Parents Have Another Option On Snow Days

Snow Days don't have to be a complete nightmare of finding emergency daycare or taking your kids to grandma's house at the last minute.
 
The Saint John Y offers programming for kids when the weather is bad and during scheduled professional development days during the school year.

Early Childhood Education Director Janet Towers tells CHSJ News the service is offered at 5 locations in Greater Saint John accomodating up to 60 children each.

She says it's first come first serve and it helps out parents who might be stuck on a snow day with nowhere to send their kids when school is cancelled.

Towers says the Snow Day programs have been offered at the Y for 15 years. 

For more info, click here

Health Care System Failing Some Seniors

If we keep going the way we're going, hospitals will be filled with seniors who have no where else to go: that's the dire warning from NB Nursing Home Association Director Micheal Keating.

Keating tells CHSJ News hospitals, nursing homes, and home support workers rarely work as a unified whole, despite serving the same population. He says that results in duplication and redundancies that damage the quality of care for everyone.

Over 300 seniors, caregivers, health professionals and others are meeting today and tomorrow at the Summit for Healthy Aging and Care in Fredericton, hoping to create a policy document on the changes that are necessary.

Crews Respond To Smoke At Deluxe French Fries

City fire crews are at the scene of Deluxe French Fries on Main street west responding to a smell of smoke.

Saint John Fire Department tells CHSJ news there's no fire, but they believe there's a problem with their ventilation systems that's causing the smoke.

Abandoned Building Owner Not Sure How To Handle Grafitti Issue

King Street's many boarded-up storefronts have become magnets for crude messages scrawled in marker.

Paul Daeres is the owner of the former Pascal and Emerson's building, which has become a popular hangout for a motley variety of people. He tells CHSJ News the look of the uptown is going downhill, with an abundance of abandoned buildings and shady bars.

Daeres says it's easy to see why there's petty crime like graffiti, but he doesn't see what he can do about it. He claims whenever he tries to clean it up, the culprits come back immediately and do it again.

Woman's Body Found

A woman's body has been found along the Killarney Road just north of Fredericton.

Oromocto RCMP say her body was found just before 1:30pm today.

Police are unsure of her identity or how she died.

Legion Asks Knitters To Stop Making Knitted Poppies

A group of 10 Fredericton women have stopped their knitted poppy production after the New Brunswick Royal Canadian Legion asked them too.

Trish Campbell, who works in a yarn shop, tells CHSJ news for over a week they've been donating their time and supplies to create knitted poppies in return for a $5 donation to the legion, with 100% of the money raised going to the vets. She says they thought it would be a nice way to donate money to the local legion.

On Tuesday morning the legion came into the shop and politely asked them to stop due to trademark infringement. Campbell says the group agreed, adding she never meant any disrespect to the legion and it never occurred to them to ask for permission.

The Legion has said they will accept the $800+ the knitters raised, but Campbell says they'll now discuss whether they'll donate the money to Fredericton's veterans' hospital or to a specific legion division. Regardless, she says 100% of the money raised will go to vets.

Campbell says it takes the knitters 22 minutes to create one poppy and have spent about $200 in materials to create them.

According to Campbell in Australia and the UK they encourage people to knit poppies, and she thinks maybe it's time our legion can make a change for the good. She will be wearing her knitted poppy on Remembrance Day.

Arrest Made In Fatal Home Invasion

City police issuing arrest warrants for two 21-year-old brothers, Bradley and Brandon Saia, relating to the home invasion on the west side over the weekend. One of the brothers was arrested early last night.

Bradley is described as 5'10" tall, 145 lbs. and brown hair.  Brandon is described as 5'9" tall, 120 lbs. and brown hair.
A warrant of arrest has also been issued for a 16-year-old involved in this incident.

An 18 year old man believed to be involved in the incident early Saturday morning was stabbed and died of his injuries.


In a release, the City police note any person found assisting or harbouring any of these people may face charges.

If you have seen them or know anything, call City police at 648-3333 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-Tips (8477).

Housing In Province To Remain Sluggish Next Year

The weakened economy is being blamed for lower tax revenue and a rising provincial government deficit and now we hear the housing market next year will be slow.

An analyst with Canada Mortgage and Housing Claude Gautreau is predicting new home construction will be tepid next year and it won't be the best time to be selling a home in Saint John, Fredericton or Moncton.

Gautreau expects a turnaround to start happening in 2014. He says there's no reason to be overly pessimistic because New Brunswick experienced non-stop growth in housing from 2000 to 2007 and 2008 so we're now in the down part of an historical cycle where supply and demand are getting more in line.

Marathon Meeting Held On City Pension Plan

We could have some answers on the city's pension plan later this month.
 
Common Council now has a long-awaited update from the Provincial Task Force on the pension plan but Mayor Mel Norton tells CHSJ News he can't reveal the content of that 5 hour closed-door meeting until the numbers are finalized.
 
In terms of the budget Norton says he doesn't anticipate any delays because city staff are preparing for all possible scenarios. 

The Mayor would like the budget to be signed, sealed and delivered before Christmas.
 
Common Councillor Susan Fullerton is calling for a Made in Saint John solution for the city's pension plan that can be compared to what the Provincial Task Force proposes.