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Sunday, September 13, 2009

User Pay System Could Reduce Tax Rate

The good news is you could see a cut in the tax rate -- the down side is it will mean you will have to pay up to 170-dollars a year out of pocket to have your garbage picked up.
That's the scenario common council will consider Monday night as councilors discuss a staff proposal to move to a user pay garbage collection system.
The report is suggesting the proposal would either use a bag tag system or an annual charge based on the size of plastic cart placed at curbside.
Monday's meeting gets underway at 6:15 in the council chamber at city hall.

City Hosting Governors And Premiers












(Premier Shawn Graham hosting conference - file photo)


Energy and flu pandemic preparedness -- two significant issues being discussed as the 33rd conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers gets underway later Monday here in the city.
Premier Graham is hosting the event and tells CHSJ News it's an opportunity to showcase our growing energy hub to not only politicians -- but -- senior government officials and business people from both sides of the border.
The conference wraps up Tuesday evening -- later Monday -- the council of Atlantic Premiers will unveil a new Atlantic wellness campaign during a late afternoon news conference at the Oland Theater in the N-B Museum.

Battle of Britain Remembered

The Cenotaph in Kings Square provided the back-drop for a ceremony today to mark the 69th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Veterans, Reservists and Sea Cadets all took part. Lieutenant Mark Brown is Executive Officer of HMCS Brunswicker and tells CHSJ News, this is a nice lead-in to Rememberance Day to get people thinking about the sacrifices made by men and women who served and continue to serve their country.


Lieutenant Brown adds it is nice to see such a nice crowd of civilians come out to honor the battle as well.

Stabbing in Millidgeville

A party outside of Millidgeville North has left one man injured. A fight broke out shortly after midnight last night in the woods just outside the school and resulted in an 18 year old man being stabbed in the leg. One person has been arrested and major crimes is investigating. The mans injuries are not serious.

Comex Celebrates

Make sure you say congratulations to anyone who works for Saint John Transit. It is celebrating the second anniversary of it's Comex Service. It allows people to put their vehicle in the park and ride lots and take the forty foot limo into school or the office. Transit General manager Frank McCarey tells CHSJ News, at this point, promotion of the service has stopped:

McCarey says they will ramp up promotion this fall when they receive the articulated buses which will boost the number of seats from 43 to 59.

Terry Fox Run

Runners from Greater Saint John will hit the pavement today for the annual Terry Fox Foundation Run. Spokesperson Onne De Boer tells CHSJ news, it will be tough to raise the kind of money the foundation has in the past because of the economy but volunteers continue to come out every year to make the run a reality:

Registration for today's run begins at noon at Rockwood Park.

Big Bike

The Heart and Stroke Foundation's 60 foot bike will be touring East Saint John today for the 14th annual Big Bike Ride for Heart. Spokesperson Tina Etmanski tells CHSJ news they are hoping to raise 200 thousand dollars.

This big red bike is the size of a school bus and seats 30 people. It will be circling the East Point Shopping Centre area today, where there will also be face painting, the Seadog Dogs Mascot, a Harry Potter bouncer, a silent auction, barbeque, and free blood pressure clinic.

New Wine Machine

Those who enjoy wine are going to love this news. NB Liquor has a new wine sampling machine set up at one of it's outlets in Fredericton and one is coming soon to Saint John. Spokes-person Nora Lacey tells CHSJ News, it's like a vending machine that holds eight bottles of the grape for customers to sample.
Lacey says the focus of the new unit is to allow people to try a new wine with-out committing to an entire bottle and then finding out you don't like it. A wine sampling machine will make an appearance at the liquor store in Parkway Mall and Dieppe in the spring.