Landfill Expects To Contribute 5 Million By 2048

A committment by the Regional landfill to give 75-thousand dollars annually back to Grand Bay-Westfield is growing since it first began.
It's now up to 87-thousand dollars a year and it was set up back up in 1997 when the landfill was under construction.
Brenda MacCallum of the Fundy Region Solid Waste Commission tells CHSJ News that money has gone to various projects over the years.

She says they include everything from donations to scouting groups, new playgrounds, sport fields and the new running track in Grand Bay-Westfield.

MacCallum says because the life of the landfill has been extended from recycling and composting, the Fundy Region Solid Waste Commission will be able to invest 5 million dollars back into the community.

Police Busy With Two Stabbings In Less Than A Day

City police looking for the person who stabbed a 16-year-old uptown earlier this afternoon.
The teen suffering a wound to his upper body was sent to hospital and is expected to be ok.

Sgt. Glen Hayward tells CHSJ News that Major Crime is looking into the matter and that the teen is not being cooperative.
The teen came to the fourth floor probation office in City hall after he was hurt.
 
A 35-year-old man facing attempted murder charges after a domestic dispute in East Saint John.   A woman who was stabbed was released from hospital last night.
Brian Andrew O'Keefe is being held in custody until his next court appearance on the 13th.

Uptown Stabbing Update

City police are looking for the person responsible for an uptown stabbing.

Initial reports had the incident taking place on one of the floors of City Hall about 1:30 this afternoon.

Police tell CHSJ News the young man who was stabbed will be ok.

Possible Stabbing At City Hall

Emergency crews responding to a possible stabbing in the probation office of City hall.

The victim has been struck in the shoulder.

What's It Like Being Confined To A Wheelchair

Mayor Ivan Court, Councillor Gary Sullivan and some city hall staffers getting a real eyeopener of what it's like to be wheelchair-bound. 

The Wheelchair Dare is a fund and awareness-raising initiative of Muscular Dystrophy Canada. 

The Mayor tells CHSJ News to make your way about requires a bit of planning beforehand to find the path of less resistence.

Court says he found carpets to be a tough slog and he scraped his knuckles a couple of times trying to get through doorways.

Sullivan, the principal at Millidgeville North, found it very time consuming just to go from point A to point B. 

The City's Cultural Affairs Officer Bernie Cormier says your perspective changes because you're looking up at everybody and they appear larger than if they were at eye level.

A Faulty Toaster Causing Smoke To Fill West Side Apartment Building

A toaster on the fritz may be why smoke could be seen coming from an apartment building on the Lower West Side.

Saint John Fire Department crews responding to 48 Albert Street west just after 11:30 this morning.

All occupants of the building were able to get out safely and no one was hurt.

The smoke has been cleared from the building and there is no damage to the structure other than the smell of burnt toast.

Transit Union Pleased With Support From Councillor

The President of the Saint John local of the Amalgamated Transit Union says the community support on saving city bus service has been positive.
On Boxing Day Saint John Transit will lose 14,000 hours of service, 10 full-time positions and 5 part-time due to budget constraints.
Tom McGraw tells CHSJ News they are pleased with the two motions being put forward by Councillor Patty Higgins at tonight's Common Council meeting.

He says the one they are most concerned with is the motion to revisit the financing and the cuts to transit.

Members of the Transit union are hosting an information picket in front of City Hall today.

City Fire Crews Responding To Smoke In West Side Apartment

City Fire Crews responding to a possible blaze at 48 Albert Street West.
Smoke can be seen coming from the apartment building between Queen and St. James streets.

Last Minute Fundraiser Brings In Nearly $6000

The Saint John music community reaching out to help one of their own over the weekend.

The Christmas Magic fundraiser was hastily organized through Facebook to raise money for Terri-Lynn and Van Russell after his recent double organ transplant in Halifax.
Close friend and fellow singer Elaine Boulanger came to the rescue organizing the show at Portland United Church since her friend is with her husband while he recuperates.

She tells us the expenses that go along with that with her being self-employed and caring for Van at this time will be insurmountable.
Boulanger adds her friends in the music community want to do whatever they can to help her.

As of Friday, nearly $6000 was raised for the Russells from the 400 people who came to the concert.

(photo courtesy of Joseph Comeau)

Minto Fire Leaves Family Homeless

A fire yesterday afternoon in Minto leaves a family of 4 homeless, at least temporarily. 

The blaze caused major damage to their home on Northside Drive. There's no word on a cause.
 
Red Cross volunteers arranged for emergency motel lodging, food and clothing and provided personal-care kits, blankets along with teddy bears for the two children, aged three months and three-and-a-half years.
 
The woman and two children were not home at the time of the fire and the man got out of the home safely.

