Giant Crane Moves Concrete Off Roof Of Bank

An industrial crane set up on the corner of Germain and King Streets this weekend moving concrete blocks off the roof of the CIBC bank.    A worker telling CHSJ News it was deteriorating and will be replaced.

Suspicious Dumpster Fire Near Lancaster Mall

City fire crews putting out a suspicious fire near Lancaster Mall. 

The call came in just after 12:30 last night that a garbage dumpster was on fire at 651 Fairvale Boulevard. 

When crews got there they also found a quarter ton truck engulfed in flames. 

Fire and police are investigating the incident.

City Roads Don't Make The List Of Atlantic Canada's 20-Worst

With over 80 000 votes not one road from the Saint John area made CAA's list for Atlantic Canada's 20-worst roads.

Gary Howard with CAA tells CHSJ News he's from Saint John and was amazed, but says rural roads seemed to get most of the votes.

Howard says their research shows that 75 per cent of Canadians don't think that enough resources are being put back into our roads from the taxes collected.

Beaverbrook Road in the Miramichi came in as the worst road in Atlantic Canada with over 30 thousand votes.

Howard says they will use the list to follow up with the government to see what is being done about the state of our roads.

Minister Wants More Childcare Spaces

Provincial Education Minister Jody Carr concedes the province still has some work to do when it comes to early childhood education.

The Alward Government wants to raise the number of licensed daycare spaces in the province from 20 thousand to 30 thousand over the next four years.

The Director of the Early Childhood Education Centre at U-N-B Fredericton Pam Whitty tells CHSJ News the province is making the right moves with the goal being every child having access to early childhood development before starting school.

Whitty says making early childhood development part of the education department has many benefits including better facilities and greater access to daycare with better trained staff.

Nissan President Sees Future For Electric Cars

It's estimated 10 to 20 per cent of the car market will be taken up by electric cars.

That prediction from the President of Nissan Canada, Alan Childs, who paid his first visit to Saint John last week.

He tells CHSJ News the volatility of gas prices is uppermost in the minds of drivers these days.

Nissan will start mass marketing its electric car late this summer and fall.

Childs concedes tax incentives will be needed in the short term to persuade buyers to take the plunge.

Ontario and Quebec are offering 85 hundred dollars in tax benefits to electric car buyers.

Disability Awareness Week Kicks Off

This week is disability awareness week and Common Council is taking part. 

Council is holding a town hall meeting on Wednesday night at the Loch Lomond Villa to hold an open discussion with disability groups in the city. 

Barry Freeze with the city's Ability Advisory Committee says the week is about drawing attention to the challenges faced by those with disabilities that people might not necessarily consider. 

A disability simulation exercise is also being held at Millidgeville North School to give students the chance to experience what it might be like to have a disability.

Foundation Still Collecting B-Passes For Charity

The St. Joe's Hospital Foundation is still collecting B-Pass transponders if you're looking for something to do with yours.

Jill Logan tells CHSJ News the transponders can be given to anyone participating in the Dragon Boat Festival or look for a location around the city with a "Pass it On" poster.

She says she's not sure how much money the transponder campaign will bring in because some people have two dollars left while others have ten.

Logan says the deadline to do something useful with your transponder is June 30th, and the Foundation is putting a push on to get them collected over the next week or two.

MindCare Helps Out With Money Raised At Skate To Care

MindCare NB handing out this year's funds from Skate to Care to 17 Saint John businesses and organizations.

Chair Pam Forsythe tells CHSJ News more people may understand mental illnesses because of increased awareness, but that doesn't mean the stigma surrounding them is gone completely.

She says they try to pick groups they think will make a real difference in the community.

Groups receiving funding include the YMCA, the Salvation Army's Centre of Hope Programs, and Horizon Health Network's Mental Health recovery services.