Organ Donation Suspended

It might be harder to give the gift of life, the province is temporarily suspending its Organ Donation Program for up to two weeks after a Health Canada inspection found parts of the program didn't line up with national guidelines.

Health Canada found several problems with the program's paper work, including one case in which a piece of information wasn't received about a donor who had a tattoo.

The department expects the Health Canada standard requirements will be in place by fall.

55 Jobs Opening In Fredericton

The country's largest rural broadband provider opening 55 full-time jobs.

Customer care center jobs for Xplornet Communications are opening after a $484,000 investment from Invest NB. The announcement was made today at the opening of the company’s newly expanded offices in Fredericton.

The new jobs are expected to contribute $1.6 million to the province.

Jobs Eliminated at Telegraph Journal

The Telegraph Journal eliminating a swath of unionized employees today in what some see as a union-busting move. According to Union VP and reporter Bruce Bartlett, the external sales department has been decimated over the past year and they aren't buying top brass's explanation that it's due to "technological changes."

Bartlett says only 5 employees are left in the department with the rest of the work being shipped off to BNI's non-unionized news magazine, K.V. Style. He adds they will be filing a grievance.

Last year the newsroom at the Telegraph Journal took a hit when Brunswick news opened up its new production center at Market Square.

Housing Dreams Come True In North End

Carol Ferris has found her dream home in the North End.

Today was the official opening of a new affordable housing project in Saint John, giving a home for low-income families or people with disabilities.

New resident Carol Ferris tells CHSJ news she was staying at her Aunt's home in Garnett Settlement before moving in late May. She adds as soon as she picked up her keys, she was in heaven.

The federal government will invest more than $2-billion in housing projects this year like the 12-unit building at 11 Second Street.

National Track & Field Championships in Saint John

It's never to old for a little competition. Athletes from across the world will be competing in Saint John for the North American, Central American and Caribbean Track and Field Championships in August.

Meet Director Bill MacMackin tells CHSJ news we can expect more than 500 athletes over the ages of 30 (with the oldest being 93) to compete in various track and field events over 3 days.

MacMackin adds about $100,000 has been invested into renovating the Canada Games Stadium with fresh equipment.

If you're interested in volunteering or competing, click here.

House Construction Remains Soft

House builders in the greater Saint John area are basically treading water compared to last year -- Canada Mortgage and Housing reports housing starts are down 22-percent to the end of June compared to the same six months last year.
The federal housing agency says the biggest hit is a 46-percent drop in the number of new multiple residential units going up compared to last year.
Fredericton is also suffering while Moncton is booming with the number of new housing units up just shy of 60-percent to the end of June compared to the first six months of last year.

Busker To Walk Tightrope Across Harbour

It's that time of year again--Buskers on the Boardwalk will be in town starting tomorrow. As usual, there will be loads of acrobats, fire-jugglers, jugglers, contortionists and more performing in the uptown from Thursday until Sunday.

Heather Peterson of the Hardman Group tells CHSJ News one of the acts will be an extra-special feat of derring-do: he's called The Human Who Walks Across the Harbour. On several occasions throughout the weekend, the tightrope walking will be spanning the gap between the two lighthouses on Market Slip.

There will also be concessions and games including at ATV racetrack for the kids. For a full schedule for Buskers on the Boardwalk, click here

Want To Run Away And Join The Circus?

If you've ever wanted to run away and join the circus, here's your chance....Buskers on the Boardwalk is looking for volunteers. Rhonda Cusacks of Resource Development with the Boys and Girls Club tells CHSJ News they've filled most of the spaces to volunteer at the concession stands and midway, there are still a few slots that need to be filled.

The organization needs 8 people to volunteer on Sunday from 12-6, and 2 or 3 people on Saturday from 10-1.

All proceeds from the rides and games go directly to the Boys and Girls Club, with over $13,000 being raised last year. 

Interested in volunteering? Call the Boys and Girls club at 634-2011 and ask for Rhonda and leave a message. Otherwise you can email  at cusacks@nb.sympatico.na.

Pumpkin Patch Robbed

The Saint John Police Force Major Crime Unit investigating a break and enter at 3:30 am this morning at the Pumpkin Patch on Manawagonish Road.

The robbers are said to be young men in their late teens. One has short blonde hair with beige shorts and no shirt. The other was wearing a white hoody, black shorts and black sneakers.

Anyone with information should contact the Saint John Police Force Major Crime Unit or Crime Stoppers.

City Police Want To Curb Graffiti Spread

Graffiti artists are typically smart, introverted young men who need a push in the right direction...that from Sgt. Jim Fleming, giving an update on Saint John's graffiti eradication program. He tells CHSJ News there's a culture of mentoring when kids get into "tagging".

Fleming says sometimes you see nice tags with good designs showing they are talented and below you will see rudimentary drawings which means the artist wants to be like the artist doing the bigger tags or is a wannabe.

Fleming says graffiti isn't a huge problem here--but it does come up from time to time, and is time-consuming and sometimes expensive to remove.

Several Saint Johners Receive Diamond Jublilee Medals

A host of notable Saint Johners receiving Diamond Jubilee medals from Saint John MP Rodney Weston on behalf of the Queen.

The list includes the Dr. Tom Condon, Butch Cogswell, John Irving, Reverend Lloyd Lake and Elsie Wayne.

The recipients were chosen through a nomination process.

Car Prowlers In SJ & KV

Both the Valley and City police forces are battling a stubborn problem....vehicle owners that insist on leaving valuables inside and the doors unlocked.

City police receiving reports of a pair of car prowlers in Forest Hills and in Champlain heights.
Meanwhile, the Rothesay Regional Police telling CHSJ News a group of 5 or 6 youth are prowling neighbourhoods in the River Road area walking onto driveways and checking cars to see if they are open.

No reports yet of anything taken.