Norton Speaks On Poverty Issues

At a recent forum on poverty, mayoral candidate Mel Norton saying it's the simple things that change the quality of life in priority neighbourhoods.

Mayoral candidate Mel Norton tells CHSJ News morale can be improved by appealing to the youth.

He says investing like the Teen Resource Centre for Youth and by actually providing opportunites for teens giving them a creative outlet to feel good about their community.

Norton says each neighbourhood is different so there are no pat answers--solutions will only come by consultation with members of each community.

Salvation Army Feeds & Comforts Firefighters and Victims

The Salvation Army lending a hand at the fire scene at Charlotte and Princess streets.

The group's Community Response Unit responding less than two hours after the fire began.
 
Darren Wiseman tells CHSJ News it provides a source of food, beverage and comfort.

He says they have been able to give them someone to talk to and point them in the direction they need to go.

Wiseman adds they have been providing to the emergency responders, the displaced and bystanders.

Arrests Made In Uptown Blaze

The Major Crime Unit of the City Police Force says the massive fire at 127 Charlotte street was set on purpose.

A 19 year old and a 20 year old are due in court tomorrow to faces charges and Police tell us a third arrest is expected.

Charlotte Street Fire Gallery

CHSJ News had a bird's eye vantage point on top of the Beatty, where reporter Tamara Steele shot these images.

Demolition Continues At Charlotte & King Street

Fire crews and heavy equipment remain on the scene of a demolition at Charlotte and Princess Streets.

The building must come down as the Saint John fire department has deemed the situation a threat to public safety.

District fire chief Eric Garland tells CHSJ News the power is cut to the burned out structure, the Lantern House and another building next to it.

Piles of bricks and other debris can be seen on the ground on Charlotte Street and Princess Street where crews have knocked down part of the building.

A crowd has gathered in the area to watch it unfold.

Candidate Goes High Tech With Campaign

Tonight you can get some virtual face time with mayoral candidate Matthew Thompson. The rookie politico is attempting to improve his name recognition by connecting with voter via an online coference from 7-10pm. 

Thompson tells CHSJ News it works like this: a few hours before the virtual conference he'll post a link to his Facebook, Twitter and website. Simply click on it and follow the instructions.

Thompson says you can simply create a screen name then fire away with questions, who will be visible via webcam. 

Visit Matthew Thompson's Facebook with a link to the webcast site

here.

The link will be posted a few hours before the Q&A, and will go live at aproximatly 6:50. Thompson encourages people not to be intimidated by the process because even his grandmother plans on logging in.

Post-Fire Demolition to Begin Soon

Onlookers are gathered near the scene of an early morning blaze on Charlotte near Princess street. 

A small crane is preparing to knock down the structure.

The home of the old Lyric Theatre, Korner grocery and an accounting office destroyed by fire this morning.

Saint John district fire chief Eric Garland tells CHSJ News it's not usual for a building this damaged by fire to come down the same day it burned.

A View Inside Burnt Out 127 Charlotte

Photo for the extinguished fire taken from the roof of the Admiral Beatty.

Demolition of Burned out Buildings Set to Begin

Crews ready equipment to tear down the burned out shell of 127-141 Charlotte Street.

Provincewide Study On Cancer Released

When it comes to cancer, where you live matters. That, according to a provincewide study carried out by Inka Milewski of the Conservation Council.

Milewski tells CHSJ News some people might be surprised where Saint John stood which is at the edge of being high. Caraquet and the Gargetown area were among the lowest.

Milewski cautions the cancer types she studied may not be the cancers that are prevalent in Saint John.

Dalhousie, Belledune, Minto and Harvey were highest on the list. Those communities with higher rates of cancer were more industrial and the men in those places were stricken with cancer more so than women.

Starlight Children's Foundation Receives Entertainment Unit

The Starlight Children's Foundation donating a Fun Center entertainment unit to the Child Life Department at the Saint John Regional Hospital. This entertainment unit is valued at approximately  $4,500 and will provide endless distraction for pediatric patients with a DVD, monitor and gaming systems.

Young Mom and Baby Killed in Crash

A woman and her baby daughter have died as a result of a two vehicle car crash in Carleton County. The crash in Glassville claiming the life of 21 year old Kaitlyn Nicole Denny, who was driving when her car was struck by a transport truck hauling lumber.

Her 7 week old daughter, Brianne Rowan, was also killed.

According to RCMP it appears the car entered the intersection crossing directly in the path of the truck. The truck driver sustained no injuries.

Some Uptown Streets Closed To Traffic

Due to the Charlotte street fire, some Uptown streets are closed to motorists and pedestrians.

Charlotte Street is closed from King Square to Horsefield Street and  Princess Street is closed from Sydney Street to Germain Street>

The Saint John Fire Department tells CHSJ News the foam being used to fight the fire is biodegradable, non-toxic and will dissolve.

Rothesay Avenue at the train bridge has been reopened to traffic after being closed to flooding.

Burned-Out Charlotte Street Buildings Will Be Knocked down

An early morning blaze that gutted through the top stories of 127 to 141 Charlotte Street will be leaving a huge gap in the neighbourhood.

A fire broke out around 3 this morning and Fire Chief Kevin Clifford tells CHSJ News the entire building will have to be demolished.

The nearby Lantern House did suffer some damage but it will not be torn down.

22 people have been displaced because of the fire and the Red Cross is providing assistance.

Fire investigators are looking into the cause of the blaze.

Clifford says it was a significant fire because seven to eight units had to respond.  He says for a typical structure fire, a four unit response is typical.

Rainfall Record Set

If you thought we received alot of rainfall earlier this week you were right. On Monday, we recorded 44.3 millimeters of rain breaking the previous record of 26.6 millimeters set on April 23rd of 1986 and then yesterday we got 39.1 millimeters breaking the record of 20.1 millimeters set on April 24th of 1970. Since Saturday night, Saint John received 116 millimters of rain, the highest in the province.

Candidates Tackle Big Issues at South End Q&A

The mayoral candidates and 4 of out 6 candidates for councillor at large gathering at Saint John the Baptist School for a Q&A session. Mayoral candidates Mel Norton and Shirley MaAlary emphasized the need to regain respect around the council horseshoe, while incumbent Ivan Court defended himself as a team player.

Former UNB Dean of Business Shelley Rinehart is running for councillor at large.

She tells CHSJ News Saint John needs to revamp its image in order to attract new investments, and rebranding will mean extensive consultation with the community.

The pension issue, clean water, and jobs also up for discussion:  MacAlary and Matt Thompson emphasized the deficit needs to be dealt with before those things can happen.

Major Uptown Fire

City Fire crews on the scene of a stubborn fire which broke out in a boarded up old appliance store on Charlotte Street. 

It then spread to the adjacent boarded up old theatre where fire was coming through the roof. Fire crews are attempting to stop the flames from spreading to the Lantern House on Princess.

There is a fear the roof of one of the buildings in the block down to Princess could collapse. 

Traffic is blocked off around the block from King Street to Princess and down to Germain. 

Smoke could be seen billowing over the uptown and it set off a smoke alarm in the nearby Admiral Beatty. There's no word yet on whether anyone has been injured.