Realtors and Competition Bureau Reach Agreement

The competition bureau and canadian realtors have come to any agreement on competition.
Saint John Real Estate Board president Jason Stephen tells CHSJ News it became necessary after people were discriminating against some business models.

Stephen says real estate boards participating have to be licensed and members in good standing.
Both the Competition bureau and the Canadian real estate board agree that the rules should not deny or discriminate against realtors wishing to offering posting services.

City Man Found Guilty In Drug Trial

A 43-year-old Saint John man is guilty of conspiring to traffic cocaine.

After a long investigation into organized drug trafficking by the RCMP, Rothesay Regional Police and City police, 10 people were charged including Charles William Pleasance.

Pleasance has a court date in Saint John in December for sentencing.

McAdam Moves Halloween Celebrations

Ghosties and goblins in the McAdam area will be out early this year -- village council is moving the celebration of Halloween to Saturday night so it doesn't interfere with Christian worship in the community.

Village council made the decision at its last council meeting -- meantime -- most municipalities including those in the greater Saint John area are celebrating Halloween on Sunday.

Another Corporate Sponsor For The Q-Plex

(Christine Cooper- BMO Bank of Montreal & Murray Driscoll, Mayor Town of Quispamsis)

The BMO Financial Group is the latest corporation to put its name on a piece of the new Q-Plex in Quispamsis.
BMO has signed a ten year deal to sponsor the score clock in the facility which is slated to open in the new year.
The town continues to look for someone or some company to take on naming rights for the building.

Edmundston Area Man Facing Variety Of Charges

A 55-year old man is facing a variety of charges following a police search of a home in Sainte-Anne-de-Madawaska late last week -- the Mounties say they found nine thousand illegal cigarettes - some pot plants - ten guns - and - 600-pounds of moose and deer meat.
The man was arrested and has an early January court date in Edmundston.

North End Center Could Get Makeover

Common Council wants the North End Community brought into the 21st century but it won't come cheap.
The city commissioned a consultants' study on how much it would cost to revamp the building.
A-D-I estimates the city would have to spend 2.9 million dollars over four years to upgrade and expand.
If the choice is to build a new community centre from the ground up, the estimated cost would be in excess of 4.1 million dollars.

Civic Pension Plan Still In The Red

The numbers still don't look all that good for the city's pension plan -- City Manager Pat Woods earlier said a solution would be on the table by late September but we still haven't heard anything yet.
The city has to pay almost five million dollars into the municipal pension plan by November 15th to cover the contributions that are required to be made from January to June.
According to the latest valuation, as of the end of December of last year, the plan was running a deficit of more than 129 million dollars which was 21 million dollars more than the previous assumption.

Dollar Signs Hang Over Fate Of Old Paramount

A feasibility study is expected to be complete by the middle of next month to determine if the Paramount Theatre can be saved by demolition -- Uptown Saint John has taken out an option to buy the building but Mayor Ivan Court seemed less than enthused about the prospect of contributing city money.
One idea being put forward is turning King's Square into a performing arts district.
The city's Cultural Affairs Officer Bernie Cormier tells CHSJ News it's a good idea but would have to be financially sustainable.
Cormier worries this could turn out the same as the failed attempt several years to save the Odeon Theatre across from the Beatty.

South End Fire Leaves 3 Families Homeless

9 people have been left homeless after a fire yesterday afternoon at 28 Harding Street. The blaze began in the rear of the building and spread to 24/26 Harding. The cause is considered suspicious with city police investigating as well as the fire department.

City Looking For Watershed Protection From Province

The protection of drinking water over recreation.......That's the choice facing the new Provincial Environment Minister Margaret Ann Blaney, according to the city, as it wants her to restrict motorised boatiing on the Loch Lomand watershed.

Right now there are exemptions for motor boats but they are scheduled to expire in November of 2011 and the city doesn't want to see them extended.

The Loch Lomand watershed contains the supply of drinking water for most of the city.

(Common Council Candidate John Campbell)

                (File Photo)

There is now a third candidate who will be running in the Ward 3 byelection December 13th to fill the seat left vacant on Common Council when Carl Killen won Saint John Harbour for the Conservatives in the September 27th provincial election.

John Campbell ran as an independent in that election after narrowly losing the Conservative nomination to Killen.

He will be facing Anne Marie Mullen, the owner of the House of tara Irish shop, and Hazel Braithwaite who has been an advocate for heritage preservation along with with co-op and lnon-profit housing.

Friends Of Rockwood Park Want To Make Their Case Before Common Council

The Friends of Rockwood Park are asking Common Council to be allowed to make a presentation before the city's Planning Department makes its recommendations on where development should take place adjacent to the park.

 Spokesperson Joan Pearce tells CHSJ News there seems to be push to approve development even though the city doesn't appear to know where the park's boundaries are.

The group is also presenting another petition to Council with 11 hundred names on it opposing development at or in the park which would include Sandy Point Road.

She also claims if people sold land to the city with the intent of having it as parkland then it would be unfair to allow development on it.

Proposed West Side Shredder Causing Controversy

(Provincial Environment Minister Margaret Ann Blaney)
                         (File Photo)

Provincial Environment Minister Margaret-Ann Blaney says she will be meeting with a number of people related to a proposed 30-million dollar metal shredder at the metal recycling facility on Pier 10 over west after hearing concerns.



American Iron and Metal says the new facility will create 23-jobs. The provincial Environment Department has limited jurisdiction since the facility is located on federally controlled land.


The city has no jurisdiction but the company has a letter before Common Council tonight asking for its support. Blaney tells CHSJ News it's a matter of finding the right balance.

Deer Hunting Season Underway

Bow and moose hunters have had their turn and starting today, deer hunters hit the woods around the province.

Last year, just over 5 thousand of the animals were shot and killed and officials with the Department of Natural Resources expect close to 6 thousand will be harvested over the next month.

The deer hunting season with rifles runs until the 20th of next month.

Military Helmets Display In Saint John To Raise Money For Wounded Vets

It's a new way to honour our veterans as we get closer to Remembrance Day.

The True Patriot Love Foundation has launched a unique fundraiser in which local artists take military helmets and decorate them. Dinner Chair, Elizabeth Rybak tells CHSJ News the proceeds go to wounded vets.

A charity dinner in which some the helmets will be auctioned off is coming up on Thursday night in Fredericton.

The travelling helmet display will be in Saint John today and tomorrow in Brunswick Square.

Cousteau Said To Be Enthused About Marsh Creek Restoration Project

(Tim Vickers of the Atlantic Coastal Action Program)
                 (Photo by Gary MacDonald)

The executive director of the Atlantic Coastal Action Program here in the city says having the proposed Marsh Creek restoration capturing the attention of an international group is huge.

Tim Vickers gave members of the Cousteau group a tour of the Marsh Creek watershed over the weekend and talked about the goal of establishing a walking and cycling trail that would run all the way to Rothesay and Quispamsis.

Vickers says another part of the five year plan would see wetlands enlarged to capture more storm water runoff to ease flooding problems . He claims it's just a matter of will to make the plan a reality.

You can watch highlights of the Marsh Creek tour HERE.