St. Stephen Robbery

RCMP are investigating a robbery in the Bordertown around 12:30 this afternoon.
Police tell us a man entered a bank on Milltown Boulevard walked up to the teller and demanded money. The suspect received an undisclosed amount of cash.
He is described as white, 5 foot 7 inches tall, in his early twenties or thirties and he may
also have cuts on his face.
Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call St. Stephen RCMP at 755-1132 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS.

Prisoner Re-captured

It was a short stint of freedom for a prisoner from the Westmorland Institution in Dorchester. At eight o'clock last night, Harry Hamilton Davies was taken back into custody after escaping from the prison and was quickly transferred to a medium security facility.


Hamilton-Davies is serving a sentence of two years seven months for conspiracy to commit an indictable offence involving the Importation of Drugs and Trafficking. A complete review of how the prisoner escaped is underway.

Leblanc is Silent While Blaney Speaks

(Rothesay Conservative MLA Margaret Ann Blaney)
                         (File Photo)

After having plenty to say yesterday, Saint John Lancaster MLA Abel Leblanc is keeping a low profile today. Several calls to the Liberal members cell-phone goes straight to voice-mail and the receptionist at his office says he will not be in today. Rothesay Conservative MLA Margaret Ann Blaney on the other hand spoke to the media before today's session of the legislature calling yesterday's incident uncomfortable and awful.

Blaney adds the speakers decision to suspend Leblanc is both prudent and a good one. The Conservatives are demanding Leblanc apologize before returning to the Legislature and speaker Roy Boudreau says such behaviour will not be tolerated. The three day suspension begins today with-out pay.

Senator Mike Duffy is Going to the Olympics

(Senator Mike Duffy at the Delta Earlier This Week)
               (Photo by Jim Hennessy)

Helping to promote his home province, Conservative Senator Mike Duffy will make an appearance at the Winter Olympics. Each province has a day set aside to help promote itself and maybe get a few people to consider a visit in the future. Duffy tells CHSJ News, this is a wonderful initiative.
Duffy says New Brunswick is the only one that will not have a Provincial Day at the Olympics and can't figure out why. CHSJ News placed a call to the Premier's office earlier this week for an explanation but have yet to hear back.

Section of Route One is Ripped Up

Another section of roadway in Greater Saint John that has seen better days is Route One west-bound near the Irving Circle "K". Huge sections of asphalt have broken away where repair work was done last summer leaving behind huge craters for motorists to dodge. Andrew Holland is a spokes-person for the Department of Transportation and tells CHSJ News, as soon as they get into a stretch of cold, dry weather, they can apply some cold mix asphalt.


Holland adds no communities are immune from this problem and ask motorists for some patience as they look to fix the problem.

Leblanc's Finger Still Hot Topic

(Saint John Lancaster MLA Abel Leblanc Flips the Bird)
                           (File Photo)

People and politicians are still talking about yesterday's incident in the Legislature where Saint John Lancaster MLA Abel Leblanc flipped the bird to Rothesay Conservative MLA Margaret Ann Blaney and the entire opposition bench. Politicial Scientist at UNB Saint John Don Desserud tells CHSJ News, he doesn't expect Premier Graham will ask Leblanc for his resignation.


Desserud adds there is a lot of stress on the Liberal side of the Legislature and this incident certainly proves that.

Pot Hole Season is Early

                      (Pot-Hole on King Street)
                   (Photo by Jim Hennessy)


Plenty of drivers in Greater Saint John look like their in an Alpine Ski event ducking and dodging pot holes like markers on the hill. Pot-hole season has arrived early in the metro thanks to a lack of snow and the freeze and thaw cycle. Kevin Rice is the Deputy Commissioner of Municipal Operations and tells CHSJ News, they are doing what they can but a permanent fix this time of year is tough.


Rice adds part of the City Works Departments mandate is to inspect all of the street systems on a weekly basis and service responses by priority.

Not Much Snow in Greater Saint John

    (Shot of King Street During a Recent Snow Storm)
                           (File Photo)

For some, this winter has been a god send while for others, they are missing out on activities due to the lack of snow. The Saint John Airport is reporting only six cm's of snow on the ground. Environment Canada Meteorologist Claude Cote tells CHSJ News, the most snow on the ground is in the south-eastern and northern-western parts of the Province.


Cote adds we are far from setting any records how-ever. It was back in 1970, there was no snow on the ground in Greater Saint John mid-February but at the same time in 1993, we had 118cm's and that is still the record.

Don't Forget, Sunday is Valentines Day

       (Paul's Flower Shop on the Old Rothesay Road)
                  (Photo by Jim Hennessy)

Whether your married, dating or living together, a quick reminder that Sunday is Valentines Day and buying a little something for the one you love is always a good way to go. Flowers are always popular and the owner of Pauls Flower Shop Mark Farwell tells CHSJ News, calling ahead for your order goes along way.
Farwell adds orders have been steady all week but expects tomorrow and Saturday will really get hectic.

Update on Q-Plex

(Groundbreaking Ceremony for Q-Plex with Quispamsis M-L-A Mary Schryer, Mayor Murray Driscoll and Fundy Royal M-P Rob Moore)

(File Photo)

Straight and steady is the term being used for construction of the Q-Plex. The north concourse was poured on Monday which means the north end of the facility is enclosed and heated. Manager Brad Steel tells CHSJ News, skaters will be on the ice of the facility this fall.
Steel admits they have run into some delays in pouring concrete when the wind-chill drops the temperature into the feels like -30 range but that is part of the fun when working outdoors during the winter.

South End Fire

Fire crews had their hands full last night with a fire in the south end. District Fire Chief Peter Sab says it broke out on the first floor of a building at 175 Pitt Street shortly after 9:00. Fire Damage was heavy to the first floor of the building. Two families have been left homeless. An investigation is underway into a cause but it's believed to be electrical in nature and not suspicious. Firefighters were on the scene for 4 hours.

Elementary School In Quispamsis Gets Into the Olympic Spirit

A Quispamsis Elementary school will be a little Vancouver today hosting their own Opening Ceremonies. Vice-Principal David Ripley tells CHSJ News former Olympian Monica Hitchcock, of the 1984 Canadian volleyball team, will lead the students and staff in the parade of athletes around Lakefield Elementary and the school's choir will also perform. The festivities will get underway at 10:30.
Ripley adds the school will be hosting Olympic competitions next Friday including its own take on events like curling, speed skating and luge.

Saint John Animal Rescue League To Benefit From Olympic Painting

(Artist Norm Jackson with his Olympic painting)

(File Photo)

A local artist is donating half of the proceeds from prints and postcards of his Olympic artwork to the Saint John Animal Rescue League.
Norm Jackson's painting which features an Inukshuk, Polar Bears and Northern Lights, will be presented to the host city for it's Olympic museum after the games.
The animal shelter will have a table at Winterfest on February 20th at the Lily Lake Pavillion where people can buy posters and postcards of Jackson's print.
The Rescue league will be selling the prints until the end of the Olympics.