Truck Parade On King Street

You might have watched a steady stream of Irving Oil trucks driving down King Street earlier this morning, slowing down traffic for a brief spell. 

If you were wondering what was going on, we have the answer.

Darren Gillis of Irving Oil tells CHSJ News they were re-creating a picture of a truck parade from 1960, the year the refinery opened. Gillis says, to mark the launch of their new Air Miles Campaign, they're re-living that celebration with another celebration.

The truck parade is slated to drive down Garden Street, Lancaster Street and Route 1 today. 

Red Cross Sends Atlantic Volunteer Group to Alberta

A volunteer team from the East coast is out West. 

24 Red Cross volunteers are in flood-ravaged Alberta, helping with the flood relief effort on the ground. The 22 disaster volunteers and two staff who have traveled to the province will help run emergency shelters in the Calgary area and other evacuated areas. 

Meanwhile, a much larger group continues to help flood victims from offices located in Darmouth and Sydney, Nova Scotia, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, and here in Saint John. The support will continue through the Canada Day long weekend and likely all of the following week.

The volunteers from New Brunswick now in Alberta are: Catherine Vautour from Bronson Settlement, Gail Brownlee from Moncton, Glen Martin from Lower Kingsclear, Jeanette Miller from Oromocto, Julie Basterache from Jardineville, Lindsay Mitton from Moncton, and Renée Cormier from Shediac.

Police Look For Suspect In Fiery Causeway Crash

City police are looking for a suspect who fled the scene of a fiery car crash on the causeway which sent a woman to hospital.

At 5pm yesterday, a car speeding on the eastern part of the causeway veered out into oncoming traffic, then swerved back, hitting another car. Both vehicles were pushed into the guardrail and the suspect's car burst into flames. 

Police say the suspect then fled the scene on foot, and the woman in the other vehicle was brought to hospital with injuries.

Mounties Reminding Motorists To Drive Safely This Holiday Weekend

Long weekends are made for kicking back and relaxing, except when you hit the roadway. The RCMP say on holiday weekends, there's a lot of traffic on the roadways, so they're reminding drivers to obey the rules of the road. 

The minimum you'll have to shell out for a violation under the provincial Motor Vehicle Act is $172.50, and you can lose demerit points. Constable Derek Black of the Oromocto RCMP says depending on the type of infraction, fines can increase. Fines for speeding can go up to nearly $292.50 when a car is going more than 25 kilometres an hour above the speed limit, and fines double when speeding in a construction zone. 

Here's a list of the most common infractions seen by the Oromocto RCMP:

-Failing to have a front license plate displayed on a vehicle
-Not being able to produce upon request from a police officer an insurance card, drivers license, vehicle registration
-Having a vehicle with tinted windows that prevent more than 30% of light to enter the vehicle
-Passing on a solid line
-Failing to wear a seatbelt, both the driver and any passenger over the age of 16 can receive a ticket. It’s also the responsibility of drivers' to ensure that children are buckled up.

Police Reminding You To Lock Your Vehicle

City police feel like they are making some progress in getting people to lock their vehicles.
 
It might seem second nature to you and me but for many 
people it's a old habit that must be changed.
 
Sgt. David Hartley-Brown of the Community Services Unit tells CHSJ News a big part of it is that we are in a rush.

Our minds are preoccupied with other issues so it's an oversight.   He says we don't take the time to ask ourselves if we locked the door or left the laptop in the backseat.

Hartley-Brown says they are seeing some improvement in the numbers of vehicles that are being stolen.

Trial Of Twin Brothers In Deadly Home Invasion Into Home Stretch

The trial of the Saia twin brothers on charges stemming from a fatal home invasion last November on the lower west side is winding down.

The prosecution wrapped up its case with police testimony about the arrest of 21 year old Brandon Saia after a foot chase at Duke and Watson Streets. The arrest happened three days after the home invasion on Prince Street West. Bradley Saia was not arrested until sometime later in Halifax.

The defense did not call any witnesses.

Closing arguments to the jury, comprised of 7 women and 5 men, will take place Tuesday morning. Jury deliberations will not take place until Wednesday after Justice Judy Clendenning delivers her instructions.

Tourism Minister Optimistic About Summer Season

The Canada Day weekend officially kicks off the summer vacation period and Provincial Tourism Minister Trevor Holder is excited about this year's potential.

Holder tells CHSJ News his department has been refocusing its promotions on key markets like the Big Apple where we showcased a video in Times Square.

He says there has been a lot of investment in refreshing our Fundy experience branding through improvements like the second cruise terminal and expansion of the Fundy Trail.

The Minister says his department is also more savvy in how it's targeting its promotions through the use of postal and zip codes and as result Holder says he's feeling good about this year's summer tourism season.

The Liberal Say Tax Hikes Are Broken Promises

Broken promises and desperate decisions...that's what the Liberals are saying about tax increases kicking in on Canada Day.
 
It was announced back in March in the provincial budget.
CHSJ News asked Liberal finance critic Roger Melanson if given the current fiscal situation the province really had any choice.

He says on the third budget of their mandate they made a desperate decision to increase income tax and we need to understand the impact it may have on consumer confidence and disposable income.

Melanson says corporations will pay more in taxes as well, but he says it's obvious the working person will carry the greatest tax burden.

Your Pay Cheque Is About To Shrink

Tax increases go into effect as of Canada Day in the province because of the provincial budget. 

If you earn 30 thousand dollars a year, you will pay about $179 dollars more in provincial income tax and a single income earner making over 60 thousand will pay 796 dollars more. 

