Brewery Workers Go Back To Work

An agreement has been reached between Moosehead Brewery and the 172 unionized employees who took to the picket line five weeks ago.

The dispute centred on Moosehead wanting to stop fully covering post-retirement medical benefits.

A deal was reached yesterday and the workers will be back on the job tonight.

Details have not been released but the deal is expected to be ratified on Wednesday.

Guests Get A Glimpse of QPlex

Partners, sponsors, and some dignitaries getting an early look at the nearly finished QPlex out in Quispamsis.

A reception being held along with a exhibition hockey game by the KV Hockey League.

Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll tells CHSJ News the grand opening will be held in May or early June but the public will have access to the rink and walking track beginning on April 4th.

Historic Buildings Get New Owner

Some historic structures in Uptown Saint John will soon have new owners.

CHSJ News learning that the Chubb's building at Prince William and Princess Streets has been sold.

Another building on Prince William Street closer to King Street will also have new ownership, it's currently home to Compu College.

The buildings have different owners but, it's not known who they are.The sale on the Chubb's building will be complete by the end of the month, the closing date for 91 Prince William is early next month.

Power Lines Cause Traffic Tie Up

A truck carrying very tall cargo temporarily holding up traffic at Simm's corner.

City police tell us the truck could not pass underneath a set of power lines without striking them. 

A call has been put into the power utility so they can lift the lines and let the truck through.

The truck has been moved to the side of the road until the lines can be lifted.

No word on how long the procedure will take.

Deputy Mayor Seeks Federal Nomination

Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase is shooting for a move up the political ladder -- Chase confirms to CHSJ News he has filed papers seeking the federal Liberal nomination in the Saint John riding.Chase is the second councilor in less than a year to with loftier political ambitions.Last fall -- former councilor Carl Killen was successful in winning the Saint John - Harbour riding for the provincial Conservatives.

The Fundy Royal MP Is Ready For The Spring Vote

In a deja-vu that will bring you back to last fall, we are heading to the polls this time in a federal election.
Fundy Royal MP Rob Moore tells CHSJ News he doesn't think Canadians want an election.
Moore says it's unfortunate timing after we've just come through the worst economic crisis most of us have ever seen.
He says why on earth would we want to have an election now when the number one issue on the minds of Canadians is the economy.
Moore says Canada is leading G-7 countries in gross domestic product and has unemployment that's 2 per cent lower than the U.S.

Breaking News From Ottawa - Opposition Motion Carried

An Opposition non-confidence motion has just passed in the House of Commons effectively collapsing the Harper government and setting the wheels in motion for a federal election this spring. The vote was 156 in favor while 145 were against.

It's Earth Hour Tomorrow

Turning off your lights for an hour has turned into an annual event and this year's earth hour is scheduled tomorrow night from 8:30 to 9:30.

Provincial Environment Minister Margaret Ann Blaney tells CHSJ News to take part makes a statement that you care what happens to the environment and want to do something about climate change.

Last year's earth hour in the province saved 18 megawatts of electricity which is the equivalent of 360 thousand lights being switched off.

A record 128 countries and territories turned off the lights last year, making Earth Hour 2010 the world's largest global climate change initiative.

Earth Hour began in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, when more than two million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour to draw attention to the challenges facing the world because of global warming.

A Former Saint John MP Will Not Run Again

Paul Zed is not seeking the Liberal nomination for Saint John in the coming federal vote.
The former Saint John MP is citing personal and professional reasons.
Zed does not believe the fact the local Liberals are not ready with a candidate and signs ready to go in the ground will make any difference in the outcome of the election.

He says in six general elections, he never worried about putting his election signs up on the first day.

Zed says he will take part in the campaign by assisting Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff.
He will also be doing work as a political commentator for various national media outlets.

Seadogs Begin Playoff Run

The Saint John Seadogs, the number one ranked team in the country, begin their playoff quest tonight at home against Cape Breton with a starting time of 7:30.

Seadogs President and C-E-O Wayne Long calls it the start of the second season where all the teams are back to square one.

He concedes expectations are high but tells CHSJ News coach Gerard Gallant has them focused on the job at hand.

Long also tells us they're on pins and needles awaiting an announcement where next year's Memorial Cup Tournament will be held. Saint John will find out if it gets the nod on the morning of April 7th.

Breaking News - Zed Is Out

Former Saint John M-P Paul Zed announces he won't seek federal Liberal nomination in the Saint John riding during a news conference currently underway.

