UPDATE: Porch Fire Accidental

City fire crews responding to a porch fire on Glenburn Court.

Someone was home and the cause it considered accidental possibly a cigarette.

The call came in about 2:20pm this afternoon.   No one was hurt.

Fire investigators left the scene about an hour later.

UPDATE: Grand Manan Ferry Service Back Today

Folks in Grand Manan can get off the island later today Coastal Transport will have another ferry in place while the Adventure is broken down.

President Murray Ryder tells CHSJ News they noticed trouble with the Adventure when heading from Black's Harbour to North Head, Grand Manan.

He says during the trip they experienced a problem with the ship's turbo charger.   He says there is a fracture in the lube/oil distribution system.

Ryder says the plan is to get the Grand Manan 5 in service by 530pm.  He tells CHSJ News vehicles are starting to line up with people eager to get home.

As for when the Adventure might be running again, Ryder says it hard to say now as they are working with a parts supplier in Virginia to get the items they need.

Mayor Urges SJers To Refocus Attention Off Potholes And Plowing

Get your eyes off the potholes and unplowed streets and start looking at the big picture: that's the advice from Mayor Mel Norton, who says people in Saint John need to appreciate the many millions of dollars worth of developments currently happening in the city.
 
In remarks to common council, the Mayor reminded taxpayers that the Energy East pipeline, data center, and new call center jobs are all indicators of an economic turnaround.

The Mayor says the unemployment rate is also going down compared to what it was a few years ago, which people often overlook.

Man Arrested For Gun Incident in Waterford

RCMP have arrested a 34-year-old man in Waterford, which is outside of Sussex, after responding to a complaint of a man with a gun.

At approximately 11:45 p.m. Monday night, police responded to a 911 call from a home in Waterford about a man threatening to harm himself.

He was outside walking around the home when police arrived and they managed to resolve it peacefully.

No one was hurt.

Snowy Winter Messing With Mice

Our hard winter full of snow throwing our rodent friends for a loop.

Greg Flynn of Braemar Pest Control Services tells CHSJ News snow around your house tends to fill in the areas outside your home where mice might get in but he warns they don't need much room to get inside.

He tells us mice only need a quarter of an inch so basically a space the size of a dime to get in adding they can compress their bodies to fit in a very small hole.

Flynn says in the City they mostly see what they call a "house mouse" but in the outlying area you see field or deer mice.

Budget Cuts Coming At City Hall

Common Council is saying cuts are likely at City Hall next year with all departments and agencies undergoing a comprehensive review of what they do.

Councillor David Merrithew chairs the city's Finance Committee and he says there are definitely efficiencies to be found without having to increase taxes down the road.

Merrithew sees light at the end of the tunnel with the population growing at some point down the road. Canada Mortgage and Housing is predicting that'll be in 2016.

Frustration Over Latest Ferry Problems

Ferry service to and from Grand Manan has been cancelled today after engine problems on board the Grand Manan Adventure, which is tied up in Blacks Harbour.

Work is underway to bring the other ferry, the Grand Manan V, back into service. The Grand Manan Adventure cost the province 68 million dollars.

Since coming into service in August of 2011, the boat has been plagued by mechanical problems.

The Liberal MLA for Charlotte-the Isles Rick Doucet tells CHSJ News there's growing frustration on the part of the people on Grand Manan. He says it's their only link to the mainland but he won't go so far as to call the Grand Manan Adventure "a lemon".

Fire Department Called To A Pair Of Eateries

The McDonalds on Main Street North filling up with smoke early this morning shortly before 3 this morning. 

Fire Department Platoon Chief Peter Saab says the employees thought the fire had started in one of the washrooms but was found to be in the basement where it was quickly extinguished and the cause is not deemed to be suspicious.

Earlier, the fire department was called to the Tim Hortons on Loch Lomand Road where there was smoke in the building caused by an overheated electrical plug but damage was only minor.

Fredericton Police Officer Facing Domestic Assault Charge Earlier Honoured For Bravery

Constable Jeffrey Smiley of the Fredericton Police Department was honoured for bravery just a few months ago by the Governor-General but now finds himself on the wrong side of the law, facing a charge of domestic assault.
 
Constable Smiley who was off duty at the time spent the weekend in jail after being arrested late last week.
 
He received the Star of Courage from Governor-General David Johnston at Rideau Hall just last December for the part he playing in pulling a 73-year-old woman from her car in January of 2012 after it left the road, winding up in the St. John River.

Saint John Man In Court Charged With Robbery

24 year old Kyle Alexander Cameron of Saint John appearing in court in Fredericton on charges arising from the robbery of a Pharmasave on Prospect Street February 25th. 

Cameron pleaded not guilty to armed robbery and disguise with intent. 

He was sent back to jail until his next court appearance March 11th to have a trial date set.

Jellybeans In Jeopardy

Common council is still trying to find an investor to take on the so-called Jellybean buildings on Wellington Row. The buildings, which predate the Great Fire, are in sad shape--and the city's willing to give them away at a bargain-basement price to whoever can muster the cash for the substantial renos. 

The City bought the buildings around 5 years ago when it bought the land for Peel Plaza. Common councillor Donna Reardon says all that time they've been left vacant and unheated has taken a serious toll.

Common Councillor Gerry Lowe pointed out the last thing we want is someone buying the building who doesn't actually have the money to follow through. He suggested council get a bank letter from any would-be investor to ensure it doesn't turn into yet another dilapidated building situation.