Free Tunes And Fun At Uptown Festival

The Port City's own Salty Jam is kicking off for another summer. Uptown will be echoing with free live acts on the Boardwalk Stage and ticketed shows in the Moose Light Tent on Water Street. Hardman Group Property Manager Heather Peterson tells CHSJ News there's going to be a quirky array of live entertainment on the boardwalk--including one childhood favourite: Fred Penner.

Other acts include Ben Caplan (whose voice Peterson says "gave her goosebumps," O'Leary's OPen Mic fixture Brett Mason, Sandy Mackay, the Depp Dark Woods, and much more.

There's no age restriction on the free Boardwalk shows so be sure to bring the whole family. For more information, click here

The Google Doodle Is A Huge Hit

Being a google doodle is doing wonders for provincial tourism.

Since the Hartland Covered Bridge got the global honour, people have been eagerly searching all things NB.

The tourism department confirms to CHSJ News that yesterday's Google Doodle resulted in 5 times the normal traffic to the provincial tourism site--40,000 visits compared to 8,000 visits the day before on Tuesday.

For more info on Tourism in New Brunswick, click here

Horses Allegedly Abused Near Geary

A horse allegedly left out in the heat over the long weekend without food or water will be allowed to stay with its owner for now. That from Constable Yann Ardoux of the RCMP, who says they're investigating the alleged animal cruelty.

Ardoux tells CHSJ News a number of other agencies have gotten involved to check on the welfare of the animal, including the SPCA and a veterinarian.
 
According to reports the horse was left out in a field near Geary and seemed to be suffering from dehydration. The RCMP are still investigating. 

The above photo of the horse in question was sent in to the CHSJ Newsroom by a concerned citizen. 

Peer 126 Counsellor Speaks From Experience

A City man is using his mental health challenges to help others.

In high school, Derek Haines was struggling with turbulence in his family life when mental health issues surfaced. 

Haines tells us he was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and his life became a series of hospital visits, strained relationships and lost possessions.

After several years in a group home and years spent rebuilding his self-esteem with lots of help from loved ones, social workers and doctors.

Haines  now lives with a roomate paying bills, rent and holding down a job as a counseller at Peer 126.  

Peers Engaged in Education and Recovery provides support to young people living with mental health issues at 126 Duke Street.

Jail Inmate Attacked

A inmate at a maximum-security jail in New Brunswick has been hospitalized after an assault.

The Atlantic Institution in Renous reports the man was attacked in the facility then taken to an outside hospital for treatment.

The case is being investigated by the RCMP and Correctional Services Canada.

Financial Abuse Of The Elderly Is Increasing

Armed with 350 thousand dollars, the New Brunswick Association of Nursing Homes will embark on a three year campaign to education people in the province about elder abuse.

The Association's Executive-Director Micheal Keating tells CHSJ News financial abuse of seniors is on the rise.

Detecting physical abuse is easy but emotional abuse is alot harder and made more difficult because 85 per cent of seniors in nursing homes suffer from some form of dementia.

Keating says some of the money will be used to bring the people who work in nursing homes up to speed on what to look out for.

Peel Plaza Facing More Delays

More delays in the completion of the Peel Plaza Project....the police headquarters will not be ready for the force to move in until late summer. That from City Manager Bill Edwards, presenting a report to common council. Edwards says the contractors encountered a number of unforeseen delays which have continued to stall progress.

He said the full completion date was supposed to be March 2012, but obviously that hasn't been the case

Edwards says contractors ran into further delays on Union Street, where they found infrastructure in the ground that wasn't on any plan--- and was only discovered during the digging phase.

Richard Oland's Family Issues Statement

After a year of a closely guarded investigation by city police, the murder of Richard Oland remains shrouded in mystery

The Oland family, however, would like people to remember Dick Oland as a husband, father and a friend just shy of a year after the Saint John businessman's murder.

With the anniversary of Oland's death approaching on July 7th, the family has issued the following statement through its lawyer.

“It has been a difficult year as we come to terms with the loss of our husband, father and friend, Richard Oland.  We would like to thank everyone for their kinds words and support during this time.”  

Lawyer Bill Teed says the family will not be commenting any further.

Holder and Yeomans Duke It Out Over Tolls

Tourism Minister Trevor Holder is firing back at comments made to Common Council about tolls by City Finance Commissioner Greg Yeomans.

Yeomans recently saying he's "infuriated" tolls were taken off the Harbour Bridge but Holder says the people spoke loud and clear and the tolls had to be taken off.

"Let me be perfectly clear," says Holder. "We had a mandate from the people of Saint John in the previous provincial election.....to get a federal provincial agreement in place for the restoration of the bridge, and the removal of the tolls."

"We had a mandate from the people to do that and we kept our word. In my opinion, Mr. Yeomans should spend more time helping the new dynamic council of the City of Saint John and less time criticizing other levels of government because they kept their word to the people they represent."

