Teen Charged In Charlotte Street Fire May Never Stand Trial

19 year old Samuel Nolan will be sent back to Restigouche for further mental health evaluations. The court was told doctors are concerned about his mental capability.

He was arrested, along with two others, in connection with the Charlotte Street Fire in late April which destroyed a convenience store at the corner of Princess Street, the boarded up Lyric Theatre and another building.

Provincial Court Judge Anne Jeffries says Nolan may never face a trial because of his mental capabilities.

He was found unfit to stand trial back in May and it will be up to a review board to determine if his status changes.

NDP Candidate Makes Election Promise

NDP candidate for the vacant Rothesay MLA seat Dominic Cardy is out of the hopper first with an election promise.

Cardy says if elected, he will introduce the Rothesay Charter to End Patronage.

The charter will include a ban to hiring based on political affiliation, with the exception of employees directly employed by elected officials. It would also include new rules for hiring CEOs of Crown Corporations, that would require an impartial hiring process controlled by an independent third party.

The election takes place June 25th.

Four People Charged In Armed Robbery

Four people being charged in the armed robbery of Handi's Convenience Store on Gull Street.

18 year old Nicholas Roy, 21 year old Samantha Joanne Hopey, 20 year old Jeremy Robinson and a 16 year old girl are facing charges of armed robbery. The 16 year old can't be named because of her age.

A shotgun was used but no one was injured. 

Robinson and Roy are also charged with having their faces concealed while committing the holdup.

All four have been remanded to jail and the court was told by the prosecutor the minimum sentence for armed robbery is four years in prison.

Common Council Will Not Have Free Reign Over Pension Changes

Some city employee groups, like the firefightes union, expressing concern over the repeal of the City of Saint John Pension Act.

The changes now allows the city to make changes to the pension plan without needing a sitting of the Legislature.

But Common Councillor Ray Strowbridge tells CHSJ News council will not have free reign over the plan as final approval still lies in the hands of the Superintendent of Pensions.

He says dealing with pension deficit will be easier because council will not be at the mercy of the timetable of the Legislature.

Flaherty Will Hear Premiers On EI Concerns

The four Atlantic Premiers expressing concerns for seasonal workers under the impending employment insurance changes.

Among the proposed measures, repeat recipients of the E-I program would have to consider lower paying jobs that could require longer travel.

Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty tells CHSJ News he is willing to hear them out and wants to dispel any misinformation that may be out there.
 

Flaherty says consultations were done earlier this year with the various premiers on setting EI rates.

Traffic Backups Expected Off Highway Out East

Road Construction on Rothesay Avenue near the off ramp by Strescon off the highway will be continuing today.  

Only 2 lanes of traffic will be open and we have been told by our road warriors that, at times, the traffic has been backed up all the way to the highway so you might want to take another route, if possible.

Gas Is Cheaper

If you held off getting gas yesterday, you made the right choice with a significant decline after the weekly setting

Self serve regular in the city has dropped by more than 2 and a half cents and is going for $1.23.2 a litre. 

Diesel is down by the same amount at $1.24.2. 

The price of heating oil has dropped by over 4 cents a litre to $1.08.1 and propane also four cents a litre cheaper with the listed price being 93.8 cents.

Hampton Woman Arrested After Shots Fired

A 48 year old Hampton woman arrested after a  shotgun was fired inside a mini home at the Hampton Trailer Park.

Rhonda Aubin has been charged with uttering death threats with additional charges pending. 

She will undergo a 5 day psychiatric assessment and return to court in Hampton on June 11th. 

There was one other person in the trailer at the time but she was not hurt.

Sussex Man Who Was Wanted Behind Bars

A 32 year old man wanted on charges of assault with a weapon and uttering death threats dating back to 2010 has been arrested by the RCMP in Sussex. 

Police making the discovery of the outstanding charges following the arrests of Jason McPhee of Sussex and a 26 year old woman woman after frozen food and clothing were stolen from a home in the town. 

The two were nabbed after a taxi was stopped on Highway 1 near Norton.

Arrests Made After Armed Robbery

City Police making four arrests after an armed holdup on the East Side. 

The robbery taking place at a convenience store near Retail Drive. 

No one was hurt and the four will be formally charged later today in court.