Province Launches Taxpayer Website

The Alward government looking for your input on how to help balance the province's books.

They have launched a website called Taxpayers FIRST, which gives snapshots of our fiscal woes as well letting you submit ideas on how to turn things around.

The schedule for the 2012-2013 pre-budget consultations are also on the site -- the Saint John meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 16th.

To go to the site, click here.

Harbour Passage Reopens While Several Parks Close Down For The Winter

Good news for Harbour Passage fans: it is open for the winter

A release from the city says there will be ongoing work under the bridge during the winter which may close the walking trail from time to time.

Closure of Harbour Passage is expected this spring when construction on the Harbour Bridge resumes. The Main Street Bike Lane will be open when Harbour Passage is closed next year.

Conversely, several parks are also closing up for the winter except in the case of certain winter activities: Fort Howe, Dominion Park , Little River Reservoir, and Tucker Park.

Conservation Council Wants Inquiry Into NB Power Spill

The Saint John Chapter of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick is calling on the Premier to hold a public inquiry into the recent heavy water spill and other incidents at the Point Lepreau generating station.

Chairwoman Sharon Murphy-Flatt tells CHSJ News details about the spill have been left out, such as clean-up workers being trapped in the radioactive area due to an air locked door failure.

She says the company has a culture of secrecy and cutting corners as it also took them 3 weeks to inform the public that chemicals had leaked into the Bay of Fundy.

She believes the safety incidents point to a larger problem and must be addressed.

Parents In Morna Heights Continue Fight To Save School

The Morna Heights Parents School Support Committee making a final appeal to save the local school from closure. 

Lori Nason of the Parents Committee says enrollment will be rising because of all the young families moving into the area who have children.
 
More than 100 homes have been sold in the community since 2008. Nason also warns a new school in Grand Bay-Westfield could get overcrowded quickly because of all the new housing expected to be built in the town.

Nason maintains the proposal could be amended to close down the two schools in Grand Bay-Westfield but leave Morna Heights alone.

Quispamsis Mayor Says Town Should Have Been Notified Of Seismic Testing

Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll says he wasn't aware Windsor Energy carried out seismic testing for shale gas within the town limits without approval but he now wants more information from the government.

The Mayor would also like to know what was found because he was unaware there are any natural gas deposits undergound in the town. 

The legislature was told the seismic testing took place last October along a provincial highway.
 
Driscoll says he couldn't speculate on how town council would have voted had the company sought permission beforehand. 

He does say the fact it was carried out without the town being notified is a concern.

Ruling Made On Richard Oland Search Warrants

The search warrants in the Richard Oland murder investigation will remain sealed for at least the next six months.That ruling made by Judge Leslie Jackson of Woodstock who says the ban will extend until June 15th.

He concluded information in those search warrants might harm the rights of the innocent. 

The 69 year old Oland was murdered last July in his office on Canterbury Street. City Police have not said how he died but they think he knew his killer. 

The searches have included the home of Oland's son, Dennis on Gondola Point Road in Rothesay, a wooded area in Renforth and a sailboat that was docked at the Kennebecasis Yacht Club in the name of Oland's wife, Lisa. 

The prosecution had offered to release redacted information from the search warrants after claiming release of all information would compromise the ongoing investigation.