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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Delay In Full Re-Opening of Harbour Bridge










The full re-opening of the Harbour Bridge is going to take a few extra weeks.

General Manager Ken Anthony tells CHSJ News the final westbound lane was suppose to re-open tomorrow but instead they will do a gradual reopening beginning this Thursday.

He attributes the recent rain and snow as the cause of the delay.

The westbound lane will be begin to open up closest to the toll plaza.  The process is expected to take a few weeks.

The Y And The Q-Plex Will Team Up

The Y and the Q-Plex are teaming up.

The Saint John Y will have 500,000 square feet to operate in new recreational facility in Quispamisis.

Chief Operating Officer Shilo Boucher tells CHSJ News the programs they now offer at the Recreation Centre will move to the new building after they open.


She says they currently offer after-school, pre-school, playschool and zumba and it will allow them to offer more programs and it will also include a new playground.
Boucher says the children from their centre even had input on the playground equipment they like the best.  The Q-Plex is slated to open on January 1st.

Harvey Station Man Gets Canaport LNG Scholarship For Medical School

A 38 year old father of two from Harvey Station has been chosen for a scholarship to attend the Saint John medical school. Sheldon Wood has a Bachelor of Computer Science Degree from U-N-B and worked as an I-T consultant for 15 years.
He says he enjoyed his work but he was not getting the sense of fulfillment he was longing for.

Canaport L-N-G is creating the 4 year scholarship that will provide Wood with 35 thousand dollars a year for full tuition, books, equipment and living expenses. Adolpho Azcarraga is the General Manager at Canaport.


He says they are always looking for ways to be involved more in the community and they have been focusing on education and community with needs.

Wood tells CHSJ News he wants to remain in the province after graduation and is looking at becoming a family doctor.

Lacey Says A Tax Hike Is Not The Answer

The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is concerned about what it's hearing at the economic summit in Moncton on the future of the province. The federation's Atlantic Director Kevin Lacey tells CHSJ News speaker after speaker is talking about the need to raise taxes.

He says this province doesn't have a tax problem it has a spending problem and in order to balance the budget the government should look at spending cuts first.

Lacey maintains families in the provnce can't afford higher taxes because average weekly earnings fell this year by .2 per cent while inflation rose by 1.8 per cent so they're falling behind even without taxes going up.

Coon Says Lepreau Delays Are A Neverending Story

The Executive Director of the Province's Conservation Council calls delays at Point Lepreau a neverending story with an endless cost.
David Coon tells CHSJ News this is exactly what the previous Lord government was warned about and he suggests the Alward government turn it into a decommissioning project.


He says that would employ quite a few people and it's partially down now because of the work to tear the reactor apart.
Coon adds NB Power has no guarantees from Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd that the reactor will even work up to expectations.

Common Council Gets Assurances Over Pension Threat















(City Manager Pat Woods)
         (File Photo)

City Manager Pat Woods is trying to reassure Common Councillors over a warning that city assets could be seized if the city doesn't make scheduled contributions to its pension plan.

Woods told Council if the city's request to have its payments deferred for a year is approved, the whole issue of city assets being seized becomes moot. He also told council members the city has met with the Superintendent of Pensions to keep her informed of what's going on. He describes the meeting as positive.

Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase, who chaired the meeting in the absence of Mayor Ivan Court, urged M-L-A's to pass the recommended changes passed by Council last week.

Speed Limit To Be Reduced Along Loch Lomand Road













(Saint John Common Councillor Joe Mott)
          (Photo by Brian McLain)

Common Council voting to reduce the speed limit along much of Loch Lomand Road by 10 kilometers an hour to 60 clicks and hour but not everyone is in favour.

Councillor Donnie Snook voted against saying there are no sidewalks for the most part and he doesn't see many people walking along the road.

Councillor Patty Higgins voted in favour says Loch Lomand Road has 2 per cent of the city's traffic but 4 per cent of the crashes that take place around town happen there.

Councillor Bruce Court is also in favour of the lowering the speed saying its dangerous to be going too fast near the entrance to the oil refinery when big tanker trucks are pulling out.

Another east side council member, Joe Mott predicts plenty of speeding tickets will be handed out once the change is made.


City Police Investigating Fire And Arrest Man Wielding Axe In North End









Arson is suspected after a minor fire at 7 Eadley Court which is now being investigated by city police and the fire department. The smell of petroleum prompted a call to the fire department which discovered the vinyl siding at the side of the bungalow had been burned. There wasn't much damage as it turned out.

City Police also nabbing a 20 year old man who was in the area of Main Street and Douglas Avenue brandishing an axe. Police believe he was upset after an argument with his girl friend but is now facing charges of disturbing the peace and possession of a weapon.