Tenants Forced To Flee From East Side Apartments

Fire crews responding to a blaze in an East Saint John apartment building late yesterday afternoon.

It started in a second floor apartment at 475 Michael Crescent. District Fire Chief Eric Garland says there were ten apartments in the building which sustained smoke and water damage.

27 people were forced from their apartments and they could be allowed back later today. The Red Cross found accomodation for those who had no where to go for the night.

 Fire investigators have been called in. There's no word yet on a cause.

Two Possible Election Candidates For Liberals In City

The fall of the Harper government is just hours away -- and -- as the country prepares for a federal election campaign -- some names are giving serious consideration to seeking the local Liberal nomination.

Former Saint John M-P Paul Zed has been pondering a return to politics and is holding a news conference later this morning. Zed lost to Conservative Rodney Weston by less than 500-votes in the last election and word is Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff has been pushing him to get back into the political arena.

Meantime, Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase confirms to CHSJ News he is also thinking about seeking the federal Liberal nomination.

Military Exercise To Begin In Sussex

If you live in the Dairytown, you will see soldiers taking part in a military exercise between today and Sunday.
The soldiers are the 8th Canadian Hussars will participate in Exercise Last Chance in and around Sussex.

Soldiers will be issued standard Canadian, military equipment including the standard service rifle as well as blank ammunition.

The 8th Canadian Hussars is an Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment whose primary missions include providing security and surveillance operations in a variety of settings.

Crews Respond To East Side Fire

Saint John Fire Crews making short work of a fire east saint john today.
The call came before 4:30 at 475 Michael Crescent at the Kincaide apartments.
Fire investigators have been called in and there is no word yet on a cause.

One Arrest in RCMP Child Pornography Investigation

That huge RCMP investigation into child pornography which includes an 18-year-old Grand Bay-Westfield man has led to a single charge against a Moncton man.

51-year-old Douglas Hugh Stewart was in a Moncton court this morning and faces one count of possession of child pornography.
He'll be back in court on Monday.
Yesterday police conducting searches in four locations seizing millions of images of child sexual abuse.
Three of the men arrested are released on strict conditions and will appear in court at a later date.

No Threat At Simond High

A false alarm at Simonds High today after a bomb threat was called in to the East Side school.  Just after 1:30 this afternoon, the Fire department resonding to evacuate all students and teachers.  
Sargeant Pat Bonner tells CHSJ News their officers did a search of the school and found nothing.

Arrogance Warping Judgement Of Federal Party Leaders

We will likely be having a May election because the federal party leaders have been too clever by half, allowing their pride get in the way of their better judgements as they tried to out bluff eachother. That judgement being rendered by Don Desserud, a political science professor at U-N-B Saint John.

Having said that, Desserud tells CHSJ News Saint John M-P Rodney Weston is a strong candidate who has done a competent job while not being flamboyant.

Desserud predicts voter turnout will be even lower than the last federal election and he believes public cynicism will increase.

Rodney Weston may have the same old foe in a spring vote, Former Saint John MP Paul Zed is hosting a news conference this morning.

Earlier this week, he told CHSJ News he was reflecting on his decision to run again or not.

Number Of Schools Under Review

The number of schools across the province is undergoing a review -- Finance Minister Blaine Higgs says a number of the 321-schools are at less than 60-percent of their capacity.

Higgs says another factor is the changing face of our population - so - he wants to see a long term plan developed to make sure we have the right number of schools in the right locations.

The government is also going to look at various ways of better using the space in the schools.

Higgs says the review will include trying to determine if there are more efficient administrative systems available for the school system.

City Police Seize Drugs And Cash From Organized Criminal Network

An Organized Criminal Network serving the Fundy Region is a little worse off today after a huge seizure of cocaine, marijuana and $70,000 dollars in cash.
The arrests occurring yesterday on the Sandy Point Road and earlier this month in the north end and on Highway 1 as part of "Operation Palace" a 8 month investigation involving the Street Crime Units of the Saint John Police Force and the Rothesay Regional Police.  Sgt. John Wilcox says it's obvious the city has a drug problem.
He says it's a serious problem they are looking at and he says the Police chief that drugs are the root of most of the crime we have.

Ryan Francis plead guilty to possession for the purpose of trafficking of cocaine, marijuana and for having $43,000 in cash determined to be property obtained by crime.
In court today, 27-year-old Christopher Taylor and 25-year-old Ashley Rigby of Saint John are both facing charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine and crack cocaine and possession of property obtained by crime.