The Atlantic Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation Kevin Lacey tells CHSJ News this is a problem of the government's own making because of overspending.

The Taxpayers Federation would like to see a commitment from the Premier that once the provincial budget is balanced, these tax increases will be rolled back.

Target Scheduling Job Fairs

Target will be holding job fairs next week in Saint John, Fredericton and Moncton from Wednesday through Saturday. 

The job fair in Saint John will be happening at Loch Lomand mall.

Wednesday, July 3rd, 8:30am - 5:30pm

Thursday, July 4th, 11:30am - 8:30pm

Friday, July 5th, 8:30am - 5:30pm

Saturday, July 6th, 8:30am - 5:30pm

Saint John Movie Theatres Bought

The movie theatres on the east side and in Rothesay are being sold. Empire Company Limited, the owner of Sobeys, wants to concentrate on the fortunes of the grocery chain.   

Cineplex, Canada's largest cinema company, is buying 26 Empire theatres for 200-million dollars.
   
 Landmark Cinemas will acquire 20 others for 55-million dollars.

Blood Stains Found On Clothing Of Accused In Home Invasion

The jury at the trial of Brendan and Bradley Saia, both 21, for a bloody and deadly home invasion on Prince Street heard plenty of forensic testimony from police and a specialist from Halifax.
 
The court was told blood stains were found on the sneakers and clothing worn by Brendan Saia as well as Ronald McCutcheon who had been let out of jail by mistake.
 
Police were also told a lot of the evidence they wanted analysed could not be processed by the lab on time.

A forensic expert from the lab in Halifax testified the DNA samples from the Saia brothers cannot be distinguished from one another because they are identical twins. 

Christopher Reid's D-N-A was taken from a knife. A-J Dennison's D-N-A from a knife blade. Dennison died from the stab wounds he sustained and no conclusion could be made from the D-N-A on a machete and its handle.

Oven Fire Source Of Smoke

A flurry of excitement earlier this afternoon at the highrise on Smythe Street - fire crews responding to an alarm that turned out to be an oven fire - the blaze filled the apartment and hallway with a lot of smoke.
Fire fighters brought in heavy duty exhaust fans to clear the smoke while paramedics checked out the people living in the apartment as a precaution.

Golden Grove Road Fire Is Suspicious

Fire investigators are en route to the scene at 2010 Golden Grove Road after a fire broke out earlier today.
 
Mark Wilson of the Saint John Fire Department tells CHSJ News a lot of the fire is knocked down.

He says they are still digging out the fire extension into the roof, attic and walls adding it's hard to put crews in the house as they know about holes in the floor.

Wilson says this building is one they were keeping an eye on it adding there is a history there and the cause is suspicious at this time.

Two Of The Four Men Identified In Child Sex Probe

We now know where the four provincial men facing charges in the Operation Snapsnot probe are from.

On June 13th, police seized computers, cd's, dvd's and more from a Lincoln home and a 42 year old man was arrested and later released.

The next day in another search where similar material was seized 52 year old Fred Price of Frederiction was arrested.

On the 21st, a search in Lorne netted more of the same resulting in charges for a 36 year old man and on June 24th another search was conducted in Miramichi where computers and more were seized leading to charges for 48-year-old Donald Martin.

All four men have future court dates.

The investigation being led by RCMP's Internet Child Exploitation Unit with help from other units and other police forces.

The Town of Quispamsis Encourages Ideas For A BMX Park

The town of Quispamsis wants to expand recreation and is looking to the younger generation for ideas on a BMX park for bike riders.

Barry Brown is the Parks Manager for the town and he tells CHSJ News there will be a pump track with jumps along the way to make things interesting but the larger the jumps, the more pedaling that's required on the part of riders.

Brown says the town has not decided on a permanent location for a 40 metre square and are hoping the young people will offer up some suggestions. He says there would also be some green space as part of the park but it would take a couple of years to finish up the project. Brown is hoping there will be a start sometime this year.

Crews Battling Golden Grove Road Blaze

Fire crews are on the scene of a structure fire at 2010 Golden Grove Road.    

City police are blocking traffic are either side of Golden Grove road.

It appears the building involved is vacant.  

Additional resources have been called in to help from the KV Fire department.

Grace Foundation Approached By Trudeau

It's not entirely clear whether the Grace Foundation wants its 20 thousand dollars back from Federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau for a failed fundraiser over a year ago at the Imperial Theatre. 

That, according to a spokesperson for Trudeau who says he asked the Foundation last week to specify if it wants its money back in cash or ``some other arrangement,'' like having him headline another fundraising event for free but the foundation has yet to respond. 

No other group has sought repayment except for the Grace Foundation which released a statement claiming it was distressed over the issue becoming "a political football" and aimed some pointed criticism at Fundy Royal Conservative M-P Rob Moore for fuelling the controversy.  
 

Online Child Predators Targeted

A major child pornography bust in Atlantic Canada with 22 arrests including 4 in New Brunswick. 64 charges have been laid.
    
The arrests are part of a joint investigation into the exploitation of children.
    
Police say two children were taken into safety as a result of the investigation because they were at risk of being harmed.
    
The charges include accessing, making and possessing child pornography and voyeurism.

Self Serve Regular Is Cheaper

You'll pay a bit less for self serve regular in the city after the weekly setting. 

It has dropped by just over a cent a litre to $1.25.3. Diesel is virtually unchanged at $1.28.7 a litre. 

Propane is less expensive with a maximum price of 97 cents a litre and the max for heating oil is $1.11.6.