Geopark Project Gets More Funding

(A child goes rock climbing at Rockwood Park, one of the areas the UNESCO evaluators will be visiting in August)
(Photo by Sherry Aske)

The Geopark project in the greater Saint John area is getting $40,000 in funding from the province.

Chair Bill Merrifield says the money will be used when the evaluators come from UNESCO in August to see the area's geosites.

Merrifield says it's important the evaluators see that the local population is engaged in the geosites and that it's a community driven project.

Merrifield says they'll find out in October if the area is selected as a Geopark. It would be the first Geopark in North America.

Premier Graham Offers Condolences To The Irving Family

The Premier is also sending his condolences to the Irving family.
Shawn Graham says Jack Irving was truly the builder of the family.


He also supported the restoration of heritage properties in the city that have helped revitalize the uptown. He also established a reputation as a generous philanthropist who supported educational institutions and the arts in our province and throughout the Maritimes.

Mayor Court Calls Irving's Death A Great Loss for Saint John

(Mayor Ivan Court)

Mayor Ivan Court says he gives his condolences to the Irving family on behalf of Council. He says Jack Irving was at the the ceremony at the foot of King Street when his son John donated the clock to the city and you could tell he was a proud father.

Court says Jack was very proud of his children who has a gave a lot that people didn't know about.
He calls his passing a great loss to the city of Saint John and a great loss to the Irving family.

Jim Irving Calls Today A Very Sad Day

Jim (JK) Irving of J.D. Irving Limited calls today a very sad day as his family mourns the passing of his brother Jack.


Jim Irving call Jack a great brother and friend and says they enjoyed many years of growing up together both at home and in business.

12 Weeks Of Work On Sussex Overpass

The Lower Cove Overpass on Riverview Drive East near Sussex will be down to one lane for about 12 weeks while repair work is carried out.

The Department of Transportation is replacing expansion joints, repairing the bridge deck, applying new waterproofing and repaving the 42-year-old structure.

Motorists should expect delays during the construction period.

John Ernest (Jack) Irving Has Passed Away

John Ernest (Jack) Irving, C.M., D.Litt., LL.D., was born on January 1, 1932 in Saint John, New Brunswick to Kenneth Colin Irving and Harriet Lila “née MacNarin” Irving.


John E. Irving is a Member of the Order of Canada, a Companion of the Order of The Business Hall of Fame, an inaugural member of the New Brunswick Business Hall of Fame, recipient of an Honourary Doctorate of Letters from the University of New Brunswick, recipient of an Honourary Doctorate in Civil Laws from Acadia University and is an Alumnus Honoris Causa of Harvard University Graduate School of Business Administration, Boston, MA. He graduated from Rothesay Collegiate School, Rothesay, NB in 1950 and attended Acadia University, Wolfville, NS from 1950 to 1952.


In 1952 at his father’s request he joined his father’s businesses and he worked all his life, along-side his brother Arthur in Irving Oil. In addition, John E. Irving was a Director of all Irving businesses and was responsible for and managed a number of the companies within the varied Irving enterprises.


He is survived by his wife Suzanne Heather Cameron “née Farrer”, his children John Keillor Farrer Irving, Colin Dargarvel Irving, Anne Cameron I. Oxley and six grandchildren.


He died after a short illness on July 21, 2010. Visitation will be held at Trinity Anglican Church, 115 Charlotte Street, Saint John, NB on Friday July 23, 2010, from 2:00 pm until 8:00 pm. The funeral service will be conducted at Trinity Anglican Church at 11:00 am on Saturday July 24, 2010. A private family interment is to take place at a later time.


Arrangements are under the care of Brenan’s Funeral Home, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John (506-634-7424). In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation or the Saint John Regional Hospital Foundation.


Online donations and condolences may be made at: www.brenansfh.com.

