Find Your Sleep Cure This Month

If you are or have an insomniac in your life, an upcoming free info session on "ABZZZZ's of sleep" may be the key to your future slumber.

Andrea Savoie of the Atlantic Sleep Centre tells CHSJ News they have many tips and tricks for helping people get a good night's sleep including a ban on caffeine after 5pm.

She says some people can drink caffeine at night and fallen asleep waking up feeling refreshed. Others will have trouble getting to sleep and wake up often never getting into a deep sleep and waking up groggy.

The next info session is coming up September 20th at the Grand Bay-Westfield Centrum.

For more information about the ABZZZZs of Sleep program, call 506-632-5537.

Joshua Group Might Get Former SPCA Property

After twenty years the Joshua Group might have a home.

Founder Bobby Hayes tells CHSJ news they find out on Friday if they have the former SPCA Peacock property.
Hayes wouldn't say how much money is being put towards the property, but he says the numerous trails and outdoor activities available in the area would greatly benefit the kids.

The volunteer run Joshua Group seeks to improve the lives of at risk kids in our community.

McAllister Drive Is Open Again

  

The rain has stopped and the flooding is easing in East Saint John.

McAllister Drive has reopened to traffic. 

Cody Gets 30 Days In Jail

A Fredericton man will spend 30 days in jail for breaching a securities commission order

Michael Cody got the sentence after pleading guilty in provincial court to one charge of violating the Securities Act by breaching a New Brunswick Securities Commission order.

In April of 09, the commission permanently banned Cody from trading in securities and ordered him to pay a $50,000 penalty as a result of his involvement in the solicitation and sale of shares in Locate Technologies and Tubtron Controls to residents in the province.

He continued to trade in securities leading to the charge in provincial court.

East Saint John Flooding Worsens

The City of Saint John has again closed McAllister Drive between Westmorland Road and Golden Grove Road because of flooding.

Majors Brook Drive is closed between McAllister Drive and the entrance to Parkway Mall. 

Rothesay Avenue is now closed from McAllister Drive to Russell Street.  Russell Street is also closed.

Saint John Transit Routes 1 and 2 can't use Rothesay Avenue so they will now be using Westmorland Road.

McAllister & Majors Brook Drive Reopens

City police informing CHSJ News that In East Saint John Majors Brook Drive and McAllister Drive are back open to traffic.

Both were closed this morning due to flooding.

City crews will continue to monitor the road and others throughout the afternoon.

If conditions worsen, the street may be closed again.

Shinerama Takes Over The Uptown

 

UNB Saint John students brave the rain to fundraise for cystic fibrosis.

 

Students are collecting donations for Shinerama 2012 all over uptown Saint John.

 

Volunteers will be in the City Market until 3:30pm today.

 

If you don't want to go out in the rain, you can text SHINE to 45678 to donate 5 dollars.

VIDEO: First Cruise Ship Arrives At New Terminal

Today the new Diamond Jubilee Cruise Terminal welcomed the Disney Magic as it's first cruise ship.

Even though the terminal isn't set to be fully finished until next month, it's now able to take in passengers.

Chairman of Port Saint John Stephen Campbell says we've had about 200,000 visitors this year, and with this new terminal we could reach 300,000. Campbell says it gives us a cutting edge competitiveness in the industry and the positive feedback from passengers they've received is amazing. 

Saint John MP Rodney Weston says it's a real success story on how much the cruise industry has expanded. He says over the years we've built better facilities to handle the growing amount of passengers we receive.

The terminal is a little smaller than the Marco Polo terminal, but it will have a venue than can hold about 100 people and increased security.

The Diamond Jubilee Cruise Terminal is part of a larger cruise enhancement project announced last year funded by the federal and provincial governments.

"Tell Mel Doesn't Exist Anymore"

For the first time since he became Mayor, Mel Norton is getting some flak stemming from the SPCA's threat to close down.

Former Mayoral candidate Matthew Thompson charges you can't tell Mel anything because he doesn't return calls. He goes on to say Tell Mel hasn't existed since the May Municipal election. 

Thompson, who describes himself as an SPCA supporter, says he has heard back from some of the councillors but those who do support the animal shelter don't want their names publicised.

In what may be the earliest such announcement ever, Thompson is already saying he will run for Mayor again in 2016.

Common Council Not Ready to Switch To New Form Of City Government

Common Council has heard all the good things about how well the committee form of city government works in Fredericton but is it ready to take the plunge?

Former Mayor Shirley McAlary, now a Councillor at Large, is willing to give it a shot on a trial basis for six months beginning in January to see how it works.

Common Council decided to hold off making any decision as three Councillors, John McKenzie, David Merrithew and Donnie Snook, were not on hand.

