Listeners Share Their Opinion On Home Port Study

Would you or wouldn't you want to start and end a cruise in Saint John? The province is spending $50,000 in a study to see the potential Saint John has to be a home port.

And a lot of our listeners sharing their thoughts on our facebook page. Joan McMillan says it would be great....as long as the price isn't way overboard. Cherie Dawn King says she was just talking about that the other day and thinks it would be fabulous.

Ardith Snodgrass is unsure, saying it depends on the cost and where the cruise would be going. Whereas Helen Dawn Saulnier says she would go for it just to avoid airfare.

Linds Tee thinks it's a great idea and hopes this becomes a reality sooner then later. Gerald Hann says he and his wife have talked about this many times and thinks it's time for the province to stop looking and "get er done".

Katrina Dennehy believes this should have happened when we first received cruise ships and would create more jobs. Jennifer Ferron and Alex Matheson are hesitant saying it depends on where the cruise would go to.

You can voice your opinion too, just go to our facebook page.

Winter Plowing Options Still Being Discussed

Common council mulling over the best way to keep our streets clear and safe this winter...common council hearing about what equipment's available and which streets are the top priority. 

Councillor Ray Strowbridge tells CHSJ News he's not entirely happy with how things are being done in Glen Falls, where the only sidewalks that are regularly plowed are those along Simpson Drive.

Strowbridge says there are other streets like Red Head Road that still need to be bumped up on the list of priorities, and he plans on pushing for that next week.

Family Dog Shot Dead

It's something you never want to discover when you come home from work.

RCMP and the New Brunswick SPCA are investigating the fatal shooting of a family pet on Synton Lane in Colpitts Settlement.

The German Shepherd and Labrador mix dog was found lying lifeless on the grass by the owners late yesterday afternoon when they arrived home from work. The dog was last seen alive by his owners when they left for work on Monday morning.


RCMP believe the dog was shot sometime on Monday during the day while the owners were away. An autopsy is expected to be performed to determine the cause of death.

 Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact District 11 RCMP at 387-2222 or Crime Stoppers or 1-800-222-TIPS(8477).

PASCAN Says Won't Have Saint John Flights Until Spring

It's looking like we won't have flights from Quebec carrier PASCAN until at least the spring.

Monique Letarte of PASCAN tells CHSJ news the carrier, which was originally supposed to start flights this fall to and from Quebec City, Bonaventure and Wabush are all delayed.

Although PASCAN won't be operating here yet, it will have flights out of Bathurst starting in November.

A spokesperson from the Saint John Airport says they're in talks with PASCAN and will release more information next month.

More Investment Frauds Are Tried In New Brunswick

There's both bad and good news when it comes to fraudsters attempting to scam you of the money you set aside for investments.

Rick Hancox of the New Brunswick Securities Commission tells CHSJ News more scams target New Brunswick investors than are tried elsewhere but the good news is fewer people in the province are being victimised.

Hancox says more of the attempted frauds are taking place over the phone these days and his best advice is to just hang up because marvellous investment opportunities don't fall randomly from the sky over the phone or by email and don't be bamboozled by promises of an excessive rate of return on your investment.

Anger Over Air Ambulance Service

More controversy on Grand Manan about taking patients to the mainland.

Liberal M-L-A Rick Doucet of Charlotte-The Isles tells CHSJ News a woman who had suffered a heart attack had to wait for a few hours for the Air Care plane to arrive even though an Atlantic Charters plane was nearby but was not allowed to be used.

Doucet is calling on the new Health Minister Ted Flemming to get the policy straight.

He later received an email from the daughter-in-law of the person who suffered the heart attack charging the system in place now isn't working and quite frankly "sucks".

Doucet says it should be up to a doctor to have the final say on which plan is used depending on the urgency of the medical emergency.

Saint John To Host International Skating Event

Saint John will host the 2013 Skate Canada International at the Harbour Station from October 25th to the 27th next year. 

Organizer Susan Taylor tells CHSJ news the event is extra exciting, since it's right before the winter Olympics, so we could be getting a peak at future gold medalists.

Taylor says a big spin off is it'll raise the profile of skating, which could increase registration.

This is the third time the city has staged this event, which is televised world wide. The previous two times were in 1995 and 1999. 

The event will features many of the top figure skaters in the world in head-to-head competition in men, ladies, pairs and ice dance.

For more information, click here.

Charges Laid Out West In Death Of New Brunswick Teen

You might remember that 18 year old construction worker from New Brunswick who was killed while on the job in Saskatchewan back in August.
   
Ashley Richards, originally from Lakeside, was struck and killed by an S-U-V while working as a flag person.
    
44-year-old Keith Dunford of Regina is facing charges of criminal negligence causing death and dangerous driving causing death.

300 City Owned Vehicles Might Need Upgrades

Flashy wheels are way down on City Hall's list of priorities, but there are still $2.4 million worth of replacements that need to be done to the city's fleet of 300 vehicles ranging from 4X4s to salting and sanding equipment. Some of the equipment will be needed for snow removal this winter and Councillor Bill Farren tells CHSJ News it's fine to replace those vehicles...but other vehicles, not so much.

He says he doesn't see the value in handing out fancier cars when they might then have to lay off the employees who were supposed to drive them.

Councillors Susan Fullerton and Donnie Snook saying it would be wise to wait to hear about the pension before moving on the upgrades. City staff is going to come back with a ranking of what vehicles need to be done and why.