Researchers Exploring High Salmon Mortality During Early Migration

Photo Courtesy of Tom Moffatt/ASF

Researchers with the Atlantic Salmon Federation are closer to getting to the bottom of why wild salmon are dying off in large numbers once they swim into saltwater. 

Director of Research Jon Carr says his team is launching new studies to try and figure out what's causing the high death rate. He tells CHSJ News they've been tracking juvenile salmon for over a decade and now, they're going to be tracking striped bass as well.

Carr says while the population of striped bass has been booming, they found in 2006 smolt survival through the estuary of the Miramichi was about 60-per-cent and by 2012 survival had dropped to about 26-per-cent.

They'll be looking to see if striped bass are found in the same areas as smolt, and at what's inside their stomachs. They will also be looking at the potential impact cormorants may be having on smolt survival.

The tracking of smolt starting in 2003 on the Miramichi and Restigouche rivers in New Brunswick and the Cascapedia river in Quebec. A-S-F researchers will be back in the field tracking salmon starting in May.

Laubach Literacy Holding Family Literacy Day

Highlighting the importance of literacy in all of our lives.
 
Laubach Literacy New Brunswick is holding Family Literacy Day on January 27th. The day features literacy events and fairs across the province. Executive Director Deanna Allen tells CHSJ News the organization has been providing one-on-one adult literacy services for 35 years across the province.

In New Brunswick approximately 60 per cent of the population aged 16 and over, have what are considered to be below the level of literacy skills that would allow them to function day to day in work, and in personal matters, according to Allen.

She adds, literacy is the foundation of prosperity in the province. For information on Family Literacy Day events, visit the organization's Facebook Page.

Better Business Bureau Has Advice On Choosing A Safe Kennel

If you're looking for a place to house your pet while you're away, the Maritime Better Business Bureau has some tips for finding the right kennel.

Jill Atkinson of the bureau tells CHSJ News many times consumers aren't aware of who they're dealing with and aren't satisfied with the service they received. She says the first thing you can do to avoid getting into a similar situation is to simply ask around. Get recommendations from friends and family and also check with the Maritime BBB to see if they've had any complaints.

Atkinson adds you should ask a lot of questions especially if your pet has health or behavioural issues and make sure to get a contract in writing so you know exactly what you're getting into.

January Is International Crime Stoppers Month

This month is dedicated to celebrating and promoting the work of one of the largest crime-solving and crime-fighting programs in the world. 

In New Brunswick, Crime Stoppers has helped solve almost 8000 cases since it started back in 1985. Provincial Police Coordinator Sergeant Noel Cyr tells CHSJ News one of the challenges the organization faces is raising their profile and finding enough volunteers to help out.

Tips to Crime Stoppers resulting in more than 8000 people being arrested, $8-million in property being recovered and an estimated street value of over $67-million worth of drugs seized.
 
If you have information on any unsolved crime, and wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or submit your information online at www.crimenb.ca. 

Two Arrested In Lower West Side Assault

Two men arrested for assaulting another man with a weapon on the lower West side. 

Sergeant Cowan of the Saint John Police tells CHSJ News the incident happened on Rodney Street just after 10pm yesterday night and a man was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Police are still working to figure out what type of weapon was used. 

Cowan says this assault was not random. The two men who were arrested will be appearing in court at a later date.

Over 4000 New Brunswickers Off The Grid

Thousands of New Brunswickers are without heat and lights today, with power outages across the province. 

Over 4000 NB Power customers are off the grid, with the Fredericton and Mirimichi area getting the worst of it. Power is expected to be back on anytime now. You can see the list of outages by clicking here.

Yesterday, thousands in St. Stephen were in the dark after a Harvey substation was vandalized.

Turbine Travelling To Point Lepreau Tomorrow

Another turbine is making the trek from the Port City to Point Lepreau.

The large, approximately 130-tonne turbine rotor being transported to the generating station tomorrow, weather permitting. The journey will take about six hours and there will be police escorts for the duration of the trip.

Drivers being advised to avoid travelling on King Street West, Market Street and Ludlow Street between 6 and 8am. You can expect delays on Route 1 between 7 and 10:30am on the east and westbound lanes from Ludlow Street to Route 790 at Lepreau.

Last week, one of the turbines made the journey from Saint John to the station.

Pacifier Holder Clips Recalled Due To Choking Hazard

A warning to new moms and dads, Playtex is recalling their Pacifier Holder Clips because they can crack and a small part can break off, posing a choking hazard to small kids.

The company getting almost a hundred reports from consumers, including forty-three from here in Canada, of the clip cracking or breaking. Health Canada getting one report of the clip breaking where a small part broke off. No injuries have been reported to either organization.

About 150,000 of these were distributed in Canada. They were sold from July 2010 through October 2013 here and in the U.S. They were sold in green with a monkey figure, pink with a flower and blue with a tow truck.

Police & Fire Respond To Explosion In Fredericton Apartment

Police and fire crews in Fredericton responding to reports of an explosion at an apartment building on the city's south-side.

When they first arrived Friday evening they found significant damage in a vacant apartment. The Fredericton Police Force Explosive Disposal Unit did a secondary search and secured the location. The Major Crime Team and the Forensic Identification Team were also on the scene investigating. 

No one was hurt, and the cause has initially been determined to be misuse of cleaning supplies.

Fire Destroys Farmhouse, Leaves Three Homeless

A fire destroying a farmhouse in the rural community of Holmesville, leaving three people homeless.

