Big Brothers Big Sisters Need 100 Men

Big Brothers Big Sisters says a shortage of male volunteers will have them looking for a few good men -- 100 to be exact.

Spokesperson Deanna Gamble tells CHSJ News they'll be launching a campaign this fall called "1 year, 100 Men" as there are 130 boys on the waiting list looking for a match.

She says there are different levels of commitment so the program can suit anybody, such as in-school mentoring which only takes one hour a week.

She says it's a life changing experience for both the mentor and child.

Guilty Pleas For Pair Of Break-Ins

Two years in prison for 43-year-old Theodore Glenwood McMorran after he was arrested for break and enters into two St. Stephen area businesses on July 23rd.
 
McMorran pleaded guilty to charges of break and enter, uttering threats along with possession of marijuana and oxycontin.

Convenience Store Owners Say Wage Increases Have Been Too Frequent

The Alward Government is being called on to keep increases in the minimum wage affordable by the Atlantic Convenience Stores Association. 

President Mike Hammoud tells CHSJ News raising the minimum wage in the province by 19 per cent over a period of two years has been too much for many of the convenience stores as profits don't increase at the same rate.

Hammoud goes on to say it doesn't make sense to raise the minimum wage when economic growth is flat or negative.

Driver Gets Two Months For Attention Lapse

A truck driver will spend two months in a provincial prison and pay a 1000 dollar fine for driving without due care and for spending more than 13 consecutive hours behind the wheel.

Last September, 28-year-old Jason Donald Dickison had just crested the Petersville Hill on Highway 7 when the fender of his tractor trailer bumped the back tire of a cyclist.

23-year-old Andrew Wolf of New York was propelled 62 meters forward as a result, and died at the scene of the crash.

The Crown calling Dickison's momentary lapse of attention inexplicable because the Wolf and his fellow cyclists were in plain view, it was a two lane highway, and it was a clear and sunny day.

Dickison is allowed to serve his sentence intermittently, over a period of weekends.

Sewar Problem Causes Rotten Eggs Smell On Rothesay Avenue

The Nissan building on Rothesay Avenue had to be ventilated early this morning.

Fire Crews were called shortly before 5:00 after the strong rotten eggs smell of natural gas was detected.

It turned out to be a sewar backup which caused the problem.

Leaving Canadian Blood Services Will Be Expensive

The Provincial Government has finally released the long awaited report from KPMG on blood services. It concludes replacing Canadian Blood Services with a new provincial blood system would cost tens of millions of dollars. According to the report, partnering up with Quebec would also be expensive.

The estimated start up cost for both options is in the range of 23 to 40 million dollars. In addition, it's estimated the annual costs would be from 15 to 30 per cent higher than staying with Canadian Blood Services. The province contributes about 25 million dollars a year to C-B-S.

 Provincial Health Minister Madelaine Dube says her preferred option is to keep the Saint John blood processing centre open and is vowing to fight for that. It is scheduled to be relocated to Dartmouth a couple of years down the road.

Natural Gas Smell On Rothesay Avenue

Fire Crews called out early this morning shortly before 5:00 to the Nissan dealership on Rothesay Avenue where the strong smell of natural gas was detected.

The building is being ventilated. Enbridge Gas was also called.    

Word Of Warning From Board Of Trade

The President of the Saint John Board of Trade Imelda Gilman says the recent close call with American Iron and Metal almost dropping its expansion is a sign of possible trouble down the road.

Gilman tells CHSJ News there are many land use plans in the city but everyone needs to work together if the city is going to prosper with all of the major landowners such as the city and the port having their land use plans properly aligned.

She says by having everybody on the same page, it will make it easier for local businesses to grow and make the city more attractive to outside investors. Gilman believes the current development of a new municipal plan by Plan SJ can help make that possible.

Saint John NDP Candidate Confident Jack Layton Will Be Back

The woman Opposition Leader Jack Layton is recommending should replace him as interim leader is a rookie M-P but has three decades' experience battling within government.

Layton endorsed Quebec M-P Nycole Turmel as his preferred replacement while he takes a medical leave to fight a new cancer.

Turmel is a former president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, which represents workers in the federal civil service.

Sources close to Layton say he chose Turmel because she's bilingual, experienced and unlikely to ruffle many feathers.

Rob Moir ran in Saint John for the NDP in May's federal election finishing second which surprised alot of people. It was the best showing yet for the party locally.

Moir tells CHSJ News if anyone can beat another bout of cancer, it would be Layton. Even though he looks frail and his voice is raspy, Layton vows he'll return to Parliament in September.