Court Appearance For Man Charged With Cemetery Vandalism

(St. Joseph's Cemetery After Vandalism)
                   (File Photo)

A 20 year old man making a long awaited appearance in court for the vandalism caused at St. Joseph's Cemetery on Westmorland Road April 25th.

Dana Richard Bartlett pled guilty to mischief exceeding 5 thousand dollars after overturning 330 headstones.

The court was told Bartlett had been drinking and was enraged over breaking up with his girlfriend who was seeing someone else. The two have a child.

Bartlett later felt badly about what he had done after going on Facebook and reading comments from the affected families. There was one particular comment which struck home from a man who had just buried his wife a few days before her gravestone was overturned. Bartlett confessed to his ex-girlfriend and later to Police.

A letter was read to the court in which Bartlett wrote how sorry he is and how his actions were eating him up.

Scam Uncovered By Hampton RCMP

An ad in the local news-paper has been indentified as a scam by Hampton RCMP.

It is a job application looking for a book-keeper and officers have traced the ad as coming from the United Kingdom.

The applicant receives a cheque in an amount more than the salary.


The applicant is then told to cash the cheque and keep 10% for salary and return the rest.

Accident On The Green Bridge In Hampton

An accident yesterday morning has caused some minor damage to the green bridge in Hampton.

It was ten o'clock when a tow truck carrying a baby barn struck the warning barrier on the west side.
There is two thousand dollars worth of damage to the barn with damage to the warning structure on the bridge as well.

Diamond Taxi Locks Up Deal With Airport

Diamond Taxi has locked up a five year deal with the Saint John Airport for ground transportation services.

That means as of August.2nd, the only cab company you will be able to get a ride home with after your flight is Diamond.


As part of the new deal, taxis will provide comment cards in all vehicles and on the airport website.

The drivers will also take part in the Department of Tourism Superhost Training Program.

Energy Task Force Gets Together

The first progress report from the Energy Hub Alliance task force has been released.

It has agreed to forecast regional energy market demand and research all existing and planned products and services in the region.

Also, the task force is identifying specific areas in the hub that need development.

This plan includes setting benchmarks and identifying high priority and longer-term projects.

The task force was formed at last week’s Energy Ignition Summit where more than 90 delegates representing industry, government and community are working together to attain common goals and prosperity.

Feeding Deer Now Illegal In Quispamsis

(Jennifer Loomer Of Quispamsis Arguing For Deer Park)
                   (Photo by Sherry Aske)

Animal lovers in Quispamsis will have to stop feeding the deer now that Council has passed a by law forbidding it. Mayor Murray Driscoll tells CHSJ News he knows it's a difficult by law to enforce, but says some people will stop feeding the deer simply because a bylaw is in place.

Driscoll says if someone is caught there is a voluntary fine with the ultimate consequence being the laying of charges.
 
Someone not so happy with the new by law is Jennifer Loomer of Hampton. Loomer tells CHSJ News Town Council should set aside land as part of town planning and use it as an animal preserve.

Warning For Parents About MP3 Players And Ipods

A doctor from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto says music devices like MP3 players and Ipods can damage the hearing of the kids who use them.



Dr. Robert Harrison tells CHSJ News that parents should be concerned because the maximum volumes can cause damage to the inner ear.


Harrison adds the manufacturers are quite responsible in warning consumers who buy the products that listening for long periods at a certain level could damage your hearing. In Europe, manufacturers must limit the sound output in devices like MP3 players making the risk of damaging the inner ear lower.

Reorganisation Of Saint John Water In The Works

As part of the plan to provide safe, clean drinking water in the city, the head of Municipal Operations, Paul Groody says there should be a reorganisation of Saint John Water which would be run more like Saint John Energy as a corporatised public utility owned by the city.

 Groody says water in the city should never be privatised and he can see at some point in the future where Saint John Water will be able to generate revenue by selling its expertise or extending its services to outside municipalities.
 
 He points to Edmonton where this is already been happening with great success. Groody adds he can see the day when water services in the Saint John area will be regionalised.