Lepreau Exercise Set For Tomorrow

There is no need to panic, it's just an exercise.

The Point Lepreau Generating Station will be participating in a one-day security exercise tomorrow to test security procedures.
The exercise will involve the Nuclear Response Force team along with local and provincial police and emergency services.

You may see emergency response vehicles and hear radio communications simulating a security event.

Station Director Wade Parker tells CHSJ News the purpose of the exercise is to measure the effectiveness of the security emergency response strategy and verify that all components are in place.

Liberals Urge Action On Methadone Waitlist

Liberal MLA Bill Fraser thinks the Alward Tories need to sit down and find a solution to the growing waitlist for methadone treatment here in the City.
Julie Dingwell of Aids Saint John releasing alarming stats this week showing 317 people in Saint John are waiting for the treatment.
Fraser tells CHSJ News these patients are being denied life-saving medication and the government should look at it.

He say when you are dealing with people's lives you have to make it a priority adding in 2009 in the Saint John area 18 people died while waiting for methadone treatment.

Fraser says methadone addiction is more than a health issue adding health care dollars spent now can save money in the future.

Mayor of Quispamsis Says No Seismic Testing Is Being Planned

Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll says residents don't need to worry about seismic testing or shale gas drilling in the town -- he says no requests have been made by any energy companies.

He says companies usually pat the municipality the courtesy of asking for permission and he say there have been no requests.

Hampton Council deciding unanimously last night to not allow seismic testing within town limits -- this after a group of about 50 protesters stood along the McKay Highway in opposition to preliminary testing in the area.

Crown Prosecutor To Hold Onto Oland Murder Evidence

A judge has given a Crown prosecutor another 3 months to hold onto evidence in the Richard Oland murder case.

The evidence was seized from the home of Richard's son Dennis Oland.

The Crown wanted more time to examine the items.

No charges have been laid in the case.

Richard Oland was found dead in his office back in July.

Chase Says New Trash System Won't Bring Major Savings

With most of common council happy with the annual savings of 500-thousand dollars by switching to in-house garbage collection next year, Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase is the only one sounding the warning bell.

Chase voted against the move because according to the current contractor, the numbers don't add up.

He says the city is underestimating the amount of time it takes to pick up the trash and the amount of overtime required.

Chase also voted against the change-over because the switch would leave the city vulnerable to work stoppages.

Hospital Home Lottery Is 50 Per Cent Sold Out

Half of the tickets for the hospital home lottery are sold out.
The Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation announcing if all the tickets are gone by the early bird deadline by November 10th, then all 1242 prizes will be given out along with the grand prize showhome.

This year's lottery is expected for raise over $75,000 for the Mindcare and the New Brunswick Heart Centre.

The showhome this year is located at 11 Crosswind Crescent in Rothesay.

For more info on the lottery, click here

Anti-Poverty Group Warns Poor Could Be Targeted

The Common Front for Social Justice is worried the provincial government will try to reduce its burgeoning deficit on the backs of the poor.

Jean Claude Basque tells CHSJ News he gets concerned when he hears Provincial Finance Minister Blaine Higgs talking about managing the caseloads which translates into cutting the number of people who get help.

Basque points out the number of people receiving social assistance has gone up but that's more a reflection of the poor state of the economy and quite a high number are unable to work anyway.

He argues if the Alward Government returned to the taxation rates that were in place before 2008, there would be plenty of money.

According to the province's fiscal update, overspending by Social Development in the first quarter exceeded 9 million dollars.

Money From Garbage Budget Could Go Towards Roads and Sidewalks

Money normally used for trash collection could be going into city sidewalks and curb repairs.

As of next September, garbage pick-up in the city will be done entirely by city staff, which will save our coffers about 500-thousand dollars a year.

Commissioner of Municipal Operations Paul Groody says that money should be used to fix curbs and sidewalks so that more road repairs can be made.

He says numerous neighbourhoods will benefit from the investment, including Champlain Heights, Quinton Heights, and Forest Hills and adds you can't resurface streets in neighbourhoods if you do not fix the curb.

Deputy Mayor Insulted Over Not Being Invited To Water Meetings

Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase taking umbrage over the fact that he hasn't been invited to meetings regarding funding for clean drinking water.

Chase says he wasn't invited to a meeting between members of council and Saint John MP Rodney Weston back in June and wonders if he has missed any others.

He says he doesn't know why he hasn't been invited because he sits on the Water Committee and wonders if someone on council, a MLA, or Saint John MP Rodney Weston does not want him there.

He says if someone did have an issue with him being at the meetings, he would step aside so that talks could move forward.

