A Geary Man Facing Charges After Bust

A Geary man faces charges after a marihuana bust.

On Friday, RCMP conducting a search at a home in Geary and dismantling a grow op with plants in various stages of growth.


The officers also seizing some marihuana. 
A 56-year-old man is due in court next month.

Saint John Is Seen As Trailblazer On Selling Tourism

New Brunswick is one of the only provinces or states where a hotel tax is not charged but that could change with Premier David Alward said to be open to the idea.

There are ten hotels in Saint John which have been charging a 2 per cent hotel levy since 2007.

Paulette Hicks of the Saint John Hotel Association tells CHSJ News tourists don't seem to mind because it's so common elsewhere.

That 2 per cent levy brings in something like 400 thousand dollars a year which is used to sell tourism in Saint John.

Man Dies After Lepreau Crash

A Saint John man is dead after a motorcycle/car collision on Highway 1 in Lepreau on Monday morning.

The motorcycle and the car were both heading westbound and the motorcycle was in the passing lane when the collision occurred.

A 55 year old man driving the motorcycle was thrown from the vehicle and died from his injuries en route to hospital.

A funeral service for David Levenshulme will be held on Saturday morning at St. Mark's United Church on the west side beginning at 10:00.

An RCMP reconstructionist is looking into the cause of the collision.

City Urged To Do Business With The Province And Federal Government Differently

The city's own Intergovernmental Affairs Co-ordinator says there has to be a better way of interacting with the provincial and federal governments so Saint John can get the funding help it needs to help pay for the big projects.  

He says the city usually approaches the province and federal government only when it wants something from them.

Phil Ouellette is also urging better communication between Common Council and city staff.
 
Ouellette wants the new Common Council to stay on message and speak with one voice as a team because for the next couple of years it's going to be tough to get government funding of any kind. 

He warns the city will lose credibility if individual members of Council approach the other levels of government with their own individual priorities.

New Uptown Methadone Clinic Welcomed

The waiting list for methadone treatment should be cleared up with the opening of a new clinic on Waterloo Street. 

Julie Dingwell who runs Aids Saint John estimates there were 300 people on the waiting list but probably alot more in need of methadone treatment who just gave up because they thought there was no hope.
 
Dingwell believes crime will go down as well as health care costs because injection drug users are prone to serious heart disease which is expensive to treat while, on methadone, they tend to take better care of themselves.

Breast Health Centre To Open In Moncton

The province plans to spend over $8 million dollars to build a two story addition the Dr. George Dumont Hospital in Moncton to integrate breast care services.

The centre will offer screening, diagnostic imaging, clinical exams, surgery and therapeutic services.

It's due to open in the fall of 2014.

"Blood Service Will Be As Good Or Even Better"

The delivery of blood will be monitored after the transfer of blood production from University Avenue in Millidgeville to Dartmouth is complete. 

The Chief Operating Officer at Canadian Blood Services Ian Mumford says meetings have been taking place with doctors to come up with a system of measurements.

Mumford adds the results will be transparent because the people on his end are confident the service will be as good or even better that it was before the transfer of blood production to Nova Scotia.

Wellness Minister Says It's Time To Get Off The Couch

The Alward Government wants a new health care plan that's more reflective of today's financial realities.

A health care forum will be held at the Delta tonight from 6 to 9 hosted by Provincial Health Minister Madelaine Dube who's in town to hear what you have to say. 

63 per cent of adults and 24 per cent of children and teens in the province are overweight or obese. Wellness Minister Trevor Holder says that has to change with steps taken to prevent people from getting sick through bad diet and a lack of exercise. 

He points to studies showing for every dollar spent on preventative care, you can save 12 dollars in health care costs. He also argues thirty minutes of physical activity a day, which could consist of a brisk walk, can reduce your chances of getting Type 2 diabetes by 60 per cent.

Another core issue facing the province is the aging population and greater demand for health care services.

Councillor Wants Eyesores Beautified

Tearing down old buildings aren't a problem, but what do you do with the gravel on the land afterwards? Common Councillor John Mackenzie tells CHSJ news he has a solution to the eyesores.

"A lot full of gravel and dirt doesn't look very appealing. I plan on putting forth a motion that in order to complete the job we put in some top soil and seed it so it looks a lot nicer at the end of the day."

An increasing number of Saint Johners have approached Mackenzie over safety concerns with the torn-down buildings in the Old North End. Mackenzie is not quite sure what this will cost the demolition companies.

Changes Coming To Heritage Preservation In City

It will be up to Common Council, during its current mandate, to determine what the right level of regulation is for heritage buildings in the city. 

Chief City Planner Ken Forrest says there has been ongoing debate about this for some time. 

Forrest also telling Councillors there will be reduced funding for heritage properties and that will necessitate changes being made in the programme. 

Last year, 90 thousand dollars worth of heritage grants were handed out to property owners.

Highway Collision At Lepreau

Two people rushed to hospital after a collision late yesterday morning between a car and motorcycle on Highway 1 at Lepreau. 

We're told by Musquash Fire and Rescue the motorcyclist suffered serious injuries. 

The driver of the car was also taken to hospital.

Three Fires Kill Two People And Leave Woman Homeless

The fire department is investigating what caused a weekend fire at 263 Crawford Road on the east side. The fire was contained to the front of the building. 

A Chipman area woman is staying with relatives after her farm house was destroyed in a fire yesterday.  She managed to escape to safety along with her two dogs and two horses.

Oromocto Fire Chief Jody Price is warning about the dangers of smoking in bed after a fatal fire on Highway 102 in the Burton area. A 61 year old woman and her 87 year old father died in that blaze.