City Offering Free Internet

Saint John is jumping on the bandwagon with other major cities and offering free public internet.

The City recently announcing that it has joined Freespots, the public wi-fi service. According to Mayor Ivan Court, internet access is a big draw for visitors to the city, especially cruise ship passengers and crew.

The Freespot initiative comes on the heels of the city being named one of the world's Smart21 high tech hotsports by the Intelligent Community Forum.

The Shoppes of City Hall, Aquatic Center, and the market are some facilities already providing the free service.

K-V Man Dies In A-T-V Crash

A 24-year-old Quispamsis man is dead following an all-terrain vehicle accident.

The RCMP say the accident occurred Saturday afternoon along Highway 1 in Pennfield Ridge. 

The rider, 24 year old Ryan McLaughlin died at the scene. He worked as a millwright at Point Lepreau. 

A funeral mass will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on Gondola Point Road tomorrow morning at 11:00.
   

J-D Irving Gets Environmental Award

For the first time in 36 years, a New Brunswick company getting recognized for innovations in energy efficiency.
 
An award from the Canadian Industry Program for Energy Conservation going to Irving Paper for its efforts to reduce its carbon footprint. 

Over the past 5 years, the Pulp and Paper Division has reduced its fossil fuel consumption by 50%.

According to the company, that's the equivalent of taking 32 thousand cars off the road.

Blueberry Hill To Get A Significant Looney Today

The Regional landfill has given $1 million dollars to Grand Bay-Westfield since it's inception.

To honour that milestone, The Blueberry Hill Nature Preserve Trail will receive the one millionth dollar invested by the Fundy Region Solid Waste Commission.

A ceremonial passing of the loonie will take place this morning on the Blueberry Hill trail this morning at 11 o'clock.

Councillor Wants Bus Cuts Revisited

Common Councillor Patty Higgins is calling on her fellow Council members to take another look at the bus cuts that are scheduled to take effect on Boxing Day.
 
Higgins says they may have made a shotgun decision before finding out the city's tax base had grown to the tune of 5 million dollars. 

Higgins also would like to see consultations with the public on the impending cuts expedited. The transit union has begun a "Save Our Bus" campaign.

Liberals On Warpath Over Charging Seniors More For Their Drugs

Shameful....That's the charge being levelled against the Alward government by M-L-A Bernard LeBlanc. 

The Alward government is coming under fire for proposing to charge seniors more for their prescription drugs.

Low income seniors in New Brunswick who qualify for the current drug subsidy co-pay up to $250 a year for their prescriptions. The Alward government has proposed doubling that cost, bringing the total to $500.

The Conservatives placed the draft regulation changes on their website to allow for public feedback but LeBlanc argues, because many of the low-income seniors affected by the changes don't use computers, their concerns won't be heard.

Local Historians Looking For Rockwood Park To Be Protected

Local park enthusiasts, professors and historians want Rockwood park to be named the City's only Cultural Landscape. 

Protecting the park would make sure it stays pristine for future generations and not be sold off for condos and the like.
 
In a letter to Common council, local historians David Goss and Harold E. Wright point to the park's use for all sorts of recreational activities over the years, from the zoo, to spelunking, and riding. They maintain that it's a key part of the city's history.
 
There are precedents for the park's long time protection, like King Square and the Old Burying Grounds.

Rockwood Park is considered unique because it's a largely rural park in the city center. 

Council is being asked to forward the request to the Heritage Development Board for further consideration.

Teenager In Coma After Accident Near Bloomfield

A seventeen year old youth is in serious condition after a dramatic accident on Highway one.

RCMP says that the teenager was driving westbound near Bloomfield when his car vaulted between two overpasses.

The car fell to the road and hit and embankment, landing upside down. The jaws of life were used to remove him from the vehicle.

He was transported to the Saint John Regional, where he remains in serious condition and, at last report, was in a coma.

Arrest Made In East Side Stabbing

City police are investigating a stabbing which took place on the east side in a domestic dispute. 

A woman suffered multiple stab wounds at a home on Richard Street. 

She's in hospital in stable condition. 

One man has been arrested and is expected to be charged in court this morning.

City Will Face Hard Decisions On Its Aging Ice Rinks

The city faces a huge challenge when it comes to recreation in the future and how to pay for it.

So says consultant Brian White who has done a study which shows Saint John has too many ice rinks for its population but he tells CHSJ News there is a regional demand for ice time so they serve more than just the people who live in the city. 

White says most of the arenas around town were built in the 1960's and 70's. As such, they are approaching the end of their life cycle and to replace them, would be a big financial burden on city taxpayers.
 
He adds there is a trend in other cities of multi-purpose facilities where, for instance in Halifax, they have a fire station in one section of a building and a community centre in the other.