Voters Encouraged To Update Their Info For Fall Vote

You are being encouraged to contact Elections NB if you want to vote next month.
Residents that may have moved or gone through a name change need to update that before we vote on September 27th.
Paul Harpelle of Elections NB tells CHSJ News reminders are being sent out over the next few days.
Harpelle adds they get information update for the voters list in the province from Service New Brunswick.
To update your info: Call 1-888-858-VOTE (8683) or go www.electionsnb.ca

Ganong To Chair Provincial Business Council

David Ganong has been elected Chair of the New Brunswick Business Council. Ganong is replacing Derek Oland of Moosehead Breweries.

In a release, Ganong says he is focused on areas of concern including a 'greying' population putting more pressure on us to grow a skilled population to offset lower tax revenues and higher health costs.
He also says despite good efforts the province continues to depend on Ottawa's transfer payments for over 40% of its public spending leaving us vulnerable to economic downturns or changes in the revenue sharing formula in the Canadian Federation.

Insurance Board Says Cap Designed To Lower Premiums

A spokesperson for The Insurance Board of Canada says in this province there is a balance of good benefits for those making claims and affordable premiums for everyone that drives.
Bill Adams tells CHSJ News that's because of the $2500 cap for those injured in minor auto accidents.

He says was designed to decrease premiums with a limit on pain and suffering payouts and it has by 35 per cent in this province.
Adams adds he is sure no one will believe him but, the auto insurance industry in this province is considered one of the best with some of the lower premiums in the country.

Group Wants Cap On Minor Accidents Reviewed

A citizens group wants the province's $2,500 cap on insurance awards for those who suffer minor injuries in automobile accidents reviewed.
Hampton resident Frances McConnachie of Consumers for Insurance Fairness says she received $2,500 following an accident in 2004.

She tells CHSJ News the cap punishes good drivers and their passengers while protecting bad drivers.
McConnachie says $2500 for a lifetime of pain and suffering is truly unfair.
She adds since the cap was adopted, insurance companies are enjoying skyrocketing profits.
For more info go to http://www.fairautonb.ca/ or look for the Facebook group
"NB Consumers For Insurance Fairness".

Listeners Respond To Criticism Of Cruise Ship Expansion

Our listeners sounding off on Facebook about the Port Authority's plan to expand cruise ship berths.  The waterfront union and Saint John Lancaster MLA Abel Leblanc are both against the 18.4 million dollar expansion to Pugsley C. Terminal and Long Wharf terminal.

One man says negativity against the idea proves they have no interest in the city growing while a woman is frustrated with the negativity here.
Another small business owner says he wishes some of the other shopping experiences were promoted by the cruise industry.

Another woman says the critics of the project are upset with the 18 million dollar price tag.
While another says the city has too many old ideas and not enough new minds on projects.
She says it's no wonder the young people leave with nothing to keep them here.

If you would like to add your comments just go to the Country 94 page on Facebook.

Looking For RFP's For Four New Ambulance Stations

New ambulance stations will be built in Lepreau, Hartland, Dalhousie and Hillsborough.
Provincial EMS are looking for requests for proposals as they plan the building of four new stations.

The Dalhousie station will be a two bay ambulance station while Hillsborough, Lepreau and Hartland will have one.
The details of the RFP's are being published starting tomorrow.

Delays, Noise And Lights From This Project Today

Motorists are advised to expect delays and residents living near the construction can expect noise and lighting overnight as part of work on the One Mile House interchange along Route 1.
Drivers should know there may be delays of about 15 minutes on both the eastbound and westbound lanes near the Crown Street exit around 2 p.m. today.
A large concrete pour was scheduled to begin this morning and continue until 3am tomorrow morning.

Crime Ring Broken Up With More Charges Expected

Three adults and one youth are facing charges after City Police say they've broken up a crime ring responsible for breakins on the west side, north end and east side. The four will have to answer to charges of break and enter along with possession of stolen goods.

Searches were carried out by police on Kennedy Street and Douglas Avenue as part of the investigation which hasn't ended and, we are told, more charges are likely.

Police confiscated stolen TV's, computers, a gameboy and other electronic playthings.

Two New Fields In City Core Almost Ready For Play

(Barry Ogden Of The City's Recreation Committee)
                         (File Photo)

Two more fields are ready to be used for sports and they're located in a part of town where greenery is desperately needed.

Barrack Green is now twice the size it was before and the manhole covers have been removed from Chown Field to make playing there safer as well as new soil being laid down.

Barry Ogden of the City's Recreation Committee tells CHSJ news 55 spruce trees will surround the fields in green. Ogden says the beauty of the spruce trees is that they provide year round greenery.

John and Ken Irving are also donating multi purpose goal posts and uprights which will be erected this week.

Teenagers Honoured For Saving Man

(Randy White, Jared Laming and Josh Doyle receive Red Cross Rescuer Awards for saving a drowning man)
(Photo by Sherry Aske)

Three teenagers are being honoured with Red Cross Rescuer Awards after saving a man from drowning in Lake Treadwell.

Fourteen year-old Jared Laming and his two friends Josh Doyle and Randy White getting ready to play a game of paint ball when they heard a man crying for help in the water.

Laming says they quickly got into a canoe and pulled the man to shore on a raft. 

He says it seemed like it took along time but it was really only a minute before they saved him.

The Red Cross reports there have already been 32 water related deaths this year in Atlantic Canada and all of the victims have been men.

Fire Call At Irving Tissue

(District Fire Chief Gerry Morris)
             (File Photo)

A fire late last night at the Irving Tissue mill. District Fire Chief Gerry Morris says the fire began near one of the paper machines and was likely caused by the accumulation of dust and paper on the support beams.

Employees acted quickly and had the fire largely extinguished by the time city firefighters arrived without any real damage being caused.

Warning From Longshoremen On Cruise Ship Expansion

(Cruise Ship Docked At Terminal On Water Street)
                          (File Photo)

Pat Riley, the Business Agent for the International Longshoremen's Association, says he's spotted a flaw in the Port Authorities plan to widen cruise ship berths. Riley says you can't put all your eggs in one basket and it's important to have a port with both cargo and cruise potential.

Riley says when you've only got so much money, you've got to be careful where you spend it and there are things like the potash industry which have priority because it's responsible for 60 per cent of the port's operating revenue.

Common Councillor Voices Support For Expanding Cruise Ship Terminal

(Conservative Candidate In Saint John Harbour Carl Killen)
                                  (File Photo)

Common Councillor Carl Killen, who's also the Conservative Candidate running in the riding of Saint John Harbour, tells CHSJ News he's absolutely in support of the expansion of the cruise ship terminal.

Killen says he's aware there are some concerns about the future of cargo in the Port but says he would need more information before making an assessment.

In what could be seen as backhanded criticism of the provincial government, Killen goes on to say he was actually expecting there to be an announcement regarding direct provincial funding support for the terminal, and was surprised to be greeted with a "wait-and-see"..