Health Officials Explain Temporary Hospital Closure

A meeting is being held tonight at the Saint John Regional Hospital at 7 o'clock to address questions and concerns as to why St Joseph's Hospital was closed for two days.

Dr. David Marr tells CHSJ news a patient who has a rare brain disease was operated on in St Joseph and as a result the operating rooms were heavily sterilized.

The patient has Creutzfeld-Jakob disease, which is fatal and attacks brain tissue.

Dr. Marr adds about $150,000 dollars worth of equipment that was used on the patient was thrown out to make sure there would be no risk of cross contamination.

Dr. Marr says he's reassuring patients that were affected by the hospital closures that they aren't at risk at contracting the rare disease.

Teen Dies From Injuries

An Ontario teen hurt in a crash near Hanwell late last month has died from his injuries

The 17-year-old boy from Brampton passed away in hospital on Monday because of injuries he got in a collision on July 28th on the TransCanada Highway in Hanwell.  The boy was one of four people of a vehicle that left the road and rolled.

A 49-year-old man, 41-year-old woman and 14-year-old girl were also hurt in the collision.

Tons Of Trucks Coming To Saint John

A new event is rolling into Saint John!

50 to 100 trucks will be coming to Long Wharf on September 29th for the 'Touch A Truck' fundraiser. The event raises money for First Steps Housing Project.

Director Sharon Amirault tells CHSJ news the event is a first for Saint John. It will allow kids to fulfill their dreams of seeing real big trucks, where they'll be allowed to sit in them and get a picture.

Amirault adds they'll be a small admission fee, a barbeque, and merchandise (t-shirts, hard hats) with proceeds going towards First Steps.

She hopes to raise between thirty to forty thousand dollars for the centre that offers support for young mothers.

For more information, click here.

The Wiggles Are Coming

Parents and kids may be squealing from Sussex to St. Stephen with word the Wiggles are coming to Harbour Station this fall.

The children's entertainers known as the Fab Four from Down Under are coming to Harbour Station on October 14th with their brand new show called
"Celebration".

The Wiggles are made up of Anthony, Greg, Murray, and Jeff and they have been enteraining kids worldwide for 20 years.

Tickets go on sale on Monday at 10am.

Catholic Diocese Makes Changes

Bishop Robert Harris announcing some significant changes to churches in the Saint John diocese.

Parishioners hearing the news in Sunday morning services in a letter written by the bishop.

Monsignor Brian Henneberry, rector of the Cathedral parish on Waterloo Street is leaving and taking over at St. Pius while their pastor Reverend Douglas McNeil will move to the Cathedral.


Reverend Owen Burns who was ordained in June has been appointed to St. Dunstan's parish in Fredericton. 



Reverend Noel Shin who was responsible for Korean members of the diocese is returning home to Korea by the middle of this month.

The other changes take effect September 5th.

Police Arrest Missing "Dangerous Offender"

City Police arrested the missing "dangerous offender"  who walked away from a halfway house in the city.

21-year-old Brandon Anderson was charged in provincial court this morning for being unlawfully at large and was sentenced to two months.

A Canada wide warrant for Anderson was issued at the end of July after he didn't return to his halfway house in the city.

Anderson was found by City Police Monday afternoon standing on a sidewalk in the South end. He was arrested without incident.

Anderson was convicted of manslaughter after stabbing a 21-year-old Quebec man to death during a Halifax party four years ago.

Could Common Council Be Suffering From Decision Fatigue

Studies have shown it's best if important decisions are made early in the day before decision fatigue sets in. So where does that leave Common Council where decisions involving the spending of millions of dollars are made late at night after marathon meetings.

Late night decisionmaking doesn't lead to good decisionmaking according to City Manager Pat Woods.

He's in favour of switching over to a committee form of local government where the time consuming debates would take place before the various committees at different times.

Woods also argues having so many items on the Council agenda with so little time to deal with them, limits public involvement.

Ten People Receive Highest Honour In Province

The province's top honour being given to two Saint Johnners.
 
The Order of New Brunswick is recognizing Arthur Irving for his contribution to the economy and environment as head of Irving Oil while Ann-Marie Tingley receives the honour for her years of volunteering.
 
There were ten recipients this year including jockey Ron Turcotte who's best known for riding Secretariat to wins in the Triple Crown back in 1973.

Common Council To Review City Boards, Agencies And Commissions

A fullscale review of all the boards, commissions and agencies that make up city government is in the works.

A new member of Common Council, David Merrithew in Ward 4 questions whether the city needs 40 of them and perhaps there could be mergers such as the Transit and Parking Commissions joining together. 

Ward 3 Councillor Donnie Snook, who was re-elected in May, says this has been requested before back in 2009 and he assumes some work was done even though nothing was decided.

Past members of previous Councils have been frustrated over now having a say at how as much as half the city budget is spent.

Former Mayor Shirley McAlary, who's now a Councillor at Large, says term limits for appointees could be something that's looked at.  

Pharmacists In Province Want Larger Role

The Alward Government has promised to come up with a new health care plan over the next few months and pharmacists want to be part of that with a larger role in the health care system of the future.

 The Executive-Director of the New Brunswick Pharmacists Association Paul Blanchard tells CHSJ News there's no one who knows more about prescription drugs than your pharmacist after years of study, even more so than doctors.

Blanchard points out more than half of New Brunswickers say they suffer from chronic disease which involves taking medication and one in 9 visits to the emergency room is caused by an adverse reaction to drugs.
 

Easier Access To Beer, Liquor And Wine Will Be Up To M-L-A's

It will be up to the politicians to decide if, at some point, you'll be able to buy liquor beer and wine in corner stores and supermarkets. That word from Assistant Deputy Public Safety Minister Mike Comeau.

The provincial government is reviewing liquor regulations with word sales of beer and liquor are down........Beer by 7.4 per cent. 

Some people say the sales are down because the prices are too high.

Comeau tells CHSJ News any regulatory changes won't be made until late this year or early 2013.

NB Liquor has proposed opening up more agency outlets in the fall in an effort to boost sales.

A Busy Night For The Fire Department

The fire department getting a call early last night about a boat taking on water at 1023 Kennebecasis Drive. 

The water rescue boat was deployed and the Coast Guard also got involved. 

The boat was found near the Kennebecasis Island ferry after having a mechanical breakdown with three young men on board who were alright, if a bit shaken up. 

Platoon Chief Joe Armstrong says they got an unusual call a little while later to where construction is taking place at Crown and King Street East. A half ton truck was found up on the construction barriers but it was empty and no one was around. A tow truck was called to remove the truck.

Also last night, a man suffered a broken leg in an A-T-V accident at 3115 Golden Grove Road.