Update On Suspicious Death

As the Major Crime Unit continues to investigate the suspicious death of 53-year old Mark Fryer, more details are being released.


Officers are asking for your help in locating a person they would like to speak with.
He is a black man, between 25 and 30 years of age, about six feet tall with a medium build.


He was last seen wearing baggy jeans, a golf cap and new sneakers.
Fryer's body was found in the area of Haymarket Square and Crown Street at two in the morning Sunday and died later at the Regional.
City Police can be reached at 648-3333 or call Crime-Stoppers.

Question From The Liberals About Conservative Pledge

(Energy Minister Jack Keir At A Recent Announcement)
                       (File Photo)

A question from the Liberal Party concerning the Conservative pledge to the Port?


How much consultation was done prior to the announcement.
The Liberals have already met with Port officials and have a a meeting scheduled with the Longeshoremans Association next week.
Energy Minister Jack Keir tells CHSJ News, Abel Leblanc has been involved in the meetings despite his opposition to the proposal.
Minister Keir adds the Saint John Cruise industry is also a vital economic tool not just for the city but for the entire Province.

Bellisle Company Gets Some Financial Help

Barrel Enterprises in Bellisle is growing thanks to a cash investment from the Province.


Fredericton is providing a term loan of $220,000 as well as $45,000 through it's Growth Program.

The cash will go toward the company building a new, larger facility and hire eight additional workers.

The company makes saunas, hot tubs, and other products and is hoping with this expansion, they can expand what it builds and export more product into the United States.

Holder Opens Campaign Headquarters

(Saint John Portland MLA Trevor Holder)
(File Photo)

With the writ for the Provincial Election to be dropped next Thursday, some candidates are rolling open the door of it's headquarters.

That includes Saint John Portland Conservative MLA Trevor Holder who tells CHSJ News, the reality is, the campaign has been underway since the first of the year.

Holder says his door to door campaign is well underway and most people he has spoken with are looking for change.
 
Holder also says he has been getting mixed reaction to the fixed election date and it will need to be evaluated once the votes are counted on the 27th.

Lancaster Candidate Speaks Out

(Saint John Lancaster Candidate Dorothy Shephard)
(File Photo)

Knowing that both Lancaster Liberal MLA Abel Leblanc and the Longshoreman's Association don't want changes to either terminal, Lancaster Conservative Candidate Dorothy Sheppard tells CHSJ News, she would never try to take away what Leblanc knows. 

She says she realizes Leblanc and the Longshoreman's Association don't want changes but if vessels are going to be turned away, we have to account for that.

Sheppard says her father was a Longshoreman and she doesn't want to see other aspects of this Port ignored.

Port Authority Reacts To Announcement

(Port Authority Captain and CEO Al Soppitt)
(File Photo)

The Port Authority is pleased with the support and commitment made by the Conservatives.

Captain Al Soppitt tells CHSJ News, he realizes an election campaign is underway and it's important not to put the cart before the horse. 

Soppitt says this project will have a direct effect on the Saint John economy. 

Saint John Lancaster Liberal MLA Abel Leblanc and the International Longshoreman's Association are both not happy with the proposed changes to the terminals and Captain Soppitt says everyone is entitled to their opinion.

Conservatives Make Promise To Port

(Saint John Harbour Candidate Carl Killen and Saint John Lancaster Candidate Dorothy Shephard)
(Photo by Jim Hennessy)

If elected, the Conservatives are making a big commitment to the Saint John Port.

David Alward's government is promising to come up with close to five million dollars for upgrades to the Pugsley C and Long Wharf Terminals.

Saint John Harbour Candidate Carl Killen says over the past four years, other ports in the Province have seen close to $40 million dollars in investments. 

Killen says the cry for help for the cruise industry is a call that deserves to be heard.

The Port says upgrades to both terminals are needed to accommodate the growing number of cruise vessels with an estimated 300,000 cruise ship passengers expected by 2015.

Taxi Industry Needs An Overhaul

(Don Leblanc Addresses Common Council)

Conditions in the taxi industry in Saint John are inconsistent and in need of change.
That from the chair of the taxi advisory committee, Don Leblanc, who wants Common Council to support the creation of the new committee that can make and enforce its own rules.


Mayor Ivan Court says taxi drivers often make the City's first impression to tourists.
Court says it's a hard job to make a living working 16-18 hours a day with part-timers that jump in at prime time and steal an opporotunity for those drivers to make a living.

The city's current taxi by-law does not prevent sexual and violent offenders from getting a taxi license.

Jack Keir On The Election

(Energy Minister Keir Speaks At A Recent Function)
                          (File Photo)

Pictures of David Alward with a mouth full of french fries and Premier Graham dressed as a girl.
Just some of the images that have rolled out during the un-official election campaign and the cry has gone out for politicians to start discussing and debating the bigger issues facing the Province.
Energy Minister Jack Keir agrees and tells CHSJ News, there are some serious issues facing every person who calls this Province home.
Keir says last weeks news release from the Conservatives saying the Liberal Government was considering shutting down church suppers is nothing short of dumb.

Pat Darrah Takes On New Responsibility

Some new duties have been given to the Executive Director of the Saint John Construction Association.


Pat Darrah has been appointed to sit as a member of the Energy and Utilities Board.


As a member, Darrah has been given approval to vote and voice his opinion on all matters that are brought before the board.
His term runs until January.31st, 2015.

New Title For Three City Police Officers

A new title has been handed to three City Police Officers.


The Lieutenant-Governor Graydon Nicholas has appointed Staff Sargeants Jim Flemming, Tanya Leblanc and Mike King as Honorary Aide-de-Camp to his office.

Pedestrian Hit In East Saint John

A man was hit by a car at the intersection of Westmoreland Road and McAllister Drive just before 10.
He suffered cuts to his face and was taken to the Regional hospital to be checked out.

In the valley, Rothesay Regional Police arresting a shoplifter at the K.V. Superstore.
Police tell us the 22-year-old has done the same thing in the City and will appear before a judge this morning in Hampton.

Plan SJ Release Document And Video

(PlanSJ Storefront in Brunswick Square)

The Citizen's Advisory Panel for Plan SJ is releasing a video as the city continues to gather input for the new municipal plan.
A document is being released with the key messages.
Jaqueline Hamilton says the public engagement report includes the results of a workshop held in June.
Over 120 participants attending the workshop from Lorneville to Torreyburn and the urban core.

The Plan SJ video can be found on their Facebook page, on the City's website and in the storefront on the second floor of Brunswick Square.
For more info:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saint-John-NB/PlanSJ-Our-City-Our-Future-Notre-Ville-Notre-Futur/258098854483?ref=ts&__a=24

Council Approves Rezoning For Lorneville Development

A rezoning application for a proposed development in Lorneville touched off a big debate on how the city wants to grow at Common Council.
The proposal is to several hundred units on King William road and could include a convenience store or gas bar.
Chief City Planner Ken Forrest says the report was difficult to write based on the 1973 municiplan plan.

Many around the horshoe like the development itself just not the location.
A motion to defer the matter until October for a financial impact assessment resulted in a tie vote and in the end, council approved the original motion to rezone the property.