It also wants to get more information from the City Manager.

Now the Tough Part Begins In Sussex

It's going to be tough slogging for the town of Sussex to overcome the destruction of a fire which destroyed two historical buildings in the downtown along with 5 or 6 businesses.

Sussex Mayor Marc Thorne tells CHSJ news the town will just have to come together.
He's hoping to work with the owners at replacing what was lost with something new that will blend in with the existing streetscape.

Some people were also made homeless because of the fire and are being helped out by the Red Cross.

The Fire Marshall is investigating to determine a cause.

Many Roads Closed Due To Flooding

On the West Side, Fairville Boulevard is closed due to flooding between Kierstead Road and Manawagonish Road.

In East Saint John, McAllister Drive is closed between Westmorland Road and Golden Grove Road.

Majors Brook Drive is closed between McAllister Drive and the entrance to Parkway Mall. 

 Retail Drive is closed between Oakland street and Rothesay Avenue.

Major Fire In Downtown Sussex

Several businesses have been destroyed by a major fire in Sussex at, we are told, two out of four buildings across from the train station with 5 to 6 businesses, one of them being Outdoor Elements.

Mayor Marc Thorne tells CHSJ News these were heritage buildings and the fire department had to act quickly to bring one of them down so the blaze wouldn't spread.

There were no injuries and the Fire Marshall will be investigating to determine a cause.



(Photo Courtesy Of Doug Epton)

Today Will "Shine" With Students

Rain or shine the streets of Saint John will be filled with new university students raising funds for cystic fibrosis.

But this years Shinerama fundraiser will be a bit different says this years Shinerama president Stephan Warner. He says often once people receive the iconic blue and orange sticker they stop donating, so they're going to have different themed stations around the city to keep the money coming.

Some of those stations will include a BBQ, henna tattoos, walking tours of the city and even a loyalist costume photo op. Warner says UNBSJ usually raises $5,000 but this year they're aiming for $10,000.

The fundraiser runs from 9:30am until 4 o'clock today. You can also donate by texting "shine" to 45678 to donate five dollars.

For more information, click here.

City Prepares For Storm

The city of Saint John is preparing for possible floods and road closures today.

If you live in areas susceptible to flooding or low-lying areas they're asking you to prepare for possible floods.

Throughout the day the city will be taking care of drainage paths and city police will monitor any possible road closures.

Keep tuned in to Country 94 for updates, or you can click here for the city's website.

New Cruise Terminal Opens Today

It might be a rainy day for cruise ships but it's still a day to celebrate.

Our new cruise terminal will welcome it's first cruise ship this morning.

The Disney Magic will be the first ship in port at the new Diamond Jubilee Cruise Terminal.

They'll be a ceremony at 11:00 am and the first family to step off the ship is getting a New Brunswick prize basket.

Common Council To Spend $70,000 To Find Out City Priorities

Not everyone on Common Council is in favour of spending 70 thousand dollars on a review of core services that will be part and parcel of the ward meetings that start next week on the west side. 

Councillors Bill Farren, Ray Strowbridge and Susan Fullerton voted against. 

Deputy Mayor Shelley Rinehart says she already knows from campaigning what people want but she wants to find out what Saint Johnners are willing to give up in order to get the three top prioities. 

According to Farren, those top three core issues are safe drinking water, improved streets and better recreation but he warns the city is going to be short of money by January because of the financial obiligations to its pension plan which amount to 4 million dollars.     

Mayor Hopeful Deal Can Be Worked Out With SPCA

Mayor Mel Norton is expressing optimism that an agreement between the city and S-P-C-A will be finalised, in his words, fairly soon. 

The S-P-C-A says it needs 200 thousand dollars in the short term and a million over the long run. The Mayor describes the discussions between the two sides over the past several days as very successful.

The Mayor, though, was non-committal when asked what the city is willing to do to help stave off closure.

If the animal shelter has to close its doors, Norton acknowledges it would be the city's responsibility to find an alternative.

SPCA Supporters Frustrated At Not Being Heard

A group of disgruntled S-P-C-A supporters were hoping to make their case to Common Council about the need to save the animal shelter on Bayside Drive from closing as early as this coming Saturday. 

They did not get the chance and held an impromptu rally outside City Hall where former Mayoral candidate Matthew Thompson criticised Common Council for conducting business as usual. 

He claims two members of Council, he spoke to, told him they supported helping the S-P-C-A but did not want their names publicised.

How much money should the city give the S-P-C-A? Thompson telling reporters it should be along the lines of what Moncton and Fredericton contribute to animal control which he claims is from 250 to 280 thousand dollars a year.



Thompson also says he will be running for Mayor again in 2016.