Quispamsis Nursing Home is Open for Business

(Shannex President Joseph Shannon)
      (Photo by Jim Hennessy)

After a year and a half of construction, the nursing home at the Shannex Complex in Quispamsis is open for business.
Several dignitaries including Premier Graham and Health Minister Schryer were on hand to cut the ribbon.


President of Shannex is Joseph Shannon and says 60 hospital beds will be freed up when the 72 bed facility opens Wednesday.
Total cost of the nursing home is eleven million dollars with close to 100 staff.


The other two components, an assisted living set-up and retirement complex are still under construction.

Minister Schryer on Freeing Up Hospital Beds

(Health Minister and Quispamsis MLA Mary Schryer)
                        (File Photo)

With 60 new hospital beds set to be freed up with the opening of the new nursing home, Health Minister Mary Schryer says it won't take long to put them to good use.


Schryer points out since the Liberal mandate began in 2006, there are now 147 new nursing home beds in Quispamsis between the Shannex set-up and the Kingsway Care Center on the Gondola Point Arterial.

No Sour Grapes in Rothesay

(Rothesay Mayor Bill Bishop)
         (File Photo)

You might remember the Shannex facility was first proposed to be built on the upper end of Millenium Drive in Rothesay before it was relocated to the end of Millenium in Quispamsis.


Mayor Bill Bishop tells CHSJ News, there are no sour grapes, admitting it would have been nice to have it but you live with what your faced with.


Bishop adds there are no solid proposals on the table for Rothesay's end of Millenium Drive but is hopeful when it is, the residents are happy with the mix of residential, commercial and plenty of green space.

Cold Wet Weekend for Two Fisherman

It was a cold and wet weekend for two men after a trip down the Kennebecasis River went wrong.


Hampton RCMP received a call from a woman who told them her boyfriend and another man left to go fishing earlier in the day and hadn't come home.


Officers were told the trip started in Norton but still no sign of the two.


After a search the two men were found in a field in Bloomfield around 1:30 in the morning, tired but no worse for wear.

Park and Ride Looking for New Passengers

(Forty Foot LImo On King Street)
          (File Photo)

A new system called Parcobus has been unveiled by the Saint John Transit and Parking Commissions.


It encourages people to park and take the bus or car-pool and includes four parking lots.
They are at Golden Grove Road on Hillcrest Road, the Latimore Lake Community Center, the Lorneville Parking lot on Stinson Drive and the Loch Lomond Parking lot near St. Joseph's Church.


It's hoped the Parcobus system will help reduce CO2 emissions by 167 tonnes every year.


Funding for the project comes from the Province and totals $287,000.

New Project for Disability

You will now have improved access to library services if you or someone you know suffers from a print disability.
The province is spending $187,000 dollars on the new set-up where over the next six months, it hopes to remove barriers between library resources and people who are unable to read standard print due.


The goal is to expand the service model to all 63 public libraries in the province following a successful pilot project.


Both the Saint John and Kennebecasis Libraries are taking part in the program.

Alward to reveal Conservative Energy vision

          (Conservative Leader David Alward)
                    (File Photo)

The Province's Opposition Leader is ready to unveil his long-awaited energy strategy.

David Alward will announce his plan to take an inclusive approach to the challenge of ensuring that people, small businesses and industries can benefit from afforable, smart and secure energy.


Alward will also reveal how New Brunswickers can fully participate in the development of a long-term energy plan that includes helping the economy and our environment.

He will be joined by Energy critic Paul Robichaud and Finance critic Bruce Fitch for the announcement in Fredericton tomorrow morning.

Premier Vows To Stand Firm On Blood Services

                  



(Premier Shawn Graham -file photo)

The task force on blood services is advising the province about the necessity of maintaining blood Services in this province and even building upon it. The next move is up to Premier Shawn Graham who tells CHSJ News, the report clearly indicates the importance of having blood services remain in the province and warns if Canadian Blood Services do not realize it then other avenues will have to be taken which include going it alone or partnering with Quebec.
Graham says the infrastructure is already in place with the current facility on University Avenue and continuing to use it would be the preferred route.

Its Now Crunch Time For The Peel Plaza Development

(Common Council - file photo)           

The fate of the Peel Plaza development will be decided tonight at a special meeting of Common Council. Members of Common Council will first meet behind closed doors in Committee of the Whole for two hours.
Nearing the end of last month, Mayor Ivan Court told our newsroom to expect an announcement concerning the new police headquarters and also said the project would be finished.
Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase has blamed the costly project for the city not putting enough money into much needed roadwork and he has withdrawn his support. The majority of councillors appear to be in favour but there is sure to be intense debate at tonights public meeting, getting underway at 7 o'clock in the Council Chambers.

Three Teens Rescued Near Partridge Island

The Coast Guard, city fire crews and emergency medical services responding last night to what might be called a misadventure by three teens who were trying to make their way from City Line to Partridge Island. They were on the other side of the breakwater when District Fire Chief William Johnstone says one of the girls slipped and broke her leg.
Johnstone says she was stabalised and then the Coast Guard brought the trio back to the Brunswicker.

Kennebecasis Valley High Wins Reach For The Top In Toronto

Chalk up another Reach for the Top win for Kennebecasis Valley High after capturing its third consecutive University of Toronto Schools Invitational over the weekend. K-V-H-S was represented by team captain Micheal Forestell, Josh Konconvy, Alexander Maxan, Josh Outerbridge and Jordan Woods. They rolled through the round robin but had a tougher time in the semi final against Martingrove Collegiate from Etobicoke, Ontario where the lead went back and forth. In the final, K-V-H-S defeated the 2006 Canadian champions from Woburn Collegiate in Scarborough, Ontario. Both Martingrove and Woburn have programmes for gifted students but K-V-H-S has not lost in 40 straight matches.