This is World Glaucoma week--the eye disease affects a quarter of a million Canadians and half of them have no idea they even have it.
Canadian National Institute for the Blind spokesperson Rose Misner tells CHSJ News glaucoma involves damage to the optic nerve and sometimes people with normal eye pressure can develop it.
She says it's silent and painless because it happens so gradually and a lot of damage is done but, she says it can be controlled.
Misner adds risk factors for glaucoma include age, family history and nearsightedness.
The CNIB is holding a contest in honour of World Glaucoma Week where you could win a trip just for submitting photos. For more info, click here
The population of the Port City will be growing greatly over the next 25 years and Deputy Commissioner of Planning and Development Jacqueline Hamilton says the city's newly endorsed growth strategy will meet those needs.
She tells CHSJ News a lot of the growth will begin in the next 5 years as baby boomers start to retire.
She says the areas targeted for growth will be able to handle twice the amount of projected growth.
Construction can now begin on a 44 unit seniors apartment complex on Loch Lomond Road. Final approval being given at last night's council meeting.
The Josselyn Road will also be extended as part of the project, despite the concerns of residents that such an extension will be used as shortcut to bypass Loch Lomond Road.
A report by city staff says that would be unlikely due to the shortness of the extension.
The provincial government is saying goodbye to the unpopular branding slogan "Be...in this place".
It will no longer be featured on marketing materials including license plates.
Rothesay MLA and Minister for the Province's Communications department, Margaret Ann Blaney says it's no secret that the slogan is widely disliked.
The government supply of licence plates with the slogan is expected to run out this year.
A report from K-P-M-G is expected to be finished soon on the three options for blood services with the production lab in Saint John scheduled to be transferred to Dartmouth in 2013. The three options being analyzed in the report are transferring blood production to Nova Scotia, going it alone and partnering up with HEMA Quebec. The President of the Medical Staff Organization in the Saint John Region is Dr. Andrea Garland.
She personally she thinks an independent facility would work best and it would still connect to Canadian blood services as does Hema Quebec.
Dr. Garland says an earlier plan to consolidate blood services in Moncton was dropped after intense opposition from Nova Scotia, especially by the hospitals in Halifax.
Common Council giving its approval to Plan SJ's new growth strategy. The strategy will eventually be used as the basis for a new Municipal Plan which will guide development over the next 25 years.
Highlights include a focus on urban development, continued suburban growth, minimal rural development, in other words, building up instead of out.
Deputy Mayor Stephen Chase tells CHSJ the city has reached an important milestone and Councillor Mel Norton describes it as a plan by the people and for the people.
A new Municipal Plan will be created by the end of the year.
Deputy Fire Chief Mark Gillan has a new title......Gillan is now the Acting Fire Chief for the Saint John Fire Department until a permanent chief is found.
He tells CHSJ News it's a huge honour. Former Chief Rob Simonds left the Department last month in order to become Fire Chief in Hamilton, Ontario.
Gillan says he has a great team which will help make his transition very smooth. He says the department is facing many financial and operational challenges but he looks forward to taking them on.
