Senator Says Ottawa Must Take A "Sober Second Look" At Tepper Case

A Provincial senator believes the Federal government is passing on info about jailed provincial farmer Henk Tepper.
Senator Pierrette Ringuette tells CHSJ News the RCMP confirm they handed over personal and business info about Tepper to the Algerian government in 2008.
She says this flies in the face of Ottawa's stance to not get involved in the legal affairs of a sovereign nation.

Ringuette says this is bogus and an excuse not to intervene and not to help Mr. Tepper come back home.
Tepper has been in a Lebanon prison since March after being accused of trying to import bad potatoes.

Drug Charges Lands Bathurst-Area Man In Jail For 3 Years

A 48-year-old man from the Bathurst area is going to prison for 3 years in connection to a drug bust last month.

Thomas Peter-Paul of Rosehill was arrested back in July -- RCMP seized 17 pounds of marijuana, 40 pounds of hashish cannabis resin and six rifles from two homes in the Bathurst area.

A 44 year old man from Chamberlain Settlement was also arrested and he will be in court in October.

Trial Waits For Sex Trade Ruling

A trial regarding the operation of a brothel on Waterloo Street being postponed until a decision is made on the state of Canada's prostitution laws.

An Ontario Superior Court judge ruling in September that laws banning bawdy houses actually endangered sex workers by forcing them to work on the street.

The lawyer of 50-year-old Yen Nei Lee and 49-year-old Yen Nei Lo asking they not be tried until October in hopes the Ontario Court of Appeal will make a ruling on the laws.

Lee and Lo were charged in February for running a brothel out of the Sun Flower Spa on Waterloo Street.

Community Garden Officially Opens

Residents in the Courtney Bay area can give their green thumbs quite the work out thanks to the grand opening of the Stephen Park Community Garden.

Community Co-ordinator Debbie McLeod tells CHSJ News it's a great opportunity for everybody in the neighbourhood as nearby apartment residents don't have space for a  garden.

Meanwhile, resident Carolyn MacLennan says the garden has brought everybody closer together and gives everybody a wonderful meeting area.

McLeod says there is already a growing waiting list for people who want to take part in the garden next year.

Food Prices On The Rise

It's costing us more money to put food on the table.

The Common Front for Social Justice says in their latest study, they looked at food prices over the past year at three of the major supermarket chains.

Spokesperson Jean-Claude Basque tells CHSJ News there has been a definite jump in the price of groceries.

He's hoping that by pointing out the increases, it will encourage people to take a closer look at their budgets and create pressure to get prices lowered.

He says according to a previous study, food prices from 2006 to 2010 have jumped by over 20 percent.

The full results of their latest study will be released tomorrow.

City Happy With New High Tech Street Markings

They're alot more expensive but the new, more durable street markings being tested by the city are lasting alot longer.

The Manager of Pedestrian and Traffic Services for the city, Tim O'Reilly says they put the preformed thermoplastic that's heat set into the road along with 3M Pavement Marking Tape to the test at McAllister Drive and Rothesay Avenue, one of the busiest areas for traffic in the city.

It's still intact and likely won't have to be replaced for another year while paint only lasts a few months before it's worn away.

Sergeant Jeff LaFrance of the City Police traffic division says their job is made more difficult if the markings wear away because it's harder to make charges stick if they go to court.
 
He adds driving is made more dangerous if the right turn indicator is not visible in a right turn only lane.

Paramedics Not Facing Layoffs

Despite possible cuts at the Horizon Health Network, they will not impact paramedics in the Province.

An Ambulance New Brunswick spokesperson clarifying to CHSJ News that paramedics in this province are not Horizon Health Network employees.  But, they are members of the same union, Cupe 1252, but they are not facing job cuts.

ANB has no layoffs planned and is looking to place all Atlantic Paramedic Academy graduates.

Police Deal With Road Rage And Robberies

Police are grabbing for the handlebar after two late night robberies involving bicycles. Sergeant Lori Magee says cops are following up after a 17-year-old was was approached by two people on bikes while he was walking on King Street. She says the second robbery took place a short while later at the corner of Main Street and Metcalf, again involving two men on bicycles.  Magee says she doesn't know if the two robberies are related yet.

Magee says police have arrested a 22-year-old man in connection with a Sunday night robbery in the north end. She says the victim was confined to his house using a weapon and did suffer minor injuries from the incident.

And a 56-year-old man will appear in court at a later date after displaying a case of road rage on Main Street West. A woman stopped her car after veering to avoid an oncoming vehicle when the other driver came over and assaulted her.

Highway Closure Scheduled Tonight

A traffic note to keep in mind if you plan on travelling Highway 1 tonight: The highway will be closed at the point where the Chesley Drive off-ramp crosses over from the Harbour Bridge on-and-off between 7pm and midnight.  

The closures will last for about 15 minutes at a time and then traffic will be allowed to pass.

Crews will be performing hydro demoliton on the off-ramp, and there is a risk of concrete falling onto the highway.  Police will be monitoring the area and you're asked to expect traffic delays.