The CAA Offers Winter Driving Safety Tips

Driving can be tricky when the temperature dips below zero, but the Canadian Automobile Association has some tips on getting around safely this season. 

Gary Howard of the CAA says firstly its important both you and your vehicle are winter-ready. Howard also says you have to remember it's not just you on the roads so when you are driving in bad weather, drive defensively. And you should also adjust your driving to the weather conditions as posted speed limits are only for ideal driving conditions.

He says you should also know you need more braking distance when roads are slippery no matter what type of vehicle you have. For even more safety tips on safe winter driving from the CAA, click here.

$1.5M Worth Of Damages In Unsolved Arson Case

The RCMP in Minto are looking for information about the destruction of some forestry equipment in Hardwood Ridge.

Yesterday morning, a wood chipping machine and a skidder machine were found burned about 13 kilometers out on a logging road between Minto and Chipman.

It's believed the equipmen, which belonged to a private company, was deliberately set on fire. The damage is estimated at $1.5 million.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Minto RCMP at 506-327-1820. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at www.crimenb.ca or 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Mounties Charge One Of Their Own

A 50 year old Mountie is facing charges following a drug trafficking investigation by Nova Scotia RCMP that began in January of this year.

Constable Albert Michelin was charged with one count of trafficking cocaine and two counts of possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.  

He has been suspended from duty with pay since earlier this year  because of unrelated code of conduct investigations.

Before his suspension, Michelin has been posted on the Tobique First Nation since 2010.

VIDEO: South End Church Demolished

A disused church in the South End was demolished today to make way for a new shelter for at-risk and homeless youth.

The St. James Anglican Church on Broad Street had been empty for seven years before the Anglican Diocese donated the site to Safe Harbour Transitional Youth Services.


The church was over 140 years old, but wasn't in good enough condition to be saved.

Community Development Coordinator Jenny O'Connell tells CHSJ News it's a much-needed project.

The youth shelter will be the first of its kind in New Brunswick and is expected to be operational by next summer. 

Check out a video of the tail end of the demolition here. 

Fire Department Warning About Portable Heaters

Portable heaters will be used over the next few months by many people to keep warm as the temperature drops but you have to be careful where you place them to avoid setting your home on fire. 

Divisional Fire Chief Mark Wilson says they can be a fire hazard and should be kept at least three feets away from combustibles, things like your furnace, fireplace and woodstove. 

Portable heaters should also be switched off when you leave the house or turn in for the night.

Job Subsidies To Rich Corporations Being Questioned

Some eyebrows being raised over whether the Alward Government should have given T-D a subsidy of 2 million dollars in training costs for the creation of 275 jobs at its insurance call centre on Rothesay Avenue over the next three years.. 

The Atlantic Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, Kevin Lacey tells CHSJ News it smacks of desperation on the part of the provincial government and calls it a race to the bottom, saying if you do it for one company, other firms will expect subsidies as well. 

Lacey also points out T-D isn't exactly strapped for cash having reported a profit of 1.6 billion dollars.

He says a better long term strategy is to create a workforce who are so skilled, companies will want to set up shop to take advantage of their skills.

2014 Sculpture SJ Expands To More Communities

Bigger & better...that is the plan for the return of Sculpture SJ next year.     

After a year off, the event will feature more regional locations that will end up with a new piece of public art.

Organizer Dianna Alexander says 8 communities will take part which are Hampton, Sussex, Grand Bay-Westfield, St. Andrew's. Blacks Harbour, Saint John Waterfront Development and the Grandview Avenue campus of the New Brunswick Community College.

Hampton's Jim Boyd will be taking part again next year and two of the artists from the 2012 event will be chosen to be return.   

Sculpture SJ 2014 runs August 7th to September 20th in the Coast Guard parking lot on Water street.

UPDATED: Suspicious Package at UNB Saint John

A tense situation on the campus of UNB Saint John where the discovery of a suspicious package late this morning forced the evacuation of the UNB field house.

Staff Sergeant Mike King of the City Police tells CHSJ News there is a return address on it which they are looking into. City Fire's Haz Mat unit was called in just before 11am.
 
