Volunteers Pick Up Some Hardware

      (Volunteers Receive Recognition in Quispamsis)
                     (Photo by Sherry Aske)

Plenty of pride was showing for fifteen volunteers and their families as they were honored by the Town of Quispamsis last night.


The annual Volunteer Recognition Awards were handed out prior to the start of last night's council meeting by Mayor Murray Driscoll.


A few of the winners were Tina Doiron-Wilson from Canadian Parents for French, Denise Brennan of the Kennebecasis Public Library and Matthew McQuade from the Kennebecasis Valley Fire Department.


Two of the selected volunteers, Peter McGinn and Candace Snowden, were recognized but were unable to attend the event.

Quispamsis Officials Speak About Roaming Deer

(Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll)
            (File Photo)

One combined voice and education is what Quispamsis is hoping will produce some results to a growing deer problem in it's town.
An invitation is being sent to Rothesay, Hampton, local service districts and the Department of Natural Resources to form a regional public education program.


Mayor Murray Driscoll says town officials can't solve this issue on it's own.
As for re-locating the deer, Driscoll adds the cost is one thousand dollars an animal and suggestions of a new form of birth control is not a solution as it is not approved in this country.

Quispamsis Resident Speaks to Council About Deer

(Anne Downey Speaks to Quispamsis Council)
            (Photo by Sherry Aske)

A resident of the Model Farm Road spoke to council last night and pleaded with them to help find a solution to the deer problem.


Anne Downey tells CHSJ News, ticks are set to hatch and Lyme Disease has already been detected in Millidgeville and agree's.....education to this problem is the first step.


Downey says from the research she has gathered, there are 20,000 cases of Lyme Disease in the United States every year.

Volcanic Ash Could Affect Us Here at Home

If you've been following the plume of volcanic ash in Iceland, here is the latest we can tell you and how it might affect us here at home.

Environment Canada has issued a special advisory which says there is a possibility of low level ash falling in areas of the Maritimes and eastern Quebec.

Right now, the satellite shows no ash in Canadian airspace.

Meteorologists also tell us the presence of volcanic that could impact air travel in this area is very low.

The same advisories have been issued for Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

Sheet Metal Workers Hit the Picket Line

(Union Members Walk the Line on University Avenue)
                    (Photo by Jim Hennessy)

Sheet metal workers in Greater Saint John are off the job and walking the picket line.

This as they ramp up their demand for a raise. John London is a member of local 437 and tells CHSJ News, the Province doesn't want to sign a contract which would give them a raise unless something else in the contract is taken away.
London adds there are still non-unionized contractors working on the expansion at the Regional but the other unions refuse to cross the picket line.
Other picket lines are set up on the West Side and in the Industrial Park.
Pat Darrah with the Saint John Construction Association saw sheet metal workers are making $32.24 an hour and in Moncton, they make $29.25.


Darrah says they want to level the playing field so that contractors can work in both areas and stay competitive.
A mediator was appointed to try and find middle ground for both sides. No word on when negotiations might resume.

What To Do About the Growing Deer Population

Deer and what to do about the growing number of them in the Kennebecasis Valley will be up for discussion tonight.

It's one of the agenda items for the regular meeting of Quispamsis council.

If you live in the area, we don't need to tell you how the population of bambies has exploded recently.

Many fear lime disease is carried on the ticks of the animals and families are at risk.


There are several theories about the growing population including the clear cutting of wooded area's to make room for commercial and residential development.
 
Many believe that people feeding the animals is bringing more of them in to the area.
 
Tonight's meeting gets started at seven o'clock.

Premier Graham on Piont Lepreau Refurbishment

(Premier Shawn Graham)
        (File Photo)

Atomic Energy of Canada and the refit delay at Point Lepreau will be the main focus of a meeting in Ottawa soon.

Premier Graham and several of his cabinet ministers are close to locking up a date to meet with the Prime Minister to discuss problems at the site and how the project has fallen 16 months behind schedule.

Graham tells CHSJ News, Saint John MP Rodney Weston has a responsibility with this file.
Graham says Atomic Energy of Canada has told them the reason for the delay is this is the first refurbishment of a Candu Six reactor and there is a learning curve.

Changes Proposed for Peel Plaza

(Artist's Rendition of What Peel Plaza Might Look Like)
                       (File Photo)

Several changes are being made to the Peel Plaza development to make it cheaper for Saint John taxpayers.

City Manager Pat Woods concedes the new parking garage will not be as large as first proposed.
Woods maintains those changes will not negatively impact how the police station operates.

He also claims the parking garage will be financially self sustaining.

There will also be more green space around the arts centre with fewer bells and whistles.

Quality of Life Still Concerned

Concerned about drilling activity by Corridor Resources in the Kings County area and beyond, the Quality of Life Initiative continues it's fight.

They are hosting an information session Thursday night with a member of the environmental law society to speak on a variety of issues.

Spokes-person Otty Forgrave tells CHSJ News, wells and life-style are the main concerns of home-owners.


Forgave adds there is currently no work going on by Corridor Resources but the group is staying pro-active.
 
The meeting Thursday gets started at 7:30pm at the Upham Rec Center.

New Faces on NB Power Board

Some new faces have been appointed to NB Power's Board of Directors.

Ed Barrett's term has been extended for an additional four years and has been named chair of the board, effective immediately.

This after serving as vice-chair for the past three years.

Robert Youden, Lise Ouellette and Louis LaPierre have also been named as new board members for three-year terms.

John Mallory has also been reappointed to the board for three years.

Deadly Collision Outside St. Andrews

The RCMP along with Ambulance and Fire Crews from St. Andrews and St. Stephen responded to a deadly collision yesterday afternoon at the intersection of Highways 170 & 127 outside St. Andrews.
A woman from Nova Scotia was pronounced dead at the scene. Her name has not been released yet.
The driver of the vehicle, the woman's husband, suffered non-life threatening injuries and was taken to hospital. The RCMP tell us the car failed to stop at the intersection when it collided with a tractor trailer whose driver was not injured.

Final Decision On Peel Plaza Development Not Made

(Common Council - file photo)         

Still no final decision on whether the Peel Plaza development will go ahead even after a special meeting of Common Council. 42 million dollars is the estimated price tag for a revised and somewhat downsized development north of Union Street. Council rejected the idea of a public-private partnership as too expensive and instead wants bids submitted for each individual project starting with the new police headquarters. Councillor Donnie Snook is hoping the final price tag will be lower than the estimate.
Councillor Peter McGuire leaves little doubt where he stands believing the project will lead to private investment which the city desperately needs. He claims the economy of Saint John is at a crossroads.
A final decision is now expected in four to six weeks time when the tenders come back and the city has a better take on the final cost. Mayor Ivan Court, who again locked horns with Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase accusing him of not understanding the situation, is promising all the numbers will be revealed at that time.

Former Deputy Mayor Critical Of Peel Plaza Discussion

Former Deputy Mayor Michelle Hooten turned out to hear the discussion on Peel Plaza but concedes she was disappointed at the lack of information and tone which she describes as hostile to Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase who was asking questions about what the impact would be on the tax rate and spending on other city services.
Hooten makes clear she supports the building of a new police station but adds the costs of the project have never been justified even when she was a member of Council.

Employee at Worksafe NB Is Injured On The Job

As investigators try to piece together what happened, a 21-year old man remains in stable condition after he was injured last week on the job.
Andy Nyenhuis received an electrical shock while working at Worksafe NB's Portland Street office. Nyenhuis is a data cable technician with 3D communications.