atlantic Canada, tells CHSJ News the Red Cross is working to build its network of disaster volunteers to be better prepared in the new year.
 He says the bottom line is while they increase there preparedness efforts they also encourage individuals to be ready as well.
Lawlor says people can help out by having an emergency supply kit and an emergency plan in case they need to quickly evacuate their home.

MADD Canada Warns Against Drinking And Driving

Remember if you're out celebrating the new year not to drink and drive. Rick McNulty, spokesperson for the Saint John Chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, tells CHSJ News there are always other options.

He says Operation Red Nose is an excellent program and you can use #TAXI on your phone which will connect you to the nearest taxi.


A recent poll by the Canadian Automobile Association shows roughly 25 per cent of the population admits to drinking and driving, even though 98 per cent say driving while drunk is unacceptable.

Former Saint John Mayor Dies

A former MLA and Saint John Mayor has died.

Eric Teed was the Mayor of Saint John from 1960 to 1964.

Teed was also a lawyer, and founded Saint John's first legal aid clinic.

He was made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1987.

Both Mayor Ivan Court and Premier David Alward have offered their condolences to the family.

Celebrate New Year's Eve On The Boardwalk

If you're looking for something to do on New Year's Eve, you might want to consider heading down to the boardwalk. 

Spokesperson Amy Stewart tells us the free concerts begin at 8:00 with six performances including the Playdates, the Brent Mason Band and Monday Night Symphony. 

A skating rink will be set up behind the stage again this year for those who bring their skates. 

Stewart says the Sea Dogs will also be making an appearance after their game to hand out noise makers and hats before the fireworks begin at midnight.

Number of House Fire Deaths Rises

The number of people dying in house fires in Atlantic Canada has gone up 206 per-cent this year according to the Canadian Red Cross. 

Bill Lawlor, director of disaster management for Atlantic Canada, tells CHSJ News house fires are often caused by old space heaters, plugged chimneys or wood-burning furnaces that haven't been used in awhile.

Thirty-three people died in residential fires in Atlantic Canada this year, 10 of them in New Brunswick.

Mayor Ivan Court Says City Achieved Alot In 2010 With A Tough Year Ahead

Mayor Ivan Court views saving the Princess of Acadia ferry service between Saint John and Digby as one of the big achievements for the year.

The Mayor tells CHSJ News the ferry service got a reprieve from the federal government for a few years but he wants something more permanent including a new ship being built down the road.

Court says the Princess of Acadia is good for the local economy with 100 jobs and 13 to 14 million dollars in wages.

Court says the city got a boost from 16 million dollars in stimulus money from the provincial and federal government which will not be available next year.

The big challenge in 2011, according to the Mayor, is fixing the city pension plan.

Seadogs To Raise Money For Flood Relief

The Seadogs will be doing their part tomorrow night to help the victims of flooding in Charlotte County.

The Seadog Foundation will match dollar for dollar donations made by the fans who will be at the Station to see the Rivalry Cup game against Moncton.

Seadogs President Wayne Long tells CHSJ News the goal is to raise at least 10 thousand dollars.

Long expects the game to be sold out and those people who can't make it can still donate at Bank of Nova Scotia branches or the Charlotte County Credit Union. Something like a hundred homes or so were flooded.

New Year Will See Higher Gas Prices

Gas prices in the city taking a jump after the weekly setting.

Self serve regular is now up to $1.10.5 a litre, a rise of almost 3 cents.

Diesel rose by just over 2 cents a litre to stand at $1.17.3.

Heating oil is also more expensive being listed at $1.03 a litre, an increase of just over 2 cents.

Not Guilty Verdict In Saint John Murder Trial Being Appealed

The acquittal in late November of 28 year old Crystal Dawn McKenzie on a charge of second degree murder in the stabbing death of her common law husband is being appealed by the prosecution.

29 year old Patrick Thomas was stabbed to death on Alma Street last March. The jury was told the relationship was abusive and McKenzie was dragged along the street by her hair before she got her hands on a knife and stabbed Thomas in the area of his collarbone.

The jury of 9 women and 3 men was told of a stormy relationship but the prosecution maintains McKenzie took things too far.

More Than Half The Ski Runs Are Open At Poley

With all the snow, ski and snowboard lovers are flocking to the slopes. If the weather co-operates, this can be a big time of the year for ski hills.

Poley Mountain General Manager Bill Anderson tells CHSJ News 18 of 30 runs were open to the public yesterday. He says that's great for this time of year considering the weather.