King says they can't say what the package looks like, or what is inside the package at this time, but he does say no threat has been issued.

UPDATE: Platoon Chief Peter Saab of City Fire says a CBRNe unit, which is an RCMP division specially trained to deal with suspicious packages, has just arrived from Halifax and they are getting ready to examine the package.

Saab says the package was isolated in an overpacked barrel in the meantime.

Norton Hopeful Toronto Meeting Will Bear Fruit

The Mayor says last Monday's meeting in the Big Smoke is already bearing fruit.
 
Mel Norton and a business contingent from the City were hosted by former Premier Frank McKenna and Scott McCain.

He tells us both his office and Enterprise Saint John spent time last week reconnecting with the business leads made in Toronto.

He says they sent out an email and will also by following up by phone.

Norton says they are doing everything from asking businesses to bring some jobs here or even think about bringing your company's annual meeting here to fill up the City's hotels and restaurants.

Car Crash In Musquash

The Musquash Fire Department responding to a single vehicle collision early this morning shortly before 6 on Route 790 near the Wetmore Creek Rd in Musquash. 

A car left the road and struck a culvert. The driver was transported to hospital with what appeared to be minor injuries.
 

NB Power Is Doing Better

NB Power is reporting better financial numbers with year-to-date earnings rebounding to $5 million and the utility will be paying down its debt by $39 million. 

The better numbers being attributed, in part, to all that rain we got over the summer to generate more hydroelectricity with out of province revenue going up by 32 million dollars. 

We're also told the Point Lepreau nuclear plant, following a planned maintenance outage in October, is now operating at 100 per cent capaciy.

Ashley Smith Inquest Winding Down After Almost A Year

More than 12 thousand pages of evidence from 80 plus witnesses and over 100 recommendations. That's what jurors at the Ashley Smith inquest in Toronto will face going over after they receive final instructions today and then begin their deliberations.
 
The inquest into Smith’s choking death in a prison segregation cell in 2007 began last January. 

The jurors did receive conflicting advice on the question whether the 19-year-old Smith from Moncton meant to kill herself or died because the guards, under orders against intervening too quickly, waited too long to save her.

Tragedy In Southeastern New Brunswick

The small Acadian village of Cap Pele is in mourning after a tragic car crash over the weekend takes the lives of four teens, aged 17 and 18.
 
The four died when the car they were in went off the highway, struck a culvert and rolled over several times.
 
Three of the victims were not wearing their seatbelts and got ejected from the vehicle. The RCMP say speed was a factor in the crash. 

A funeral service for the four has been scheduled tomorrow afternoon and is being described as a celebration of their short lives. 

The people who live in Cap Pele have been asked not to turn their Christmas lights on until after the funeral.

Fishing Boat Runs Aground

(Photo Courtesy Of Lt. Paul Poirier)

Musquash Fire telling us about a fishing boat that ran aground at Lobster Cove in Chance Harbour early yesterday morning. Four fishermen who were on board made it safely to shore in a dinghy with the help of other fishermen in the area.

Later in the day, there was a single vehicle crash on Highway 1 in Musquash. A van struck a guardrail. This caused all the air bags to deploy. One person was sent to hospital as a precaution.

Special Meeting To Be Held By Common Council

Common Council holding another special meeting late this afternoon, this time it's about Zone SJ, the proposed new direction in development as part of Plan SJ. 

Concern has been expressed about too much development happening in the area of Quinton Heights that could cause structural problems for existing homeowners. 

West side Common Councillor Bill Farren tells CHSJ News he shares that concern especially after what happened to one homeowner's retirement home along Manawagonish Road. 

Farren says he also remembers vividly the big rock slide that happened years ago onto the Golden Mile.

Political Leaders React To Deadly Crash

Reaction from the Premier and the leader of the opposition on this weekend's tragic crash killing four teens from Cap Pele.

Liberal Leader Brian Gallant offering his sympathies to the families and friends of the four teens.

Shediac-Cap Pele Liberal MLA Victor Boudreau says he shares in the sadness and shock of the community.

Premier David Alward also offering his sympathies saying he is deeply saddened by news of the fatal collision.