Firefighters from Bath and Florenceville-Bristol responding to the blaze at 6am on Thursday to the home on Doherty Road. A retired couple along with the woman's mother escaping the home unhurt.

No word yet on the cause of the fire.

Man And Woman Facing Charges In Cocaine Bust

A man and woman from Halifax are facing charges in connection with a coke bust at a traffic stop near Havelock.

RCMP stopping a vehicle traveling on the TransCanada Highway near the community seizing about five and a half pounds of cocaine along with cash.

38-year-old Lajuane Bruce and 26-year-old Debonnie Pearce appearing in Moncton Provincial Court on Friday to be charged with trafficking cocaine, possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine and possession of property obtained by crime.

Both will be back in court again on Monday.

Province May Get More Involved In The UNB Strike

Back to work legislation could be in the cards to end the strike at UNB....according to Labour Minister Jody Carr, the government's priority is the students, and they don't want to see 4 weeks elapse which would mean the semester would be lost.

Carr says they respect the need for both parties to work on it together adding they will monitor the situation over the weekend with more to say early next week.

The teachers have been on strike since midnight on January 13..... the first faculty strike in UNB's history.

VIDEO: Sign Unveiling at the Y's New Home

The next time you drive to Sobey's from Churchill Boulevard look to your right.  You will see a brand new sign for the new Y which will be built there. 

Saint John Y President and CEO Shilo Boucher tells CHSJ News they are happy to have the community's support.

Boucher says it was nice to hear from the grade 5 class at Hazen White-St. Francis who are also looking forward to the new Y.

Several motorists honked their horns driving by the sign unveiling.

The new Y is slated to open in the late fall of 2015.

Simm's Building To Be Demolished Next Week

It's going to take a while for West Siders to get used to this one.

The Simm's Building on Simm's Corner will be demolished starting next Wednesday.

Some of the material of the iconic glass-fronted factory will be processed and re-used as clean fill on the site, while the remaining debris will be hauled away. The entire process should take about 10 weeks.

Traffic isn't expected to be effected although the company has said they will let us know if that changes. No word on what specifically will be done with the site in the future.  The company was founded here in 1866.

Emergency Youth Shelter Gets $480,000, Will Be Built By Fall

The Safe Harbour youth shelter has received a major boost from the provincial government--and some new jobs will be created at the same time.

The province is investing $480,000 dollars to hire and train 12 journeymen and 24 apprentices to help build the emergency housing facility. Health and Inclusive communities minister Dorothy Shepherd says she's excited about how the project will help youth.

The Saint John Construction and Mechanical Associations are also kicking in $100,000 dollars each.

The emergency housing facility is expected to be completed by September at the former site of the St James Anglican Church on Broad Street.

UNB Strike Weighs Heavy On Nursing Students

As the strike drags on, students at UNB Saint John are getting more nervous and frustrated.

Amanda Linfield is a fourth year nursing student who tells CHSJ News if they don't finish their classroom hours it will impact their perceptorship which in turn means they can't write a national exam in June.

She says if they can't write the exam in June they have to wait until October to write it meaning several months without work even if they do graduate.

UNB Saint John Vice-President Robert Mackinnon and others from administration speaking to the students hosting a demonstration at the Tucker park campus.

University Students To Stage Demonstrations

University students who fear their semester will be lost by the continuing strike by university professors at U-N-B are demanding the two sides get back to the bargaining table. 

The strike is almost 2 weeks old and there's no sign of a resumption of negotiations despite talk of that earlier in the week. 

Students at the campuses in Saint John, Fredericton and Moncton will be staging demonstrations today to show how frustrated they are.

Natural Gas Bills Going Down

Homeowners and small businesses in the province who use natural gas are going to see their bills go down thanks to a decision by the Energy and Utilities Board. 

For homeowners, the reduction will amount to $100 a month or so and the cut for small businesses will be even higher. 

Enbridge Gas told the E-U-B  the order will wind up costing 1.8 million dollars but the Board points out natural gas customers had been promised better prices than they are currently being charged.

Fire At Harbour Station

Fire crews were called to Harbour Station just 40 minutes before the start of the basketball game between the Mill Rats and Halifax. 

Platoon Chief Barry Oickle says there was a fire blazing away at one of the concession booths. Oickle says they found an electrical steamer was on fire. It was quickly extinguished and the area ventilated. 

The fire department was considering an evacuation of the arena but, in the end, that wasn't necessary and the game went on as scheduled.

Companies File $880,000 In Liens Over Algonquin Renos

An iconic provincial hotel may be in some hot water.

Reports say several companies have filed liens against Southwest Properties and Newcastle Developments, the owners of the Algonquin Hotel and Resort in St. Andrews, for money they say are owed to them for the renovation.

Reports say four of the liens also name Avant-Garde Construction, the general contractor for the reno.

The claims apparently add up to $881,000.

Kent Building Supplies is claiming the largest amount owing at $481 thousand.

Southwest President Gordon Laing giving a statement saying payments were made to sub-contractors in December and January, with another due in February.

The Charlotte County Hospitality Partnership -- who is responsible for the management of the renos -- issuing a statement on the big bill.

The CCHP says they have been working with sub-contractors over the past 6 weeks to reconcile work with each contract adding significant payments were made in December and in January and they expect the accounting to be completed in early February.

It states some contractors have exercised their lien rights as a legal precaution, but work is continuing towards completion in May.

The CCHP says additional payments will be made shortly.