26 Crashes In 2 Hours This Morning

There were at least 26 crashes within 2 hours in the southern part of the province this morning.

RCMP says it's due to the weather and messy road conditions. No one was killed from the accidents, but RCMP stress drivers to slow down and take their time.

RCMP warn you to be extra cautious if you have a high sided vehicle and you're driving through the Tantramar Marsh area near Sackville, where high winds will be especially dangerous.

You can dial 511 anytime for road conditions throughout the province.

Local Film Highlights Homelessness & How To Help

A new short film series by the Human Development Council is putting the spotlight on local organizations that assist the homeless and marginalized in our community.

Celeigh Barber-Russell of the HDC tells CHSJ News the inaugural film, From The Front Lines,  portrays an optimistic, hopeful picture of both Saint John's progress and direction in dealing with the issue of homelessness. It brings together representatives from various community organizations speaking about the work they do and why matters

Barber-Russell says the HDC is planning a video series showcasing more of the city's not-for-profits and community groups. To see the film, click here

Construction On Sewell Street, Rothesay Ave & Chesley Dr

Some construction work being done in Saint John that might disrupt your commute...

Sewell Street will be closed to traffic heading east bound for the next 5 weeks until the end of February.  Work is being done on the Carleton-Sewell parking garage from 7 am until 5 pm.

Rothesay Avenue -- near the Mediterranean Restaurant -- will be reduced to one lane in both directions until 10 o'clock tonight while a water main is being repaired.

Chesley Drive is also reduced down to one lane heading east bound until 10 o'clock tonight while a water main is repaired.

Saint John To Host NBL All-Star Weekend

GM Ian McCarthy & Coach David Cooper

Saint John Mills Rats are the proud hosts for the National Basketball League of Canada's All-Star weekend.

On April 13th and 14th, Harbour Station will be filled with the best players in the league who will face off in an East versus Atlantic game.

Mill Rats Coach David Cooper tells CHSJ news it's an incredible opportunity for Saint John. He says we can expect to see about 10,000 people visiting during the weekend from across Canada and the United States. Cooper says in just 2 years the NBL is one of the top 5 competitive leagues in the world, and the All Star Weekend will bring in former NBA players.

Mill Rats GM Ian McCarthy says they'll sit down with the league to figure out player selection in the next few weeks, which will also use a form of fan voting. Although players haven't been picked yet, McCarthy says Anthony Anderson has the best stats for MVP and Jerice Crouch is one of the top 5 scorers.

The event will include a Three Point Shootout, a slam dunk contest, and the Legends Game. Last year Halifax was the host.

New School Will Get Rid Of Portables And Enhance Green Space

The construction of a new elementary school in the Valley beside Quispamsis Middle School will be getting rid of alot of the modular classrooms. There are fifteen of them being used for 300 elementary school students.

The Superintendent of the Anglophone South School District Zoe Watson tells CHSJ News those portables are getting long in the tooth and they have been encroaching on green space.

The new school on Pettingill Road next to Quispamsis Middle School will be able to house 350 students which provides a bit of a buffer should enrollments rise. Watson says there has been a levelling off of the student numbers in the Kennebecasis Valley.

Finance Minister Says He's Not On A Mission To Sell NB Liquor

NB Liquor and every other provincial government asset is being reviewed according to Finance Minister Blaine Higgs.

He says the mission is to determine whether it makes sense for the province to be in that business.

NB Liquor employees fear the liquor corporation is on the selling block and they fear for their jobs if it's privatized.

Higgs maintains the Alward Government is not on a mission to sell NB Liquor but it will have to compete like any other retail business even though it is a government monopoly.

Be Wary Of Slippery Streets & Sidewalks Today

A word of warning from the RCMP for drivers........Road conditions are very slippery from the Kennebecasis Valley to Sussex. The roads appear to be wet but are covered with black ice in many areas so take care.

The roads are slippery in Rothesay and the town letting us the roads have been salted & sanded.    Uptown Saint John tweeting this morning that the sidewalks are slippery uptown.

Countless collisions have been reported in the Fredericton area due to black ice.

Quispam Home Suffers Fire Damage

No one hurt after a fire in Quispamsis this morning.  

KV fire crews called around 9 to the home at 104 Robin Hood Lane and quickly knocked down the blaze.

Assistant District Fire Chief Alick Taylor tells CHSJ News the fire was contained to the basement but the home did sustain heavy smoke damage.

Taylor says the homeowners are displaced for the time being but will be able to get back into the house.

Fire This Morning On West Side

A fire earlier this morning in a two storey apartment building at 278 Duke Street West. It was reported shortly after 7:00. 

Firefighters managed to knock it down quickly with no injuries reported.

One Man Hospitalised After Assault

City Police reporting one man is in hospital for observation after being assaulted near Market Square. Another man was arrested.

Shooting Suspect In Court Today

A 37 year old Fredericton area man will be formally charged in court today following a shooting and standoff yesterday which began at 2 in the morning and finished up late yesterday afternoon with the suspect surrendering to Police.
    
The RCMP surrounded his home in Beaverdam,  just south of Fredericton for hours.
    
The standoff followed the shooting of a woman in the Lincoln Heights area of the city.
    
Police say a 40-year-old woman sustained a single gunshot wound, was taken to hospital where she underwent surgery. After the shooting, Police traced the suspect's car to the Beaverdam area.