Yeomans had said when tolls were in place, roads sustained more damage because some truckers would avoid paying by going over the Reversing Falls Bridge and through the uptown. Holder says that means Yeomans is saying two different things.

The Minister says while tolls aren't always a bad thing, in the case of the Harbour Bridge Saint Johners felt like second-class citizens.

Gas Prices On The Rise

Not a whole lot of change with gas prices after the weekly setting.

Self serve regular going up by a cent a litre and diesel rising by over 3 cents. 

Propane is just about the same and heating oil rising by 3 cents a litre.

Two Arrests Made For Car Break-Ins

City Police arresting a man and teenager early this morning for breaking into cars along Wright Street.   

Point Lepreau Gets New Safety Rating

Point Lepreau is one step closer to re-opening in the fall of 2012 with a satisfactory safety rating from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

NB Power reports the CNSC rating is in line with other Canadian nuclear power plants, and shows an improvement in Fire Protection and Emergency Management. The report also questioned how Canadian plants responded to the nuclear disaster in Japan last year--and concluded that all the reactors in this country are safe and do not pose a threat to the public.

The report will be presented at a public meeting on August 15th.

Hartland Bridge Is Google Doodle

When you go to Google a search today, you might want to take a second look at the doodle!

The drawing is of our very own Hartland Covered Bridge. Today marks the 111th anniversary of the iconic landmark that stretches over the Saint John River. The image shows the "Google" letters traveling through the bridge with the New Brunswick, Canada and UK flags over the entrance.

The search engine website changes it's 'doodle' daily to mark important events and anniversaries.

Barn Blaze In Kingston

No one was injured in a barn fire off Route 845 in Kingston. Fire officials responding to the call around 11pm last  night found a barn on fire on the rural road.

According to Corporal Pat Cole of the RCMP, a tractor, tents, a trailer and other equipment was inside. Cole says the blaze was accidental and they're not treating it as suspicious.

No word yet on the cost of the destroyed equipment.

VIDEO: Carnival Glory

Carnival Glory visits Saint John.

Vacant Lots Must Be Dealt With

It looks terrible...that from common councillor John MacKenzie on the state of abandoned lots in the city. MacKenzie had motioned common council make sure derelict lots are grassed over and made presentable--but that won't be happening quite yet. MacKenzie tells CHSJ News it's a simple fix to put in topsoil and grass seed, or at least pave them over properly. He says it's an ongoing problem that has left some neighbourhoods looking neglected.

Mayor Mel Norton saying more information has to be gathered because some of the properties don't belong to the city--and if they're on private land, they're not within the city's purview. In the end, council opted to gather more information.

Today a burned out building on Victoria Street North was demolished, and another will come down on Friday. Some concerned citizens have been using social media to voice worries no one will want to rebuild on the sites.

New Wheelchair Accessible Van Hitting The Streets

People with mobility impairments will have a better way of getting around town.

Right of Way Transit is providing a private wheelchair accessible van in and around Saint John. Jeff Sparks is one the partners in this project. He tells CHSJ news it provides more options for people with disabilities.


"It will allow them to receive on demand service at the point they need it without having to book 2-3 weeks in advance. It will also improve their quality of life."


Sparks adds the newly converted Dodge Grand Caravan will allow people to spend a night or early morning with friends when normal services are off the roads. The ride will be dispatched with Diamond Taxi.


For more information on Right of Way Transit, click here.

Explore Parks With A Pass

For $60 you can visit all nine provincial parks. It's called the Explorer Pass 2012, a card that will offer free admission, a round of golf or other perks.

 Culture, Tourism and Healthy Living Minister Trevor Holder hopes that regular park users will buy the pass and visit a park that they've never been to.

New Brunswick's provincial parks offer opportunities to camp, hike and be outdoors.

Deaf Voices Finally Heard

The deaf community in Saint John finally having their voices heard at the new Health Plan discussion. Hearing impaired Saint Johnner Wanda Berrette tells CHSJ news through an interpreter their #1 complaint is when they visit the ER.

"We'll say to them can you please call in an interpreter? And then we sit there for 45 minutes to an hour just to go into triage because they don't want to call an interpreter. They have a list at the hospital, but they never look at it, they use that list."

Berrette adds it's been difficult to give their input when health surveys are held over the phone. She says the deaf community is often told to lip read or get a family member to translate, but that kind of communication is difficult and often falsely translated.

City Finance Commissioner Likes Tolls To Pay For Roads

City Finance Commissioner Greg Yeomans is frustrated over roads around town.

The state of roads, according to surveys, is uppermost in the minds of Saint Johnners.

Yeomans is not opposed to tolls to help pay for the upkeep of roads. He points out one loaded 18 wheeler is the equivalent of 96 hundred cars in terms of wear and tear and the city is saddled with the cost of maintenance with no way to generate revenue to pay for it.
 
Yeomans concedes when there were tolls on the Harbour Bridge, some truckers would try to avoid paying by going over the Reversing Falls Bridge and through the uptown.
 
Nonetheless, Yeomans says he was infuriated when the tolls were removed.