Operation Red Nose Looking For Cash

[Operation Red Nose Logo---File Photo]
It may seem early to be thinking about Operation Red Nose, but representatives are canvassing for some cash.

Coordinator Katie Emrich says the inaugural year last winter was a huge success, and they are expecting the same type of support this year.
She says the goal is to keep those partying during the holidays from getting behind the wheel.
Emrich says so far Grand Bay Westfield is the only municipality to confirm sponsorship, and so far she has spoken to Quispamsis and Rothesay town councils.
She says the name of the program will be changing to Operation Red Nose Greater Saint John, because over 60 per cent of it's users last year travelled to outlying areas.

Public Info Sessions on H1N1 Influenza

If you still have questions about the H1N1 influenza virus, Public Health is hosting a series of seminars to answer any questions. The first goes tomorrow at Samuel De Champlain at seven o'clock. The following nights sessions will be held at Kennebecasis Valley and Sussex High Schools, both at seven o'clock.
Officials will close out the week at the St Stephen Legion Friday night.

Partial Shutdown at Canaport LNG possible this week

The Canaport LNG Terminal will be partially shut down for maintainence work sometime between tomorrow and Sunday.
Weather permitting, the work will be carried out on the process equipment.
Some flaring may be visible which is normal and it will stop within the same day the work gets underway.

Sussex Walmart has change of heart on layaway policy

Another victory for Bonnie Cox and her Facebook group opposed to losing the layaway service at Walmart stores in Saint John and Sussex.

As of late this afternoon, CHSJ News learned that the Sussex store will keep their layaway policy until December 18.
No word on what caused the change of heart in the Dairytown.
Bonnie Cox also tells CHSJ News that membership in her Facebook group increased to 600 people.
She is concerned that low-income famillies with young kids would have difficulty buying presents this Christmas without the help of the layaway policy.
A Walmart official did confirm to Cox that doing away with the layaway policy was a corporate cost-saving measure.

Innovation Awards Announced

The 2009 Innovation Recognition Awards have been handed out to 15 companies in the province. Premier Shawn Graham and Business New Brunswick Minister Victor Boudreau were in Bathurst last night to announce the recipients. They include Advanced Publishing Corporation in Saint John, Sticks and Stones Fabricating in St. Stephen and Energy Systems and Design Limited in Sussex.

The winners represent the best examples of the 26 thousand small businesses in the province that create and adopt innovative practices in the workplace.

Covered Bridge Repairs Underway on Kingston Penninsula

Department of Transportation crews begin work replacing the wood deck of a historical covered bridge today. The Milkish Inlet #1 covered bridge carries traffic on Route 845 on the Kingston Peninsula and will be closed for the next three weeks for repairs.
The bridge is two-span structure built in 1920 and construction will cost 45 thousand dollars. Detour signs will be in place while construction work is carried out.

Sussex Walmart is Staying the Course

The layaway plan at the East Saint John Walmart is back but the Sussex store is not backing down. CHSJ News contacted manager Chris Redman to ask about layaway at his store with many of the over 500 FaceBook members of a site opposing the plan to drop layaway from the Sussex area.


Redman says this issue doesn't affect his store and told us he wasn't going to answer our question about whether his stores layaway plan was being shelved. When we told him many of the FaceBook members were from the Sussex area he then told us the layaway plan was no longer available.

New Canada-US Border Crossing to Open in November

(Photo Courtesy of Facebook)

In just over a month from now you could be crossing the new border into the United States. Minister of Veterans affairs Minister Greg Thomspon tells us depending on scheduling, the new St. Stephen and Calais border on Highway One will open November 21st:

Thomspon says the opening of the new border crossing will be the first in Canada in the last 75 years.

Walmart Saint John Re-Opens Layaway

A Facebook group annoyed that Walmart Saint John had discontinued layaway has scored a major victory. Group founder, Bonnie Cox tells CHSJ News the store on McAllister Place Drive has decided to re-open layaway until after Christmas. The group has grown to more than 500 members who were worried about low income families being able to afford Christmas gifts this year.

Cox says a spokesperson confirmed to her cancelling layaway was a corporate cost saving measure. When we contacted Walmart yesterday, they gave no comment.

Conservative Candidate Nominated for the Riding of Charlotte-Campobello

Fisherman Curtis Malloch has been elected to stand as the Conservative Candidate in the next Provincial election for the riding of Charlotte-Campobello. The provincial Tories held their nomination convention over the weekend and Malloch beat out John Craig and Joseph Moffatt.
The riding had been held by Conservative MLA Tony Huntjens since 1999.