Hampton Council Votes Against Shale Gas Testing

Hampton Council last night decided unanimously not to allow seismic testing within the town limits. 

It's only the second town in the province to do this after Sackville and also voted to write a letter to Natural Resources Minister Bruce Northrup urging him not to renew the two Windsor Energy licenses which expire shortly.

In addition, it's asking the Minister to give no new permits to drill gas wells in the Kennebecasis River watershed.

The Y Is Not Going North

The Saint John Y is not moving north.

In a release, the Saint John YM-YWCA says after conducting due diligence on the old Zellers location, it was decided it would be too costly to demolish and rebuild on this site. 

Staff and volunteers are working to find an ideal location that can be easily accessed by foot, bike, bus or car.

Hampton Mayor Says Shale Gas Company Is Co-Operative

The Mayor of Hampton isn't sure a contractor conducting seismic testing for Windsor Energy is even working within the town limits.
Ken Chorley tells CHSJ News the company sent a letter last month asking council for permission for the testing.

He says they tabled the matter which will come up at tonight's meeting adding they will be deciding whether or not to permit them to work in Hampton.

Shale Gas Protest Underway on Highway 1

A shale gas protest near Hampton may impact your drive home today.
Up to 60 people staging a demonstration against Windsor Energy and it's seismic testing along Highway 1.

Carl Wolpin of Hampton Water First tells CHSJ News they are upset with the provincial department of transportation for allowing permits and with the company who they believe went behind the back of Hampton Town Council by not getting permission for the testing.   Signs are up reading "No shale gas" and "Impeach Alward".

Construction Work Continues At City Hotel

Construction continues at the Delta Brunswick on King Street in Saint John.

New Housing Starts This Year In Saint John Remain Down

There was an increase in residential construction in the urban centres of this province in September with a total of 348 starts. This compares to 153 starts for the same period in 2010.

The increase is being attributed to significant gains in apartment starts in both Fredericton and Moncton but new housing activity in Saint John remains in the doldrums.

According to Canada Mortgage and Housing, local housing starts so far this year are off by 50 per cent as compared to the same time frame in 2010.

New Millrats Guard Calls Himself A Leader

The Saint John Millrats signing a former Detroit Pistons guard.
Will Blalock is from Boston, attended Iowa State University and was signed in the 2nd round by Detroit in the 2006 NBA draft.
The 28-year-old Blalock tells CHSJ News says he's a natural point guard and a leader on and off the court.

He says he brings overall knowledge and experience from playing all over the world adding he has always played hard and had a will to win.

The Millrats will be taking on new teams in the National Basketball League and they expect an automatic rivalry with the Moncton Miracles.   For more on the new league, click here

Taxpayers Watchdog Group Reacts To Increase In Provincial Deficit

Disappointing...........That's the reaction of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation to word the provincial government's deficit has risen by more than 65 million dollars to over 514 million.

The Federation's Atlantic Director Kevin Lacey tells CHSJ News it's time for a complete U-turn pointing out since 2006, provincial government spending has gone up by 1.7 billion dollars. He questions whether people in the province believe they're getting any better service for that extra outlay.

He says one area that could be cut is the administrative cost of government which rose substantially according to the fiscal update.

Small Business Organisation Calls Government Pension Plans "Unsustainable"

The Alward Government is being applauded by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business for taking the bull by the horns by carrying out a review of public sector pensions which are running large deficits for the most part.

The Atlantic Director of the C-F-I-B Leanne Hachey tells CHSJ News defined benefit pension plans have to be restructured because they are unsustainable and a recipe for financial disaster.

Hachey says incentives for early retirement could be removed along with indexing and the benefits themselves could be made more affordable.

The retirees for the city vow they will not accept any clawbacks of their pension benefits.

Millrats sign former Piston

The Saint John Millrats announcing the signing of Wade Blalock of Boston.

Blalock played for Iowa State in college and was then drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the 2006 NBA draft.

Irving Oil Takes Wellness Seriously

Irving Oil is serious about having fit and healthy employees and are taking steps to make it happen.
Heather Purcell is the company's wellness co-ordinator who is now in the process of expanding a pilot project into a program for 2500 employees in Canada and the U.S.
She says the fall program in Saint John is called "Find Something You Love" which is a series of 10 sessions of wellness activities with a broad and holistic theme.

She says it includes everything from tai-chi, crossfit, zumba, hip-hop and photography.

The program is voluntary but does come with incentives to get the workers interested including gift certificates toward the purchase of workout gear and $150
a year towards a membership at a fitness centre.