Anderson says Poley will continue to make snow until mid-February.

Police Force Faces Budget Challenges

Saint John Police Chief Bill Reid says budget challenges are ahead but that won't stop the force from delivering top notch service.

City Hall has capped the force's budget to a 1 percent increase per year for the next two years.

Reid tells CHSJ News it's a juggling act but he's up for the challenge.

He says citizens will not notice any overt changes to the quality of their police service and all public safety needs will be met.

Quispamsis and Rothesay To Talk About Amalgamation In New Year

Both Quispamsis and Rothesay are willing to meet for exploratory amalgamation talks but Quispamsis councillor Daryl Bishop is still lukewarm to the idea.

He tells CHSJ News tax rates usually go up when you amalgamate.

He estimates there would be a 13 cent tax increase if the towns were to merge at this time.

However, he concedes that amalgamation will probably happen sometime down the road.

Local Band Holds Fundraiser

In the spirit of the holidays, a fundraiser is being held tonight to support Ronan Boyd, a nine year old with aggressive liver cancer. 

Chuck Teed is a family friend who says his band decided to have the fundraiser to help cover the cost of Ronan's treatment. 

Teed's band, The Penny Blacks, will be performing along with Jessica Rhaye and Richard Kidd. 

Teed says there will also be a 50/50 draw and a live auction. 

The fundraiser starts at 7pm.

City Closer Than You Think To Treating All Of Its Raw Sewage

There is light at the end of the tunnel and the day is not that far off when all of the sewage generated in the city will be treated.

So says Paul Groody, the head of Municipal Operations, who points out 98 per cent of raw sewage in the north end, 76 per cent on the west side and 43 per cent out east is already being treated.

Groody acknowledges alot of taxpayer dollars have been spent but, on the other hand, these systems will last for the next hundred years.

He goes on to say Saint John will be in a better position to comply with stricter federal wastewater regulations that are coming down the pike than Moncton, Halifax and St. John's.

Collision On Highway 7

There was a big traffic backup this morning along Highway 7 for half an hour or so on the west side following two separate collisions involving a Ford pickup, a garbage truck and car.

The car smashed into the rear of the garbage truck by the Ocean Westway exit.

One woman was taken to hospital.

Weather Blamed For Highway Death Outside St. George

Poor road conditions caused by Monday's winter storm being blamed for the death of a 71 year old woman from Manchester, New Hampshire along Highway 1 west of St. George.

The RCMP say she died in a collision after going out of control  because of the slippery road conditions at the time.

Her name is not being released until her family has been properly notified.

Early Morning Fire Under Police Investigation

Firefighters were called out early this morning to a blaze in a vacant house at 1050 Sandy Point Road.

District Chief Joe Armstrong says the job of putting it out was made more difficult because there are no hydrants in that area and conditions were slippery with the cold temperature and wind chill.

Armstrong says the cause appears to be suspicious and is being investigated by both the fire department and city police.

Deputy Mayor Confident Province Will Play Ball On City Pension Plan

The Chair of the city's Finance Committee says Common Council needs the province's permission to include a one year pension deferral in this year's budget. 

Stephen Chase tells CHSJ News the timeline is a concern but council is confident the provincial government will agree to the deferral which would allow the pension plan payments to be made over 25 years instead of 15 years.

Mayor Ivan Court points out Saint John is not the only city in the province asking for pension help. The Province had to inject an estimated 325 million dollars into its own plan.

Premier Maintains Energy Has Not Been Put On Shelf

Premier Alward denies the Energy Minister and his staff are sitting idly by awaiting a report early next year from a recently appointed energy commission.

In a year end interview with CHSJ News, Alward says department staffers are providing support to the commission.

Alward also says he believes in the concept of the energy hub here in Saint John but thinks there is a great opportunity for the province, as a whole, to become an energy hub with our strategic location between the New England market and Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

 

N-B Power is still gathering additonal information requested by the Prime Minister on delays with the Point Lepreau upgrade. Alward says the main priority is getting the upgrade back on schedule.

School District 8 Happy About 2010 But Apprehensive Going Into 2011

The chair of the District 8 Education council thinks 2010 was a good year.

Rob Fowler tells CHSJ News one of the reasons is the improvements in assessments scores. Fowler credits the Great Math Attack initiative for that.

Fowler adds 2011 will be challenging for education given the cuts required by the province to try to find savings. Education Minister Jody Carr wants to keep those cuts from the classroom but Fowler admits that will be difficult and it's likely programs will be cut.